Those who have been privileged to watch baboons long enough to know them as individuals and who have learned to interpret some of their more subtle interactions will attest that the rapid flow of baboon behavior can at times be overwhelming. In fact, some of the most sophisticated and influential observation methods for sampling vertebrate social behavior grew out of baboon studies, invented by scientists who were trying to cope with the intricacies of baboon behavior. Barbara Smuts' eloquent study of baboons reveals a new depth to their behavior and extends the theories needed to account for it.

While adhering to the most scrupulous methodological strictures, the author maintains an open research strategy--respecting her subjects by approaching them with the open mind of an ethnographer and immersing herself in the complexities of baboon social life before formulating her research design, allowing her to detect and document a new level of subtlety in their behavior. At the Gilgil site, described in this book, she could stroll and sit within a few feet of her subjects. By maintaining such proximity she was able to watch and listen to intimate exchanges within the troop; she was able, in other words, to shift the baboons well along the continuum from "subject" to "informant." By doing so she has illuminated new networks of special relationships in baboons. This empirical contribution accompanies theoretical insights that not only help to explain many of the inconsistencies of previous studies but also provide the foundation for a whole new dimension in the study of primate behavior: analysis oft he dynamics of long-term, intimate relationships and their evolutionary significance.

At every stage of research human observers have underestimated the baboon. These intelligent, curious, emotional, and long-lived creatures are capable of employing stratagems and forming relationships that are not easily detected by traditional research methods. In the process of unraveling their complex social relationships, Smuts has revealed that these masters of strategy and aggressive competition are equally capable of patience, tenderness, and concern.

"Barbara B. Smuts" is professor of psychology and anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is also the author of Primate Societies.

Recognise birds by their calls with this handy package of CD and accompanying book. These will help identify the sounds made by a range of the most common and widely distributed East African bird species.

- CD features 100 bird calls.

- Each species account features full-colour photographs, a distribution map and information on habitat, behaviour, feeding and nesting preferences, as well as a description of the call or song.

- Common bird names given in English and Swahili.

This is the perfect starting point for those who wish to develop their knowledge of bird calls.

With over 70 species still populating the world's oceans after approximately 500 million years, hagfishes are essential benthic organisms that play a vital role in understanding the evolutionary origins of vertebrate life and the maintenance of the oceanic ecosystem. Hagfish Biology is a long overdue book for communicating and furthering study on these unique animals. It provides an avenue of synergy among scientists interested in hagfish physiology, molecular and evolutionary biology, morphology, and protection. New high throughput sequencing technologies, advanced microscopy techniques, descriptions of hagfish embryology, and developments of techniques to understand ancient evolutionary relationships have led to a resurgence of interest in the hagfish as a key species in understanding the evolution of vertebrates. Inspired by these new research perspectives, this book compiles scientific information on hagfishes that is of interest to a range of fields such as ecology and evolution, comparative physiology, and conservation biology. A much-needed contribution, Hagfish Biology builds on previous knowledge while encouraging further expansion of scientific interest and learning about this fascinating yet understudied key evolutionary species. It introduces you to developing areas of research and provides beginning points for a larger conversation on hagfishes.

Conservation Physiology for the Anthropocene: A Systems Approach, Volume 39A in the Fish Physiology series, is a comprehensive synthesis on the physiology of fish in the Anthropocene. This volume closes the knowledge gap by considering the many ways in which different physiological systems (e.g., sensory physiology, endocrine, cardio-respiratory, bioenergetics, water and ionic balance and homeostasis, locomotion/biomechanics, gene function) and physiological diversity are relevant to management and conservation. As the world is changing, with a dire need to identify solutions to the many environmental problems facing wild fish populations, this book comprehensively covers conservation physiology and its future techniques. Conservation physiology reveals the many ways in which environmental change and human activities can negatively influence wild fish populations. These tactics inform new management and conservation activities and help create the necessary conditions for fish to thrive.

"Night-attack of wolves in Mongolia." "Nearly fatal combat with a kangaroo." "Comic scenes with the Elephant." "Captain Herriman examines a supposed Sea-serpent." This charming book, published by British naturalist PHILIP HENRY GOSSE (1810-1888) in 1860, was a best seller in its day, and no wonder: this is a passionate around-the-world journey through nature both wild and serene... and mysterious. "In the annals of cryptozoology," says cryptozoologist Loren Coleman in his new introduction, "Gosse is credited as one of the grandfathers of the discipline... In this book, one finds his records of the sea serpent, giant snakes, African unicorn, South America ape, and Ceylonese devil-bird, reflecting this early interest in romantic zoology, the precursor of cryptozoology." This new edition, complete with the original elegant illustrations, is part of Cosimo's Loren Coleman Presents series. LOREN COLEMAN is author of numerous books of cryptozoology, including BIGFOOT : The True Story of Apes in America, and Mothman and Other Curious Encounters.

