1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910808960403321

Titolo

Forerunners of mammals : radiation, histology, biology / / edited by Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Bloomington, : Indiana University Press, 2012

ISBN

1-280-59650-3

9786613626332

0-253-00533-7

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (373 p.)

Collana

Life of the past

Altri autori (Persone)

Chinsamy-TuranAnusuya

Disciplina

567.9/3

Soggetti

Reptiles, Fossil

Mammals - Evolution

Bones - Histology

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Contents; Preface; Acknowledgments; List of Contributors; 1 The Origin and Radiation of Therapsids; 2 Therapsid Biodiversity Patterns and Paleoenvironments of the Karoo Basin, South Africa; 3 The Microstructure of Bones and Teeth of Nonmammalian Therapsids; 4 The Paleobiology and Bone Microstructure of Pelycosaurian-Grade Synapsids; 5 Dicynodont Growth Dynamics and Lifestyle Adaptations; 6 Biological Inferences of the Cranial Microstructure of the Dicynodonts Oudenodon and Lystrosaurus; 7 Bone and Dental Histology of Late Triassic Dicynodonts from North America

8 Bone Histology of Some Therocephalians and Gorgonopsians, and Evidence of Bone Degradation by Fungi9 The Radiation and Osteohistology of    Nonmammaliaform Cynodonts; 10 The Radiation, Bone Histology, and Biology of Early Mammals; 11 The Evolution of Mammalian Endothermy; References; Index

Sommario/riassunto

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 suc