Asymmetry, Developmental Stability and Evolution

Why does nature love symmetry? In this work, Moller and Swaddle analyze the evolutionary implication of symmetry. They advance and explain their theory that asymmetry is related to genetic stability and fitness, and that symmetric individuals appear to have quantifiable and significant advantages over their asymmetric counterparts. When assessing potential mates or competitors, animals may be able to use symmetry as an honest indication of quality. This interdisciplinary book, with its associated Web-site, should be of interest to students and researchers in the fields of ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, and animal behaviour.