In the recent years, the late Mesozoic Jehol Biota of northern China has shown the world some of the most astonishing fossil finds ever since the discovery of the first complete skeleton of Archaeopteryx in 1861, and thus has become the focus of many important paleontological researches in the global arena. On the Biota"s fabu-lous roster are the four-winged dinosaur and many feathered ones, first beaked bird and many of its allies, first plants with flowers and fruits, fishes with the potential to un-lock the mystery of their origins, mammals of the special interests to their early evolution, pterosaurs that rules the Mesozoic skies, and thousands species of inver-tebrates （e.g.,mollusks,conchostracans, ostracods,shrimps,insects,and spiders）that constitute a community of truly "wonderful life".
These exquisitely preserved fossils not only give us a vivid picture of once a thriving biodiversity but also shed new light on a number of interesting theoretical issues in evolutionary biology today, such as the origin and angin and early evolution of some major taxonomic groups(e.g., amphibians,birds and angiosperms),the origin of feather and avian fligt, and the co-evoution of pollinating insects and flowering plants.The Jehol Biota also bears significantly on paleobiogeography, paleoecology, paleoclimate and paleobiography, paleoecology, paleoclimate and paleoenvironments during the Mesozoic.
This book has pieced together the most up-to-date information on the Jehol Biota that is otherwiseScattered in the vast technical literature and unavailable to the general readers. The first two chapters give an inviting introduction to the Jehol Biota in terms of its history of studies, its main components, its scientific importance, its geographical, geological and biostratigraphic framework,and its renowned fossil discoveries. Each of the remaining chapters deals with a particular organismal group of the Biota by its leading expert(s).In addition, the book is lavished with nearly 280 illustrations,which include 200 photographs that show diversity of the taxa and beauty of their preservations. The colored life restorations, elegantly done by some of China"s most celebrated primarily at an educated public, the book is also an invalu-able source of information for the students and professionals in paleontology,geology, evolutionary biology, and science education in general |
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