Overview

This is a comprehensive work on the systematics, relationships and occurrences of all mammal taxa, living and extinct, down through the rank of genus. Since George Gaylord Simpson's 1945 classification, the paleontological record has been greatly expanded, the timescale has been recalibrated, and much debate and progress concerning the theoretical underpinnings of systematization has occurred. Malcolm McKenna inherited the project from Simpson and, with Susan Bell, has constructed an updated hierarchical system that reflects the genealogy of Mammalia. In Part 1, the authors present a concise history and theoretical background on taxonomic classification, covering such topics as hierarchical subordination, binominal and post-Linnean nomenclature, and crown groups. Part 2 provides a classification of all taxa of Class Mammalia above the species level, including their distribution in time and place. Appendixes include lists of mammaliaform and mammalian characters, a classification of the nonmammalian mammaliaforms, and a listing of taxonomic suffixes denoting rank.

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9780231110129

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As a reference work especially for fossil mammals it is without rival. -- D. C. Kalthoff, Palaontologie An extremely useful book. -- Choice

As a reference work especially for fossil mammals it is without rival. -- D. C. Kalthoff Palaontologie An extremely useful book. -- F. S. Szalay Choice

Author Information

Malcolm C. McKenna and Susan K. Bell are members of the Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History.

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