BACKGROUND Saltational evolution in which a particular lineage undergoes relatively rapid, significant, and unparalleled change as compared with its closest relatives is rarely invoked as an alternative model to the dominant paradigm of gradualistic evolution. Identifying saltational events is an important first-step in assessing the importance of this discontinuous model in generating evolutio...

Although plants possess a suite of structural defenses, most studies have focused on trichomes. Trichomes can both pre- and post-ingestive effects been consistently found to reduce herbivory. Along with trichomes, few epicuticular waxes as an important defense; however, manipulated comparisons examining herbivore growth development are limited. In this study, using two Solanum species ( glauces...