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Forerunners of Mammals: Radiation‚ Histology, Biology (Life of the Past) by [Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan, Tom Kemp, Roger Smith, Bruce Rubidge, Adam Huttenlocker, Elizabeth Rega, Sanghamitra Ray, Jennifer Botha, Sandra Jasinoski, Jeremy L. Green, Fernando Abdala, Jorn H. Hurum, John Ruben, Willem J. Hillenius]

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Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan

Forerunners of Mammals: Radiation‚ Histology, Biology (Life of the Past) Kindle Edition

by Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan (Editor), Tom Kemp (Contributor), Roger Smith (Contributor), Format: Kindle Edition

4.1 40 ratings

Part of: Life of the Past (40 books)

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An in-depth look at the origin and evolutionary radiation of the synapsids.

About 320 million years ago a group of reptiles known as the synapsids emerged and forever changed Earth’s ecological landscapes. This book discusses the origin and radiation of the synapsids from their sail-backed pelycosaur ancestor to their diverse descendants, the therapsids or mammal-like reptiles, that eventually gave rise to mammals. It further showcases the remarkable evolutionary history of the synapsids in the Karoo Basin of South Africa and the environments that existed at the time. By highlighting studies of synapsid bone microstructure, it offers a unique perspective of how such studies are utilized to reconstruct various aspects of biology, such as growth dynamics, biomechanical function, and the attainment of sexual and skeletal maturity. A series of chapters outline the radiation and phylogenetic relationships of major synapsid lineages and provide direct insight into how bone histological analyses have led to an appreciation of these enigmatic animals as once-living creatures. The penultimate chapter examines the early radiation of mammals from their nonmammalian cynodont ancestors, and the book concludes by engaging the intriguing question of when and where endothermy evolved among the therapsids.

“Ever since Nick Hotton’s book from the 1980s we have needed an update on the biology of therapsids, and it has been Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan and her students and associates who through their bone histological work have made the greatest progress in this field.” —Martin Sander, Steinmann Institute, University of Bonn

“Forerunners of Mammals is full of meticulous detail . . . [I]t also contains a number of excellently rendered illustrations of some of the animals covered in the book, and the final chapter is a discussion of the evolution of endothermy that anyone with a background in biology might find of interest. . . . Recommended.” —Choice

“Forerunners of Mammals will take interested readers beyond the classic jaw-to-ear appreciation of therapsids, towards a deeper appreciation of the ancestry of mammals.” —Journal of Mammalian Evolution

“This volume represents a state-of-the-art contribution to our understanding of the paleobiology of how mammals arose, and what factors contributed to their evolutionary radiation and eventual success. It is highly recommended for anyone interested in these topics, and will be accessible to readers with minimal background in bone histology and synapsid paleontology.” —Quarterly Review of Biology

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Life of the Past
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610 pages
Language

English
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Publisher

Indiana University Press
Publication date

November 18, 2011
File size

11203 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

The evolutionary lineage that eventually led to mammals split off from the rest of the tetrapods soon after vertebrates dragged themselves out of the water. This book uses a combination of in-depth literature reviews and original research to trace the rise of mammals from these earliest origins. Specifically, the authors use detailed analyses of the microstructure of fossilized bones to follow the transition from reptilian synapsids to the familiar warm-blooded creatures of today. The book relates fine osteological anatomy to the distribution, ecology, physiology, and behavior of mammalian ancestors. Forerunners of Mammals is full of meticulous detail . . . However, it also contains a number of excellently rendered illustrations of some of the animals covered in the book, and the final chapter is a discussion of the evolution of endothermy that anyone with a background in biology might find of interest. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. ―Choice

(J. L. Hunt, University of Arkansas―Monticello)

"Forerunners of Mammals is full of meticulous detail . . . [I]t also contains a number of excellently rendered illustrations of some of the animals covered in the book, and the final chapter is a discussion of the evolution of endothermy that anyone with a background in biology might find of interest. . . . Recommended."

(Choice)

"This volume represents a state-of-the-art contribution to our understanding of the paleobiology of how mammals arose, and what factors contributed to their evolutionary radiation and eventual success. It is highly recommended for anyone interested in these topics, and will be accessible to readers with minimal background in bone histology and synapsid paleontology."

(Quarterly Review of Biology)

"Forerunners of Mammals will take interested readers beyond the classic jaw-to-ear appreciation of therapsids, towards a deeper appreciation of the ancestry of mammals."

