| Phone: | +49 (0)561 804 4805 |
| Fax: | +49 (0)561 804 4800 |
| Email: | |
| Address: | Department of Zoology University of Kassel Heinrich-Plett.Str. 40 D-34132, Kassel Germany |
Prof. Dr. Georg Mayer
Academic degrees
Academic career
2010–2015: Research Group Leader supported by the Emmy Noether Programme of the German Research Foundation (DFG: Ma 4147/3-1), equivalent of the German "Habilitation"
2009: German Research Foundation (Return Fellowship, DFG: Ma 4147/2-1)
2007–2009: German Research Foundation (Research Fellowship, DFG: Ma 4147/1-1)
2002–2006: German Research Foundation (DFG: Ba 1520/8-2, Ru 358/4-2)
2002–2005: Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, German National Merit Foundation (PhD Fellowship)
1999–2001: Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, German National Merit Foundation (Student Fellowship)
Publications (see also Mayer lab's website)
111. Poulhazan, A.*, Baer, A.*, Daliaho, G., Mentink-Vigier, F., Arnold, A.A., Browne, D.C., Hering, L., Archer-Hartmann, S., Pepi, L.E., Azadi, P., Schmidt, S., Mayer, G., Marcotte, I. & Harrington, M.J. (2023): Peculiar phosphonate modifications of velvet worm slime revealed by advanced nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. Journal of the American Chemical Society 145:20749–20754. *Equal contribution.
110. Budd, G.E., Mayer, G., Janssen, R. & Eriksson, B.J. (2023): Comment on “The lower Cambrian lobopodian Cardiodictyon resolves the origin of euarthropod brains”. Science 380:eadg1412.
109. Jahn, H., Hammel, J.U., Göpel, T., Wirkner, C.S. & Mayer, G. (2023): A multiscale approach reveals elaborate circulatory system and intermittent heartbeat in velvet worms (Onychophora). Communications Biology 6:468.
108. Baer, A., Hoffmann, I., Mahmoudi, N., Poulhazan, A., Harrington, M.J., Mayer, G., Schmidt, S. & Schneck, E. (2023): The internal structure of the velvet worm projectile slime: A small-angle scattering study. Small 2023:e2300516.
107. Martin, C., Jahn, H., Klein, M.M., Hammel, J.U., Stevenson, P.A., Homberg, U. & Mayer, G. (2022): The velvet worm brain unveils homologies and evolutionary novelties across panarthropods. BMC Biology 20:26.
106. Tait, N.N., Oliveira, I.S. & Mayer, G. (2022): Translation of N.B.K. Sänger’s (1871) “Peripatus capensis Gr. and Peripatus leuckartii n. sp.” (Onychophora), along with remarks about the author and significance of his work. Australian Zoologist 42:71–94.
105. Ou, Q., Shu, D., Zhang, Z., Han, J., Van Iten, H., Cheng, M., Sun, J., Yao, X., Wang, R. & Mayer, G. (2022): Dawn of complex animal food webs: A new predatory anthozoan (Cnidaria) from Cambrian. Innovation 3:100195.
104. Oliveira, I.S. & Mayer, G. (2022): Phylum Onychophora. In: B. Schierwater & R. DeSalle (Eds) Invertebrate Zoology: A Tree of Life Approach. CRC Press, Oxon, 459–475.
103. Gross, V. & Mayer, G. (2022): Phylum Tardigrada. In: B. Schierwater & R. DeSalle (Eds) Invertebrate Zoology: A Tree of Life Approach. CRC Press, Oxon, 499–511.
102. Gross, V., Epple, L. & Mayer, G. (2021): Organization of the central nervous system and innervation of cephalic sensory structures in the water bear Echiniscus testudo (Tardigrada: Heterotardigrada) revisited. Journal of Morphology 282:1298–1312.
101. Vizueta, J., Escuer, P., Frías-López, C., Guirao-Rico, S., Hering, L., Mayer, G., Rozas, J. & Sánchez-Gracia, A. (2020): Evolutionary history of major chemosensory gene families across Panarthropoda. Molecular Biology and Evolution 37:3601–3615.
100. Martin, C., Hering, L., Metzendorf, N., Hormann, S., Kasten, S., Fuhrmann, S., Werckenthin, A., Herberg, F.W., Stengl, M. & Mayer, G. (2020): Analysis of pigment-dispersing factor neuropeptides and their receptor in a velvet worm. Frontiers in Endocrinology 11:273.
