Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe

by Christian Meyer and Martin Lockley

Book Overview

The long and distinguished tradition of tracking dinosaurs and other extinct animals in Europe dates back to the 1830s. Yet this venerable tradition of scientific activity cannot compare in magnitude and scope with the unprecedented spate of discovery and documentation of the last few years. Now, following on the heels of his Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of the Western United States, Martin Lockley teams up with Christian...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0231107102
• ISBN13: 9780231107105
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Length: 360 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe

"Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe " written by Martin G. Lockley and Christian Meyer is a wonderfully exciting book about vertebrate ichnology... the study of track of footprints of ancient vertebrates, that have walked the face of Europe some 200 to 300 million years ago. "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe" was wriiten after "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of the Western United States" by Martin Lockley and gives the reader a more indepth knowledge of Dinosaur, reptilian, amphibian, and mammalian tracks and informs the reader of the difference in each of these track formations. "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe" is beautifully illustrated with numerous trackway art in line drawings and in photographic evidence. This book limits its scope to Europe mainly England, Sweden, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, and Croatia giving the reader a broad sense of the scope to which the dinosaur roamed in major trackways or super highways of travel. It is noted in the book that most of the known trackways are of a migration paths from the south to the north, but there are trackways that go in different directions and both sauropods and therapods tracks have been found. I liked the book much better than the first book on ichnology by the same author as this book has copious illustrations to back up the author's claims and theories and you can see for yourself what the author is trying to tell you in the text, Thus illustrating, and it makes a lot of sense. The current dinosaur track renaissance in Europe is part of a worldwide dinosaur-tracking revolution that, during the past decade, has thrust the study of fossil footprints into a prominent position in the world of paleontology and sedimentary geology. Paleontology and geology are just two of the scientific disciplines that you'll need to have to read this book along the anatomy and general mechanics of movement would help in understanding this books full potential. Such observations are perhaps not surprising when we consider that Europe and North America were united with other continents at this time as part of the Pangaen supercontinent. Archosaurs and other vertebrates, therefore, were able to range widly across the Triassic world, establish themselves in their perfered habitats, and leave their distinctive tracks and traces alongside other distinctive plant and animal remains. Tracks in "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe" cover a wide range of times. There are tracks from the Paleozoic, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary periods of time making for a wide discussion of events in this book. Moreover, these observations help to demonstrate that the composition and distribution of vertebrate trackmakers are less complicated that previously supposed. "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe" is a solid 5 star book and you'll learn much about the habits and hab

THE MOST IMPORTANT TRACK BOOK IN TEN YEARS!

Can a book make a loud SWOOSH? This one does -- the sound of a gigantic information void suddenly filling. It is a wonderfully encompassing coverage of dinosaurian and other ancient tracks of Europe, coupled, when appropriate, with well-informed comparisons to track types world-wide. Superbly illustrated with some of the most beautiful trackway photos I have seen published, and by abundant, carefully thought-out drawings, the person interested in either dinosaur or other ancient European tracks who misses this book will be as Sherlock Holmes without his magnifying glass. It is well-written in a style that should please the broad spectrum of readers from those just casually interested in ancient animals and their tracks, through the most serious of professional paleontologists and paleo-ichnologists (researchers of ancient traces). In fact, it is difficult to imagine any reader who would not appreciate and learn from this book and want to keep it accessible for years of useful reference, as well. Also, some significant re-interpretations of specific tracks or trackways that had been differently interpreted in earlier publications by various authors will appeal to the mystery lover in most of us. Trackways, after all, provide us the most dramatic insight into the dynamics of dinosaurs and other ancient animals that we will ever study or just enjoy, unless science fantsy becomes reality and Jules Verne's "Time Machine" volume becomes clearly prescientient. Meantime, "All aboard!" via the next best transport: Lockley and Meyer's DINOSAUR TRACKS...

THE MOST IMPORTANT TRACK BOOK IN TEN YEARS!

Can a book make a loud SWOOSH? This one does -- the sound of a gigantic information void suddenly filling. It is a wonderfully encompassing coverage of dinosaurian and other ancient tracks of Europe, coupled, when appropriate, with well-informed comparisons to track types world-wide. Superbly illustrated with some of the most beautiful trackway photos I have seen published, and by abundant, carefully thought-out drawings, the person interested in either dinosaur or other ancient European tracks who misses this book will be as Sherlock Holmes without his magnifying glass. It is well-written in a style that should please the broad spectrum of readers from those just casually interested in ancient animals and their tracks, through the most serious of professional paleontologists and paleo-ichnologists (researchers of ancient traces). In fact, it is difficult to imagine any reader who would not appreciate and learn from this book and want to keep it accessible for years of useful reference, as well. Also, some significant re-interpretations of specific tracks or trackways that had been differently interpreted in earlier publications by various authors will appeal to the mystery lover in most of us. Trackways, after all, provide us the most dramatic insight into the dynamics of dinosaurs and other ancient animals that we will ever study or just enjoy, unless science fantasy becomes reality and Jules Verne's "Time Machine" volume becomes clearly prescientient. Meantime, "All aboard!" via the next best transport: Lockley and Meyer's DINOSAUR TRACKS...