The Choanoflagellates

Erscheinungsjahr 2015
ISBN: 978-0-521-88444-0
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 350 Seiten, Format (B × H): 183 mm x 260 mm, Gewicht: 817 g

Choanoflagellates have three distinctive claims to fame: they are the closest, living, unicellular relatives of animals; they are a major component of aquatic microbial foodwebs; and one group is remarkable for its siliceous basket-like coverings. This landmark book offers a unique synthesis of over forty years of choanoflagellates research. Key areas are covered, from the phylogenetic evidence supporting the sister-group relationship between choanoflagellates and Metazoa, to choanoflagellate distribution and diversity in marine and freshwater environments. The structure and assembly of choanoflagellate loricae is also presented together with a full discussion of a novel example of 'regulatory evolution', suggesting that the switch from nudiform to tectiform cell division and lorica production was achieved by a sudden reorganisation of existing structures and mechanisms. Providing an authoritative summary of what is currently known about choanoflagellates, this title will serve as a foundation upon which future research and discussion can take place.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Leadbeater, Barry S. C.

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften Evolutionsbiologie
• Geowissenschaften Geologie Limnologie (Süßwasser)
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Meeresbiologie
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Zellbiologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface; 1. Historical perspectives; 2. The collared flagellate: functional morphology and ultrastructure; 3. Craspedida: choanoflagellates with exclusively organic coverings; 4. Loricate choanoflagellates: Acanthoecida; 5. Loricate choanoflagellates: requirement for silicon and its deposition in costal strips; 6. Loricate choanoflagellates: Acanthoecidae – nudiform species; 7. Loricate choanoflagellates: Stephanoecidae – tectiform species; 8. Loricate choanoflagellates: evolutionary relationship between the nudiform and tectiform conditions; 9. Choanoflagellate ecology; 10. Choanoflagellate phylogeny: evolution of metazoan multicellularity; Glossary; Figure credits; References; Index.

Über Autor(innen)

Leadbeater, Barry S. C.
Barry S. C. Leadbeater is a retired Reader in Protistology at the University of Birmingham. His academic research interests include: ultrastructure, physiology and ecology of algae and protozoa, whereas his biotechnological research interests include: algae and water quality; physiology of algal/protistan biofilms and biological aspects of water treatment processes. He has authored and co-authored over 80 papers, edited five books and, presently, he is a monitoring editor of the journal Protist.