Morphology, Molecules, Evolution and Phylogeny in Polychaeta and Related Taxa

Morphology, Molecules, Evolution and Phylogeny in Polychaeta and Related Taxa PDF Author: Thomas Bartolomaeus
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9781402029516
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 406

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Book Description
Annelida, mainly consisting of marine Polychaeta and in faunal and partly parasitic Clitellata, is one the most significant metazoan taxa. Its more than 20.000 described species invade nearly all habitats and play a central role in marine benthic systems as well as in terrestrial soil communities. Annelids include all soft-bodied segmented worm-like organisms and have been recognized as a separate "phylum" for almost 200 years. Recently, evidence has been accumulated which shows that some of the groups formerly regarded as independent "phyla" such as Pogonophora (now recognized as Siboglinidae), Echiura, Myzostomida and perhaps Sipuncula, are most probably nothing else than greatly modified Annelida. The extreme morphological diversity found especially in Polychaeta displays the plasticity of a simple segmented organisation that basically is nothing else but a serial repetition of identical units. Thus, annelids are highly important to our understanding of fundamental questions about morphological and adaptive diversity, as well as clarifying evolutionary changes and phylogenetic relationships. The book aims to summarize our knowledge on Polychaetes polychaetes and their allies and gives an overview of recent advances gained by studies that employed conventional and modern methods plus, increasingly and importantly, the use of molecular markers and computer-assisted kinship analyses. It also reflects the state of art in polychaete sciences and presents new questions and controversies. As such it will significantly influence the direction of research on Polychaeta and their related taxa.

Morphology, Molecules, Evolution and Phylogeny in Polychaeta and Related Taxa

Morphology, Molecules, Evolution and Phylogeny in Polychaeta and Related Taxa PDF Author: Thomas Bartolomaeus
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9781402029516
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 406

Get Book Here

Book Description
Annelida, mainly consisting of marine Polychaeta and in faunal and partly parasitic Clitellata, is one the most significant metazoan taxa. Its more than 20.000 described species invade nearly all habitats and play a central role in marine benthic systems as well as in terrestrial soil communities. Annelids include all soft-bodied segmented worm-like organisms and have been recognized as a separate "phylum" for almost 200 years. Recently, evidence has been accumulated which shows that some of the groups formerly regarded as independent "phyla" such as Pogonophora (now recognized as Siboglinidae), Echiura, Myzostomida and perhaps Sipuncula, are most probably nothing else than greatly modified Annelida. The extreme morphological diversity found especially in Polychaeta displays the plasticity of a simple segmented organisation that basically is nothing else but a serial repetition of identical units. Thus, annelids are highly important to our understanding of fundamental questions about morphological and adaptive diversity, as well as clarifying evolutionary changes and phylogenetic relationships. The book aims to summarize our knowledge on Polychaetes polychaetes and their allies and gives an overview of recent advances gained by studies that employed conventional and modern methods plus, increasingly and importantly, the use of molecular markers and computer-assisted kinship analyses. It also reflects the state of art in polychaete sciences and presents new questions and controversies. As such it will significantly influence the direction of research on Polychaeta and their related taxa.

Arthropod Biology and Evolution

Arthropod Biology and Evolution PDF Author: Alessandro Minelli
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642361609
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 530

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Book Description
More than two thirds of all living organisms described to date belong to the phylum Arthropoda. But their diversity, as measured in terms of species number, is also accompanied by an amazing disparity in terms of body form, developmental processes, and adaptations to every inhabitable place on Earth, from the deepest marine abysses to the earth surface and the air. The Arthropoda also include one of the most fashionable and extensively studied of all model organisms, the fruit-fly, whose name is not only linked forever to Mendelian and population genetics, but has more recently come back to centre stage as one of the most important and more extensively investigated models in developmental genetics. This approach has completely changed our appreciation of some of the most characteristic traits of arthropods as are the origin and evolution of segments, their regional and individual specialization, and the origin and evolution of the appendages. At approximately the same time as developmental genetics was eventually turning into the major agent in the birth of evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo), molecular phylogenetics was challenging the traditional views on arthropod phylogeny, including the relationships among the four major groups: insects, crustaceans, myriapods, and chelicerates. In the meantime, palaeontology was revealing an amazing number of extinct forms that on the one side have contributed to a radical revisitation of arthropod phylogeny, but on the other have provided evidence of a previously unexpected disparity of arthropod and arthropod-like forms that often challenge a clear-cut delimitation of the phylum.

Evolutionary History of Bats

Evolutionary History of Bats PDF Author: Gregg F. Gunnell
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521768241
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 581

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Book Description
This book explores the rich evolutionary history of bats from multiple perspectives, presenting some of the most remarkable discoveries involving fossil bats.

Mammalian Evolutionary Morphology

Mammalian Evolutionary Morphology PDF Author: Eric J. Sargis
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402069979
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 453

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Book Description
This book celebrates the contributions of Dr. Frederick S. Szalay to the field of Mammalian Evolutionary Morphology. Professor Szalay is a strong advocate for biologically and evolutionarily meaningful character analysis. He has published about 200 articles, six monographs, and six books on this subject. This book features subjects such as the evolution and adaptation of mammals and provides up-to-date articles on the evolutionary morphology of a wide range of mammalian groups.

