Download or read book Functional Morphology of the Invertebrate Skeleton written by Enrico Savazzi and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1999-05-04 with total page 728 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Functional morphology is the relationship between the form and the function of an organism, seen in an adaptive and evolutionary context. This book deals with the functional morphology of the invertebrate skeleton, and concentrates on the taxonomic groups that are of greatest interest to the palaeontologist. Coverage of a broad variety of fossil as well as living invertebrates is included. Each group is treated by a specialist, providing a thorough and up-to-date review of the field. In addition to this general treatment, several short sections deal with topical and detailed observations that are seldom covered in a general text. The book also contains extensive coverage of theoretical, experimental and practical aspects of research in functional morphology, including field and laboratory techniques, computer modelling and even illustration techniques. Functional Morphology of the Invertebrate Skeleton provides a thorough introduction and overview of the subject for the professional palaeontologist and biologist. It is sufficiently generic and comprehensive to be used as a student textbook and its up-to-date coverage of the latest research constitutes a much needed shelf reference and modern review of the field.
Download or read book Concepts of Functional Engineering and Constructional Morphology written by Sven Baszio and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do living organisms have the designs (and especially the skeletons) that they actually possess? Is it possible, and legitimate, to infer from the fossilised remains of a long-dead creature how it functioned as a living system, with all the components operating together in harmony? Some 40 years ago there was an often stated view that studies of functional morphology in fossil animals could never be more than clever speculation. Yet as time went by, it became increasingly clear that functional interpretations, when carried out in the right way, were indeed a proper field for study in palaeontology, and that animal skeletons, of almost any kind, could yield definitive information about how their bearers had lived. We need first to consider the origins of animal skeletons. There are two important factors here. The first is contingency, in other words the 'accidents of history'', which established suites of body plans which could subsequently be modified in different ways. Yet as ROGER THOMAS and WOLF-ERNST REIF pointed out in their 'Skeleton-Space'' model (1993), there are confining physico-chemical constratints which thereafter determine evolutionary pathways. There are, in fact, only a limited number of ways in which a skeleton can be functional, as determined by the properties of the material of which it is constructed, constraints upon growth and development, and the requirement for its component parts to function in terms of the whole organism. In consequence "the discovery of 'good'' designs  those that are viable and that can be constructed with available materials  was inevitable, and in principle predictable ... the recurring designs we observed are attractors, orderly and stable configurations of matter that must necessarily emerge in the course of evolution" (THOMAS & REIF 1993). Where then, with this in mind, do we proceed from here? Amongst compendia regarding form and function in fossils, we have the recent Functional Morphology of the Invertebrate Skeleton (1999), a fine collection of 43 papers edited by ENRICO SAVAZZI. Here one finds both specialised case histories and encompassing reviews, dealing with many kinds of invertebrate, and very useful it is regarding the various ways in which invertebrate palaeontologists study their fossils as living organisms. But the present volume is something different, for it encapsulates the refreshingly individual approach which has emerged in Germany over the last several years, most vigorously articulated by MICHAEL GUDO and his colleagues at the Senckeneberg Institute, Frankfurt am Main. Their basic concept is that the structural and functional constraints on living organisms can best be interpreted in terms of engineering analogues. Mechanical engineering, after all is about how machines are constructed and how they work, and there are simple analogues all around us. Consider, for a moment the evident correspondence between the claw of a crab and a pair of pincers, or an arthropod limb and the arm of a mechanical digger. There are surely many useful insights to be derived from an understanding of engineering principles, and the research papers collected in the present volume are a testament to the vigour of this approach. For herein we find not only concepts, but also tools and techniques in common use in engineering applied to biomechanics; computer-aided design and tomography, landmark analysis, Finite Element Analysis, and CAT-scans. Such tools give a much greater objectivity to analysis of function, for it is true enough, as Carpenter comments in this volume, that 'theoretical models are often tainted with preconcieved ideas''. There are thirty papers in five sections, each of which consists of several papers, and at the beginning of each section is an explanatory introduction and summary. Section 1, Functional morphology and biomechanics. Following introductory comments by GUDO et al., there are six papers all concerned with vertebrates, and especially dinosaurs. T
Download or read book Evolution and Functional Morphology of the Axial Skeleton in the Synapsida written by Laura Jean Panko and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Functional Morphology and Diversity written by Les Watling and published by OUP USA. This book was released on 2013-01-16 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the functional morphology of crustaceans, which cover the main body parts and systems.
Download or read book Functional Morphology and Diversity written by Les Watling and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2013-01-16 with total page 515 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the functional morphology of crustaceans, which cover the main body parts and systems.
Download or read book Vertebrate Functional Morphology written by Hiran M. Dutta and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dealing with important systems starting from lower vertebrates to mammals, this book covers topics including morphological, biochemical and molecular aspects of cartilages of the skeleton of sea lamprey; evolutionary transformation of respiratory islets of airbreathing fish, and more.
