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Related Experiment Videos

Turtles as hopeful monsters.

O Rieppel1

  • 1Department of Geology, The Field Museum, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496, USA. rieppel@fieldmuseum.org

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|December 18, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Changes in early embryonic development can drive major evolutionary shifts, like the turtle shell. This developmental process can lead to unique anatomical forms not explained by gradual evolution alone.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Paleontology

Background:

  • The turtle shell is a complex anatomical structure representing a significant evolutionary novelty.
  • Understanding the evolutionary origins of such novelties often requires examining developmental processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of early embryonic development in the evolution of the turtle shell.
  • To explore how developmental changes can lead to macroevolutionary events.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of developmental pathways in turtles.
  • Comparative embryology studies.
  • Morphological analysis of early developmental stages.

Main Results:

  • Early developmental deviations significantly influence the origin of evolutionary novelties.
  • The evolution of the turtle shell is linked to changes in embryonic development.
  • Ontogenetic deviations can produce morphological changes incompatible with gradualistic evolution.

Conclusions:

  • Developmental processes are crucial drivers of macroevolutionary change.
  • The turtle's unique anatomy exemplifies how altered development can create novel forms.
  • Evolutionary transformations may arise from non-gradualistic developmental shifts.

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