Evolution, Development, and Diversification of Vertebrates, Part 2: Patterning and Mechanisms of Morphogenesis

Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to announce the launch of the second edition of the Special Issue of Diversity titled “Evolution, Development, and Diversification of Vertebrates, Part 2: Patterning and Mechanisms of Morphogenesis”, which is currently seeking submissions for review and original articles.

Living vertebrates are represented by approximately 70,000 recognized species whose morphological disparity ranges from the elongate and jawless hagfish to arboreal climbing chameleons and bats whose limbs have been modified for powered flight. While deep evolutionary time separates the major lineages of vertebrates, an ancestral genetic toolkit is both shared and continues to be differentially modified to give rise to an extraordinary array of phenotypes. While vertebrates are a sum of their anatomical parts, in this follow-up Special Issue, we will comparatively explore vertebrate organogenesis and morphogenesis within the framework of ecological and morphological specialization that has led to impressive phenotypic disparity across the major vertebrate clades. Topics regarding tissue and organ morphogenesis, differential expression/patterning, and the integration of anatomical units will be explored within the framework of form and ecological/biomechanical function. Growth in our understanding of organ/tissue development has not only continued to come from examining classic vertebrate model organisms with advanced ‘omic technologies but also through the exploration of non-model systems within the framework of their natural history, comparative anatomy, and modern molecular toolkits. A broader comparative examination of development adds to our knowledge of extant biodiversity while also building a foundation on which to model the development of anatomies of extinct/fossil taxa.

Dr. Raul E. Diaz
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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