The Evolutionary Morphology of Caecilians: Development, Function, and Phylogenesis

该项目研究了形态学和进化 第三秩序的成员的关系 两栖类--裸水母。 描述性的，形态学的， 骨骼的发育和功能形态学数据， 肌肉、神经、皮肤结构和其他解剖成分 将被收集起来，以更好地了解这种生物学。 相对罕见的热带族群。 这将提供数据， 更强有力的分析， 种，属，和组的家庭，和他们的 与其他脊椎动物的关系，可以进行;研究可能 提供了对进化模式和过程的新见解。

This project investigates the morphology and evolutionary relationships of the members of the third order of the Amphibia--the Gymnophiona. Descriptive, morphometric, developmental, and functional morphological data on bones, muscles, nerves, skin structures, and other anatomical components will be gathered to better understand the biology of this relatively rare tropical group. This will provide data so that more robust analyses of the evolutionary relationships of the species, genera, and families of the group, and their relationship to other vertebrates, can be made; the study may provide new insight into pattern and process of evolution.