Patterning Of The Turtle Shell
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-1-2017
Published In
Current Opinion In Genetics And Development
Abstract
Interest in the origin and evolution of the turtle shell has resulted in a most unlikely clade becoming an important research group for investigating morphological diversity in developmental biology. Many turtles generate a two-component shell that nearly surrounds the body in a bony exoskeleton. The ectoderm covering the shell produces epidermal scutes that form a phylogenetically stable pattern. In some lineages, the bones of the shell and their ectodermal covering become reduced or lost, and this is generally associated with different ecological habits. The similarity and diversity of turtles allows research into how changes in development create evolutionary novelty, interacting modules, and adaptive physiology and anatomy.
Recommended Citation
J. E. Moustakas-Verho, J. Cebra-Thomas, and Scott F. Gilbert.
(2017).
"Patterning Of The Turtle Shell".
Current Opinion In Genetics And Development.
Volume 45,
124-131.
DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2017.03.016
https://works.swarthmore.edu/fac-biology/515