Introduction
Precambrian
Palaeozoic Era
Mesozoic Era
Cenozoic Era
Specimen Details
Geological Timescale
Index
Further Information
Picture Credits and Acknowledgments
PAUL D. TAYLOR has worked in the Department of Paleontology at the Natural History Museum, London, for 30 years, heading the Invertebrate and Plants division between 1990 and 2003. His research focuses on fossil and living bryozoans, with subsidiary interests in evolution, paleoecology, and fossil folklore. He is the author of Fossil Invertebrates. AARON O'DEA is an Associate Staff Scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. He uses the fossil record to understand past climactic changes in the seas and their role in extinction and speciation, and how life in the past can help us predict the future.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Through a combination of informative text and striking pictures,
Taylor and O'Dea, of the Natural History Museum, London, and the
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, respectively, present an
overview of the evolution of life on Earth. Using some of the
notable fossils present in the collections of the Natural History
Museum and the Smithsonian, they describe life forms ranging from
3.5 billion-year-old cyanobacteria to the Stellar's sea cow, which
was driven to extinction in the late 18th century. Each picture is
coupled with a brief description and readers are treated to a
discussion of what evolutionary lessons can be learned from each
fossil. (The book's only major downside is that the fossils are
presented without a clear indication of scale, so it is difficult
to appreciate size differences.) In addition to such standard fare
as descriptions of how Archaeopteryx displays both bird and reptile
characteristics, the authors go further afield, demonstrating, for
example, that grasses were common many millions of years earlier
than originally hypothesized. The fossils Taylor and O'Dea present
lead them to wonder about such issues as the nature of symbiosis or
whether all dinosaurs were warm-blooded, using their material like
any good scientist: to ask as many questions as they answer.
(Oct.)
LIBRARY JOURNAL
As intriguing remnants of the geologic past, every fossil tells a
story about the evolution of life on Earth. Paleontologist Taylor
(Natural History Museum, London) and paleobiologist O’Dea
(Smithsonian Tropical Research Inst., Panama) have assembled
information on 100 fossils that showcases the enormous diversity of
life forms that have come and gone since life began in the seas 3.5
billion years ago. For each fossil there is a photograph
accompanied by a lively single-page essay describing the organism’s
anatomical features, diet, lifestyle, taxonomic classification, and
evolutionary significance. With only ten fossil plants included,
the collection is heavily weighted toward animal species. Although
the photographs are of high quality, labeling of each fossil’s
prominent features would have been helpful for understanding the
configuration of less familiar species; a scale of measurement
would have been handy as well. VERDICT From single-celled
foraminifera to gigantic steppe mammoths, this volume presents a
sweeping panorama of ancient life and is recommended for
nonspecialists interested in paleontology or evolutionary biology.
A solid companion to Donald Prothero’s Evolution: What the Fossils
Say and Why It Matters.--Cynthia Lee Knight, formerly with
Hunterdon Cty. Lib., Flemington, NJ
CHOICE
This beautifully illustrated volume is a showcase of representative
fossils through geologic time. It is a gallery of stunning
double-page spreads and an example of fine book design. The
spectacular images are paired with informative and insightful text
provided by Taylor (Natural History Museum, London) and O’Dea
(Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama). The
fossils depicted are primarily specimens held by the authors’
respective parent institutions, supplemented by a few from other
museums. If these fossils are not already iconic, they ought
to be. A section in the back of the book gives further
details about the actual specimens for interested readers.
The essays are erudite, but not technical. The fossils
provided inspiration for the authors to muse on many aspects of
evolution, geologic change, and the diversity of life over time.
Their prose is further enlivened by accounts of the colorful
historical personalities who made key discoveries. Each essay
and photo is used as an opportunity to illustrate at least one
major concept in paleobiology. It is a perfect book for
public libraries.
--W. L. Cressler III, West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers and lower-division
undergraduates.
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