Sharks are ruthlessly efficient predators, the apex of 450 million years of evolution. They are older than trees, have survived five extinction events and are essential to maintaining balanced ocean ecosystems, but how much do we really know about their lives? The first book to reveal the hidden world of sharks, Emperors of the Deep draws upon the latest scientific research to examine four species in detail – mako, tiger, hammerhead and great white – as never before. An eye-opening tour of shark habitats ranges from the coral reefs of the Central Pacific where great whites mysteriously congregate every autumn in what researchers call a festival for sharks, to tropical mangrove forests where baby lemon sharks play in social groups and to the frigid waters of the North Atlantic, home to 400-year-old Greenland sharks, the world’s longest-lived vertebrates. McKeever also traces the evolution of the myth of the ‘man-eater’ and exposes the devastating effects of the fishing industry on shark populations: In 2018 only four people died in shark attacks while we killed 100 million sharks. At once a journey through the misunderstood world of sharks and an urgent call to protect them, Emperors of the Deep celebrates these iconic predators that continue to capture our imagination – and that desperately need our help to survive.

This book provides detailed and updated knowledge about medically important 'Big Four' venomous snakes of India (Indian spectacled cobra, Indian common krait, Indian Russell's viper, and Indian saw-scaled viper). This book essentially covers the snakebite problem in the world with particular reference to Asia and India. It discusses the evolution and systematics of venomous snakes, emphasizing 'Big Four' venomous snakes of India; the evolution and composition of venoms determined by traditional biochemical and modern proteomic analyses. It also describes the pharmacological properties of enzymatic and non-enzymatic toxins of 'Big Four' venomous snakes of India. Different chapters discuss exciting topics such as species-specific and geographical differences in venom composition and its impact on pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of snakebite envenomation in India, biomedical application of Indian snake venom toxins; production and quality assessment of commercial antivenom, prevention, and treatment of snakebite in India, adverse effects of antivenom including strategies to combat antivenom reactions inpatient. This book caters to toxinologists, pharmacologists, zoologists, antivenom manufacturers, biochemists, clinicians, evolutionary biologists, herpetologists, and informed non-specialists interested to know about the Indian snake venoms.

This book has the modest aim of bringing together methodological, theo- retical, and empirical studies that bear on the phylogenetic placement of primates and their relatives, and continues a tradition started by Phylogeny of the Primates: A Multidisciplinary Approach (edited by W. P. Luckett and F. S. Szalay; Plenum Press, 1975) and The Comparative Biology and Evolutionary Rela- tionships of Tree Shrews (edited by W. P. Luckett, Plenum Press, 1980). Although there are several recent compendia of studies of primate relationships, most of these are exclusively concerned with the internal arrangement of clades within the order, not with the place of primates and their relatives on the eutherian cladogram. Evolutionary theory predicts that primates must be more closely related to some non primate mammals than to others, but a continuing problem has been to find reliable procedures for recovering historical relationships among taxa. Before the 1970s, higher-level relationships among primates and euthe- rian mammals that might be closely related to them were rarely treated in detail. Outstanding exceptions, like Le Gros Clark's Antecedents of Man, were just that-exceptions. (Clark himself essentially stopped with making a case for tree shrews; he did not, for example, explore whether bats and colugos were also related to primates. ) In the 1970s and 1980s, the rise of cladistic techniques and advances in molecular methods began to transform primate systematics.

Fish Pathology is the definitive, classic and essential book on the subject, providing in-depth coverage across all major aspects of fish pathology. This new, fully updated and expanded fourth edition builds upon the success of the previous editions which have made Fish Pathology the best known and most respected book in the field, worldwide.Commencing with a chapter covering the aquatic environment, the book provides comprehensive details of the anatomy and physiology of teleosts, pathophysiology and sytematic physiology, immunology, neoplasia, virology, parasitology, bacteriology, mycology, nutritional pathology and other non-infectious diseases. A final chapter provides extremely useful details of the most widely-used and trusted laboratory methods in the area. Much new infomation is included in this new edition, including enhanced coverage of any diseases which have become commercially significant since publication of the previous edition Beautifully illustrated in full colour throughout with many exceptional photographs, Fish Pathology, Fourth Edition, is an essential purchase for fish pathologists, fish veterinarians, biologists, microbiologists and immunologists, including all those working in diagnostic services worldwide. Personnel working in fish farming and fisheries will also find much of great use and interest within the book's covers. All libraries in universities and research establishments where biological and veterinary sciences are studied and taught should have copies of this landmark publication on their shelves.

