Table of Contents

Preface The Paleocene: The Dark Epoch The Eocene: Reaching the Climax The Oligocene: A Time of Change The Early to Middle Miocene: When the Continents Collide The Late Miocene: The Beginning of the Crisis The Pliocene: The End of a World The Pleistocene: The Age of Humankind Index

Promotional Information

This book covers mammalian evolution from the aftermath of the dinosaur extinction to the glacial climax of the Pleistocene epoch, from early lemur-like primates to giant cold-climate adapted mega-mammals, such as the woolly mammoth or mastodon.

About the Author

Jordi Agusti is ICREA Research Professor at the Institut de Paleoecologia Humana in Tarragona, Spain. He is a prominent specialist in fossil mammalian faunas of Europe, having conducted a number of European projects as well as field campaigns in Spain, Georgia, and northern Africa. Mauricio Anton is a paleontological artist based at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid. His work has appeared in National Geographic and Natural History. He has collaborated with the Discovery Channel and the BBC, most recently for the program "Sabretooth" and the series Walking with Prehistoric Beasts.

Reviews

"An exceptionally valuable, scholarly, yet widely accessible broad outline of the dazzling evolutionary history of the mammalian faunas and selected lineages during the Age of Mammals, the Cenozoic...an important contribution for those paleontologists and zoologists who are not mammal specialists, yet have wide-ranging interests in macroevolution. Very highly recommended." -- Choice "A rich paleontological panorama...What struck me most forceably about the work is the magnitude of chance experienced by the region over this period." -- Times Literary Supplement "An excellent balance of coverage between different lineages--and impressive achievement in and of itself... This is a very successful study, which tackles a difficult task with admirable deftness." -- Journal of Mammology "Full of interesting matter...a vital aid in assisting the nonexpert reader to see the big picture." -- Tim Flannery, Science "A fine book for all who have an interest in mammals, whether extant species or fossil species. Nicely done." -- Northeastern Naturalist "It is always a pleasure to review a book that is accurate, easy to read and beautifully illustrated." -- Peter Andrews, Journal of Mammalian Evolution