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Not all roads can be taken: development induces anisotropic accessibility in morphospace
1Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EQ, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Evolution & Development
|September 13, 2014
Summary
Morphospace studies often assume uniform variability, but development imposes constraints. This research reveals anisotropic variability in trilobite morphospace, highlighting that evolutionary accessibility, not just distance, is crucial for accurate inference.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Paleontology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Morphospaces are quantitative tools for studying morphological evolution.
- Current morphospace analyses often assume isotropic (uniform) variability.
- This assumption may not accurately reflect developmental constraints on phenotypes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how developmental properties influence morphospace structure.
- To visualize the constraints development places on phenotype accessibility.
- To assess the implications of developmental constraints for evolutionary inference.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a trilobite case study.
- Visualized the accessibility structure of morphospace.
- Analyzed variability patterns within the morphospace.
Main Results:
- Morphospace variability is strongly anisotropic, not isotropic.
- Found discordances between apparent phenotype range and actual accessibility.
- Anisotropic variability naturally explains homoplasy, directionality, and asymmetry in evolution.
Conclusions:
- Developmental constraints create anisotropic morphospaces.
- Morphological distance alone is limited for evolutionary inference.
- Evolutionary accessibility, informed by development, is essential for accurate interpretation.
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