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

Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

33.5K
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.
33.5K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

48.6K
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.
48.6K
Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

3.9K
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
3.9K
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

8.1K
The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are...
8.1K
What is Evolutionary History?02:35

What is Evolutionary History?

43.9K
Scientists record evolutionary history by analyzing fossil, morphological, and genetic data. The fossil record documents the history of life on Earth and provides evidence for evolution. However, both fossil and living organisms offer evidence that outlines Earth’s evolutionary history.
43.9K
The Fossil Record02:56

The Fossil Record

27.6K
The fossil record documents only a small fraction of all organisms that have ever inhabited Earth. Fossilization is a rare process, and most organisms never become fossils. Moreover, the fossil record only exhibits fossils that have been discovered. Nevertheless, sedimentary rock fossils of long-lived, abundant, hard-bodied organisms dominate the fossil record. These fossils offer valuable information, such as an organism's physical form, behavior, and age. Studying the fossil record helps...
27.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Phylogenomic assessment of microhylid frogs reveals widespread taxonomic confusion in the Asterophryinae and establishes the timing of diversification in Australia.

Molecular phylogenetics and evolution·2026
Same author

tanggle: An R package for the visualization of phylogenetic networks.

Applications in plant sciences·2026
Same author

Blood parasite infection is associated with lower thermoregulatory precision in the lizard Podarcis lusitanicus.

Journal of thermal biology·2026
Same author

Large-scale genomic surveillance reveals immunosuppression drives mutation dynamics in persistent SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

A Review of the Australian MRI Linac Program: From Pie in the Sky to Research Milestone.

Journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology·2026
Same author

"Nesting assistance": a new hypothesis for the evolution of polyandry and a test in an African foam-nesting treefrog.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Creating Avian Forebrain Chimeras to Assess Facial Development
04:10

Creating Avian Forebrain Chimeras to Assess Facial Development

Published on: February 18, 2021

1.5K

Evidence for Concerted and Mosaic Brain Evolution in Dragon Lizards.

Daniel Hoops1, Marta Vidal-García, Jeremy F P Ullmann

  • 1Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, Australia.

Brain, Behavior and Evolution
|September 5, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Brain evolution in dragons shows both concerted and mosaic patterns. Different selective pressures, like body size and ecomorph, reveal distinct evolutionary pathways for brain regions.

Keywords:
CerebellumCognitionConcerted evolutionDiencephalonEcomorphLizardMagnetic resonance imagingMesencephalonMosaic evolutionOptic tectumReptileRhombencephalonTegmentumTelencephalon

More Related Videos

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face
08:15

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Published on: January 7, 2019

7.4K
Computer-Generated Animal Model Stimuli
26:43

Computer-Generated Animal Model Stimuli

Published on: July 29, 2007

11.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Creating Avian Forebrain Chimeras to Assess Facial Development
04:10

Creating Avian Forebrain Chimeras to Assess Facial Development

Published on: February 18, 2021

1.5K
Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face
08:15

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Published on: January 7, 2019

7.4K
Computer-Generated Animal Model Stimuli
26:43

Computer-Generated Animal Model Stimuli

Published on: July 29, 2007

11.4K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Comparative Anatomy

Background:

  • Brain evolution is shaped by selective pressures, leading to two main models: concerted brain evolution (coordinated changes) and mosaic brain evolution (independent changes).
  • It remains unclear which factors favor concerted versus mosaic brain evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate brain evolution in the agamid lizard genus Ctenophorus (dragons) by examining major neural subdivisions.
  • To test whether concerted or mosaic brain evolution models are supported and how different selective drivers influence these patterns.

Main Methods:

  • MRI was used to measure total and regional brain volumes in 14 species of Ctenophorus dragons.
  • Species were assigned to ecomorphs based on habitat use and refuge type to analyze selection pressures.

Main Results:

  • Evidence for both concerted and mosaic brain evolution was found in dragons.
  • Concerted brain evolution was observed relative to body size, with all brain subdivisions increasing in volume.
  • Mosaic brain evolution was detected relative to ecomorph, with the tectum and rhombencephalon showing opposite evolutionary patterns.

Conclusions:

  • Both concerted and mosaic brain evolution occur simultaneously in dragons, influenced by specific selection drivers.
  • The detection of concerted or mosaic brain evolution depends on the type of selection measured, not solely on the animal group studied.