Vertebrate Paleontology: Biology and Evolution

An introductory text providing a readable and up-to-date treatment of the history of vertebrates. Based on the author's combined teaching and research, the book provides a unified account of the whole range of vertebrate groups and presents new lines of research in palaeobiology and phylogeny. The contents follow a classical time-evolutionary sequence and topics are arranged in such a way that basic morphological and palaentological information alternates with special themes. The book covers all the main steps in the evolution of the vertebrate groups and presents samples of the latest analyses of palaeoecology, functional morphology, together with current opinions on evolutionary rates and cladistics. Chordate origins and the appearance of early fish are dealt with in the opening chapters, and the book continues with the development and radiation of amphibians, early reptiles and reptiles of the Triassic Period. The later diversity and adaptations of fish are described before leading into the age of dinosaurs. The book progresses by describing the evolution of birds and mammals, and concludes with a presentation of the latest information on human evolution. The text is fully supported by many specially prepared illustrations and photographs of specimens, reconstructions and scenes. A notable feature of the work is that it also outlines some of the key research problems in this field and gives an introduction to a broad range of current analytical approaches that have been adopted by scientists throughout the world. The work is sure to be of value to students of zoology and geology, and will afford fresh insights into one of the most perplexing and contentious fields of scientific study.