Before the Backbone: Views on the Origin of the Vertebrates

by Henry Gee

This text provides a guide to a field newly invigorated by technical advances in molecular and developmental biology. The book should be useful reading for students and researchers in areas such as developmental biology, vertebrate zoology and palaeontology.

346 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Henry Gee's next book The Wonder of Life on earth, illustrated by Raxenne Maniquiz, is out on 5 February 2026. His other books include The Decline and Fall of the Human Empire, A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth (winner of the 2022 Royal Society Science Book Prize) and The Science of Middle earth. His books have been translated into more than 25 languages. He is represented by Jill Grinberg Literary Management and lives in Cromer, England.