(Journal of Mammalian Evolution)

"[T]he authors of Forerunners of Mammals have assembled a tremendous amount of information in both paleontology and paleohistology, and the book deserves very serious consideration and appreciation."

(Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Ever since Nick Hotton's book from the 1980s we have needed an update on the biology of therapsids, and it has been Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan and her students and associates who through their bone histological work have made the greatest progress in this field."

(Martin Sander Steinmann Institute, University of Bonn) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00866HAVM
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Indiana University Press (November 18, 2011)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 18, 2011
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 11203 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 610 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #468,360 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #42 in Biological Science of Fossils
- #58 in Paleontology (Kindle Store)
- #146 in Biology of Fossils

Customer Reviews:
4.1 40 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5

40 global ratings

5 star		39%
4 star		43%
3 star		12%
2 star		5%
1 star		2%

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Xan

Look at that face and tell me you don't need this book.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 10, 2022

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All kidding aside, this is heavy and highly specific academic reading that goes way into osteology especially. If you are studying the lineage of mammals, I recommend it. That illustration is just a bonus.
This is exactly what my Permian obsession needed!

3 people found this helpful

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Dr. John W. Rippon

Can't Tell a Book.........

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 7, 2012

Verified Purchase

The old adage "you can't tell a book by it's cover" is certainly applicable to "Forerunners of the Mammals". A correlative added could be " don't put too much stock in a publishers pronoucements about a new book". This book has some significant information within it and a few chapters are well written (chapter 1,2 & 11) but for the most part this is a compilation of bone histology studies and is meant for the "special" specialist. This reminds me of a book I once read on the minute details of the egg shells of turtles, lizards, snakes, birds, dinosaurs and mammals. Lots of information but a little can go an awefully long way particularly for the non-specialist. I'm sure a book on therapsid bone histology is warrented but title it as such. Yes, some summary information may help in understanding survival, radiation and persistance of a species in one or several climates and geographic locations but pages and pages dulls the mind. I agree with the first reviewer that an update and in depth book on the therapsids is sorely needed. This one simply wets the appetite.

31 people found this helpful

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Larry Cosgrove

An Academic Review Of All Things Proto-Mammalia, Not For Lightweights!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 21, 2012

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If you have an endearing interest in how reptiles gave rise to mammals (and of that matter, dinosaurs and birds), you will love "Forerunners Of Mammals". Easily the best footnoted and scientific book on mammal ancestry (centered largely on the more familiar pelycosaurs, cynodonts, and early mammals), this writing largely skips the "cute furball picture" route and takes the reader to the science behind evolution. If reading about fossilized bone structure, jaw diversion and cladistics bores you, do not buy this book! However, if you are looking for a great example of paleobiology for your classroom or library, Chinsamy-Turan's compliation of selections from authors versed in the field of diapsid/therapsid relationship cannot be beat.

This is involved scholarship, and frankly I wish that we see more of its kind in dealing with other evolutionary topics. Worth the price, and deserving of a five-star rating.

20 people found this helpful

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Scott McKenzie

Not what you expect!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 15, 2011

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This is a book about histology, bone microstructure. There is one chapter on the diversity and evolution of the early mammal -like reptiles. There are some great color pictures of the animals but make no mistake, most of this book is on histology. I am very interested in early mammal relations and the histology does have clear implications for their life styles. This is like a book on the life of Lincoln with almost all of the volume dealing with his bone microstructure. The title should have reflected the true content!

There is room for a book that does speak to the title of this book, Perhaps someone will write it.

43 people found this helpful

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ct3inmd

Technical osteology, and lots of it

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 17, 2019

Verified Purchase

Most readers will be put off by the descriptions of Haversian canals, etc., and the careful, scientifically conservative restraints on conclusions. This doesn't make for compelling reading, and only someone who has taken a course in histology or pathology is likely to get much from the many photomicrographs. A unifying conclusion would have been valuable.

5 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Looking forward to some heavy reading

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 8, 2018

Verified Purchase

A bit more technical than I anticipated but I'm looking forward to reading it...looking forward to learning something interesting.

Helpful

Karl

Papers on cynodonts and dicynodonts

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 12, 2019

Verified Purchase

Written for a scientific audience. As an amateur difficult to read.

One person found this helpful

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V

reptiles

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 20, 2014

Verified Purchase

Nice basic textbook concerning mammal-like reptiles

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Top reviews from other countries

Sam

Amazing illustrations by all accounts

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 29, 2015

Verified Purchase

A gift for my partner- he loves it and has yet to put the book down. Amazing illustrations by all accounts.

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