The Origin of Animal Body Plans: A Study in Evolutionary Developmental Biology

Description

While neo-Darwinism has considerable explanatory power, it is widely recognized as lacking a component dealing with individual development, or ontogeny. This lack is particularly conspicuous when attempting to explain the evolutionary origin of the thirty-five or so animal body plans, and of the developmental trajectories that generate them. This significant work examines both the origin of body plans in particular and the evolution of animal development in general. Wallace Arthur ranges widely in his treatment, covering topics as diverse as comparative developmental genetics, selection theory, and Vendian/Cambrian fossils. He places particular emphasis on gene duplication, changes in spatio-temporal gene-expression patterns, internal selection, coevolution of interacting genes, and coadaptation. The book will be of particular interest to students and researchers in evolutionary biology, genetics, paleontology, and developmental biology.

'... useful and thought provoking.' Michael K. Richardson, Heredity 'I strongly recommend it to anyone with an interest in where evolutionary biology is going next.' John A. Lee, Biologist '... an interesting and intelligent book.' Anthony Graham, BSDB Newsletter ' ... a readable and enjoyable account of the current state of developmental genetics.' BioEssays