Evolutionary crossroads in developmental biology: annelids.
Annelids (the segmented worms) have a long history in studies of animal developmental biology, particularly with regards to their cleavage patterns during early development and their neurobiology. With the relatively recent reorganisation of the phylogeny of the animal kingdom, and the distinction of the super-phyla Ecdysozoa and Lophotrochozoa, an extra stimulus for studying this phylum has arisen. As one of the major phyla within Lophotrochozoa, Annelida are playing an important role in deducing the developmental biology of the last common ancestor of the protostomes and deuterostomes, an animal from which >98% of all described animal species evolved.
The Scottish Oceans Institute, the Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews, Fife, UK. dekf@st-andrews.ac.uk
David E K
DE
Ferrier
D000818:Animals; D000845:Annelida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002455:Cell Division; D019070:Cell Lineage; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000379:methods*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D010802:Phylogeny; D012038:Regeneration; D013045:Species Specificity