Coloniality, clonality, and modularity in animals: The elephant in the room.

摘要: Nearly half of the animal phyla contain species that propagate asexually via agametic reproduction, often forming colonies genetically identical modules, is, ramets, zooids, or polyps. Clonal colony formation, and modular organization have important consequences for many aspects organismal biology. Theories in ecology, evolution, development are based on unitary and, mainly, strictly sexually reproducing organisms, though colonial animals dominate marine ecosystems habitats, recognized concepts study clonal lacking. In this review, we present an overview animals, from historic interests subject to modern research a range topics, including immunology, stem cell biology, aging, biogeography, ecology. We attempt portray fundamental questions lying behind biology focusing how challenge several dogmas as well remaining puzzles still be answered, which there many.