Digest: How many ways to make a snake? Evidence for historical contingency of the convergence of squamate reptiles*

Abstract

Do convergent phenotypes arise from the same evolutionary pathways, or might different pathways produce convergent morphology? Bergmann and Morinaga (2019) found different evolutionary pathways underlie morphology among six clades of lizards and snakes. Their findings provide evidence for the role of historical contingency in evolution.