Description
Book SynopsisVertebrate Life distills the necessary information from vertebrate anatomy, physiology, ecology, and behavioral studies and then helps students see important connections across levels of biological scale. The result is students come to understand how organisms function effectively in their environments and how lineages of organisms change through evolutionary time. Processing complex detailed information about expansive phylogenies and diverse anatomies can be difficult for even the most motivated students, and Vertebrate Life addresses this challenge by combining appropriately-detailed, clearly-written text with outstanding phylogenies and figures, making it a thorough and engaging reference for students and instructors alike. The text''s impressive illustration program helps students visualize complex concepts, allowing them to parse difficult anatomical information. The 11th edition will have an upgraded illustration program with several new and revised figures, including layered figures presented in the new enhanced eBook.
Trade Review<"I really like the summary component of Pough et al. This will be extremely helpful for students to focus on the big picture points moving forward.>" -Carly Anne York, Lenoir-Rhyne University
<"I think Vertebrate Life has over many iterations of deeply scholarly editions has achieved an excellent treatment of the comparative evolution of adaptive form and function across the tree of vertebrate life. It excels at placing the comparative morphology and physiology of major vertebrate lineages into a clear phylogenetic context with outstanding integration of both extinct and extant forms through the history of space and time on Earth since the early Paleozoic. [In the upcoming edition,] I like the continued expansion to more mixed media illustrations. The increased use of multiple colors in displays and use of more photographs to complement drawn scientific illustrations continues to move in a productive direction for this chapter, and this new edition in general.>" -Andrew M. Shedlock, University of Charleston
<"Vertebrate Life really has been the top undergraduate textbook for a survey course on the evolution and form and function of vertebrate animals, for the better part of two decades. The new edition [has] upped the ante a bit in terms of clarity and coverage.>" -Jonathan Weinbaum, Southern Connecticut State University
<"[The new edition of Vertebrate Life] updates a previous edition of an excellent text with better organization and new information. [It has a] balance between presenting interesting information without overloading detail.>" -Udo Savalli, Arizona State University
<"Pough et al. has a wonderful variety of species that the students will find compelling. It is written in a very accessible writing style, [with a variety of] engaging species examples. The figures will greatly enhance student understanding with well-chosen and interesting examples.>" -Claire Kendal-Wright, Chaminade University
Table of ContentsPreface xv Chapter 1 Diversity, Classification, and Evolution of Vertebrates 1.1 The Vertebrate Story --Binominal nomenclature --Extant vertebrate groups 1.2 Phylogenetic Systematics 1.3 Applying Phylogenetic Criteria --Evaluating possible phylogenies --Molecules and morphology --The problem of dating --Dagger (DR) convention adopted in this book 1.4 Using Phylogenetic Trees --Extant phylogenetic brackets --Paraphyly --Crown and stem groups 1.5 Genetic Mechanisms of Evolutionary Change --Phenotypes and fitness --Developmental regulatory genes 1.6 Epigenetic Effects 1.7 Earth History and Vertebrate Evolution Chapter 2 What Is a Vertebrate?? 2.1 Vertebrates in Relation to Other Animals? 2.2 Characteristics of Chordates? --Chordate origins and evolution? --Extant nonvertebrate chordates? 2.3 What Distinguishes a Vertebrate?? 2.4 Vertebrate Embryonic Development? --Development of the body? --Development of the pharyngeal region? --Development of the brain? --Other neurogenic tissues of vertebrates? 