Book Description

Hardbound. The geographic and stratigraphic distribution of fossil nonmarine Ostracoda in the United States are summarized in this book, followed by diagnoses of the subject species, references to literature and 34 plates of illustrations.

This work shows the great diversity and usefulness of this interesting class of organisms which are small bivalved aquatic crustaceans that occupy both marine and nonmarine environments. Many are characteristic of estuarine and other tidal habitats, but only a few occupy hypersaline waters. One or two kinds are found in wet soils, or in leaf or flower cups in tropical rain forests. A few live in caves and others are commensal in gills of fish and other aquatic animals. Micropaleontologists have found their shells in many types of sedimentary rocks and have used them for stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental interpretations.

Their relatively rapid rates of evolution have made them useful in subsurface stratigraphy ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Understanding Fossils is the first introductory level palaeontology text which demonstrates the importance of fossils in geological and biological studies, particularly in understanding evolutionary patterns, palaeoenvironmental analysis, and stratigraphy. The book contains three parts. Part One explores several key concepts: the processes of fossil preservation, the determination of evolutionary patterns, ancient ecologies and use of fossils as stratigraphical tools. Part Two introduces the main fossil groups of value in these applied fields. Each group is described with reference to their most important characters, and each has summaries of classification, evolutionary history and applications. Part Three concentrates on the examination of important case histories which demonstrate the use of fossils in diverse practical examples. Evolutionary studies, palaeoenvironmental analysis and stratigraphical applications are documented using up-to-date examples supported by overviews of the principles. ... Read more

Book Description

Written for an introductory level, one-semester course, Dinosaurs: The Textbook, Second Edition, remains the only undergraduate text of its kind. Authored by respected paleontologist Spencer Lucas, this text provides a strong balance of background, dinosaur classes, and general topics. Combining an easily understood writing style with the latest research, Lucas objectively presents all theories and their contributions to our present knowledge. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dinosaurs the textbook
I have used two editions of this book as one of the texts for a general vertebrate paleontology course. The class, organismic biology majors, with some secondary science, PE., elementary education and geography majors, liked the clear writing, statement of objectives, and reviews of each chapter. Diagrams were also clear. It perhaps needs more background on plate tectonics, stratigraphy/sedimentation and extinction/bird origins. ... Read more

Book Description

A crucial task for paleontologists and paleobiologists is the reconstruction of the appearance, movements, and behavior of extinct vertebrates from studies of their bones or other, more rarely preserved parts. A related issue is the boundary between the scientific evidence for reconstruction and the need to resort to imagination. In this book, sixteen paleontologists and biologists discuss these questions, review the current status of functional studies of extinct vertebrates in the context of similar work on living animals, and present a broad philosophical view of the subject's development within the framework of phylogenetic analysis. The authors describe and debate methods for making realistic inferences of function in fossil vertebrates, and present examples where we may be confident that our reconstructions are both detailed and accurate. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume fulfils a long standing need of vertebrate palaeontologists, whether they be amateurs attending their first excavation, or preparators and curators, for a book that describes and explains modern palaeontological techniques and practice. The authors of this volume are all exceptional technicians in their field and the book covers everything from field specimen collecting, through conservation methods, chemical preparation, moulding, casting and painting, and mounting of vertebrate skeletons, to the final chapter devoted to the use of CT scans and X-ray methods. This book aims to describe modern preparatory techniques and skills that have usually only been passed down by example and demonstration, and that until now have rarely been standardized or put down in print. ... Read more

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Much needed textbook for Paleontology courses
This book fills a void often encountered in many textbooks in college paleontology courses, whether undergrad or postgrad.I have found it most useful in my field explorations as well as lab techniques and even in many beginning courses. This book rates more than 5 stars and I can't wait for Volume II to come out. I will be on the wish list for it. ... Read more

