Dinosaurs and the prehistoric world: general interest Books
Princeton University Press What Bugged the Dinosaurs
Book SynopsisShows how insects dominated life on the planet and played a significant role in the life and death of the dinosaurs. Analyzing exotic insects fossilized in Cretaceous amber at three major deposits in Lebanon, Burma, and Canada, this work reconstructs the complex ecology of a hostile prehistoric world inhabited by voracious swarms of insects.Trade Review"[An] ambitious foray... The excellent colour pictures of fossil insects in Cretaceous amber are spectacular and evocative. This book shows that bloodsucking insects were well-established in the age of dinosaurs ... it is in the area of parasites and pathogens that this book startles. This book ... opens doors and invites questions ... and the accounts of the scientific endeavours cannot fail to impress."--Gaden Robinson, Times Literary Supplement "[A] detailed study of insects' role in the life and extinction of Cretaceous plants and animals. In scientific but straightforward language, the Poinars advance convincingly the thesis that insects acted as vectors for pathogens, spreading bacteria, fungi and viruses to plants as well as dinosaurs, who then passed it on to others. Using current examples like Dutch elm disease, speculative scenarios of Cretaceous life and plenty of research data, the authors add an intriguing new dimension to the dinosaur apocalypse narrative: periods of temperature change, marine regression, volcanic eruptions, and one or more meteor impacts... A perfect setting for the spread of diseases."--Publishers Weekly "Dinosaurs are usually portrayed as the pristine masters of the Cretaceous. George and Roberta Poinar's new book presents a different view--dinosaurs besieged by swarms of insects; dinosaurs with oozing, infected bites; dinosaurs weakened by parasite-induced illnesses. What Bugged the Dinosaurs? draws on the Poinars' many studies of fossils in amber to show how dinosaurs interacted with their more abundant invertebrate contemporaries. Reconstructing ancient ecosystems is an ambitious undertaking. Integrative approaches such as those in What Bugged the Dinosaurs? help us build up more sophisticated visions of the past."--Karen Chin, Nature "Whether or not you accept the authors' conclusion, they make a strong case that the true rulers of the Cretaceous were not the big lizards that towered over the landscape, but the tiny buggers that pervaded it."--Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History "What Bugged the Dinosaurs tells the story of insects' tremendous impact on Cretaceous ecosystems...There are fascinating chapters on the evolution of pathogens, what makes insects 'the ultimate survivors,' and the nature of extinctions...The scientific and, at times, technical, subject of this book is complemented by an often colorful narrative style...worthwhile for lay readers as well as experts."--Aaron Brooks, ForeWord Magazine "The Poinars graphically detail the probably diseases, debilitations, and deaths of dinosaurs from the life-cycle perspective of insects that infested them. The Poinars directly encourage younger readers by emphasizing how wide open paleoentomology is to future researchers. They impart enthusiasm in recounting their own discoveries...a mood supported by this book's several dozen photographs and drawings. Showing dinosaurs beleaguered, the Poinars temper the popular image of their dominance."--Gilbert Taylor, Booklist "Thanks to the astonishingly detailed evidence provided by insects trapped in amber, we know that insects competed with dinosaurs for food preyed on them, scavenged their corpses and cleared away their droppings. Most importantly perhaps, they infected them with thousands of different diseases and parasites. The authors...even go so far as to argue that these diseases may have been the killing blow that finally pushed the dinosaurs into extinction. [What Bugged the Dinosaurs?] does an excellent job of bringing to life the mini-beasts of the Mesozoic."--Luis Villazon, BBC Focus Magazine "The book deftly guides readers through the science essential to understanding...that it is impossible to describe life in the Cretaceous Period without paying particular attention to insects. Chapter by chapter, the authors introduce a wide range of insect species that bite, swarm, irritate, and even take up residence within and on the dinosaurs. They draw their stories from the fossil record, especially the amber of their expertise, comparing Cretaceous insects with their present-day descendents. Readers follow the authors into the laboratory where they analyze delicate evidence in the form of magnificent color images. Readers who love paleontology will feel the same way about this remarkable book, savoring its fascinating trove of questions and knowledge."