Primates and Their Relatives in Phylogenetic Perspective

This unique volume investigates the relationships of primates at the ordinal and higher classificatory levels from a variety of interdisciplinary viewpoints. Individual chapters examine the origin and evolution of gliding in early Cenozoic Dermoptera, the ontogeny of the tympanic floor in Archontans, the role of the neurosciences in primate evolutionary biology, and many other subjects. The work will be of particular interest to primatologists, zoologists, and systematists.

1 The Importance of Methods: Archontan Phylogeny and Cladistic Analysis of Morphological Data.- 2 Origin and Evolution of Gliding in Early Cenozoic Dermoptera (Mammalia, Primatomorpha).- 3 The Implications of the Propatagial Muscles of Flying and Gliding Mammals for Archontan Systematics.- 4 Ontogeny of the Tympanic Floor and Roof in Archontans.- 5 Developmental Evidence from the Fetal Membranes for Assessing Archontan Relationships.- 6 Cranioskeletal Morphology of Archontans, and Diagnoses of Chiroptera, Volitantia, and Archonta.- 7 A Molecular Examination of Archontan and Chiropteran Monophyly.- 8 A Molecular View of Primate Supraordinal Relationships from the Analysis of Both Nucleotide and Amino Acid Sequences.- 9 Phylogeny through Brain Traits: Interordinal Relationships among Mammals Including Primates and Chiroptera.- 10 The Role of the Neurosciences in Primate Evolutionary Biology: Historical Commentary and Prospectus.- 11 Summary.- Systematic Index.- Author and Subject Index.