The word phenotype refers to the observable characters or attributes of individual organisms, including their morphology, physiology, behavior, and other traits. The phenotype of an organism is limited by the boundaries of its specific genetic complement (genotype), but is also influenced by environmental factors that impact the expression of genetic potential.

All organisms have unique genetic information, which is embodied in the particular nucleotide sequences of their DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the genetic biochemical of almost organisms, except for viruses and bacteria that utilize RNA as their genetic material). The genotype is fixed within an individual organism but is subject to change (mutations) from one generation to the next due to low rates of natural or spontaneous mutation). However, there is a certain degree of developmental flexibility in the phenotype, which is the actual or outward expression of the genetic information in terms...