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Reecomended Reading

(9 posts)
  • Started 10 months ago by Jason Carr
  • Latest reply from Heidi

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  1. Jason Carr
    Key Master

    Wayne made a good point in his post in the paleo mammals class thread about seeking out sources and doing your own research about topics that interest you. He mentioned the Textbook: Vertebrate Life by Pough, Janis and Heiser as a good starting point So I thought I'd put the general question out there what books would you recommend in paleontology topics both general and specific ranging from fish reptiles to dinos to mammals to invertebrates, and lets not forget biostratigraphy.

    Posted 10 months ago #

  2. Jason Carr
    Key Master

    Here are some books that I've found useful, arranged by topic.

    Vertebrate Anatomy and Evolution:
    Functional Anatomy of the Vertebrates: An Evolutionary Perspective by Bemis, Walker and Grande has good descriptions of how various structures have evolved.

    Major Transitions in Vertebrate Evolution by Anderson and Suess

    Vertebrate Microfossil Assemblages by Sankey et al. Check out chapter 11 written by SDSM&T grad student Ed Welsh.

    Invertebrates:
    Invertebrates by Brusca et al. is THE definitive text on invertebrate zoology, anatomy and evolution however it is lacking in in the biostratigraphy department, and it may be a bit advanced for those without a solid biology background.

    Lower Verts
    J. Allan Holman has books on Fossil Salamanders Frogs and Toads and Snakes of North America.

    Dinosaurs:
    The Dinosauria by: Weishampel et al. is the definitive reference text on dinosaurs, but it is not a good introduction, and may be a bit over the heads of some readers.

    A good introductory book on Dinos is: Dinosaurs: the textbook by Lucas

    Mammals:
    Again, if you have a solid Bio background a good Mammology text is: Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology by Feldhamer et al.

    A great reference on fossil mammals is of course Janis et al.'s Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America vols. 1&2.

    The Evolution of Artidactyls by Prothero and Foss is another great, but more specific refernece.

    for those with more more carnivorous interests:

    Big Cats and their fossil relatives by Turner and Anton

    and

    Dogs: their fossil relatives & evolutionary history by Wang and Tedford. You might have seen the poster of Darrin holding this book up in the Museum.

    Biostratigraphy
    This is THE book on North American Mammalian Biostratigraphy: Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic Mammals of North America: Biostratigraphy and Geochronology by Woodburne.

    That's all I can think of please add your own favorites/recommendations.

    Posted 10 months ago #

  3. Jason Carr
    Key Master

    I know that our library at the school of mines isn't the best. If you're looking for a specific book, ask around. Many people are more than willing to let you borrow a useful book. The Bump Library has some good references (it may lack some more recent publications) ask Heidi at the museum for access. The paleontology club also has a limited library, ask Jeff as to what we have.

    Posted 10 months ago #

  4. taguss
    Member

    What is the Bump Library? I mean, where? Is it something on campus? In the museum?

    Posted 10 months ago #

  5. Jeff Martin
    Moderator

    The moose manual- How to prepare and articulate large hoofed mammal skeletons - Lee Post
    Jerry McDonald's 1981 book "North American Bison: Their Classification and Evolution"

    Posted 10 months ago #

  6. Michelle P
    Member

    Taguss, the Bump and McDonald libraries are both located in the Museum. They're wonderful small libraries that contain a lot of rare older works, including a good amount of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology journals and the American Museum of Natural History's Novitates series (although you can download that for free nowadays at the AMNH website). There is a computer in the layout room (upstairs in the old gym) that serves as a repository for hundreds of paleo papers in PDF format, stored there by lots of other paleo students. Heidi can provide you access to the in-print libraries, while anybody with a key to the layout room (ask a grad student or professor) can get you to the computer.

    The Deveraux library (the main one on campus) isn't great for paleo resources. Apparently the flood in Rapid a few decades ago took out a good deal of the paleo journals stored in the basement. However they can do interlibrary loans for you. If there's a specific title you're looking for, you can borrow it through them for a small fee. They will acquire it from another library for you and allow you to check it out.

    There are TONS of books out there about paleo things, but a word of caution: several books serve as a way for certain authors to publish their work without peer review, and therefore inject ideas into the public without the chance for a second opinion to be heard, or without sufficient data to back these ideas up. Books that have multiple authors and/or editors are usually free of these issues. There are also many works out there which are in part or in total outdated by today's standards. If you're curious about general paleo, bio, or geo topics and don't know where to start, I'd suggest simply wandering through the southeast corner of the third floor in the Deveraux library (paleo/bio/geo section), or either of the libraries in the museum. Pick up a title that looks intriguing and flip through it!

    Posted 10 months ago #

  7. Jason Carr
    Key Master

    How could I forget this one? There is a multi-volume multi author work titled: The Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Volumes A-W have been published covering everything form sponges to echinoderms to trace fossils.

    This is an ongoing multi-volume multi-author work published by the Geological Society of America and the University of Kansas. It is a fantastic resource, and it should be the first place you look if you're researching invertebrates. The Deveraux Library does have this one if you're looking for it.

    Invertebrates are an often overlooked but extremely important group. I would advise anyone with an interest in paleo to get a solid background in them.

    Posted 10 months ago #

  8. Jason Testin
    Member

    Couple Good Geology/Taphonomy books

    Terrestrial Ecosystems Through Time: Evolutionary Paleoecology of Terrestrial Plants and Animals by Anna K. Behrensmeyer (Editor)

    Geology in the Field by Robert R. Compton

    Bonebeds: Genesis, Analysis, and Paleobiological Significance by Raymond R. Rogers (Editor)

    Posted 10 months ago #

  9. Heidi
    Moderator

    If anyone is interested in buying any of these (some can get pretty expensive, some can be found for $5-$25). Check out http://www.dealoz.com. This site is good, not only for books, but electronics as well. It searches ALL sites for you, Amazon, Ebay, Alibris, AbeBooks, etc. I have gotten some REALLY good deals on this site. They even give links to coupons or deals, like free shipping. I found the 2nd Janis volume for $175 when it retails at $300!! Almost 50% off! You can search by ISBN, Author, Title, etc. It is a phenomenal site to get books from...I get almost ALL of my books from here.

    Posted 10 months ago #

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