This authored dictionary presents a unique glossary of paleontological terms, taxa, localities, and concepts, with focus on the most significant orders, genera, and species in terms of historical turning points such as mass extinctions. The book is an accurate and up-to-date collection of the most important paleontological terms and taxa, and may be used as a resource by students, researchers, libraries, and museums.
Though useful to many in professional and academic settings, the book is also aimed at general readers of scientific literature who may enjoy the material without a background in paleontology. While there are many current resources on the subject, few fully encapsulate an accurate representation of the paleontological lexicon. This book attempts to compile such a representation in a moderately comprehensive manner, and includes a list of the most important monographs and articles that have been consulted to put together this essential work.
Robert L. Carlton is a writer, editor, and teacher with professional experience in the humanities and history, and with knowledge of scientific and technical terms and usage in geology, biology, and paleontology. Before retiring in 2013, he taught literature, humanities and history at several four-year and two-year colleges, and wrote the oceanography and paleontology entries for the Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology, published in 1994. He is a member of several professional societies including the Paleontological Society, the Northwest Paleontological Association, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
