Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58B, I 35131, Padova, Italy.
Arthropod Struct Dev. 2019 Jan;48:4-11. doi: 10.1016/j.asd.2018.11.009. Epub 2018 Dec 20.
Small arthropods are not simply scaled-down versions of their larger closest relatives, as changes in morphology and functional characters are largely governed by scaling laws. These same scaling laws set strict limits to size change toward smaller sizes. The evolution of extreme miniaturized forms involves the breaking of these constraints, by means of design innovations that allow evolutionary change to evade the limits posed by scaling laws. Here we review several cases studies in insects and other arthropods that illustrate this evolutionary path. We examine morphologies commonly recurring in miniaturized forms but not exclusive to them, morphologies exclusive to miniaturized forms and novel functional solutions supported by unconventional morphologies. We also discuss miniaturization and its evolvability taking into consideration arthropod postembryonic development and modular body organization. The modification of features commonly supposed not to change appears as a recurring pattern in arthropod miniaturization.
小型节肢动物并不仅仅是其较大亲缘物种的缩小版，因为形态和功能特征的变化在很大程度上受比例定律的支配。这些相同的比例定律严格限制了向更小尺寸的大小变化。极端微型化形式的进化涉及打破这些限制，通过设计创新，使进化变化能够逃避比例定律所规定的限制。在这里，我们回顾了昆虫和其他节肢动物的几个案例研究，这些研究说明了这条进化途径。我们研究了在微型化形式中常见但并非专有的形态，以及微型化形式特有的形态和非常规形态支持的新颖功能解决方案。我们还讨论了考虑节肢动物胚胎后发育和模块化身体组织的微型化及其可进化性。通常认为不会改变的特征的修饰似乎是节肢动物微型化的一个反复出现的模式。
