Dinosaurs of Italy (Life of the Past) - Hardcover

Cristiano Dal Sasso

9780253345141: Dinosaurs of Italy (Life of the Past)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0253345146 ISBN 13: 9780253345141

Publisher: Indiana University Press, 2005

In the last decade, Italian Mesozoic marine deposits have revealed the unexpected presence of dinosaurs. Dinosaurs of Italy is a faithful report of those discoveries. It is a popular but thorough book, written by one of the leading dinosaur paleontologists in Italy with the collaboration of the science writer Giuseppe Brillante. After an introduction to the world of dinosaurs, each chapter deals with one finding: from dinosaur footprints (including new sites from southern Italy found in 2000) and the exciting discovery and description of Scipionyx, to the Trieste hadrosaurs and the very recent "saltriosaur." Italian marine and flying reptiles are also described, represented by spectacular specimens such as the large shastasaurid ichthyosaur Besanosaurus and the most ancient pterosaur Eudimorphodon. Other chapters deal with the K/T boundary of Gubbio and its role in reconstructing the story of dinosaur extinction and offer speculations about future findings. The book includes the true story of Scipionyx's discovery, written by its lead researcher. Life of the Past-James O. Farlow, editor

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Review:

"Although dinosaurs are rare in Italy, recent (within the last 15, 20 years) dinosaur discoveries provide the basis for Dinosaurs of Italy. As head of the Laboratory of Paleontology at the Museum of Natural History in Milan, dal Sasso has been involved in the excavation and/or description of Italy's most significant dinosaur finds. Three significant dinosaur specimens and the geology of the enclosing strata are discussed in detail in this book. The most spectacular of the fossils is a juvenile specimen of the Triassic theropod Scipionyx in which some internal organs were preserved. The other specimens discussed are an exceptionally preserved and perfectly articulated hadrosaur and a large Early Jurassic carnosaur. Dinosaur trackway sites round out the dinosaur portion of the book. Two chapters are devoted to nondinosaurs: the marine reptiles (mostly ichthyosaurs) and pterosaurs. The chapter on dinosaur extinction hypotheses focuses on the paleontological and geochemical evidence discovered at Gubbio that ultimately led to the extraterrestrial impact hypothesis. In addition to descriptions of the fossils, dal Sasso presents paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic reconstructions of Italy at different times during the Mesozoic. Although most readers would find some of the anatomical terminology difficult, the book is engaging and very readable. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates through faculty." -T. J. Kroeger, Bemidji State University, Choice, September 2005 "... Dinosaurs of Italy represents another valuable contribution to the IU Press Life of the Past series, and I warmly recommend it to everyone with interest not only in dinosaurs but in extinct life as well. It will give you an engaging and picturesque insight into the life on Earth, as it once was..." -Palaios "... [T]he book is engaging and very readable.... Highly recommended." -Choice

About the Author:

Cristiano dal Sasso is Head of the Laboratory of Paleontology at the Museum of Natural History in Milan. He was technical coordinator of the excavations at the Triassic fossil site of Besano. He has described three new kinds of reptiles (Aphanizocnemus, Besanosaurus, and Scipionyx) and has authored numerous popular reports and scientific papers, which have been published in international reviews such as Nature, Science, and the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Giuseppe Brillante is a freelance journalist. He writes for various scientific reviews, including Airone and Newton. He lives and works in Milan.

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