Exaggerated structures in animals serve diverse ecological functions, each requiring specific patterns of expression. Some traits benefit from high variability, while others require stability. By linking these structures to their ecological roles-such as sexual signaling, prey capture, locomotion, and defense-we can better understand the evolutionary and developmental mechanisms shaping them. Different genetic pathways influence these traits, depending on their function. While research on the genetic and physiological basis of exaggerated traits remains limited, ongoing studies are poised to...