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Mass-Rearing and Molecular Studies in Tortricidae Pest Insects
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Recent molecular evidence for the origin of complete metamorphosis in insects
1Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA.
Abstract:
The evolution of complete metamorphosis, or holometaboly, in insects is thought to have allowed insects to become the most speciose group of eukaryotes. Yet, the evolution of holometaboly is also one of the most elusive mysteries in insect evolution, undiscovered and intriguing ever since Aristotle's time. Recent studies on juvenile hormone and transcription factors, Chronologically inappropriate morphogenesis (Chinmo), Broad and E93, have provided molecular evidence in support of the two major theories for the origin of complete metamorphosis. This review discusses how these recent discoveries offer insights into the origins of the pupal and larval stages and suggests future studies to further probe this mystery. Although there is no consensus on the homologies of life stages, shared views at the molecular and cellular level are emerging.
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