In most habitats, adaptations are the single most obvious aspects of an organisma (TM)s phenotype. However, the most obvious feature of many subterranean animals are losses, not adaptations. Even Darwin saw subterranean animals as degenerates: examples of eyelessness and loss of structure in general. For him, the explanation was a straightforward Lamarckian one, and one that did not involve adaptation and the struggle of existence. This volume is a comprehensive account of all known species of subterranean fishes. It includes an extensive introduction, history of investigations, consideration of non-stygobitic fishes in caves, and detailed analysis of the conservation status of these very rare animals.

The Vertebrata is one of the most speciose groups of animals, comprising more than 58,000 living species. This book provides a detailed account on the comparative anatomy, development, homologies and evolution of the head, neck, pectoral and forelimb muscles of vertebrates. It includes hundreds of illustrations, as well as numerous tables showing the homologies between the muscles of all the major extant vertebrate taxa, including lampreys, elasmobranchs, hagfish, coelacanths, dipnoans, actinistians, teleosts, halecomorphs, ginglymodians, chondrosteans, caecilians, anurans, urodeles, turtles, lepidosaurs, crocodylians, birds, and mammals such as monotremes, rodents, tree-shrews, flying lemurs and primates, including modern humans. It also provides a list of more than a thousand synonyms that have been used by other authors to designate these muscles in the literature. Importantly, it also reviews data obtained in the fields of evolutionary developmental biology, molecular biology and embryology, and explains how this data helps to understand the evolution and homologies of vertebrate muscles. The book will useful to students, teachers, and researchers working in fields such as functional morphology, ecomorphology, evolutionary developmental biology, zoology, molecular biology, evolution, and phylogeny. As the book includes crucial information about the anatomy, development, homologies, evolution and muscular abnormalities of our own species, Homo sapiens, it will also be helpful to physicians and medical students.

For decades, the creationist movement was primarily fixed in the United States. Then, in the 1970s, American creationists found their ideas welcomed abroad, first in Australia and New Zealand, then in Korea, India, South Africa, Brazil, and elsewhere--including Europe, where creationism plays an expanding role in public debates about science policy and school curricula. In this, the first comprehensive history of creationism in Europe, leading historians, philosophers, and scientists narrate the rise of--and response to--scientific creationism, creation science, intelligent design, and organized anti-evolutionism in countries and religions throughout Europe.

The book provides a unique map of creationism in Europe, plotting the surprising history of creationist activities and strategies there. Over the past forty years, creationism has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames. Anti-evolution messages gained such widespread approval, in fact, that in 2007 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a Resolution advising member states to "defend and promote scientific knowledge" and "firmly oppose the teaching of creationism as a scientific discipline on an equal footing with the theory of evolution."

"Creationism in Europe" offers a discerning introduction to the cultural history of modern Europe, the variety of world views in Europe, and the interplay of science and religion in a global context. It will be of interest to students and scholars in the history and philosophy of science, religious studies, and evolutionary theory, as well as policymakers and educators concerned about the spread of creationism in our time.

Mimicry is a classic example of adaptation through natural selection. The traditional focus of mimicry research has been on defence in animals, but there is now also a highly-developed and rapidly-growing body of research on floral mimicry in plants. This has coincided with a revolution in genomic tools, making it possible to explore which genetic and developmental processes underlie the sometimes astonishing changes that give rise to floral mimicry. Being literally rooted to one spot, plants have to cajole animals into acting as couriers for their pollen. Floral mimicry encompasses a set of evolutionary strategies whereby plants imitate the food sources, oviposition sites, or mating partners of animals in order to exploit them as pollinators. This first definitive book on floral mimicry discusses the functions of visual, olfactory, and tactile signals, integrating them into a broader theory of organismal mimicry that will help guide future research in the field. It addresses the fundamental question of whether the evolutionary and ecological principles that were developed for protective mimicry in animals can also be applied to floral mimicry in plants. The book also deals with the functions of floral rewardlessness, a condition which often serves as a precursor to the evolution of mimicry in plant lineages. The authors pay particular attention to the increasing body of research on chemical cues: their molecular basis, their role in cognitive misclassification of flowers by pollinators, and their implications for plant speciation. Comprehensive in scope and conceptual in focus, Floral Mimicry is primarily aimed at senior undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers in plant science and evolutionary biology.

