Echinoderm Paleobiology

William I. Ausich is Professor of Earth Sciences and Director of the Orton Geological Museum at The Ohio State University. He is an expert in the study of Paleozoic crinoids with an emphasis on paleobiology and evolutionary paleoecology. Gary D. Webster is Adjunct Faculty of Geology at Washington State University.

• IContentsIntroduction / William I. Ausich and Gary D. WebsterPart 1. Functional Morphology, Paleoecology, and TaphonomyIntroduction to Part 1 / William I. Ausich and Gary D. Webster1. Taphonomy as an Indicator of Behavior among Fossil Crinoids / Tomasz K. Baumiller, Forest J. Gahn, Hans Hess, and Charles G. Messing2. Attachment, Facies Distribution, and Life History Strategies in Crinoids from the Upper Ordovician of Kentucky / Carlton E. Brett, Bradley L. Deline, and Patrick I. McLaughlin3. Paleobiology of Carboniferous Microcrinoids / George D. Sevastopulo4. The Importance of Echinoids in Late Paleozoic Ecosystems / Chris L. Schneider5. New Observations on Taphonomy and Paleoecology of Uintacrinus socialis Grinnell (Crinoidea; Upper Cretaceous) / Andrew J. Webber, David L. Meyer, and Clare V. Milsom6. Taphonomy of the Irregular Echinoid Clypeaster humilis from the Red Sea: Implications for Taxonomic Resolution along Taphonomic Grades / James H. NebelsickPart 2. Evolutionary PaleoecologyIntroduction to Part 2 / William I. Ausich and Gary D. Webster7. Tiering History of Early Epifaunal Suspension-Feeding Echinoderms / Stephen Q. Dornbos8. Evolution and Extinction of a Paleozoic Crinoid Clade: Phylogenetics, Paleogeography, and Environmental Distribution of the Periechocrinids / William I. Ausich and Thomas W. KammerPart 3. Morphology for Refined Phylogenetic StudiesIntroduction to Part 3 / William I. Ausich and Gary D. Webster9. Paedomorphosis as an Adaptive Response in Pinnulate Cladid Crinoids from the Burlington Limestone (Mississippian, Osagean) of the Mississippi Valley / Thomas W. Kammer10. Cladid Crinoid Radial Facets, Brachials, and Arm Appendages: A Terminology Solution for Studies of Lineage, Classification, and Paleoenvironment / Gary D. Webster and Christopher G. Maples11. The Origin of Lovén's Law in Glyptocystitoid Rhombiferans and Its Bearing on the Plate Homology and Heterochronic Evolution of the Hemicosmitoid Peristomial Border / Colin D. SumrallPart 4. Mississippian Impacts and BiomakersIntroduction to Part 4 / William I. Ausich and Gary D. Webster12. Mixed-Age Echinoderms, Conodonts, and Other Fossils Used to Date a Meteorite Impact, and Implications for Missing Strata in the Type Osagean (Mississippian) in Missouri, USA / James F. Miller, Kevin R. Evans, William I. Ausich, Susan E. Bolyard, George H. Davis, Raymond L. Ethington, Charles W. Rovey II, Charles A. Sandberg, Thomas L. Thompson, and Johnny A. Waters13. Crinoid Biomarkers (Borden Group, Mississippian): Implications for Phylogeny / Christina E. O'Malley, William I. Ausich, and Yu-Ping ChinPart 5. Echinoderm Faunal StudiesIntroduction to Part 5 / William I. Ausich and Gary D. Webster14. Overview of Early Ordovician Crinoid Diversity from the Western and Southwestern United States / James Sprinkle, Thomas E. Guensburg, and Forest J. Gahn15. Ever since Ramsbottom: Silurian Crinoids of the British Isles since 1954 / Stephen K. Donovan, David N. Lewis, Rosanne E. Widdison, and Fiona E. Fearnhead16. Overview of Paleozoic Stemmed Echinoderms from China / Johnny A. Waters, Sara A. Marcus, Christopher G. Maples, N. Gary Lane, Hongfei Hou, Zhouting Liao, Jinxing Wang, and Lujun Liu17. Fossil Echinodermata from Puerto Rico / Jorge Vélez-Juarbe and Hernán SantosAppendicesIndex

"Echinoderms have a rich fossil record that provides detailed information about evolutionary processes and the early development of marine ecosystems. This fine volume brings together fruitful new research approaches to the study of echinoderms, especially crinoids. It includes the work of editors/paleobiologists Ausich (Ohio State) and Webster (emer., Washington State), along with that of 42 other top contributors in the echinoderm field. Topics include taphonomy, functional morphology, paleoecology, morphology for refined phylogenetic studies, echinoderm-related evidence for impacts during the Mississippian period, crinoid biomarkers, and various faunal studies. These subjects are covered in 16 original research papers that present new data. In other words, this work is not a comprehensive overview of the biology and evolutionary history of echinoderms. Rather, it is a compilation of recent studies that apply the most current analytic techniques and interpretations to the scientific evidence provided by one very important phylum of organisms. The production values of the volume match the top quality of the research. The numerous black-and-white figures, maps, diagrams, and tables are printed at high resolution. This volume is useful for university libraries and essential for institutions with invertebrate paleobiology programs. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. —Choice"— W. L. Cressler III, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, August 2009"[An] excellent book . . . . The advances being made in understanding echinoderm paleobiology are impressive in their diversity and extent, and are well showcased in this book.Vol. 84 Sept. 2009"—Andrew B. Smith, Natural History Museum, London"Timely and necessary . . . the echinoderm fossil record provides the ideal data with which to ask important paleobiologic and evolutionary questions and to expect high—resolution answers."—Roy Plotnick, University of Illinois, Chicago Circle