The Evolution of North American Rhinoceroses
The Evolution of North American Rhinoceroses
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The family Rhinocerotidae has a long and amazing history in North America. From their first appearance about forty million years ago, they diversified into an incredible array of taxa, with a variety of ecologies that do not resemble any of the five living species. They ranged from delicate long-legged dog-sized forms, to huge hippo-like forms that apparently lived in rivers and lakes. This book includes a systematic review of the entire North American Rhinocerotidae, with complete descriptions, measurements, and figures of every bone in every species - the first such review in over a century. More importantly, it discusses the biogeographic patterns of rhinos, their evolutionary patterns and paleoecology, and what rhinos tell us about the evolution of North American landscapes and faunas over 35 million years. It is a complete and authoritative volume that will be a reference of interest to a variety of scientists for years to come.
- Offers the first complete review of the subject for a century
- Fully illustrated with descriptions of all bones
- Set in context with discussions of biogeography, evolution, and the significance for North American paleoecology
Reviews & endorsements
"This book is the culmination of a monumental effort to study all known fossils of North American representatives of the mammalian family RhinocerotidaeThe books well-rendered photographs and line drawings illustrate the details of rhinoceros skeletal anatomy, and the reconstructions of articulated skeletons and models provide a feeling for how these animals must have appeared in life." Choice
"It is not often that you get to see a book that contains more than 20 years of work...Given the nature of vertebrate paleontology as a historical science, both the nature of what we do as well how we do it, I am quite sure that my grandchildren will be citing this work in their studies...The book is professionally done (what would you expect from Cambridge University Press) with excellent copy editing...good binding, and numerous photos that are by and large well reproduced...this book is bound to become THE reference for North American rhinos...Prothero's book will remain the state of the art on North American rhinos for years to come, and it will be well used on my shelf during that time." - The Paleontological Society, David Froehlich, Austin Community College
"This well-illustrated book is the first modern synthesis of the American Rhinocerotidae. It will leave a lasting impression more for the clarity of its style, its beautiful presentation, and its excellent illustrations, making for very pleasant reading."
Claude Guerin in Geobios 38
"Within 218 richly-illustrated pages Donald R. Prothero achieves the amazing feat of encapsulating the 35 million years of the North American history of one of the most successful groups of Cenozoic ungulates, the rhinoceroses. Prothero's work already constitutes the essential reference for paleomammalogists specializing in rhinos, and more broadly those interested in the Tertiary of North America.
P.O. Antoine in Geochronique: Magazine des Geosciences
Product details
- Published: March 2005
- Format: Hardback
- ISBN: 9780521832403
- Length: 228 pages
- Dimensions: 224 × 283 × 22 mm
- Weight: 0.94kg
- Availability: Available
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Methods
- 3. Systematics
- 4. Postcranial osteology
- 5. Biogeography
- 6. Paleoecology and evolutionary patterns
- 7. Conclusions
- Bibliography.
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