Rhinoceros Giants: The Paleobiology of Indricotheres

by Donald R. Prothero, Carl Buell (Illustrator)

Overview

Written for everyone fascinated by the huge beasts that once roamed the earth, this book introduces the giant hornless rhinoceros, Indricotherium. These massive animals inhabited Asia and Eurasia for more than 14 million years, about 37 to 23 million years ago. They had skulls 6 feet long, stood 22 feet high at the shoulder, and were twice as heavy as the largest elephant ever recorded, tipping the scales at 44,100 pounds. Fortunately, the big brutes were vegetarians. Donald R. Prothero tells their story, from their discovery just a century ago to the latest research on how they lived and died.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253008190
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	05/09/2013
Series:	Life of the Past
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 - 12 Years

About the Author

Recipient of the 2013 James Shea Award of the National Association of Geology Teachers for outstanding writing and editing in the geosciences.

Donald R. Prothero is Emeritus Professor of Geology at Occidental College and Lecturer in Geobiology at the California Institute of Technology. He has published 32 books, including Reality Check: How Science Deniers Threaten Our Future (IU Press, 2013); Earth: Portrait of a Planet; The Evolution of Earth; Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters; Catastrophes!; and After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals (IU Press, 2006).

Table of Contents

Preface
1. Quicksand!
2. 30 Million Years Ago in Asia
3. "New Conquest of Central Asia"
4. Rhinoceroses without Horns
5. Building a Giant
6. What's in a Name?
7. Life among Giants
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

"In a look at the biggest of these wonders . . . Prothero delves into these overlooked big guys, the most massive mammals to ever walk the Earth . . . [and] cuts across every aspect of paleontology to tell the story of these vanished giants. Chapters range from entertaining recounting of discoverers . . . to scholarly descriptions of the rules that biologists must follow to name a new species or estimate a vanished rhino's weight."—USA Today

"Through copious background details, Prothero celebrates great and lesser-known names in the history of paleontology, as well as geological and taxonomic nitty gritty."—National Geographic Laelaps

"Within this slim tome . . . Prothero packs in an encyclopedic summary of indrithocere anatomy and biology . . . Highly recommended."—Choice

"Clearly, this book is a milestone on the subject, one of those books that are a classic already at their first appearance."—Priscum

From the Publisher

In a look at the biggest of these wonders . . . Prothero delves into these overlooked big guys, the most massive mammals to ever walk the Earth . . . [and] cuts across every aspect of paleontology to tell the story of these vanished giants. Chapters range from entertaining recounting of discoverers . . . to scholarly descriptions of the rules that biologists must follow to name a new species or estimate a vanished rhino's weight.

USA Today

Within this slim tome . . . Prothero packs in an encyclopedic summary of indrithocere anatomy and biology . . . Highly recommended.

Choice

Clearly, this book is a milestone on the subject, one of those books that are a classic already at their first appearance.

Priscum

Through copious background details, Prothero celebrates great and lesser-known names in the history of paleontology, as well as geological and taxonomic nitty gritty.

National Geographic Laelaps

"In a look at the biggest of these wonders... Prothero delves into these overlooked big guys, the most massive mammals to ever walk the Earth... [and] cuts across every aspect of paleontology to tell the story of these vanished giants. Chapters range from entertaining recounting of discoverers... to scholarly descriptions of the rules that biologists must follow to name a new species or estimate a vanished rhino's weight."

USA Today