Best Paleozoology
The most comprehensive book on pterosaurs ever published Features some 200 illustrations, including original paintings by the author Covers every known species and major group of pterosaurs Describes pterosaur anatomy, ecology, behaviors, diversity, and more Encourages further study with 500 references to primary pterosaur literature. Witton manages to make this an attractive book for the layperson and bring these flying fossils to life." "Witton's new tribute to pterosaurs gives these fantastic fossil creatures a much-needed makeover in two crucial ways. Not only does the book bring the science of pterosaurs up to date--at long last following-up other classics such as David Unwin's The Pterosaurs and Peter Wellenhofer's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs --but Witton is a highly-skilled and imaginative artist who ably reconstructs the bones of the animals and brings them back to life in startling poses. Witton's pterosaurs are fantastical creatures deserving their own time in the spotlight. Witton's combination of style and substance makes Pterosaurs a true treasure and an absolute must for anyone curious about the extinct flyers." "This really is the ultimate guide to pterosaurs, providing us with a richer view of pterosaur diversity and behaviour than allowed in the two previous great volumes on the group (Wellnhofer 1991, Unwin 2005) and containing a substantial amount of review and analysis of pterosaur ecology and functional morphology." His 292-page book is the most comprehensive and authoritative book to come along since Peter Wellnhofer's classic Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs back in 1991." "The joy of Pterosaurs is how it brings long extinct animals to life."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The last is the subject of today's review. Bird wings are made of feathers attached to their (relatively short arms). Bat wings are made from skin stretched between the body and between five elongated fingers. Pterosaur wings were made from skin stretched from the body to an enormously elongated fourth finger, which is unique among vertebrates. There are enough fossils preserving the soft tissue of pterosaur wings, which is typically a few millimeters thick, that we can tell the wings contained, starting from the ventral side, a layer of blood vessels, a layer of muscle, and a layer of semi-rigid fibers. They had bones with very thin walls (presumably for lightness). They also had long tails with a rhomboid shaped vane at the end. The fact that pterosaur bones are hollow means that most fossils end up looking like “roadkill,” and the fine anatomical details, such as the shape of the joints, is usually erased. The real uniqueness of Witton's "Pterosaurs," compared to Unwin's book, is in the15 chapters on individual pterosaur subgroups. These chapters can be a little tough to get through in spots, since they are something like a professional review article, but that makes this book useful for professionals as well as interested amateurs like us. The first thing you learn is that pterosaur group names are pretty hard to remember (Anurognathidae, Wukongopteridae, Ctenochasmotoidae, etc.). But the important thing is that if you look within each group there is a tremendous diversity: longer vs. shorter heads, teeth vs. no teeth, crests vs. crests, larger vs. smaller legs and feet, long wings vs. short, claws on the hand vs. no claws, etc. Also, while we are pretty sure more groups of pterosaur are not likely to be identified, we know hardly anything about some groups like the Lonchodectidae because their remains are just so fragmentary. We see more of the latter now because we have more specimens with preserved soft tissue and/or we now know to look for soft tissue in fossils with ultraviolet light. While a number of authors have suggested crests could have some aerodynamic or thermal function, it is most likely they were for sexual display since closely related species have different crests. I enjoyed them and they get the point across, but they struck me as more "artistic" than "scientific", compared to comparable illustrations by, say, John Gurche. This book is well worth reading and is available at a reasonable price."
"It's hard to balance the scientific accuracy with color speculation, but sometimes it helps make a painting sharper."
"Combines a fine historical perspective with latest materials. regarding the evolution of flight in birds and pterosaurs."
"Gorgeous book with a ton of information to absorb and further research..."
"I'm a lay person interested in prehistoric animals, and found this book incredibly useful as a way to learn more about pterosaurs."
"The Kindle version completely loses this link because the kindle technology and size are pathetic for this type of reproduction."
"I appreciate that the author is frank about being opinionated: he gives alternative viewpoints on contentious points, along with the reasons he doesn't agree with them, and it's away more informative and refreshing than the usual pretense of academic impartiality."
"Came with a big cut on the back cover/cover protector, but it was minor and didn't effect the quality."
Quantitative Paleozoology describes and illustrates how the remains of long-dead animals recovered from archaeological and paleontological excavations can be studied and analyzed.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A fundamental textbook in zooarchaeology."
