Ecology and Behaviour of Mesozoic Reptiles [Paperback]

This richly illustrated book clothes the skeletons of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles with flesh, and shows how these fascinating animals evolved and probably lived. Expert author John L. Cloudsley-Thompson synthesizes current views on ecology, physiology and behaviour, and outlines the various hypotheses that have been proposed to explain their extinction. Numerous beautiful drawings of the animals and their environment illustrate this exciting monograph.

Our knowledge of extinct animals depends almost entirely upon the study of fossils. This richly illustrated book clothes the skeletons of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles with flesh, and shows how these fascinating animals evolved and probably lived. Expert author John L. Cloudsley-Thompson provides an interesting synthesis of current views on their ecology, physiology and behaviour, and outlines the various hypotheses that have been proposed to explain their extinction. Numerous beautiful drawings of the animals and their environment illustrate this exciting monograph.

1. Classification 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Amphibians 1.3 Reptiles 1.4 Note on Colouration 2. Diversification of Palaeozoic Reptiles 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Continental Drift 2.3 Reptilian Ancestors 2.4 Anapsid Reptiles 2.5 Synapsid Reptiles 3. The Mesozoic Environment 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Triassic Period 3.3 The Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods 4. Amphibious Mesozoic Reptiles 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Locomotion 4.3 Testudines 4.4 Placodonts and Nothosaurs 4.5 Thalattosaurs, Mosasaurs and Other Sea Lizards 4.6 Champsosaurs, Phytosaurs and Crocodilians 5. Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Swimming 5.3 Plesiosaurs 5.4 Ichthyosaurs 6. Aerial Mesozoic Reptiles 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Gliding Reptiles 6.3 Pterosaur Flight 6.4 Locomotion on the Ground 6.5 Rhamphorynchoids 6.6 Pterodactyloids 6.7 Life styles 6.8 Extinction 6.9 Summary 7. Terrestrial Mesozoic Reptiles 7.1 Introduction 7.2 QuadrupedalóÑ