Habit, when used in the context of biology, refers to the instinctive actions of animals and the natural tendencies of plants.
In zoology, this term most often refers to specific behavioral characteristics, even when directly related to physiology. For example:
- The spider monkey has an arboreal habit and rarely ventures onto the forest floor.
- The brittlestar has the habit of breaking off arms as a means of defense
In botany, the term is used most often to describe the general appearance, growth form, or architecture of a plant. For example:
- Certain alpine plants have been chosen for cultivation because of their dwarf habit
Since both concepts – mode of behavior and external form – are significant in zoology, the term "habitus" (from which the word "habit" actually derives) is used for the latter. "Habitus" may also be found in botany; here it means the same as "habit", as plants generally do not have "habits" in the zoological sense.
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