palaeontology

This title is not held in stock but we are happy to supply on special order. Please contact us. Vertebrate palaeontology is a lively field, with new discoveries being reported every week. This new edition reflects the international scope of vertebrate palaeontology, with a special focus on exciting new finds from China. Completely revised, the cladistic framework is strengthened, and new functional and developmental spreads are added. Study aids include: key questions, research to be done, and recommendations of further reading and web sites. The book is designed for palaeontology courses in biology and geology departments. It is also aimed at enthusiasts who want to experience the flavour of how the research is done. The book is strongly phylogenetic, and this makes it a source of current data on vertebrate evolution.

The fossil record of insects is incredibly diverse in terms of taxonomic scope, age range (Devonian to recent), mode of preservation (amber and rock) and geographical distribution (fossil insects have been recorded from all continents, including Antarctica). In Fossil Insects the authors aim to help bridge the palaeontology–entomology gap by providing a broadly accessible introduction to some of the best preserved fossil insects from a wide range of deposits from around the globe, many of which are beautifully illustrated by colour photographs. Also covered are insect behaviour and ecology in the fossil record, sub-fossil insects, trace fossils and insect species longevity.

Dominating the early oceans of the world, Trilobites are extinct arthropods that evolved into a bewildering array of different forms. Fossil trilobite remains are found on every continent. This book shows some of the best preserved, complete examples from many different countries and includes specimens collected from many ‘classic’ old localities. This book will appeal to everybody interested in trilobites, from academics to fossil enthusiasts and collectors, who will all enjoy the sheer beauty and variety of the trilobites illustrated. This book features almost 700 species, illustrated by 1,000 colour photographs.

For 150 million years the skies belonged to the pterosaurs. These flying reptiles, which include the pterodactyls, shared the world with the nonavian dinosaurs until their extinction 65 million years ago. Some pterosaurs, such as the giant azhdarchids, had wingspans exceeding thirty feet and standing heights comparable to modern giraffes. This richly illustrated book takes an unprecedented look at these astonishing creatures, presenting the latest findings on their anatomy, ecology, and extinction. After decades of mystery, palaeontologists have finally begun to understand how pterosaurs are related to other reptiles, how they functioned as living animals, and, how, despite their size, they managed to become airborne. Here you can explore the fossil evidence of pterosaur behaviour and ecology, learn about the skeletal and soft-tissue anatomy of pterosaurs, and consider the newest theories about their cryptic origins. This one-of-a-kind book covers the discovery history, paleobiogeography, anatomy, and behaviours of more than 130 species of pterosaur, and also discusses their demise at the end of the Mesozoic. The most comprehensive book on pterosaurs ever published.

Provides general and up to date background information on the overall importance and diversity of fossil spiders, including an indication of those groups for which the taxonomy is spurious and in need of reassessment. Discusses the techniques available for working with fossil spiders and some of the problems encountered by palaeoarachnologists, including bias and limitations of the spider fossil record. The overall evolutionary history of spiders is summarized in the form of an evolutionary tree, which is subsequently used to address key issues of broad interest, such as origins, diversifications and extinctions, including the effects of mass extinctions and predator-prey co-radiations. Finally, the contribution that fossil data can make to understanding the past and present biogeography of the order is considered.

This book provides the first historical account of the origin, rise, and importance of palaeobiology, from the mid-nineteenth century to the late 1980s. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, Sepkoski shows how the movement was conceived and promoted by a small but influential group of palaeontologists – including Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge, among others – and examines the intellectual, disciplinary, and political dynamics involved in the ascendancy of palaeobiology. By emphasizing the close relationship between palaeobiology and other evolutionary disciplines, this book writes a new chapter in the history of evolutionary biology, while also offering insights into the dynamics of disciplinary change in modern science.