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Evolutionary biology

The origins of novelty

Treehoppers produce highly diverse structures called helmets. To do so they seem to have exploited the genetic potential, long inhibited in other winged insects, to develop wings on a particular anatomical segment. See Letter p.83

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Figure 1: The exuberance of treehopper helmets.

P. LANDMANN/SPL

Figure 2: A wing-bearing first thoracic segment.

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Correspondence to Armin P. Moczek.

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Moczek, A. The origins of novelty. Nature 473, 34–35 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/473034a

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