2.5 Vertebrate Tissues? --Adult tissue types --Mineralized tissues 2.6 Vertebrate Organ Systems --Integumentary system --Skeletal system --Muscular system --Nervous system and sense organs --Endocrine system --Respiratory system --Circulatory system --Digestive system --Excretory and reproductive systems Chapter 3 Jawless Vertebrates and the Origin of Gnathostomes 3.1 Earliest Evidence of Vertebrates --Enigmas: DRConodonts and DRTullimonstrum ---Early mineralized tissues --Environment of early vertebrate evolution 3.2 Cyclostomes: Extant Jawless Vertebrate --Characters of cyclostomes --Hagfishes: Myxiniformes --Lampreys: Petromyzontiformes 3.3 Jawless Osteognathostomes 3.4 Gnathostome Body Plan --Gnathostome skeletons --What about soft anatomical features? 3.5 Origin of Jaws --Hypotheses of jaw origins --Importance of the nose --Selective value of jaws 3.6 Origin of Paired Appendages --Fin development and the lateral somitic frontier --Advantages of fins 3.7 Extinct Paleozoic Jawed Fishes Chapter 4 Living in Water 4.1 Aquatic Environment --Obtaining oxygen from water using gill --Obtaining oxygen from air using lungs and other respiratory structure --Adjusting buoyancy 4.2 Sensory World of Aquatic Vertebrates --Vision --Chemosensation: Olfaction and taste --Detecting water displacement --Hearing and equilibrium --Electroreception and electrogenesis 4.3 Maintaining an Internal Environment --Nitrogenous wastes and kidney --Osmoregulation --Regulation of ions and body fluids 4.4 Osmoregulation in Different Environments --Marine cartilaginous fishes and coelacanths --Marine teleosts --Freshwater teleosts and lissamphibians --Euryhaline vertebrates Chapter 5 Geography and Ecology of the Paleozoic 5.1 Deep Time --The Precambrian world --The Paleozoic 5.2 Continental Geography --Continental drift and plate tectonics --Shifting continents of the Paleozoic --Shifting continents and changing climates 5.3 Paleozoic Climates 5.4 Paleozoic Ecosystems --Aquatic life --Terrestrial flora --Terrestrial fauna 5.5 Extinctions Chapter 6 Origin and Radiation of Chondrichthyans 6.1 Acanthodii 6.2 Chondrichthyes --Habitats and diversity --Placoid scales --Cartilaginous skeleton --Teeth and tooth plates --Jaws and jaw suspension --Internal fertilization and claspers --Distinctive soft tissue and physiological features 6.3 Euchondrocephali and Chimaeriformes --Biology of extant Chimaeriformes 6.4 Elasmobranchii, Euselachii, and Neoselachii --Selachii: Sharks --Batomorphi: Skates and rays 6.5 Biology of Neoselachii --Feeding --Bioluminescence and biofluorescence ---Hypoxia and the epaulette shark --Endothermal heterothermy --Swimming --Reproduction --Elasmobranch brains --Social networks and migration in sand tiger sharks 6.6 Declining Elasmobranch Populations --Conservation and sawfishes --Threats to chondrichthyans --Vulnerabilities of chondrichthyans --Ecological impacts of shark population declines --Policies to protect sharks Chapter 7 Origin of Osteichthyes and Radiation of Actinopterygian 7.1 Osteichthyes, Actinopterygii, and Sarcopterygi --Osteichthyan character --Fin adaptations --Other differences between actinopterygians and sarcopterygians 7.2 Actinopterygii: Basal Group --Polypteriformes --Acipenseriformes --Neopterygii: Holostei --Neopterygii: Teleoste 7.3 Characters of Teleostei 7.4 Teleostei: Basal Groups --Elopomorpha --Osteoglossomorpha --Otocephala --Basal euteleosts 7.5 Teleostei: Acanthopterygii --Basal acanthopterygians --Percomorph 7.6 Swimming and Hydrodynamics --Generating forward thrust --Modes of locomotion --Speed and drag --Steering, stopping, and staying in place 7.7 Reproduction and Development --Oviparity --Viviparity --Sex change in teleosts 7.8 Ecology of Marine Teleosts --Black-water diving and larval teleosts --The photic zone and its subdivisions --Coral reef fishes --Pelagic and deep-sea fishes Chapter 8 Sarcopterygians and the Origin of Tetrapods 8.1 Phylogenetic Concepts of Tetrapoda and Characters for Sarcopterygii 8.2 The Miguasha Lagerstätte and the
