Arthropod relationships meeting, April 1996 (fwd)

[Scott Miller]

>International Symposium on the Relationships of Major Arthropod Groups
>
>      Organisers:  Richard A. Fortey and Richard H. Thomas
>                   (The Natural History Museum, London)
>           Dates:  April 17 - 19, 1996.
>        Location:  Talks at The Natural History Museum
>                   Accommodation at Imperial College, London
> Estimated costs:  Registration will be about 100 Pounds Sterling
>                   (a student rate will be available)
>                   Accommodation (3 nights) about 75 Pounds Sterling,
>                   breakfasts included.
>
>Arthropods are a dominant component of living biodiversity, yet how they
>relate to one another is still uncertain.  These are questions for
>molecular and evolutionary biologists, palaeontologists and geneticists.
>The last decade has seen extraordinary developments in these disparate
>fields:  the growth of molecular systematics, the increase in awareness of
>how genes actually express themselves in  design, and, not least, a wealth
>of new fossils having "exceptional preservation" of soft tissues.  But
>these discoveries have often been made in isolation.  The time is ripe for
>a new synthesis of information from these different fields, and this
>symposium will bring together the leading researchers in London, to provide
>a forum to define the problems - we hope solutions, also  for the next
>decade.  The meeting will review the problems by inviting leading
>palaeontologists, zoologists, embryologists and molecular biologists to
>exchange views.  Many of the leading authorities have already agreed to
>speak.  The aim is to illuminate the controls on morphogenesis, and to
>discover whether new fossils known from the Cambrian are consistent with
>phylogenetic hypotheses derived from the study of developmental genes, or
>classical morphology.  At the time of the meeting it will have been 17
>years since the last book-length review of the evidence on arthropod
>relationships and much has happened in the intervening years.  The format
>for the meeting will be presentations by each of the 'key' speakers with
>ample time set aside for discussion by all the participants.  Evening
>discussion sessions will also be held to facilitate the synthesis of
>results from different fields and to identify areas in particular need of
>further attention.  With additional support from the Systematics
>Association we will produce a book containing contributions from selected
>participants with a view to summarising the  state of our knowledge about
>the relationships in this phenomenally diverse and successful group.
>
>Invited speakers:  Prof LG Abele, Dr M Akam, Dr G Boxshall, Prof DEG
>Briggs, Dr G Budd, Dr SB Carroll, Dr RA Dewel, Dr M Dick, Prof Dr W Dohle,
>Dr P Selden, Dr GE Edgecombe, Dr DJ Eernisse, Dr G Fryer, Prof Dr O Kraus,
>Dr NP Kristensen, Dr J Kukalova-Peck, Dr C Nielsen, Prof Dr HF Paulus, Dr L
>Ramskold, Prof AP Rasnitsyn, Prof FR Schram, Dr WA Shear, Prof JW
>Valentine, Dr D Walossek, Prof Dr P Weygoldt, Dr PM Whitington, Prof Dr R
>Willmann, Dr J Zrzavy
>
>To place your name on the mailing list for future circulars (next
>one in October) please contact (preferably by email):
>
>   Dr Richard H. Thomas
>   Department of Zoology
>   The Natural History Museum
>   Cromwell Road
>   London SW7 5BD
>   UK
>   Fax: +44 (0)171 938 8754
>   Email: arthropods at nhm.ac.uk