99. Ou, Q., Vannier, J., Yang, X., Chen, A., Mai, H., Shu, D., Han, J., Fu, D., Wang, R. & Mayer, G. (2020): Evolutionary trade-off in reproduction of Cambrian arthropods. Science Advances 6:eaaz3376.
98. Thomas, G.W.C., Dohmen, E., Hughes, D.S.T., Murali, S.C., Poelchau, M., Glastad, K., Anstead, C.A., Ayoub, N.A., Batterham, P., Bellair, M., Binford, G.J., Chao, H., Chen, Y.H., Childers, C., Dinh, H., Doddapaneni, H., Duan, J.J., Dugan, S., Esposito, L.A., Friedrich, M., Garb, J., Gasser, R.B., Goodisman, M.A.D., Gundersen-Rindal, D.E., Han, Y., Handler, A.M., Hatakeyama, M., Hering, L., Hunter, W.B., Ioannidis, P., Jayaseelan, J.C., Kalra, D., Khila, A., Korhonen, P.K., Lee, C.E., Lee, S.L., Li, Y., Lindsey, A.R.I., Mayer, G., McGregor, A.P., McKenna, D.D., Misof, B., Munidasa, M., Munoz-Torres, M., Muzny, D.M., Niehuis, O., Osuji-Lacy, N., Palli, S.R., Panfilio, K.A., Pechmann, M., Perry, T., Peters, R.S., Poynton, H.C., Prpic, N.-M., Qu, J., Rotenberg, D., Schal, C., Schoville, S.D., Scully, E.D., Skinner, E., Sloan, D.B., Stouthamer, R., Strand, M.R., Szucsich, N.U., Wijeratne, A., Young, N.D., Zattara, E.E., Benoit, J.B., Zdobnov, E.M., Pfrender, M.E., Hackett, K.J., Werren, J.H., Worley, K.C., Gibbs, R.A., Chipman, A.D., Waterhouse, R.M., Bornberg-Bauer, E., Hahn, M.W. & Richards, S. (2020): Gene content evolution in the arthropods. Genome Biology 21:15.
97. Oliveira, I.S.*, Kumerics, A.*, Jahn, H., Müller, M., Pfeiffer, F. & Mayer, G. (2019): Functional morphology of a lobopod: Case study of an onychophoran leg. Royal Society Open Science 6:191200. *Shared first authorship.
96. Gross, V. & Mayer, G. (2019): Cellular morphology of leg musculature in the water bear Hypsibius exemplaris (Tardigrada) unravels serial homologies. Royal Society Open Science 6:191159.
95. Baer, A., Oliveira, I.S., Schmidt, S., Harrington, M.J. & Mayer, G. (in press): Mechanismen der Natur als Vorbild für nachhaltige Biomaterialien: Einblicke in den „Sekundenkleber“ der Stummelfüßer. Biologie in unserer Zeit.
94. Baer, A., Schmidt, S., Mayer, G. & Harrington, M.J. (in press): Fibers on the fly: Multiscale mechanisms of fiber formation in the capture slime of velvet worms. Integrative and Comparative Biology.
93. Treffkorn, S., Lagos, O.Y.H. & Mayer, G. (2019): Evidence for cell turnover as the mechanism responsible for the transport of embryos towards the vagina in viviparous onychophorans (velvet worms). Frontiers in Zoology 16:16.
92. Baer, A., Horbelt, N., Nijemeisland, M., Garcia, S.J., Fratzl, P., Schmidt, S., Mayer, G. & Harrington, M.J. (2019): Shear-induced β-crystallite unfolding in condensed phase nanodroplets promotes fiber formation in a biological adhesive. ACS Nano 13:4992–5001.
91. Gross, V.*, Müller, M.*, Hehn, L., Ferstl, S., Allner, S., Dierolf, M., Achterhold, K., Mayer, G.**, & Pfeiffer, F.** (2019): X-ray imaging of a water bear offers a new look at tardigrade internal anatomy. Zoological Letters 5:14. * and ** equal contribution.
90. Treffkorn, S. & Mayer, G. (2019): Expression of NK genes that are not part of the NK cluster in the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli (Peripatopsidae). BMC Developmental Biology 19:7.
