Michael J. Benton 
Vertebrate Palaeontology 

Vertebrate palaeontology is a lively field, with new discoveries
reported every week… and not only dinosaurs! This new edition
reflects the international scope of vertebrate palaeontology, with
a special focus on exciting new finds from China.

A key aim is to explain the science. Gone are the days of
guesswork. Young researchers use impressive new numerical and
imaging methods to explore the tree of life, macroevolution, global
change, and functional morphology.

The fourth edition is completely revised. The cladistic
framework is strengthened, and new functional and developmental
spreads are added. Study aids include: key questions, research to
be done, and recommendations of further reading and web sites.

The book is designed for palaeontology courses in biology and
geology departments. It is also aimed at enthusiasts who want to
experience the flavour of how the research is done. The book is
strongly phylogenetic, and this makes it a source of current data
on vertebrate evolution.

Über den Autor

Michael J. Benton FRS is Professor of Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Bristol. He is particularly interested in early reptiles, Triassic dinosaurs, and macroevolution, and has published over 50 books and 300 scientific articles. He leads one of the most successful palaeontology research groups at the University of Bristol, and has supervised over 60 Ph D students.