Major Patterns in Vertebrate Evolution

This volume is the result of a NATO Advanced Study Institute held in England at Kingswood Hall of Residence, Royal Holloway College (London University), Surrey, during the last two weeks of July, 1976. The ASI was organized within the guide lines laid down by the Scientific Affairs Division of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. During the past two decades, significant advances have been made in our understanding of vertebrate evolution. The purpose of the Institute was to present the current status of our know­ ledge of vertebrate evolution above the species level. Since the subject matter was obviously too broad to be covered adequately in the limited time available, selected topics, problems, and areas which are applicable to vertebrate zoology as a whole were reviewed. The program was divided into three areas: (1) the theory and methodology of phyletic inference and approaches to the an­ alysis of macroevolutionary trends as applied to vertebrates; (2) the application of these methodological principles and an­ alytical processes to different groups and structures, particular­ ly in anatomy and paleontology; (3) the application of these re­ sults to classification. The basic principles considered in the first area were outlined in lectures covering the problems of character analysis, functional morphology, karyological evidence, biochemical evidence, morphogenesis, and biogeography.