The Origin and Early Evolutionary History of Snakes

Latest developments in understanding how, when and where the extraordinary body plan and ecology of snakes evolved from lizard ancestors.

This book provides current and authoritative insights into the origin and early evolution of snakes for biology students; evolutionary biologists interested in neontology, palaeontology, origins of major taxa, and diversification; and paleontologists and Earth scientists interested in the links between Earth processes and biotic history.Snakes comprise nearly 4,000 extant species found on all major continents except Antarctica. Morphologically and ecologically diverse, they include burrowing, arboreal, and marine forms, feeding on prey ranging from insects to large mammals. Snakes are strikingly different from their closest lizard relatives, and their origins and early diversification have long challenged and enthused evolutionary biologists. The origin and early evolution of snakes is a broad, interdisciplinary topic for which experts in palaeontology, ecology, physiology, embryology, phylogenetics, and molecular biology have made important contributions. The last 25 years has seen a surge of interest, resulting partly from new fossil material, but also from new techniques in molecular and systematic biology. This volume summarises and discusses the state of our knowledge, approaches, data, and ongoing debates. It provides reviews, syntheses, new data and perspectives on a wide range of topics relevant to students and researchers in evolutionary biology, neontology, and palaeontology.