Professor of the Graduate School
Email: mhwake@berkeley.edu
Phone: (510) 642-4743
Research Description
My current research emphasizes the evolutionary biology of vertebrates, primarily amphibians, focused on caecilians. I examine their morphology and development, structure and function. I am especially interested in the phenomena of homoplasy in morphology and phylogeny, and in the development and maintenance of homoplasy. I integrate data from all levels of the biological hierarchy (genes to ecosystem), depending on the questions I am asking, in order to analyze patterns and processes of evolution, particularly in examining patterns of early development and of the evolution of derived modes of reproduction (viviparity, paternal maintenance of developing embryos, etc., in order to understand and assess homology and homoplasy. We employ a diversity of techniques, including immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, histology, CT scanning, and others. I am also documenting my perspective on the reorganization of the biological sciences at Berkeley and the founding, growth, and evolution of the concept of integrative biology, and its implementation by our Department at Berkeley.
Selected Publications
Wake, M. H. 2024, Amphibian hatchlings find mother’s milk. Science 383:1060-1062.
Wake, M. H. 2024. Modes of Reproduction in Vertebrates: Oviparity, Viviparity, Hermaphroditism, Parthenogenesis (general definition with examples). Encyclopedia of Reproduction 6 (4): 1-17. Elsevier Publ. Co.
Wake, M. H. 2020.Frogs give new insights into vertebrate novelties. Proc. Nat’l. Acad. Sci. USA 117:3907-3909.
Wake, M.H. 2014/2015. Hierarchies and integration in evolution and development. Pp. 405-420 In Conceptual Change in Biology: Scientific and Philosophical Perspectives on Evolution and Development. A.C. Love, ed. Springer Publ., Berlin.
Wake, M.H. 2015. Fetal adaptations for viviparity in amphibians. Jour. Morphol. 276:941-960.
Wake, M.H. 2015. How do homoplasies arise? Mechanisms of evolution of derived modes of reproduction in amphibians. Pp. 373-392 In Great Transformations in Vertebrate Evolution (K. Dial, N. Shubin, and B. Brainerd, eds.) University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
Wake, D.B., M.H. Wake, and C.D. Specht. 2011. Homoplasy: from detecting pattern to determining process and mechanism of evolution. Science 331(6020):1032-1035.
Zhang, P. and M. H. Wake. 2009. Mitogenomic perspective on the phylogeny and biogeography of living caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). Mol. Phyl. Evol. 53:479-491.
Buckley, D., M. Alcobendas, M. Garcia-Paris, and M.H. Wake. 2007. Heterochrony, cannibalism, and the evolution of viviparity in Salamandra salamandra. Evol. Dev’t. 9(1):105-115.
Poe, S. and M.H. Wake. 2004. Quantitative tests of general models for the evolution of development. Amer. Natur. 164:415-422.
Wake, M.H. 2003. The osteology of caecilians. Chapter 6, pp. 1811-1878 In Amphibian Biology, vol. 5, Osteology. H. Heatwole and M. Davies, eds. Surrey Beatty and Sons, Pty. Ltd., Chipping Norton, Australia.
Wake, M.H. 2003. What is "integrative biology"? Integ. Comp. Biol. 43:239-241.
Wake, M.H. 2003. Embryonization and the evolution of viviparity. Pp. 151-169 In Environment, Development, and Evolution: Toward a Synthesis. B.K. Hall, R.D. Pearson, G. Mueller, eds. MIT Press, Boston, MA.
Wake, M.H. 1993. The skull as a locomotor organ. Pp. 197-240 In The Vertebrate Skull. Vol. 3. J. Hanken and B.K. Hall, eds. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Wake, M.H. 1985. The comparative morphology and evolution of the eyes of caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). Zoomorphology 105(5):277-295.
Wake, D.B., G. Roth and M.H. Wake. 1983. On the problem of stasis in organismal evolution. J. Theor. Biol. 101:211-224.
Wake, M. H. and J. Hanken. 1982. Thw development of the skull of Dermophis mexicanus(Amphibia: Hymnophiona), with comments on skull kinesis and amphibian relationships. Jour. Morphol. 171:203-223.
Hall, B.K. and M.H. Wake (co-editors). 1999. The Origin and Evolution of Larval Forms. Academic Press, New York and San Diego.
Wake, M.H. 1979. Hyman’s Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, 3rd ed. M.H. Wake, ed.
University of Chicago Press, Chicago.