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Book Annelida Basal Groups and Pleistoannelida  Sedentaria I

Download or read book Annelida Basal Groups and Pleistoannelida Sedentaria I written by Günter Purschke and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2019-03-18 with total page 1241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the first in a series of 4 volumes in the Handbook of Zoology series about morphology, anatomy, reproduction, development, ecology, phylogeny and systematics of Annelida. This first volume covers members of the so-called basal radiation and the first part of Sedentaria. It is supplemented by chapters on the history of annelid research, their fossil record, and an introduction to the phylogeny of annelids and their position in the tree of life. In the latter chapter the history of their systematic is reviewed giving an almost complete picture of systematic-scientific progress especially in the past years which changed our view on annelid phylogeny dramatically. The most basal annelids, lately united as Palaeoannelida, represent two families of aberrant polychaetes formerly often suggested to be highly derived which now give us a fresh look on how the ancestral annelid may have looked like. These lack certain key characters such as nuchal organs and possess rather simple nervous systems which now likely represent primitive character states. In this basal radiation the first taxon of apparently unsegmented and achaetigerous animals is positioned, the Sipuncula. Most likely another group of platyhelminth-like and unsegmented and even chaeta-lees annelids, Lobatocerebridae falls into this basal radiation. The section of Sedentaria starts with Orbiniida, a taxon characterized by elongated, thread-like worms which do not have anterior appendages like palps and comprises several families representing members of the Meiofauna. These minute worms often inhabiting the interstitial spaces in marine sands are suggested to have evolved by progenesis. The second higher taxon is represented by Cirratuliformia comprising nine families of typical sedentary polychaetes each of which showing a remarkable variation of the annelid body plan. Members of this taxon usually exhibit many annelid characters but certain also lack the most typical prostomial appendages, the palps.

Book Pleistoannelida  Sedentaria II

Download or read book Pleistoannelida Sedentaria II written by Günter Purschke and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2020-02-24 with total page 874 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the second volume in a series of 4 volumes in the Handbook of Zoology series treating morphology, anatomy, reproduction, development, ecology, phylogeny, systematics and taxonomy of polychaetous Annelida. In this volume a comprehensive review of a few more derived higher taxa within Sedentaria are given, namely Sabellida, Opheliida/Capitellida as well as Hrabeiellidae. The former comprise annelids possessing a body divided into two more or less distinct regions or tagmata called thorax and abdomen. Here two groups of families are united, the spioniform and sabelliform polychaetes. Especially Spionidae and Sabellidae are speciose families within this group and represent two of the largest annelid families. These animals live in various types of burrows or tubes and all possess so-called feeding palps. In one group these appendages are differentiated as grooved feeding palps, whereas in the other they may form highly elaborated circular tentacular crowns comprising a number of radioles mostly giving off numerous filamentous pinnulae. Often additionally colourful, the latter are also received the common names "feather-duster worms", "flowers of the sea", "Christmas-tree worms". Opheliida/Capitellida including five families of truly worm-like annelids without appendages represents the contrary. Their members burrow in soft bottom substrates and may be classified as non-selective deposit feeders. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have shown that Echiura or spoon worms, formerly regarded to represent a separate phylum, are members of this group. Last not least Hrabeiellidae is one out of only two families of oligochaete-like terrestrial polychaetes and for this reason received strong scientific interest.

Book Pleistoannelida  Sedentaria III and Errantia I

Download or read book Pleistoannelida Sedentaria III and Errantia I written by Günter Purschke and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2020-11-23 with total page 491 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the third volume in a series of 4 volumes in the Handbook of Zoology series treating morphology, anatomy, reproduction, development, ecology, phylogeny, systematics and taxonomy of polychaetous Annelida. It is devoted to the remaining Sedentaria and the first branches of Errantia. These sedentary polychaetes are Terebellida and Arenicolida, all of which are tube-dwelling and deposit feeders. The tubes may be simple burrows stabilized by mucus or the tubes are highly sophisticated often really aesthetic structures build-up of sediment grains glued together by their secretion. Although the former possess anterior appendages used for collecting food particles, these are likely not modified palps rather than a new acquisition. Many of these species are adapted to occur within environments characterized by low oxygen supply and so many members of these taxa possess elaborated branchiae, usually positioned on a number of anterior body segments except for Maldanidae which look like bamboo sticks and thus earned their common name bamboo worms. Members of Arenicolida and Maldanida may occur in high abundance and as such they create biogenically graded sediment beds. The Errantia part starts with Myzostomida, a group of symbiotic animals associated with echinoderms which have been variously placed within the tree of life. As such they show numerous adaptations to this specific mode of life. The next group discussed within Errantia is Protodrilida, a taxon comprising four families of the former archiannelids which belong to the interstitial fauna. Most likely they evolved by miniaturization from larger ancestors. In contrast to typical errants they do not possess well-developed parapodia and antennae. This taxon is followed by Eunicida characterized by possession of a specific jaw apparatus situated ventrally in the foregut and associated with specific musculature. Also being a species rich group showing various feeding modes some of the smallest and the largest members belong to this taxon.

