Publication . Jerónimo, Maria Adelina Gonçalves; Beldade, Patrícia
The infinitude of forms across living beings always fascinated
scientists and laymen alike. Phenotypic variation is the raw material
for natural selection and is transversal in biological systems.
Evolutionary novelties are lineage specific traits with adaptive value.
How such traits arise in organisms is still an open question. To
understand this process we used the butterfly eyespots as a model,
which are evolutionary novelty. Our testing hypothesis was that
butterflies had rewired ancient genetic mechanisms used for the
wound-response to develop eyespots, co-option. The major fact
supporting this hypothesis is that wounding an early pupal wing can
develop an eyespot-like pattern around wound site. This pinpoints the
existence of genetic and cellular commonalities between eyespot
development and wound response.(...)
