In this definitive work, Ernest Glen Wever establishes the evolutionary importance of the reptile ear as the origin of the higher type of auditory apparatus shared by man and the mammals. Tracing the development of the auditory receptor in the living reptiles, he examines the use of a variety of mechanisms and principles of action by that receptor. While some of the material in this book has appeared previously in journal articles, most of it is presented here for the first time. Basing this study on his twenty years of research at Princeton's Auditory Research Laboratories, Professor Wever treats in anatomical and functional detail the auditory mechanism in about 250 species and subspecies of reptiles. The anatomical treatment rests on dissections and histological examinations of the ears in serial section, and portrays the relevant features in drawings that represent particular views of reconstructions. The author evaluates the performance of thesse ears electrophysiologically, in terms of the electrical potentials of the cochlea, paying particular attention to problems of the transmission of vibrations inward to the cochlea and the actions there in stimulating the sensory cells. Professor Wever finds that the cochlea emerged independently from the non-auditory labyrinth in three different vertebrate groups: fishes, amphibians, and reptiles. It was among the reptiles, however, that the vertebrate ear took on a more advanced configuration from which it further evolved along separate lineages in the birds and mammals. Ernest Glen Wever is Eugene Higgins Professor of Psychology Emeritus at Princeton University. Originally published in 1978. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This book presents a critical and integrated review of lizards from Patagonia. It summarizes the region's geomorphological history and climatic aspects, which makes it possible to interpret, from an evolutionary perspective, the latest findings on the various natural history aspects of its lizard fauna. As such, the book will appeal to all researchers and professionals specialized in lizard ecology and evolution.

Snakes comprise nearly 4,000 extant species found on all major continents except Antarctica. Morphologically and ecologically diverse, they include burrowing, arboreal, and marine forms, feeding on prey ranging from insects to large mammals. Snakes are strikingly different from their closest lizard relatives, and their origins and early diversification have long challenged and enthused evolutionary biologists. The origin and early evolution of snakes is a broad, interdisciplinary topic for which experts in palaeontology, ecology, physiology, embryology, phylogenetics, and molecular biology have made important contributions. The last 25 years has seen a surge of interest, resulting partly from new fossil material, but also from new techniques in molecular and systematic biology. This volume summarises and discusses the state of our knowledge, approaches, data, and ongoing debates. It provides reviews, syntheses, new data and perspectives on a wide range of topics relevant to students and researchers in evolutionary biology, neontology, and palaeontology.

This practical handbook of reptile field ecology and conservation brings together a distinguished, international group of reptile researchers to provide a state-of-the-art review of the many new and exciting techniques used to study reptiles. The authors describe ecological sampling techniques and how they are implemented to monitor the conservation status and population trends of snakes, lizards, tuatara, turtles, and crocodilians throughout the world. Emphasis is placed on the extent of statistical inference and the biases associated with different techniques and analyses. The chapters focus on the application of field research and data analysis for achieving an understanding of reptile life history, population dynamics, movement patterns, thermal ecology, conservation status, and the relationship between reptiles and their environment. The book emphasises the need for thorough planning, and demonstrates how a multi-dimensional approach incorporates information related to morphology, genetics, molecular biology, epidemiology, statistical modelling, animal welfare, and biosecurity. Although accentuating field sampling, sections on experimental applications in laboratories and zoos, thermal ecology, genetics, landscape ecology, disease and biosecurity, and management options are included. Much of this information is scattered in the scientific literature or not readily available, and the intention is to provide an affordable, comprehensive synthesis for use by graduate students, researchers, and practising conservationists worldwide.

PETERSON: The best-selling field guides of all time This is the most comprehensive and trusted guide to reptiles and amphibians of western North America. The new edition retains the realistic and accurate paintings by Robert Stebbins and includes 160 color photographs for additional detail. All range maps are up to date and placed within their species accounts. Family, genus, species, and subspecies names have been updated to the currently accepted usage. Illustrations of eggs and larvae, which can aid in identifying salamanders and frogs, are a particularly helpful feature. The area covered includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, the western corner of Nunavut, Yukon, and Baja California. Sponsored by the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute

