A Functional Anatomy Of Invertebrates

The importance and originality of this book lie in its functional approach to the study of invertebrate anatomy. The authors deal with all the major groups of invertebrates, illustrating the text with realistic drawings based on whole or dissected animals. The book is intended as a text reference for use by undergraduate and graduate students of zoology and biology. The book's approach should also help the ecologist see more clearly how the activities of each kind of animal contribute to the system he is studying, and the physiologist relate the particular function in which he is interested to all those which the animal performs. Palaeontologists too may find the book of value.

The majority of undergraduate texts in invertebrate zoology (of which there are many) fall into one of two categories. They either offer a systematic treatment of groups of animals phylum by phylum, or adopt a functional approach to the various anatomical and physiological systems of the better known species. The Invertebrates is the first and only textbook to integrate both approaches and thus meet the modern teaching needs of the subject. This is the only invertebrate textbook to integrate systematics and functional approaches. The molecular systematics sections have been completely updated for the new edition. Strong evolutionary theme which reflects the importance of molecular techniques throughout. Distills the essential characteristics of each invertebrate group and lists diagnostic features to allow comparisons between phyla. New phyla have been added for the new edition. Stresses comparisons in physiology, reproduction and development. Improved layout and illustration quality. Second edition has sold 14000 copies. Nature of the first edition: 'Students will like this book. It deserves to succeed.'

This book examines the basic physiology of such functions as sensation and motor control, respiration, digestion, and reproduction in animals in the phyla lophophorata, entoprocta, and cycliophora. It features extensive use of high-quality illustrations and specific, exhaustive coverage of lophophorates, entoprocta and cycliophora.

Courses on the invertebrates have two principal aims: (1) to introduce students to the diversity of animal life and (2) to make them aware that organisms are marvellously integrated systems with evolutionary pasts and ecological presents. This text is concerned exclusively with the second aim and assumes that the reader will already know something about the diversity and classification of invertebrates. Concepts of whole-organism function, metabolism and adaptation form the core of the subject-matter and this is also considered in an ecological setting. Hence, the approach is multi-disciplinary, drawing from principles normally restricted to comparative morphology and physiology, ecology and evolutionary biology. Invertebrate courses, as with all others in a science curriculum, also have another aim - to make students aware of the general methods of science. And these I take to be associated with the so-calledhypothetico deductive programme. Here, therefore, I make a conscious effort to formulate simple, some might say naive, hypotheses and to confront them with quantitative data from the real world. There are, for example, as many graphs in the book as illustrations of animals. My aim, though, has not been to test out the principles of Darwinism, but rather to sharpen our focus on physiological adaptations, given the assumption that Darwinism is approximately correct. Whether or not I succeed remains for the reader to decide.

This volume is part of a multi-volume reference work on the functional anatomy of invertebrates. Arranged phylogenetically, the series begins with the protozoa, defined herein as the motile protists, and concludes with the invertebrate members of the phylum chordata.

This volume is part of a multi-volume reference work on the functional anatomy of invertebrates. Arranged phylogenetically, the series begins with the protozoa, defined herein as the motile protists, and concludes with the invertebrate members of the phylum chordata.

This book introduces students to the groups of vertebrates and explores the anatomical evolution of vertebrates within the context of the functional interrelationships of organs and the changing environments to which vertebrates have adapted. The text contains all of the material taught in classic comparative anatomy courses, but integrates this material with current research in functional anatomy. This integration adds a new dimension to our understanding of structure and helps students understand the evolution of vertebrates.