Book Annelida

    Book Details:
  • Author : Günter Purschke
  • Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
  • Release : 2020-02-24
  • ISBN : 3110291681
  • Pages : 474 pages

Download or read book Annelida written by Günter Purschke and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2020-02-24 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the second volume in a series of 4 volumes in the Handbook of Zoology series treating morphology, anatomy, reproduction, development, ecology, phylogeny, systematics and taxonomy of polychaetous Annelida. In this volume a comprehensive review of a few more derived higher taxa within Sedentaria are given, namely Sabellida, Opheliida/Capitellida as well as Hrabeiellidae. The former comprise annelids possessing a body divided into two more or less distinct regions or tagmata called thorax and abdomen. Here two groups of families are united, the spioniform and sabelliform polychaetes. Especially Spionidae and Sabellidae are speciose families within this group and represent two of the largest annelid families. These animals live in various types of burrows or tubes and all possess so-called feeding palps. In one group these appendages are differentiated as grooved feeding palps, whereas in the other they may form highly elaborated circular tentacular crowns comprising a number of radioles mostly giving off numerous filamentous pinnulae. Often additionally colourful, the latter are also received the common names "feather-duster worms", "flowers of the sea", "Christmas-tree worms". Opheliida/Capitellida including five families of truly worm-like annelids without appendages represents the contrary. Their members burrow in soft bottom substrates and may be classified as non-selective deposit feeders. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have shown that Echiura or spoon worms, formerly regarded to represent a separate phylum, are members of this group. Last not least Hrabeiellidae is one out of only two families of oligochaete-like terrestrial polychaetes and for this reason received strong scientific interest.

Book Annelida

    Book Details:
  • Author : Günter Purschke
  • Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
  • Release : 2019-03-18
  • ISBN : 3110291584
  • Pages : 492 pages

Download or read book Annelida written by Günter Purschke and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2019-03-18 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the first in a series of 4 volumes in the Handbook of Zoology series about morphology, anatomy, reproduction, development, ecology, phylogeny and systematics of Annelida. This first volume covers members of the so-called basal radiation and the first part of Sedentaria. It is supplemented by chapters on the history of annelid research, their fossil record, and an introduction to the phylogeny of annelids and their position in the tree of life. In the latter chapter the history of their systematic is reviewed giving an almost complete picture of systematic-scientific progress especially in the past years which changed our view on annelid phylogeny dramatically. The most basal annelids, lately united as Palaeoannelida, represent two families of aberrant polychaetes formerly often suggested to be highly derived which now give us a fresh look on how the ancestral annelid may have looked like. These lack certain key characters such as nuchal organs and possess rather simple nervous systems which now likely represent primitive character states. In this basal radiation the first taxon of apparently unsegmented and achaetigerous animals is positioned, the Sipuncula. Most likely another group of platyhelminth-like and unsegmented and even chaeta-lees annelids, Lobatocerebridae falls into this basal radiation. The section of Sedentaria starts with Orbiniida, a taxon characterized by elongated, thread-like worms which do not have anterior appendages like palps and comprises several families representing members of the Meiofauna. These minute worms often inhabiting the interstitial spaces in marine sands are suggested to have evolved by progenesis. The second higher taxon is represented by Cirratuliformia comprising nine families of typical sedentary polychaetes each of which showing a remarkable variation of the annelid body plan. Members of this taxon usually exhibit many annelid characters but certain also lack the most typical prostomial appendages, the palps.

Book Systematics and Diversity of Annelids

Download or read book Systematics and Diversity of Annelids written by Maria Capa and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2021-08-18 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this Special Issue, we address the state of the art of the systematics of the main annelid groups and the improvements in the diversity they hold, with special emphasis on the latest discoveries in well-studied areas, expeditions to unsurveyed areas or environments, or the use of novel techniques that allow for the improvement of biodiversity knowledge. We are hoping that this Special Issue will provide a platform facilitating a review of current knowledge on the subject, identifying current research problems, as well as indicating directions and research trends for the future.

