"Bonnan combines wit and passion with the sensibilities of a talented instructor in this encyclopedic tour of the vertebrate skeleton. . .accessible even for those without a background in anatomy." —Publishers Weekly "A clear, largely jargon-free retelling of one of the greatest stories in evolution—the rise of vertebrates—that should have broad appeal. It integrates the facts and principles that underlie evolutionary theory by taking a common   我们从剪刀的结构学习关于下巴的进化。我们从网球的飞行来解释鱼如何能够逆向游动。太空衣跟鸡蛋有什么共通处，你知道吗？相机的镜头又可以如何解释海洋爬行动物的眼睛？从了解如何不让咖啡打翻，你可以顺便了解恐龙的姿势。古生物学家Matthew Bonnan透过好玩又简单了解的方式叙述了540，000，000年的进化史。他用日常生活上会碰到的物品来解释脊椎动物的骨架如何适应于各种环境以及时代。透过轻松的文字以及大量的插图，作者希望让所有读者了解他们身体里最重要的一部分，同时欣赏人类的骨架是如何跟着历史进化！   关于作者： Matthew F. Bonnan是Stockton University的脊椎古物学家以及生物学的副教授。

 
目录：
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part One: Setting the Stage
Chapter 1. Introduction: How Vertebrates and Cars Are (and Are Not) Similar
Chapter 2. Evolution to Deep Time, Pedigree to Anatomy
Part Two: The Origin and Early Evolution of the Vertebrate Chassis
Chapter 3. Inferring the Basic Vertebrate Chassis
Chapter 4. Evolution of a Bony Chassis
Part Three: The Evolution of the Jawed Vertebrate Chassis and Something Fishy
Chapter 5. The Jawed Vertebrate Chassis: A Primer
Chapter 6. Placoderms and Cartilaginous Fishes
Chapter 7. The Fish-like Osteichthyes, Part 1
Chapter 8. The Fish-like Osteichthyes, Part 2
Part Four: The Vertebrate Chassis Moves to Land
Chapter 9. The Tetrapod Chassis: A Primer
Chapter 10. The Tetrapod Chassis in Transition
Chapter 11. The Amphibian Chassis
Chapter 12. The Amniote Chassis: A Primer and the Lead Up to True Amniotes
Part Five: Deep Scaly I: Reptilian Chasses from Early Reptiles to Sea Monsters
Chapter 13. Lizards and the Tuatara as an Introduction
Chapter 14. Early Reptiles and Turtles
Chapter 15. Snakes and Sea Dragons
Part Six: Deep Scaly II: The Archosaur Chassis, Those Ruling Reptiles
Chapter 16. The Archosaur Chassis, Part 1: Modern Archosaurs
Chapter 17. The Archosaur Chassis, Part 2: A Primer on Archosaur Posture and Diversity
Chapter 18. The Archosaur Chassis, Part 3: Pterosaurs, Dinosaurs, and the Origins of Birds
Part Seven: Overcome By Fur: The Mammalian Chassis
Chapter 19. The Mammalian Chassis: A Primer
Chapter 20. The Evolution of the Mammal Chassis
Chapter 21. Brains, Milk, and the Modern Radiations of Mammals
Appendix: The Cards of Time
References Cited
Index