cooption

English - English

Definition of cooption in English English dictionary

(Biyoloji) Exaptation, cooption, and preadaptation are related terms pertaining to shifts in the function of a trait. At one point the trait evolved because it served one function but subsequently it evolved because it served another function. Exaptations are common in both anatomy and behavior. A classic example is bird feathers, which initially evolved for temperature regulation and later evolved for flight. Interest in exaptation relates to both the process and product of evolution: the process that creates complex traits and the product that may be imperfectly designed

Hyphenation

co·op·tion