Ocean Life in the Time of Dinosaurs / Nathalie Bardet [and five others] ; illustrated by Alain Bénéteau ; translated by Mark Epstein.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bardet, Nathalie, author.

Contributor:

Bénéteau, Alain, illustrator.

Epstein, Mark (Mark William), translator.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Marine reptiles, Fossil.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (209 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [2023]

Summary:

"A richly illustrated, trade-science book about marine reptiles from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras and their modern descendants. A translation from the French publisher, Belin (World English rights)"-- Provided by publisher.

"A richly illustrated introduction to the spectacular reptiles that swam the oceans when dinosaurs roamed the landDuring the Mesozoic Era, 252 to 66 million years ago, dinosaurs ruled the land, but the ocean deeps were roiling with equally spectacular reptiles-including giant predators. This richly illustrated, authoritative, and accessible book introduces readers to the world of these fascinating marine animals, whose predecessors returned to the seas a few million years after the first vertebrates emerged from the water. As we meet ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, and many others, we learn about the astonishing anatomical, physiological, and behavioral adaptations that enabled these reptiles to become ocean dwellers again. We also learn about their living descendants, including sea turtles and sea snakes. Featuring stunning artwork depicting these prehistoric ocean creatures and photographs of their fossil remains, this book invites readers to discover the enthralling past of marine reptiles in all their extraordinary diversity"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Cover

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1. Setting the Scene

I. Modern Marine Reptiles

II. The Waltz of the Continents during the Mesozoic

III. From One Crisis to the Next

IV. Life in All Its States

Chapter 2. All Aquatic, All Different

I. Reptiles? What Are Those?

II. Reptiles Become Very Small, Biding Their Time

III. Long Live the Crisis!

IV. Mesozoic Marine Reptiles Were Not Dinosaurs

V. Reptiles with Large Eyes: The Ichthyosaurs

VI. The Sauropterygians: Loch Ness Monster &amp

Co.

VII. The Hupehsuchians: An Exclusive Group

VIII. The Thalattosaurs: Enigmatic Reptiles

IX. The Crocodylomorphs: Variations on a Crocodile

X .The Turtles: A Unique Anatomy among the Vertebrates

XI. The Squamates: Sea Serpents and Leviathans

Chapter 3. The Paleozoic Era

I. The Late Paleozoic (300-252 Ma): A "Swimming Practice Center" for Reptiles

II. Mesosaurus: Alfred Wegener and Continental Drift

Chapter 4. The Triassic Period

I. A Period of Great Changes

II. Monte San Giorgio

III. Guanling

IV. An Underrated Crisis

Chapter 5. The Jurassic Period

I. A New World

II. Holzmaden

III. The Oxford Clay

Chapter 6. The Cretaceous Period

I. Champagne

II. The Eromanga Basin

III. Morocco's Phosphates

IV. The Cretaceous/Paleogene Extinction Event

Chapter 7. The Cenozoic Era

I. What's Left of the Cretaceous?

II. Of Dinosaurs: To Fly or to Swim? Why Choose?

III. Marine Mammals

Glossary

Bibliography

Resources

Acknowledgments

Illustration Credits.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-691-24399-9

OCLC:

1394119213