ontogenetic

/ˌɑntədʒəˈnɛtɪk/
adjective
  1. Relating to the development of an individual organism from the earliest stage to maturity.
    • The ontogenetic changes in a butterfly are dramatic, from egg to caterpillar to adult.
    • The ontogenetic stages of a frog include the tadpole phase before it becomes an adult.
    • Scientists study ontogenetic patterns to understand how animals grow and change over time.
Antonyms