BioConcepts

morpho-clineMorphokline (ger.)

• The evolutionary sequence of characters in a lineage. (HWB)
  category form

  1952

  Clines have been designated as eco-clines or geo-clines (Huxley, 1939), but it is quite possible that allopatric forms arising in these ways might later become sympatric. To my knowledge no term has been coined to describe such morphological clines. I propose, therefore, the term morpho-cline to include not only eco-clines and geo-clines as defined by Huxley but also those discontinuous clines remaining should the populations attain complete specific status.

  Maslin, T.P. (1952). Morphological criteria of phyletic relationships. Syst. Zool. 1, 49-70: 52.

  1982

  morphocline A graded series of character states of a homologous character; morphological transformation series.

  Lincoln, R.J., Boxshall, G.A. & Clark, P.F. (1982). A Dictionary of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics: 159.