Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution

Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution PDF Author: Per Erik Ahlberg
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 0203468031
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 433

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Book Description
A multi-author volume Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution examines the origin and early evolution of the backboned animals (vertebrates)-the group which comprises all fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, including ourselves. This volume draws together evidence from fossils, genes, and developmental biology (the study of how embry

Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution

Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution PDF Author: Per Erik Ahlberg
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 0203468031
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 433

Get Book Here

Book Description
A multi-author volume Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution examines the origin and early evolution of the backboned animals (vertebrates)-the group which comprises all fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, including ourselves. This volume draws together evidence from fossils, genes, and developmental biology (the study of how embry

Evolution and Development of Fishes

Evolution and Development of Fishes PDF Author: Zerina Johanson
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107179440
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 283

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Book Description
World-class palaeontologists and biologists summarise the state-of-the-art on fish evolution and development.

Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution

Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution PDF Author: Kenneth P. Dial
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022626839X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 435

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Book Description
How did flying birds evolve from running dinosaurs, terrestrial trotting tetrapods evolve from swimming fish, and whales return to swim in the sea? These are some of the great transformations in the 500-million-year history of vertebrate life. And with the aid of new techniques and approaches across a range of fields—work spanning multiple levels of biological organization from DNA sequences to organs and the physiology and ecology of whole organisms—we are now beginning to unravel the confounding evolutionary mysteries contained in the structure, genes, and fossil record of every living species. This book gathers a diverse team of renowned scientists to capture the excitement of these new discoveries in a collection that is both accessible to students and an important contribution to the future of its field. Marshaling a range of disciplines—from paleobiology to phylogenetics, developmental biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology—the contributors attack particular transformations in the head and neck, trunk, appendages such as fins and limbs, and the whole body, as well as offer synthetic perspectives. Illustrated throughout, Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution not only reveals the true origins of whales with legs, fish with elbows, wrists, and necks, and feathered dinosaurs, but also the relevance to our lives today of these extraordinary narratives of change.

Vertebrate Evolution

Vertebrate Evolution PDF Author: Donald R. Prothero
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1000515710
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 655

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Book Description
The first vertebrate animals appear in the fossil record over 520 million years ago. These lineages diversified and eventually crept ashore leading to further evolutionary divergence and the appearance of the familiar charismatic vertebrates of today. From the tiniest fishes, diminutive salamanders, and miniaturized lizards to gargantuan dinosaurs, enormous brontotheres, and immense whales, vertebrates have captured the imagination of the lay public as well as the most erudite academics. They are the among the best studied organisms. This book employs beautifully rendered illustrations of these diverse lineages along with informative text to document a rich evolutionary history. The prolific and best-selling author reveals much of the latest findings regarding the phylogenetic history of vertebrates without overwhelming the reader with pedantry and excessive jargon. Simultaneously, comprehensive and authoritative while being approachable and lucid, this book should appeal to both the scholar, the student, and the fossil enthusiast. Key Features Provides an up-to-date account of evolution of vertebrates Includes numerous beautiful color reconstructions of prehistoric vertebrates Describes extinct vertebrates and their evolutionary history Discusses and illustrates the first vertebrates, as well as familiar lineages of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals Reviews mass extinctions and other important events in the diversification of vertebrates Related Titles Bard, J. Evolution: The Origins and Mechanisms of Diversity (ISBN 9780367357016) Böhmer, C., et al. Atlas of Terrestrial Mammal Limbs (ISBN 9781138705906) Diogo, R., et al. Muscles of Chordates: Development, Homologies, and Evolution (ISBN 9781138571167) Schweitzer, M. H., et al. Dinosaurs: How We Know What We Know (ISBN 9780367563813)

Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution

Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution PDF Author: Per Erik Ahlberg
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 113456886X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 433

Get Book Here

Book Description
A multi-author volume Major Events in Early Vertebrate Evolution examines the origin and early evolution of the backboned animals (vertebrates)-the group which comprises all fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, including ourselves. This volume draws together evidence from fossils, genes, and developmental biology (the study of how embry

Evolution of Vertebrate Design

Evolution of Vertebrate Design PDF Author: Leonard B. Radinsky
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022622063X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 201