--Fred Bortz, Philadelphia Inquirer "The Poinars bring the age of the dinosaurs incredibly to life. Analyzing exotic insects fossilized in Cretaceous amber ... they reconstruct the complex ecology of a hostile prehistoric world inhabited by voracious swarms of insects. The Poinars draw upon tantalizing new evidence ... to provide a unique view of how insects infected with malaria, leishmania, and other pathogens ... could have devastated dinosaur populations. This is a scientific adventure story from the authors whose research inspired Jurassic Park... A fine book full of information found nowhere else."--Prehistoric Times "The reader...will come away from this volume fully accepting of its premise. We will certainly add this thesis to our own compendium because of the evidence presented by the Poinars. What Bugged the Dinosaurs? is positioned to be a definitive treatise that should be a part of any serious paleontologist's library."--Greg Sweatt, Fossil News "There are many theories about what factors ultimately caused the mass extinction of non-avian dinosaurs at the close of the Cretaceous period 65.5 million years ago... Using amber-preserved fossils from the Cretaceous period, George Poinar and Roberta Poinar focus on insects and other invertebrates. The brief, well-written chapters each discuss certain arthopods (or parasitic worms)... Some accounts are not for the squeamish, but they all fascinate... Valuable for all ecology students."--J. C. Kricher, Wheaton College, for CHOICE "This is an assiduously written book for entomologists and parasitologists who would like to learn more on the time-encapsulated data from the Cretaceous, and perhaps stimulate the search for more 'paleoparasites.'"--Raymond L. Jacobson, Parasites and Vectors "This is an enlightening read."--Wildlife Activist "This volume is not simply a dry exposition of an interesting theory. Good descriptive writing makes the ancient landscape the authors explore come alive. The book is highly recommended for undergraduate and graduate collections and public libraries."--Bruce E. Fleury, Science Books & Film "I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in dinosaurs and prehistoric life in general. It has changed the way I imagine the Cretaceous and the extinction of the dinosaurs and I am sure it will open up new avenues of thought in this area."--Lucy Goodchild, Microbiology TodayTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Fossils: A Time Capsule 7 Chapter 2: The Cretaceous: A Time of Change 17 Chapter 3: Herbivory 37 Chapter 4: Dinosaurs Competing with Insects 50 Chapter 5: Did Dinosaurs or Insects "Invent" Flowering Plants? 55 Chapter 6: Pollination 57 Chapter 7: Blights and Diseases of Cretaceous Plants 63 Chapter 8: The Cretaceous: Age of Chimeras and Other Oddities 72 Chapter 9: Sanitary Engineers of the Cretaceous 79 Chapter 10: The Case for Entomophagy among Dinosaurs 91 Chapter 11: Gorging on Dinosaurs 102 Chapter 12: Biting Midges 110 Chapter 13: Sand Flies 116 Chapter 14: Mosquitoes 122 Chapter 15: Blackflies 127 Chapter 16: Horseflies and Deerflies 131 Chapter 17: Fleas and Lice 135 Chapter 18: Ticks and Mites 141 Chapter 19: Parasitic Worms 147 Chapter 20: The Discovery of Cretaceous Diseases 157 Chapter 21: Diseases and the Evolution of Pathogens 171 Chapter 22: Insects: The Ultimate Survivors 185 Chapter 23: Extinctions and the K/T Boundary 192 APPENDIX A: Cretaceous Hexapoda 203 APPENDIX B: Key Factors Contributing to the Survival of Terrestrial Animals 219 APPENDIX C: Problems with Evaluating the Fossil Record and Extinctions 221 References 225 Index 253
£22.50
Johns Hopkins University Press The Sauropod Dinosaurs
Book SynopsisTrade Review... the book is exceedingly well written-the text is captivating, without resorting to hyperbole or oversimplification. Recommended. Choice Every time you open this book you will find something new and interesting about these giant animals! -- Raif (age 6!) Kid's Book BuzzTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments1. Sizing Up Sauropods2. Parting of the Ways3. A Sauropod Field Guide4. Of Bones and Bridges5. Brontosaur Biology6. Conifer Cuisine7. A Sauropod in the Lab8. The Next Generation9. Predator and Prey10. The Ancient Race11. End of Eden?12. Summing Up SauropodsGlossarySources and Suggested ReadingPhotography and Illustration CreditsIndex
£29.70
University of Texas Press Dinosaurs and Other Ancient Animals of Big Bend
