Where do turtles hail from? Why and how did they acquire shells? These questions have spurred heated debate and intense research for more than two hundred years. Brilliantly weaving evidence from the latest paleontological discoveries with an accessible, incisive look at different theories of biological evolution and their proponents, Turtles as Hopeful Monsters tells the fascinating evolutionary story of the shelled reptiles. Paleontologist Olivier Rieppel traces the evolution of turtles from over 220 million years ago, examining closely the relationship of turtles to other reptiles and charting the development of the shell. Turtle issues fuel a debate between proponents of gradual evolutionary change and authors favoring change through bursts and leaps of macromutation. The first book-length popular history of its type, this indispensable resource is an engaging read for all those fascinated by this ubiquitous and uniquely shaped reptile.

About the Author

Olivier Rieppel is Rowe Family Curator of Evolutionary Biology at the Field Museum in Chicago. He is on the editorial board of several peer-reviewed scientific journals, and has himself published more than 350 scientific papers and eight books.

Reviews

This book is a highly enjoyable romp through the intellectual history of evolutionary biology, using turtle evolution as its red thread.

* Natural History Book Service *

Ultimately, the book should be read by anyone interested in the history of evolutionary biology, in herpetology and palaeoherpetology, or in turtles specifically. . . . now that we know that Rieppel can produce volumes of this quality and readability, I say: more please.

* Palaeontologia Electronica *



Book Information
ISBN 9780253024756
Author Olivier Rieppel
Format Hardback
Page Count 216
Imprint Indiana University Press
Publisher Indiana University Press
Weight(grams) 907g