Preface 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 (¿) 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: ¿Conodonts and ¿Tullimonstrum
---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 "Good Fossil Effect"
8.3 Actinistia
--¿Onychodontia
--Coelacanthiformes
8.4 Dipnomorpha
--¿Porolepiformes
--Dipnoi
?
8.5 Tetrapodomorpha
--Basal tetrapodomorphs
--Tetrapods
8.6 Moving onto Land
--How did fins become limbs?
--Body support and locomotion of early tetrapods
8.7 Paleoecology of Devonian Tetrapodomorphs
Chapter 9
Origins of Lissamphibia and Amniota
9.1 Paleozoic Tetrapods and the Origins of Extant Groups
--Temnospondyli
--Origins of Lissamphibia
--Reptiliomorpha and the origin of amniotes
--Paleozoic diversification of amniotes
9.2 Characters of Amniotes
--Skeletal characters
--The amniotic egg
--Other soft-tissue characters of amniotes
9.3 Diversification of Amniotes
--Temporal fenestration: Synapsids and diapsid
--Ankle evolution in amniote
Chapter 10
Geography and Ecology of the Mesozoic
10.1 Continental Geography and Climates
--Continental movements
--Climate shifts
10.2 Terrestrial Ecosystems
--Flora
--Fauna
10.3 Marine Ecosystems
--Faunal composition: Apex predators
--Other clades
10.4 Extinctions
--Triassic and Jurassic extinctions
--Cretaceous extinctions
Chapter 11
Living on Land
11.1 Support on Land
--Axial skeleton
--Axial muscle
--Appendicular skeleton
--Size and scaling
11.2 Locomotion
11.3 Eating
11.4 Breathing Air
11.5 Pumping Blood Uphill
11.6 Sensory Systems
--Vision
--Hearing and equilibrium
--Olfaction
11.7 Conserving Water in a Dry Environment
--Cutaneous water loss
--Respiratory water loss
--Excretory water loss
Chapter 12
Lissamphibians
12.1 Diversity of Lissamphibians
--Synapomorphies of Lissamphibia
--Salamanders
--Anurans
--Caecilians
12.2 Life Histories of Lissamphibians
--Mating and reproduction in salamanders
--Anuran mating and reproduction
--Anuran metamorphosis
--The ecology of tadpoles
--Caecilian reproduction and development
12.3 Respiration and Circulation
--Cutaneous respiration and blood flow
--Blood flow in larvae and adults
12.4 Water Relations
--Uptake and storage of water
--Cutaneous water loss
--Behavioral control of cutaneous water loss
12.5 Crypsis, Warning Colors, Toxins, and Venoms
--Skin glands and toxins
--Toxicity and diet
--Venomous lissamphibians
12.6 Why Are Lissamphibians Vanishing?
--Chytrid fungi
--Synergisms and domino effects
Chapter 13
Synapsids and Sauropsids: Two Ways of Living on the Land
13.1 Conflicts between Locomotion and Respiration
13.2 Lungs and Lung Ventilation: Supplying Oxygen to the Blood
--Synapsid lungs
--Sauropsid lungs
13.3 Circulatory Systems: Supplying Oxygen to Tissues
--Systemic arches of mammals and birds
--Hearts with a ventricular septum: Mammals and birds
--Hearts without a ventricular septum: Turtles and lepidosaurs
--Shunting blood when the heart has a ventricular septum: Crocodylians
13.4 Getting Rid of Wastes: The Kidneys
--Nitrogenous waste products
--Nitrogen excretion by synapsids: The mammalian kidney
--Nitrogen excretion by sauropsids: Renal and extrarenal routes
Chapter 14
Ectothermy and Endothermy: Two Ways of Regulating Body Temperature
14.1 Why Regulate Body Temperature?
14.2 Ectothermal Thermoregulation
--Energy exchange and mechanisms of ectothermy
--Thermal ecology of ectotherms
14.3 Endothermal Thermoregulation
--Mechanisms of endothermal thermoregulation?
