1. plural of melanist; organisms or individuals that exhibit melanism, a condition characterized by excessive dark pigmentation in the skin, fur, or feathers.
Usage: biology; zoology
2. plural of melanist; people who study or specialize in melanism or dark pigmentation in animals.
Usage: technical; scientific

Examples

• The melanists in the population of peppered moths increased during the Industrial Revolution.
• Researchers observed that melanists among the big cat species showed enhanced survival in dense forests.
• The study compared melanists and normally pigmented individuals to understand genetic variation.
• Black panthers are melanists—a dark variant of leopards and jaguars.
• Melanists of certain bird species have been documented in tropical regions.