The most comprehensive book on pterosaurs ever published Features some 200 illustrations, including original paintings by the author Covers every known species and major group of pterosaurs Describes pterosaur anatomy, ecology, behaviors, diversity, and more Encourages further study with 500 references to primary pterosaur literature. Witton manages to make this an attractive book for the layperson and bring these flying fossils to life." -- Natural History "Witton's new tribute to pterosaurs gives these fantastic fossil creatures a much-needed makeover in two crucial ways. Not only does the book bring the science of pterosaurs up to date--at long last following-up other classics such as David Unwin's The Pterosaurs and Peter Wellenhofer's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs --but Witton is a highly-skilled and imaginative artist who ably reconstructs the bones of the animals and brings them back to life in startling poses. Witton's pterosaurs are fantastical creatures deserving their own time in the spotlight. Witton's combination of style and substance makes Pterosaurs a true treasure and an absolute must for anyone curious about the extinct flyers." "This really is the ultimate guide to pterosaurs, providing us with a richer view of pterosaur diversity and behaviour than allowed in the two previous great volumes on the group (Wellnhofer 1991, Unwin 2005) and containing a substantial amount of review and analysis of pterosaur ecology and functional morphology." His 292-page book is the most comprehensive and authoritative book to come along since Peter Wellnhofer's classic Illustrated Encyclopedia of Pterosaurs back in 1991." "The joy of Pterosaurs is how it brings long extinct animals to life."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The last is the subject of today's review. Bird wings are made of feathers attached to their (relatively short arms). Bat wings are made from skin stretched between the body and between five elongated fingers. Pterosaur wings were made from skin stretched from the body to an enormously elongated fourth finger, which is unique among vertebrates. There are enough fossils preserving the soft tissue of pterosaur wings, which is typically a few millimeters thick, that we can tell the wings contained, starting from the ventral side, a layer of blood vessels, a layer of muscle, and a layer of semi-rigid fibers. They had bones with very thin walls (presumably for lightness). They also had long tails with a rhomboid shaped vane at the end. The fact that pterosaur bones are hollow means that most fossils end up looking like “roadkill,” and the fine anatomical details, such as the shape of the joints, is usually erased. The real uniqueness of Witton's "Pterosaurs," compared to Unwin's book, is in the15 chapters on individual pterosaur subgroups. These chapters can be a little tough to get through in spots, since they are something like a professional review article, but that makes this book useful for professionals as well as interested amateurs like us. The first thing you learn is that pterosaur group names are pretty hard to remember (Anurognathidae, Wukongopteridae, Ctenochasmotoidae, etc.). But the important thing is that if you look within each group there is a tremendous diversity: longer vs. shorter heads, teeth vs. no teeth, crests vs. crests, larger vs. smaller legs and feet, long wings vs. short, claws on the hand vs. no claws, etc. Also, while we are pretty sure more groups of pterosaur are not likely to be identified, we know hardly anything about some groups like the Lonchodectidae because their remains are just so fragmentary. We see more of the latter now because we have more specimens with preserved soft tissue and/or we now know to look for soft tissue in fossils with ultraviolet light. While a number of authors have suggested crests could have some aerodynamic or thermal function, it is most likely they were for sexual display since closely related species have different crests. I enjoyed them and they get the point across, but they struck me as more "artistic" than "scientific", compared to comparable illustrations by, say, John Gurche. This book is well worth reading and is available at a reasonable price."
"It's hard to balance the scientific accuracy with color speculation, but sometimes it helps make a painting sharper."
"Combines a fine historical perspective with latest materials. regarding the evolution of flight in birds and pterosaurs."
"Gorgeous book with a ton of information to absorb and further research..."
"I'm a lay person interested in prehistoric animals, and found this book incredibly useful as a way to learn more about pterosaurs."
"The Kindle version completely loses this link because the kindle technology and size are pathetic for this type of reproduction."
"I appreciate that the author is frank about being opinionated: he gives alternative viewpoints on contentious points, along with the reasons he doesn't agree with them, and it's away more informative and refreshing than the usual pretense of academic impartiality."
"Came with a big cut on the back cover/cover protector, but it was minor and didn't effect the quality."
Best Paleobiology
Prothero’s discussion of intelligent design arguments includes more historical examples and careful examination of the “experiments” and observations that are exploited by creationists seeking to undermine sound science education. By concentrating the diverse scientific literature into numerous lucid examples, Donald R. Prothero does the fields of geology, biology, and science education a major service. He provides a unique source that will be invaluable to college professors and high school teachers alike, and because his book provides abundant, clearly described examples of evolution in the fossil record, and also synthesizes important information about the Bible, it will make a valuable addition to any scientist’s library.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"And yet the instant the word "evolution" pops up, a large portion of our population still throws up an endless series of flimsy and in some cases ridiculous defenses that insist that it just isn't--can't be!--so. But it does add a few more planks of reason to this growing edifice of facts about the process of evolution."
