An Introduction to the Invertebrates

by Janet Moore

So much has to be crammed into today's biology courses that basic information on animal groups and their evolutionary origins is often left out. This is particularly true for the invertebrates. The second edition of Janet Moore's An Introduction to the Invertebrates fills this gap by providing a short updated guide to the invertebrate phyla, looking at their diverse forms, functions and evolutionary relationships. This book first introduces evolution and modern methods of tracing it, then considers the distinctive body plan of each invertebrate phylum showing what has evolved, how the animals live, and how they develop. Boxes introduce physiological mechanisms and development. The final chapter explains uses of molecular evidence and presents an up-to-date view of evolutionary history, giving a more certain definition of the relationships between invertebrates. This user-friendly and well-illustrated introduction will be invaluable for all those studying invertebrates.

Genres: Science, Biology

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2001

Reviews

[Doug L · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is obviously an expert and her scientific writing is clear. Her discussions of evolutionary relationships, how they are deduced, and why they can be controversial are insightful. The illustrations are simplistic and difficult to interpret. They would've benefited from color.

[Mike Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a professional development course. It was ok. Some of the chapters were quite interesting and other chapters it felt like the author lost track of the systematic approach she planned to take and instead focused on pet interests with respect to developmental biology.