Isomorphism (biology)


 * For other uses of isomorphism, see isomorphism (disambiguation).

In biology, an isomorphism is a similarity of form or structure between organisms. The term isomorphism is borrowed from mathematical usage, where it refers to a one-to-one mapping between the elements of two sets. Biologists generally use the term to characterize a relationship between organisms with independent ancestries, e.g. after convergent evolution. Two organisms exhibiting isomorphism are referred to as isomorphs.