{"product_id":"mesozoic-birds-above-the-heads-of-dinosaurs-hardcover","title":"Mesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eLuis M. Chiappe\u003c\/b\u003e (Editor), \u003cb\u003eLawrence M. Witmer\u003c\/b\u003e (Editor)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur knowledge of the origin and early evolution of birds has exploded in the past ten to fifteen years. In the 1990s alone, scientists became aware of approximately three times more species of early birds than were previously known, marking the first 85 million years of avian development as a period of remarkable species diversity. Assembling work by an international group of renowned scientists, \u003ci\u003eMesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs \u003c\/i\u003eis the most authoritative and up-to-date source on early avian evolution currently available. This unique resource provides a comprehensive examination of the known fossil record and is also an unparalleled guide to the fast-paced developments in current research.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMesozoic Birds: Above the Heads of Dinosaurs \u003c\/i\u003ecovers a wide range of topics, including discussions of avian origins, the fossil record of feathers and footprints, bone histology, and locomotor evolution. Controversial taxa such as \u003ci\u003eProtoavis, Caudipteryx, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eMononykus \u003c\/i\u003ereceive special treatment. But the heart of the volume presents the anatomy, relationships, and paleobiology of the undisputed Mesozoic aviary. Some of the book's most exciting features are the new definitive descriptions and illustrations of taxa that previously have received only brief notice, such as the alvarezsaurid \u003ci\u003eShuvuuia; \u003c\/i\u003ethe enantiornithines \u003ci\u003eSinornis; Eoalulavis, Vorona, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003ePatagopteryx; \u003c\/i\u003eand the hesperornithiform \u003ci\u003eEnaliornis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eThe origin of birds and their relationship to dinosaurs continue to be hotly debated among paleontologists, ornithologists, and evolutionary biologists. This cutting-edge reference will become an essential resource for those interested in this debate and in the many other fascinating topics relating to the evolution of the earliest known birds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFront Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMesozoic Birds\u003c\/i\u003e is the first book to bring together world-renowned specialists on fossil birds and their importance to avian origins and, more importantly, it stresses a unified approach (cladistics) and presents the most anatomically detailed analyses available to date. No other study or collection of studies has ever done so much. How could the project not be welcomed by its audience of paleontologists, ornithologists, and evolutionary biologists!--David Weishampel, editor of \u003ci\u003eThe Dinosauria\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is the first comprehensive volume dedicated to the relationships and evolution of the birds that lived during the Age of Dinosaurs. Its wealth of information and its diversity of viewpoints will ensure that this indispensable volume is used and discussed for many years to come.--Kevin Padian, University of California, Berkeley\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBack Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMesozoic Birds\u003c\/i\u003e is the first book to bring together world-renowned specialists on fossil birds and their importance to avian origins and, more importantly, it stresses a unified approach (cladistics) and presents the most anatomically detailed analyses available to date. No other study or collection of studies has ever done so much. How could the project not be welcomed by its audience of paleontologists, ornithologists, and evolutionary biologists!--David Weishampel, editor of \u003ci\u003eThe Dinosauria\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This is the first comprehensive volume dedicated to the relationships and evolution of the birds that lived during the Age of Dinosaurs. Its wealth of information and its diversity of viewpoints will ensure that this indispensable volume is used and discussed for many years to come.\"--Kevin Padian, University of California, Berkeley\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLuis M. Chiappe\u003c\/b\u003e is Curator and Chairman of the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He is the coauthor of \u003ci\u003eWalking on Eggs \u003c\/i\u003e(2001) and \u003ci\u003eThe Tiniest Giants \u003c\/i\u003e(1999). \u003cb\u003eLawrence M. Witmer\u003c\/b\u003e is Associate Professor of Anatomy at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Search for the Origin of Birds \u003c\/i\u003e(1995).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 536\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.6 x 11.24 x 8.96 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e December 05, 2002\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42133472247943,"sku":"9780520200944","price":189.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/e3f3efbc995a2eae7c12f25bb9579608.webp?v=1732634601","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/mesozoic-birds-above-the-heads-of-dinosaurs-hardcover","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}