Drawing & Understanding Fossils (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Drawing and Understanding Fossils: A Theoretical and Practical Guide for Beginners, with Self-assessment 4
Copyright Page 5
Table of Contents 8
How To Use This Book 10
Chapter 1. Vanished Worlds. Ancient Life 12
1.1 The workings of the earth 12
1.2 The progress of life 12
1.3 Fossils as labels 14
1.4 Hard parts 15
1.5 Preservation 16
Chapter 2. The Science of Palaeontology 17
2.1 Definition and subdivisions 17
2.2 Basic kinds of fossils 17
2.3 Classifying living things 17
2.4 Taxonomy, drawing and description 18
2.5 Conclusion 18
Chapter 3. Starting to Draw Fossils 20
3.1 Materials 20
3.2 Presentation of work 21
3.3 Headings, labels and arrows 21
Chapter 4. Trilobites 24
4.1 Biological affinities 24
4.2 Morphology 24
4.3 Modes of life 26
4.4 Geological history 27
4.5 Drawing trilobites 27
TRILOBITE FACTSHEET 28
Chapter 5. Graptolites 35
5.1 Biological affinities 35
5.2 Morphology 35
5.3 Modes of life 38
5.4 Geological history 39
5.5 Drawing graptolites 40
GRAPTOLITE FACTSHEET 39
Chapter 6. Brachiopods 43
6.1 Biological affinities 43
6.2 Morphology and anatomy 43
6.3 Modes of life 45
6.4 Geological history 48
6.5 Drawing brachiopods 48
BRACHIOPOD FACTSHEET 49
Chapter 7. Bivalves 55
7.1 Biological affinities 55
7.2 Morphology and anatomy 56
7.3 Modes of life 58
7.4 Geological history 60
BIVALVE FACTSHEET 60
7.5 Drawing bivalves 61
Chapter 8. Gastropods 65
8.1 Biological affinities 65
8.2 Morphology and anatomy 65
8.3 Modes of life 66
8.4 Geological history 69
GASTROPOD FACTSHEET 69
8.5 Drawing gastropods 70
Chapter 9. Cephalopods 71
9.1 Biological affinities 71
9.2 Morphology and anatomy 71
9.3 Modes of life 75
9.4 Geological history 76
9.5 Drawing cephalopods 76
CEPHALOPOD FACTSHEET 77
Chapter 10. Echinoids 82
10.1 Biological affinities 82
10.2 Morphology and anatomy 82
10.3 Modes of life 86
10.4 Geological history 86
10.5 Drawing echinoids 86
ECHINOID FACTSHEET 87
Chapter 11. Crinoids 92
11.1 Biological affinities 92
11.2 Morphology 92
11.3 Modes of life 92
11.4 Geological history 92
CRINOID FACTSHEET 94
11.5 Drawing crinoids 95
Chapter 12. Corals 96
12.1 Biological affinities 96
12.2 General anatomy and morphology 96
12.3 Geological history 98
12.4 Modes of life 99
12.5 Drawing corals 100
CORAL FACTSHEET 102
Chapter 13. Plants 105
13.1 General introduction 105
13.2 Preservation of plants 105
13.3 The evolution of vascular plants 106
13.4 Devonian plants of the Rhynie Chert 106
13.5 Carboniferous plants and the Coal Measures 107
13.6 Jurassic plants 109
13.7 Conclusion — flowering plants 110
13.8 Drawing plants 110
VASCULAR PLANTS FACTSHEET 111
Chapter 14. Trace Fossils 115
14.1 Introduction 115
14.2 Uses of trace fossils 115
14.3 Some common trace fossils 116
14.4 Conclusion 118
APPENDIX 1. SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 119
APPENDIX 2. ANSWERS TO SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS 136
APPENDIX 3. SUGGESTED FURTHER READING 140
INDEX 142