The Compact Guide: Charles Darwin reveals the famous scientist's life in compelling detail. From his expedition aboard the Beagle and his legendary research in the Galapagos Islands, to his marriage and illness and the publication of his groundbreaking works, this book sheds fascinating light on the most remarkable aspects of Darwin's life - the extraordinary adventure of discovery that led Darwin to some of his greatest breakthroughs; the controversy with Alfred Russel Wallace on who first originated the idea of evolution by natural selection; and the Darwin family's prosperous but often tragic home life, and how Charles became one of the first Victorians to reject religion and God.

Soon to be a major motion picture
The moving, personal story of Charles Darwin and his revolutionary views on nature, evolution, and the human condition.
As Darwin's theories continue to shape much of our thinking about the roots of human nature, "Creation" (formerly "Darwin, His Daughters, and Human Evolution") reveals the personal experiences from which he drew his most deeply held ideas.
In a chest of drawers bequeathed by his grandmother, author Randal Keynes, a great-great-grandson of Darwin, found the writing case of Charles Darwin's beloved daughter Annie, who died at the age of fifteen. Offering rare insight into the family's private world, Keynes gives us a fuller picture of one of our most original thinkers, as well as a wealth of previously unseen material.

The field of molecular evolution has experienced explosive growth in recent years due to the rapid accumulation of genetic sequence data, continuous improvements to computer hardware and software, and the development of sophisticated analytical methods. The increasing availability of large genomic data sets requires powerful statistical methods to analyse and interpret them, generating both computational and conceptual challenges for the field.
Computational Molecular Evolution provides an up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of modern statistical and computational methods used in molecular evolutionary analysis, such as maximum likelihood and Bayesian statistics. Yang describes the models, methods and algorithms that are most useful for analysing the ever-increasing supply of molecular sequence data, with a view to furthering our understanding of the evolution of genes and genomes. The book emphasizes essential concepts rather than mathematical proofs. It includes detailed derivations and implementation details, as well as numerous illustrations, worked examples, and exercises. It will be of relevance and use to students and professional researchers (both empiricists and theoreticians) in the fields of molecular phylogenetics, evolutionary biology, population genetics, mathematics, statistics and computer science. Biologists who have used phylogenetic software programs to analyze their own data will find the book particularly rewarding, although it should appeal to anyone seeking an authoritative overview of this exciting area of computational biology.

Genetic differences in humans, like those between individuals of any animal or plant species and those between species, are all products of the evolutionary development of the living world. Th ese diff erences, with their behavioral consequences, can only be understood in the light of evolution. Our understanding of evolution, however, has itself evolved. Th e Darwin-Wallace theory of evolution appeared in the nineteenth century. Since then, development of evolutionary thought has gone through several stages. Th e contributions in this volume describe those stages.

The first four decades after Darwin were dominated by studies in comparative anatomy, embryology, systematics, zoogeography, phytogeography, and paleontology, all intended to discover and examine the evidences of evolution. But the phylogenies of the animal and plant kingdoms, that is, the history of the linkages of animal and plant organisms as they change through time, were less well documented. In particular, the phylogeny of humans is still not completely known.

The period following World War Two saw acceleration of activity in fi elds in and bordering on behavioral genetics. Research in neuroendocrinology showed that higher cortical centers could infl uence and be infl uenced by the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, and gonads. Genetic diversity in the function of these organs had obvious consequences for social and cultural behavior. Th e failure of some early and long-reinforced attempts at conditioning by students of comparative animal behavior showed species-specifi c innate behavior could not be ignored in any theory that attempts to combine psychology and anthropology. Th is classic volume summarizes the development of evolutionary thinking, and describes how what we know about genetic diversity links up with research on human behavior.

