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A genetic basis for intraspecific differences in developmental timing?
Author(s) -
Tills Oliver,
Rundle Simon D.,
Salinger Moritz,
Haun Timm,
Pfenninger Markus,
Spicer John I.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
evolution and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1525-142X
pISSN - 1520-541X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-142x.2011.00510.x
Subject(s) - heterochrony , biology , intraspecific competition , evolutionary biology , ontogeny , variation (astronomy) , genetic variation , evolutionary developmental biology , natural selection , homo sapiens , microevolution , zoology , selection (genetic algorithm) , genetics , population , gene , artificial intelligence , sociology , astrophysics , computer science , anthropology , physics , demography
SUMMARY Heterochrony, altered developmental timing between ancestors and their descendents, has been proposed as a pervasive evolutionary feature and recent analytical approaches have confirmed its existence as an evolutionary pattern . Yet, the mechanistic basis for heterochrony remains unclear and, in particular, whether intraspecific variation in the timing of developmental events generates, or has the potential to generate, future between‐species differences. Here we make a key step in linking heterochrony at the inter‐ and intraspecific level by reporting an association between interindividual variation in both the absolute and relative timing (position within the sequence of developmental events) of key embryonic developmental events and genetic distance for the pond snail, R adix balthica . We report significant differences in the genetic distance of individuals exhibiting different levels of dissimilarity in their absolute and relative timing of developmental events such as spinning activity, eyespot formation, heart ontogeny, and hatching. This relationship between genetic and developmental dissimilarity is consistent with there being a genetic basis for variation in developmental timing and so suggests that intraspecific heterochrony could provide the raw material for natural selection to produce speciation.