What is Phenotype?
Phenotype refers to the presence of observable physical characteristics of an organism. It is the expression of a specific trait which depends on genetics as well as the environment. It results from the interaction an organism’s genetic makeup (genotype) and its surroundings. The interaction between genotype, phenotype, and the environment can be summarized as:
Genotype+ environment+ random variation/mutation= Phenotype
Examples
Examples of phenotypes include observable physical characteristics like eye color, skin color, hair color, and height etc. Phenotypes also include physical characteristics which are measurable in the laboratory like blood group type or level of hormones.
Importance
It is the phenotype which helps an individual to stand out in the crowd. It is responsible for one’s individuality. Every person is different from others in his overall appearance.