Abstract
The Insecta encompasses a prodigiously diverse group as measured at the species, family and ordinal levels, but the nervous system bears evidence of conservatism. The early acquisition of flight must have been a major factor in the diversification of body form. Arguments are presented that predator evasion was a primary factor in the origin of flight and that a conserved set of giant interneurons played a key element in the transition.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 8-12 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Brain, behavior and evolution |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1997 |
Keywords
- Abdominal cerci
- Arthropod phylogeny
- Giant interneurons
- Insect flight
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience