The Princeton field guide to pterosaurs / Gregory S. Paul.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Paul, Gregory S., author.

Series:

Princeton Field Guides

Princeton Field Guides ; v.155

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Pterosauria--Identification.

Pterosauria.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (185 p.)

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [2022]

Summary:

The most up-to-date and authoritative illustrated guide to the marvelous flying reptiles that dominated the skies of the Mesozoic for 160 million yearsOnce seen by some as evolutionary dead-enders, pterosaurs were vigorous winged reptiles capable of thriving in an array of habitats and climates, including polar winters. The Princeton Field Guide to Pterosaurs transforms our understanding of these great Mesozoic archosaurs of the air. This incredible guide covers 115 pterosaur species and features stunning illustrations of pterosaurs ranging in size from swallows to small sailplanes, some with enormous, bizarre head crests and elongated beaks. It discusses the history of pterosaurs through 160 million years of the Mesozoic—including their anatomy, physiology, locomotion, reproduction, growth, and extinction—and even gives a taste of what it might be like to travel back to the Mesozoic. This one-of-a-kind guide also challenges the common image of big pterosaurs as ultralights that only soared, showing how these spectacular creatures could be powerful flappers as heavy as bears.Features detailed species accounts of 115 different kinds of pterosaurs, with the latest size and mass estimatesWritten and illustrated by the acclaimed researcher and artist who helped to redefine the anatomy and flight performance of pterosaursCovers everything from pterosaur biology to the colorful history of pterosaur paleontologyIncludes dozens of original skeletal drawings and full-color life studies

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

HISTORY OF DISCOVERY AND RESEARCH

WHAT IS A PTEROSAUR?

DATING PTEROSAURS

EVOLUTION OF PTEROSAURS AND THEIR WORLD

EXTINCTION

AFTER THE AGE OF PTEROSAURS

BIOLOGY

BEHAVIOR

GROWTH

ENERGETICS

GIGANTISM

MESOZOIC OXYGEN

PTEROSAUR SAFARI

IF PTEROSAURS SURVIVED

PTEROSAUR CONSERVATION, KEEPING, AND CONSUMPTION

WHERE PTEROSAURS ARE FOUND

PTEROSAUR COUNT

USING THE GROUP AND SPECIES DESCRIPTIONS

Group and Species Accounts

PTEROSAURS

RHAMPHORHYNCHOIDS

PTERODACTYLOIDS

REFERENCES

INDEX

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780691232218

0691232210

OCLC:

1250432126