Muscles of Chordates

Introduction, aims, and methodology. Sea squirts and other urochordates, and Amphioxus: on the origin of vertebrate muscles. Lampreys and hagfishes between invertebrates and Gnathostomes: on metamorphosis, paedomorphosis and peramorphosis. Sharks, Skates, Chimaeras, and other chondrichthyans: on the serial homology versus derived similarity of paired appendages. Sharks, Skates, Chimaeras, and other chondrichthyans: on the plesiomorphic configuration of gnathostome head muscles. Actinopterygians, Dipnoans and Coelacanths: on the transitions from fins to limbs. Actinopterygians, Dipnoans and Coelacanths: on the head, zebrafish and the links between ontogeny and phylogeny. From sarcopterygians to humans: on fins, limbs, hands and feet. From sarcopterygians to humans: on the evolution of the neck and the face. Salamanders and frogs: on the differences between limb regeneration and ontogeny, and the logic of monsters. Salamanders, frogs and caecilians: on the head, neck, and metamorphosis. Turtles, crocodylians, birds, lizards and other reptiles: on limbs, macroevolutionary morphological innovations, and hopeful monsters. Turtles, crocodylians, birds, lizards and other reptiles: on head and neck evolution. Monotremes, marsupials and placentals: on mammals, human evolution, and tool use. Monotremes, marsupials and placentals: on opossums, the scala naturae, humans and facial expressions. General Comments: on an unifying nomenclature for chordate muscles as a basis for developmental, comparative, evolutionary and medical studies