89. Gross, V.*, Treffkorn, S.*, Reichelt, J., Epple, L., Lüter, C., & Mayer, G. (2019): Miniaturization of tardigrades (water bears): Morphological and genomic perspectives. Arthropod Structure and Development 48:12–19. *Equal contribution.
88. Petersen, M., Armisen, D., Gibbs, R.A., Hering, L., Khila, A., Mayer, G., Richards, S. & Misof, B. (2019): Diversity and evolution of the transposable element repertoire in arthropods with particular reference to insects. BMC Evolutionary Biology 19:11.
87. Segura, B. & Mayer, G. (2019): Onicóforos de la Cordillera de la Costa de Chile. In: C. Smith-Ramírez & F.A. Squeo (Eds) Biodiversidad y Ecología de los Bosques Costeros de Chile. Editorial Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno, pp. 53–56.
86. Baer, A., Hänsch, S., Mayer, G., Harrington, M.J. & Schmidt, S. (2018): Reversible supramolecular assembly of velvet worm adhesive fibers via electrostatic interactions of charged phosphoproteins. Biomacromolecules 19:4034–4043.
85. Ou, Q. & Mayer, G. (2018): A Cambrian unarmored lobopodian, †Lenisambulatrix humboldti gen. et sp. nov., compared with new material of †Diania cactiformis. Scientific Reports 8:13667.
84. Schumann, I.*, Kenny, N., Hui, J., Hering, L.* & Mayer, G. (2018): Halloween genes in panarthropods and the evolution of the early moulting pathway in Ecdysozoa. Royal Society Open Science 5:180888. *Equal contribution.
83. Oliveira, I.S., Ruhberg, H., Rowell, D.M. & Mayer, G. (2018): Revision of Tasmanian viviparous velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) with descriptions of two new species. Invertebrate Systematics 32: 909–932.
82. Treffkorn, S., Kahnke, L., Hering, L. & Mayer, G. (2018): Expression of NK cluster genes in the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli: Implications for the evolution of NK family genes in nephrozoans. EvoDevo 9: 17.
81. Kirwan, J.D., Graf, J., Smolka, J., Mayer, G., Henze, M.J. & Nilsson, D.-E. (2018): Low resolution vision in a velvet worm (Onychophora). Journal of Experimental Biology 221: jeb175802.
80. Prathapan, K.D., Pethiyagoda, R., Bawa, K.S., Raven, P.H., Rajan, P.D. & 172 co-signatories from 35 countries (2018): When the cure kills—CBD limits biodiversity research. Science 360: 1405–1406.
79. Jahn, H., Oliveira, I.S., Gross, V., Martin, C., Hipp, A., Mayer, G. & Hammel, J.U. (2018): Evaluation of contrasting techniques for X-ray imaging of velvet worms (Onychophora). Journal of Microscopy 270: 343–358.
78. Gross, V., Bährle, R. &Mayer, G. (2018): Detection of cell proliferation in adults of the water bear Hypsibius dujardini (Tardigrada) via incorporation of a thymidine analog. Tissue and Cell 51: 77–83.
77. von Byern, J., Müller, C., Voigtländer, K., Dorrer, V., Marchetti-Deschmann, M., Flammang, P. & Mayer, G. (2017): Examples of Bioadhesives for Defence and Predation. In: S.N. Gorb & E.V. Gorb (Eds) Biologically-Inspired Systems 10: Functional Surfaces in Biology III: Diversity of the Physical Phenomena. Springer, Cham, pp. 141–191.
76. Müller, M., Oliveira, I.S., Allner, S., Ferstl, S., Bidola, P., Mechlem, K., Fehringer, A., Hehn, L., Dierolf, M., Achterhold, K., Gleich, B., Hammel, J.U., Jahn, H., Mayer, G. & Pfeiffer, F. (2017): Myoanatomy of the velvet worm leg revealed by laboratory-based nanofocus X-ray source tomography. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 114:12378–12383.
75. Ou, Q., Han, J., Zhang, Z., Shu, D., Sun, G. & Mayer, G. (2017): Three Cambrian fossils assembled into an extinct body plan of cnidarian affinity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 114: 8835–8840.
74. Baer, A., Schmidt, S., Haensch, S., Eder, M., Mayer, G. & Harrington, M. (2017): Mechanoresponsive lipid-protein nanoglobules facilitate reversible fibre formation in velvet worm slime. Nature Communications 8: 974.
