Pair-rule expression patterns of even-skipped are found in both short- and long-germ beetles.

Now that the genes controlling embryonic patterning have been identified in several model organisms, long-standing questions concerning the evolution of developmental systems are open to investigation. Examination of the expression of even-skipped in a variety of insects reveals that Insect germ-type designations apparently do not reflect the variations in the mechanisms of segmentation evident throughout insect phylogeny.