Written for the general reader, Dinosaurs of Eastern Iberia is both a colorful introduction to the history and study of dinosaurs and an eye-opening survey of dinosaur discoveries in Spain. At the time of the dinosaurs, Iberia was in the process of becoming a peninsula of Continental Europe and looked very different than it does today. Now an area only slightly larger than Vermont and New Hampshire, Eastern Iberia contains one of the richest fossil records of Mesozoic vertebrates in Europe. This record spans an 80-million-year period that includes key moments in Earth's history, such as the extinction events at the Jurassic-Cretaceous and the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaries. Dinosaurs of Eastern Iberia tells the story of Iberia's tumultuous geological history and presents a detailed synthesis of the region's dinosaur discoveries, with fact sheets and reconstructions of each species found there. Dinosaurs of Eastern Iberia also describes the flora and fauna that made up the ancient ecosystems and explores the paleobiogeography of this dynamic region.
Preface: The Dinosaurs of Eastern Iberia /Àngel Galobart
Acknowledgments
1: Paleontological Discoveries and Studies /Àngel Galobart, Andrés Santos-Cubedo, Maite Suñer and José Ignacio Canudo
2. The Geological Context: The Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous /Carlos de Santisteban and Andrés Santos-Cubedo
3. The Geological Context: The Upper Cretaceous Peninsula /Oriol Oms, Violeta Riera and Carlos de Santisteban
4. History and Classification of Dinosaurs /Bernat Vila, Josep Marmi and Marc Furió
5. Origin and Diversity of Dinosaurs /Bernat Vila, Marc Furió and Josep Marmi
6. The Study of Dinosaur Fossils /Bernat Vila, Maite Suñer, Begoña Poza, Josep Fortuny, Elena Nieto and Àngel Galobart
7. Saurischians through Time /Bernat Vila, Maite Suñer, Andrés Santos-Cubedo, José Ignacio Canudo, Begoña Poza and Àngel Galobart
8. Ornithischians through Time /Rodrigo Gaete, José Ignacio Canudo and Andrés Santos-Cubedo
9. Fauna and Flora in the Age of Dinosaur /Josep Marmi, Carles Martín-Closas, Xavier Delclòs and Begoña Poza
10. Global Distribution and Dinosaur Environments of Eastern Iberia /Josep Fortuny, Bernat Vila, Marc Furió, and Carlos de Santisteban
11. Mass Extinctions and the End of Dinosaurs /Bernat Vila, Andrés Santos-Cubedo, Àngel Galobart and Rodrigo Gaete
12. The Reconstruction of Dinosaurs and their World /Oscar Sanisidro
Sites, Museums, and Paleontological Research Centers in Eastern Iberia
References
Contributors
Àngel Galobart is the director of the research group on Mesozoic Fauna at the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont. Maite Suñer is Lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Valencia. Begoña Poza is a paleontologist at Consorci Ruta Minera.
"A beautifully illustrated book that covers [...] spectacular sites, and very interesting specimens [...] I am unaware of any comparable treatment. I suspect that many will buy the book for the artwork alone!"
– James O. Farlow, co-editor, The Complete Dinosaur
"Written for the general reader, this book is both a colorful introduction to the history and study of dinosaurs and an eye-opening survey of dinosaur discoveries in Spain [...] A must have for those interested in the dinosaurs and other Mesozoic life of the region!"
– www.guardian.co.uk
"[T]his book is a must read for anyone remotely interested in dinosaurs [...] Coupled with amazing photographs and diagrams, this book not only introduces the dinosaurs of Eastern Iberia to the world, it also presents the basics of vertebrate paleontology and clearly defines the somewhat difficult topics on an easy-to-comprehend level. What a great read!"
– Priscum
"Dinosaurs of Eastern Iberia is a fascinating introduction to the past, present and on-going studies into, not only the dinosaurs that inhabited the area, but also the other flora and fauna that shared their environment."
– saurian.blogspot.com
"[T]his is one of the most visually appealing books available on this subject, and there are many with which to compare it. A magnificent, detailed, and highly contemporary overview of dinosaur science [...] Essential."
– Choice
"Overall, the volume is well written, well translated, and forms a cohesive whole. Dinosaurs of Eastern Iberia is a valuable work for anyone with a serious interest in Mesozoic ecosystems."
– Quarterly Review of Biology