This book brings together a group that has over many years researched various aspects of the evolution and paleobiology of the synapsids. Many of us have collaborated in our research endeavors, and all of us have at some stage shared information and had many hearty discussions about the biology of our distant relatives.
The book comprises eleven chapters. The first two chapters provide an introduction to the predecessors of mammals and their relatives, and an assessment of the ancient world in which they radiated. The opening chapter sets the scene, providing a guide of “who” the synapsids were and how they are related to one another. In this chapter, Tom Kemp provides an up to date assessment of the radiation of the synapsids from their earliest pelycosaur members, to the diverse nonmammalian therapsids, and later to the increasingly more mammal-like cynodonts. All this is done from a global perspective <...>

Fossils are the remains or evidence of ancient life that we can see today. Scientists who study fossils are called paleontologists. By examining fossils, we can discover the types of animals and plants that lived on Earth long ago. <...>

Fossil collecting is a fascinating hobby which has grown considerably in popularity over the last few decades. Its appeal is understandable; it combines the excitement of discovery with the practical skills of collecting and preparing specimens, and the academic challenge of identifying fossil finds. There are few other branches of science in which a beginner can make a serious contribution to the knowledge of our planet’s remarkable prehistory

Охоте за ископаемыми, жившими 200 миллионов лет тому назад, автор посвятил многие годы. Он рассказывает о нелегких и увлекательных поисках следов минувших эпох, позволивших приоткрыть страничку в прошлом Земли, представить себе обитателей древних водоемов и суши, условия их существования.

Книга адресована всем, кто интересуется историей развития жизни на Земле и особенно тем читателям, которых привлекают профессии палеонтолога, биолога и геолога.