Understanding Evo-Devo

Auteur

Wallace Arthur was one of the founders of the interdisciplinary field of evo-devo (evolutionary developmental biology) in the 1980s. He was a founding editor of the journal Evolution and Development. His interests are focused on the evolutionary origins of novel types of animal, and how these origins may differ from 'routine evolution'.

Texte du rabat

A brief and accessible account of the new interdisciplinary science of evo-devo for a general audience.

Résumé
A brief and accessible account of evolutionary developmental biology, 'evo-devo', for anyone intrigued by this exciting interdisciplinary field, including biological science students and general readers. It covers all key themes, including: developmental bias, toolkit genes, gene co-option, and the origins of evolutionary novelties and body plans.

Contenu

Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. What is evo-devo and why is it important?; 2. Antecedents of evo-devo; 3. Evolutionary and developmental essentials; 4. Evo-devo essentials; 5. The evolution of variations on a theme; 6. The evolutionary origins of themes and novelties; 7. The evolutionary origins of body plans; 8. Body plan features and toolkit genes; 9. Bringing it all together; Concluding remarks; Summary of common misunderstandings; References; Index.