Development Genes and Evolution special issue: “Development and Phylogeny of Arthropods”—a foreword from the editors

Research in the field of arthropod evolutionary and developmental biology is flourishing. Increasingly, a synthetic, interdisciplinary approach combining palaeontological, morphological, ontogenetic, molecular, and phylogenetic investigations has emerged in an effort to understand the fascinating diversity of arthropod forms. This effort produces many new and often surprising results that inspire discussions on arthropod phylogeny and a new view on developmental mechanisms in “model arthropods”, such as Drosophila and Tribolium. Accordingly, it is no surprise to find a number of recent books and special issues of journals dealing with various aspects of arthropod evolutionary developmental biology (e.g., Fortey and Thomas 1997, Edgecombe 1998, Deuve 2001, Harzsch 2003, Scholtz 2004, Koenemann and Jenner 2005). Contained in this issue of Development Genes and Evolution is an integrated series of research papers and reviews which focus on several intensely debated aspects of arthropod evolution and development, including the comparison of the segmental body organization of various arthropods taxa, segmentation of the head in light of new data, and neurogenesis in non-insect arthropods. Assembling these papers in one issue is sensible from the point of view of readers who work in the Evo–Devo field and may want to engage into the discussion of questions such as the ones pointed out above with more than a cursory interest. All papers of this issue reflect the presentations of invited speakers at a meeting on “Development and Phylogeny of Arthropods” held in the Paris Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle on September 23 and 24, 2005 (see Simpson 2006). Michel Veuille, Head of the Department “Systematics and Evolution” of the Museum, initiated the meeting; he and Jean Deutsch acted as organizers on behalf of the Museum, the Department (UFR) of Life Sciences of the University P. and M. Curie (Paris 6) and the Institute of Integrative Biology (IFR 83 CNRS and University Paris 6). The organizers are grateful to all participating speakers who came from various European countries and the USA; they further thank Nicole Bonneville and Marie-Michelle Riou for their invaluable help and kindness in handling and solving many practical problems. After each talk and during the final general discussion, debates were intense but always proceeded in a warm and friendly atmosphere. We thank all colleagues who kindly took the time to read and comment on the submitted manuscripts. We are also grateful to Springer-Verlag and Christiane Tautz in the Editorial Office of DGE for the extra effort it took to put together this special issue. We hope with confidence that this meeting and the resulting issue will serve as an introduction to more discussions and new exchanges between the members of the arthropod Evo– Devo community and the field of developmental biology in general. Jean S. Deutsch, Gerhard Scholtz (guest editors) and Volker Hartenstein (editor-in-chief) April 2006 J. S. Deutsch (*) Developpement et Evolution UMR 7622, Universite P et M Curie (Paris 6), Case 24, 9 quai St Bernard, 75252 Paris cedex, France e-mail: jean.deutsch@snv.jussieu.fr