Rise of Amphibians

Robert Carroll, professor emeritus at McGill University, was the long-time director of the Redpath Museum and chairman of the Department of Biology and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He is among the world's most highly regarded experts on the evolution of amphibians and reptiles. Carroll is the author of several books, including Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution.

• PrefaceAcknowledgments1. History of the Earth and Life2. Advanced Metazoans and the Ancestry of Vertebrates3. The Origin of Amphibians4. The Radiation of Carboniferous Amphibians5. Adaptation, Radiation, and Relationships6. The Zenith of Amphibian Diversity7. The Origin of Amniotes: Escape from the Water8. Stereospondyls: Escape from the Land9. The Enigma of Modern Amphibian Origins10. The Ancestry of Frogs11. The Ancestry of Salamanders12. Eocaecilia and the Origin of Caecilians13. The Success of Modern Amphibians14. The Future of AmphibiansAbbreviations Used in IllustrationsGlossaryReferencesIndex

I highly recommend The Rise of Amphibians to anyone interested not only in amphibians but also in the evolutionary history of vertebrates in general. -- Hans-Dieter Sues Integrative and Comparative Biology 2009 A high-quality production, with finely illustrated drawings of skulls, vertebrae, ribs, teeth, and long bones of more amphibians, past and present, than most of us imagined even existed. -- Whit Gibbons Tuscaloosa News 2009 The Rise of Amphibians should be on the bookshelf of anyone involved in vertebrate evolution... an excellent source of information... It is a first-choice reference book that stimulates further studies and research. -- Axel Janke Systematic Biology 2010 Provides a wealth of valuable information about this fascinating history in a clear, easily readable style. -- Robert R. Reisz Quarterly Review of Biology 2010 I enjoyed reading this fascinating book. It will become a landmark and standard reference in early amphibian evolution for years to come. -- Miguel Vences Bioscience 2010 A useful reference catalog for the professional or well-read amateur. -- Richard Kissel American Paleontologist 2010