Over thirty years ago, Dian Fossey established the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda to study the behavior and ecology of mountain gorillas. Some of the offspring of the gorillas first studied by Fossey are still being observed today and the long-term observations on known individuals, from birth to death, and data on social behavior within and among the groups have led to an understanding of many aspects of gorilla social structure. Written by scientists who have worked at Karisoke over the years, this book highlights and summarizes what we have learned about the behavior, ecology, and conservation of the genus Gorilla and two other recognized subspecies and provides some comparisons with other gorilla populations elsewhere in Africa.

Studies of brain evolution have moved rapidly in recent years, building on the pioneering research of Harry J. Jerison. This book provides state-of-the-art reviews of primate (including human) brain evolution. The volume is divided into two sections, the first offers new perspectives on the developmental, physiological, dietary, and behavioral correlates of brain enlargement. However, it has long been recognized that brains do not merely enlarge globally as they evolve, but that their cortical and internal organization also changes in a process known as reorganization. Species-specific adaptations therefore have neurological substrates that depend on more than just overall brain size. The second section explores these neurological underpinnings for the senses, adaptations, and cognitive abilities that are important for primates. With a prologue by Stephen J. Gould and an epilogue by Harry J. Jerison, this is an important new reference work for all those working on primate brain evolution.

Sir Stamford Raffles came across an unnamed new species in 1821 when he was documenting natural history in Singapore. This elusive primate, the Raffles' banded langur, was later named after him. This book is a one-stop resource for everything we know about the critically endangered primate that is only found in Singapore and Malaysia, including its distribution, diet, family structure, infant development, threats and conservation. The Raffles' banded langur is a large but slender-bodied monkey with black fur and white bands, while the infants are born with white fur and black bands. Exclusive high-quality photographs of the langurs are featured with family trees illustrating individually-named langurs. Interesting anecdotes about their personalities and behaviours are narrated. Living high up in the tree canopy, they eat a variety of local produce and exotic plants, from the red, juicy rambutans, stinky petai beans, to leafy angsana, perfumed wild cinnamon flowers and large sea almond fruits. This book showcases the diverse habitats of the Raffles' banded langurs, bringing us from the freshwater swamp forest in Singapore to the steep slopes of Gunung Lambak and the primary rainforests of Endau Rompin National Park in Johor, Malaysia. The book also highlights the cross-border conservation efforts and future plans to safeguard the long-term survival of the Raffles' banded langur, and promotes a better understanding and appreciation of our shared natural heritage.

With their tonsured heads, white faces, and striking cowls, the monkeys might vaguely resemble the Capuchin monks for whom they were named. How they act is something else entirely. They climb onto each other's shoulders four deep to frighten enemies. They test friendship by sticking their fingers up one another's noses. They often nurse--but sometimes kill--each other's offspring. They use sex as a means of communicating. And they negotiate a remarkably intricate network of alliances, simian politics, and social intrigue. Not monkish, perhaps, but as we see in this downright ethnographic account of the capuchins of Lomas Barbudal, their world is as complex, ritualistic, and structured as any society.

"Manipulative Monkeys" takes us into a Costa Rican forest teeming with simian drama, where since 1990 primatologists Susan Perry and Joseph H. Manson have followed the lives of four generations of capuchins. What the authors describe is behavior as entertaining--and occasionally as alarming--as it is recognizable: the competition and cooperation, the jockeying for position and status, the peaceful years under an alpha male devolving into bloody chaos, and the complex traditions passed from one generation to the next. Interspersed with their observations of the monkeys' lives are the authors' colorful tales of the challenges of tropical fieldwork--a mixture so rich that by the book's end we know what it is to be a wild capuchin monkey or a field primatologist. And we are left with a clear sense of the importance of these endangered monkeys for understanding human behavioral evolution.

Infanticide by males is relatively common in primates, carnivores, and rodents, although it tends to be rare even in species in which it occurs. Is this behavior pathological or accidental, or does it reflect a conditional reproductive strategy for males in certain circumstances? In this book, case studies and reviews confirm the adaptive nature of infanticide by males in primates, and help to predict which species should be vulnerable to this phenomenon. Much of the book is devoted to exploring the evolutionary consequences of the threat of infanticide by males for social and reproductive behavior and physiology. Written for graduate students and researchers in animal behavior, behavioral ecology, biological anthropology, and social psychology, this book shows that social systems are shaped by ecological pressures, as well as social pressures such as infanticide risk.

