Animal Anomalies
What Abnormal Anatomies Reveal about Normal Development

Highlights what we know about the pathways pursued by embryos and evolution, and stresses what we do not yet know.

Lewis I. Held, Jr (Author)

9781108819749, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 18 March 2021

294 pages
24.2 x 17 x 1.5 cm, 0.62 kg

'The volume is a very readable deep dive, written as a romp through a series of mysteries and associated detective stories, some of which have been fully solved, others not … Held is able to provide detailed explanations of the underlying developmental-genetic mechanisms that produce the variation … because he assumes a basic knowledge of cell signaling mechanisms, he is able to present the information at a much deeper level than most popular evo-devo books can … the volume should interest a wide range of readers, from advanced undergraduates through emeritus professors.' John Reiss, The Quarterly Review of Biology

Among the offspring of humans and other animals are occasional individuals that are malformed in whole or in part. The most grossly abnormal of these have been referred to from ancient times as monsters, because their birth was thought to foretell doom; the less severely affected are usually known as anomalies. This volume digs deeply into the cellular and molecular processes of embryonic development that go awry in such exceptional situations. It focuses on the physical mechanisms of how genes instruct cells to build anatomy, as well as the underlying forces of evolution that shaped these mechanisms over eons of geologic time. The narrative is framed in a historical perspective that should help students trying to make sense of these complex subjects. Each chapter is written in the style of a Sherlock Holmes story, starting with the clues and ending with a solution to the mystery.

Preface
Part I. Frogs: 1. The introspective frog
2. Two-headed tadpoles
3. Extra-legged frogs
Part II. Flies: 4. The double-jointed fly
5. The four-winged fly
6. The naked fly
Part III. Dogs: 7. The Shar-Pei
8. The bully whippet
9. The Great Pyrenees
Part IV. Cats: 10. The blotched tabby
11. The Siamese cat
12. The calico cat.

Subject Areas: Zoology & animal sciences [PSV], Cellular biology [cytology PSF], Molecular biology [PSD], Developmental biology [PSC], Evolution [PSAJ], Medical genetics [MFN]