Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-hvd4g Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-12T07:14:24.860Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

When is a trait an adaptation?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 August 2003

Sergio M. Pellis
Sergio M. Pellis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta 3M4 T1K, Canadapellis@uleth.ca
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The authors outline research strategies that may identify the possible adaptive value of a trait. But this does not solve the problem of how to decide which characteristics of living organisms require an adaptive explanation. I suggest that knowledge of the ontogenetic and phylogenetic construction of a trait facilitates the identification of features that may have been acted on by natural selection.

Type
Brief Report
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , August 2002 , pp. 524
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press