Announcing a PaleoSoc Art Competition! Calling all paleoartists! The Paleontological Society is holding an art competition! We are searching for designs that capture the spirit of the Paleontological Society. Winners will receive yearlong membership, recognition across our social media profiles, and their design on swag or merch. We will also celebrate and credit the winners on our website and at the annual GSA meeting. All members are welcome to submit their entry via email to studentreps@paleosoc.org by May 15th. Eligibility: Members of all levels are encouraged to s ..read more

Reviewed by Christa Cherava (National Parks Conservation Association, USA) Greenwalt, D. 2023. Remnants of Ancient Life: The New Science of Old Fossils. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 288 pp. ($22.36 cloth, $19.57 e-book with 20% PS discount.) The author, Dale Greenwalt, is a research associate for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History where he curates the Kishenehn Formation (northern Montana) fossil insect collection. It is here where the idea for this book originated through citizen science. Amateurs found a fossilized mosquito, filled with blood ..read more

Reviewed by Blandine Hautier (Independent fossil preparator; Bonn, Germany) Ijouiher, J. 2022. The Desert Bones: The Paleontology and Paleoecology of Mid-Cretaceous North Africa. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN. 326 pp. ($45.50 cloth, $45.49 e-book with 30% PS discount.) A book that must be included in the collection of anyone working on Mid-Cretaceous North African paleontology! Inspired by the structure of John Foster’s Jurassic West book, Jamale Ijouiher has put together a very necessary and richly illustrated catalogue of the flora and fauna of an area of the ..read more

A letter to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, regarding the critical need for further paleontological resource assessment at BLM’s “Community Pit #1” near Las Cruces, New Mexico. March 7, 2024U.S. Bureau of Land ManagementNew Mexico State Office301 Dinosaur TrailSanta Fe, NM 87508Subject:  The critical need for further paleontological resource assessment at BLM’s “Community Pit #1” near Las Cruces, New MexicoTo:  U.S. Bureau of Land Management ‒ New Mexico State Office On behalf of the approximately 1,500 members of the Paleontological Society (https://www.paleosoc.org/), we a ..read more

Reviewed by Richard Lis (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, CA) Lyons, S.K., A.K. Behrensmeyer, and P.J. Wagner, eds. 2019. Foundations of Paleoecology: Classic Papers with Commentaries. University of Chicago Press, Chicago & London, UK. 800 pp. ($96.60 cloth, $38.40 paper, $38.39 e-book with 40% PS discount.) The collections of papers that have been assembled into this book provides a remarkable coverage of the field of paleoecology that will be of interest to all paleontologists and any paleobiologists interested in paleoecology. The papers are broken into six parts. P ..read more

We're proud to share our next batch of upcoming sessions, granted by our esteemed Distinguished Lecturers. Please see the schedules to plan ahead! Date of Presentation Speaker Name Speaker Institution Host Name Host Institution March 6th, 2024 Scott Wing Smithsonian Institution Shelly Wernette Texas State University Apriil 3rd, 2024 Kate Lyons University of Nebraska Molly McDonough Chicago State University Apriil 17th, 2024 Felisa Smith University of New Mexico Abhishek RoyChowdhury Navajo Technical University November 13th, 2024 Scott Evans Florida State University Peter Hutchinson Pittsburgh ..read more

Books available for review announcement - updated! The following volumes are available to Paleontological Society members in exchange for writing a review in Priscum. Reviews should be informative, engaging, and 400–800 words long. The tone can be informal and casual, appropriate to recommending a book to colleagues. Reviews are expected to be returned within six months after receipt. Past book reviews can be found in past issues of Priscum athttps://www.paleosoc.org/priscum-newsletter and https://www.paleosoc.org/blog. Reviewers must be a current member of the Pa ..read more

Reviewed by Alysha Zazubec (University of Oklahoma) Morgan, W. 2021. Collectors Guide to Fort Payne Crinoids and Blastoids. (Forward by D.L. Meyer.) Indiana University Press. 182 pp. ($42.00 cloth, $41.99 e-book with 30% PS discount.) The clear understanding of geology and anatomy presented in this collector's guide goes far beyond that of an amateur paleontologist. This guide to crinoids and blastoids starts with a brilliant overview of the geologic history and morphology of crinoids. The guide expands into a resource for not only the identification of taxa but also discusses the in ..read more

Reviewed by David R. Cordie (Edgewood College, Madison WI) Gee, H. 2018. Across the Bridge: Understanding the Origin of the Vertebrates. Univ. of Chicago Press.. 288 pp. ($17.40 paper, /$17.39 e-book with 40% PS discount.) Across the Bridge by Henry Gee is a thorough exploration of a topic near and dear to the author’s heart. A follow-up to an earlier work by the same author (Before the Backbone published in 1996), the current piece explores new advances and concepts about the origins of vertebrates. Gee correctly states in the opening pages that the origins of vertebrates ..read more

Books available for review announcement - updated! The following volumes are available to Paleontological Society members in exchange for writing a review in Priscum. Reviews should be informative, engaging, and 400–800 words long. The tone can be informal and casual, appropriate to recommending a book to colleagues. Reviews are expected to be returned within six months after receipt. Past book reviews can be found in past issues of Priscum athttps://www.paleosoc.org/priscum-newsletter and https://www.paleosoc.org/blog. Reviewers must be a current member of the Pa ..read more