Ancient Sea Reptiles: Plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs and more
£16.80£19.00 (-12%)
Join palaeontologist Darren Naish on a tour of these incredible animals, ranging from shark-shaped ichthyosaurs and long-necked plesiosaurs to gigantic, predatory mosasaurs. Occupying roles similar to those of modern sharks, seals and whales, they filled the ancient oceans for a period of 180 million years.
Naish charts the evolutionary rise of the ancient sea reptiles and their domination of the Mesozoic Seas. He reveals how these reptiles moved in water, the anatomical advantages of their soft tissue, skin and blubber, how their jaws were specialized for aquatic prey, and the sensory organs that enabled them to see, smell or hear underwater.
Later chapters focus on each of the major lineages: the shark-shaped ichthyosaurs, the long-necked plesiosaurs; the crocodilelike thalattosuchians, the fast-swimming mosasaurs, and the first sea turtles.
The book is richly illustrated with photographs of striking specimens and artistic reconstructions which bring these giants of the sea to life.
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Additional information
| Publisher | 1st edition (28 Feb. 2023), Natural History Museum |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 192 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 056509534X |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0565095345 |
| Dimensions | 26 x 2.2 x 20.1 cm |
by Mike
As always, Naish delivers a great pop science book on a subject most lay readers may be unfamiliar with. Crisp quality and beginner-friendly. A must for all you palaeonerds!
by DreadShips
Anybody who has read Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved is going to know exactly what to expect – a gorgeously illustrated, precisely written overview of the latest science. Arguably it’s a little less approachable than the Naish and Barrett collaboration, perhaps because these animals are a little more niche. However it’s bang up to date and provides a useful overview of several disparate clades that rarely get as much attention as they should. If you’re interested in Mesozoic life then it’s a valuable addition to your library, representing as it does the state of the art. Stick it next to Mark Witton’s Pterosaur book – still the benchmark for this sort of thing – if you really want to break out of the dinosaur supremacy.
by Amazon Customer
As per title. I loved it, but it is very niche and unless you are very interested in the minutae of the subject there are other books that might serve as a better general introduction.
by Amazon Customer
Currently the GO-TO book on marine reptiles (as the other ones are pretty poor).
I just expected it to perhaps contain a bit more information, more explanatory diagrams, and be a lot thicker.
Overall a great book for beginners, but lacks that ‘extra factor’ for more experienced people.
by Piotr Cuber
Most of the books focus on dinosaurs but tend to ignore all other fascinating organisms that existed that time. This publication fully focuses on marine reptiles. I love it. We need more such books.