Topic summary
Webbed feet
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Webbed foot.
Development
Webbed feet could also arise due to being linked to other morphological changes, without a selective advantage. In salamanders, webbed feet have arisen in multiple lineages, but in most do not contribute to increased function. However, in the cave salamander species Chiropterotriton magnipes (bigfoot splayfoot salamander), their webbed feet are morphologically unique from other salamanders and may serve a functional purpose. This demonstrates that webbed feet arise from developmental changes, but do not necessarily correlate with a selective advantage functionally.