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The development and evolution of exaggerated morphologies in insects.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Emlen, DJ; Nijhout, HF
Published in: Annual review of entomology
January 2000

We discuss a framework for studying the evolution of morphology in insects, based on the concepts of "phenotypic plasticity" and "reaction norms." We illustrate this approach with the evolution of some of the most extreme morphologies in insects: exaggerated, sexually selected male ornaments and weapons, and elaborate social insect soldier castes. Most of these traits scale with body size, and these scaling relationships are often nonlinear. We argue that scaling relationships are best viewed as reaction norms, and that the evolution of exaggerated morphological traits results from genetic changes in the slope and/or shape of these scaling relationships. After reviewing literature on sexually selected and caste-specific structures, we suggest two possible routes to the evolution of exaggerated trait dimensions: (a) the evolution of steeper scaling relationship slopes and (b) the evolution of sigmoid or discontinuous scaling relationship shapes. We discuss evolutionary implications of these two routes to exaggeration and suggest why so many of the most exaggerated insect structures scale nonlinearly with body size. Finally, we review literature on insect development to provide a comprehensive picture of how scaling relationships arise and to suggest how they may be modified through evolution.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Annual review of entomology

DOI

EISSN

1545-4487

ISSN

0066-4170

Publication Date

January 2000

Volume

45

Start / End Page

661 / 708

Related Subject Headings

  • Phenotype
  • Insecta
  • Genotype
  • Entomology
  • Biological Evolution
  • Animals
  • 3109 Zoology
  • 0608 Zoology
 

Citation

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Emlen, D. J., & Nijhout, H. F. (2000). The development and evolution of exaggerated morphologies in insects. Annual Review of Entomology, 45, 661–708. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.45.1.661
Emlen, D. J., and H. F. Nijhout. “The development and evolution of exaggerated morphologies in insects.Annual Review of Entomology 45 (January 2000): 661–708. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.45.1.661.
Emlen DJ, Nijhout HF. The development and evolution of exaggerated morphologies in insects. Annual review of entomology. 2000 Jan;45:661–708.
Emlen, D. J., and H. F. Nijhout. “The development and evolution of exaggerated morphologies in insects.Annual Review of Entomology, vol. 45, Jan. 2000, pp. 661–708. Epmc, doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.45.1.661.
Emlen DJ, Nijhout HF. The development and evolution of exaggerated morphologies in insects. Annual review of entomology. 2000 Jan;45:661–708.

Published In

Annual review of entomology

DOI

EISSN

1545-4487

ISSN

0066-4170

Publication Date

January 2000

Volume

45

Start / End Page

661 / 708

Related Subject Headings

  • Phenotype
  • Insecta
  • Genotype
  • Entomology
  • Biological Evolution
  • Animals
  • 3109 Zoology
  • 0608 Zoology