Molecular Tools for Screening Biodiversity

Molecular Tools for Screening Biodiversity PDF Author: A. Karp
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400900198
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 482

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Book Description
Mark Chase There are many literature resources available to molecular biologists wishing to assess genetic variation, but the myriad of techniques and approaches potentially available to the plant breeder and the evolutionary biologist is truly bewildering, and most have never been evaluated side-by-side on the same sets of samples. Additionally, it is often not recognized that tools that are useful for breeders can often be adapted for use in evolutionary studies and vice versa, but this is generally the case. The borderline between population genetics and phylogenetics is vague and difficult to assess, and a combination of both types of tools is best when it is not clear with which area one is dealing. Furthermore, it is not now appropriate to use just one type of marker in any kind of study; most markers have the potential to misinform under certain conditions, so it is always wise to incorporate at least two different types of assessments into any project. This volume is designed to facilitate this sort of multiple approach and provides comparative data on most currently available methods so that researchers can more intelligently select those appropriate to their area of interest, regardless of whether it is in the realm of breeding or evolutionary biology.

Evolution of the House Mouse

Evolution of the House Mouse PDF Author: Miloš Macholán
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139510320
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The house mouse is the source of almost all genetic variation in laboratory mice; its genome was sequenced alongside that of humans, and it has become the model for mammalian speciation. Featuring contributions from leaders in the field, this volume provides the evolutionary context necessary to interpret these patterns and processes in the age of genomics. The topics reviewed include mouse phylogeny, phylogeography, origins of commensalism, adaptation, and dynamics of secondary contacts between subspecies. Explorations of mouse behaviour cover the nature of chemical and ultrasonic signalling, recognition, and social environment. The importance of the mouse as an evolutionary model is highlighted in reviews of the first described example of meiotic drive (t-haplotype) and the first identified mammalian speciation gene (Prdm9). This detailed overview of house mouse evolution is a valuable resource for researchers of mouse biology as well as those interested in mouse genetics, evolutionary biology, behaviour, parasitology, and archaeozoology.

Avian Molecular Evolution and Systematics

Avian Molecular Evolution and Systematics PDF Author: David P. Mindell
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0080527752
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 403

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Book Description
The use of DNA and other biological macromolecules has revolutionized systematic studies of evolutionary history. Methods that use sequences of nucleotides and amino acids are now routinely used as data for addressing evolutionary questions that, although not new questions, have defied description and analysis. The world-renowned contributors use these new methods to unravel particular aspects of the evolutionary history of birds. Avian Molecular Evolution and Systematics presents an overview of the theory and application of molecular systematics, focusing on the phylogeny and evolutionary biology of birds. New, developing areas in the phylogeny of birds at multiple taxonomic areas are covered, as well as methods of analysis for molecular data, evolutionary genetics within and between bird populations, and the application of molecular-based phylogenies to broader questions of evolution. - Contains authoritative contributions from leading researchers - Discusses the utility of different molecular markers for questions of avian evolution, involving populations and higher-level taxa - Applies molecular-based phylogenies of birds and molecular population genetics data to broad questions of organismal and molecular evolution. - Compares and contrasts molecular and morphological data sets

Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics

Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics PDF Author: Masatoshi Nei
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199881227
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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Book Description
During the last ten years, remarkable progress has occurred in the study of molecular evolution. Among the most important factors that are responsible for this progress are the development of new statistical methods and advances in computational technology. In particular, phylogenetic analysis of DNA or protein sequences has become a powerful tool for studying molecular evolution. Along with this developing technology, the application of the new statistical and computational methods has become more complicated and there is no comprehensive volume that treats these methods in depth. Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics fills this gap and present various statistical methods that are easily accessible to general biologists as well as biochemists, bioinformatists and graduate students. The text covers measurement of sequence divergence, construction of phylogenetic trees, statistical tests for detection of positive Darwinian selection, inference of ancestral amino acid sequences, construction of linearized trees, and analysis of allele frequency data. Emphasis is given to practical methods of data analysis, and methods can be learned by working through numerical examples using the computer program MEGA2 that is provided.

Dogs

Dogs PDF Author: Xiaoming Wang
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231135297
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
Xiaoming Wang and Richard H. Tedford combine their research with Mauricio Anton's impeccable reconstructions to present a remarkable portrait of canids over the past 40 million years. Wang and Tedford cull their history from the most recent scientific research conducted on the vast collections of the American Museum of Natural History and other leading institutions. With their rich fossil record, diverse adaptations to various environments, and different predatory specializations, canids are an ideal model organism for the mapping of predator behavior and morphological specializations. They also offer an excellent contrast to felids, which remain entrenched in extreme predatory specializations. The innovative illustrated approach of this book transforms the science of paleontology into a thrilling visual experience, and it forms the perfect accompaniment to an extremely important branch of animal and fossil study.

Mammalogy

Mammalogy PDF Author: George A. Feldhamer
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 0801886953
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 662

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Book Description
The Class Mammalia is amazingly diverse, ranging from whales to marsupials to bats to primates. The more than 5,400 species occupy many habitats, with mammals present on all the continents. They are rare only on Antarctica and a few isolated islands. Mammals present a complex set of conservation and management issues. Some species have become more numerous with the rise of human populations, while others have been extirpated or nearly so—such as the Caribbean monk seal, the thylacine, the Chinese river dolphin, and the Pyrenean ibex. In this new edition of their classic textbook, George A. Feldhamer and his colleagues cover the many aspects of mammalogy. Thoroughly revised and updated, this edition includes treatments of the most recent significant findings in ordinal-level mammalian phylogeny and taxonomy; special topics such as parasites and diseases, conservation, and domesticated mammals; interrelationships between mammalian structure and function; and the latest molecular techniques used to study mammals. Instructors: email [email protected] for a free instructor resource disc containing all 510 illustrations printed in Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology, third edition.