| Description |
1 online resource (xii, 472 pages) : illustrations, maps |
| Series |
Systematics Association special volume ; 90 |
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Systematics Association special volume ; no. 90.
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| Contents |
Cover -- Half-title -- Series information -- Title page -- Copyright information -- Dedication -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- Preface -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Scope and Coverage -- 1.3 Debate, Disagreement, and Consensus -- 1.4 Concluding Remarks -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Part I The Squamate and Snake Fossil Record -- 2 The Origin and Early Diversification of Squamates -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 The Early Squamate Fossil Record -- 2.3 The First Records of Crown-Group Squamates -- 2.3.1 Gekkota -- 2.3.2 Dibamidae -- 2.3.3 Scincoidea -- 2.3.4 Lacertoidea |
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2.3.5 Anguimorpha -- 2.3.6 Iguania -- 2.3.7 Mosasauria -- 2.3.8 Pan-Serpentes -- 2.4 Discussion and Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 3 The First 80 Million Years of Snake Evolution: The Mesozoic Fossil Record of Snakes and Its Implications for Origin Hypotheses, Biogeography, and Mass Extinction -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Vertebral Morphology and Its Necessity for Inferring the Evolution of Snakes -- 3.3 The Mesozoic Fossil Record of Snakes -- 3.3.1 Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Records -- 3.3.2 Late Cretaceous Records: Cenomanian to Turonian |
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3.3.3 Late Cretaceous Records: Campanian to Maastrichtian -- 3.4 Discussion -- 3.4.1 Systematics of Cretaceous Snakes and the Ecological Context of Snake Origins -- 3.4.2 Origin of the Snake Body Form -- 3.4.3 Cretaceous Biogeography and Snake Origins -- 3.4.4 Survival across the K-Pg Extinction Event -- 3.5 Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 4 The Diversity and Distribution of Palaeogene Snakes: A Review with Comments on Vertebral Sufficiency -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Taxonomic Framework of Palaeogene Snakes -- 4.3 The Distribution of Palaeogene Snakes |
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4.3.1 Distribution of Localities in Space and Time -- 4.3.2 Distribution of Taxa in Space and Time -- 4.4 The Ecology of Palaeogene Snakes -- 4.5 The Problem of Vertebral Sufficiency -- 4.5.1 Do Snake Vertebrae Accurately Record Phylogenetic Affinity? -- 4.5.2 Do Snake Vertebrae Accurately Record Species Diversity? -- 4.6 Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- References -- 5 Miocene Snakes of Eurasia: A Review of the Evolution of Snake Communities -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Eurasian Snakes at the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene Transition |
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5.3 Early and Middle Burdigalian (Early Miocene): A Rapid Change in Composition of European Snake Communities -- 5.4 Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO): The 'Golden Age' of Eurasian Snake Faunas -- 5.5 Late Middle Miocene Snakes from Eurasia: A Step towards Modern Snake Faunas in Europe -- 5.6 Late Miocene Climatic Oscillations and Their Relation to the Composition of Eurasian Snake Communities -- 5.7 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Part II Palaeontology and the Marine-Origin Hypothesis -- 6 Sea-Serpentism -- 6.1 Introduction: The Genesis of a Myth -- 6.2 The Proliferation of a Myth |
| Summary |
"Snakes comprise more than 3,800 extant species found on all major continents except Antarctica. Morphologically and ecologically diverse, they include burrowing, arboreal, and marine forms, feeding on prey ranging from insects to large mammals. Snakes are strikingly different from their closest lizard relatives, and their origins and early diversification have long challenged and enthused evolutionary biologists. The origin and early evolution of snakes is a broad, interdisciplinary topic for which experts in palaeontology, ecology, physiology, embryology, phylogenetics, and molecular biology have made important contributions. The last 25 years has seen a surge of interest, resulting partly from new fossil material, but also from new techniques in molecular and systematic biology. This volume summarises and discusses the state of our knowledge, approaches, data, and ongoing debates. It provides reviews, syntheses, new data and perspectives on a wide range of topics relevant to students and researchers in evolutionary biology, neontology, and palaeontology"-- Provided by publisher |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Notes |
Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on August 10, 2022) |
| Subject |
Snakes -- Evolution
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Snakes.
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Snakes
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Snakes
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Snakes -- Evolution
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| Author |
Gower, David J., 1969- editor.
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Zaher, Hussam, editor.
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| LC no. |
2022000043 |
| ISBN |
9781108938891 |
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1108938892 |
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