"I have a degree in Biology (and left the "pure sciences" for medical school) yet I had trouble keeping up with his frequent references to various periods and epochs. I would also imagine that those untrained in biology would have a difficult time keeping up with lengthy un-illustrated descriptions of anatomy."
"By citation of specific anatomical changes over time Prothero demonstrates in meticulous detail what is currently known about the transitions from species to species. Also important, Prothero discusses the predictive power of evolutionary theory by citing examples of scientists' extrapolations beyond known anatomical structures to what would be expected if one species really were transitioning to another species. The author clearly demonstrates the existance of transitional forms ("missing links") from invertebrates to vertebrates to fish to amphibians to reptiles to mammals."
"This is the best book on the fossil record I've ever read. It's one of the best science books I've ever read. You won't realise how deep the fossil record is just of hominids, or dinosaurs, or synapsids, or prehistoric mammals."
"Mr. Prothero clearly explains what the rocks say, how they say it, and how it proves Evolution is an accurate description of how we've come to the place we are today."
"Prothero is the consummate scientist."
Best Vertebrate Paleontology
Now extensively revised and expanded Covers nearly 750 dinosaur species, including scores of newly discovered ones Provides startling new perspectives on the famed Brontosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Features nearly 700 color and black-and-white drawings and figures, including life studies, scenic views, and skull and muscle drawings Includes color paleo-distribution maps and a color time line Describes anatomy, physiology, locomotion, reproduction, and growth of dinosaurs, as well as the origin of birds and the extinction of nonavian dinosaurs. Honorable Mention for the 2010 PROSE Award in Single Volume Reference/Science, Association of American Publishers. "Mr. Paul's book takes up the task of bringing readers up to date with the current view of these animals, adding a spate of new species that have popped up since its initial publication in 2010. . [This book shows] the unexpected variety that life is capable of and raise[s] the question of what the next 235 million years will bring." "You'll never need to decide whether that massive beast lumbering through your front yard is Chasmosaurus belli or C. sternbergi , but if you did, this would be a handy book to have on your windowsill. "Artist and researcher Gregory S. Paul describes hundreds of dinosaur species in this richly illustrated compendium. Learn how beasts ranging from Allosaurus to zuniceratops grew, moved and reproduced--and how they eventually went extinct." Indeed, Paul is to be credited for pulling so much information together into one volume, as well as for illustrating so many skeletons (some dinosaurs no doubt discovered while the book was in press.)". "The publication of Gregory Paul's The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs is cause for celebration for all who share a fascination with this diverse family of animals. introduction summarizing the history of dinosaurs research, evolution, biology, energetics, behavior, and distribution. The species are presented in phylogenic order and meticulously and beautifully illustrated following the current state of our knowledge of posture and shape." Incorporating the latest discoveries and research that are radically transforming what we know about dinosaurs, this book is distinguished both by its scientific accuracy and the quality and quantity of its illustrations. "Lavishly filled with fossil forms and drawn interpretations of their outward appearance, the guide covers the entire spectrum of dinosaur species. The color images of some of the rock stars of the Age of Dinosaurs, from T-Rex to Triceratops, will enthrall any youngster with a yen for these ancient beasts. Paul has revitalized and re-invented the depiction of dinosaurs in recent decades, and the book brings the breadth of their lost world to today's readers." The first 60 pages of the book provide an introduction to dinosaur biology, morphology and techniques for studying these fossils.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The 2nd edition of The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs was one I looked forward to reading ever since it was announced. For anyone into dinosaurs, this is a perfect guide into telling a T. rex from a Titanosaur to a Carnotaurus from a Chasmosaurus; each animal for which there is good material is shown with a skeleton and a lifelike illustration that shows just what it might have looked like, with accurate information regarding when, where, and with what it lived, making it well worth its price."
"Clear and concise text--great resource!"
"Excellent, extremely professional research, equally interesting for adult readers and kids."
"A necessary additional to any amateur paleontologists library."
"Delivery is so fast and very good book!"
"Hopefully this release signifies an intent to continue to update The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs on an ongoing basis."
"I had ordered this book in the expectation of it having more changes regarding the information on the newer dinosaur discoveries (especially Spinosaurus)."
"Though I am not a collector of fossils (i do collect minerals though), just someone who is very interested in the past and wanting to know more about those enigmatic 'monsters' of the past, and more than just a pretty picture book."