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Prebiotic world, macroevolution, and Darwin’s theory: a new insight

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Abstract

Darwin’s main contribution to modern biology was to make clear that all history of life on earth is dominated by a simple principle, which is usually summarised as 'descent with modification'. However, interpretations about how this modification is produced have been controversial. In light of the data provided by recent studies on molecular biology, developmental biology, genomics, and other biological disciplines we discuss, in this paper, how Darwin's theory may apply to two main 'types' of evolution: that occurring in the prebiotic world and that regarding the acquisition of major key-innovations differentiating higher-taxa, which makes up part of the so-called macroevolution. We argue that these studies show that evolution is a fascinating, complex and multifaceted process, with different mechanisms drivin it on different occasions and in different places.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Pere Alberch. We specially acknowledge A. García Valdecasas, N. Lonergan, Kim Sterelny, and an anonymous referee for the improvement of this manuscript, as well as F. Meunier, D. Adriaens, M. de Pinna, P. Skelton, F. Poyato-Ariza, T. Grande, H. Gebhardt, M. Ebach, A. Wyss, J. Waters, G. Cuny, L. Cavin, F. Santini, J. Briggs, L. Gahagan, M. Gayet, J. Alves-Gomes, G. Lecointre, L. Soares-Porto, P. Bockmann, T. Roberts, G. Arratia, L. Taverne, C. Ferraris, C. Borden, E. Parmentier, P. Vandewalle, M. Chardon, B. Richmond, B. Wood, B. Hall and F. Galis and many other colleagues for their helpful advice and assistance and for their discussions on evolution.

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  1. Departamento Biodiversidad y Biologia Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Calle Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain

    Luis Boto, Ignacio Doadrio & Rui Diogo

  2. Department of Anthropology, George Washington University, Washington, USA

    Rui Diogo

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  1. Luis Boto
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  2. Ignacio Doadrio
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  3. Rui Diogo
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Correspondence to Luis Boto.

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Boto, L., Doadrio, I. & Diogo, R. Prebiotic world, macroevolution, and Darwin’s theory: a new insight. Biol Philos 24, 119–128 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10539-007-9072-z

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