Download or read book Theoretical Morphology written by George R. McGhee and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Theoretical morphology--which seeks to sketch the range of forms that biological entities could take, with the ultimate goal of discovering why certain forms exist but others do not--is among paleontology's most significant contributions to the understanding of evolution. Today, with the aid of computers in developing conceivable morphologies, the discipline has been able to advance into a remarkable tool for the study of evolution. Yet despite these advances, the field remains largely untapped and ripe with research potential. In this volume, paleontologist George McGhee presents the first complete overview of the field, its advancements in recent years, and the challenges ahead. Theoretical Morphology provides readers with the background they need to launch their own research. McGhee describes the steps involved in defining the geometric parameters (theoretical morphospaces) for an organic form in order to generate a spectrum of other possible forms that have never actually appeared. He also addresses the simulation of actual processes of morphogenesis, with the goal of attaining a more nuanced comprehension of how evolutionary processes work. Theoretical Morphology takes readers through a variety of theoretical morphospaces including those for univalved, bivalved, discrete, and branching growth systems. With a glossary of terms and a comprehensive list of references on the subject, this is an excellent handbook for graduate students or professional scientists interested in employing these cutting-edge techniques in their own research.
Download or read book Invertebrate Structure and Function written by Ernest James William Barrington and published by . This book was released on 1967 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Study of the Functional Morphology of an Articulated Fox Squirrel Skeleton written by Jill Miller and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Fossil Behavior Compendium written by Arthur J. Boucot and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2010-04-12 with total page 941 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this complete and thorough update of Arthur Boucot's seminal work, Evolutionary Paleobiology of Behavior and Coevolution, Boucot is joined by George Poinar, who provides additional expertise and knowledge on protozoans and bacteria as applied to disease. Together, they make the Fossil Behavior Compendium wider in scope, covering all relevant ani
Download or read book Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution written by E. N. K. Clarkson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-07-17 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution is well established as the foremost palaeontology text at the undergraduate level. This fully revised fourth edition includes a complete update of the sections on evolution and the fossil record, and the evolution of the early metazoans. New work on the classification of the major phyla (in particular brachiopods and molluscs) has been incorporated. The section on trace fossils is extensively rewritten. The author has taken care to involve specialists in the major groups, to ensure the taxonomy is as up-to-date and accurate as possible.
Download or read book Ammonoid Paleobiology From anatomy to ecology written by Christian Klug and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-07-22 with total page 943 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This two-volume work is a testament to the abiding interest and human fascination with ammonites. We offer a new model to explain the morphogenesis of septa and the shell, we explore their habitats by the content of stable isotopes in their shells, we discuss the origin and later evolution of this important clade, and we deliver hypotheses on its demise. The Ammonoidea produced a great number of species that can be used in biostratigraphy and possibly, this is the macrofossil group, which has been used the most for that purpose. Nevertheless, many aspects of their anatomy, mode of life, development or paleobiogeographic distribution are still poorly known. Themes treated are biostratigraphy, paleoecology, paleoenvironment, paleobiogeography, evolution, phylogeny, and ontogeny. Advances such as an explosion of new information about ammonites, new technologies such as isotopic analysis, tomography and virtual paleontology in general, as well as continuous discovery of new fossil finds have given us the opportunity to present a comprehensive and timely "state of the art" compilation. Moreover, it also points the way for future studies to further enhance our understanding of this endlessly fascinating group of organisms.
Download or read book Functional Morphology of Brachiopods written by Shou Hwa Chuang and published by . This book was released on 2016-08-12 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book describes the morphology and the functions of the various organ systems of the brachiopods, covering recent lingulids, discinids, craniids, rhynchonellids, terebratulids and terebratellids. It includes the relevant previous publications on the subject and the author's unpublished original observations. Of interest is his illustration of separate periostracum-forming epithelium and skeleton-forming epithelium at the periostracal groove or crypt in Lingula postlarva and Discinisca shelled larva. This serves as an alternative to the interpretation of Williams and Wright (1970) that there was a single epithelium, every individual cell of which moved from the periostracal groove or crypt to the mantle edge like a roller belt and secreted in succession pellicle, periostracum and when it went over the mantle edge, the cell secreted primary layer and finally secondary layer of the skeleton. The author next shows that in the earliest Lingula anatina larva and Discinisca coralliphila shelled larva there was no cuticle connection between the dorsal and the ventral valves, disputing Yatsu's (1902) notion that Lingula valves originated by the bending of a single circular shell. The author's illustration also shows that the intestine and anus of L. anatina larva are present at the 2 p.c. stage after it hatches, disputing Yatsu's (1902) claim that they formed during the 4 p.c. stage. The author also illustrates a rare 10 p.c. L. anatina larva from the Johor Strait with longitudinally divided median tentacle, disproving Yatsu's (1902) notion that the median tentacle atrophied after larval settlement. The author illustrates the differentiation of haemerythrocytes and spindle cells from the mesothelium in the mesothelial ridges of the roof and the floor of the perivisceral cavity, establishing that the spindle cells are a normal constituent of the coelomic fluid and disproving the notion that spindle cells differentiated from muscles fibres. The author spent much time in China, sorting, examining and photographing the exceptionally preserved Lower Cambrian Chengjiang fossils in the various institutions. His revision of the published accounts of them by Chinese palaeontologists and his revision of recent inarticulate brachiopods are presented. It is hoped that his observations and conclusions can earn general acceptance.
