Vergleichende Entwicklungsgeschichte — A Festschrift on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Maier, Tübingen

Abstract

Following the traditional and holistic concept of Vergleichende Entwicklungsgeschichte, Wolfgang Maier studied different aspects of vertebrate morphology, including dentition, the locomotor apparatus, nasal and ear regions. His work comprises investigations on pre- to postnatal stages of extant species as well as fossils and is mainly based on histological serial sections, but also on µCT data in recent years. This resulted in an integrative research agenda on the evolutionary biology of mammals and other vertebrates. Most of his studies are designed around the interrelationship of ontogenetic and functional adaptations and evolutionary transformations. The present collection in Vertebrate Zoology collates a series of research articles related to and in honor of Wolfgang Maier’s work. Invited colleagues of Maier provide current insights to their own research, in many cases inspired by his scholarship, ranging from mammalian to reptilian and fish comparative anatomy. In total, this volume contains 19 publications. They apply modern and traditional techniques to investigate the diversity of biological form. In so doing, they integrate traditional conceptual frameworks from the earliest days of morphological research more than two centuries ago.