LABILITY OF THE PRESUMPTIVE PECTORAL AND PELVIC GIRDLE TERRITORIES COMPARED USING CELOMIC GRAFTS

The concept of ''limbness'' usually implies ''wingness'' or ''legness. '' We present evidence in this study that in the case of the proximal forelimb, limbness may exist independent of wingness. Presumptive wing and leg regions were grafted into the opposite limb (wing into leg or leg into wing) of stage 18 hosts. Several stage 10+ to 11+ presumptiv e wing regions grafted into host legs developed pelvic girdles associa ted with distal wing elements. This phenomenon was not seen in presump tive wing region grafts older than stage 12-. Presumptive leg regions grafted into host wings developed leg structures only, including pelvi c girdle and leg digits. The pectoral girdle appears to be labile in e arly stages, whereas the pelvic girdle is not labile even during early stages. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.