Body plan innovation in treehoppers through the evolution of an extra wing-like appendage

Benjamin Prud’homme (), Caroline Minervino, Mélanie Hocine, Jessica D. Cande, Aïcha Aouane, Héloïse D. Dufour, Victoria A. Kassner and Nicolas Gompel ()
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Benjamin Prud’homme: Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille-Luminy, CNRS UMR 6216, case 907, Parc scientifique de Luminy
Caroline Minervino: Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille-Luminy, CNRS UMR 6216, case 907, Parc scientifique de Luminy
Mélanie Hocine: Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille-Luminy, CNRS UMR 6216, case 907, Parc scientifique de Luminy
Jessica D. Cande: Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille-Luminy, CNRS UMR 6216, case 907, Parc scientifique de Luminy
Aïcha Aouane: Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille-Luminy, CNRS UMR 6216, case 907, Parc scientifique de Luminy
Héloïse D. Dufour: University of Wisconsin and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Bock Laboratories, 1525 Linden Drive
Victoria A. Kassner: University of Wisconsin and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Bock Laboratories, 1525 Linden Drive
Nicolas Gompel: Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille-Luminy, CNRS UMR 6216, case 907, Parc scientifique de Luminy

Nature, 2011, vol. 473, issue 7345, 83-86

Abstract: Variation in the insect body plan Treehoppers are close relatives of cicadas that have a bizarre and varied structure called the 'helmet' growing from the wingless first thoracic segment. The helmet is classically described as a cuticular expansion of the first thoracic segment. Closer examination now shows that, in evolutionary terms, it corresponds to a third pair of wings. A striking feature of body plans is their relative stability over long evolutionary times. The discovery of this previously unknown variation of the blueprint for insects illustrates how a structure relieved of its original role is free to evolve new functions and morphologies.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature09977

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