continuous variation

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continuous variation An assemblage of measurements of a phenotypic character which form a continuous spectrum of values. Examples are body weight, height, or shape, reproductive rate, and various behaviour traits. The continuity of phenotype is a result of two phenomena: (a) each phenotype does not have a single phenotypic expression but a norm of reaction that covers a wide phenotypic range; (b) there may be many segregating loci whose alleles make a difference to the phenotype being observed.

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