serial homology
Body part repetition
Serial homology describes the relationship between repeated structures within a single organism that share a common developmental origin.
A vertebra is serially homologous to other vertebrae in the same spine; ribs, teeth, and limb segments show the same pattern.
The concept helps biologists understand how body plans evolve through modification of repeated units.
The wings and halteres of a fly are serial homologs—both derived from ancestral leg-bearing segments.
- segmentationDivision into sections
- body segmentsDiscrete anatomical divisions
- repetitionAct of redoing
- vertebraeInterlocking bones of spine
- ribsThoracic bone set
limbs · modules · body plan · ground plan · arthropods · appendages · Hox genes · developmental · evolution · morphology · centipede · segments · iteration · modular design · fins · digits · bilateral · pattern
- evo-devoHox genes, body plan, gene regulation, evolvability, modularity
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