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From: ronse@prlb2.UUCP (Christian Ronse)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: evolution by duplication + divergence?
Message-ID: <369@prlb2.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-Oct-87 10:08:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: prlb2.369
Posted: Tue Oct 13 10:08:00 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Oct-87 06:09:24 EDT
Organization: Philips Research Laboratory, Brussels
Lines: 22
Keywords: brain evolution
Summary: evolution by sudden replication of body part followed by subsequent

divergence of function?

I have read that the paleontologist W.K. Gregory proposed in 1935 (Quart. Rev.
Biol. 10) that a frequent occurrence in evolution is the sudden replication of
an existing body part followed by a subsequent elaboration and divergence of
function of the two parts. Is this suggestion verified?

I am particularly interested in the case of the evolution of the human (or
simply primate) brain. Such a mechanism has been invoked to explain the
multiplicity of visual areas in the primate occipital lobe (Allman, 1977), and
the similarity between the perception of short-range movement and stereopsis
(Anstis, 1970).

Any pointer to serious articles or books appreciated.

Christian Ronse		maldoror@prlb2.UUCP
{uunet|philabs|mcvax|...}!prlb2!{maldoror|ronse}

		``Innamorata, mio cuore tremente,
		        Voglio morire.''

		        		Jules Verne