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Developmental Patterns Underlying Variation in Form and Function Exhibited by House Gecko Toe Pads.

Aaron H Griffing^1,2,3, Tony Gamble^3,4,5, Ashmika Behere⁴

¹Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.

Integrative and Comparative Biology

|March 27, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

House geckos (Hemidactylus) show varied toe pad development, leading to differences in climbing ability. Developmental timing, not just later stages, shapes these adhesive structures.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Developmental biology
Biomechanics

Background:

Adhesive toe pads have evolved independently multiple times in lizards, with geckos being a prime example.
While early toe pad development is conserved across distantly related species, adult morphology varies significantly.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how morphological and functional variation in adhesive toe pads arises within a single evolutionary origin (house geckos, Hemidactylus).
To correlate developmental patterns with functional performance in three Hemidactylus species with differing habitat preferences.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of toe pad morphology and adhesive force in three Hemidactylus species (H. platyurus, H. turcicus, H. imbricatus).
Examination of embryonic developmental patterns of toe pad morphogenesis.

Main Results:

Hemidactylus platyurus exhibited significantly greater adhesive force and larger toe pad area compared to H. turcicus and H. imbricatus.
Variations in the timing of the toe pad extension phase during embryonic development were linked to adult morphological differences.

Conclusions:

Morphological variation in complex structures like gecko toe pads can be generated by alterations in developmental timing within a single evolutionary lineage.
Developmental plasticity in toe pad morphogenesis directly influences functional outcomes, such as adhesive capabilities.