Includes bibliographical references (p. 369-393) and index.

Preliminary Material / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Introduction / Eltjo Buringh -- Types of preservation / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Systematic treatment of fossil nematodes / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Nematodes from the Precambrian / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Nematodes from the Palaeozoic / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Nematodes from the Mesozoic / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Nematodes from the Tertiary / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Nematodes from Pleistocene and Holocene deposits / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Human parasites from Pleistocene and Holocene remains / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Dubious nematode fossils / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Nematode artefacts / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Nematode time lines / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Functional morphology and the behaviour of fossil nematodes / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Appendix I. Taxonomic descriptions of previously known and new fossil nematode taxa / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Appendix II. Key to nematodes presented in this work / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Appendix III. Techniques for studying nematodes in amber / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- References / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Colour plates / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry -- Index / George O. Poinar , David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry.

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Nematodes are one of the most abundant groups of invertebrates on the face of the earth. Their numbers are estimated to range from 1000 per cm2 in the sand-covered hydrogen sulphide ‘black zone’ beneath the ocean floors to 1.2 billion in a single hectare of soil. Estimates for their species diversity range from 100 000 to 10 million. The past history of nematodes is a mystery, since very few fossils have been discovered. This book establishes a solid base in palaeonematology with descriptions of 66 new fossil species and accounts of all previous fossil and subfossil nematodes from sedimentary deposits, coprolites, amber and mummies. It shows how nematode fossils can be used to establish lineages at various locations and time periods in the earth’s history and when nematodes entered into symbiotic and parasitic associations with plants and animals.