Human Evolution through Developmental Change

This is a first rate contribution from a group of highly respected researchers. It brings readers up to speed on major theories in ontogeny and human evolution and provides insights into how research on these issues is currently being conducted. -- Andrew Kramer, University of Tennessee

Sutherland, University of Massachusetts; Jennifer L. Thompson, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Frank L'Engle Williams, Pennsylvania State UniversitySince Darwin's time, the natural selection of adult features has been emphasized as the dominant factor directing human evolution. In recent years, however, evolutionary scientists have recognized variations in the growth and development of individuals as an indispensable ingredient of evolutionary change. The chapters in Human Evolution through Developmental Change reflect two major strands of research in the study of human heterochrony, the change in the timing and rate of development of individuals. First, paleoanthropological evidence culled from the remains of infant and juvenile hominid fossils held in the world's museums has provided valuable new insights into the way naturally selected traits come about. Second, remarkable strides in molecular biology over the past twenty years have allowed scientists to confirm evolutionary relationships between species and test the relationships of new evolutionary patterns to changes in the rate of development at a variety of levels, from molecules to organ systems. Editors Nancy Minugh-Purvis and Kenneth J. McNamara have organized the chapters of the book into three sections. The first section considers theoretical applications of heterochronic methods to the hominid fossil record. The second section considers the relationship of developmental change to various aspects of hominid life history, including cognitive, sexual, and structural developments. The third section provides a chronological survey of heterochronic change in the hominid fossil record from the Pliocene to late Pleistocene eras. Human Evolution through Developmental Change will be a valuable resource for scientists and students of developmental biology, physical and social anthropology, and paleontology who wish to understand current views on the underlying mechanisms of human evolution. Contributors: David M. Alba, Institut de Paleontologia M. Crusafont, Spain * Robert L. Anemone, Western Michigan University * Susan C. Anton, Rutgers University * Christine Berge, Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle, France * Jose Braga, Universite Bordeaux I, France * George Chaplin, California Academy of Sciences * Susan J. Crockford, Pacific Identifications, Canada * Gunther J. Eble, Smithsonian Institution and Santa Fe Institute * Rebecca Z. German, University of Cincinnati * Laurie R. Godfrey, University of Massachusetts * Brian K. Hall, Dalhousie University, Canada * F. Clark Howell, University of California, Berkeley * Nina G. Jablonski, California Academy of...