Pilbeam David
Program in Biological Anthropology, Peabody Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
J Exp Zool B Mol Dev Evol. 2004 May 15;302(3):241-67. doi: 10.1002/jez.b.22.
Within-species phenotypic variation is the raw material on which natural selection acts to shape evolutionary change, and understanding more about the developmental genetics of intraspecific as well as interspecific phenotypic variation is an important component of the Evo-Devo agenda. The axial skeleton is a useful system to analyze from such a perspective. Its development is increasingly well understood, and between-species differences in functionally important developmental parameters are well documented. I present data on intraspecific variation in the axial postcranial skeleton of some Primates, including hominoids (apes and humans). Hominoid species are particularly valuable, because counts of total numbers of vertebrae, and hence original somite numbers, are available for large samples. Evolutionary changes in the axial skeleton of various primate lineages, including bipedal humans, are reviewed, and hypotheses presented to explain the changes in terms of developmental genetics. Further relevant experiments on model organisms are suggested in order to explore more fully the differences in developmental processes between primate species, and hence to test these hypotheses.
种内表型变异是自然选择作用以塑造进化变化的原材料，更多地了解种内以及种间表型变异的发育遗传学是进化发育生物学议程的一个重要组成部分。从这个角度来看，轴向骨骼是一个有用的分析系统。其发育越来越为人所了解，功能上重要的发育参数的种间差异也有充分记录。我展示了一些灵长类动物，包括类人猿（猿和人类）的颅后轴向骨骼的种内变异数据。类人猿物种特别有价值，因为对于大量样本可以获得椎骨总数的计数，从而得到原始体节数。回顾了包括两足人类在内的各种灵长类谱系轴向骨骼的进化变化，并提出了从发育遗传学角度解释这些变化的假说。建议对模式生物进行进一步的相关实验，以便更全面地探索灵长类物种之间发育过程的差异，从而检验这些假说。