Book SynopsisA time-traveling field guide to the ancient version of Big Bend National Park. The sheer beauty of Big Bend National Park, along the shores of the Rio Grande in west Texas, never fails to astonish. Yet what lies beneath this natural treasure may be even more extraordinary than what meets the eye. Hidden in the rocks of Big Bend are the remains of giants: toothy sea lizards, enormous flying reptiles, and dinosaurs. Dinosaurs and Other Ancient Animals of Big Bend is a field guide to what once was. Inspired by the latest research, Cindi Sirois Collins and Asher Elbein imagine what it was like to walk among the plants and animals whose fossil remains tell the story of evolution and geological transformation in this singular landscape. We glimpse the drama of Big Bend’s rugged landscape in creation—the desert’s emergence from retreating oceans and volcanic eruptions. Immersive vignettes introduce dinosaurs, giant fish, and saber-toothed Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1. Fossil Hunting in Big Bend Chapter 2. The March of Time in Big Bend Chapter 3. Marine Big Bend: The Boquillas and Pen Formations Chapter 4. Dinosaur Floodplains: The Aguja, Javelina, and Cretaceous Black Peaks Formations Chapter 5. Rivers and Ash: The Paleogene Black Peaks, Hannold Hill, and the Combined Formations Chapter 6. Cool Forests, Drying Plains: The Delaho, Banta Shut-In, and the “Pleistocene” Formations Acknowledgments Suggestions for Further Reading Bibliography Index
£17.99
Tramuntana Cara a Cara Con Los Dinosaurios
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£27.47
Libsa, Editorial S.A. El Gran Libro de Los Dinosaurios
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£14.43
Blume El Mundo Perdido de Los Dinosaurios
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£6.59
DK Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life
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£17.99
DK Fossils
Book SynopsisThe clearest and sharpest recognition guide to over 500 invertebrate, vertebrate, and plant fossils from around the world. This comprehensive pocket guide is the perfect introduction to finding, identifying, and collecting fossils. It features more than 500 species of plant and animal fossils, from trilobites and megafauna to dinosaurs and ancient trees. This handbook cuts through the complicated identification process with expertly written and thoroughly vetted text that features precise description, enabling you to recognize a species instantly. Over 1,000 photographs, with illuminating annotations, help you pick out a fossil's chief characteristics and distinguishing features, while a color illustration shows the fossil as a living plant or animal. The detailed introduction explains what a fossil is and how they are classified. Start building your own collection with advice on where to look for fossils, what tools and safety equipment are needed for collecti
£18.69
Johns Hopkins University Press Dinosaurs of the Air The Evolution and Loss of
Book SynopsisFull of rich detail for the specialist but accessible to the intelligent lay reader, the book includes the author's own stunning illustrations and a technical appendix which provides information, for example, on body mass/wing dimension relationships and avian/dinosaurian metabolics.Trade ReviewPaul has succeeded in producing a beautiful book that will be an invaluable reference for those interested in avian origins for many years to come. -- Graham K. Taylor Ibis If you want to dig seriously into one of today's most fascinating evolutionary debates, and aren't afraid of anatomy, you'll delight in Dinosaurs of the Air. New Scientist 2002Table of ContentsContents: Preface PART I : Getting Started Chapter 1: A History Chapter 2: The Science of Bird Origins PART II: Skeletons, Bones and Other Remains of the Mesozoic Chapter 3: Skulls Chapter 4: Skeletons Chapter 5: Feathers and Other Fluff PART III: Flight: How and Why it Evolves, Why it is Lost, and How to Tell When Chapter 6: The Beginnings of Flight: From the Ground Up, or the Trees Down? Chapter 7: The Early Evolution of Flight Chapter 8: The Loss of Flight PART IV: The Archaeopteryx problem Chapter 9: Lifestyle for the Urvogel PART V: Who Is Related to Whom, and Why? Chapter 10: Looking for the True Bird Ancestor Chapter 11: Were Some Dinosaurs Neoflightless Birds? Chapter 12: A Look at the Phylogenetics of Predatory Dinosaurs PART VI: A Modest Scenario Chapter 13: The Mesozoic Chapter 14: The Great Extinction Chapter 15: The Cenozoic Appendix Bibliography Index
£65.34
Johns Hopkins University Press The Microstructure of Dinosaur Bone Deciphering
