A survey of representative trilobite species from North America. It includes meticulous line drawings of 42 species, with information for each concerning classification, geologic range, and geographical distribution. Descriptions of probable life style, similar species, interesting features, etc. are also given. The 8 page, illustrated Introduction includes discussions of trilobite anatomy, growth, vision, lifestyles, locomotion, feeding, classification, and extinction. A brief "suggested reading" list is also offered.
A scientist recounts his global adventure documenting trilobite fossils in this full-color book perfect for armchair paleontologists. Distant relatives of modern lobsters, horseshoe crabs, and spiders, trilobites swam the planet’s prehistoric seas for 300 million years, from the Lower Cambrian to the end of the Permian eras—and they did so very capably. Trilobite fossils have been unearthed on every continent, with more than 20,000 species identified by science. One of the most arresting animals of our pre-dinosaur world, trilobites are also favorites among the fossil collectors of today, their crystalline eyes often the catalyst for a lifetime of paleontological devotion. And there is no collector more devoted—or more venerated—than Riccardo Levi-Setti. With The Trilobite Book, a much-anticipated follow-up to his classic Trilobites, Levi-Setti brings us a glorious and revealing guide to these surreal arthropods of ancient Earth. Featuring specimens from Bohemia to Newfoundland, California to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, and Wales to the Anti-Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Levi-Setti’s magnificent book reanimates these “butterflies of the seas” in 235 astonishing full-color photographs. All original, Levi-Setti’s images serve as the jumping-off point for tales of his global quests in search of these highly sought-after fossils; for discussions of their mineralogical origins, as revealed by their color; and for unraveling the role of the now-extinct trilobites in our planetary history. Sure to enthrall paleontologists with its scientific insights and amateur enthusiasts with its beautiful and informative images, The Trilobite Book combines the best of science, technology, aesthetics, and personal adventure. It will inspire new collectors for eras to come. Praise for The Trilobite Book “[The Trilobite Book]marries the intertwined story of [Levi-Setti’s] global hunt for specimens and trilobites’ place in prehistory with 235 superb color photographs of select fossils. Perhaps most astounding is the array found by Arkadiy Evdokimov in Russia: their preservation is exquisite, down to the rococo flourishes of curving spines and protuberant, complex eyes.” —Barbara Kiser, Nature “This gorgeous, well-researched book is a must-have for anyone interested in these prehistoric creatures.” —Carla Sinclair, Boing Boing
Fishes have a unique evolutionary history that stretches back in time more than 450 million years. They are incredibly ancient-older than the dinosaurs-and include the ancestors of all limbed vertebrates living on land, even humans.In Discovering Fossil Fishes , John Maisey traces the evolution of fishes over the course of nearly half a billion years, describing the discovery of their extraordinary fossil remains and explaining what these ancient animals tell us about our own place in the history of life. Combining current scientific information with entertaining tales about historic and contemporary fieldwork, Maisey brings to life the development of armored fishes, monster sharks, and fishes with arms as he reveals the subtleties of evolution's greatest success story.More abundant and more diverse than their air-breathing cousins, fishes today dominate the seas and freshwaters of Earth. Through outstanding full-color photographs of their fossils and of fossil reconstructions by artists David Miller and Ivy Rutzky, along with informative photographs, charts, diagrams, and drawings, we discover a staggering half-billion-year history in which lies our own watery origins.
A field guide to 60 dinosaurs and prehistoric animals that once lived in what is now North America. Featuring stunning illustrations of each animal by world-famous artist Sergey Krosovskiy and based on the latest paleontogical research, this book provides information about the where and when the animals lived, what they ate, and more.
Giant New Foundland trilobites and trilobite eyes that he began two decades ago. With his meticulously detailed photographs and lively text, Levi-Setti educates the student, informs the scholar, intrigues the collector, and captivates the general reader. Although we can only hold in our hands the fossilized remains of these long-extinct creatures, Trilobites brings them to life for everyone curious about our remote past.
A lovely and loving piece of work, both an introduction to the hobby of fossil collecting and a beautifully illustrated field guide, with the author's drawings of some 450 fossil specimens and descriptions of 46 specific sites in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia where they can be found. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
A “superbly written, richly illustrated” guide to the animals who lived 450 million years ago—in the fossil-rich area where Cincinnati, Ohio now stands (Rocks & Minerals). The region around Cincinnati, Ohio, is known throughout the world for the abundant and beautiful fossils found in limestones and shales that were deposited as sediments on the sea floor during the Ordovician Period, about 450 million years ago—some 250 million years before the dinosaurs lived. In Ordovician time, the shallow sea that covered much of what is now the North American continent teemed with marine life. The Cincinnati area has yielded some of the world’s most abundant and best-preserved fossils of invertebrate animals such as trilobites, bryozoans, brachiopods, molluscs, echinoderms, and graptolites. So famous are the Ordovician fossils and rocks of the Cincinnati region that geologists use the term “Cincinnatian” for strata of the same age all over North America. This book synthesizes more than 150 years of research on this fossil treasure-trove, describing and illustrating the fossils, the life habits of the animals represented, their communities, and living relatives, as well as the nature of the rock strata in which they are found and the environmental conditions of the ancient sea. “A fascinating glimpse of a long-extinct ecosystem.” —Choice
"Part album, part manual, part nature guide, the 80 pages of this book are divided into three sections: Earth, Air and Water. Each page marks a new adventure as you are guided through the world of nature and invited to search for, explore and gather things as diverse as skulls and shells, tadpoles and trilobites. The entries give instructions and information on the natural things you might find outside and are followed by spaces for your own collections. Where removing objects isn't ethical, you are guided to take photographs to stick in instead..."--Publisher description.
The clearest and sharpest recognition guide to over 500 invertebrate, vertebrate, and plant fossils from around the world. This comprehensive pocket guide is the perfect introduction to finding, identifying, and collecting fossils. It features more than 500 species of plant and animal fossils, from trilobites and megafauna to dinosaurs and ancient trees. This handbook cuts through the complicated identification process with expertly written and thoroughly vetted text that features precise description, enabling you to recognize a species instantly. Over 1,000 photographs, with illuminating annotations, help you pick out a fossil's chief characteristics and distinguishing features, while a color illustration shows the fossil as a living plant or animal. The detailed introduction explains what a fossil is and how they are classified. Start building your own collection with advice on where to look for fossils, what tools and safety equipment are needed for collecting, and how best to organize a fossil collection. To help you in the initial stages of identification, this book provides a visual identification key that makes it easy to recognize a fossil and place it in its correct group. Finally, a concise glossary gives instant understanding of technical and scientific terms.
