The Emergence of Whales: Evolutionary Patterns in the Origin of Cetacea [Paperback]

Research in whale origins is now in an explosive phase, with a cascade of discoveries adding to our understanding of the evolutionary pattern and a suite of new techniques being applied to address new questions. The objective of this volume is to provide a snapshot of this explosion. The volume paints the scene with a broad brush. Taken together the chapters clearly indicate that cetacean origins is a field that is dynamic, multidisciplinary, and that the end of the explosive phase is not in sight.Research in whale origins is now in an explosive phase, with a cascade of discoveries adding to our understanding of the evolutionary pattern and a suite of new techniques being applied to address new questions. The objective of this volume is to provide a snapshot of this explosion. The volume paints the scene with a broad brush. Taken together the chapters clearly indicate that cetacean origins is a field that is dynamic, multidisciplinary, and that the end of the explosive phase is not in sight.Synopsis of the Earliest Cetaceans: Pakicetidae, Ambulocetidae, Remingtonocetidae, and Protocetidae; E.M. Williams. Middle to Late Eocene Basilosaurines and Dorudontines; M.D. Uhen. Molecular Evidence for the Phylogenetic Affinities of Cetacea; J. Gatesy. Are Cetaceans Highly Derived Artiodactyls? M.C. Miliknovitch, et al. Phylogenetic and Morphometric Reassessment of the Dental Evidence for a Mesonychian and Cetacean Clade; M.A. O?Leary. Relationships of Cetacea to Terrestrial Ungulates and the Evolution of Cranial Vasculature in Cete; J.H. Geisler, Z. Luo. Middle Eocene Cetaceans from the Harudi and Subtahu Formatons of India; S. Bajpai, J.G.M. Thewissen. Postcranial Osteology of the North American Middle Eocene Protocetid georgiacetus; R.C. Hulbert, Jr. Homology and Transformation of Cetacean Ectotympanic Structures; Z. Luo. Biomechanical Perspective on the Origin of Cetacean Flukes; F.E. Fish. Implications of Vertebral Morphology for Locomoter Evol#K