The following volumes are available to Paleontological Society members in exchange for writing a review in Priscum.

Reviewed by Ashley Nicole Prow-Fleischer (Stanford University and Syracuse University)

Reviewed by Andy Flick (Vanderbilt University)

Reviewed by Ephraim Nissan (London, England)

Reviewed by Casey Burns (California Academy of Sciences)

Reviewed by Denise Treadway (Peytona, West Virginia)

Reviewed by Ephraim Nissan (London, England)

Reviewed by David Cordie (Edgewood College)

Reviewed by Ephraim Nissan (London, England)

Congratulations to our 2025 Paleontological Society Fellows!

Fellows are members of the Paleontological Society who have made far-reaching contributions to paleontology through research, teaching, or service to the profession. Submit your nominations for 2026 PS Fellows by Feb. 28! https://www.paleosoc.org/fellows-of-the-paleontological-society

Reviewed by Alysha Zazubec (Univ. of Oklahoma)

Books available for review announcement - November update!

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 at https://www.paleosoc.org/priscum-newsletter and https://www.paleosoc.org/blog. Reviewers must be a current member of the Paleontological Society before beginning review. If you are interested in reviewing one of these texts, please contact Book Reviews Editor Phil Novack-Gottshall ([email protected])

Reviewed by Richard Lis (California Dept of Fish & Wildlife)

Reviewed by John Clay Bruner, (University of Alberta)

Did early eukaryotes really radiate in the Tonian?

Since the 1980s Precambrian palaeontologists believed that early eukaryotes (Domain: Eukarya, microorganisms with a membrane bound nucleus) underwent a dramatic diversification in the Tonian Period (1000-720Ma). This period is often associated with the rise of complex life, a key step towards the evolution of animals, and the modern marine ecosystem. Long have palaeontologists looked to the microfossil record of ancient shales and cherts to elucidate the tempo of eukaryotic evolution, all centring on the view that eukaryotes originated early in the Proterozoic Eon (~2.5 billion years ago) but remained ‘stable’ for a billion years before rising to dominance. These special types of rocks preserve the earliest evidence of ecologically important clades like those of algae and fungi, but also complex traits like sexual reproduction, and multicellularity. The Tonian is thought to be a foundational period in the history of life.

Reviewed by Ephraim Nissan (London, England)

Help Keep PRI Strong!!                                                                          

Reviewed by James O. Farlow (Purdue University Fort Wayne)

Celebrating 50 years of Paleobiology: revolutionary ideas on evolution 

Reviewed by Carlton E. Brett (University of Cincinnati)