Animal Evolution. Genomes, Fossils, And Trees May 2026

Published in 2009 by Oxford University Press, it serves as a major synthesis of three traditionally separate fields: , molecular systematics , and developmental biology (evo-devo). Core Themes and Utility

: Rather than relying solely on genes, it emphasizes using the fossil record to date molecular trees and interpret the evolution of body plans. Animal Evolution. Genomes, Fossils, and Trees

: It highlights how molecular biology—specifically molecular phylogenetics and developmental biology—provides the "objective source of data" needed to test evolutionary scenarios that once seemed unsolvable. Published in 2009 by Oxford University Press, it

: Several chapters explore how the influx of genomic data has allowed researchers to move beyond just anatomical characters to refine the "Animal Tree of Life". Animal Evolution. Genomes, Fossils, and Trees