73. Martin, C., Gross, V., Hering, L., Tepper, B., Jahn, H., Oliveira, I.S., Stevenson, P.A. & Mayer, G. (2017): The nervous and visual systems of onychophorans and tardigrades: learning about arthropod evolution from their closest relatives. Journal of Comparative Physiology A 203: 565–590.
72. Martin, C., Gross, V., Pflüger, H.J., Stevenson, P.A. & Mayer, G. (2017): Assessing segmental versus non-segmental features in the ventral nervous system of onychophorans (velvet worms). BMC Evolutionary Biology 17:3.
71. Gross, V., Minich, I. & Mayer, G. (2017): External morphogenesis of the tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini as revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Journal of Morphology 278: 563–573.
70. Treffkorn, S. & Mayer, G. (2017): Conserved versus derived patterns of controlled cell death during the embryonic development of two species of Onychophora (velvet worms). Developmental Dynamics 246: 403–416.
69. Oliveira, I.S. & Mayer, G. (2017): A new egg-laying onychophoran (Peripatopsidae) reveals evolutionary and biogeographical aspects of Australian velvet worms. Organisms Diversity & Evolution 17: 375–391.
68. Oliveira, I.S., Bai, M., Jahn, H., Gross, V., Martin, C., Hammel, J.U., Zhang, W. & Mayer, G. (2016): Earliest onychophoran in amber reveals Gondwanan migration patterns. Current Biology 26: 2594–2601. *Shared first authorship.
67. Pauli, T., Vedder, L., Dowling, D., Petersen, M., Meusemann, K., Donath, A., Peters, R.S., Podsiadlowski, L., Mayer, C., Liu, S., Zhou, X., Heger, P., Wiehe, T., Hering, L., Mayer, G., Misof, B. & Niehuis, O. (2016): Transcriptomic data from panarthropods shed new light on the evolution of insulator binding proteins in insects. BMC Genomics 17: 861.
66. Schumann, I., Hering, L. & Mayer, G. (2016): Immunolocalization of arthropsin in the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli (Peripatopsidae). Frontiers in Neuroanatomy 10: 80.
65. Hering, L., Bouameur, J.-E., Reichelt, J., Magin, T. M. & Mayer, G. (2016): Novel origin of lamin-derived cytoplasmic intermediate filaments in tardigrades. eLife 5:e11117.
64. Mayer, G. (2016): Onychophora. In: A. Schmidt-Rhaesa, S. Harzsch & G. Purschke (Eds) Structure and Evolution of Invertebrate Nervous Systems. Oxford University Press, Oxford, p. 390–401.
63. Martin, C. & Mayer, G. (2015): Insights into the segmental identity of post-oral commissures and pharyngeal nerves in Onychophora based on retrograde fills. BMC Neuroscience 16: 53.
62. Franke, F.A. & Mayer, G. (2015): Expression study of the hunchback ortholog in embryos of the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli. Development Genes and Evolution 225: 207–219.
61. Gross, V. & Mayer, G. (2015): Neural development in the tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini based on anti-acetylated α-tubulin immunolabeling. EvoDevo 6: 12.
60. Mayer, G., Hering, L., Stosch, J.M., Stevenson, P.A. & Dircksen, H. (2015): Evolution of pigment-dispersing factor neuropeptides in Panarthropoda: Insights from Onychophora (velvet worms) and Tardigrada (water bears). Journal of Comparative Neurology 523: 1865–1885.
59. Mayer, G., Oliveira, I.S., Baer, A., Hammel, J.U., Gallant, J. & Hochberg, R. (2015): Capture of prey, feeding, and functional anatomy of the jaws in velvet worms (Onychophora). Integrative and Comparative Biology 55: 217–227.
58. Beckmann, H., Hering, L., Henze, M.J., Kelber, A., Stevenson, P.A. & Mayer, G. (2015): Spectral sensitivity in Onychophora (velvet worms) revealed by electroretinograms, phototactic behaviour and opsin gene expression. Journal of Experimental Biology 218: 915–922.
57. Mayer, G., Franke, F.A., Treffkorn, S., Gross, V. & Oliveira, I.S. (2015): Onychophora. In: A. Wanninger (Ed.) Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Invertebrates 3: Ecdysozoa I: Non-tetraconata. Springer, Berlin, 53–98.
56. Gross, V., Treffkorn, S. & Mayer, G. (2015): Tardigrada. In: A. Wanninger (Ed.) Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Invertebrates 3: Ecdysozoa I: Non-tetraconata. Springer, Berlin, 35–52.