Book Description

Concise detailed review— amply illustrated—of the astonishing creatures that ruled the earth for some sixty million years, with particular emphasis on the tetrapods (four-legged vertebrates that lived during the years of reptilian dominance). Also examines interrelationships between amphibians and reptiles, birds and mammals, and between these creatures and their environments. Addition of new addendum by author updates text to present. 1965 ed.
... Read more

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Great Read
Very interesting description of reptiles from the earliest times into the dinosaurs. Colbert writes very well so he keeps your attention as he describes long ago vanished ecosystems. One nice thing is he pays alot of attention to all reptiles, not just dinosaurs that are basically the media favorite. The book is a relatively easy read good for the lay person interested in paleontology. ... Read more

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A summarisation of the topical paleoanthropological finds.
Since its first appearence in 1965,"Guide to Fossil Man" was considerably updated trough subsequent editions,so it is quite usable today as handy refference to main paleoanthropological finds,before more advanced atlases,encyclopedias,and other literature dealing with Human evolutionary anatomy,replace it for upper division courses.It containts selected osteological finds,presented in the form of files containing history of finding the specimen,faunal and sedimental contexts,estimated chronological framework,as well as detailed discussion on fossil find-descriptive,comparative,with some anthropometric data plus illustrative material.But there are also separate discusions on particular issues,with exposure of various hypothesis,and with particular refference to Neanderthal enigma Per Se,as well as their relation with origin of modern Humans.After every file,Author provided solid bibliography.This book is best scrutinisation of key finds,suitable for begginers in paleonthropology and archaeologist whose focus of interest is Peopling of Paleolithic. ... Read more

Book Description

The literature on Chinese fossil vertebrates is extremely difficult for Western scholars to assimilate and interpret. In part, this is because much of that literature is in Chinese, and few useful reviews exist in Western languages. Yet China has an extensive vertebrate fossil record, one that plays a key role in understanding the evolution of vertebrates. Spencer Lucas gives an up-to-date review and synthesis of the Chinese vertebrate fossil record that will greatly facilitate an understanding and further research into this outstanding fossil record. The book provides the reader with a comprehensive, chronologically ordered review of China´s vertebrate fossil record. It also presents a history of vertebrate paleontological studies in China and an entrée to some important issues of systematics, evolutionary history, paleoecology, taphonomy, and functional anatomy best elucidated by China´s fossils. This volume should therefore become an indispensable part of the library of any student of vertebrate evolution. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Chinese Fossil Vertebrates
Chinese Fossil Vertebrates written by Spencer G. Lucas is a well-written book that covers what we know of the history of Vertebrate Paleontological Studies.

China is the world's third largest nation. Its vast land area contains extensive exposures of sedimentary rocks, many of nonmarine origin. Serious scientific study of China's vertebrate fossil record began in the last century. This record extends back to the Early Cambrian, nearly 550 million years. Today, Chinese vertebrate fossils represent one of the most extensive and important records of vertebrate evolution.

China has a very complex geology that encompasses great thickness of sedimentary rock of Phanerozoic age. Equally complex is the plate tectonic history of China prior to the late Mesozoic. Most workers recognize that during the Paleozoic and much of the Mesooic, what is now Chinaa belonged to several microplates. South China encompasses the region south of the Qinling fold belt. North China is north of the Qinling fold belt, extending east of the Qilian Mountains.

This book employs concepts of vertebrate biochronology... the use of fossil vertebrates to discriminate intervals of geologic time... earlier advocated by Lucas. The Basic unit of vertebrate biochronology is the biochron. A Biochron is simply as interval of geologic time that corresponds to the duration of a taxon. Each vertebrate taxon has a corresponding biochron.

This book is divided according to time:

Cambrian-Ordovician
Silurian
Devonian
Carboniferous
Pernian
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
Paleogene
Miocene-Pilocene
Pleistocene

Each of these times represents a chapter in this book and each chapter is sub-divided as the vertebrate producing strata yeild its species via the biochron.