14.4 Pure Ectothermy and Pure Endothermy Lie at the Extremes of a Continuum
--Endothermal ectotherms
--Heterothermal endotherms: Torpor and hibernation
--Heterothermal endotherms: Hyperthermia and life in the desert
14.5 Evolution of Endothermy
--How did endothermy evolve?
--Evaluating the models
--Many factors
14.6 Thermoregulation, Energy Use, and Body Size
--Energy requirements
--Body size
--Gigantothermy and the body temperatures of dinosaurs
14.7 Ectotherms, Endotherms, and Ecosystems
Chapter 15
Lepidosaurs
15.1 Characters and Diversity of Lepidosaurs
--Rhynchocephalians and the biology of tuatara
--Squamata: Lizards
--Squamata: Serpentes
15.2 Foraging Modes
15.3 Skull Kinesis and Feeding
--Feeding specializations of snakes
--Venom and fangs
--Hearts and stomachs
15.4 Predator Avoidance and Defense
--Crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry
--Deterrence
--Autotomy
--Venom and poisons as defense mechanisms
15.5 Social Behavior
--Courtship and territoriality
--Sociality and parental care
15.6 Reproductive Modes
--Oviparity and viviparity
--Parthenogenesis
--Sex determination
15.7 Climate Change
Chapter 16
Turtles
16.1 Form and Function
--Shell and skeleton
--Head retraction
--Lung ventilation
--Evolution of the turtle body plan
16.2 Diversity
16.3 Social Behavior, Communication, and Courtship
16.4 Reproduction
--Environmental sex determination
--Parental care
--Hatching and the behavior of baby turtles
16.5 Navigation and Migration
--Navigation by adult sea turtles
--Navigation by hatchling and juvenile sea turtles
16.6 Turtles in Trouble
--Life history
--Turtles are both delicious and considered medicinal
--Turtles are in demand as pets
--Sea turtles face extra risks
Chapter 17
Crocodylians
17.1 Diversity of Extant Crocodylians
--Distribution of extant crocodylians
--Locomotion
17.2 The Crocodylomorph Lineage
--¿Notosuchia
--Neosuchia
--Neosuchia
17.3 Predatory Behavior and Diet
17.4 Communication and Social Behavior
17.5 Reproduction and Parental Care
--Environmental sex determination
--Parental care
17.6 Threats to and from Crocodylians
--Threats from crocodylians
--Threats to crocodylians
--Reconciling humans and crocodylians
Chapter 18
Avemetatarsalia and the Origin of Dinosauria
18.1 Characters and Systematics of Avemetatarsalia
18.2 ¿Pterosaurs: Vertebrates Achieve Powered Flight
--Structure of ¿pterosaurs
--Reproduction, eggs, and parental care
--Did the evolution of birds doom ¿pterosaurs
18.3 Dinosaurs: One of the Most Successful Tetrapod Radiations
--The structure of dinosaurs
18.4 ¿Ornithischia
--¿Thyreophora
--¿Neornithischia
--¿Marginocephalia
--¿Ornithopoda
--Social behavior of ¿ornithischian dinosaurs
--Nesting and parental care by ¿ornithischians
--¿Neornithischia
--¿Marginocephalia
--¿Ornithopoda
--Social behavior of ¿ornithischian dinosaurs
--Nesting and parental care by ¿ornithischians
18.5 ¿Sauropodomorpha
--Social behavior of ¿sauropod
--Nesting and parental care by ¿sauropodomorphs?
