Developmental Innovation and Phenotypic Novelty

Abstract

The explanation of phenotypic novelties is a central goal of evo-devo. Building on earlier classifications, three types of novelties are distinguished, here renamed constituting novelty, discretizing novelty, and individualizing novelty. A discus- sion of developmental innovation processes and modeling approaches highlights the central roles of generic material properties and process dynamics in novelty formation. Whereas individualizing novelty is consistent with the standard modes of variation, constituting novelty and discretizing novelty give rise to evolution- ary innovation, a class of phenotypic change regarded as distinct from adaptive variation. A developmental theory of innovation privileges emergent develop- ment over genetic variation in the explanation of phenotypic novelty.