Ecology and Behaviour of Mesozoic Reptiles

1. Auflage 2005
ISBN: 978-3-540-26571-9
Verlag: Springer-Verlag
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 219 Seiten

This richly illustrated book clothes the skeletons of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles with flesh, and shows how these fascinating animals evolved and probably lived. Expert author John L. Cloudsley-Thompson synthesizes current views on ecology, physiology and behaviour, and outlines the various hypotheses that have been proposed to explain their extinction. Numerous beautiful drawings of the animals and their environment illustrate this exciting monograph.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Preface;6
2;Acknowledgements;7
3;Contents;8
4;Classification;12
4.1;1.1 Introduction;12
4.2;1.2 Amphibians;14
4.3;1.3 Reptiles;14
4.4;1.4 Note on Coloration;18
5;Diversification of Palaeozoic Reptiles;20
5.1;2.1 Introduction;20
5.2;2.2 Continental Drift;21
5.3;2.3 Reptilian Ancestors;21
5.4;2.4 Anapsid Reptiles;23
5.5;2.5 Synapsid Reptiles;25
6;The Mesozoic Environment;30
6.1;3.1 Introduction;30
6.2;3.2 The Triassic Period;31
6.3;3.3 The Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods;31
7;Amphibious and Early Marine Mesozoic Reptiles;34
7.1;4.1 Introduction;34
7.2;4.2 Locomotion;35
7.3;4.3 Testudines;37
7.4;4.4 Placodonts and Nothosaurs;40
7.5;4.5 Thalattosaurs, Mosasaurs and Other Sea Lizards;45
7.6;4.6 Champsosaurs, Phytosaurs and Crocodilians;47
8;Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs;56
8.1;5.1 Introduction;56
8.2;5.2 Swimming;57
8.3;5.3 Plesiosaurs;62
8.4;5.4 Ichthyosaurs;65
8.5;5.5 Conclusions;70
9;Aerial Mesozoic Reptiles;72
9.1;6.1 Introduction;72
9.2;6.2 Gliding Reptiles;74
9.3;6.3 Pterosaur Flight;78
9.4;6.4 Locomotion on the Ground;81
9.5;6.5 Rhamphorynchoids;83
9.6;6.6 Pterodactyloids;88
9.7;6.7 Life Styles;93
9.8;6.8 Extinction;96
9.9;6.9 Summary;97
10;Terrestrial Mesozoic Reptiles: Size, Locomotion and Thermal Physiology;100
10.1;7.1 Introduction;100
10.2;7.2 Quadrupedal Locomotion;100
10.3;7.3 Bipedal Locomotion;101
10.4;7.4 Weight and Size Limits;103
10.5;7.5 Thermal Physiology;110
10.6;7.6 Tachymetabolism;114
10.7;7.7 Bradymetabolic Thermoregulation;121
10.8;7.8 Hair and Feathers;122
10.9;7.9 Conclusions;122
11;Therapsids, Anapsids and Early Diapsids;124
11.1;8.1 Introduction;124
11.2;8.2 Therapsids and the Origin of Mammals;124
11.3;8.3 Anapsids;127
11.4;8.4 Early Diapsids;128
12;The Dinosaurs: Weapons, Display and Reproduction;136
12.1;9.1 The Earliest Dinosaurs;136
12.2;9.2 Dinosaur Weapons;139
12.3;9.3 Reproduction;147
13;Herbivorous Dinosaurs;160
13.1;10.1 Introduction;160
13.2;10.2 Teeth, Gastroliths and Digestion;160
13.3;10.3 Basal Sauropodomorphs – Prosauropods;162
13.4;10.4 Sauropods;164
13.5;10.5 Herbivorous Bipeds;167
13.6;10.6 Horned, Plated and Armoured Dinosaurs;174
13.7;10.7 Conclusions;179
14;Carnivorous Dinosaurs;182
14.1;11.1 Introduction;182
14.2;11.2 Dentition;182
14.3;11.3 Ceratosaurs;183
14.4;11.4 Carnosaurs;190
14.5;11.5 The Origin of Birds;196
14.6;11.6 Conclusions;199
15;The Cretaceous Extinction;200
15.1;12.1 Introduction;200
15.2;12.2 Terminal Mesozoic Events;202
15.3;12.3 Dinosaur Extinction: Improbable Hypotheses;203
15.4;12.4 Cataclysmal Hypotheses;204
15.5;12.5 Gradualist Hypotheses;206
15.6;12.6 Conclusions;210
16;Epilogue;213
17;Bibliography;214
18;Subject Index;224