Book SynopsisDrawing from sources across the field of bone histology, Chinsamy-Turan paints a holistic view of the current state of the science and presents a fresh perspective on the relevance of the field to understanding the Dinosauria.Trade ReviewChinsamy-Turan has provided an immense service to the field with the publication of this book. -- Kristina Curry Rogers Trends in Ecology and Evolution 2005 Of interest to a wide audience of biologists, the core readership [is] vertebrate paleontologists, each of whom should have a copy. -- Tim J. Fedak and Brian K. Hall Quarterly Review of Biology 2006 A must-read for anybody interested in the biology of one of the most fascinating animals in the history of our planet. -- Luis M. Chiappe Nature 2006 An irreplaceable manual for all students working in this field. -- Magdalena Borsuk-Bialynicka Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 2005 Chinsamy-Turan's accessible, engaging book contains enough personal reflections and professional opinions to keep readers enthralled. -- James R. Spotila Bioscience 2006 A valuable addition to the library of anyone who thirsts for every bit of knowledge available about these Mesozoic saurians. -- Lynne M. Clos Fossil News: Journal of Avocational Paleontology 2006 Provides a compelling, if not universal, view of dinosaur physiology that is certain to attract serious consideration and attention. -- Matthew F. Bonnan Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 2006 Particularly strong on describing what bone is, how it is studied microscopically, and what it is capable to telling us. -- Kevin Padian Progressive Palaeontology 2006Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgments1. Unraveling Dinosaur Bones2. Dinosaur Bones Discovered3. From Bone Microstructure to Biology4. Inside Dinosaur Bones5. Growing Dinosaurs6. Biology of Early Birds7. Dinosaur PhysiologyReferencesIndex
£78.85
WW Norton & Co The Monsters Bones The Discovery of T. Rex and
Book SynopsisA Science Friday Best Book to Read This Summer A gripping narrative of a fearless paleontologist, the founding of America’s most loved museums, and the race to find the largest dinosaurs on record.Trade Review"[An] entertaining, skillfully told history of Gilded Age fossil-hunting... Randall expertly captures the poisonous mix of personal ambition, ruthlessness, big money and nationalist zeal that drove it." -- Christoph Irmscher - Wall Street Journal"David K. Randall brings alive that swashbuckling time at the turn of the 20th century, when dinosaurs were still a relatively new concept... [He] combines his journalist’s eye for details with a storyteller’s flair for spectacle. His tale is as rollicking as a Western—and in many senses, it is one... Along the way, Randall grapples with a profound question: Should fossils be treated as commodities?" -- Steve Brusatte - Atlantic"Randall successfully writes the human story behind the discovery of dinosaurs; a book that will delight readers of science and history." -- Library Journal (starred review)"Exciting as any action tale, The Monster’s Bones shares the human stories behind some of history’s most thrilling fossil discoveries." -- BookPage"[A] colorful adventure saga... [Randall] astutely analyzes the T. rex’s place in popular culture while maintaining that the most important lesson to be learned from the dinosaur’s 'fearsome reign' on Earth may be that 'the climate always wins.' Paleontology buffs will thrill to this vibrant, treasure-filled account." -- Publishers Weekly"Astute and entertaining... Randall carefully outlines the shifts in scientific understanding prompted by the appearance of [the T. Rex], and he makes a persuasive case for its profound impact on our conception of the history of life on Earth... An absorbing account of early dinosaur discoveries and their cultural legacies." -- Kirkus Reviews"The Monster's Bones is such an irresistibly good read and such a compellingly smart book. David Randall takes his tale of fossil-hunting and museum building and deepens it into something more—a story in which both the long-vanished dinosaurs and the humans who discover them are equally dangerous in their own unique ways." -- Deborah Blum, best-selling author of The Poisoner's Handbook"A spectacular yarn of science and adventure, The Monster's Bones takes us back to the birth of paleontology, when a Kansas farm boy made the find of a century—and a wealthy racist in New York tried to exploit it. Randall has excavated a classic, a story every bit as big and head-spinning as the T. Rex at its center." -- Jason Fagone, best-selling author of The Woman Who Smashed Codes"Barnum Brown and T. rex, the dinosaur he literally exploded from the depths of time from remote Montana quarries, lie at the heart of David K. Randall's paleontological thriller that is a tell-all of how the man came to be, a fortuitous journey from a small town in Kansas to the halls of America's greatest natural history museum in New York. I read the volume spellbound... Readers are taken back in time to feel the grit and drama of the early fossil discoveries. And those stories serve to highlight the enduring promise of paleontology—the chance to be the next Barnum Brown." -- Paul Sereno, Ph.D., Paleontologist, University of Chicago