55. Oliveira, I.S., Lacorte, G.A., Weck-Heimann, A., Cordeiro, L.M., Wieloch, A.H. & Mayer, G. (2015): A new and critically endangered species and genus of Onychophora (Peripatidae) from the Brazilian savannah – a vulnerable biodiversity hotspot. Systematics and Biodiversity 13: 211–233.
54. Franke, F.A., Schumann, I., Hering, L. & Mayer, G. (2015): Phylogenetic analysis and expression patterns of Pax genes in the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli reveal a novel bilaterian Pax subfamily. Evolution & Development 17: 3–20.
53. Mayer, G., Martin, C., Oliveira, I.S., Franke, F.A. & Gross, V. (2014): Latest anomalocaridid affinities challenged. Nature 516: E1–E2.
52. Franke, F.A. & Mayer, G. (2014): Controversies surrounding segments and parasegments in Onychophora: Insights from the expression patterns of four "segment polarity genes" in the peripatopsid Euperipatoides rowelli. PLOS ONE 9(12): e114383.
51. Murdock, D.J.E., Gabbott, S.E., Mayer, G. & Purnell, M.A. (2014): Decay of velvet worms (Onychophora), and bias in the fossil record of lobopodians. BMC Evolutionary Biology 14: 222.
50. Hering, L. & Mayer, G. (2014): Analysis of the opsin repertoire in the tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini provides insights into the evolution of opsin genes in Panarthropoda. Genome Biology and Evolution 6: 2380–2391.
49. Baer, A., Oliveira, I.S., Steinhagen, M., Beck-Sickinger, A. & Mayer, G. (2014): Slime protein profiling: A non-invasive tool for species identification in Onychophora (velvet worms). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 52: 265–272.
48. Murienne, J., Daniels, S.R., Buckley, T.R., Mayer, G. & Giribet, G. (2014): A living fossil tale of Pangean biogeography. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 281: 1471–2954.
47. Oliveira, I.S., Lüter, C., Wolf, K.W. & Mayer, G. (2014): Evolutionary changes in the integument of the onychophoran Plicatoperipatus jamaicensis (Peripatidae). Invertebrate Biology 133: 274–280.
46. Martin, C. & Mayer, G. (2014): Neuronal tracing of oral nerves in a velvet worm – Implications for the evolution of the ecdysozoan brain. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy 8: 7.
45. Mayer, G. (2014): Book review: Arthropod Biology and Evolution – Molecules, Development, Morphology. Minelli A, Boxshall G, Fusco G (Eds). Springer, Heidelberg, 2013. 532 pp. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 52: 94.
44. Oliveira, I.S., Tait, N.N., Strübing, I. & Mayer, G. (2013): The role of ventral and preventral organs as attachment sites for segmental limb muscles in Onychophora. Frontiers in Zoology 10: 73.
43. Mayer, G., Martin, C., Rüdiger, J., Kauschke, S., Stevenson, P.A., Poprawa, I., Hohberg, K., Schill, R.O., Pflüger, H.-J. & Schlegel, M. (2013): Selective neuronal staining in tardigrades and onychophorans provides insights into the evolution of segmental ganglia in panarthropods. BMC Evolutionary Biology 13: 230.
42. Treffkorn, S. & Mayer, G. (2013): Expression of the decapentaplegic ortholog in embryos of the onychophoran Euperipatoides rowelli. Gene Expression Patterns 13: 384–394.
41. Oliveira, I.S. & Mayer, G. (2013): Apodemes associated with limbs support serial homology of claws and jaws in Onychophora (velvet worms). Journal of Morphology 274: 1180–1190.
40. Mayer, G., Kauschke, S., Rüdiger, J. & Stevenson, P.A. (2013): Neural markers reveal a one-segmented head in tardigrades (water bears). PLOS ONE 8(3): e59090.
39. Helm, C., Weigert, A., Mayer, G. & Bleidorn, C. (2013): Myoanatomy of Myzostoma cirriferum: Implications for the evolution of the myzostomid body plan. Journal of Morphology 274: 456–466.
38. Ruhberg, H. & Mayer, G. (2013): Onychophora, Stummelfüßer. In: W. Westheide & G. Rieger (Eds) Spezielle Zoologie. Teil 1. Einzeller und Wirbellose Tiere. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 457–464.
