Abstract
The origination of novel structures has long been an intriguing topic for biologists. Over the past few decades it has served as a central theme in evolutionary developmental biology. Yet, definitions of evolutionary innovation and novelty are frequently debated and there remains disagreement about what kinds of causal factors best explain the origin of qualitatively new variation in the history of life. Here we examine aspects of these debates, survey three empirical case studies, and reflect on directions for future inquiry that will advance research into the developmental evolution of novel structures.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology |
Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
Pages | 136-145 |
Number of pages | 10 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128004265 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780128000496 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 14 2016 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Co-option
- Development
- Evo-devo
- Gene regulatory networks
- Homology
- Innovation
- Morphology
- Novelty
- Origin
- Plasticity
- Structure