Article
Biology
Douglas H. Erwin
Summary: The recognition of deep homologies among metazoan developmental processes and the spread of mechanistic approaches in developmental biology since 1990 has led to a resurgence of interest in evolutionary novelty and innovation, with different stress placed on their radical nature and ecological impact. A conceptual framework for novelty and innovation involves the generation of potential for novelty, formation of novel attributes, refinement through adaptation, exploitation by a clade, and establishment through ecological processes. Little empirical support is found for the dominance of ecological opportunity or abrupt discontinuities in the evolution of novelty or innovation.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Ting Yu Lin, Zhengxuan Jia, Chen Yang, Yingying Xiao, Shulin Lan, Guoqiang Shi, Bi Zeng, Heyu Li
Summary: This paper proposes a new mode based on evolutionary digital twin (EDT), which establishes a more precise approximate model through supervised learning and conducts collaborative exploration in multiple cyberspaces through reinforcement learning, bringing more flexibility and adaptability to intelligent industrial products through machine learning.
ADVANCED ENGINEERING INFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Leslie S. Babonis, Camille Enjolras, Joseph F. Ryan, Mark Q. Martindale
Summary: This study reveals the developmental mechanism of a truly novel cell type, cnidocytes. Cnidocytes develop by suppressing the neural fate of a subset of neurons expressing RFamide. A single regulatory gene, a C2H2-type zinc finger transcription factor (ZNF845), plays a crucial role in the development of cnidocytes and emerged through domain shuffling in the ancestor of cnidarians.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dmitry Biba, Galya Klink, Georgii A. Bazykin
Summary: Insertions and deletions of lengths not divisible by 3 in protein-coding sequences can cause frameshifts and high fitness costs. However, a compensatory indel can partially offset this cost. This study examines the prevalence of compensatory frameshifting mutations (pCFMs) in the divergence of vertebrate and insect protein-coding genes. The results show that pCFMs can lead to novel variations in amino acid sequences.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biology
Yohay Carmel
Summary: This study examines the evolution of human society, suggesting that it is functioning as a higher hierarchical level within which individuals integrate as lower level units. The size, inseparability, and specialization of human societies have increased over time. Based on the findings, it is hypothesized that human society is undergoing an evolutionary transition driven by socio-cultural and technological processes.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zheng Li, Yiyuan Li, Allen Z. Xue, Vy Dang, V. Renee Holmes, J. Spencer Johnston, Jeffrey E. Barrick, Nancy A. Moran
Summary: In this study, researchers addressed the genomic basis of evolutionary novelties in the glassy-winged sharpshooter, an agricultural pest. They generated a chromosome-level genome assembly for the species and used additional data to identify genes involved in the production of proteinaceous structures and interactions with bacterial symbionts. The study also revealed ancient horizontal gene transfer events in leafhoppers and highlighted the combination of acquiring novel genes and symbiotic associations as important drivers of evolutionary novelties.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Biology
Stella Kyomen, Andrea P. Murillo-Rincon, Marketa Kaucka
Summary: Mammals show great variation in craniofacial morphology, which is a result of their adaptation to different ecological niches and lifestyles. The development of craniofacial structures occurs during embryonic development and is tightly regulated at various levels. Changes in timing, position, and concentration of molecular drivers can influence the final shape of the skull. Recent research has linked changes in developmental timing, spatial organization, and gene expression levels to species-specific skull morphologies in mammals. This review explores the evolutionary mechanisms of heterochrony, heterotopy, and heterometry and their effects on craniofacial development.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Gerardo A. Cordero, Evangelos Vlachos
Summary: This study used anatomical network analysis to show that the organization and composition of the turtle's shell underwent numerical simplification in the course of evolution, with a decrease in potential connections in shell networks in modern turtles. Network system descriptors were found to be correlated with the number of network components, which has remained evolutionarily stable. Furthermore, the shell structure in modern turtles has simplified, but shell reorganization may still be feasible within modular subdivisions.
BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ralf F. Schneider, Helen M. Gunter, Inken Salewski, Joost M. Woltering, Axel Meyer
Summary: Evolutionary novelties can promote ecological specialization and adaptive radiations. Belonoid fishes, such as flying fishes, halfbeaks, and needlefishes, have highly diversified elongated jaw phenotypes. In this study, the development of elongated jaws in a halfbeak and a needlefish was investigated, revealing that these jaws consist of distinct base and extension portions. The growth dynamics of both bases and extensions were described, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the extension outgrowth were deduced.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Douglas P. Mortlock, Zhi-Ming Fang, Kelly J. Chandler, Yue Hou, Lissett R. Bickford, Charles E. de Bock, Valsamma Eapen, Raymond A. Clarke
Summary: The ability to speak is crucial for human intellectual, technological, and social development. This study investigates the evolutionary genetics of speech and its relationship with the development of the larynx and wrist in primates. A disrupted primate-specific gene TOSPEAK was found in a family with speech impairment and retrograde development of the larynx and wrist. Transcriptional interference of GDF6 enhancers by TOSPEAK plays a dual evolutionary role in the development of the wrist and larynx in hominids, as well as in the human capacity to speak.
Review
Ecology
Nicholas E. Topping, Nicole Valenzuela
Summary: The success of oviparous animals like turtles in laying eggs is dependent on environmental conditions, with human disturbances altering nesting areas and affecting hatchling survival and sex determination. Genetic variation plays a crucial role in adaptation, with further research needed to understand the heritability of nest-site behavior and other factors impacting adaptation.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
William R. Shoemaker, Evgeniya Polezhaeva, Kenzie B. Givens, Jay T. Lennon
Summary: Research shows that microbial molecular evolution under energy limitation is influenced by energy constraints. Initial energy depletion alters the direction and rate of evolution, but this effect diminishes when comparisons are made across phylogenetically distant taxa, suggesting that adaptation targets are specific to a given taxon.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jun Zhang, Peng Yu, Yang Zhao, Qinyan Zhou, Jiayu Yang, Qingtao Hu, Tiantian Liu, Chuanhe Bao, Shiping Su, Jian-Fang Gui
Summary: The turtle carapace is composed of deformed fused dorsal vertebrae, ribs, and bone plates, with lateral growth of ribs encasing the scapula and pelvis. The carapacial ridge is a crucial model for epithelial-mesenchymal transition in rib arrangement. The Wnt and FGF signaling pathways play important roles in turtle carapacial ridge development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Eugene W. Mathes
Summary: The research aimed to test the hypothesis that moral development and social evolution progress together, with individuals' moral reasoning evolving from self-interest to universal ethical principles as social organization expands. The study found a correlation between individuals' moral reasoning stages and their intended investment targets, from self to global social organizations.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Riccardo Rao, Stanislas Leibler
Summary: Any evolutionary theory must consider the dynamics of reproducing organisms with heritable traits, stochastic variations in these traits, and the selection of organisms that better survive and reproduce. This study introduces a general model of reproduction-variation-selection dynamics, treating them as a nonequilibrium thermodynamic process to characterize the forces that drive evolution. One of these forces is associated with the robustness of reproduction to variations.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rafaella C. Garbin, Saswati Bandyopadhyay, Walter G. Joyce
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TAXONOMY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Walter G. Joyce, Matthias Maeuser
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yann Rollot, Serjoscha W. Evers, Walter G. Joyce
Summary: This study provides new insights into the cranial circulation and innervation systems of turtles using CT scans on a broad set of extant turtles. It reveals the absence of specific arterial systems in certain turtle species and highlights the osteological correlates for the location of the mandibular artery. The results have the potential to create new phylogenetic characters and investigate the circulation systems of fossil turtle taxa, ultimately shedding light on the evolution of turtle circulation systems and clarifying unresolved relationships between fossil turtle clades.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Walter G. Joyce, Yann Rollot, Serjoscha W. Evers, Tyler R. Lyson, Lydia J. Rahantarisoa, David W. Krause
Summary: The Maevarano Formation in northwestern Madagascar has provided significant insights into the evolution of insular ecosystems during the late Cretaceous. The new pelomedusoid turtle species, Sahonachelys mailakavava, was a specialized suction feeder that preyed upon small-bodied invertebrates and vertebrates, showcasing a unique feeding strategy divergent from other turtle species.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Walter G. Joyce, Matthias Maeuser, Serjoscha W. Evers
Summary: Late Jurassic deposits in Europe have revealed a diverse fauna of extinct turtles, with two new fossils from Germany showing strong evidence of open marine adaptations, similar to the Thalassemys species. While the exact taxonomic attribution of these fossils remains unclear, their elongate flippers stiffened by scales suggest adaptations for marine life. These findings provide insights into the evolution of marine adapted turtles during the Late Jurassic period.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eduardo Ascarrunz, Julien Claude, Walter G. Joyce
Summary: Quantitative analyses examining the placement of Messel geoemydids in a reference tree generated from molecular data show that their position remains uncertain, with different methods yielding varied results. Parsimony suggests placement as sister to two different species, but with weak support, highlighting the challenge of determining the relationships within this group.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Serjoscha W. Evers, Yann Rollot, Walter G. Joyce
Summary: Arundelemys dardeni is an Early Cretaceous paracryptodire with an important role in understanding the early evolution of Baenidae and Paracryptodira. The initial anatomical description of the species was found to have errors, which were corrected based on computer tomography scans. Additionally, novel anatomical information was provided, highlighting features of the cranial bones, endosseous labyrinth, and cranial scutes.
