Kemp T.S. The Origin and Evolution of Mammals

Oxford University Press, 2005. — 344 p.Mammals are the dominant large animals of today, occurring in virtually every environment. This book is an account of the remarkable fossil records that document their origin since the extinction of the dinosaurs. Tracing their evolution over the last 35 million years. For the first time presented in one single volume Kemp unveils the exciting D.N.A. sequence evidence which coupled with fossil evidence challenges current thinking on the relationships amongst mammal and their inferred history.Dr Tom S. Kemp retired as Curator of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History's zoology collections in September 2009. He continues to write review papers on the fossil record of synapsids, the precursors of the mammals and on theories about the origin of higher taxa in general. His most recent books are The origin of higher taxa: palaeobiological, developmental, and ecological aspects (OUP 2016), and Mammals: a very short introduction (OUP 2017). A companion volume Reptiles: a very short introduction is currently in press (OUP 2018). He teaches annual palaeobiology undergraduate courses in both Oxford and Cambridge Universities.