Bone Histology of Fossil Tetrapods: Advancing Methods, Analysis, and Interpretation
Kevin Padian and Ellen-Therese Lamm
Abstract
The microscopic examination of fossilized bone tissue is a sophisticated and increasingly important analytical tool for understanding the life history of ancient organisms. This book provides an essential primer and manual for using fossil bone histology to investigate the biology of extinct tetrapods. Twelve experts summarize advances in the field over the past three decades, reviewing fundamental basics of bone microanatomy and physiology. Research specimen selection, thin-section preparation, and data analysis are addressed in detail. The authors also outline methods and issues in bone grow ... More
The microscopic examination of fossilized bone tissue is a sophisticated and increasingly important analytical tool for understanding the life history of ancient organisms. This book provides an essential primer and manual for using fossil bone histology to investigate the biology of extinct tetrapods. Twelve experts summarize advances in the field over the past three decades, reviewing fundamental basics of bone microanatomy and physiology. Research specimen selection, thin-section preparation, and data analysis are addressed in detail. The authors also outline methods and issues in bone growth rate calculation and chronological age determination, as well as examining broader questions of behavior, ecology, and evolution by studying the microstructure of bone.
Keywords:
bone tissue,
ancient organisms,
bone histology,
tetrapods,
bone microanatomy,
thin-section preparation,
data analysis,
bone growth,
chronological age,
microstructure
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2013 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780520273528 |
| Published to California Scholarship Online: September 2013 |
DOI:10.1525/california/9780520273528.001.0001 |
