DIFFERENT PATHWAYS IN ARTHROPOD POSTEMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT

To investigate the consequences of canalization and plasticity in arthropod developmental pathways, we developed a model that predicts eight possible combinations among three larval developmental parameters. From the descriptions of insect and spider postembryonic development, it is apparent that no...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inEvolution Vol. 50; no. 2; p. 573
Main Authors Higgins, Linden E, Rankin, Mary Ann
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.04.1996
Subjects
Arthropods
canalization
plasticity
constraint
growth
postembryonic development
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:To investigate the consequences of canalization and plasticity in arthropod developmental pathways, we developed a model that predicts eight possible combinations among three larval developmental parameters. From the descriptions of insect and spider postembryonic development, it is apparent that not all aspects of juvenile development are plastic and that species differ in which traits are plastic. Most strikingly, only four of the possible eight combinations of canalized and plastic parameters have been found in nature. Using this model, we show that the identity of the canalized developmental parameters and the degree of genetic variation in the value at which a given parameter is fixed have important implications for the ecology and evolution of complex life cycles.
ISSN:1558-5646
DOI:10.1111/j.1558-5646.1996.tb03869.x