Smithsonian handbooks.

Includes index

Introduction. Classification of life ; What were dinosaurs? ; Dinosaur and bird evolution ; Mammal evolution ; Geological time ; Fossil evidence ; Precambrian time ; Cambrian period ; Ordovician period ; Silurian period ; Devonian period ; Carboniferous period ; Permian period -- Mesozoic era. Triassic period ;; Jurassic period ; Cretaceous period -- Cenozoic era. Paleogene period ; Neogene period ; Quarternary period -- Additional dinosaurs

Packed with more than seven hundred full-color illustrations, this definitive pocket guide paints a vivid portrait of extraordinary dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, and the ecosystems they lived in millions of years ago. This guide features authoritative text, crystal-clear illustrations, and a straightforward approach to revealing the fascinating lives and habitats of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles, and prehistoric beasts. The introductory section explains classification systems, geological timelines, the evolution of the dinosaurs, and how fossils form and are discovered by paleontologists. For ease of reference, the main body of the book is divided into three sections: the Precambrian and Paleozoic eras, when animals first began evolving; the Mesozoic era, which saw the flourishing and eventual extinction of the dinosaurs; and the Cenozoic era, when giant mammals walked the Earth. Each section is broken down into its geological time periods, and, within these, the species are organized according to habitat--whether they lived on land, in the water, or in the air