The first discoveries of Early Paleozoic fishes took place in Scotland and in the Baltic area at the beginning of the 19th century. The first early vertebrate remains recorded from Scotland were of Carboniferous age and are now referred to the sarcopterygians Rhizodus and Megalichthys. Later, discoveries of additional Scottish and Baltic localities made these regions (and also European workers) the main source of information on early vertebrates for a long time. This situation reached its most important development with the contributions of E. STENSIO and other Swedish and Danish colleagues, who organised important collecting expeditions (e.g., Podolia and Spitsbergen). New material from these localities and others (e.g., Devonian localities of eastern Canada) allowed STENSIO and his followers (the so-called Swedish School) to produce some fascinating morphological work and to propose hypotheses about the origin of early tetrapods that still today are a source of discussion.New scientific findings have the potential to produce considerable changes in previous interpretations. Vertebrates are not an exception. Based on information gathered over almost two centuries it has long been believed that the origin of vertebrates occurred "sometime" during the earliest Paleozoic, "somewhere" in the northern Hemisphere. However, discoveries of early vertebrates in the Southern Hemisphere (e.g., Australia and Bolivia) led to a new understanding of the early history of the group. These new discoveries have been remarkable in stimulating new collecting. Recent progress has included the discovery of the "earliest" forms in the Lower Cambrian of China together with new and controversial interpretations of the conodonts.The most recent decade saw new findings that concern not only the earliest vertebrates, but also most fish groups as well as lower tetrapods. They shed new light on the origin and diversification of basal vertebrates and gnathostomes. Critical fossils have been discovered in many different parts of the world. This new material is having a significant impact on previous character interpretation and distribution, as well as on previous phylogenetic hypotheses.This book brings together many of these recent discoveries and new interpretations to commemorate the retirement of Hans-Peter SCHULTZE from the Museum fur Naturkunde in Berlin. H.-P. SCHULTZE has worked on most groups of lower vertebrates ranging from conodonts to early tetrapods. He has collected in most of the crucial sites around the world. He is one of the most productive researchers in paleoichthyology and is considered by many to be the leading figure in this field.

The vertebrate integument arose about 450 million years ago as an ‘armour’ of dermal bony plates in small, jawless fish-like creatures, informally known as the ostracoderms. This book reviews the major changes that have occurred in the vertebrate integument from its beginnings to the present day. Critical questions concerning the origin, structure and functional biology of the bony integument are discussed and intrinsically linked to major steps in vertebrate evolution and phylogeny—the origin of jaws and the origin of teeth. The discussions include the origins of mineralization of major vertebrate skeletal components such as the dermatocranium, branchial arches and vertebral column. The advances that led to the origin of modern fishes and their phylogenetic development are reviewed and include the evolution of fins and replacement of the bony plates with several types of dermal scales. The evolution of reptiles saw a major transformation of the integument, with the epidermis becoming the protective outermost layer, from which the scales arose, while the dermis lay below it. The biological significance of the newly-evolved β-keratin in reptilian scales, among the toughest natural materials known, is discussed in the context of its major contribution to the great success of reptiles and to the evolution of feathers and avian flight. The dermis in many vertebrates is strengthened by layers of oppositely oriented cross-fibres, now firmly entrenched as a design principle of biomechanics. Throughout the book conventional ideas are discussed and a number of new hypotheses are presented in light of the latest developments. The long evolutionary history of vertebrates indicates that the significance of the Darwinian concept of “survival of the fittest” may be overstated, including in our own mammalian origins and that chance often plays a major role in evolutionary patterns. Extensive illustrations are included to support the verbal descriptions. Professor Theagarten Lingham-Soliar is in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

More than three hundred million years ago—a relatively recent date in the two billion years since life first appeared—vertebrate animals first ventured onto land. This usefully illustrated book describes how some finned vertebrates acquired limbs, giving rise to more than 25,000 extant tetrapod species. Michel Laurin uses paleontological, geological, physiological, and comparative anatomical data to describe this monumental event. He summarizes key concepts of modern paleontological research, including biological nomenclature, paleontological and molecular dating, and the methods used to infer phylogeny and character evolution. Along with a discussion of the evolutionary pressures that may have led vertebrates onto dry land, the book also shows how extant vertebrates yield clues about the conquest of land and how scientists uncover evolutionary history.

Phylonyms is an implementation of PhyloCode, which is a set of principles, rules, and recommendations governing phylogenetic nomenclature. Nearly 300 clades - lineages of organisms - are defined by reference to hypotheses of phylogenetic history rather than by taxonomic ranks and types. This volume will document the Real World uses of PhyloCode and will govern and apply to the names of clades, while species names will still be governed by traditional codes. Key Features Provides clear regulations for implementing new guidelines for naming lineages of organisms incorporates expressly evolutionary and phylogenetic principles Works with existing codes of nomenclature Eliminates the reliance on rank-based classification in favor of phylogenetic relationships Related Titles: Rieppel, O. Phylogenetic Systematics: Haeckel to Hennig (ISBN 978-1-4987-5488-0) Cantino, P. D. and de Queiroz, K. International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature (PhyloCode) (ISBN 978-1-138-33282-9).

Vertebrate evolution is studied through comparative anatomy and functional morphology of existing vertebrates as well as fossil records. Since the publication of the previous edition of Colbert’s Evolution of the Vertebrates: A History of the Backboned Animals Through Time, there have been significant advances in the knowledge surrounding backboned animals. This latest edition of the classic text is completely revised to offer the most recent discoveries in this continually evolving field of science. Covering the various aspects of vertebrate life, from skeletal system to ecology, behavior, and physiology, the Fifth Edition includes new sections on conodonts, dinosaurs, primates, and the origin of birds, and discusses: Analysis of morphological and molecular data Early diversification of vertebrates The evolution of dinosaurs The origin of mammals Early ruling reptiles Basic adaptation of ungulates Colbert’s Evolution of the Vertebrates, Fifth Edition carries on its legacy as an invaluable reference for professionals in evolutionary biology and paleontology, as well as an ideal textbook for students in those fields.

World-class palaeontologists and biologists summarise the state-of-the-art on fish evolution and development.