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Evolution

Fan-assisted insects

Nature volume 550, page 464 (2017)Cite this article

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The authors identify two genes that control fan development. One, geisha, is specific to Rhagovelia and evolved when another, mother-of-geisha, was duplicated early in the insect's lineage. The duplicates acquired expression only in the cells from which the fans arise.

Santos et al. demonstrate that the fans facilitated Rhagovelia's adaptation to fast-flowing water, by enabling fast and manoeuvrable running against a current. Thus, their work provides insights into how the evolution of lineage-specific genes can enable organisms to inhabit previously inaccessible environments.

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  1. Jennifer R. Gardiner
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Gardiner, J. Fan-assisted insects. Nature 550, 464 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/550464a

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