A Field Guide to Dinosaurs - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1854108638 ISBN 13: 9781854108630

Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd, 1626

Synopsis

This guide is a collaboration between a distinguished science writer and a leading illustrator who have combined their talents to present the most up-to-date information available in 2003 about the dinosaurs of the Mesozoic era in the format of a modern field guide. With this book to hand, no traveller in a tardis - or more likely an armchair - need worry about distinguishing between, say, a Tuojiansosaurus and a Carcharadontosaurus, for a quick flip to the relevant pages should quickly reveal their distinguishing features as well as conjectures about their range, feeding habits and lifestyles. The book starts with an introductory section which provides general background on the state of the planet in the age of the dinosaurs, between 225 and 70 million years ago, the position of the drifting continents, the climate and the contemporary flora and fauna. This section also tells the story of the growth of our knowledge about the dinosaurs and their world over the past century and a half and discusses the contribution that artists have made to bring these extraordinary creatures to life in our imaginations. The main part of the book, the "Field Guide", divides the species according to period (the Mesozoic era is divided into five ages, the Triassic, the Jurassic and the Early, Middle and Late Cretaceous) and the continents in which their fossilized remains have been found. More than 50 species are covered, from the giant predatory Tyrannosaurus to the flying Pterodactyl, and each is described and illustrated in colour in field-guide style, with sketches showing, for example, gait, eggs or immature specimens and a summary of the current state of knowledge about their habits and behaviour.

About this title

From the Back Cover

[Back Cover]
Renowned dinosaur artist Luis V. Rey and paleontologist and writer Henry Gee use up-to-the minute research findings to paint a vivid picture of the dinosaurs' world. Their unique approach gives readers lifelike portrayals of dinosaurs similar to that of naturalists in the wild, observing living animals of our own era.

Experience dinosaurs as living, breathing creatures, each kind described--from the field--and shown in breathtaking illustrations

Observe dinosaur physiology in full-color paintings, anatomical sketches, and a host of fascinating incidental detail, much of it never published outside specialist journals

Understand the dinosaurs' environment in terms of the world's changing face throughout the 180-million-year extent of the dinosaur-dominated Mesozoic Era, with a detailed, full-color chart that relates the time-span of each dinosaur group

At-a-glance icons convey key information about different dinosaur groups,
including size, taxonomy, diet, geological period and geographical origins

[jacket flap copy]
Sensational discoveries during the past decade have shed new light on the most intimate details of dinosaurs'lives, including their appearance and behavior, their family structures, and even their sex lives. Modern dinosaur finds encompass far more than just bones, and currently take account of eggs, footprints, skin impressions, and in some cases, feathers. Today's paleontologists use biochemistry to learn what dinosaurs ate, and they study fossil bones to understand how those animals grew. Modern science also employs engineering design techniques to work out how dinosaurs fed, for instance demonstrating from skull structure and density that Tyrannosaurus was a bone-crushing butcher, while Allosaurus ripped and slashed flesh from its fleeing prey.

The latest dinosaur findings present a far more vivid and complete picture of this extraordinarily successful group of animals than would have been thought possible only a few years ago. Recent finds in South America, Madagascar, Mongolia, China, and Australia have revealed the existence of amazing and exotic dinosaurs. Some of the most remarkable finds in these recently explored territories include feathered dinosaurs from China, as well as a sauropod dinosaur nesting ground in Patagonia that stretches for miles in every direction. Our knowledge of dinosaurs is richer today than ever before, with no sign of the excitement lessening or the flood of new finds drying up. Paleontologist Henry Gee and artist Luis Rey have seamlessly integrated all of the most recent discoveries in the making of this unique book. Henry Gee is a renowned and thought-provoking science writer, and the author of In Search of Deep Time and Jacob's Ladder. Trained as a paleontologist, he is a senior editor of Nature, the weekly journal of science, where many of the dinosaur discoveries described in this book made their scientific debuts.
Luis V. Rey is one of the boldest and most highly respected dinosaur artists working today. His vivid images are based on careful anatomical study, making him a first-choice illustrator for many leading dinosaur experts.

About the Author

Henry Gee has done much to spread knowledge and understanding of palaeontology, especially with his earlier book, In Search of Deep Time. He is senior editor of the leading scientific journal, Nature, where many of the discoveries discussed in this book were first published. Luis V. Rey is one of the boldest and most respected illustrators of extinct species and his vivid images, based on careful anatomical study, make him the first choice for many leading writers on the dinosaurs.

Edition details

• Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd
• Publication date: 1626
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1854108638
• ISBN 13: 9781854108630
• Binding: Hardcover