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SHELL PATTERNINGS. “Our analyses have allowed us to estimate the shell pigmentation patterns of ancestral species, identify lineages in which one or more parameters have evolved rapidly, and measure the degree to which different parameters correlate with the phylogeny.” https://lnkd.in/dwfZQzE View in LinkedIn

First magical snowdrops of the year. View in LinkedIn

GRADUAL PHYLOGENY. “The model parameters fitted to observed patterns show a substantial phylogenetic signal, indicating that the processes governing evolutionary change in shell patterns are, to some extent, gradual across the phylogeny.” https://lnkd.in/dwfZQzE View in LinkedIn

NEURAL PATTERNING. “We have taken a step in applying modern phylogenetic methods to understanding the development of complex phenotypic characters. The pigmentation patterns of Conus shells can be generated by a neural-network model that has a sound anatomical and physiological basis.” https://lnkd.in/dwfZQzE View in LinkedIn

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES. “Each set of parameter values for a node was then input into the neural-network model to produce a depiction of the possible ancestor. Some shell patterns appear to occupy larger regions of parameter space, and are thus more robust to perturbation. However, similarities can still be discerned even in shells that appear quite different at first glance.” https://lnkd.in/dwfZQzE View in LinkedIn

Enigmatic history written in brick. View in LinkedIn

HEISENBERG IN SHELLS. “Fig. 7. Possible realizations of ancestors. For each neural network parameter at each node, five values were drawn from their estimated distribution by using the predicted uncertainty around the maximum-likelihood estimate.” https://lnkd.in/dwfZQzE View in LinkedIn

SO ENDS this second section on cone shell patterns. When a small blob of tissue resembling gristle which lives within a shell can generate patterns and colors of such mathematical complexity, it makes you appreciate the mental capabilities of the merest creature. That this animal can visualize and execute such a pattern on an unfolding 3D curve is further evidence. Humans have long assumed the worst of humble creatures, or simply not counted them at all. View in LinkedIn

PHYLOGENY CORRELATES. “These observations are confirmed by standard parsimony statistics and their comparison with randomized-tip null models; presence/absence of stripes, despite these being visually striking patterns used in identification, appear to lack significant phylogenetic signal in that they do not show significantly more congruence with the phylogeny than is expected under the null model in which character states have been randomly shuffled among the phylogeny tips.” https://lnkd.in/dwfZQzE View in LinkedIn