Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 The history and evolution of the domestic fowl
- 2 The cellular organisation of genetic material
- 3 The transmission of inherited characters
- 4 Sex determination and sex-linked inheritance in the domestic fowl
- 5 Linkage and chromosome mapping
- 6 Genes controlling feathering and plumage colour
- 7 Muscle, nerve and skeleton
- 8 Lethal genes in domestic fowl
- 9 Quantitative genetics
- 10 Protein evolution and polymorphism
- 11 Immunogenetics of the domestic fowl
- 12 Gene cloning, sequencing and transfer in the domestic fowl
- APPENDIX I Linkage groups and the chromosome map in the domestic fowl
- APPENDIX II Oncogenes
- APPENDIX III The Chi squared (χ2) test
- APPENDIX IV One letter amino acid code
- APPENDIX V The genetic code
- Glossary
- Index
1 - The history and evolution of the domestic fowl
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- 1 The history and evolution of the domestic fowl
- 2 The cellular organisation of genetic material
- 3 The transmission of inherited characters
- 4 Sex determination and sex-linked inheritance in the domestic fowl
- 5 Linkage and chromosome mapping
- 6 Genes controlling feathering and plumage colour
- 7 Muscle, nerve and skeleton
- 8 Lethal genes in domestic fowl
- 9 Quantitative genetics
- 10 Protein evolution and polymorphism
- 11 Immunogenetics of the domestic fowl
- 12 Gene cloning, sequencing and transfer in the domestic fowl
- APPENDIX I Linkage groups and the chromosome map in the domestic fowl
- APPENDIX II Oncogenes
- APPENDIX III The Chi squared (χ2) test
- APPENDIX IV One letter amino acid code
- APPENDIX V The genetic code
- Glossary
- Index
Summary
Introduction
It is convenient to divide the evolutionary history of the present day domestic fowl into three phases: the first is the evolution of the genus Gallus, the second is the emergence of the domestic fowl from its progenitor(s) within the genus Gallus, and the third is the appearance of the large number of present day breeds and varieties. These three phases occupy very different time spans. The origin of life on earth is estimated to have occurred about 3000 million years ago, whereas the genus Gallus probably dates from about 8 million years (Helm-Bychowski & Wilson, 1986). The domestication of the fowl in the region of the Indus valley is believed to have occurred by 2000 BC (Zeuner, 1963), but more recent archaeological evidence shows that a much earlier domestication occurred in China c. 6000 bc (West & Zhou, 1989). The origin of most of the present day breeds and varieties dates from the last century, although a few are considerably older. Figure 1.1 illustrates the phases of evolution up to that of the genus Gallus, in relation to other significant events. In this chapter these three phases are considered in turn giving some of the supporting evidence for each stage in evolution.
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- Genetics and Evolution of the Domestic Fowl , pp. 1 - 14Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1991