Quirks of Human Anatomy
An Evo-Devo Look at the Human Body

This book introduces students to basic concepts in evolutionary developmental biology, for undergraduate and graduate courses.

Lewis I. Held, Jr (Author)

9780521732338, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 29 May 2009

274 pages, 24 b/w illus. 3 tables
25.3 x 17.7 x 1.7 cm, 0.56 kg

'I am a major fan of Lewis I. Held's evo-devo books. In each I've encountered material that pushes me to, and sometimes over, the edge of my own understanding - but to me, that's what education is all about. Reading them and using them in my classes, I felt privileged to benefit from the insights of a scholar seriously devoted to his own teaching.' Mark Terry, American Biology Teacher

With the emergence of the new field of evolutionary developmental biology we are witnessing a renaissance of Darwin's insights 150 years after his On the Origin of Species. Thus far, the exciting findings from 'evo-devo' have only been trickling into college courses and into the domain of non-specialists. With its focus on the human organism, Quirks of Human Anatomy opens the floodgates by stating the arguments of evo-devo in plain English, and by offering a cornucopia of interesting case studies and examples. Its didactic value is enhanced by 24 schematic diagrams that integrate a host of disparate observations, by its Socratic question-and-answer format, and by its unprecedented compilation of the literature. By framing the 'hows' of development in terms of the 'whys' of evolution, it lets readers probe the deepest questions of biology. Readers will find the book educational and enjoyable, as it revels in the fun of scientific exploration.

1. Background
2. Symmetry and asymmetry
3. Mysteries of the midline
4. Merism and modularity
5. Sexual dimorphisms
6. Silly, stupid, and dangerous quirks
7. Mind and brain.

Subject Areas: Developmental biology [PSC], Evolution [PSAJ]