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Nature Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures

Megafauna

Giant Beasts of Pleistocene South America

by (author) Richard A. Fariña, Sergio F. Vizcaíno & Gerry De Iuliis

illustrated by Sebastián Tambusso

Publisher
Indiana University Press
Initial publish date
May 2013
Category
Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures, Mammals, Paleontology
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780253002303
    Publish Date
    May 2013
    List Price
    $85.00

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Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 18
  • Grade: 12

Description

More than 10,000 years ago spectacularly large mammals roamed the pampas and jungles of South America. This book tells the story of these great beasts during and just after the Pleistocene, the geological epoch marked by the great ice ages. Megafauna describes the history and way of life of these animals, their comings and goings, and what befell them at the beginning of the modern era and the arrival of humans. It places these giants within the context of the other mammals then alive, describing their paleobiology—how they walked; how much they weighed; their diets, behavior, biomechanics; and the interactions among them and with their environment. It also tells the stories of the scientists who contributed to our discovery and knowledge of these transcendent creatures and the environment they inhabited. The episode known as the Great American Biotic Interchange, perhaps the most important of all natural history "experiments," is also an important theme of the book, tracing the biotic events of both North and South America that led to the fauna and the ecosystems discussed in this book.

About the authors

Contributor Notes

Richard A.Fariña is Professor of Paleontology at the Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay. He has also published science books for a general readership and collaborated in TV documentaries on the subjects of his expertise.

Sergio F. Vizcaíno is Professor of Vertebrate Zoology at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata and researcher of the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas working at the Museo de La Plata, Argentina. His research focuses on the paleobiology of South American fossil vertebrates, mostly mammals. He has participated in numerous field work seasons in Argentina and Antarctica. He was the President of the Asociación Paleontologica Argentina.

Gerry De Iuliis is affiliated with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto.

Editorial Reviews

Overall, [this] is an enjoyable read that provides a substantial amount of detail on the biology, ecology, and distribution of these fantastic animals. . . . Highly recommended.

Choice

 

"This is an excellent volume. Its structure is complex, serving well the multitude of topics the authors managed to treat in a reader-friendly, yet rigorous manner that will satisfy both specialists and general paleontologists and the educated reader. . . This book is likely to facilitate progress in the understanding of fossil mammals from the Americas."

Priscum

The conversational tone in this volume makes it a pleasure to read. I recommend this book for anyone interested in paleontology, students new to the subject, graduate students, and researchers who want to become well grounded in late Neogene paleontology of both Americas.

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

Collectively, this book brings attention to the discovery and natural history of ancient beasts in South America while providing a broader temporal and geographic background that allows readers to understand their evolution and potential immigration to South America.

Quarterly Review of Biology

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