In Pursuit of Early Mammals“Mesozoic mammal fossils are the focus of this fascinating book, which reviews both the fossils themselves and the history of their discovery.” —Choice In Pursuit of Early Mammals presents the history of the mammals that lived during the Mesozoic era, the time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, and describes their origins, anatomy, systematics, paleobiology, and distribution. It also tells the story of the author, a world-renowned specialist on these animals, and the other prominent paleontologists who have studied them. Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska was the first woman to lead large-scale paleontological expeditions, including eight to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, which brought back important collections of dinosaur, early mammal, and other fossils. She shares the difficulties and pleasures encountered in finding rare fossils and describes the changing views on early mammals made possible by these discoveries. “A thorough review of the current state of early mammalian paleontology presented through the unique historical filter of someone who was at the foremost of the field for over half a century.” —The Quarterly Review of Biology “Whether she’s talking about how mammals evolved their distinctive ear bones, or how she built a cabin out of plywood during a particularly cold field season in the Gobi, you know that a remarkable, passionate person is telling a story of science and adventure in her own words.” —Priscum “A fascinating window into the development of the field . . . The perspective of an individual at the center of these developments is captivating, informative, and has never before been published.” —Gregory P. Wilson, University of Washington |
Contents
3 | |
13 | |
3 Paleontological Exploration of Mongolia by American Japanese Soviet and Russian Expeditions including the Mongolian Academy American Mus... | 19 |
4 The PolishMongolian Paleontological Expeditions 19631971 and the Nomadic Expedition 2002 | 35 |
5 Origins of Mammals and the Earliest Representatives of Mammaliaforms and Mammals | 73 |
6 Haramiyidans and Probable Related Forms | 99 |
7 Docodontans | 107 |
8 Eutriconodontans | 713 |
11 Symmetrodontans | 763 |
12 Eupantotherians and the Origin of Tribosphenic and Pseudotribosphenic Molars | 771 |
13 Tribotheria Metatheria and the Issue of the Deltatheroida | 783 |
14 Eutherian and Placental Mammals | 793 |
15 Aspects of Paleobiology of Mammaliaforms and Early Mammals | 809 |
A Summary | 819 |
References | 833 |
849 | |
9 Monotremes and the Issue of Australosphenida and Tribosphenida | 719 |
10 Multituberculates and Gondwanatherians | 739 |
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Common terms and phrases
Academy of Sciences American Museum Averianov Baruungoyot Formation Bayan Zag bones chapter China Cifelli collected Cretaceous mammals Crompton cusps cynodonts Dashzeveg dentary dentition described dinosaurs docodontans ear ossicles Early Cretaceous Early Jurassic early mammals erected eupantotherians eutherian mammal Eutriconodonta eutriconodontans evolution excavated fauna field figure find first five foramen fossils genera genus Gobi Desert Guimarota Hahn haramiyidans Hermiin Tsav Hurum Institute of Paleobiology isolated teeth jaw joint Kermack Kielan-Jaworowska known Kuehneotherium Late Cretaceous later Lillegraven lower jaw lower molars mammaliaforms mammalian mammals marsupials McKenna Mesozoic Mesozoic mammals middle ear Middle Jurassic Mongolia monograph monotremes Morganucodon morganucodontans Multituberculata multituberculates Museum of Natural Natural History Nemegt Basin Nessov Novacek occlusal ofthe origin Paleocene Paleontological Expeditions paleontologists paper Paulchoffatiidae Polish-Mongolian postcranial skeleton premolars preserved published reconstruction reptilian Rougier scientific Simpson Sinoconodon skull species specimen symmetrodontans talonid taxa therapsids therian tribosphenic molars tribosphenidans Ulaanbaatar University vertebrates Warsaw