Neoteny

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Neoteny is the retention, by adults in a species, of traits previously seen only in juveniles (pedomorphosis/paedomorphosis), and is a subject studied in the field of developmental biology. In neoteny, the physiological (or somatic) development of an animal or organism is slowed or delayed. Ultimately this process results in the retention, in the adults of a species, of juvenile physical characteristics well into maturity. The English word neoteny is borrowed from the German Neotenie, the latter constructed from the Greek νέος (young) and τείνειν (to extend). The standard adjectival form is "neotenous", although "neotenic" is often used.

In vertebrate biology, neoteny is most easily identified when sexually mature, completely viable juveniles or larva are found.

Specific individual traits that differ in descendant organisms, when compared to ancestors, are sometimes called neotenies; humans, for example, appear to have several neotenies in comparison to chimpanzees.

1 Neoteny in evolution
2 Neoteny in humans
3 Animal kingdom
4 Neoteny and progenesis
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Neoteny in evolution

Neoteny plays a role in evolution, as a means by which, over generations, a species can undergo a significant physical change. In such cases, a species’ neotenous form becomes its “normal” mature form, no longer dependent upon environmental triggers to inhibit maturity. The mechanism for this could be a mutation in, or interactions between, genes involved in maturation, changing their function to impede this process.

Neoteny is not the only contributing factor affecting maturation in species that may have undergone neotenous changes over the course of their evolution, and its actual involvement in the following examples is not well understood:

flightless birds—physical proportions resemble those of the chicks of flighted birds;
humans—with traits such as sparse body hair and enlarged heads reminiscent of baby primates.
dogs—which share many physical features with the immature wolf; these same traits were found during the development of the tame silver fox

However, in modern evolutionary biology it is generally accepted that the important evolutionary transition from invertebrates to vertebrates was the result of an instance of neoteny. The presumed ancestors to the motile invertebrates (and thus the vertebrates as well, which are derived from them) are the tunicates, marine filter feeders. Although sessile in their adult, sexually mature form, tunicates have a motile larval dispersal form. At some point, possibly due to a random genetic mutation, the motile larvae of the tunicate became sexually mature before metamorphosis. As a sexually active pelagic organism it had considerable feeding and habitat colonization advantages over the sessile morph, gaining evolutionary advantage. The shift towards a pelagic, free-swimming organism was the first step towards development of the cartilagenous, and later ossified, skeleton, which considerably improves swimming ability.

[edit] Neoteny in humans

There is controversy over whether adult humans exhibit certain neotenous features, or juvenile characteristics, that are not evidenced in other great ape species. Stephen Jay Gould was an advocate of the view that humans are a neotenous species of chimpanzee; the argument being that juvenile chimpanzees have an almost-identical bone structure to humans, and that the chimpanzee’s ability to learn seems to be cut off upon reaching maturity.

While neoteny is not necessarily a physical state experienced by humans, paedomorphic characteristics in women are widely acknowledged as desirable by men (see Sexual attraction). Desmond Morris discusses the importance of neoteny in human biology in The Naked Ape, The Human Animal, and The Human Zoo.

Paedomorphic variations not only exist between the sexes, but also between individuals, with some people displaying more characteristics of neoteny than others. This trend carries over to variations among ethnic groups as well.

[edit] Animal kingdom

One example of a neotenic trait in vertebrates is the salamander species axolotl, which usually remains fully aquatic as it matures. Other salamanders, such as the widespread tiger salamander of North America, may retain the external gills usually only present in immature individuals, as adults in some populations in marginal habitats.

[edit] Neoteny and progenesis

Neoteny and progenesis are both mechanisms that result in paedomorphosis. Neoteny delays physiological and sexual maturity. Comparatively, progenesis halts development of the organism before achieving the adult maturity experienced by its ancestors. Progenetic organisms achieve sexual maturity in this juvenile state and is found among certain amphibians and insects.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

DannyReviews.com—Ontogeny and Phylogeny, Stephen Jay Gould (book review), Danny Yee (October 16, 1992)
DavidBrin.com—“Neoteny and Two-Way Sexual Selection in Human Evolution: A Paleo-Anthropological Speculation on the Origins of Secondary-Sexual Traits, Male Nurturing and the Child as a Sexual Image,” David Brin, PhD
Neoteny.org—“Neoteny: The multidisciplinary implications of heterochronic theory”
NIH.gov—“Ontogenetic study of the skull in modern humans and the common chimpanzees: neotenic hypothesis reconsidered with a tridimensional Procrustes analysis,” X. Penin, C. Berge, M. Baylac, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol 118, no 1, p 50-62 (May, 2002)
NHM.org—“Neoteny/Juvenilization: Some dogs look and act forever young,” Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Trut, Lyudmila N. (1999). "Early Canid Domestication: The Farm-Fox Experiment" American Scientist. 87(2), 160-169. (A Russian study of pedomorphosis in a 40-year breeding program to domesticate silver foxes.)ca:Neotènia