Book Annelida

    Book Details:
  • Author : Greg Rouse
  • Publisher : Oxford University Press
  • Release : 2022-01-14
  • ISBN : 0192591622
  • Pages : 496 pages

Download or read book Annelida written by Greg Rouse and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-01-14 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annelids (the segmented worms) exist in a remarkably diverse range of mostly marine but also freshwater and terrestrial habitats, varying greatly in size and form. Annelida provides a fully updated and expanded taxonomic reference work which broadens the scope of the classic Polychaetes (OUP, 2001) to encompass wider groups including Clitellata (comprising more than a third of total annelid diversity), Sipuncula, and Thalassematidae (formerly Echiura). It reflects the enormous amount of research on these organisms that has burgeoned since the millennium, principally due to their use as model organisms to address wider and more general evolutionary and ecological questions. Beginning with a clear introduction to the phylum and an outline of annelid taxonomy, this authoritative text describes their collection, the methods to ensure their optimal preservation, and an overview of anatomy with its relevant terminology. The core of the work comprises 77 fully up-to-date taxonomic chapters, informed by anatomy and the latest molecular phylogenomic evidence and carefully organised based on a new, robust phylogenetic hypothesis. Lavishly illustrated throughout with hundreds of previously unpublished high-resolution colour images and SEM micrographs, the sheer beauty and diversity of the annelids is nowhere better presented. Annelida is the definitive reference work for annelid biologists, whilst being of interest to a broader audience of invertebrate zoologists, systematists, and organismal biologists.

Book Pleistoannelida  Errantia II

    Book Details:
  • Author : Günter Purschke
  • Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
  • Release : 2022-01-19
  • ISBN : 3110647168
  • Pages : 498 pages

Download or read book Pleistoannelida Errantia II written by Günter Purschke and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2022-01-19 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the fourth in a series of 4 volumes in the Handbook of Zoology series about morphology, anatomy, reproduction, development, ecology, phylogeny and systematics of Annelida. It covers the most typical polychaetes, Phyllodocida, together with certain smaller taxa placed incertae sedis. This volume completes the polychaetous Annelida. Phyllodocida are often vagile, possess well-developed parapodia. Due to their broad and flat cirri these parapodia look like leaves in some taxa and leading to the name of the entire group. Many of its members are macrophagous and often predators. Accordingly most species possess elaborate sense structures such as sensory palps, antennae, eyes and nuchal organs. In certain species the eyes comprise thousands of photoreceptor cells and lenses most likely allowing forming true images. Phyllodocida typically possess an axial muscular pharynx called proboscis functioning as a kind of suction pipe allowing them to swallow and ingest their prey or other food. This pharynx may be armed with cuticular jaws and some species even possess venom glands. The probably most popular and important polychaete model organism, Platynereis dumerilii, belongs to this interesting group. Phyllodocida fall into two to three higher clades comprising about 25 families which represent more than one fourth of the polychaete diversity. One of these families, Syllidae, comprises about 700 valid species of mainly small size and may, therefore, represent one of the most complex and somehow difficult polychaete families on Earth.

Book Morphology  Molecules  Evolution and Phylogeny in Polychaeta and Related Taxa

Download or read book Morphology Molecules Evolution and Phylogeny in Polychaeta and Related Taxa written by Thomas Bartolomaeus and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2005-07-13 with total page 406 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Book The Sipuncula

    Book Details:
  • Author : Edward B. Cutler
  • Publisher : Cornell University Press
  • Release : 2018-10-18
  • ISBN : 1501723642
  • Pages : 474 pages

Download or read book The Sipuncula written by Edward B. Cutler and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2018-10-18 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Sipuncula, a group of ocean-dwelling worms related to annelids and mollusks, play a significant role in the bioerosion of coral reefs and are useful indicators of environmental conditions. The 155 species live in a wide variety of marine habitats at all depths, in sand and mud, in burrows in soft rock and dead coral, and inside such protective shelters as mollusk shells. Important food items for fish and invertebrate predators, they also recycle organic wastes and function as bioassay tools for human diseases such as cystic fibrosis and acute cholera. Edward B. Cutler brings together in this volume everything that is known about the entire phylum. An introduction, with practical information about collecting and handling the animals, is followed by Part One, which incorporates new systematic analyses made during the past twenty years and offers illustrated keys to all taxa, replacing the work of A.C. Stephen and S.J. Edmonds. Part Two reviews the past thirty years' work in such areas as ecology, muscular sysetms, blood chemistry, respiration, reproduction, and excretion. Part Three provides a new synthetic perspective on the phylum's zoogeography and evolutionary relationships, both to other phyla and within the phylum. It utilizes information from the fossil record, paleo-oceanographic data, and comparative studies of immunology, physiology, embryology, and anatomy.

