A Systems-Analytical Approach to Macro-Evolutionary Phenomena

Riedl, Rupert

doi:10.1086/410123

Cited by 253 publications

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“…They include classical examples like horse digits (Hall, 1984), cetacean hindlimbs (Bejder and Hall, 2002), passeriforme muscles (Raikow, 1975), and more examples in the medical literature (Arey, 1954in Hall, 1984. In fact, they are probably more common than the scientific literature reports (Riedl, 1977). Changes in the genetic network that regulates morphogenesis have been related to macroevolutionary events in mammals, and these variations could be responsible for their diversification (Line, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dental anomalies in the atlantic population of south american sea lion, <i>Otaria byronia</i> (Pinnipedia, Otariidae): evolutionary implications and ecological approach

Drehmer¹,

Fabián²,

Menegheti³

2004

Lat. Am. J. Aquat. Mamm.

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-We analyzed 63 cases of dental anomalies from 62 specimens of a total sample of 516 specimens of the Atlantic population of South American sea lions, Otaria byronia de Blainville, 1820. The anomalies were represented by 53 cases of missing upper post-canine 6 (second molars), seven cases of maxillary or mandibular extra teeth, two cases of "dentes geminati" and one case of reduced teeth. Considering a phylogenetic framework where all otariid species and basal Pinnipedimorpha are included, missing post-canine 6 could be related to evolutionary trends in Otariidae towards a progressive reduction and loss of teeth (agenesis). The occurrence of the upper post-canine 6 in Otaria Péron, 1816 as in Phocarctos Peters, 1866 is usually regarded as a primitive character. Alternatively, when adopting another cladistic procedure, this could be interpreted as a taxic atavism at the base of Otaria/Phocarctos clade. Extra-mandibular teeth are related to a concrete case of spontaneous atavism in the dentition of Otaria byronia, in retrogression to ancient groups like the Miocene pinnipediform Pteronarctos Barnes, 1989. The other anomalies -maxillary extra teeth, "dentes geminati" and reduced teeth -are caused by some disturbance on the epigenetic system underlying dental morphogenesis leading to duplication, coalescence or duplication and reduction of the dental germ, respectively. Dental formula in Otaria byronia shows a high degree of variability and this variability must be considered in the light of their phylogenetic relationships and their evolutionary history. The ecological approach suggests that dental anomalies do not affect longevity, and are unrelated to dietary items or environmental disturbances, but these points need more careful studies.Resumo -Foram analisadas 63 anomalias dentárias em 62 espécimes de uma amostra total de 516 indivíduos da população Atlântica do leão marinho sul-americano Otaria byronia de Blainville, 1820. As anomalias foram representadas por 53 casos de pós-caninos 6 (segundos molares) ausentes, sete casos de dentes extranumerários maxilares/mandibulares, dois casos de dentes geminados, e um caso de dente reduzido. Considerando um contexto filogenético onde são incluídas todas as espécies de otarídeos e também Pinnipedimorpha basais, a ausência do pós-canino 6 pode estar relacionada às tendências evolutivas de redução e perda desse dente (agênese). A ocorrência dos sextos pós-caninos superiores em Otaria Perón, 1816 e em Phocarctos Peters, 1866 é, usualmente, considerada um caráter primitivo. Alternativamente, adotando-se um procedimento cladístico distinto, isto poderia ser interpretado como um atavismo táxico na base do clado Otaria/Phocarctos. Dentes extranumerários mandibulares são considerados casos concretos de atavismos espontâneos na dentição de Otaria byronia, em retrogressão a grupos ancestrais como o pinipedimorfo do Mioceno Pteronarctos Barnes, 1989. As outras anomalias -dente extranumerário maxilar, dente geminado e dente reduzido -são causadas por algum distúrbio no sis...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dental anomalies in the atlantic population of south american sea lion, <i>Otaria byronia</i> (Pinnipedia, Otariidae): evolutionary implications and ecological approach

Drehmer¹,

Fabián²,

Menegheti³

2004

Lat. Am. J. Aquat. Mamm.

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“…But the core issue in the evolution of evolvability 38,47,49,[86][87][88] is that selection cannot favour traits for benefits that have not yet been realised [9,50].…”

Section: Future Prospects: Understanding How Evolution Transforms Itselfmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, the organisation of developmental processes (from gene regulatory interactions to morphological body plans) is itself, in large part, a product of past evolution. This affords the possibility that random genetic changes might produce phenotypic changes that are 'informed' by past selection [7- 10,11,38,[86][87][88]. The question thus arises: is evolution by natural selection (e.g., by Trends A simple analogy between learning and evolution is common and intuitive.…”

Section: Learning and Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This affords the possibility that random genetic changes might produce phenotypic changes that are 'informed' by past selection [7-[ 2 5 _ T D $ D I F F ] 9, 38,[86][87][88]. This can direct phenotypic variation into different or higher-level morphological dimensions and/or modularise phenotypic features and redeploy them in new contexts [[ 2 6 _ T D $ D I F F ] 8, 10,11,38,[86][87][88]. The question thus arises: is evolution by natural selection (e.g., by Trends A simple analogy between learning and evolution is common and intuitive.…”

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confidence: 99%

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How Can Evolution Learn?

