Convergent developmental patterns underlie the repeated evolution of adhesive toe pads among lizards.

ABSTRACT: How developmental modifications produce key innovations, which subsequently allow for rapid diversification of a clade into new adaptive zones, has received much attention. However, few studies have used a robust comparative framework to investigate the influence of evolutionary and developmental constraints on the origin of key innovations, such as the adhesive toe pad of lizards. Adhesive toe pads evolved independently at least 16 times in lizards, allowing us to examine whether the patterns observed are general evolutionary phenomena or unique, lineage-specific events. We performed a high-resolution comparison of plantar scale development in 14 lizard species in Anolis and geckos, encompassing five independent origins of toe pads (one in Anolis, four in geckos). Despite su

SUBMITTER: Griffing AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8842688 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature