Modularity has emerged as a central concept for evolutionary biology, thereby providing the
field with a theory of organismal structure and variation. This theory has reframed long …

Developmental bias, or genetic channeling, can influence the tempo and direction of
evolution and, thus, become reflected in patterns of biodiversity. Twenty years ago, this …

Avoiding Attack discusses the diversity of mechanisms by which prey avoid predator attacks
and explores how such defensive mechanisms have evolved through natural selection. It …

The biological and social sciences often generalize causal conclusions from one context or
location to others that may differ in some relevant respects, as is illustrated by inferences …

Studies of “behavioral syndromes” in different populations and species of animals can be
used to shed light on the underlying mechanisms of evolution. For example, some …

Behaviors are commonly correlated between individuals in so-called “behavioral
syndromes.” Between-individual correlations of phenotypic traits can change the trajectories …

Eyespots are found in a variety of animals, in particular lepidopterans. The role of eyespots
as antipredator mechanisms has been discussed since the 19th Century, with two main …

A fundamental question for both evolutionary biologists and breeders is the extent to which
genetic correlations limit the ability of populations to respond to selection. Here I view this …

Division of labor among functionally specialized modules occurs at all levels of biological
organization in both animals and plants. Well-known examples include the evolution of …

Morphological modularity arises in complex living beings due to a semi‐independent
inheritance, development, and function of body parts. Modularity helps us to understand the …