2014/10/23 by Alexey A. Polilov · 1 voice · 7 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · Neuroscience · #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research #Physiological and biochemical adaptations
paper · pdf · doi:10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-020924
openalex publication_date 2014/10/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
Miniaturization leads to considerable reorganization of structures in insects, affecting almost all organs and tissues. In the smallest insects, comparable in size to unicellular organisms, modifications arise not only at the level of organs, but also at the cellular level. Miniaturization is accompanied by allometric changes in many organ systems. The consequences of miniaturization displayed by different insect taxa include both common and unique changes. Because the smallest insects are among the smallest metazoans and have the most complex organization among organisms of the same size, their peculiar structural features and the factors that limit their miniaturization are of considerable theoretical interest to general biology.