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This book presents a comprehensive analysis of the evidence for the Mesozoic origin and differentiation of mammals, particularly the multituberculates, monotremes, and therians. Leading researchers examine evidence ranging from development and genetic control to cranial ontogeny, basicranial morphology, dental homologies, and postcranial morphology. Emphasis is placed on understanding the evolution of morphological characteristics, on the fossil record, and on the construction of phylogenies based on the analysis of characters and on mammalian distribution. In addition to a synthesis of current understanding, the book offers new research on mammalian evolution which occurred during the Age of Reptiles; the longest time period of mammalian evolution. This cohesive book will be invaluable for taxonomists, evolutionary morphologists, vertebrate paleontologists, and mammalogists for its summary of knowledge on mammal phylogeny and for its wealth of references.
List of contents
1 Introduction.- 2 Ontogeny, Genetic Control, and Phylogeny of Female Reproduction in Monotreme and Therian Mammals.- 3 Development and the Phylogenetic Features of the Middle Ear Region.- 4 Relationships of the Liassic Mammals Sinoconodon, Morganucodon oehleri, and Dinnetherium.- 5 Basicranial Evidence for Early Mammal Phylogeny.- 6 Cranial Morphology and Multituberculate Relationships.- 7 Reconsideration of Monotreme Relationships Based on the Skull and Dentition of the Miocene Obdurodon dicksoni.- 8 Ontogenetic Evidence for Cranial Homologies in Monotremes and Therians, with Special Reference to Ornithorhynchus.- 9 Pedal Evolution of Mammals in the Mesozoic: Tests for Taxic Relationships.- 10 Phylogenetic Systematics and the Early History of Mammals.- 11 Phylogeny of Multituberculata.- 12 Cranial Morphology of the Therian Common Ancestor, as Suggested by the Adaptations of Neonate Marsupials.- 13 An Ontogenetic Assessment of Dental Homologies in Therian Mammals.- 14 Theria of Metatherian-Eutherian Grade and the Origin of Marsupials.- 15 Metatherian Taxon Phylogeny: Evidence and Interpretation from the Cranioskeletal System.- Topic Index.- Taxon Index.