Chapter 19
Theropods and the Origin of Birds
19.1 Characters and Systematics of Theropods
--Phylogenetic overview of Theropoda
--¿Coelophysoids: Early theropods
--¿Ceratosauria
--Tetanurae
--Community ecology of theropods
--Social behavior of theropods
19.2 ¿Archaeopteryx, Mesozoic Avialans, and the Mosaic Evolution of Avian Characters
--Discovery of ¿Archaeopteryx
--Cretaceous avialans
--Mosaic evolution of some avialan characters
--Other avian features
--Body size
19.3 Evolution of Powered Flight
--How-and why-birds got off the ground
--Gliding and flying by other Mesozoic paravians
19.4 Reproduction and Parental Care by Theropods
--Eggs and nests
--Parental care of hatchlings
Chapter 20
Geography and Ecology of the Cenozoic
20.1 Continental Geography and Climates
--Continental movements
--Cenozoic climates
20.2 Cenozoic Ecosystems
--Fossil Lake
--Freshwater habitats
--Marine habitats
--Terrestrial flora
--Terrestrial fauna
20.3 The Great American Biotic Interchange
--Terrestrial vertebrates of North and South America
--Faunal interchange
--Marine fauna and isthmian pairs
20.4 Extinctions
Chapter 21
Extant Birds
21.1 Diversity of Aves
21.2 Structural Specializations for Flight and Bipedalism
--Body size
--Feathers
--Streamlining and weight reduction
--Skeleton
--Muscles
21.3 Wings and Flight
--Flight mechanics
--Wing shape and flight
21.4 Feet and Locomotion
--Hopping, walking, and running
--Swimming
21.5 Bills, Feeding, and Digestion
--Bills, cranial kinesis, and tongues
--Digestive tract
21.6 Sensory Systems
--Vision
--Hearing
--Olfaction
--Touch
21.7 Communication
--Vocalization
--Sonation
--Visual displays
21.8 Reproduction
--Reproductive organs and insemination
--Egg structure
--Maternal effects
---Sex determination
-Hatching and developmental state of young
21.9 Parental Care
--Nest building
--Incubating
--Feeding young
--Interspecific brood parasitism
21.10 Orientation, Navigation, and Migration
--Navigational abilities
--Using multiple cues during navigation
--Seasonal migration
21.11 Conservation
Chapter 22
Synapsids and the Origin of Mammals
22.1 Synapsid Evolution
--Cranial skeleton and teeth
--Phylogenetic history of synapsids
22.2 Jaw Joints and Middle Ear Bones
22.3 Other Mammalian Features
--Teeth
--Specializations of the palate and tongue for swallowing
--Facial muscles
--Integument
--Lactation, nursing, and suckling
--Brain and senses
--Internal anatomy
22.4 Basal Mammalian Clades
--Prototheria
--¿Allotheria
--Theria
Chapter 23
Therians
23.1 Therian Features and Origins of Marsupialia and Placentalia
--Therian skeletons
23.2 Diversity of Marsupials
--Marsupials and the Australian fauna
23.3 Diversity of Placentals
--Atlantogenata
--Boreoeutheria
23.4 Reproduction
--Genitalia
--Urogenital tracts
--Placentation
--Gestation
--Evolution of therian viviparity
23.5 Teeth and Feeding Specializations
--Cusps and lophs
--Carnivores and herbivores: Differences in jaw muscles
--Digestive tracts
23.6 Locomotion
--Limbs: Speed versus power
--Cursorial adaptations of ungulate limbs
--Digging
--Powered flight of bats
--Swimming
--Cetacean evolution
23.7 Trophy Hunting and Extinction Risk
--Bighorn sheep: A case study
--Endangering the endangered: The effect of perceived rarity
--The extinction vortex
Chapter 24
Primate Evolution and the Emergence of Humans
24.1 Primate Origins and Diversification
--Basal primates
--Euprimates
--Anthropoids
--New World monkeys
--Old World monkeys and apes
24.2 Origin and Evolution of Hominoidea
--Hylobatidae
--Hominidae
--Homininae
24.3 Origin and Evolution of Hominini
--Distinctive features of hominins
--Early hominins
24.4 The Genus Homo
--¿Homo habilis
--¿Homo erectus
--¿Dmanisi hominins
--¿Neanderthals
--¿Denisovan hominins
--¿Homo longi
--Island species and miniaturization
--¿Homo naledi
--¿Homo bodoensis
--Origin and radiation of Homo sapiens
--What happened to the humans who were already there?
24.5 Evolution of Human Characters
--Bipedalism
--Large brains
--Speech and language
24.6 Humans and Other Vertebrates
--Humans as superpredators and environmental disruptors
--Megafaunal extinctions
--Is this the Anthropocene?
AppendixA-1
GlossaryG-1
IndexI-1

Vertebrate Life