Explain the Ethological Approach in Taxonomy

The use of behavioural or ethoIogica1 characteristics in animals is relatively new, though extremely useful, particularly in the identification of closely related species. Like ,most of the other characters ethological characteristics too are genetically determined and so are transmitted from generation to generation. Furthermore, they also play an important rote in isolating mechanism and in initiating new adaptations.

It is because of these factors, that ethological features are considerably important taxonomically and are often used along with other approaches.

Some important ethological characters used in animal systematic are:

a) sound production,

b) bioluminiescence,

c) various other ethological  activities.