37. Stein, M. & Mayer, G. (2013): Fossile Panarthropoda. In: W. Westheide & G. Rieger (Eds) Spezielle Zoologie. Teil 1. Einzeller und Wirbellose Tiere. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 472–473.
36. Oliveira, I.S., Schaffer, S., Kvartalnov, P.V., Galoyan, E.A., Palko, I.V., Weck-Heimann, A., Geißler, P., Ruhberg, H. & Mayer, G. (2013): A new species of Eoperipatus (Onychophora) from Vietnam reveals novel morphological characters for the South-East Asian Peripatidae. Zoologischer Anzeiger 252: 495–510.
35. Mayer, G. & Oliveira, I.S. (2013): Phylum Onychophora Grube, 1853. In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness (Addenda 2013). Zootaxa 3703: 15–16.
34. Ou, Q., Shu, D. & Mayer, G. (2012): Cambrian lobopodians and extant onychophorans provide new insights into early cephalization in Panarthropoda. Nature Communications 3: 1261.
33. Haug, J.T., Mayer, G., Haug, C. & Briggs, D.E.G. (2012): A Carboniferous non-onychophoran lobopodian reveals long-term survival of a Cambrian morphotype. Current Biology 22: 1673–1675.
32. Hering, L., Henze, M.J., Kohler, M., Kelber, A., Bleidorn, C., Leschke, M., Nickel, B., Meyer, M., Kircher, M., Sunnucks, P. & Mayer, G. (2012): Opsins in Onychophora (velvet worms) suggest a single origin and subsequent diversification of visual pigments in arthropods. Molecular Biology and Evolution 29: 3451–3458.
31. Oliveira, I.S., Read, V.M.St.J. & Mayer, G. (2012): A world checklist of Onychophora (velvet worms), with notes on nomenclature and status of names. ZooKeys 211: 1–70.
30. Baer, A. & Mayer, G. (2012): Comparative anatomy of slime glands in Onychophora (velvet worms). Journal of Morphology 273: 1079–1088.
29. Jeffery, N.W., Oliveira, I.S., Gregory, T.R., Rowell, D.M. & Mayer, G. (2012): Genome size and chromosome number in velvet worms (Onychophora). Genetica 140: 497–504.
28. Oliveira, I.S., Franke, F.A., Hering, L., Schaffer, S., Rowell, D.M., Weck-Heimann, A., Monge-Nájera, J., Morera-Brenes, B. & Mayer, G. (2012): Unexplored character diversity in Onychophora (velvet worms): a comparative study of three peripatid species. PLOS ONE 7(12): e51220.
27. Oliveira, I.S., Lacorte, G.A., Fonseca, C.G., Wieloch, A.H. & Mayer, G. (2011): Cryptic speciation in Brazilian Epiperipatus (Onychophora: Peripatidae) reveals an underestimated diversity among the peripatid velvet worms. PLOS ONE 6(6):e19973.
26. Mayer, G. & Oliveira, I. S. (2011): Phylum Onychophora Grube, 1853. In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness. Zootaxa 3148: 98.
25. Whitington, P.M. & Mayer, G. (2011): The origins of the arthropod nervous system: insights from the Onychophora. Arthropod Structure & Development 40: 193–209.
24. Groh, C. & Mayer, G. (2011): Evolution of the arthropod nervous system. Part 1. Arthropod Structure & Development 40: 191–192.
23. Groh, C. & Mayer, G. (2011): Evolution of the arthropod nervous system. Part 2. Arthropod Structure & Development 40: 303.
22. Chisholm, R.H., Hughes, B.D., Landman, K.A., Mayer, G. & Whitington, P.M. (2011): When are cellular oscillators sufficient for sequential segmentation? Journal of Theoretical Biology 279: 150–160.
21. Allwood, J., Gleeson, D., Mayer, G., Daniels, S., Beggs, J., & Buckley, T.R. (2010): Support for vicariant origins of the New Zealand Onychophora fauna. Journal of Biogeography 37: 669–681.
20. Mayer, G., Whitington, P.M., Sunnucks, P. & Pflüger, H.-J. (2010): A revision of brain composition in Onychophora (velvet worms) suggests that the tritocerebrum evolved in arthropods. BMC Evolutionary Biology 10: 255.
