' … suitable for school and university students alike … is truly introductory with the many technical terms employed by palaeontologists defined. The text is well written and clearly expressed.' The Times Educational Supplement

This is a revised and updated version of Rhona Black's successful and highly acclaimed textbook. Aimed at students approaching the subject for the first time, The Elements of Palaeontology achieves an approach simple enough for beginning students, yet with sufficient depth and breadth of coverage for those wishing to delve further into the early history of life. The author deals systematically with all the groups of fossilised organisms: invertebrates and vertebrates, microfossils, plants and trace fossils, describing their morphology and dealing briefly with the biological aspects of palaeontology. The relevant technical terms are clearly defined and a glossary is included for each of the main invertebrate groups. In this second edition, a chapter on trace fossils has been added, the chapter on microfossils expanded, and a section on pollens included with the plants. In each case the superb illustrations have been added to, with the inclusion of many new electron micrographs.

Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
2. Mollusca - introduction and Class Bivalvia
3. Mollusca - Class Gastropoda plus minor mollusc classes
4. Mollusca - Class Cephalopoda
5. Cnidaria
6. Brachiopoda
7. Arthropoda
8. Echinodermata
9. Graptolithina
10. Miscellany of minor groups
11. Microfossils
12. Trace fossils
13. Vertebrata - introduction and fish
14. Vertebrata - tetrapods
15. Kingdom Plantae - plants
16. Epilogue
Additional reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Palaeontology [RBX]