Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
Evolutionary Processes in Microbes01:26

Evolutionary Processes in Microbes

Microbial evolution occurs rapidly due to short generation times and a variety of genetic processes, including horizontal gene transfer, mutation, recombination, and genetic drift. These mechanisms collectively enable microbes to adapt swiftly to changing environments.Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows genes to move between different species and occurs through three main mechanisms: conjugation, transformation, and transduction. Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for DNA...
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores02:40

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the biosynthesis of the...
Evolution of Microbial Genome01:08

Evolution of Microbial Genome

Microbial genome evolution is a highly dynamic process shaped by continual gene gain and loss across species and strains. This genomic flexibility allows microorganisms to adapt rapidly to environmental pressures and interactions with other organisms. Central to understanding this diversity is the distinction between the core and pan genomes.The core genome comprises the genes shared by all sampled strains of a species, representing essential functions needed for fundamental cellular processes.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Single-cell Multiomic and Spatiotemporal Dissection of the Liver Circadian Clock.

Genomics, proteomics & bioinformatics·2026
Same author

Limits and mechanisms of honey bee colonial thermoregulation in the heat.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

Neurobiological interfaces connecting environmental change to monarch butterfly migration.

Current opinion in neurobiology·2026
Same author

Initiating transformative medical practices to address environmental challenges - proceedings of "Santé en 2050", the French national conference on healthcare adaptation.

Reviews on environmental health·2026
Same author

Increasing propellant gas emissions from pressurized metered-dose inhalers in obstructive lung diseases in France over 11 years.

Respiratory research·2026
Same author

Oxygen supply through the tracheolar-muscle system does not constrain insect gigantism.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Antimalarial activity of Sargassum fluitans and Sargassum natans stranded along the Caribbean coast of Panama.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026
Same journal

Structural Equation Modelling Reveals How Allometry Shapes Integration in Avian Cranial Evolution.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026
Same journal

Sexed Politics, Histories, and Futures.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026
Same journal

The role of sex in structuring aggression, rank, and hierarchy in monk parakeets.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026
Same journal

Modeling Probiotic-Associated Growth Dynamics in Juvenile Red Drum.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026
Same journal

Sharing stress, shifting strategies: Social context during stress shifts collective thermoregulation behaviors in honeybees.

Integrative and comparative biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Light Sheet-based Fluorescence Microscopy of Living or Fixed and Stained Tribolium castaneum Embryos
10:15

Light Sheet-based Fluorescence Microscopy of Living or Fixed and Stained Tribolium castaneum Embryos

Published on: April 28, 2017

Episodes in insect evolution.

Timothy J Bradley1, Adriana D Briscoe, Seán G Brady

  • 1*Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2525, USA;Department of Entomology and Laboratories of Analytical Biology, National Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012, USA;Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA;Division of Invertebrate Zoology, Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA;Section of Organismal, Integrative and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe AZ 85287-4501, USA;Department of Basic Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA;Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA;Department of Biology, University of Arkansas Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72204, USA.

Integrative and Comparative Biology
|June 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This review explores the evolutionary journey of insects, highlighting key events and the development of traits like flight and social behavior that led to their ecological success.

More Related Videos

The Insect Galleria mellonella as a Powerful Infection Model to Investigate Bacterial Pathogenesis
13:00

The Insect Galleria mellonella as a Powerful Infection Model to Investigate Bacterial Pathogenesis

Published on: December 11, 2012

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
10:23

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles

Published on: July 11, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Light Sheet-based Fluorescence Microscopy of Living or Fixed and Stained Tribolium castaneum Embryos
10:15

Light Sheet-based Fluorescence Microscopy of Living or Fixed and Stained Tribolium castaneum Embryos

Published on: April 28, 2017

The Insect Galleria mellonella as a Powerful Infection Model to Investigate Bacterial Pathogenesis
13:00

The Insect Galleria mellonella as a Powerful Infection Model to Investigate Bacterial Pathogenesis

Published on: December 11, 2012

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
10:23

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles

Published on: July 11, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Integrative and Comparative Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Entomology

Background:

  • Insects represent a highly diverse and ecologically significant animal clade.
  • Understanding insect evolution is crucial for comprehending biodiversity and adaptation.
  • Previous research has identified major evolutionary events in insect history.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize current knowledge on the evolutionary history of insects.
  • To detail the origins and diversification of key insect physiological and behavioral traits.
  • To provide an overview of the pattern and timing of insect evolutionary specialization.

Main Methods:

  • The content is derived from a symposium featuring presentations by experts in insect evolution.
  • Presentations covered major evolutionary events, trait evolution, and diversification patterns.
  • Expert reviews synthesized existing research on insect evolutionary history.

Main Results:

  • The evolutionary history of insects encompasses major diversification events since their formation.
  • Specific traits, including the evolution of flight, osmoregulation, tracheal systems, color vision, circadian clocks, and eusociality, have driven insect success.
  • The timing and pattern of evolutionary diversification and specialization within the insect clade are elucidated.

Conclusions:

  • Insects exhibit a rich evolutionary history characterized by significant diversification and specialization.
  • The evolution of unique physiological and behavioral traits has been pivotal to insect ecological dominance.
  • This symposium provides a comprehensive overview of insect evolutionary biology, underscoring their success as a model group for biological study.