The origins of neural systems remain unresolved. In contrast to other basal metazoans,
ctenophores (comb jellies) have both complex nervous and mesoderm-derived muscular systems…

Animals have evolved diverse appendages adapted for locomotion, feeding and other
functions. The genetics underlying appendage formation are best understood in insects and …

… Chris Winchell at Washington State University completed the Cephalodiscus gracilis sequence
from DNA isolated in the Swalla lab. We thank the Molecular Evolution Seminar Group at …

The class Ascidiacea presents fundamental opportunities for research in the fields of
development, evolution, ecology, natural products and more. This review provides a …

… Mariko Bushcamp is thanked for collating references and all three undergraduates in the
Swalla Laboratory are thanked for reading the manuscript and suggesting changes. Jon Mallatt …

… casts, we are not convinced that they represent urochordates (BJ Swalla, unpub.). … SWALLA,
BJ 1996. Strategies for cloning developmental genes using closely related species. Pages …

We investigated evolutionary relationships among deuterostome subgroups by obtaining
nearly complete large-subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA)-gene sequences for 14 …

Ambulacraria, comprising Hemichordata and Echinodermata [1], is closely related to Chordata,
making it integral to understanding chordate origins and polarizing chordate molecular …

… 1B) (Jeffery and Swalla, 1997). Recent investigations of ascidian development have focused
almost … of these genes during ascidian metamorphosis is ongoing in the Swalla laboratory. …

… George Bechara constructed Figure 4 as part of an undergraduate research project in the
Swalla lab. … Swalla BJ. 2006. Building divergent body plans with similar genetic pathways. …