Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids - by Jordi Agustí & Mauricio Antón (Paperback)

About the Book

This book covers mammalian evolution from the aftermath of the dinosaur extinction to the glacial climax of the Pleistocene epoch, from early lemur-like primates to giant cold-climate adapted mega-mammals, such as the woolly mammoth or mastodon.

Book Synopsis

Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids takes us on a journey through 65 million years, from the aftermath of the extinction of the dinosaurs to the glacial climax of the Pleistocene epoch; from the rain forests of the Paleocene and the Eocene, with their lemur-like primates, to the harsh landscape of the Pleistocene Steppes, home to the woolly mammoth. It is also a journey through space, following the migrations of mammal species that evolved on other continents and eventually met to compete or coexist in Cenozoic Europe. Finally, it is a journey through the complexity of mammalian evolution, a review of the changes and adaptations that have allowed mammals to flourish and become the dominant land vertebrates on Earth.

With the benefit of recent advances in geological and geophysical techniques, Jordi Agustí and Mauricio Antón are able to trace the processes of mammalian evolution as never before; events that hitherto appeared synchronous or at least closely related can now be distinguished on a scale of hundreds or even dozens of thousands of years, revealing the dramatic importance of climactic changes both major and minor. Evolutionary developments are rendered in magnificent illustrations of the many extraordinary species that once inhabited Europe, detailing their osteology, functional anatomy, and inferred patterns of locomotion and behavior. Based on the latest research and field work, Mammoths, Sabertooths, and Hominids transforms our understanding of how mammals evolved and changed the face of the planet.

Review Quotes

A fine book for all who have an interest in mammals, whether extant species or fossil species. Nicely done.-- "Northeastern Naturalist"

A rich paleontological panorama....What struck me most forceably about the work is the magnitude of chance experienced by the region over this period.-- "Times Literary Supplement"

An excellent balance of coverage between different lineages--and impressive achievement in and of itself.... This is a very successful study, which tackles a difficult task with admirable deftness.-- "Journal of Mammology"

An exceptionally valuable, scholarly, yet widely accessible broad outline of the dazzling evolutionary history of the mammalian faunas and selected lineages during the Age of Mammals, the Cenozoic....an important contribution for those paleontologists and zoologists who are not mammal specialists, yet have wide-ranging interests in macroevolution. Very highly recommended.-- "Choice"

An important resource for specialists who wish to know the latest about European mammal evolution, because so much has changed since [Bjorn] Kurten (1971)... Agusti has done an excellent job of bringing these latest developements into the text and integrating them with the great increase in our understanding of European tectonics as well.-- "Earth Science History"

Full of interesting matter...a vital aid in assisting the nonexpert reader to see the big picture.--Tim Flannery "Science"

It is always a pleasure to review a book that is accurate, easy to read and beautifully illustrated.--Peter Andrews "Journal of Mammalian Evolution"

About the Author

Jordi Agustí is ICREA Research Professor at the Institut de Paleoecologia Humana in Tarragona, Spain. He is a prominent specialist in fossil mammalian faunas of Europe, having conducted a number of European projects as well as field campaigns in Spain, Georgia, and northern Africa. Mauricio Antón is a paleontological artist based at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid. His work has appeared in National Geographic and Natural History. He has collaborated with the Discovery Channel and the BBC, most recently for the program "Sabretooth" and the series Walking with Prehistoric Beasts.