"Part review, part testament to extraordinary dedication, and part call to get involved, "Cetacean Societies" highlights the achievements of behavioral ecologists inspired by the challenges of cetaceans and committed to the exploration of a new world."--from the preface by Richard Wrangham
Long-lived, slow to reproduce, and often hidden beneath the water's surface, whales and dolphins (cetaceans) have remained elusive subjects for scientific study even though they have fascinated humans for centuries. Until recently, much of what we knew about cetaceans came from commercial sources such as whalers and trainers for dolphin acts. Innovative research methods and persistent efforts, however, have begun to penetrate the depths to reveal tantalizing glimpses of the lives of these mammals in their natural habitats.
"Cetacean Societies" presents the first comprehensive synthesis and review of these new studies. Groups of chapters focus on the history of cetacean behavioral research and methodology; state-of-the-art reviews of information on four of the most-studied species: bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, sperm whales, and humpback whales; and summaries of major topics, including group living, male and female reproductive strategies, communication, and conservation drawn from comparative research on a wide range of species.
Written by some of the world's leading cetacean scientists, this landmark volume will benefit not just students of cetology but also researchers in other areas of behavioral and conservation ecology as well as anyone with a serious interest in the world of whales and dolphins.
Contributors are Robin Baird, Phillip Clapham, Jenny Christal, Richard Connor, Janet Mann, Andrew Read, Randall Reeves, Amy Samuels, Peter Tyack, Linda Weilgart, Hal Whitehead, Randall S. Wells, and Richard Wrangham.

The study of animal development has deep historical roots in codifying the field of evolutionary biology. In the 1940s, evolutionary theory became engulfed by microevolutionary genetic analysis and development became focused on mechanisms, forsaking the evolutionary implications of ontogeny. Recently, ontogeny has resurfaced as a significant component of evolutionary change, population, and community dynamics. Ontogeny, Functional Ecology and Evolution of Bats is a unique reference work by bat biologists who emphasize the importance of understanding ontogeny in the analysis of evolution and ecology. In addition, the developmental underpinnings of specialized morphology, physiology, and behavior are elucidated, and the strong influence of ecology on the ontological niche of juvenile bats is illustrated. This book is an essential reference for bat biologists, and all those working in the fields of ecology, developmental biology, evolution, behavior, and systematics.

Old World monkeys (Cercopithecoidea) are the most successful and diverse group of living nonhuman primates in terms of the number of species, behavioral repertoires, and ecology. Among our closest living relatives, they have much to teach us about the processes of evolution and the principles of ecology. This volume presents a broad, technical account of cercopithecoid biology including molecular, behavioral, and morphological approaches to phylogeny, population structure, allometry, fossil history, functional morphology, ecology, cognitive capabilities, social behavior, and conservation. It will be the definitive reference on this group for researchers, graduate students and advanced undergraduates in primatology, animal behavior, paleontology, morphology, systematics, and physical anthropology.

The size and composition of primate groups varies tremendously across species, within species, and within groups over time. Written by leading authorities, this book focuses on the causes and consequences of variation in the number of males per group. This variation lies at the heart of understanding adaptive variation among primate social systems. The volume also provides an extensive overview of variation in group composition across all major primate taxa using up-to-date reviews, case studies, evolutionary theory, and theoretical models. A comparative review of birds and selected other mammals is included. This text will become a favorite with all those interested in the behavioral ecology of primates.

Social learning commonly refers to the social transfer of information and skill among individuals. It encompasses a wide range of behaviors that include where and how to obtain food, how to interact with members of one's own social group, and how to identify and respond appropriately to predators. Mammalian Social Learning discusses a wide diversity of species, some of which have never been discussed in this context before, with particular reference made to their natural life strategies. Expert chapters consider social learning in humans in comparison with other mammals, especially in their technological and craft traditions. Moreover, for the first time, attention is given to the social learning abilities of prehistoric hominids.

Although the behavior and ecology of primates has been more thoroughly studied than that of any other group of mammals, there have been very few attempts to compare the communities of living primates found in different parts of the world. In Primate Communities, an international group of experts compares the composition, behavior, and ecology of primate communities in Africa, Asia, Madagascar, and South America. They examine the factors underlying the similarities and differences among these communities, including their phylogenetic history, climate, rainfall, soil type, forest composition, competition with other vertebrates, and human activities. As it brings together information about primate communities from around the world for the very first time, it will quickly become an important source book for researchers in anthropology, ecology, and conservation, and a readable and informative text for undergraduate and graduate students studying primate ecology, primate conservation, or primate behavior.

Many mammals, such as otters, live in close association with rivers and streams, feeding in them, or using them as a place of safety or means of escape from predators. The distinct adaptations that riparian mammals have evolved in order to live in these environments also handicap them for living elsewhere. These animals are therefore threatened by alterations to their environment. In recent years, our rivers have become highly polluted, and have been subject to bankside modifications for agriculture and forestry, enhanced or decreased water flow, and recreation. As a result, they have become less and less suitable for these highly specialized animals. This book looks at the habitat utilization, adaptation, feeding ecology, and conservation status of a range of riparian mammals. It gives insights into the problems facing these fascinating animals, and how they might be overcome.