£14.39
Large Print Press The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs
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£21.84
Fulcrum Inc.,US Cruisin' the Fossil Coastline: The Travels of an
Book SynopsisIn this long-awaited sequel Kirk Johnson and Ray Troll are back on a road trip—driving, flying, and boating their way from Baja, California to northern Alaska in search of the fossil secrets of North America’s Pacific coast. They hunt for fossils, visit museums, meet scientists and paleonerds, and sleuth out untold stories of extinct worlds. As one of the oldest coasts on earth, the west coast is a rich ground for fossil discovery. Its wonders include extinct marine mammals, pygmy mammoths, oyster bears, immense ammonites, shark-bitten camels, polar dinosaurs, Alaskan palms, California walruses, and a lava-baked rhinoceros. Join in for a fossil journey through deep time and discover how the west coast became the place it is today.Trade Review"Johnson and Troll have done it again, congratulations! This book is a knockout blend of science and humor, featuring superb artwork, people, and stories about the West Coast of the US and its fascinating prehistory. This book will make you laugh while exciting you with extraordinary science. It revives that sense of childhood wonder about dinosaurs and other bizarre creatures of bygone days." John Long, Professor in Palaeontology at Flinders University in Australia, and author of many books, including Dawn of the DeedThe Prehistoric Origins of Sex"Far from a dry scientific textbook, this is a charming celebration of fossils and those who study them." Publishers Weekly" Cruisin' the Fossil Coastline packs written and visual stories from cover to coverall infused with a genuine passion for science and the joy of discovery." Susan Ewing, author of Resurrecting the Shark"This is a fun and informative book that moves briskly, bringing science and scientists alive." David A. James, Anchorage Daily News"In the long and storied history of fossil-hunting, the dynamic duo of Johnson and Troll is unique. No one else has made this grueling work look like so much fun. Once again, they've returned from an 'epoch' road trip laden with tales and images that are at once joyfully accessible and deeply informative. And the colors! They'll knock your eyes out." John Vaillant, author of The Tiger and The Golden Spruce
£30.35
St Martin's Press Dinosaurs: A Fully Illustrated, Authoritative and
Book SynopsisDinosaurs have long been a source of speculation. This beautifully illustrated guide includes:- Fascinating facts about these animals that ruled the earth for more than 100 million years- Key features that make each individual genus distinctive- The latest information about how dinosaurs evolved and why they became extinctDinosaurs is an indispensable reference for everyone intrigued by these mighty creatures.
£9.32
Smithsonian Books Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved
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£25.46
Black Rabbit Books Taking Care of Your Diplodocus
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£10.44
Black Rabbit Books Taking Care of Your Iguanodon
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£10.44
Black Rabbit Books Taking Care of Your Stegosaurus
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£10.44
Black Rabbit Books Taking Care of Your T. Rex
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£10.44
Black Rabbit Books Taking Care of Your Triceratops
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£10.44
Black Rabbit Books Taking Care of Your Velociraptor
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£10.44
Black Rabbit Books Pteranodon vs. Eagle
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£9.49
Creative Paperbacks Ankylosaurus
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£10.44
Creative Paperbacks El Apatosaurio
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£10.44
Austrian Academy of Sciences Press Die Altpleistozanen Baren Von Deutsch-Altenburg
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£103.55
