- Progenesis
Progenesis is a mechanism in
developmental biology that is associated withpaedomorphosis . Progenesis refers to the attainment ofsexual maturity by anorganism still in itslarval or juvenile stage and a secondary result of never experiencing later developmental stages. Organisms that are progenetic never achieve the adult form experienced by their evolutionary ancestors.Mechanisms of progenesis
Progenesis is sometimes induced by environmental conditions that inhibit the completion of metamorphosis, such as low temperature or lack of available
iodine leading to lowthyroid gland activity. The larval form may mature sexually, mate, and produce fully viable offspring. If environmental conditions improve, this particular kind of progenesis can sometimes be reversed, with the larvae completing metamorphosis and attaining normal maturity.Animal Kingdom
This biological state is found in certain
amphibians and also amonginsects .Paedogenesis
Progenetic organisms are capable of
paedogenesis . This is the act of reproducing while in the larval form and occurs in the females of certainbeetle s,Strepsiptera ,bagworm s, andgall midge s.See also
*
paedomorphosis
*neoteny
*paedogenesis
*heterochrony
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.