Contributions of Walter G. Ridewood to systematic comparative anatomy, especially of the osteology of 'lower' vertebrates

Walter George Ridewood (1867–1921), an English comparative anatomist, was influential for many reasons, including his methods for preparing anatomical specimens and the factual results of his studies, as well as through his approach toward systematic comparative anatomy. Ridewood was not limited to expertise in any particular taxonomic group, but rather researched and published on many groups and anatomical systems, most notably on the hyoid apparatus of basal anurans, the skull of basal teleostean fishes, the gill morphology of lamellibranch molluscs, and the morphology and taxonomy of the pterobranch Cephalodiscus. In this paper, we describe Ridewood's life, and discuss his influence, particularly in regards to the systematic osteology of teleostean fishes. We provide a partially annotated list of Ridewood's published works.