Distinct developmental mechanisms underlie the evolutionary diversification of Drosophila sex combs.

ABSTRACT: Similar selective pressures can lead to independent origin of similar morphological structures in multiple evolutionary lineages. Developmental mechanisms underlying convergent evolution remain poorly understood. In this report, we show that similar sex comb morphology in closely related Drosophila species is produced by different cellular mechanisms. The sex comb is a recently evolved, male-specific array of modified bristles derived from transverse bristle rows found on the first thoracic legs in both sexes. "Longitudinal" sex combs oriented along the proximo-distal leg axis evolved independently in several Drosophila lineages. We show that in some of these lineages, sex combs originate as one or several transverse bristle rows that subsequently rotate 90 degrees and align to form a sing

SUBMITTER: Tanaka K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2660783 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature