Zoologie obratlovců – Gaisler Jiří (2018)

Since the first (1983) and second (2007) editions of this comprehensive zoological textbook, views on systematics and phylogeny, as well as on the ecology and behavior of vertebrates, have changed significantly. New fields have emerged, such as evolutionary genetics and molecular phylogenetics. The third edition is based on the original texts, but the information presented has been adapted to new findings and opinions. A phylogenetic concept has been adopted that considers the agnatha (jawless fish) as a basal group of chordates. The sections dedicated to the phylogeny of cartilaginous fish, ray-finned fish, reptiles, and birds have been significantly revised. Recent knowledge, primarily derived from detailed molecular analyses, has been obtained for these taxa. Each major group of vertebrates is supplemented with a short chapter on genome knowledge and its evolution. At all taxonomic levels, data on the numbers of known species and their potential threat status have been corrected. A number of other minor adjustments contribute to the updating of the presented knowledge.