Autochthonous:
- (of an inhabitant of a place) indigenous rather than descended from migrants or colonists.
- Geology (of a deposit or formation) formed in its present position.
Often contrasted with allochthonous
Noted in the Feedback column of NewScientist (28 October 2017):
[A reader] informs us that King Leopold III of Belgium was a fervent naturalist and traveller. “He led several expeditions in Africa, Asia and South America among others,” says Anne, and, unlike his infamous grandfather, “was acclaimed for his defence of nature and of autochthonous populations.”
