Alloiometry

/ˌæloɪˈɒmətri/ noun

Definition

The study of how different parts of an organism grow at different rates, causing changes in body proportions as size increases.

Etymology

From Greek 'allo-' (other) + 'iio-' (variant) + '-metry' (measurement); emerged from 20th-century biology to quantify differential growth rates.

Kelly Says

When a tadpole becomes a frog, its tail shrinks and disappears while its legs grow—that's alloiometry in action, and the same principle explains why giant creatures like dinosaurs couldn't exist at elephant size!

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