Thailand is home to over 350 species of reptiles, consisting of many kinds of turtles and tortoises, lizards, snakes and crocodiless. With its extensive network of protected areas, Thailand is one of the richest and most ecologically diverse countries in the world. However, many of these species are being threatened more than ever before, including habitat loss caused by agricultural expansion and intensification, and from wildlife trade. For herpetologists and naturalists, understanding the reptiles of Thailand is now more important than ever before. With A Field Guide to the Reptiles of Thailand, Tanya Chan-ard, John Parr, and Jarujin Nabhitabhata present the definitive resource for identifying and understanding all known species of reptile in the region. It is the only updated and complete guide to the country's reptilian life in existence. The book contains an account of every species, complete with nomenclature, colour illustrations, and range maps of known locations. The accounts include discussion of behaviour, morphological measurements, and habitat, as well as the most current information on each species' conservation status. The authors explain the current system of classifying the threat level of endangerment, making the presented information and terminology understandable and useful. The introduction to the book discusses the history of herpetology in Thailand, as well as its climate, physiography, and zoogeography. A section on how to use the guide most effectively has also been included to make the book accessible to a wide range of both scientists and nature enthusiasts. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of Thailand is the definitive and most comprehensive resource for herpetologists, naturalists, and conservationists working in Thailand.

The discovery of stunning, feathered dinosaur fossils coming out of China since 2006 suggest that these creatures were much more bird-like than paleontologists previously imagined. Further evidence-bones, genetics, eggs, behavior, and more-has shown a seamless transition from fleet-footed carnivores to the ancestors of modern birds. Mixing colorful portraits with news on the latest fossil findings and interviews with leading paleontologists in the United States, China, Europe, and Australia, John Pickrell explains and details dinosaurs' development of flight. This special capacity introduced a whole new range of abilities for the animals and helped them survive a mass extinction, when thousands of other dinosaur species that once populated the Earth did not. Pickrell also turns his journalistic eye toward the stories behind the latest discoveries, investigating the role of the Chinese black market in trading fossils, the controversies among various dinosaur hunters, the interference of national governments intent on protecting scientific information, and the race to publish findings first that make this research such a dynamic area of science.

This title now includes 30 additional species. Revised and updated to reflect the most current science, and including 30 new species, this authoritative and comprehensive volume is the definitive guide to the amphibians and reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia. The new edition features 189 species of salamanders, frogs, crocodilians, turtles, lizards, and snakes, with updated color photographs, descriptions, and distribution maps for each species. It is an indispensable guide for zoologists, amateur naturalists, environmentalists, backpackers, campers, hikers, and everyone interested in the outdoors.

The success of the first volume of The Biology of Sea Turtles revealed a need for broad but comprehensive reviews of major recent advances in sea turtle biology. Biology of Sea Turtles, Volume II emphasizes practical aspects of biology that relate to sea turtle management and to changes in marine and coastal ecosystems. These topics include the interactions of humans and sea turtles, an introduction to sea turtle anatomy, sensory and reproductive biology, sea turtle habitat use and ecology, stress and health, and the maintenance of captured animals. This volume provides both historical and up-to-date information.

This book, proposed as a companion volume to Professor Holman's Pleistocene Amphibians and Reptiles in North America (OUP 1995), presents, in detail, occurences of the herpetofauna in Britain and Western and Central Europe as well as discussions on the paleogeography, paleoecology, and evolution of these groups. The format follows in general that of the volume on North America, starting with an overview of the Pleistocene in Europe followed by a bestiary and chapters on identification of fossils, sites yielding fossils, range adjustments, evolutionary and extinction patterns, and origins of modern herpetofauna in Europe.

In the search for snakebite antidotes, the ecology and evolution of venomous snakes is of critical importance. This book presents a multidisciplinary approach to venomous snake research, as well as focusing on the medical aspects of snake venoms and the effects of snakebites. Herpetology is a growing subject, and this book will appeal to the ever-increasing number of amateur snake enthusiasts. The book will also be an essential reference work for researchers involved in any aspect of venomous snake research, as well as those interested in the broader fields of ecology and evolution.

Lizards exhibit, in a form that is simpler to isolate and study, many of the same traits of higher vertebrates. For this reason, zoologists have long chosen lizards as model systems to address questions that are central to ecological and evolutionary theory. This books brings together many of the most active researchers currently using lizards to study the evolution of social behavior, plus three well-known experts on behavior of other taxa for an outside perspective. Each author begins by developing one or more hypotheses, then presents data on a specific lizard system that addresses these issues. The chapters are arranged in three sections that reflect the primary levels at which behavioral ecologists examine adaptive variation in social behavior: individual variation within populations, variation among different populations of the same species, and variation among several species.

