This new textbook is designed “to present the students with a coherent
perspective of micropaleontology” as the author explains himself in
the introduction. Hence it appears as a traditional teaching textbook
in its contents and organisation, but it is an appearance only! The
book is rather a condensed encyclopaedia on micropalaeontology that
goes far beyond the lines of common teaching. Firstly because it is
introduced by a general chapter (‘Preliminary concepts’) that exposes
– with verve! – the classical and less classical concepts of
(micro-)palaeontology, stratigraphy, geology and science in
general. Secondly because it is not restricted to the microfossils as
most textbooks are, but includes micro-remains of macrofossils as
well. Any researcher that has ever been confronted to a thin section
or sieved sediment knowns that micro-remains are often more abundant
than the prospected microfossils, and that their identification is
sometime difficult. In this book, all these tiny fossils and fragments
are treated equally. Thirdly, each fossil group benefits from a
three-fold development: description of the morphology and
(palaeo-)biology, presentation of update classifications, discussions
on the stratigraphy, evolution and applications in science and
industry. The references are rich, comprehensive and update but the
classical works are not overlooked, which fix a widespread issue that
concerns a growing number of recent textbooks. An index of generic
names allows a comfortable navigation through the taxonomy and
chapters.
Georgescu’s book is abundantly illustrated with schematic figures and
hundreds of magnificent pictures of fossils. However, these pictures
are both the strength and the weakness of the whole book. Strength
because they give a proper support to the author’s explanations. But
weakness because the figured material is so beautiful that it does not
represent what most fossils are when found under the microscope.
As explained above, the first section of the book introduces the
preliminary concepts that are mandatory to understand the next
chapters: what science is and what its principles are, what fossils
are and how they form, what (bio-)stratigraphy, evolution and taxonomy
are. It also presents a condensed history of micropalaeontology as a
science and its further developments. Section B presents the fossil
prokaryotes (Bacteriophyta and Cyanophyta) and their roles in the
formation of rocks and in the early evolution of life. Section C
concerns the ‘Plant-like’ protistans, i.e. photosynthetic eukaryotes:
Rhodophyta (red algae), Pyrrophyta (dinoflagellates and ebridians),
Chrysophyta (chrysophiceans and silicoflagellates), Bacillariophyta
(diatoms), Haptophyta (coccolithophorids), Prasinophyta, Chlorophyta
(green algae) and Charophyta. The renowned and less known microfossils
are presented and their stratigraphical and palaeoecological
applications are detailed. Section D concerns the ‘Animal-like’
protistans, i.e. the microscopic unicellular animals: Arcellinida and
Euglyphida (testate amoebas), Foraminifera, Radiolaria, Ciliophora
(calpionellids and tintinids), Choanoflagellata. The chapter dedicated
to the foraminifera is by far the largest and most detailed one due to
the number of taxa presented and their crucial importance in
biostratigraphy and environmental reconstruction. Section E concerns
the Fungi and plant micro-remains, i.e. the micro-palaeobotanic
objects: Fungi, spores and pollen, phytoliths. The palynological
chapter is weaker and eludes unfortunately Palaeozoic
problematics. Section F includes the micro-remains of meso- to
macro-scopic invertebrates. As announced above, this section is the
most original of the book and makes it rather unique among the
micropalaeontological textbooks mass. It treats the fossil metazoan
embryos, the poriferan and octocorallian sclerites, fragmented
skeleton of conularians, echinoderms and bryozoans, micro-molluscs,
hyoliths and tentaculites shells, annelids (scolecodonts) and
chaetognathans jaw apparatuses, arthropod skeletal elements and
coprolites. Finally, a larger chapter is dedicated to the ostracods
and their utility in (palaeo-)ecology. Section G concerns the
chordates and vertebrates where the conodonts occupy a larger
chapter. The other treated groups are the fish micro-remains (teeth,
dermal sclerites and otoliths), dinosaurs and mammals teeth. The last
section H regroups the microproblematica and incertae sedis
microfossils, including the acritarchs and chitinozoans.
In conclusion, ‘Microfossils through time: an introduction –
first steps in micropalaeontology’ is not only an introduction and
guides not only the first steps of students in micropalaeontology
but can also orient professional earth science researchers into a
wide area of taxonomy, stratigraphy and application in a richly
documented and illustrated book.
Julien Denayer, University of Liege
GEOLOGICA BELGICA (2018) 21/1-2: 99