title: Patterns of heterochrony in the fossil record.
abstract: Recent analyses of the fossil record have revealed that heterochrony has played a significant role in the evolution of most marine invertebrate groups. Recognition of several different heterochronic processes has allowed their influence under different ecological regimes to be assessed. Furthermore, recent research has demonstrated significant differences in frequencies of these processes between groups and at their different stages of phylogenetic development. The fossil record shows that heterochron y has been an important component in the generation of evolutionary trends. Heterochrony is an important factor in macroevolution because it can result in relatively abrupt morphological change with only minimum alteration of the genome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palaeontology, Western Australian Museum, Francis Street, Perth, Western Australia 6000.
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: McNamara