Book Review - The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles - Princeton University Press

 

     If one could compose the engaging narratives of Gregory S. Paul, or approach the level of sophistication and beauty of his illustrations, one would feel especially privileged, but to achieve both seems beyond reasonable.  Paul does both, and apparently with ease! It just doesn't seem fair!

     "The remains of ancient sea reptiles have been found by humans for millennia.....In the prescientific West the claim in the Genesis creation story that the planet and all life were formed just two or three thousand years before the great Egyptian pyramids were built hindered the scientific study of fossils."

     The development of techniques to accurately measure the age of objects led to a radical (and to some, heretical) new understanding of the origins of life on Earth and its descent through time, with extinctions obliterating some organisms and others emerging. It is especially instructional in 2022 when CO2 levels are rising in our atmosphere to analyze historic periods when similar climatic conditions prevailed, to seek out potential guideposts to handling our current climate emergency.

     Paul reviews the various reptiles that dominated the seas of the Mesozoic for some 185 million years, with insights into their lifestyle, reproductive techniques and practices, diet, lifespan, anatomy and physiology, along the way dispelling myths of gigantism and revealing that sea reptiles came - literally - in various shapes and sizes, from small lizards no bigger than those extant today to very large creatures. They did not, however, challenge modern whales for the "size trophy" as has frequently been alleged.

     In the group and species description section, Paul begins by stating, "Hundreds of maritime reptile species have been named, but a significant portion are invalid." He accepts the challenge of listing them hierarchically, starting with major groups and working down to genera and species. His classification is based on the best science available which in turn is based on the study of fossilized remains. 

     His illustrations alongside each species are nothing short of world class. His colour renditions of many species are captivating in the extreme and while some illustrations are no doubt fanciful, others are based on the reasonable expectation that the colours are rendered faithfully. This is especially true where the existence of soft tissue provides clues, or where direct descendants are extant. Sea snakes, for example, still inhabit tropical waters, and it is reasonable to extrapolate that ancient forms might have been clad in similar colours. The same may be said for crocodilians and sea turtles.

     I learned a great deal from this book and I am sure you will too. It is a wonderful addition to the literature of prehistoric creatures and will garner an enthusiastic response from all who read it.

The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles - Princeton University Press

Gregory S. Paul

Hardcover - US$35.00 - ISBN  9780691193809

208 pages - 8.5 x 11 inches (21.25 x 27.5 cm)

59 colour and 84 black-and-white illustrations

Publication date: 18 October 2022