Earth before the Dinosaurs

by S bastien Steyer, Alain B n teau (Illustrator), Chris Spence (Translator)

Overview

This beautiful volume introduces the incredible animals that populated the planet before the Age of the Dinosaurs. Readers voyage to a time, beginning about 370 million years ago, when the first four-footed vertebrates appeared, and ending 200 million years later at the moment when the dinosaurs begin their ascent. During this time, vertebrates emerge from the sea and there appears a parade of animals, each more astonishing than the last. On this expedition, we learn how paleontologists become detectives to understand the history of life and we discover that many widely held ideas about the evolution of species are completely false. Earth before the Dinosaurs is an entertaining and informative guide to an astonishing and little-known world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253223807
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	06/01/2012
Series:	Life of the Past
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Sébastien Steyer is paleontologist at the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.

Alain Bénéteau is an illustrator who specializes in paleontology.

Chris Spence is a professional translator, freelance journalist, and Paris tour guide.

Table of Contents

Preface
1. The Great Transition
2. Where Did the Limbs Come From?
3. Pangean Chronicle
4. Between Earth and Sky
5. A Brief Guide to Paleontology
Bibliography
Index

What People are Saying About This

"As when Darwin first stepped foot on the Galapagos Archipelago, you will also discover a new world, a little known continent, far-removed from the familiar haunts of the iconic dinosaurs or the well trampled world of pre-humans. This new world is that of the Earth before the dinosaurs."

from the Preface

This book invites you on a journey to a time before the dinosaurs; a journey into a distant past to discover animals as surprising as they are fascinating.

Editorial Reviews

"A fascinating exploration of past life forms, this book will appeal to anyone interested in paleontology and Earth's history."—Library Journal

"Highly recommended."—Choice

"[T]his book should fascinate all laymen interested in vertebrate paleontology or evolution, and many paleontologists will want to get it even if only for the artwork."—Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

"As when Darwin first stepped foot on the Galapagos Archipelago, you will also discover a new world, a little known continent, far-removed from the familiar haunts of the iconic dinosaurs or the well trampled world of pre-humans. This new world is that of the Earth before the dinosaurs."—from the Preface

"This book invites you on a journey to a time before the dinosaurs; a journey into a distant past to discover animals as surprising as they are fascinating."—from the Preface

From the Publisher

[T]his book should fascinate all laymen interested in vertebrate paleontology or evolution, and many paleontologists will want to get it even if only for the artwork.

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

Highly recommended.

Choice

"Earth before the Dinosaurs is an entertaining and informative guide to an astonishing and little-known world."

Birdbooker Report

"As when Darwin first stepped foot on the Galapagos Archipelago, you will also discover a new world, a little known continent, far-removed from the familiar haunts of the iconic dinosaurs or the well trampled world of pre-humans. This new world is that of the Earth before the dinosaurs." —from the Preface

from the Preface

French paleontologist Steyer (Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris), with the help of self-described paleoartist Bénéteau (L'empreinte des géants), writes of a time before dinosaurs walked the earth over 200 million years ago. The first four-footed vertebrates began to appear around 370 million years ago and faded from the record only as dinosaurs started to arrive at the 200-million-year mark. Moving from the sea to land, a parade of strange and unusual animals left fossil remains behind for paleontologists to discover and decipher as they strive to document the evolutionary history of life. As Steyer describes this fossil record, he demonstrates how certain previously accepted ideas about species evolution have proven false with these findings. The book's 154 color and 63 black-and-white illustrations are riveting and can furnish hours of careful study and rewarding perusal. VERDICT A fascinating exploration of past life forms, this book will appeal to anyone interested in paleontology and Earth's history.—Gloria Maxwell, Metropolitan Community Coll.-Penn Valley, Kansas City, MO

Library Journal