The Beginning of the Age of Mammals

by Kenneth D. Rose

Overview

In the tradition of G. G. Simpson's classic work, Kenneth D. Rose's The Beginning of the Age of Mammals analyzes the events that occurred directly before and after the mysterious K-T boundary which so quickly thrust mammals from obscurity to planetary dominance.

Rose surveys the evolution of mammals, beginning with their origin from cynodont therapsids in the Mesozoic, contemporary with dinosaurs, through the early Cenozoic, with emphasis on the Paleocene and Eocene adaptive radiations of therian mammals. Focusing on the fossil record, he presents the anatomical evidence used to interpret behavior and phylogenetic relationships. The life's work of one of the most knowledgeable researchers in the field, this richly illustrated, magisterial book combines sound scientific principles and meticulous research and belongs on the shelf of every paleontologist and mammalogist.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801884726
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	10/31/2006
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.33(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Kenneth D. Rose is a professor at the Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
The Early Cenozoic Mammalian Radiation
Timing of the Crown-Therian Radiation
Mammalian Phylogeny, Interrelationships, and Classification
Geochronology and Biochronology of the Early Cenozoic
Paleogeographic Setting during the Beginning of the Age of Mammals
Paleocene-eocene Climate and Flora
Organization of the Volume
2. Mammalian Skeletal Structure and Adaptations
Skull
Dentition
Postcranial Skeleton
Skeletal Adaptations
3. The Origin of Mammals
What is a Mammal?
The Evolutionary Transition to Mammals
4. Synopsis of Mesozoic Mammal Evolution
Historical Background
The Oldest Mammals
Docodonta
Multituberculata
Eutriconodonta
Symmetrodonts
Eupantotheres
Tribosphenic Mammals
Mesozoic Mammals of Uncertain Affinity
5. Metatheria: Marsupials and Their Relatives
Basal Metatherians
Primitive Marsupials
6. Earliest Eutherian Mammals
7. Cimolesta
Didelphodonta and Other Primitive Cimolesta
Didymoconidae
Pantolesta
Apatotheria
Taeniodonta
Tillodontia
Pantodonta
8. Creodonta and Carnivora
Creodonta
Carnivora
9. Insectivora
Leptictida
Lipotyphla
10. Archonta: Bats, Dermopterans, Primates, and Tree Shrews
Chiroptera
Dermoptera
Primates and Plesiadapiformes
Scandentia
11. "Edentates": Xenarthra and Pholidota
Xenarthra
Pholidota
12. Archaic Ungulates
Oldest Ungulate Relatives
Condylarthra: Archaic Ungulates
Arctostylopida
Meridiungulata: Endemic South American Ungulates
Dinocerata
13. Altungulata: Perissodactyls, Hyraxes, and Tethytheres
Perissodactyla
Paenungulata
14. Cete and Artiodactyla
Cete and Cetacea
Artiodactyla
15. Anagalida: Rodents, Lagomorphs, and Their Relatives
Primitive Asian Anagalidans and Possible Anagalidans
Macroscelidea
Glires
16. Reflections and Speculations on the Beginning of the Age of Mammals
Early Cenozoic Mammal Record
Synopsis of Paleocene and Eocene Mammals
A Final Note
Literature Cited
Index

Editorial Reviews

This beautiful and thorough book will be an essential tool for all those who work on fossil and extant mammals, and for both advanced undergraduate and graduate students. It is a 'must buy' for palaeontological libraries.
—Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska, Nature

This volume will be extremely valuable, particularly for mammalogists used to dealing only with the time slice of the Recent . . . Highly recommended.
—Choice

The first comprehensive synthesis of mammal evolution in more than 20 years. It is arguably the most significant contribution to the field since George Simpson's classic work Principles of Classification and a Classification of Mammals.
—Amy Chew, Quarterly Review of Biology

Will almost certainly become a heavily used reference and mainstay in the classroom for students and teachers of mammalian evolution . . . Deserving of accolades as a particularly noteworthy achievement.
—Christopher C. Gilbert, Evolutionary Anthropology

Remarkable book.
—Peter Langer, Mammalian Biology

Authoritative, up-to-date, and full of references to corroborate synthetic overviews of major events in mammalian evolution. Ken Rose does his profession a service by providing a compact analysis of the history of the diverse Class Mammalia through the end of the Eocene Epoch and beyond.
—Lawrence J. Flynn, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

A must reference for all mammalian and aspiring mammalian paleontologists.
—J.D. Archibald, Journal of Mammalian Evolution

From the Publisher

This beautiful and thorough book will be an essential tool for all those who work on fossil and extant mammals, and for both advanced undergraduate and graduate students. It is a 'must buy' for palaeontological libraries.

Nature - Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska

A must reference for all mammalian and aspiring mammalian paleontologists.

Journal of Mammalian Evolution - J.D. Archibald

This volume will be extremely valuable, particularly for mammalogists used to dealing only with the time slice of the Recent . . . Highly recommended.

Choice

Remarkable book.

Mammalian Biology - Peter Langer

Authoritative, up-to-date, and full of references to corroborate synthetic overviews of major events in mammalian evolution. Ken Rose does his profession a service by providing a compact analysis of the history of the diverse Class Mammalia through the end of the Eocene Epoch and beyond.

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology - Lawrence J. Flynn

Will almost certainly become a heavily used reference and mainstay in the classroom for students and teachers of mammalian evolution . . . Deserving of accolades as a particularly noteworthy achievement.

Evolutionary Anthropology - Christopher C. Gilbert

The first comprehensive synthesis of mammal evolution in more than 20 years. It is arguably the most significant contribution to the field since George Simpson's classic work Principles of Classification and a Classification of Mammals.

Quarterly Review of Biology - Amy Chew

A must reference for all mammalian and aspiring mammalian paleontologists.

— J.D. Archibald

Journal of Mammalian Evolution

Authoritative, up-to-date, and full of references to corroborate synthetic overviews of major events in mammalian evolution. Ken Rose does his profession a service by providing a compact analysis of the history of the diverse Class Mammalia through the end of the Eocene Epoch and beyond.

— Lawrence J. Flynn

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

Remarkable book.

— Peter Langer

Mammalian Biology

Will almost certainly become a heavily used reference and mainstay in the classroom for students and teachers of mammalian evolution... Deserving of accolades as a particularly noteworthy achievement.

— Christopher C. Gilbert

Evolutionary Anthropology

The first comprehensive synthesis of mammal evolution in more than 20 years. It is arguably the most significant contribution to the field since George Simpson's classic work Principles of Classification and a Classification of Mammals.

— Amy Chew

Quarterly Review of Biology

This beautiful and thorough book will be an essential tool for all those who work on fossil and extant mammals, and for both advanced undergraduate and graduate students. It is a 'must buy' for palaeontological libraries.

— Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska

Nature