Form (zoology)


In zoology, the word "form" or forma is a strictly informal term that is sometimes used to describe organisms. Under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature the term has no standing. In other words, although form names are Latin, and are sometimes wrongly appended to a binomial name, in a zoological context, forms have no taxonomic significance at all.

Usage of the term

Some zoologists use the word "form" or "forma" to describe variation in animals, especially insects, as part of a series of terms and abbreviations that are appended to the binomen or trinomen. Many 'typical specimens' may be described, but none should be considered absolute, unconditional or categorical. Forms have no official status, though they are sometimes useful in describing altitudinal or geographical clines. As opposed to morphs, a subpopulation usually consists of a single form only at any given point of time.
forma geographica - f. geogr.
forma localis - f. loc.
forma alta - f. alt.
aberratio - ab.
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