
- 296 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
"[A] deliciously written account of the evolution of sex, in all of its bizarre manifestations" by a noted paleontologistā"Read, blush, and enjoy!" (Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel ). We all know about the birds and the bees, but what about the ancient placoderm fishes and the dinosaurs? In 2008, paleontologist John A. Long and a team of researchers announced their discovery of a 380-million-year-old placoderm fish fossil, known as "the mother fish, " which revealed the earliest known example of internal fertilization. As a result, placoderms are now considered to be the first species to have had intimate sexual reproduction, or sex as we know itāsort of. Inspired by this incredible find, Long began a quest to uncover the evolutionary history of copulation and insemination. In The Dawn of the Deed, he takes readers on a lively tour through the sex lives of ancient fish and the unusual mating habits of arthropods, tortoises, and even a well-endowed Argentine Duck. Long discusses these discoveries alongside what we know about reproductive biology and evolutionary theory, using the fossil record to provide a provocative account of prehistoric sex. The Dawn of the Deed also explores fascinating revelations about animal reproduction, from homosexual penguins to monogamous seahorses to the difficulties of dinosaur romance.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Copyright
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Foreword
- Preface: Sex, Death and Evolution
- 1. The Machismo of the Argentine Duck
- 2. The Mother of All Fossils
- 3. The Ptyctodontid Kind of Congress
- 4. Announcing Fossil Sex to the Queen
- 5. Paleozoic Paternity Problems
- 6. Finding the Daddy Fish
- 7. Down and Dirty in the Devonian
- 8. At the Dawn of Archaic Sex
- 9. Sex and the Single Ostracod
- 10. Sex on the Beach
- 11. Dinosaur Sex and Other Earthshaking Discoveries
- 12. We Aināt Nothing but Mammals
- 13. Sperm Wars: What Fossils Canāt Tell Us
- 14. From Clasper to Penis: Weāve Come a Long Way, Baby
- Epilogue: The Greatest Mystery of Biology
- Notes
- Acknowledgements
- Index