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Morphospace analysis leads to an evo-devo model of digit patterning.

Gabriela Fontanarrosa¹, Virginia Abdala^1,2, Daniel A Dos Santos^1,2

¹Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.

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|January 21, 2021

Summary

Biological forms, like lizard hands, show constrained patterns in their development. This study reveals rules governing phalangeal formulas (PFs) and proposes a developmental model for their formation.

Keywords:

constraints digit patterning empirical morphospace network theory phalangeal formula theoretical morphospace

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Developmental biology
Morphometrics

Background:

Biological forms are constrained within theoretical morphospaces.
Understanding empirical morphospaces requires developmental models.
Phalangeal formulas (PFs) in tetrapod hands offer a model system for studying these constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze the constraints on phalangeal formulas (PFs) in lizard hands within a theoretical morphospace.
To identify underlying rules governing PFs and reconstruct their evolutionary trajectory.
To propose a developmental model that explains the generation of empirical PFs.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of empirical PFs in lizards and relatives against simulated PFs.
Identification of ordering and contiguity rules for phalangeal counts per digit.
Reconstruction of PF evolution and proposal of a developmental mechanism.

Main Results:

Empirical morphospace of PFs is significantly limited.
PFs adhere to ordering (DI≤II≤III≤IV≥V) and contiguity rules.
PFs can be categorized into four types along a feasibility gradient, with evolution showing a stepwise reduction trajectory.

Conclusions:

A developmental model involving ordered digit primordia initialization and timed joint formation explains observed PFs.
The findings provide insights into developmental constraints shaping biological form.
The approach is applicable to other meristic sequences in nature, such as dental and floral formulas.