Article
Paleontology
Yann Rollot, Serjoscha W. Evers, Walter G. Joyce
Summary: The study of the Late Jurassic turtle Uluops uluops using micro-computed tomography scans provides new insights into the evolution of the internal carotid artery and facial nerve systems, as well as the phylogenetic relationships of this group. The presence of a canalis caroticus lateralis in Uluops uluops suggests at least two independent losses of the palatine artery within paracryptodires. Future studies are expected to further clarify the evolution of the circulation system of paracryptodires and relationships along the turtle stem.
SWISS JOURNAL OF PALAEONTOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yann Rollot, Serjoscha W. Evers, Richard L. Cifelli, Walter G. Joyce
Summary: In this study, the skull of Lakotemys australodakotensis is described using micro-computed tomography. Preliminary comparisons show that it shares similar cranial anatomy with Arundelemys dardeni and possesses a combination of features found in both baenids and non-baenid paracryptodires. Furthermore, it is the only known baenid to possess a canal for the palatine artery.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Walter G. Joyce, Jean-Luc Landreat, Yann Rollot
Summary: Snapping turtles (Pan-Chelydridae) play an important role in North American ecosystems, but their fossil record is lacking. A new species of pan-chelydrid fossil, Chelydropsis aubasi, was discovered in France and helps bridge the morphological gap between North American and European pan-chelydrid species. This finding suggests that pan-chelydrids may have dispersed from North America to Europe during a specific period but have remained undetected until now.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Walter G. Joyce
Summary: Several helochelydrid turtle shell remains were discovered in Southern England from mid-Cretaceous sediments, including three distinct taxa identified as Trachydermochelys phlyctaenus, Plastremys lata, and Trachydermochelys rutteri. The study suggests that these fossils likely originate from a relatively narrow geological time window, marking the transition from early to late Cretaceous in the region.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Serjoscha W. Evers, Walter G. Joyce, Jonah N. Choiniere, Gabriel S. Ferreira, Christian Foth, Guilherme Hermanson, Hongyu Yi, Catherine M. Johnson, Ingmar Werneburg, Roger B. J. Benson
Summary: This study analyzes the evolution of labyrinth morphology and its ecological drivers in turtles, and finds that turtle labyrinths are unexpectedly large and not correlated with agility, undermining previous hypotheses.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yann Rollot, Serjoscha W. Evers, Stephanie E. Pierce, Walter G. Joyce
Summary: This study utilizes micro-computed tomography to analyze the skull of an Early Cretaceous baenid turtle, providing new insights into its cranial anatomy and the evolutionary relationship with other baenid and paracryptodire species.
Article
Paleontology
Serjoscha W. Evers, Kimberley E. J. Chapelle, Walter G. Joyce
Summary: The study examines the cranial and mandibular anatomy of Plastomenus thomasii, a species belonging to the long-lived Plastomenidae clade. The research reveals unique anatomical features of plastomenids, providing insights into the evolutionary history of trionychid turtles. Phylogenetic analyses support stem-cyclanorbine affinities for plastomenids, suggesting the origin of trionychid bauplan predates the appearance of the crown group.
SWISS JOURNAL OF PALAEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Walter G. Joyce, Jason R. Bourque, Vincent Fernandez, Yann Rollot
Summary: A series of small-sized fossil turtles found in Beckles' Pit, UK, were previously believed to be juvenile Pleurosternon bullockii, but a new interpretation suggests they may represent a new species of compsemydid turtle. The distinct morphological characters of these small-bodied turtles have led to the naming of a new compsemydid taxon, Tongemys enigmatica gen. et sp. nov. Further research on Early Cretaceous continental turtle faunas is likely to yield more material.