neoteny

ne·ot·e·ny

 (nē-ŏt′n-ē)

n.

1. The retention of juvenile characteristics in the adults of a species, as among certain amphibians. Also called pedomorphism, pedomorphosis.

2. The attainment of sexual maturity and subsequent reproduction by an organism still in its larval stage. Also called pedogenesis².

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[New Latin neotenia : neo- + Greek teinein, ten-, to extend; see tenesmus.]

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ne′o·ten′ic (nē′ə-tĕn′ĭk, -tē′nĭk), ne·ot′e·nous (-ŏt′n-əs) adj.

neoteny

(nɪˈɒtənɪ) or

neoteinia

n

(Zoology) the persistence of larval or fetal features in the adult form of an animal. For example, the adult axolotl, a salamander, retains larval external gills. See also paedogenesis

[C19: from New Latin neotenia, from Greek neo- + teinein to stretch]

neotenic, neˈotenous adj

ne•ot•e•ny

(niˈɒt n i)

n.

1. the production of offspring by an organism in its larval or juvenile form; the elimination of the adult phase of the life cycle.

2. the retention in adulthood of a feature or features that appeared in an earlier phase in the life cycle of ancestral individuals.

[1900–05; < New Latin neotēnia < Greek neo- neo- + teín(ein) to stretch + -ia -y³]

ne•ot′e•nous, adj.

neoteny

the capacity or state of becoming sexually mature in the larval stage. — neotenous, adj.

See also: Insects

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

neoteny - an evolutionary trend to be born earlier so that development is cut off at an earlier stage and juvenile characteristics are retained in adults of the species evolutionary trend - a general direction of evolutionary change