Phytogeny, Variation, and Morphological Integration

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Abstract
Studies of intra and interspecific variability of urodele mesopodia have revealed biases in the production of novel phenotypes; observed patterns of variability represent a small subset of the possible arrangements. The major trend in the phylogenetic diversification of the salamander limb is the reduction or loss of carpal or tarsal elements, and these patterns are often highly homoplastic. Mesopodial arrangements that are homoplastic are commonly encountered in studies of intrapopulational variation. Patterns of variation, when integrated with developmental biology, inform about the relationships between morphological integration and homology. The extensive conservation of primitive developmental and genetic interactions suggest that the individuation of structures maynot be complete and that homologies, themselves, may be partial.

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