Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain (Geological Conservation Review) [Hardcover]

M.J. Benton (Author), P.S. Spencer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0412620405 | ISBN-13: 978-0412620409 | Publication Date: February 28, 1995 | Edition: 1

British Fossil reptile sites are of international importance since they include remains that fill the time gaps poorly known elsewhere. They include rich classic reptile beds which have been the source of dozens of important specimens. This volume details all those sites that have yielded fossil reptiles. The fifty most important localities are described in detail and an extensive bibliography of everything published on British Fossil reptiles since 1676 is provided.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The totality of coverage is breathtaking, and clearly this book will become the essential working tool of anyone wanting to make headway in reptile vertebrate palaeontology of the British Isles. - Geoscientist; This volume will be of enormous value to those trying to preserve our natural resources against the machinations of developers and local councils. - Geological Magazine.; Now there'll be no excuse for municipal rubbish dumpers or those modern Canutes, the coast protection engineers, to pretend ingnorance of the scientific value of quarries and rocky beaches. For fossil reptiles, at least, the evidence is now to hand in this information-packed volume...Anyone interested in prehistoric saurians will have a serendipitous wander through Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain, which goes beyond the wretchedly overexposed dinosaurs in its systematic revelation of the full wealth of our fossil record... - New Scientist; ...a volume full of information...well produced and laid out...an excellent guide to reptile-rich localities... - Dinosaur Collectors' Club Newsletter; ...systematic revelation of the full wealth of our fossil record - New Scientist

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (February 28, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0412620405
• ISBN-13: 978-0412620409
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,631,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain. M.J.Benton & P.S.Spencer, June 26, 2000

By 

Dr David S Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fossil Reptiles of Great Britain (Geological Conservation Review) (Hardcover)

Published as Volume 10 in the Geological Review Series of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the primary task of this commissioned book was to identify and notify geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) which would then come under the protection of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981).

Professor Benton is a leading academic in the field of British Vertebrate Palaeontology, and this book is an extensive work of original research, fully referenced: over 1,150 literature sources are cited. It is illustrated throughout with geological maps and tables, reptilian specimen drawings and reconstructions, and on-site photographs. It describes in detail his final selection of 50 SSSIs, explaining the special interest, palaeontological significance and heritage value of the specimens which each site has yielded. It goes far beyond the official requirements, providing a valuable reference source on the history of British vertebrate palaeontology, and an authoritative synopsis of current scientific opinion regarding the status and significance of British fossil reptiles.