"J. N. Spuhler" was known for his pioneering work in the department of anthropological genetics. He taught in many universities including Ohio State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Mexico. He received the National Academy of Science award for scientific reviewing and his work has appeared in scholarly journals including: "Journal of Anthropological Research, Annual Review of Anthropology," and "American Journal of Physical Anthropology."

Although his name has become a household word after he published "The Origin of the Species," a one-volume edition of his writings that covers the full gamut of his theoretical as well as scientific writings has not been available for many years. "Charles Darwin: An Anthology," covers the heart of the five books for which the author is best known. This readable volume includes "The Autobiography, The Voyage of the Beagle, The Origin of the Species, The Descent of Man," and "The Expression of the Emotion."

The volume also includes parts of Darwin's less well-known works. Although it was published last chronologically, "The Autobiography" is an ideal beginning to the volume. A new introduction by the noted anthropologist Lionel Tiger underlines the continuing importance of Darwin's thinking, and explains why it still infl uences contemporary scholarship in many fi elds.

These selections have not been rewritten--they are pure Darwin. The dull and the unessential have been eliminated. What remains is material that best illustrates Darwin's most important and interesting ideas. Th e selection manages as well to retain his most readable prose, while presenting the fundamentals of Darwin's revolutionary thought. Collectively, the volume paints a picture of an immensely curious and indefatigable mind. This volume also includes a critical bibliography that will prove valuable to those interested in further reading.

"Marston Bates" (1906-1974) was an American zoologist. His studies on mosquitoes led to the understanding of the causes of yellow fever in South America. He is the author of numerous science books including "The Land and Wildlife of South America" and "The Nature of Natural History."

"Philip S. Humphrey" is Curator Emeritus and former Director of the Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas.

"Lionel Tiger" is Charles Darwin Professor of Anthropology at Rutgers University. He is the author of "The Decline of Males, Optimism, The Pursuit of Pleasure, China's Food, The Manufacture of Evil, Men in Groups," and with Robin Fox, "The Imperial Animal." He directs the anthropology publishing eff ort at Transaction Publishers.

The definitive work on the philosophical nature and impact of the theories of Charles Darwin, written by a well-known authority on the history and philosophy of Darwinism.
Broadly explores the theories of Charles Darwin and Darwin studies
Incorporates much information about modern Biology
Offers a comprehensive discussion of Darwinism and Christianity - including Creationism - by one of the leading authorities in the field
Written in clear, concise, user-friendly language supplemented with quality illustrations
Examines the status of evolutionary theory as a genuine theory and its implications for philosophy, epistemology and ethics
Provides a strong understanding of the philosophical nature and impact of Darwin's thought
Holds wide appeal for general audiences outside the world of academic philosophy
Strongly supports Darwinism and fully explores modern naturalistic explanations of religion

Offers an original and fertile way to integrate spiritual and scientific views of human evolution. It offers a new and refreshing alternative to the way we think about our origins: random mutation (mechanistic neo-Darwinism), Genesis (God did it all personally), and Intelligent Design (God personally does what we can't otherwise account for). The result is an invigorating perspective on how our best qualities -- our capacity for love, our appreciation of beauty, our altruistic capability, our creativity and intelligence -- have come into being and evolved. How we think about our origin matters: if we think we are machines living among other machines, we will act accordingly. By showing evolution as a creative and intelligent process with its own inherent logic, THE ORIGIN OF HUMAN NATURE resolves the dilemma of how to have, at the same time, both truth and ethics. Instead of starting in an imagined remote and 'uncertain past' and moving to the present, this book starts at the certain and 'immediate present' and works back. That consciousness, creativity, and intelligence exist is certain. The question is: how can these have evolved? Dr Albert Low has made a study of human nature throughout his life. To write this book he draws on his prolonged meditations on creativity and the human condition, his years of providing psychological and spiritual counseling, and a wide-ranging knowledge of Western psychology, philosophy, and science.

