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Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior pp 1–6Cite as

Vestigial Organ

Synonyms

Degenerated organ; Remnant; Rudiment; Rudimentary organ; Vestige

Definition

Anatomical structure that has lost its original function in a species during the course of evolution.

Introduction

Vestigial organs are rudimentary anatomical structures that are retained in a species despite having lost their primary ancestral function. These structures often lack an apparent purpose, in contrast to the full functionality of these organs observed in closely related and ancestral species. The term “vestigial” was first utilized by Wiedersheim (1895) for use in the context of rudimentary structures that serve no apparent function. Archetypal examples of vestigial organs include structures such as wings in nonflighted birds, eyes in blind species, and vestigial limbs in snakes. Organs often become vestigial when selection for their original function becomes relaxed. They range from disadvantageous to selectively neutral to slightly advantageous (Gould 1980). Vestigial organs may be more...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA

    Heather F. Smith

  2. Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA

    Wade Wright

Authors
  1. Heather F. Smith
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  2. Wade Wright
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heather F. Smith .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland University , Rochester, MI, USA

    Jennifer Vonk

  2. Department of Psychology, Oakland University Department of Psychology, Rochester, MI, USA

    Ph.D. Todd Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Poolesville, MD, USA

    Annika Paukner

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Smith, H.F., Wright, W. (2018). Vestigial Organ. In: Vonk, J., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_406-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_406-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-47829-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-47829-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social Sciences

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