Call them "mudpuppies," "hellbenders," or "mud eels," salamanders are puzzling animals to most people. They come in forms that look like flattened fish with legs, like eels, like slimy lizards, or like lizards with toad-like skins. Their life history imitates the ancient evolutionary transition from aquatic to terrestrial vertebrates, though several groups remain permanently aquatic. Until now, no one has written about their ancient ancestors. Holman details the process of the identification and interpretation of the fossils. He presents a detailed systematic account of the known fossil salamanders of North America, illustrates and discusses the extinct salamanders, re-diagnosing or redescribing some on the basis of additional information and fossil material. He also gives the modern characteristics, ecological attributes, and modern ranges of the fossil taxa that are still living. The book begins with an overview of the Caudata and describes their early evolution. Then follow the systematic and chronological accounts of the salamanders. The book concludes with a discussion of the study of fossil salamanders as it relates to the development of a realistic phylogeny and classification of the group.
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J. Alan Holman (1931-2006) was Professor and Curator Emeritus of Vertebrate Paleontology at Michigan State University. He wrote seven books, including Fossil Snakes of North America (IUP, 2000) and Fossil Frogs and Toads of North America (IUP, 2003).
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fossil localities, tiger salamanders, eastern newt, mole salamanders, revised diagnosis, aliform processes, subcentral keel, interglenoid tubercle, posterior cotyle, postzygapophyseal articular facets, anterior cotyles, subcentral foramina, prezygapophyseal articular facets, tigrinum group, anterior basapophyses, fossil salamanders, holotype atlas, laterale complex, dental sulcus, salamander vertebrae, subcentral foramen, trunk vertebra, maculatum group, ypsiloid cartilage, obligate neotenic Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North America, General Comments, Other Material, Late Miocene, Pendleton County, Late Cretaceous, Identification of Fossils, Middle Miocene, Early Miocene, United States, Late Paleocene, West Virginia, Bartow County, Description of the Holotype, Meade County, Hamilton Cave, Old World, Sullivan County, New Trout Cave, Alachua County, Late Oligocene, General Remarks, Cheek Bend Cave, Lance Formation, Brown County New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
fossil localities, tiger salamanders, eastern newt, mole salamanders, revised diagnosis, aliform processes, subcentral keel, interglenoid tubercle, posterior cotyle, postzygapophyseal articular facets, anterior cotyles, subcentral foramina, prezygapophyseal articular facets, tigrinum group, anterior basapophyses, fossil salamanders, holotype atlas, laterale complex, dental sulcus, salamander vertebrae, subcentral foramen, trunk vertebra, maculatum group, ypsiloid cartilage, obligate neotenic Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
North America, General Comments, Other Material, Late Miocene, Pendleton County, Late Cretaceous, Identification of Fossils, Middle Miocene, Early Miocene, United States, Late Paleocene, West Virginia, Bartow County, Description of the Holotype, Meade County, Hamilton Cave, Old World, Sullivan County, New Trout Cave, Alachua County, Late Oligocene, General Remarks, Cheek Bend Cave, Lance Formation, Brown County New!
Books on Related Topics Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
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