19. Mayer, G., Kato, C., Quast, B., Chisholm, R.H., Landman, K.A. & Quinn, L.M. (2010): Growth patterns in Onychophora (velvet worms): lack of a localised posterior proliferation zone. BMC Evolutionary Biology 10: 339.
18. *Braband, A., *Cameron, S.L., Podsiadlowski, L., Daniels, S.R. & Mayer, G. (2010): The mitochondrial genome of the onychophoran Opisthopatus cinctipes (Peripatopsidae) reflects the ancestral mitochondrial gene arrangement of Panarthropoda and Ecdysozoa. *Equal contribution. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution 57: 285–292.
17. Braband, A., Podsiadlowski, L., Cameron, S.L., Daniels, S.R. & Mayer, G. (2010): Extensive duplication events account for multiple control regions and pseudogenes in the mitochondrial genome of the velvet worm Metaperipatus inae (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae). Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution 57: 293–300.
16. Oliveira, I.S., Wieloch, A.H. & Mayer, G. (2010): Revised taxonomy and redescription of two species of the Peripatidae (Onychophora) from Brazil: a step towards consistent terminology of morphological characters. Zootaxa 2493: 16–34.
15. Mayer, G. & Whitington, P.M. (2009): Velvet worm development links myriapods with chelicerates. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 276: 3571–3579.
14. Mayer, G. & Whitington, P.M. (2009): Neural development in Onychophora (velvet worms) suggests a step-wise evolution of segmentation in the nervous system of Panarthropoda. Developmental Biology 335: 263–275.
13. Mayer, G. & Tait, N.N. (2009): Position and development of oocytes in velvet worms shed light on the evolution of the ovary in Onychophora and Arthropoda. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 157: 17–33.
12. Podsiadlowski, L., Braband, A. & Mayer, G. (2008): The complete mitochondrial genome of the onychophoran Epiperipatus biolleyi reveals a unique transfer RNA set and provides further support for the Ecdysozoa hypothesis. Molecular Biology and Evolution 25: 42–51.
11. Mayer, G. & Harzsch, S. (2008): Distribution of serotonin in the trunk of Metaperipatus blainvillei (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae): Implications for the evolution of the nervous system in Arthropoda. Journal of Comparative Neurology 507: 1196–1208.
10. Mayer, G. & Harzsch, S. (2007): Immunolocalization of serotonin in Onychophora argues against segmental ganglia being an ancestral feature of arthropods. BMC Evolutionary Biology 7: 118.
9. Maas, A., Mayer, G., Kristensen, R.M., & Waloszek, D. (2007): A Cambrian micro-lobopodian and the evolution of arthropod locomotion and reproduction. Chinese Science Bulletin 52: 3385–3392.
8. Mayer, G. (2007): Metaperipatus inae sp. nov. (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) from Chile with a novel ovarian type and dermal insemination. Zootaxa 1440: 21–37.
7. Mayer, G. (2006): Structure and development of the onychophoran eyes – what is the ancestral visual organ in arthropods? Arthropod Structure & Development 35: 231–245.
6. Mayer, G. (2006): Origin and differentiation of nephridia in the Onychophora provide no support for the Articulata. Zoomorphology 125: 1–12.
5. Mayer, G. & Koch, M. (2005): Ultrastructure and fate of the nephridial anlagen in the antennal segment of Epiperipatus biolleyi (Onychophora, Peripatidae) – Evidence for onychophoran antennae being modified legs. Arthropod Structure & Development 34: 471–480.
4. Mayer, G., Bartolomaeus, T. & Ruhberg, H. (2005): Ultrastructure of mesoderm in embryos of Opisthopatus roseus (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae): Revision of the "Long Germ Band" hypothesis for Opisthopatus. Journal of Morphology 263: 60–70.
3. Mayer, G., Ruhberg, H. & Bartolomaeus, T. (2004): When an epithelium ceases to exist – An ultrastructural study on the fate of the embryonic coelom in Epiperipatus biolleyi (Onychophora, Peripatidae). Acta Zoologica 85: 163–170.
2. Mayer, G. & Bartolomaeus, T. (2003): Ciliary basal structures and their distribution in Rhabdopleura compacta (Pterobranchia). Meiofauna Marina 12: 85–95.
1. Mayer, G. & Bartolomaeus, T. (2003): Ultrastructure of the stomochord and the heart-glomerulus complex in Rhabdopleura compacta (Pterobranchia): phylogenetic implications. Zoomorphology 122: 125–133.