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Zusatztext 'This is a useful little book! reviewing a great deal of information and ideas that palaeontologists ought to know! but which are often rather inaccessible to them. Thomson has a clear and felicitous writing style that helps to convey the gist of a complex set of problems.'Michael J. Benton! Geological Magazine 127 (1) 1990 Klappentext Today, developmental and evolutionary biologists are focusing renewed attention on the developmental process, specifically those genetic and cellular factors which influence variation in individual body shape or metabolism. They are attempting to understand better how evolutionary trends and patterns within individuals might be limited and controlled. In this important work, the author reviews the classical literature on embryology, morphogenesis, and palaeontology, and presents recent genetic and molecular studies on development. The result is a unique perspective on a set of problems of fundamental importance to developmental and evolutionary biologists. Zusammenfassung The author reviews the classical literature on embryology, morphogenesis, and palaeontology, and presents recent genetic and molecular studies on development. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction; Theory, reduction, and hierarchy; Development: pattern and process; Early pattern formation; Example: early pattern formation in amphibia; Later pattern formation: morphogenesis; Some general properties of morphogenetic systems; Patterns of evolution; Morphogenesis and evolution.
