Generally, biologists and mathematicians who study the shape and form of organisms have been largely working in isolation from those who work on evolutionary relationships through the analysis of common characteristics. Increasingly however, dialogue between the two communities is beginning to develop - but other than a handful of journal papers, there has been no formal, published discussion on this subject. This book summarizes the interdisciplinary work that has taken place to date and should stimulate additional research into these topics.

Presenting a historical analysis of the evolution of systematics during the last one hundred years, Milestones in Systematics reviews many of the major issues in systematic theory and practice that have driven the working methods of systematics during the 20th century and looks at the issues most likely to preoccupy systematists in the immediate future.
The book highlights:
The development of evolutionary, phenetic and cladistic methods of phylogenetic analysis and the associated computer algorithms
The changing influence of paleontological techniques
The impact of new molecular...

This book evaluates the reputation of the coelacanth, presenting up-to-date accounts of the structure of fossil coelacanths, and suggests a family history to show that there have been subtle but significant changes in coelacanth history.