Neptune's Ark: From Ichthyosaurs to Orcas.NEPTUNE'S ARK: From Ichthyosaurs This list of ichthyosaurs is a comprehensive listing of all genera that have ever been included in the order Ichthyosauria or the parent clade Ichthyopterygia, excluding purely vernacular terms. to Orcas DAVID David, in the Bible David, d. c.970 B.C., king of ancient Israel (c.1010–970 B.C.), successor of Saul. The Book of First Samuel introduces him as the youngest of eight sons who is anointed king by Samuel to replace Saul, who had been deemed a failure. RAINS WALLACE Hidden beneath the tranquil waters off the Pacific coast of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. is a dynamic, diverse assortment of sea creatures. Wallace profiles the ancient and modern aquatic life of the Pacific using a combination of historic record, paleontology paleontology (pā'lēəntŏl`əjē) [Gr.,= study of early beings], science of the life of past geologic periods based on fossil remains. , folklore, and personal observation. For instance, he reviews ancient seafarers' accounts of mysterious "sea apes," horse-headed sea serpents, and other creatures. Wallace ponders the possibility of each creature's existence and explores the evolution of animals in the Pacific, which he deems "Neptune's ark" because it retains an abundance of animals that have been driven to extinction elsewhere. Expanding his perspective, he then examines boat-making and exploration by native coastal peoples. Univ. Calif. Press, 2007, 282 p., b&w illustrations, hardcover, $27.50. |
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