Life's Splendid Drama

Peter J. Bowler is professor emeritus of the history of science at Queen's University Belfast. He has written many books, including Darwin Deleted: Imagining a World Without Darwin, also published by the University of Chicago Press, and A History of the Future: Prophets of Progress from H. G. Wells to Isaac Asimov.

List of Figures Preface Table of Geological Periods and Eras 1: The First Evolutionary Biology A New Biology A Revolution in Science? Transforming Traditions The Professional Framework 2: The Tree of Life Relationships Redefined Form and Function Convergence and Parallelism Ontogeny and Phylogeny The Base of the Tree 3: Are the Arthropoda a Natural Group? The Problem of Arthropod Origins The Genealogy of the Crustacea Peripatus and the Origin of the Tracheata Limulus an Arachnid The Debate Widens The Fossil Record 4: Vertebrate Origins The Ascidian Theory The Annelid Theory The Arthropod Theories Nemertines and the Actinozoa Balanoglossus and the Echinoderms The Environmental Trigger Later Developments 5: From Fish to Amphibian The Origin of Fish The Fin Problem The Origin of the Amphibians From Water to Land 6: The Origin of Birds and Mammals From Reptile to Bird Taking to the Air Monotremes, Marsupials, and Mammals The Mammal-like Reptiles 7: Patterns in the Past Putting Things Together Adaptive Radiation Laws and Trends Rise and Fall Mass Extinctions 8: The Geography of Life Zoological Provinces Lost Worlds Northern Origins Southern Continents 9: The Metaphors of Evolutions Trees and Ladders The Biology of Imperialism? Phylogeny and Modern Darwinism Biographical Appendix Bibliography Index