Homeotic mutations are changes in the genetic makeup of an organism which result in an incorrect positional placement of certain organs or structures. Genetic mutations such as these can lead to the development of bizarre organisms that have misplaced structures on their bodies.

Homeotic mutations were first described by Edward Lewis and his colleagues during the 1950's. Lewis dedicated much of his academic career to investigating the genetic makeup of the fruit fly. One facet of his studies involved finding the cause for a strange mutation in a fruit fly that resulted in legs growing from the head in place of antennae. During his investigation, he found that specific genes, he called homeotic genes, were responsible for the development of each region of the fly's body. He also discovered that these genes were arranged on the chromosome in a linear sequence. They were even arranged in...