Evolution of optically and IR-selected galaxies from deep multicolor surveys

An analysis of the galaxy evolution from deep multicolor imaging of optically and infrared selected galaxies is presented and compared with current models of galaxy formation and evolution. A very deep K=20-23) sample of optically and infrared selected galaxies from ESO/VLT and HST surveys like the HDF South, Chandra Deep Field, NTT Deep Field is being analyzed. First results are shown in terms of the high redshift rest frame UV luminosity density and rest frame blue luminosity function and compared with predictions of CDM hierarchical models for galaxy formation and evolution. The observations show an excess of bright sources at very high redshifts 5 z <6 respect to the expectations of the CDM models. At the same time the models predict too many dwarfs especially at intermediate and high redshifts. Possible explanations for these discrepancies are briefly discussed.