Trilobites of New York: An Illustrated Guide - Hardcover

Whiteley, Thomas E.; Kloc, Gerald J.; Brett, Carlton E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801439698 ISBN 13: 9780801439698

Publisher: Comstock Publishing Associates, 2002

Synopsis

"Trilobites are the most lifelike of fossils―many well-preserved specimens belie their great antiquity and seem almost ready to arch their bodies, peer about with their compound eyes, and crawl forward as if to complete a journey that was interrupted hundreds of millions of years ago."―from the Foreword

"New York State is and has long been a magnet for trilobite hunters.... New York's trilobites were among the first illustrated fossils in North America.... Many outstanding localities in New York State, from the majestic Ordovician limestone bluffs of Trenton Falls, to the Silurian beds in the great gorge of Niagara River, to the Devonian shale cliffs of Lake Erie, continue to yield abundant and spectacular trilobite fossils. New York strata have also yielded more trilobites with preserved appendages and other "soft parts" than almost any other region of the world.... Spectacular, ornate trilobites from New York ranging from a few millimeters to nearly a half meter in length, are featured in museums all over the world."―from the Preface

This superbly illustrated book reviews the trilobite fossils found throughout New York State, including their biology, methods of taphonomy (preservation of specimens), and the broader Paleozoic geology of the state. A general chapter on the geology of New York State places the importance of these now-extinct invertebrate marine animals into context. Sixty-seven line drawings and 175 black-and-white photographs illustrate individual species, many represented here by type specimens, and display the eerie beauty that has made New York State trilobites favorites of collectors the world over.

About this title

About the Author

Thomas E. Whiteley has retired as Associate Director of Photographic Research at Eastman Kodak. Gerald J. Kloc is Geological Technician in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Rochester. Carlton E. Brett is Professor of Geology at the University of Cincinnati and coauthor of Fossil Crinoids. Rolf Ludvigsen is Head of Denman Institute for Research on Trilobites, editor of The Trilobite Papers, and Adjunct Professor at the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria.

Review

"What makes this work unique is the stunning collection of 175 black-and-white photographs of trilobites, keyed to a complete annotated taxonomic list of species from New York.... Whiteley and Kloc, well-informed amateur collectors, and Brett, a leading figure in New York geology and paleontology for 25 years, together bring enthusiasm and professionalism that will appeal to trilobite researchers worldwide and readers and collectors interested in the natural history of New York."

(Choice, January 2003, Vol. 40, No. 5)

"This superbly illustrated book reviews the trilobite fossils found through New York State... Sixty-seven line drawings and 175 black-and-white photographs illustrate individual species... and display the eerie beauty that has made New York State trilobites favorites of collectors the world over."

(M.A.P.S. Digest, Vol. 25, No. 1, January 2002)

"Paleontologists, both young and old, will enjoy this book. Trilobites of New York is a wonderfully illustrated book that all fossil collectors will relish. The authors combine a thorough review of the natural history of trilobites with taxonomic descriptions, photographs, and occurrence data. The photography is superb and the plates will be the envy of many paleontologists."

(Tim White, Senior Collection Manager Division of Invertebrate Paleontology, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University)

"In Trilobites of New York, Whiteley, Kloc and Brett have compiled a splendid photographic tribute to the area's trilobites.... Gratifying though it is to have a coffee-table book of trilobites, Trilobites of New York is rather more than that. It has a good introduction to the rocks and stratigraphy of new York―an excellent way of putting the creatures into context. With this book in the car, you could tour the state and start your own collection.... You can't buy a better introduction to one of the most fascinating groups of marine animals."

(Richard Fortey, New Scientist, 14 September 2002)

"A beautifully illustrated guide to some of New York State's oldest and most beautiful inhabitants - the trilobites. This book is essential reading for those who love fossils, but it will be enjoyed by anyone with an eye for nature's extravagant creations."

(Richard A. Fortey, author of Trilobite!: Eyewitness to Evolution and Life)

"Thomas E. Whiteley is a research chemist retired from the photographic industry, Gerald J. Kloc is a premier preparator of fossils with a national reputation and Carlton E. Brett is a professor of geology who has looked at almost every outcrop of sedimentary rock in New York state; together they have produced a book that should be a broad path for other amateurs and professionals to follow. Trilobites of New York has the charm of an artistic portfolio and the fullness of the rigors of systematic stratigraphy and paleontology. This book will be used extensively by the teachers of New York, it will be eagerly sought after by amateur collectors, and for good reason will be used by college professors teaching paleontology to undergraduates around the world."

(Fred Collier, Curatorial Associate in the Department of Invertebrate Paleontology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University)

"Whiteley and his friends' book is uniquely successful in capturing the visual drama of these beasts, in plates that define the highest formal standard of taxonomic illustration. This is an extraordinary feat... Buy this book."

(Nigel Hughes, Palaeontologia Electronica 5:2, 2003.)

Edition details

• Publisher: Comstock Publishing Associates
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0801439698
• ISBN 13: 9780801439698
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 400