The Universe of Animal Variation (IMAGE)
Caption
This image is based on the presence and absence of anatomical features, like jointed legs and compound eyes, neurons and bony skulls. Considering all of these features, animals that are similar group together, far away from animals that are dissimilar. Most of this 'design space' is unoccupied, in part because of extinction of ancient ancestors that are unrepresented, in part because animals have only been around for half a billion years and that is not enough time to explore all possible designs, but most of the design space is unoccupied because those designs are impossible.
Credit
University of Bristol
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