Continous variation
1) The variations fluctuate around an average or mean of species.
2) Direction of continuous variations is predictable.

3) They are already present in the population.

4) The continuous variations are also called fluctuations
5) They are very common.

Discontinous
1) A mean or average is absent in discontinuous variations.

2) The direction of discontinuous variations is unpredictable.

3) Discontinuous variations are also known as mutations or sports.

4) These variations appear occasionally.

Continuous and Discontinuous Variation:

Continuous and discontinuous variation are the two types of variation that exist in living organisms. Variation refers to the differences that exist between individual organisms of the same species. The differences may be physical or behavioral. In this article, we will explain the difference between continuous and discontinuous variation.

Continuous variation:

Continuous variation refers to the differences that exist between individual organisms where the differences are small and the traits are quantitative. Traits that show continuous variation are controlled by multiple genes and environmental factors.

For example, human height is a trait that shows continuous variation. Some people are tall while others are short, but most individuals are of average height. The height of an individual is influenced by multiple genes as well as environmental factors such as nutrition and exercise. Other examples of traits that show continuous variation include weight, skin color, and intelligence.

Discontinuous variation:

Discontinuous variation refers to the differences that exist between individual organisms where the differences are large and the traits are qualitative. Traits that show discontinuous variation are controlled by a single gene or a small number of genes.

For example, blood type is a trait that shows discontinuous variation. An individual can have blood type A, B, AB, or O. The inheritance of blood type is determined by a single gene with multiple alleles. Other examples of traits that show discontinuous variation include eye color, hair color, and the presence or absence of certain genetic disorders.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, continuous variation refers to small differences in quantitative traits that are controlled by multiple genes and environmental factors. Discontinuous variation refers to large differences in qualitative traits that are controlled by a single gene or a small number of genes. Understanding the difference between continuous and discontinuous variation is important in fields such as genetics, evolutionary biology, and medicine.