The beginning of the age of mammals
Annotation In the tradition of G.G. Simpson's classic work, Kenneth D. Rose's The Beginning of the Age of Mammals analyzes the events that occurred directly before and after the mysterious K-T boundary which so quickly thrust mammals from obscurity to planetary dominance. Rose surveys the evolution of mammals, beginning with their origin from cynodont therapsids in the Mesozoic, contemporary with dinosaurs, through the early Cenozoic, with emphasis on the Paleocene and Eocene adaptive radiations of therian mammals. Focusing on the fossil record, he presents the anatomical evidence used to interpret behavior and phylogenetic relationships. The life's work of one of the most knowledgeable researchers in the field, this richly illustrated, magisterial book combines sound scientific principles and meticulous research and belongs on the shelf of every paleontologist and mammalogist
History
1 online resource (xiv, 428 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates) : illustrations (chiefly color)
9780801892219, 9780801880223, 9780801884726, 080189221X, 080188022X, 0801884721
646769601
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
1 Introduction
THE EARLY CENOZIC MAMMALIAN RADIATION
TIMING OF THE CROWN-THERIAN RADIATION
MAMMALIAN PHYLOGENY, INTERRELATIONSHIPS, AND CLASSIFICATION
GEOCHRONOLOGY AND BIOCHRONOLOGY OF THE EARLY CENOZOIC
PALEOGEOGRAPHIC SETTING DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE AGE OF MAMMALS
PALEOCENE-EOCENE CLIMATE AND FLORA
ORGANIZATION OF THE VOLUME
2 Mammalian Skeletal Structure and Adaptations
SKULL
DENTITION
POSTCRANIAL SKELETON
SKELETAL ADAPTATIONS
3 The Origin of Mammals WHAT IS A MAMMAL?THE EVOLUTIONARY TRANSITION TO MAMMALS
4 Synopsis of Mesozoic Mammal Evolution
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
THE OLDEST MAMMALS
DOCODONTA
MULTITUBERCULATA
EUTRICONODONTA
SYMMETRODONTS
EUPANTOTHERES
TRIBOSPHENIC MAMMALS
MESOZOIC MAMMALS OF UNCERTAIN AFFINITY
5 Metatheria: Marsupials and Their Relatives
BASAL METATHERIANS
PRIMITIVE MARSUPIALS
6 Earliest Eutherian Mammals
7 Cimolesta
DIDELPHODONTA AND OTHER PRIMITIVE CIMOLESTA
DIDYMOCONIDAE
PANTOLESTA
APATOTHERIA
TAENIODONTA TILLODONTIAPANTODONTA
8 Creodonta and Carnivora
CREODONTA
CARNIVORA
9 Insectivora
LEPTICTIDA
LIPOTYPHLA
10 Archonta: Bats, Dermopterans, Primates, and Tree Shrews
CHIROPTERA
DERMOPTERA
PRIMATES AND PLESIADAPIFORMES
SCANDENTIA
11 “Edentates:� Xenarthra and Pholidota
XENARTHRA
PHOLIDOTA
12 Archaic Ungulates
OLDEST UNGULATE RELATIVES
CONDYLARTHRA: ARCHAIC UNGULATES
ARCTOSTYLOPIDA
MERIDIUNGULATA: ENDEMIC SOUTH AMERICAN UNGULATES
DINOCERATA 13 Altungulata: Perissodactyls, Hyraxes, and TethytheresPERISSODACTYLA
PAENUNGULATA
14 Cete and Artiodactyla
CETE AND CETACEA
ARTIODACTYLA
15 Anagalida: Rodents, Lagomorphs, and Their Relatives
PRIMITIVE ASIAN ANAGALIDANS AND POSSIBLE ANAGALIDANS
MACROSCELIDEA
GLIRES
16 Reflections and Speculations on the Beginning of the Age of Mammals
EARLY CENOZOIC MAMMAL RECORD
SYNOPSIS OF PALEOCENE AND EOCENE MAMMALS
A FINAL NOTE
Literature Cited
Index
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English