Contributors: Troy A. Baird, University of Central Oklahoma; George W. Barlow, University of California-Berkeley; Philip W. Bateman, University of Pretoria; Marguerite Butler, University of California-Berkeley; William E. Cooper, Jr., Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne; Stanley F. Fox, Oklahoma State University; Paul J. Gier, Huntington College; Masami Hasegawa, Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba, Japan; Diana K. Hews, Indiana State University; Jonathan B. Losos, Washington University; Peter Marler, University of California-Davis; J. Kelly McCoy, Angelo State University; Kenneth A. Nagy, University of California-Los Angeles; Gordon H. Orians, University of Washington; Vanessa S. Quinn, Indiana State University; Thomas W. Schoener, University of California-Davis; Paul A. Shipman, Oklahoma State University; Barry Sinervo, University of California-Santa Cruz; Chris L. Sloan, University of Central Oklahoma; Heidi M. Snell, Charles Darwin Research Station, Ecuador; Howard L. Snell, University of New Mexico; Paul A. Stone, University of Central Oklahoma; Dusti K. Timanus, University of Central Oklahoma; Martin J. Whiting, the University of Witwatersrand; Kelly R. Zamudio, Cornell University.

This book offers a comprehensive review of the biology of snakes, focusing on Italian species. The snakes of Italy belong to the two families Colubridae and Viperidae, and for each species the systematic classification and chorology including distribution maps are presented. Furthermore, readers will learn how to carry out field studies, how to handle snakes and how to photograph them. The book concludes with a chapter on the iconography of historical Italian snakes and their importance in popular science, and one on myths and legends. This SpringerBriefs volume will appeal to herpetologists and technical staff. The section on iconography may also be of interest to museum staff.

Islands and Snakes contains 13 chapters describing ecological systems with foci on snakes and their ecological roles on islands around the world. Each chapter is written by one or more authors who is an authority on that particular system. Summaries of research on the various islands are written in a narrative manner that includes science as well as personal insights in easily understood language. These varied vignettes of science feature islands around the world, and in all cases, fantastic species of snakes and their roles in the community of insular organisms in which they occur. Both challenges and opportunities associated with island life are discussed, as well as the unique attributes of snakes and their conservation as unique and important parts of nature. Chapters include colorful photographs and illustrations, and collectively they convey information on topics that include ecology, behavior, biogeography, physiology, adaptation, and evolutionary biology. An introductory chapter presents a review and perspective on the historical importance of island ecology and how snakes have contributed to our understanding of evolution and adaptation. The other chapters focus on snakes inhabiting islands associated with Asia, Australia, South America, North America, the Caribbean, and Europe. The final chapter features the unique "table top islands" or tepuis of South America as examples of ecological islands where elements of biota have become isolated by geographic features of landscape similarly to oceanic islands.

"Life in Cold Blood" offers a rare glimpse into the peculiar world of amphibians and reptiles, the first vertebrate creatures to venture forth from the primeval waters millions of years ago, yet which today include species that are the most at risk of extinction. Join acclaimed naturalist Sir David Attenborough as he travels to the far corners of the Earth to tell the epic story of these animals in this companion to the television series. Discover the secrets of their astounding success--and the profound implications of their uncertain future.

Amphibians and reptiles once ruled the planet, and their descendants exhibit some of the most colorful variety and astounding behavior known to the animal kingdom. What are the origins of these creatures? How have they transformed themselves into the beautiful and bizarre forms found today? In this gorgeously illustrated book, Attenborough gets up close and personal with the living descendants of the first vertebrates ever to colonize the land, and through them traces the fascinating history of their pioneering ancestors. He explains the ways amphibians and reptiles have changed little from their prehistoric forebears while also demonstrating how they have adapted and evolved into diverse new forms, some of them beyond our wildest imaginings. And Attenborough raises awareness of the threats global warming and other man-made environmental changes pose to many of these creatures. "Life in Cold Blood" inspires a genuine sense of wonder about amphibians and reptiles and the marvels of the natural world around us.

