This notion came up earlier with your question about differentiating, for which I cited a few examples. This is general scientific terminology.

Thus:
"... given the fact that this concept is not distinctive for differentiating species of fish...

For obvious reasons, accurate **differentiation of these four species is important**. ... The most **distinctive feature** of P. citrinum is its benicillus, ...
www.fao.org/docrep/X5036E/x5036E08.htm

the words could be proper names, nouns, adverbs, adjectives, verbs and ... are **still able to differentiate between the two, even if the tonal contrasts** ...
www.ikp.uni-bonn.de/ikpab/ikpab-nf14.pdf -