This is a scientific book and not a childrens book. There is a lot of information and nearly two decades of research experience within these pages. The text moves as the narrative is written in understandable language and you get a "feel" as to what it is like digging for vertebrate fossils... comparative analysis plays and important part in this book. All in all, this is an excellent text and fills a gap in the knowledge base of the times covered. ... Read more

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Reviews (1)

Palaeontologists - even more fun than dinosaurs!
This is a hard book to classify - a collection of personal essays by British palaeontologists (hence the spelling)describing their experiences as they travel to many countries to pursue their work. It's a sort of old-fashioned travel book about modern science.

They go to Asia, Africa, Antarctica, all over the planet, looking for whatever kind of fossils they happen to specialize in; but, though there's some information about their work, they are really writing about their travels - and what great stories! They get shot at, eat strange foods, camp out, meet strange and friendly peoples, and see wonders of nature and amazing ancient works of man.

Paleontology is a fascinating subject, no question, but are the scientists themselves really all such charming swashbucklers? After reading this book, I like to think so.

The book is beautifully illustrated with many color photos of the scientists, the places, the people, and the discoveries. ... Read more

Book Description

Dinosaurs are extinct now, but you can visit dinosaur skeletons in a museum. There you will meet Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Diplodocus and learn how they ruled the earth millions of years ago. You'll see dinosaurs with over 1,000 teeth, dinosaurs who could swim, meat-eaters and plant-eaters. And, of course, you'll meet the king of all dinosaurs, the gigantic Tyrannosaurus rex.

Reviews (4)

my visit to the dinosaurs review
My visit to the Dinosaurs is a book I would reccommend to any kid. This book is a very good book that has lots of pictures and teaches you a lot about dinosaurs. This book takes you through a dinosaur museum as you follow a young boy and his Father and sister. They give you cool facts that you might not have known about Dinosaurs. they show you all kinds of dinosaurs, small, tall, short and long. They tell you how you find Dinasours and other exciting facts. this book in my mind is deffenently one of my favorite children books.

A Favorite
Both of my sons enjoy this book...over and over and over. Anything about dinosaurs is popular, but this book even provides good educational information.

great for a 5 year old boy
My 5 year old son really enjoyed this book. It has good content at a reasonable length that held his attention. The art work is also good. It is simply a good book!

A wonderful children's introduction to dinosaurs.
Aliki's 'My Visit to the Dinosaurs' is an exciting and scientifically accurate adventure through the dinosaur hall of a museum of natural history. Children from pre-school up will enjoy their tour through this fascinating world through the eyes of a child. The supplemental audo cassettte is well recorded and easy to follow, an excellent way for your little one to learn how to read and increase their vocabulary. Occasional comments by Prof. Franklin Branley, former Director of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City are an added treat. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

"I Can Read About" Books explore the world around us, from the mysteries of space to the wonders of undersea life, and everything in between.With colorful illustrations and clear text, "I Can Read About" books makes reading an eye-opening adventure. ... Read more

Book Description

This book discusses the Pleistocene amphibians and reptiles in Britain and the European continent eastward through present-day Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Yugoslavian republics, and Greece. ... Read more

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Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain. M.J.Benton & P.S.Spencer
Published as Volume 10 in the Geological Review Series of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the primary task of this commissioned book was to identify and notify geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) which would then come under the protection of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981).

Professor Benton is a leading academic in the field of British Vertebrate Palaeontology, and this book is an extensive work of original research, fully referenced: over 1,150 literature sources are cited. It is illustrated throughout with geological maps and tables, reptilian specimen drawings and reconstructions, and on-site photographs. It describes in detail his final selection of 50 SSSIs, explaining the special interest, palaeontological significance and heritage value of the specimens which each site has yielded. It goes far beyond the official requirements, providing a valuable reference source on the history of British vertebrate palaeontology, and an authoritative synopsis of current scientific opinion regarding the status and significance of British fossil reptiles. ... Read more