meristic
/məˈrɪstɪk/
adjective
- Relating to or involving the number of repeated body parts or segments (such as vertebrae, scales, or petals) in an organism.
- Scientists use meristic counts to compare skeletal features in fossil specimens.
- The biologist studied the meristic variation in fish scales across different populations.
- Meristic traits like the number of petals can help identify plant species.