Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...

The Evidence for Evolution

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.

Convergent Evolution

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.

Evolutionary Processes in Microbes

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...

Eukaryotic Evolution

Eukaryotic Evolution

The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...

Formation of Species

Formation of Species

Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Larval growth rate is not a major determinant of adult wing shape and eyespot size in the seasonally polyphenic butterfly <i>Melanitis leda</i>.

PeerJ·2024

Same author

Zygosity-based sex determination in a butterfly drives hypervariability of <i>Masculinizer</i>.

Science advances·2024

Same author

Phenotypic plasticity in tropical butterflies is linked to climatic seasonality on a macroevolutionary scale.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2024

Same author

Miocene Climate and Habitat Change Drove Diversification in Bicyclus, Africa's Largest Radiation of Satyrine Butterflies.

Systematic biology·2021

Same author

Predictability of temporal variation in climate and the evolution of seasonal polyphenism in tropical butterfly communities.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2021

Same author

Seasonal environments drive convergent evolution of a faster pace-of-life in tropical butterflies.

Ecology letters·2020

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

Evo-devo and accounting for Darwin's endless forms.

Paul M Brakefield¹

¹Department of Zoology, University Museum of Zoology Cambridge, , University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. pb499@cam.ac.uk

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences

|June 22, 2011

Summary

Evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) explains animal diversity by studying how development generates evolutionary novelty. It highlights the role of ancient gene regulation in shaping life's forms.

More Related Videos

In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

Published on: August 31, 2018

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

In Situ Hybridization Techniques for Paraffin-Embedded Adult Coral Samples

Published on: August 31, 2018

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

Area of Science:

Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo)
Comparative genomics
Animal diversification

Background:

Evo-devo links developmental processes to evolutionary diversification, explaining the vast array of animal life.
It provides insights into the origin of evolutionary novelties and adaptive radiations.
Evo-devo supports Darwin's concepts of common ancestry and descent with modification.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore how developmental mechanisms contribute to evolutionary patterns.
To investigate the role of regulatory gene evolution in generating biological diversity.
To examine the potential for developmental constraints in shaping evolutionary trajectories.

Main Methods:

Analysis of gene regulatory networks.
Comparative studies of developmental pathways across species.
Exploration of morphospace and trait-space limitations.

Main Results:

Evolution of developmental regulation, rather than new genes, drives the diversity of forms.
Evolvability of developmental systems is crucial for generating selectable variation.
A balance between 'endless forms' and developmental constraints is increasingly recognized.

Conclusions:

Evo-devo provides a framework for understanding evolutionary diversification through developmental processes.
The evolution of gene regulation is key to generating biological novelty and diversity.
Future research may extend these principles to the evolution of behavior, exploring if 'old genes learn new tricks'.