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Book Description
The Evolution of Vertebrate Design is a solid introduction to vertebrate evolution, paleontology, vertebrate biology, and functional, comparative anatomy. Its lucid style also makes it ideal for general readers intrigued by fossil history. Clearly drawn diagrams illustrate biomechanical explanations of the evolution of fins, jaws, joints, and body shapes among vertebrates. A glossary of terms is included. "A luminous text is matched by lucid drawings rationally placed. . . . A great teaching monograph, the book will charm lay readers of fossil history. For virtually every college & public collection."—Scitech Book News

Patterns and Processes of Vertebrate Evolution

Patterns and Processes of Vertebrate Evolution PDF Author: Robert Lynn Carroll
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521478090
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 442

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Book Description
The factors that influenced the evolution of the vertebrates are compared with the importance of variation and selection that Darwin emphasised in this broad study of the patterns and forces of evolutionary change.

Major Transitions in Vertebrate Evolution

Major Transitions in Vertebrate Evolution PDF Author: Jason S. Anderson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 452

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Book Description
New discoveries of ancient vertebrates, filling in gaps in the fossil record, are quickly eroding the traditionally recognized differences between the principal groups of vertebrates—for example, between dinosaurs and birds—and radically changing our understanding of the evolutionary history of the major group of animals to which our species belongs. This book describes this changing scientific landscape and contributes to the revolution in our knowledge of the developmental mechanisms that underlie evolutionary transformation.

Evolution by Gene Duplication

Evolution by Gene Duplication PDF Author: Susumu Ohno
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 364286659X
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 171

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Book Description
It is said that "necessity is the mother of invention". To be sure, wheels and pulleys were invented out of necessity by the tenacious minds of upright citi zens. Looking at the history of mankind, however, one has to add that "Ieisure is the mother of cultural improvement". Man's creative genius flourished only when his mind, freed from the worry of daily toils, was permitted to entertain apparently useless thoughts. In the same manner, one might say with regard to evolution that "natural selection mere(y tnodifted, while redundanry created". Natural selection has been extremely effective in policing alleHe mutations which arise in already existing gene loci. Because of natural selection, organisms have been able to adapt to changing environments, and by adaptive radiation many new species were created from a common ancestral form. Y et, being an effective policeman, natural selection is extremely conservative by nature. Had evolution been entirely dependent upon natural selection, from a bacterium only numerous forms of bacteria would have emerged. The creation of metazoans, vertebrates and finally mammals from unicellular organisms would have been quite impos sible, for such big leaps in evolution required the creation of new gene loci with previously nonexistent functions. Only the cistron which became redun dant was able to escape from the relentless pressure of natural selection, and by escaping, it accumulated formerly forbidden mutations to emerge as a new gene locus.

Amphibian Evolution

Amphibian Evolution PDF Author: Rainer R. Schoch
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118759133
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 564

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Book Description
This book focuses on the first vertebrates to conquer land and their long journey to become fully independent from the water. It traces the origin of tetrapod features and tries to explain how and why they transformed into organs that permit life on land. Although the major frame of the topic lies in the past 370 million years and necessarily deals with many fossils, it is far from restricted to paleontology. The aim is to achieve a comprehensive picture of amphibian evolution. It focuses on major questions in current paleobiology: how diverse were the early tetrapods? In which environments did they live, and how did they come to be preserved? What do we know about the soft body of extinct amphibians, and what does that tell us about the evolution of crucial organs during the transition to land? How did early amphibians develop and grow, and which were the major factors of their evolution? The Topics in Paleobiology Series is published in collaboration with the Palaeontological Association, and is edited by Professor Mike Benton, University of Bristol. Books in the series provide a summary of the current state of knowledge, a trusted route into the primary literature, and will act as pointers for future directions for research. As well as volumes on individual groups, the series will also deal with topics that have a cross-cutting relevance, such as the evolution of significant ecosystems, particular key times and events in the history of life, climate change, and the application of a new techniques such as molecular palaeontology. The books are written by leading international experts and will be pitched at a level suitable for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers in both the paleontological and biological sciences.