Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBonnan combines wit and passion with the sensibilities of a talented instructor in this encyclopedic tour of the vertebrate skeleton . . . accessible even for those without a background in anatomy.
* Publishers Weekly *
No bones about it, a text like The Bare Bones was sorely needed in the popular literature of vertebrate paleontology. Matthew Bonnan's tome on the evolution, form, and function of the vertebrate skeleton may seem daunting in size, but it is written in an enjoyable and readable fashion that will absolutely delight all sorts of readers from expert to soon-to-be-expert.
* Palaeontologia Electronica *
The Bare Bones covers a lot of ground, much of it familiar, but it is a remarkably fun book to read. Bonnan avoids the most intimidating jargon of anatomy and phylogenetics, elucidating the necessary concepts through clear writing and clever application of nonbiological analogies. He is forthcoming about the simplifications and omissions that make the volume so readable, and his conversational style and wit make this an unintimidating yet highly informative book that would work wonderfully in college courses.
* The Quarterly Review of Biology *
Table of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
Part One: Setting the Stage
Chapter 1. Introduction: How Vertebrates and Cars Are (and Are Not) Similar
Chapter 2. Evolution to Deep Time, Pedigree to Anatomy
Part Two: The Origin and Early Evolution of the Vertebrate Chassis
Chapter 3. Inferring the Basic Vertebrate Chassis
Chapter 4. Evolution of a Bony Chassis
Part Three: The Evolution of the Jawed Vertebrate Chassis and Something Fishy
Chapter 5. The Jawed Vertebrate Chassis: A Primer
Chapter 6. Placoderms and Cartilaginous Fishes
Chapter 7. The Fish-like Osteichthyes, Part 1
Chapter 8. The Fish-like Osteichthyes, Part 2
Part Four: The Vertebrate Chassis Moves to Land
Chapter 9. The Tetrapod Chassis: A Primer
Chapter 10. The Tetrapod Chassis in Transition
Chapter 11. The Amphibian Chassis
Chapter 12. The Amniote Chassis: A Primer and the Lead Up to True Amniotes
Part Five: Deep Scaly I: Reptilian Chasses from Early Reptiles to Sea Monsters
Chapter 13. Lizards and the Tuatara as an Introduction
Chapter 14. Early Reptiles and Turtles
Chapter 15. Snakes and Sea Dragons
Part Six: Deep Scaly II: The Archosaur Chassis, Those Ruling Reptiles
Chapter 16. The Archosaur Chassis, Part 1: Modern Archosaurs
Chapter 17. The Archosaur Chassis, Part 2: A Primer on Archosaur Posture and Diversity
Chapter 18. The Archosaur Chassis, Part 3: Pterosaurs, Dinosaurs, and the Origins of Birds
Part Seven: Overcome By Fur: The Mammalian Chassis
Chapter 19. The Mammalian Chassis: A Primer
Chapter 20. The Evolution of the Mammal Chassis
Chapter 21. Brains, Milk, and the Modern Radiations of Mammals
Appendix: The Cards of Time
References Cited
Index
