Cenozoic Mammals of Africa - by Lars Werdelin & William Joseph Sanders (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A truly remarkable volume which, in its scope, freshness, and value, provides far more than anyone could have hoped for. "Cenozoic Mammals of Africa" raises the bar in 'palaeo-publishing, ' but particularly so, because it will be of use and in use by scholars for years to come. Our knowledge of Africa's early mammals has increased so dramatically over the past 40 years that I can do no more than express my astonishment. I encourage libraries and scholars to get this work into their library without delay."--Richard Leakey, Stony Brook University
"This impressively comprehensive volume is a long-awaited and worthy successor to the now outdated 1978 classic, "Evolution of African Mammals." A must-have reference work for everyone interested in mammalian evolution."--David Pilbeam, Harvard University and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
""Cenozoic Mammals of Africa" does not disappoint: here is a magisterial volume of nearly 1,000 pages of densely packed information authored by many of the leading scholars of our time. The book provides excellent summaries of the geological, geographic, climatic, ecological and chronological settings in which the mammals of Africa have evolved. Anyone with an interest in the origins of humans and other mammals, in their past settings and in the natural communities of which they were part, will be thrilled to read and refer to this superb collaborative effort."--Jonathan Kingdon, co-editor of "Mammals of Africa"
"Werdelin and Sanders is now the essential source book for research on African fossil mammals. Its connection to human evolution gives the book a particular gleam; its in-depth coverage of all fossil mammals makes the book relevant to every interest in biodiversity, paleoecology, and tests of the evolutionary process."--Dr. Richard Potts, Director, Human Origins Program, Smithsonian Institution
"A compendious, scholarly and insightful synthesis that collates the most up-to-date information on Africa's Cenozoic mammals. This authoritative team of authors reveals the fascination of Africa's extinct mammal fauna and provides compelling evidence of the adage that the present (including our own) can only be understood through knowledge of the past."--David W. Macdonald, editor of "The Encyclopaedia of Mammals"

Book Synopsis

This magnificent volume is a clear and comprehensive review of the African mammalian fossil record over the past 65 million years. Cenozoic Mammals of Africa includes current taxonomic and systematic revisions of all African mammal taxa, detailed compilations of fossil site occurrences, and a wealth of information regarding paleobiology, phylogeny, and biogeography. Primates, including hominins, are particularly well covered. The discussion addresses the systematics of endemic African mammals, factors relating to species richness, and a summary of isotopic information. The work also provides contextual information about Cenozoic African tectonics, chrono stratigraphy of sites, paleobotany, and global and regional climate change. Updating our understanding of this important material with the wealth of research from the past three decades, this volume is an essential resource for anyone interested in the evolutionary history of Africa and the diversification of its mammals.

From the Back Cover

"A truly remarkable volume which, in its scope, freshness, and value, provides far more than anyone could have hoped for. Cenozoic Mammals of Africa raises the bar in 'palaeo-publishing, ' but particularly so, because it will be of use and in use by scholars for years to come. Our knowledge of Africa's early mammals has increased so dramatically over the past 40 years that I can do no more than express my astonishment. I encourage libraries and scholars to get this work into their library without delay."--Richard Leakey, Stony Brook University

"This impressively comprehensive volume is a long-awaited and worthy successor to the now outdated 1978 classic, Evolution of African Mammals. A must-have reference work for everyone interested in mammalian evolution."--David Pilbeam, Harvard University and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

"Cenozoic Mammals of Africa does not disappoint: here is a magisterial volume of nearly 1,000 pages of densely packed information authored by many of the leading scholars of our time. The book provides excellent summaries of the geological, geographic, climatic, ecological and chronological settings in which the mammals of Africa have evolved. Anyone with an interest in the origins of humans and other mammals, in their past settings and in the natural communities of which they were part, will be thrilled to read and refer to this superb collaborative effort."--Jonathan Kingdon, co-editor of Mammals of Africa

"Werdelin and Sanders is now the essential source book for research on African fossil mammals. Its connection to human evolution gives the book a particular gleam; its in-depth coverage of all fossil mammals makes the book relevant to every interest in biodiversity, paleoecology, and tests of the evolutionary process."--Dr. Richard Potts, Director, Human Origins Program, Smithsonian Institution

"A compendious, scholarly and insightful synthesis that collates the most up-to-date information on Africa's Cenozoic mammals. This authoritative team of authors reveals the fascination of Africa's extinct mammal fauna and provides compelling evidence of the adage that the present (including our own) can only be understood through knowledge of the past."--David W. Macdonald, editor of The Encyclopaedia of Mammals

Review Quotes

"This is an outstanding volume: authoritative, well-organized, and thorough."-- "Reference & Research Book News / Scitech Book News" (8/17/2010 12:00:00 AM)

"This magnificent volume is a clear and comprehensive review of the African mammalian fossil record over the past 65 million years. . . . A MUST have book for those with an interest in the fossil mammals of Africa!"-- "Scienceblogs.com/The Guardian" (7/3/2011 12:00:00 AM)

"An essential book."--Brandon G. Wheeler "Qtly Review Of Biology" (6/30/2011 12:00:00 AM)

"Overall, the volume is excellent, and I expect it will be a mainstay on the shelves of most mammalian paleontologists."--Jessica M. Theodor "Springer" (8/18/2011 12:00:00 AM)

"This is a fabulous reference."-- "Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, Reviews" (5/4/2011 12:00:00 AM)

"This is an amazing book!"--Eric Delson "Choice" (7/20/2010 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Lars Werdelin is Senior Curator at the Swedish Museum of Natural History. William Joseph Sanders is a Research Scientist at the University of Michigan's Museum of Paleontology.