Book The Evolution and Fossil Record of Parasitism

Download or read book The Evolution and Fossil Record of Parasitism written by Kenneth De Baets and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-05-07 with total page 565 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This two-volume edited book highlights and reviews the potential of the fossil record to calibrate the origin and evolution of parasitism, and the techniques to understand the development of parasite-host associations and their relationships with environmental and ecological changes. The book deploys a broad and comprehensive approach, aimed at understanding the origins and developments of various parasite groups, in order to provide a wider evolutionary picture of parasitism as part of biodiversity. This is in contrast to most contributions by parasitologists in the literature that focus on circular lines of evidence, such as extrapolating from current host associations or distributions, to estimate constraints on the timing of the origin and evolution of various parasite groups. This approach is narrow and fails to provide the wider evolutionary picture of parasitism on, and as part of, biodiversity. Volume one focuses on identifying parasitism in the fossil record, and sheds light on the distribution and ecological importance of parasite-host interactions over time. In order to better understand the evolutionary history of parasites and their relationship with changes in the environment, emphasis is given to viruses, bacteria, protists and multicellular eukaryotes as parasites. Particular attention is given to fungi and metazoans such as bivalves, cnidarians, crustaceans, gastropods, helminths, insects, mites and ticks as parasites. Researchers, specifically evolutionary (paleo)biologists and parasitologists, interested in the evolutionary history of parasite-host interactions as well as students studying parasitism will find this book appealing.

Book Structure and Evolution of Invertebrate Nervous Systems

Download or read book Structure and Evolution of Invertebrate Nervous Systems written by Andreas Schmidt-Rhaesa and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015-12-17 with total page 776 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The nervous system is particularly fascinating for many biologists because it controls animal characteristics such as movement, behavior, and coordinated thinking. Invertebrate neurobiology has traditionally been studied in specific model organisms, whilst knowledge of the broad diversity of nervous system architecture and its evolution among metazoan animals has received less attention. This is the first major reference work in the field for 50 years, bringing together many leading evolutionary neurobiologists to review the most recent research on the structure of invertebrate nervous systems and provide a comprehensive and authoritative overview for a new generation of researchers. Presented in full colour throughout, Structure and Evolution of Invertebrate Nervous Systems synthesizes and illustrates the numerous new findings that have been made possible with light and electron microscopy. These include the recent introduction of new molecular and optical techniques such as immunohistochemical staining of neuron-specific antigens and fluorescence in-situ-hybridization, combined with visualization by confocal laser scanning microscopy. New approaches to analysing the structure of the nervous system are also included such as micro-computational tomography, cryo-soft X-ray tomography, and various 3-D visualization techniques. The book follows a systematic and phylogenetic structure, covering a broad range of taxa, interspersed with chapters focusing on selected topics in nervous system functioning which are presented as research highlights and perspectives. This comprehensive reference work will be an essential companion for graduate students and researchers alike in the fields of metazoan neurobiology, morphology, zoology, phylogeny and evolution.

Book Bird Ringing Station Manual

    Book Details:
  • Author : Przemyslaw Busse
  • Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
  • Release : 2015-03-11
  • ISBN : 8376560530
  • Pages : 230 pages

Download or read book Bird Ringing Station Manual written by Przemyslaw Busse and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2015-03-11 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In an attempt to standardize elements of the station routine, the book describes the procedures used in passerine and wader ringing stations. It offers a comparative analysis of versatile evaluation techniques such as measurements, orientation experiments and monitoring. The authors meticulously analyze different methods used to track birds, including catching passerines with mist-nets in land and wetland habitat, as well as the use of the Heligoland trap. The monograph, as a successful bid to establish a bird station routine that is favourable to both birds and ringers, will benefit all professional and amateur ringers.

