Ontogeny And Phylogeny. To The Problem Of The Relation Of Individual And Historical Development In Organisms

Abstract The theory of filembriogenesis is only an introduction to the problem’s development of ontogeny’ and phylogeny’ relation (hereinafter — «relation»). Discussions as to whether ontogeny creates phylogeny, or vice versa, are devoid of meaning. The opinion of O. Hertwig (Hertwig, 1906) that the ontogeny and phylogeny are two parallel and independent developmental processes is valid only in the first part; thesis about independence distorts the essence of «relation.» According to the authors, one of the essential characteristics of the «relation» is that ontogeny gives the material for phylogeny, and phylogeny renews ontogeny, leading away ontogeny from inbreeding; that ontogeny ensures the life continuity and phylogeny — its differentiation, that is, creates biodiversity; that ontogeny and phylogeny can exist and function only in conjunction or in parallel, changing places (in terms of priority) in the life evolution.