MESOZOIC EUCYNODONTS; THE GOODY BAG: This is a small selection of some of my favouritest web sites relating to Mesozoic mammals and near-mammals. There’s no implied order of merit and they’re not necessarily the best. For example, I’m not including pages which are packed to the rafters with information. More important are general reader friendliness and interest. The Evolution of Mammals, Earthlife Web http://www.earthlife.net/mammals/evolution.html If you’ve just heard that there were mammals around during the time of the dinosaurs and want to know more, then here’s is a good place to look. Paleontology employs lots of funny words. It’s unavoidable but can be off-putting, especially if someone’s simply a bit interested. This page is in English, rather than Paleospeak. Centre Consolidated School, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia http://www.ednet.ns.ca/educ/schoolpages/ccs/geology/index.html This is part of a school project from Canada. As an introduction to geology and paleontology, it’s impressive. The project took two years of work, which shows. Science News Online 9.6.2001, Beyond Bones by Sid Perkins http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20010609/bob9.asp This report on trace fossils includes a couple of burrow complexes in South Africa. These warrens are something like 240 million years old and were the work of the non-mammalian Trirachodon. The Dinosaur Collector Museum http://members.aol.com/rsknol/MainPage.html Eccentric, but organized according to sound scientific knowledge. Randy Knol enjoys collecting plastic models of Mesozoic animals. I've got a few as well. But what he then does with them is… Just see for yourself. I admit admiration and jealousy. The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology The Royal Tyrrell Museum A reader-friendly feature on paleontology of the Mesozoic in Canada. This link leads to the story of a multituberculate mammal, Meniscoessus seminoensis. There's plenty more to see and do. Fun for non-experts of all ages. Micro Vertebrates; ask why! books http://www.askwhy.co.uk/awwls/00/wls160.html An interesting look at basal mammals and friends. It‘s a well written piece; fairly demanding but rewarding for inquisitive non-knowists. The Shenzhen Daily, 30.3.2001 http://www.7cworld.com/szdaily/2001/0330/15.htm A nice article on the amateur fossiler, Zhang He, after whom Zhangheotherium is named. Mr Zhang has reportedly donated 5,000 further fossils to the Shenzhen Extinct Life Fossils Museum in the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden. Contrary to this report, Confuciusornis does not predate Archaeopteryx. It’s a about 20 million years younger. Ology, Ah Ukhaa! American Museum of Natural History http://ology.amnh.org/paleontology/gobi/ukhaa_5am.html A photo albem. What paleonotologists get up to in the middle of Mongolia. Science Daily, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/08/990818071044.htm A report on the discovery of the non-mammal, Plinthogomphodon . It got eaten about 220 million years ago. Digimorph, University of Texas http://www.digimorph.org/listthumbs.phtml?grp=Mammals%20an&name=SpeciesName If you know little of anatomy, some of the words in these articles may seem strange, or even baffling. Don’t let it put you off. This is a collection of quality photographs, which show a variety of mammal and near-mammal skulls. With thanks to all the featured sources. PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROJECT IS NOT SCIENTIFIC. IT IS A HOBBY. "I was looking for information on an old mammal and found this lot. What is this project?" It's got lots of information on old mammals. For a short bit of background information, see here. Suggested reading: Most the literature on Mesozoic mammals and proto-mammals is highly technical, and liable to give the interested amateur more headaches than enlightenment. Frankly, I found it best to start out with books aimed at teenagers, and then to progress on to literature for adults. One book which recently fell into my grasp offers an entertaining and intelligible guide the origins of mammals: Stevenson J & McGhee GR (1998), The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dinosaurs, Chapter 17, Warm Fuzzies, p.169-178, alpha books, ISBN: 0-02862390-8. "Some of the nicest creatures we know are mammals-warm, covered with fuzz, good parents of their children. The've worked out a pretty good life for themselves, but it hasn't always been so easy. In fact, mammals have gone through a lot to get where they are today." In fact, my only reservation about this book is the frequent occurance of the phrase, 'in fact'. Otherwise, it's an informative and entertaining read. Trevor Dykes, December 2001 Ktdykes@arcor.de