Book The Invertebrate Tree of Life

Download or read book The Invertebrate Tree of Life written by Gonzalo Giribet and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-03-03 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In The Invertebrate Tree of Life, Gonzalo Giribet and Gregory Edgecombe, leading authorities on invertebrate biology and paleontology, utilize phylogenetics to trace the evolution of animals from their origins in the Proterozoic to today. Phylogenetic relationships between and within the major animal groups are based on the latest molecular analyses, which are increasingly genomic in scale and draw on the soundest methods of tree reconstruction. Giribet and Edgecombe evaluate the evolution of animal organ systems, exploring how current debates about phylogenetic relationships affect the ways in which aspects of invertebrate nervous systems, reproductive biology, and other key features are inferred to have developed. The authors review the systematics, natural history, anatomy, development, and fossil records of all major animal groups, employing seminal historical works and cutting-edge research in evolutionary developmental biology, genomics, and advanced imaging techniques. Overall, they provide a synthetic treatment of all animal phyla and discuss their relationships via an integrative approach to invertebrate systematics, anatomy, paleontology, and genomics. With numerous detailed illustrations and phylogenetic trees, The Invertebrate Tree of Life is a must-have reference for biologists and anyone interested in invertebrates, and will be an ideal text for courses in invertebrate biology. A must-have and up-to-date book on invertebrate biology Ideal as both a textbook and reference Suitable for courses in invertebrate biology Richly illustrated with black-and-white and color images and abundant tree diagrams Written by authorities on invertebrate evolution and phylogeny Factors in the latest understanding of animal genomics and original fossil material" --Amazon.com.

Book Mammalian Evolution  Diversity and Systematics

Download or read book Mammalian Evolution Diversity and Systematics written by Frank Zachos and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2018-10-22 with total page 822 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There are nearly 6,000 mammalian species, among them our own. Research on our evolutionary cousins has a long history, but the last 20 years have seen particularly rapid progress in disentangling the interrelationships and evolutionary history of mammals. The present volume combines up-to-date reviews on mammalian phylogenetics with paleontological, taxonomic and evolutionary chapters and also summarizes the historical development of our insights in mammalian relationships, and thus our own place in the Tree of Life. Our book places the present biodiversity crisis in context, with one in four mammal species threatened by extinction, and reviews the distribution and conservation of mammalian diversity across the globe. This volume is the introductory tome to the new Mammalia series of the Handbook of Zoology and will be essential reading for mammalogists, zoologists and conservationists alike.

Book Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Invertebrates 2

Download or read book Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Invertebrates 2 written by Andreas Wanninger and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-08-10 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This multi-author, six-volume work summarizes our current knowledge on the developmental biology of all major invertebrate animal phyla. The main aspects of cleavage, embryogenesis, organogenesis and gene expression are discussed in an evolutionary framework. Each chapter presents an in-depth yet concise overview of both classical and recent literature, supplemented by numerous color illustrations and micrographs of a given animal group. The largely taxon-based chapters are supplemented by essays on topical aspects relevant to modern-day EvoDevo research such as regeneration, embryos in the fossil record, homology in the age of genomics and the role of EvoDevo in the context of reconstructing evolutionary and phylogenetic scenarios. A list of open questions at the end of each chapter may serve as a source of inspiration for the next generation of EvoDevo scientists. Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Invertebrates is a must-have for any scientist, teacher or student interested in developmental and evolutionary biology as well as in general invertebrate zoology. This volume covers the animals that have a ciliated larva in their lifecycle (often grouped together as the Lophotrochozoa), as well as the Gnathifera and the Gastrotricha. The interrelationships of these taxa are poorly resolved and a broadly accepted, clade-defining autapomorphy has yet to be defined. Spiral cleavage is sometimes assumed to be the ancestral mode of cleavage of this grouping and therefore the clade is referred to as Spiralia by some authors, although others prefer to extend the term Lophotrochozoa to this entire assemblage. Aside from the taxon-based chapters, this volume includes a chapter that highlights similarities and differences in the processes that underlie regeneration and ontogeny, using the Platyhelminthes as a case study.

Book Ancient Hydrocarbon Seeps

Download or read book Ancient Hydrocarbon Seeps written by Andrzej Kaim and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-08-30 with total page 691 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume details the function of hydrocarbon seeps, their evolution over time, the most important seep occurrences and the fauna present in ancient hydrocarbon seeps. While several publications exist that cover modern seeps and vents, fossil seeps only constitute a small component of the literature. As such, many geologists, stratigraphers and paleontologists, as well as undergraduates and graduate students, are not very familiar with ancient hydrocarbon seep deposits and their associated fauna. This text is the first to comprehensively discuss the nature of such animal groups and how to recognize them. In addition to summarizing available knowledge on these topics for specialists in the field, this book offers the background needed to be of use to students as well as the wider community of geologists and paleontologists.