Watson

Szathmary

2016

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

196

212

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The theory of evolution links random variation and selection to incremental adaptation. In a different intellectual domain, learning theory links incremental adaptation (e.g., from positive and/or negative reinforcement) to intelligent behaviour. Specifically, learning theory explains how incremental adaptation can acquire knowledge from past experience and use it to direct future behaviours toward favourable outcomes. Until recently such cognitive learning seemed irrelevant to the 'uninformed' process of evolution. In our opinion, however, new results formally linking evolutionary processes to the principles of learning might provide solutions to several evolutionary puzzles -the evolution of evolvability, the evolution of ecological organisation, and evolutionary transitions in individuality. If so, the ability for evolution to learn might explain how it produces such apparently intelligent designs. Learning and EvolutionNew insights and new ways of understanding are often provided by analogies. Analogous reasoning is regarded as a core faculty of human cognition [1], and necessary for complex abstract causal reasoning [2]. In biology, analogy is sometimes considered to be the poor cousin of homology -similar, but not really the same. But in science more generally, analogies can be founded on perfect equivalences, for example, mathematical isomorphisms or algorithmic equivalence, thus enabling the transfer of ready-made results from one system or discipline to another, for example, between quasispecies theory and population genetics [3,4], electromagnetic fields and hydrodynamics [5], and magnetism and neural networks [6]. The previously casual analogy between learning systems and evolution by natural selection has recently been deepened to a level where such transfer can begin.How Intelligent is Evolution? Evolution is sometimes likened to an active problem solver, seeking out ingenious solutions to difficult environmental challenges. The solutions discovered by evolution can certainly appear ingenious. Mechanistically, however, there appear to be good reasons to doubt that cognitive problem solving and evolution are equivalent in any real sense. For example, cognitive problem solving can utilise past knowledge about a problem domain to 'anticipate' future outcomes and direct exploration of solutions, whereas evolutionary exploration is myopic and dependent on undirected variation. Intelligent problem solvers can also form high-level or modular representations of a problem, making it easier to reuse partial solutions in new contexts, whereas evolution merely plods on, filtering random replication errors.Yet, this is not the whole story. Whilst genetic variation might be undirected, the pattern of phenotypic variation is shaped and biased by the processes of development. Moreover, the organisation of developmental processes (from gene regulatory interactions to morphological body plans) is itself, in large part, a product of past evolution. This affords the possibility that random genetic changes might produce...

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“…The burden, according to Riedl, is inversely related to the chance of a successful modification of the trait. The conservation ofvery old traits, like the chorda or the aortic arches, is best explained by their high burden, i.e., the number of characters that developmentally depend on these traits (Riedl, 1977(Riedl, , 1978.…”

Section: The Principle Of "Epigenetic Traps"mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Origin of Morphological Characters and the Biological Basis of Homology

Wagner

1989

Evolution

169

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Abstract, -A homolog is a part of the phenotype that is homologous to equivalent parts in other species. A biological homology concept is expected to explain three properties of homologs: I) the conservation of those features that are used to define a homolog, 2) the individualization of the homolog with regard to the rest ofthe body, and 3) the uniqueness of homologs, i.e., their specificity for monophyletic groups. The main obstacle to describing a mechanistic basis for homology is the variability of the developmental pathways of undoubtedly homologous characters. However, not all aspects of the developmental pathway are ofequal importance. The only organizational features of the developmental system that matter are those that have been historically acquired and cause developmental constraints on the further evolutionary modification of the characters. Two main factors contribute to historically acquired developmental constraints: generative rules of pattern formation and ontogenetic networks. In particular, hierarchical and cyclical inductive networks have the required properties to explain homology. How common such networks are is an open empirical question. The development and variation of pectoral fin hooks in blenniid fishes is presented as a model for the study of a simple ontogenetic network.

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A Systems-Analytical Approach to Macro-Evolutionary Phenomena

Cited by 253 publications

References 0 publications

Dental anomalies in the atlantic population of south american sea lion, <i>Otaria byronia</i> (Pinnipedia, Otariidae): evolutionary implications and ecological approach

Dental anomalies in the atlantic population of south american sea lion, <i>Otaria byronia</i> (Pinnipedia, Otariidae): evolutionary implications and ecological approach

How Can Evolution Learn?

The Origin of Morphological Characters and the Biological Basis of Homology

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