Biological Consequences of Plate Tectonics [electronic resource] : New Perspectives on Post-Gondwana Break-up-A Tribute to Ashok Sahni / edited by Guntupalli V.R. Prasad, Rajeev Patnaik.

1 The Age of Dinosaurs in India -- 2 New fossil evidence for the presence of ornithischian and saurischian remains in the Jurassic of India -- 3 A minuscule tribosphenic mammal from an Early Cretaceous palaeopolar location of Australia -- 4 The largest toothed monotreme (new genus new species) from the early Cretaceous of Lightning Ridge, NSW, Australia -- 5 Molluscan fauna from the Upper Cretaceous Deccan intertrappean beds of central India: palaeobiogeographic significance -- 6 Chelonian Pelomedusoides remains from the Late Cretaceous of southwestern India: Systematics and palaeobiogeographical implications -- 7 The global affinities of Cretaceous and Paleogene Indian faunas: complex biogeography of a subcontinental raft -- 8 Anuran lissamphibians and squamate reptiles from Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Deccan intertrappean sites from central India, with a review of a lissamphibians and squamates diversity in the northward drifting Indian plate -- 9 Plant-derived biomarker signatures during the northward flight of India -- 10 Isolated Africa: Review and a palaeobiological scenario -- 11 Biogeography of Eocene mammals, continental and marine, in relation to the tectonic history of Indo-Pakistan -- 12 New specimens of Frugivastodon (Mammalia: Apatotheria) from the early Eocene of India confirm its apatemyid status and elucidate dispersal of Apatemyidae -- 13 Indohyus, endemic radiation of raoellid artiodactyls after continental collision in the Eocene of India and Pakistan -- 14 Do the size variation(s) within non-volant mammals and the known evolutionary relationship(s) of the large-sized perissodactyls from the Cambay Shale (western India) point to a short-lived corridor for secular migration(s) between India and Eurasia prior to ~54.5 Ma? -- 15 Parallel evolution of giant Anseriformes (Aves) in the Cenzoic of Laurasia, South America and Australia -- 16 Depositional biofacies of the Middle Eocene Subathu Formation of the Himalayan foreland basin in the context of India-Asia collision tectonics -- 17 Role of plate tectonics and climate in the geographical distribution of Indian late Cretaceous-early Palaeogene angiosperm flora -- 18 Post-collisional climate of India and implications for Neogene-Quaternary mammalian dispersals -- 19 Murine diversification in the Indian cradle: Coalescence of the Erimanthos-Apodus-Mus groups before 11 Ma.

This book recognizes and celebrates the contributions of Professor Ashok Sahni to the field of paleontology. Prof. Sahni established a School of Vertebrate Palaeontology at Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, where he trained many of today's vertebrate paleontologists of India. The book covers topics on evolutionary patterns, macroevolutionary events, origination and radiation events, changes in physical environments & climate and their implications for biodiversity dynamics, intercontinental affinities and biogeographic connections in a plate tectonic framework. The book begins by exploring India in the age of the dinosaurs, discussing new fossil remains from the Jurassic Era, then moves through the Cretaceous and Eocene to provide a picture on faunal and floral changes in Gondwanaland in the context of plate tectonics. Furthermore, the book explores the evolutionary patterns and biotic dispersals that resulted from the northward drift of Indian plate during the Cretaceous and its collision with Asia in the Eocene. The respective chapters reveal the role of plate tectonics and climate in shaping the geographical distribution of plants and animals in Gondwana, specifically in India, as well as the post-India/Asia collision implications for biodiversity changes and biogeography in the region's continental environments. Given its scope, the book will appeal to vertebrate paleontologists, evolutionary biologists, and paleobiogeographers.