Living things are constantly engaged in a struggle for existence, and ingenious devices for the purpose of self-preservation can be seen in all types of animal and plant life. However, nature also displays phenomena that are not related to survival or that seem clearly to violate the principle of self-preservation--particularly when organisms interact with one another. Darwin investigated these apparent contradictions and proposed that both mechanisms of self preservation and those of reproduction are explained by a more basic principle of "natural selection"--the reproductive survival of the fittest. George C. Williams in "Group Selection" challenges the adequacy of this process of selection at the individual level.

Williams has here collected the work of the chief partisans with opposed viewpoints on the theory of selection at the group level to state their arguments and rebuttals. A minority of modern biologists offer evidence to show that groups of living things are organized to assure their collective survival; they are not merely collections of individuals designed for their own survival and reproduction. In opposition, defenders of the traditional point of view charge that mechanisms of group survival are based on illusion and misinterpretation.

Because of the wide range of opinion expressed in "Group Selection," the reader is exposed to all sides of the dispute and encouraged to form his or her own views. In addition, as a source book on current evolutionary issues or for research or reference material, "Group Selection" remains a valuable addition to every personal and institutional library in the biological sciences.

"George C. Williams" is professor emeritus of biological sciences at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is the author of "Adaptation and Natural Selection" and has contributed numerous articles to scholarly publications on the behavior and ecology of fish and has published several technical articles on evolutionary mechanisms, especially in relation to social behavior, strategies of reproduction, and adaptive features of life cycles. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and was awarded its Elliot Medal.

This engaging book tells the story of human evolution, asking if man is indeed the "chosen species" or merely an evolutionary accident.
Written by world-renowned paleoanthropologists who are co-directors of the excavations at Atapuerca---a World Heritage Site and Europe's oldest known burial site---where a new human species, "homo antecessor," was discovered
Discusses various hypotheses of human evolution, drawing conclusions from verifiable facts and well-founded argument
Offers a compelling narrative written for nonspecialists and students of human evolution
Includes over 60 illustrations
Sold over 100,000 copies in the original Spanish-language edition

The true role of biology in determining sexual orientation is an oft-debated issue in both the popular media and scientific communities, and evaluating the literature on the topic can be daunting. "Nature's Choice: What Science Reveals About the Biological Origins of Sexual Orientation" offers both a comprehensive review of the scientific literature and a fresh perspective on this complex and politically charged subject. Respected researcher, speaker, and author Dr. Cheryl L. Weill offers readers of all backgrounds an enlightening analysis of findings from over twenty years of research on the factor of biology in the determination of sexual orientation. "Nature's Choice: What Science Reveals About the Biological Origins of Sexual Orientation" brilliantly distills complicated studies and research findings dealing with brain anatomy, genetics, sex-typical behavior in children, auditory, startle reflex, and many other areas. Spanning a wide range of important topics including human sexual development and the effects of hormones, Ellis and Ames' Gestational Neurohormonal Theory, the ins, outs, and implications of how scientific research is funded, and a model of the role of testosterone in determining human sexuality, "Nature's Choice" is an exciting book to educate and inspire readers from scientific and non-scientific backgrounds equally. For a complete Instructor's Manual and other supplementary materials see: www.natures-choice.info

