morphologically distinct phenotypes

[Russ Collins]

Hi,

I have two concerns. One is that the term seems to be a bit narrow, focusing on 
insect development. Polyphenism is, apparently, seen in many different 
organisms. Perhaps there could be a more general, polyphenism term, and make the 
requested term could be an is_a child of it?

The second concern is the parentage. It really isn't part_of 'larval or pupal 
development', it's more of a decision between more ways for larvae/pupae to 
develop. It strikes me as being conceptually similar to 'sex determination'. And 
using the 'sex determination' example it would suggest there be something like:

development
----[i]polyphenic determination
--------[i]caste determination (sensu insecta)

with a rough suggestion for definitions as:

Any process that establishes or transmits the specification of one of several 
distinct developmental potentials in response external environmental cues.

But take these suggestions with a grain of salt, fruit flies don't do 
polyphenism. At least not that I know of...

Russ

> 
> Hi,
> 
> I would appreciate a second opinion on this item:
> 
> [ 1239035 ] caste development (sensu Insecta)
> 
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1239035&group_id=36855
&atid=440764
> 
> 
> It is a new term request for:
> 
> term: caste development (sensu Insecta)
> 
> definition: The process that generates morphologically
> distinct phenotypes that perform different functions in
> a colony of social insects. Hormonal control of caste
> development is integrated with larval and pupal
> development. Polyphenism refers to discontinuous
> phenotypic variation.
> 
> biological_process; GO:0008150
> --- [i] development; GO:0007275
> ------ [i] larval and pupal development (sensu
> Insecta); GO:0002165
> --------- [p] caste development (sensu Insecta); GO:NEW
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jen

Russell Collins

Gene Ontology Curator, FlyBase
Department of Genetics
University of Cambridge