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Vertebrate Palaeontology is a complete, up-to-date history of the evolution of vertebrates. The third edition of this popular text has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest research, including new material from North and South America, Australia, Europe, China, Africa and Russia.

It highlights astonishing new discoveries including new dinosaurs and Mesozoic birds from China.

Features a new chapter on how to study fossil vertebrates

Provides an increased emphasis on the cladistic framework with cladograms set apart from the body of the text and full lists of diagnostic characters

Includes new molecular evidence on early mammal diversification
new features aid study including new functional and developmental feature spreads, key questions and extensive references to useful web sites.

Strong phylogenetic focus making it an up-to-date source of the latest broad-scale systematic data on vertebrate evolution

Contents

1. Vertebrate Origins
2. How To Study Fossil Vertebrates
3. Early Fishes
4. The Early Tetrapods And Amphibians
5. The Evolution Of Early Amniotes
6. Reptiles Of The Triassic
7. The Evolution Of Fishes After The Devonian
8. The Age Of Dinosaurs
9. The Birds
10. The Mammals
11. Human Evolution
Appendix: Classification Of The Vertebrates
Glossary
References
Index

About the Authors
Michael Benton is Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Bristol. He is interested particularly in early reptiles, Triassic dinosaurs and macroevolution, and has published 50 books and 150 scientific articles