Vertebrate Evolution and Palaeontology from an African Perspective

Vertebrate Evolution and Palaeontology from an African Perspective offers an up-to-date account of the 4.4-billion-year history of life on Earth using the African context and fossil record, and emphasising local contributions, both scientific and cultural. In rich and fascinating detail, the authors present the origin and evolution of all major groups of vertebrates, from fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds. They explore their anatomy, physiology and ecology, including descriptions of features used to classify animals, and how these features change over time. The often-surprising ways that different groups of animals are related to each other is revealed in the books mapping of the tree of life. Readers are taken through the evolutionary order from the origin of fish through the origin of jaws, the conquest of land, the evolution of reptiles, birds and mammals, to the dawn of humankind. Students of biology, zoology, anatomy and palaeontology and the curious public are introduced to diverse African and South African fossils and their scientific relevance that will shape their understanding of the great transitions in vertebrate evolution.