The true role of biology in determining sexual orientation is an oft-debated issue in both the popular media and scientific communities, and evaluating the literature on the topic can be daunting. "Nature's Choice: What Science Reveals About the Biological Origins of Sexual Orientation" offers both a comprehensive review of the scientific literature and a fresh perspective on this complex and politically charged subject. Respected researcher, speaker, and author Dr. Cheryl L. Weill offers readers of all backgrounds an enlightening analysis of findings from over twenty years of research on the factor of biology in the determination of sexual orientation. "Nature's Choice: What Science Reveals About the Biological Origins of Sexual Orientation" brilliantly distills complicated studies and research findings dealing with brain anatomy, genetics, sex-typical behavior in children, auditory, startle reflex, and many other areas. Spanning a wide range of important topics including human sexual development and the effects of hormones, Ellis and Ames' Gestational Neurohormonal Theory, the ins, outs, and implications of how scientific research is funded, and a model of the role of testosterone in determining human sexuality, "Nature's Choice" is an exciting book to educate and inspire readers from scientific and non-scientific backgrounds equally. For a complete Instructor's Manual and other supplementary materials see: www.natures-choice.info

Phylogenomics: A Primer, Second Edition is for advanced undergraduate and graduate biology students studying molecular biology, comparative biology, evolution, genomics, and biodiversity. This book explains the essential concepts underlying the storage and manipulation of genomics level data, construction of phylogenetic trees, population genetics, natural selection, the tree of life, DNA barcoding, and metagenomics. The inclusion of problem-solving exercises in each chapter provides students with a solid grasp of the important molecular and evolutionary questions facing modern biologists as well as the tools needed to answer them.

In paleoanthropology the group of hominids known as the "robust" australopithecines has emerged as one of the most interesting. Through them we have the opportunity to examine the origin, natural history, and ultimate extinction of not just a single species, but of an entire branch in the hominid fossil record.

It is generally agreed that the human lineage can be traced back to this group of comparatively small-brained, large-toothed creatures. This volume focuses on the evolutionary history of these early hominids with state-of-the-art contributions by leading international authorities in the field. Although a case can be made for a "robust" lineage, the functional and taxonomic implications of the morphological features are subject to vigorous disagreement. An area of lively debate is the possible causal relationship between the presence of early Homo and the origin, evolution, and virtual extinction of "robust" australopithecines.

This volume summarizes what has been learned about the evolutionary history of the "robust" australopithecines in the 50 years since Robert Broom first encountered the visage of a new kind of ape-man from Kromdraai. New discoveries from Kromdraai to Lomekwi have served to keep us aware that the paleontological record for hominid evolution is hardly exhausted. Because of such finds no single volume can hope to stand as a summary on the "robust" australopithecines for very long, but this classic volume comes close to achieving this goal. The book sheds new light upon some old questions and also acts to provide new questions. The answers to those questions bring us closer to a fuller understanding and appreciation of the origins, evolution, and ultimate demise of the "robust" australopithecines.

Since the "robust" australopithecines most likely stand as our closest relatives, a better understanding of their origin, history, and demise serves to provide heightened appreciation of the course of human evolution itself. This definitive volume addresses the questions and problems surrounding this important lineage.

"Frederick E. Grine" is professor and chairperson in the department of anthropology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He has published many scientific articles in books and international journals, and he is co-editor of "Primate Phylogeny and Scanning Microscopy of Vertebrate Mineralized Tissues" and author of "Regional Human Anatomy."

Noted biologist and philosopher Sahotra Sarkar exposes the frauds and fallacies of Intelligent Design Theory, and its claim to be 'good science'.
A scientific and philosophical exploration of the debate between evolutionary theory and Intelligent Design in the classroom
Puts the debate into its scientific and historical context
Looks at a variety of topics, including the relation between Darwinism and modern evolutionary theory, the use of computer science and information theory by the creationists, and the idea of metaphysical naturalism
Rejects Intelligent Design's claim to legitimacy, showing clearly how and why it is an unsuitable alternative to evolutionary biology in the classroom
A thought-provoking book for those seeking to understand an intellectual debate that is shaping our education policies
Forms part of the provocative and timely "Blackwell Public Philosophy" series

Evolutionary Medicine is based upon the view that many contemporary social, psychological, and physical illnesses are related to an incompatability between current human lifestyles and environments and the conditions under which human biology developed. This book, featuring contributions from many of the leading workers in this devloping area, provides a good introduction and overview to this emerging field.

