Biological and philosophical anthropologies of the 20th century keep emphasising the "Sonderstellung" of humans among the realm of living beings. However, it is not clear how this particular role should be characterised, how it should be reconciled with biological findings, and which theoretical and practical conclusions should be drawn from it. Partly in opposition to these anthropological views on humankind biological disciplines underline the extensive similarities and common characteristics between humans and other species. Apparently, these biological findings concur with the criticism of anthropocentrism, which is expressed in Western philosophy of nature and by ethicists. To discuss these issues the Europaische Akademie organized the conference "The Uniqueness of Humankind Uber die Sonderstellung des Menschen." The proceedings of the conference documented in this volume approached the theoretical and practical concept of the "Sonderstellung" against the background of present day knowledge in biosciences. Furthermore, by interdisciplinary efforts, an attempt was made to clarify those conceptual problems that arise with the idea of the uniqueness of humankind. The present volume partly takes up and further develops topics that have been raised by volume 15, On Human Nature, that was published in this series in 2002."

Biological and philosophical anthropologies of the 20th century keep emphasising the "Sonderstellung" of humans among the realm of living beings. However, it is not clear how this particular role should be characterised, how it should be reconciled with biological findings, and which theoretical and practical conclusions should be drawn from it. Partly in opposition to these anthropological views on humankind biological disciplines underline the extensive similarities and common characteristics between humans and other species. Apparently, these biological findings concur with the criticism of anthropocentrism, which is expressed in Western philosophy of nature and by ethicists. To discuss these issues the Europaische Akademie organized the conference "The Uniqueness of Humankind - UEber die Sonderstellung des Menschen". The proceedings of the conference documented in this volume approached the theoretical and practical concept of the "Sonderstellung" against the background of present day knowledge in biosciences. Furthermore, by interdisciplinary efforts, an attempt was made to clarify those conceptual problems that arise with the idea of the uniqueness of humankind. The present volume partly takes up and further develops topics that have been raised by volume 15, On Human Nature, that was published in this series in 2002.

Knochenfische, Amphibien und Reptilien besitzen in ausgedehntem Masse extracutane Pigmentierungen. Bei diesen niederen Vertebraten kommen Pigment zellen nicht nur in der Epidermis und reich ausgebildet im Corium vor, sondern auch an vielen Organen des Koerperinneren, in teilweise weiter Ausdehnung. So sind die Dura mater und die Leptomeninx, das parietale Peritonaeum und die Mesenterien, Gefasse undN erven, der Darm und die Keimdrusen, dasfettspeichernde Bindegewebe, das Periost und das Knochenmark mit Chromatophoren versehen, und zwar in jeweils spezifischer Auswahl der pigmentierten Strukturen bei der einzelnen Art. Bei den Voegeln und besonders bei den Saugern sind extracutane Pigmentierungen selten, nur vereinzelt sind Chromatophoren an inneren Organen zu finden, und ausgedehnte Pigmentierungen wie bei niederen Wirbeltieren sind ganz selten. Diese Verhaltnisse waren den alten Autoren zum Teil bekannt, in alten und neueren vergleichend-anatomischen Werken sind Angaben uber die Pigmentierung einzelner Organe verstreut (LEYDIG, 1857; HoFFMANN, 1890; EcKER-GAUPP, 1899 und 1904; HARDER, 1964). In den zahlreichen und eingehenden Arbeiten uber die Chromatophoren der Haut, uber die Entwicklung der Pigmentzellen und uber ihre Biologie finden sich, ebenso wie in manchen speziellen anatomischen Publikationen, gelegentlich An gaben uber extracutane Pigmentzellen, mitunter ist auch eine Abbildung bei gefugt (ZENNECK, 1894; BOLK, 1910; WERNER, 1911; FUCHS, 1914; FlSCHEL, 1920; BIEDERMANN, 1926, 1928a und b; BALLOWITZ, 1931; THUMANN, 1931; HALLER voN HALLERSTEIN, 1934; ScHALTENBRAND, 1955; RAWLES, 1960; FIORONI, 1961; SoKOLOV, 1962; STARCK, 1964; PEHLEMANN, 1967 a).