The Fourth Edition of Knobil & Neill will continue to serve as a reference aid for research, to provide the historical context to current research, and most importantly as an aid for graduate teaching on a broad range of topics in human and comparative reproduction. In the decade since the publication of the last edition, the study of reproductive physiology has undergone monumental changes. Chief among these advances are in the areas of stem cell development, signaling pathways, the role of inflammation in the regulatory processes in the various tissues, and the integration of new animal models which have led to a greater understanding of human disease. This new edition will seek to synthesize all of this new information at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels of organization and present modern physiology a more understandable and comparative context.
*The leading comprehensive work on the physiology of reproduction
*Edited and authored by the world's leading scientists in the field
*Is a synthesis of the molecular, cellular, and organismic levels of organization
*Bibliogrpahics of chapters are extensive and cover all the relevant literature

This book aims to explain the intelligence of monkeys and apes, and the huge brain expansion that marked human evolution. In 1988, Machiavellian Intelligence was the first book to assemble the early evidence suggesting a new answer: that the evolution of intellect was primarily driven by selection for manipulative, social expertise within groups where the most challenging problem faced by individuals was dealing with their companions. Since then a wealth of new information and ideas has accumulated. This new book will bring readers up to date with the most important developments, extending the scope of the original ideas and evaluating them empirically from different perspectives. It is essential reading for reseachers and students in many different branches of evolution and behavioral sciences, primatology and philosophy.

Cooperative breeding refers to a social system in which individuals other than the parents provide care for the offspring. In addition to alloparental care, two further characteristics are common among species exhibiting cooperative breeding: delayed dispersal and delayed reproduction. Among vertebrates, cooperative breeding is expressed most prominently in birds and mammals. The book explores the phenomenon in a wide variety of mammals, including rodents, primates, viverrids, and carnivores. Comparative studies of cooperative breeding provide important tests for the origin and maintenance of sociality in complex groups. Understanding the behavioral and physiological mechanisms underlying cooperative breeding yields insights into the fundamental building blocks of social behavior in animal societies. Although several recent volumes have summarized the state of our knowledge of the ecology and evolution of cooperative breeding in birds, Cooperative Breeding in Mammals is the first book devoted to these issues in mammals, and it will appeal to zoologists, ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and those interested in animal behavior.

The evolution of high-crowned teeth, hypsodonty, is a defining characteristic of many terrestrial herbivores. To date, the most prominent focus in the study of the teeth of grazing herbivores has been co-evolution with grasses and grasslands. This book develops the idea further and looks at the myriad ways that soil can enter the diet. Madden then expands this analysis to examine the earth surface processes that mobilize sediment in the environment. The text delivers a global perspective on tooth wear and soil erosion, with examples from the islands of New Zealand to the South American Andes, highlighting how similar geological processes worldwide result in convergent evolution. The final chapter includes a review of elodonty in the fossil record and its environmental consequences. Offering new insights into geomorphology and adaptive and evolutionary morphology, this text will be of value to any researcher interested in the evolution of tooth size and shape.

With heart-shaped face, buff back and wings, and pure white underparts, the barn owl is a distinctive and much-loved bird which has fascinated people from many cultures throughout history. How did the barn owl colonise the world? What adaptations have made this bird so successful? How is the increasing impact of human disturbance affecting these animals? Answering these questions and more, Roulin brings together the main global perspectives on the evolution, ecology and behaviour of the barn owl and its relatives, discussing topics such as the high reproductive potential, physiology, social and family interaction, pronounced colour variation and global distribution. Accessible and beautifully illustrated, this definitive volume on the barn owl is for researchers, professionals and graduate students in ornithology, animal behaviour, ecology, conservation biology and evolutionary biology, and will also appeal to amateur ornithologists and nature lovers.

This book is about the social life of monkeys, apes and humans. The central theme is the importance of social information and knowledge to a full understanding of primate social behavior and organization. Its main purpose is to stress evolutionary continuity, i.e. that there are direct connections between human and nonhuman society. This view is often downplayed elsewhere in the anthropological literature where the notion that humans have culture and animals do not is prevalent. Topics covered include an overview of the contexts of behavior; a comparison of blind strategies and tactical decision-making; social cognition; a review of intentionalist interpretations of behavior; kinship; language and its social implications; and the constraints of culture.

Conflict between males and females over reproduction is ubiquitous in nature due to fundamental differences between the sexes in reproductive rates and investment in offspring. In only a few species, however, do males strategically employ violence to control female sexuality. Why are so many of these primates? Why are females routinely abused in some species, but never in others? And can the study of such unpleasant behavior by our closest relatives help us to understand the evolution of men s violence against women?

In the first systematic attempt to assess and understand primate male aggression as an expression of sexual conflict, the contributors to this volume consider coercion in direct and indirect forms: direct, in overcoming female resistance to mating; indirect, in decreasing the chance the female will mate with other males. The book presents extensive field research and analysis to evaluate the form of sexual coercion in a range of species including all of the great apes and humans and to clarify its role in shaping social relationships among males, among females, and between the sexes.