By: Graham H. Coombs (Editor), Keith Vickerman (Editor), M.A. Sleigh (Editor), A. Warren (Editor)

Hardcover

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The evolutionary biology of protozoa is a field in which exciting changes are taking place. Relationships between different groups of protozoa are undergoing extensive review and the revised views will have significant repercussions for future investigations. New data from molecular and ultrastructural studies have changed our perception of evolution among this diverse group of organisms in recent years. This volume, part of the Systematics Association Special Volume Series, aims to review this important area and give an up-to-date synthesis of current understanding. The various chapters are deliberately broad in scope and explore areas such as the contribution of different techniques and approaches to the understanding of protistan evolution and the biochemical and physiological aspects of that evolution; there are also chapters that analyse and explore specific protistan groups. In addition some of the chapters discuss topics that are currently very controversial within this field, such as the finding that the 18S rRNA phylogenetic tree of protozoa is probably unreliable. The world-renowned editors have assembled an international team of outstanding scientists whose contributions have produced a volume of interest to all evolutionary biologists and especially those interested in protozoa.

List of contributors
Preface
Revolution among the Protozoa	p. 1
The molecular phylogeny of Eukaryota solid facts and uncertainties	p. 25
Evolutionary relationships among protist phyla constructed from LSUrRNAs accounting for unequal rates of substitution among sites	p. 57
Evolutionary relationships of Microsporidia	p. 77
Phylogenetics of protozoan tubulin with reference to the amitochondriate eukaryotes	p. 91
Enzymes and compartmentation of core energy metabolism of anaerobic protists - a special case in eukaryotic evolution?	p. 109
Molecular phylogeny of Trichomonas and Naegleria: implications for the relative timing of the mitochondrion endosymbiosis	p. 133
Hydrogenosomes and plastid-like organelles in amoeboflagellates, chytrids and apicomplexan parasites	p. 149
Molecular systematics of the intestinal amoebae	p. 169
Relationships between amoeboflagellates	p. 181
Molecular phylogeny of kinetoplastids	p. 195
Evolutionary relationships among the African trypanosomes: implications for the epidemiology and generation of human sleeping sickness epidemics	p. 213
Organelle and enzyme evolution in trypanosomatids	p. 229
The phylum Apicomplexa: an update on the molecular phylogeny	p. 255
Origin of plastids	p. 275
Plastid-like DNA in apicomplexans	p. 293
The karyorelictids (Protozoa, Ciliophora), a unique and enigmatic assemblage of marine, interstitial ciliates: a review emphasizing ciliary patterns and evolution	p. 305
Molecular and cellular evolution of ciliates: a phylogenetic perspective	p. 327
Phylogenetic relationships of the Myxozoa	p. 341
Relationships between lower fungi and protozoa	p. 351
Neomonada and the origin of animals and fungi	p. 375
Classification of protozoa and protists: the current status	p. 409
Index	p. 449
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

ISBN: 9780412798009
ISBN-10: 041279800X
Series: Systematics Association Special Volumes
Audience: Professional
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 486
Published: 31st October 1998
Dimensions (cm): 23.5 x 15.5  x 2.6
Weight (kg): 0.862