Download or read book Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record written by Michael J. Benton and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-04-25 with total page 1001 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a comprehensive overview of the science of the history of life. Paleobiologists bring many analytical tools to bear in interpreting the fossil record and the book introduces the latest techniques, from multivariate investigations of biogeography and biostratigraphy to engineering analysis of dinosaur skulls, and from homeobox genes to cladistics. All the well-known fossil groups are included, including microfossils and invertebrates, but an important feature is the thorough coverage of plants, vertebrates and trace fossils together with discussion of the origins of both life and the metazoans. All key related subjects are introduced, such as systematics, ecology, evolution and development, stratigraphy and their roles in understanding where life came from and how it evolved and diversified. Unique features of the book are the numerous case studies from current research that lead students to the primary literature, analytical and mathematical explanations and tools, together with associated problem sets and practical schedules for instructors and students. “..any serious student of geology who does not pick this book off the shelf will be putting themselves at a huge disadvantage. The material may be complex, but the text is extremely accessible and well organized, and the book ought to be essential reading for palaeontologists at undergraduate, postgraduate and more advanced levels—both in Britain as well as in North America.” Falcon-Lang, H., Proc. Geol. Assoc. 2010 “...this is an excellent introduction to palaeontology in general. It is well structured, accessibly written and pleasantly informative .....I would recommend this as a standard reference text to all my students without hesitation.” David Norman Geol Mag 2010 Companion website This book includes a companion website at: www.blackwellpublishing.com/paleobiology The website includes: · An ongoing database of additional Practical’s prepared by the authors · Figures from the text for downloading · Useful links for each chapter · Updates from the authors
Download or read book Earth and Life written by John A. Talent and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-06-28 with total page 1104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume focuses on the broad pattern of increasing biodiversity through time, and recurrent events of minor and major ecosphere reorganization. Intense scrutiny is devoted to the pattern of physical (including isotopic), sedimentary and biotic circumstances through the time intervals during which life crises occurred. These events affected terrestrial, lacustrine and estuarine ecosystems, locally and globally, but have affected continental shelf ecosystems and even deep ocean ecosystems. The pattern of these events is the backdrop against which modelling the pattern of future environmental change needs to be evaluated.
Download or read book Bryozoan Paleobiology written by Paul D. Taylor and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-07-08 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bryozoa are among the most abundant yet least understood of phyla in the fossil record. These exclusively colonial animals can be traced back to the Ordovician as fossils and are common elements of sediments deposited in shallow marine environments. On occasion their calcareous skeletons are sufficiently numerous to produce bryozoan limestones. The potential of bryozoans in facies analysis, and their use in macroevolutionary studies, have both been widely recognised, but to date have been incompletely exploited. Bryozoan Paleobiology brings together the scattered research on living and fossil bryozoans in broad and profusely illustrated overview that will help students and researchers alike in understanding this fascinating group of animals. Beginning with the basics of bryozoan morphology, ecology and classification, the book progresses from the smallest scale of skeletal ultrastructure, to the largest of bryozoan distributions in time and space. On the way, topics such as the origin of zooidal polymorphism and macroevolutionary trends in colony forms are covered. Case studies illuminate these topics, and areas in which further research is particularly required are highlighted.
Download or read book Ichnology in Shallow marine and Transitional Environments written by C. Cónsole-Gonella and published by Geological Society of London. This book was released on 2023-06-06 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ichnology of shallow-marine to transitional environments is a key field of study with respect to understanding the variability of environmental parameters from inshore marginal-marine settings to the offshore transition zone. Over the last decades ichnology has evolved from being a tool to determine bathymetry, becoming the standard palaeoenvironmental methodology by which trace fossils can be used to inform sedimentary facies models. In particular, the analysis of mixed assemblages of invertebrate and vertebrate trace fossils allows detailed palaeoenvironmental and facies analysis. This volume focuses on the ichnological record of shallow-marine to transitional environments through the geological record, in addition to modern ones through neoichnology.