Records of parasitism in crocodilians date back to the early 1800s, distributed among various types of published and unpublished materials. Analyzing parasite-host specificity, geographic distribution, and taxonomy can provide otherwise cryptic details about crocodilian ecology and evolution, as well as their local food web dynamics. This information is critical for improved conservation tactics for both crocodilians and their habitat. As climate change, anthropogenic conflict, and environmental pollution endanger crocodilian ecosystems, there is a need for organized information on crocodile, alligator, caiman, and gharial infectious diseases. This volume meets this need by delivering the first checklist of crocodilians and their parasites for researchers and scholars in biology, herpetology, and ecology in order to further the knowledge and study of crocodilian-parasite dynamics and improve our understanding of human impacts on ecosystems.

The Turtles of Mexico is the first comprehensive guide to the biology, ecology, evolution, and distribution of more than fifty freshwater and terrestrial turtle taxa found in Mexico. Legler and Vogt draw on more than fifty years of fieldwork to elucidate the natural history of these species. The volume includes an extensive introduction to turtle anatomy, taxonomy, phylogeny, biogeography, and physiology. A key to the turtles of Mexico is included along with individual species accounts featuring geographic distribution maps and detailed color illustrations. Specific topics discussed for each species include habitat, diet, feeding behavior, reproduction, predators, parasites, growth and ontogeny, sexual dimorphism, growth rings, economic use, conservation, legal protection, and taxonomic studies. This book is a complete reference for scientists, conservationists, and professional and amateur enthusiasts who wish to study Mexican turtles.

In a collection rich in implications for all fields of ecology, leading lizard ecologists demonstrate the utility of the phylogenetic approach in understanding the evolution of morphology, physiology, behavior, and life histories. Lizards, which are valued for their amenability to field experiments, have been the subject of reciprocal transplant experiments and of manipulations of resource availability, habitat structure, population density, and entire sections of food webs. Such experiments are rapidly rebuilding ecological theories as they apply to all organisms. As a demonstration of state-of-the-art historical and experimental research and as a call for philosophical engagement, this volume will join its predecessors--Lizard Ecology: A Symposium (Missouri, 1967) and Lizard Ecology: Studies of a Model Organism (Harvard, 1983)--in directing ecological research for years to come. Lizard Ecology contains essays on reproductive ecology (Arthur E. Dunham, Lin Schwarzkopf, Peter H. Niewiarowski, Karen Overall, and Barry Sinervo), behavioral ecology (A. Stanley Rand, William E. Cooper, Jr., Emulia P. Martins, Craig Guyer, and C. Michael Bull), evolutionary ecology (Raymond B. Huey, Jean Clobert et al., Donald B. Miles, and Theodore Garland, Jr.), and population and community ecology (Ted Case, Robin M. Andrews and S. Joseph Wright, Craig D. James, and Jonathan B. Losos). Originally published in 1994. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Meeresbiologische Exkursionen sind besondere Hohepunkte des Biologiestudiums, weil Studenten bei kaum einer anderen Gelegenheit die uberwaltigende Formenmannigfaltigkeit der Organismen so unmittelbar lebend kennenlernen konnen.

47 Meeresbiologen aus Deutschland, Frankreich, Grossbritannien und Osterreich haben aus ihrem Erfahrungsschatz 60 faunistische und floristische, okophysiologische und ethologische Versuche zusammengetragen, die jeweils eine geschlossene Einheit mit Anleitung, Material und Literaturangaben darstellen. Die Gliederung folgt den drei Lebensgemeinschaften Benthos, Plankton und Nekton.

Dieses Buch soll Exkursionsleitern und -teilnehmern dazu dienen, Exkursionen an Nordsee, Atlantik und Mittelmeer vorzubereiten, durchzufuhren und auszuwerten, wozu auch die Anschriften und Hinweise uber die Ausstattung der grossen meeresbiologischen Stationenbeitragen."

Eric Pianka offers a synthesis of his life's work on the comparative ecology of lizard assemblages in the Great Basin. Mojave and Sonoran deserts of western North America, the Kalahari semi-desert of southern Africa, and the Great Victoria desert of Western Australia. Originally published in 1986. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Eric Pianka offers a synthesis of his life's work on the comparative ecology of lizard assemblages in the Great Basin. Mojave and Sonoran deserts of western North America, the Kalahari semi-desert of southern Africa, and the Great Victoria desert of Western Australia. Originally published in 1986. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.