All animals and plants form associations with hundreds or thousands of different beneficial microorganisms. These symbiotic microbes play an important role in the development, adaptation, health and evolution of their hosts. This book brings together a group of diverse biologists to discuss microbial interactions with multicellular life forms including insects, corals, plants, and mammals, including humans. The various mechanisms by which microorganisms benefit their hosts are discussed, including providing essential nutrients, preventing disease, inducing the immune system, and combating stress. Since the microbiota can be transferred from parent to offspring, it plays an important role in the origin and evolution of animal and plant species. This book should be of interest to the widest range of biological scientists, merging the studies of host and microbial physiology, symbiosis, and the ecology and evolution of symbiotic partners.

Following centuries of debate about "nature and nurture" the discovery of DNA established the idea that nature (genes) determines who we are, relegating nurture (environment) to icing on the cake. Since the 1950s, the new science of epigenetics has demonstrated how cellular environments and certain experiences and behaviors influence gene expression at the molecular level, with significant implications for health and wellbeing. To the amazement of scientists, mapping the human genome indirectly supported these insights. Anthropologists Margaret Lock and Gisli Palsson outline vituperative arguments from Classical times about the relationship between nature and nurture, furthered today by epigenetic findings and the demonstration of a "reactive genome." The nature/nurture debate, they show, can never be put to rest, because these concepts are in constant flux in response to the new insights science continually offers.

These original contributions on the evolution of primates and the techniques for studying the subject cover an enormous range of material and incorporate the work of specialists from many different fields, showing the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach to problems of primate morphology and phylogeny. Collectively, they demonstrate the concerns and methods of leading contemporary workers in this and related fields. Each contributor shows his way of attacking fundamental problems of evolutionary primatology.The range of findings in this book include new clues to the evolution of the middle ear and the subsistence behavior of early primates, a persuasive critique of the Smith-Jones hypothesis that many features of primate cranial morphology are adaptations to the special vicissitudes of arboreal habitation, the remarkable association of relative muscle mass in the hands and feet of catarrhine primates with the particularities of prehensile behaviors, the wealth of behavioral data that may be obtained by the concentrated study of certain primates in the vicinity of waterholes, the striking differences between inferences about the same behavioral phenomena that are based on long-term as opposed to short-term observations of one primate social group, and the strategy of sophisticated mathematical techniques for elucidating biomechanical, evolutionary, and behavioral problems.Each chapter conveys the status and progress of research in these and other particular areas of special interest, pointing the way toward further clarification of the functional biology and phylogeny of primates through the application of relatively new techniques or the comprehensive employment of available methods. No attempt is made to smooth over controversial points of view, or to endorse a single uniform model of primate evolution. This work will be an important reference for evolutionary and physical anthropologists, evolutionary biologists, comparative morphologists, human anatomists, behavioralists, and students of evolution.

From two of the world's leading authorities on dogs, an imaginative journey into a future of dogs without people What would happen to dogs if humans simply disappeared? Would dogs be able to survive on their own without us? A Dog's World imagines a posthuman future for dogs, revealing how dogs would survive-and possibly even thrive-and explaining how this new and revolutionary perspective can guide how we interact with dogs now. Drawing on biology, ecology, and the latest findings on the lives and behavior of dogs and their wild relatives, Jessica Pierce and Marc Bekoff-two of today's most innovative thinkers about dogs-explore who dogs might become without direct human intervention into breeding, arranged playdates at the dog park, regular feedings, and veterinary care. Pierce and Bekoff show how dogs are quick learners who are highly adaptable and opportunistic, and they offer compelling evidence that dogs already do survive on their own-and could do so in a world without us. Challenging the notion that dogs would be helpless without their human counterparts, A Dog's World enables us to understand these independent and remarkably intelligent animals on their own terms.