Whereas at TetZooCon 2024 (the final one ever! Form of), I took the chance to select up the newest e-book from Dave Hone (for it’s he) – Uncovering Dinosaur Behaviour: What They Did and How We Know, revealed by Princeton College Press (in early November for the non-TZC-going public). Dave’s earlier e-book, The Way forward for Dinosaurs (referred to as How Quick May T. rex Run? within the US for causes finest understood by the publishers) was actually a good learn, however appeared to lack a number of the confidence of The Tyrannosaur Chronicles; maybe, as an idea, it wasn’t fairly as clearly stable. Fortunately, Uncovering Dinosaur Behaviour is Dave at his finest – it’s a superb summation of what we all know, suitably caveated and but by no means weighed down by that, and a surprisingly brisk learn. And there’s paintings by Gabriel Ugueto, too, which is at all times good.
Because the title suggests, Uncovering Dinosaur Behaviour is about…the behaviour of dinosaurs, as could be inferred primarily from the fossil report, but in addition from phylogenetic bracketing and observations of dwelling animals. It’s a e-book aimed toward “palaeontologists who wish to learn about behaviour, and…ethologists who wish to know one thing about dinosaurs,” in addition to “hopefully…of curiosity to biologists typically”. Dave describes his tone as “extra conversational”, though I believe right here that interprets extra as ‘accessible’. This isn’t a dry textbook, however nor did I really feel as if Dave was within the room with me, which might be factor as he’s fairly loud and I wouldn’t wish to upset the neighbours.
Moderately, the writing right here, whereas not essentially being ‘chatty’ in tone, is very succinct and strikes every little thing alongside at a good tempo. There’s a talent evident right here in assiduously noting the place scientists could be susceptible to mis- or over-interpretation of proof whereas not getting slowed down in that. Though already accustomed to various the fabric, I didn’t as soon as really feel the urge to skip something. It offers lay individuals a good impression of what the scientific course of is all about in a means that’s rarer than we’d like in science writing. It’s brief on bombastic claims and private anecdotes in regards to the Superior Lifetime of Dave, however very heavy on The Proof and the way we’d interpret it, and I actually appreciated that.
Sciurumimus and Dakosaurus by Gabriel Ugueto, as featured beforehand on the weblog.
However by no means thoughts all that – what precisely is on provide right here? The e-book’s chapters are principally devoted to some facet of the lives of dinosaurs, masking Group Residing, Signaling, Replica, Fight, and Feeding, with additional chapters offering essential background data. In every case, Dave critiques what proof has been uncovered, arguments and counter-arguments for particular interpretations, and gives a helpful case examine. Some of the intriguing chapters is on signaling between dinosaurs, analyzing the ontogeny of ceratopsians and the way that helps using frills and horns as sociosexual indicators whereas not essentially supporting the ‘species recognition’ speculation (with Protoceratops as a particular case examine), the proof for auditory indicators in hadrosaurs and different dinosaurs, and the way they may have used color – together with using color as an anti-signal to offer camouflage (within the case of Psittacosaurus and Borealopelta).
The chapter on feeding can also be notably fascinating, masking the apparent wealth of analysis into theropod habits, but in addition that includes a case examine on sauropods that succinctly summarises the back-and-forth debates on their feeding habits – whether or not sure animals have been excessive grazers, low grazers, browsers, or some mixture. Every thing from their skulls and tooth, to their cervical vertebrae, to their forelimbs, to the kinds of environments they lived in, to potential extant analogues (and their validity) is mentioned and, as all through, closely referenced. As is so typically the case on this e-book, it gives a extremely helpful summation of the controversy for an lay individual. One couldn’t name Dave unbiased (as a result of it’s primarily inconceivable to be unbiased, irrespective of how onerous you strive), however Uncovering Dinosaur Behaviour actually excels at presenting the present scientific state of play.
Majungasaurus and Simosuchus by Gabriel Ugeuto, as additionally featured beforehand on the weblog. Hey, he’s been interviewed twice for our podcast, you understand. Go and test it out!
One other, maybe shocking however very welcome facet of this e-book is how a lot it may educate the unsuspecting reader about extant animal behaviour and the evolutionary mechanisms that could be behind it. That is very removed from the kind of e-book that claims ‘dinosaurs present in mass bonebed, due to this fact group dwelling animals’ (one thing that Dave naturally addresses instantly), however discusses the customarily shocking and seemingly contradictory behaviours of dwelling animals and considers how they may apply to dinosaurs, based mostly on the direct proof we have now about them. Once more, that’s one thing I actually appreciated.
Uncovering Dinosaur Behaviour, a lot because it’s a critical work, continues to be a fantastic learn and one thing I actually assume you’d all get pleasure from. It’s so complete that I can’t assist however really feel that I’m underselling it right here, and at all times stays compelling. Unrelated as it’s to the standard of this e-book, it does make me marvel what a much less critical, extra autobiographical Dave Hone e-book would possibly seem like. Perhaps we’ll see it one in all today – right here’s hoping (it could possibly be entitled The Superior Lifetime of Dave). For now, I’m fairly content material to get pleasure from books like this one.