What is Trait?
{{about|traits in biology|other uses of the term|Trait (disambiguation)}} A '''trait''', or '''character,''' in [[biology]] is a feature of a living thing. It is part of an organism's [[phenotype]]. Every living thing, from tiny organisms like [[bacteria]], to [[plant]]s, [[animal]]s and [[human]]s, has some [[wikt:characteristic|characteristics]] which make it special. Thus an [[elephant]] has tusks, large size and weight, large ears and very large [[molar]] teeth ([[et cetera]]). These are typical characters of the African and Indian elephants. Biologists call those ''traits''. The living thing is built in a certain way; this is its ''[[anatomy]]'', its [[structure]] or body. The physical structure ''works'' in a certain way; this is its [[Function (biology)|function]], the way its body works. An animal also ''acts'' in a certain way; this is its [[behavior]]. The way that a living thing is structured, the way its body works and the way that it acts are all traits. The basic traits are shared by all the members of the group, ''that is why they are put in the same group''. Other traits are only shared by a small number of the group. For example: * It is an [[anatomy|anatomical]] trait of [[giraffe]]s to have long necks. All giraffes have this trait. * It is a [[physiology|physiological]] function of birds to lay eggs to produce their young. All birds have this trait. * It is part of the [[behaviour]] of [[wolves]] to live and hunt in packs; it is part of the behaviour of [[cats]] to live alone or in small family groups, and to hunt alone. These characteristic behaviours are also traits. Traits are [[heritable]]: they can be passed on from one generation to the next by [[genes]]. [[Gregor Mendel|Mendel's]] work involved the inheritance of traits on [[pea]] plants. The whole group of traits of an organism is its [[phenotype]]. == Trait versus character == Different sources use the term differently. 'Trait' competes with the term 'character'. === Synonyms === According to some authorities, '''trait''' an