Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America: Volume 2, Small Mammals, Xenarthrans, and Marine Mammals

Description

This second volume completes the unique survey of North American Tertiary mammals, and covers all the remaining taxa not contained in Volume 1. It provides a complete listing of mammalian diversity over time and space, and evaluates the effect of biogeography and climatic change on evolutionary patterns and faunal transitions, with the distribution in time and space of each taxon laid out in a standardized format. It contains six summary chapters that integrate systematic and biogeographic information for higher taxa, and provides a detailed account of the patterns of occurrence for different species at hundreds of different fossil localities, with the inclusion of many more localities than were contained in the first volume. With over thirty chapters, each written by leading authorities, and an addendum that updates the occurrence and systematics of all of the groups covered in Volume 1, this will be a valuable reference for paleontologists and zoologists.

Christine M. Janis is Professor of Biology in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Brown University, Rhode Island. She is on the editorial board of Journal of Mammalian Evolution and Acta Paleontologica Polonica, and Associate Editor for the journal Evolution. Professor Janis was also editor-in-chief for Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America, Volume 1: Terrestrial Carnivores, Ungulates, and Ungulate like Mammals (Cambridge, 1998). Gregg G. Gunnell is Associate Research Scientist in the Museum of Paleontology at the University of Michigan. He is Associate Editor for the journal Palaois, Past Associate Editor for Journal of Human Evolution, and a Member of the Society for Vertebrate Paleontology, the Paleontological Society, and the American Society of Mammalogists. Mark D. Uhen is Head of Research and Collections and Curator of Paleontology and Zoology at the Cranbrook Institute of Science. He is a Research Associate in the Department of Paleobiology at the US National Museum of Natural History, Chair of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Patterson Award Committee, and a member of the Advisory Board and the Vertebrate Working Group for the Paleobiology Database.

Praise for Volume 1: 'This book is amazing, and an absolute must for anyone with a serious interest in fossil mammals. It will prove invaluable to those who study fossil mammals, trends and events in Tertiary biogeography and extinction, or are simply fascinated by mammalian diversity and ecology. Volume 2 will make coverage complete by bringing together the marine mammals and all those small-bodied taxa that are not ungulates or carnivores, or superficially reminiscent of them.' The Palaeontological Association Newsletter 'The breadth and depth of knowledge in Volume 1 of a planned two-volume set is truly impressive. Anyone [similarly] fascinated with fossils, evolution, and the history of continent-scale ecosystems should find this volume an inspiring and valuable resource.' Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 'The book is richly illustrated, both with classic restorations and skeletal and dental renderings that unite the work of early and present authors. Also, numerous new restorations, often in whimsical poses, of taxa not previously depicted populate pages of the book making it a visual as well as a scientific treat. I look forward to later volumes in the series and anticipate that these books will elevate the standards of our understanding of Tertiary mammals.' Journal of Mammalogy 'Janis' editorial capacities are to be commended for achieving a large degree of organisational consistency. The editors deserve credit for forcing taxonomic studies to this degree of standardization and these tables will provide prime input data for the study of patterns of faunal evolution.' Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology