Having the shape or form characteristic of swifts or their specific body structure, particularly referring to the streamlined, compact body shape adapted for rapid aerial movement.
From Cypsele (swift) + Latin -forma (form/shape), coined in the 19th century to describe anatomical resemblance to swift morphology in comparative ornithology.
A cypseliform body shape is an aerodynamic masterpiece—the streamlined compact form reduces drag, and swifts' wing positions can extend nearly 180 degrees around their body, making them arguably the most aerodynamically optimized vertebrates ever evolved.
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