Allen's rule
(redirected from Allen's law)Also found in: Medical.
Allen's rule
[′al·ənz ‚rül] (vertebrate zoology)
The generalization that the protruding parts of a warm-blooded animal's body, such as the tail, ears, and limbs, are shorter in animals from cold parts of the species range than from warm parts.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.