This book serves as a comprehensive yet concise reference guide reviewing the latest knowledge on bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infectious diseases of old world dromedary camels. Pathogen etiology, clinical manifestations and diagnostic techniques are provided for each pathogen and disease prevention and treatment strategies are discussed. Despite a steady increase in camel husbandry worldwide, the pathologies of camel diseases are still relatively under investigated in comparison to other livestock and companion animals. With an ongoing worldwide prevalence increase, infectious diseases are a constant threat to animal and human health. In recent years dromedary camels have become a focus of increasing public health interest since they have been considered the direct source of zoonotic transmission of MERS-CoV to humans. Along these lines, the book covers topics related to zoonotic infections associated with camels. This book offers a valuable source of information for veterinary clinicians, researchers, graduate students, veterinary technicians and interested laymen.

The social calls of bats are an area about which relatively little is known, with more research still required to expand our understanding. However, these calls are increasingly recognised as a useful aid to identification: they appear to be species specific and are indicative of behaviour – as in territorial activity of males during the mating season. Because the gathering and interpretation of bat echolocation data are a matter of course during research, conservation and consultancy, it is a logical progression to build momentum behind the consideration of social calls in mainstream bat-related work. A better understanding of this subject could mean that non-intrusive survey methods are developed, ensuring that what is being observed is, as far as possible, purely natural behaviour. In turn this will contribute to better interpretation and more suitable mitigation, compensation and/or enhancement solutions. The book summarises what is understood so far about social calls of the bat species occurring in Britain and Ireland, and north-west Europe. This new edition has been updated and expanded throughout, now containing: foreword by the bat authority Michel Barataud, author of Acoustic Ecology of European Bats   almost double the number of figures and tables as appeared in the first edition completely overhauled call library, all in full spectrum format, with new additional examples  three entirely new chapters, covering bat-related acoustics, settings for social interaction, and survey guidelines The material will be useful to people carrying out bat studies, at whatever level and for whatever purpose, and will also encourage others to undertake further research. What's more, social calls are fascinating to listen to: they are, after all, produced with listeners in mind (other bats). In light of this, the book is accompanied by an extensive downloadable library of sound files which offer a unique gateway into the private life of bats. 

World-renowned primatologist, conservationist, and humanitarian Dr. Jane Goodall's account of her life among the wild chimpanzees of Gombe is one of the most enthralling stories of animal behavior ever written. Dr. Goodall's adventure began when the famous anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey suggested that a long-term study of chimpanzees in the wild might shed light on the behavior of our closest living relatives. Accompanied by only her mother and her African assistants, she set up camp in the remote Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in Tanzania. For months the project seemed hopeless; out in the forest from dawn until dark, she had but fleeting glimpses of frightened animals. But gradually she won their trust and was able to record previously unknown behavior, such as the use--and even the making--of tools, until then believed to be an exclusive skill of man. As she came to know the chimps as individuals, she began to understand their complicated social hierarchy and observed many extraordinary behaviors, which have forever changed our understanding of the profound connection between humans and chimpanzees. In the Shadow of Man is "one of the Western world's great scientific achievements" (Stephen Jay Gould) and a vivid, essential journey of discovery for each new generation of readers.

This book provides a comprehensive discussion of the development and evolution of flatfish metamorphosis. The chapters use the tissue model to explain a series of metamorphic events, including eye migration, front bone deformation, dorsal fin elongation and regression, and body depth change, left/right asymmetrical pigmentation, give a hypothesis on the mechanism of eye migration, and the evolutionary origin of left/right eye asymmetry. The book is written by expert who has worked on flatfish metamorphosis over 20 years. It serves as a valuable reference for graduate students and researchers in related fields

Somite development is a unique and important topic; unique because somitic mesoderm is the first tissue to become segmented, important because the somites - once established - exert a profound influence on other seg mental structures which form later. Somite development is of interest at a number of levels. In one aspect, demarcation of a specific number of somites and size regulation, it is a particularly intriguing example of embryonic pattern formation, 'especially in vew of its possible relation to homoeobox-controlled segmentation in insects. At another level, somite development has long been studied by compara tive anatomists, but only recently has new light been thrown on such sub jects as segmentation of the head, proposed in the 18th century by Goethe and now a live issue for developmental biologists. Somit es are simple when they first appear, but very complex structures arise from them. These include the vertebrae and the axial and other muscles and consequently there is a wealth of morphogenetic problems to be explored. Sometimes their morphogenesis is disturbed, by genetic or environ mental factors, and there are many clinical conditions which arise as a result."

As a group, carp provide 4 million metric tonnes of fish annually - over a quarter of all fish culture worldwide. For the first time, a book is available in English that concentrates solely on the carp as an economic rather than an ornamental fish with a panel of international experts producing a comprehensive, practical volume about carp production and management. Starting with a brief look at the biology of cyprinids, the book then discusses the methods and management of carp farming, from water quality to the economics of fish production in ponds. Novel methods to improve stock, including genetic engineering, are covered and case studies give added value to the text. As carp farming turns from traditional to intensive methods, farmers, researchers and technicians in industry will welcome this benchmark volume, which also is a valuable reference book for graduate and postgraduate students and lecturers in aquaculture.

Sasol First Field Guide to Mammals of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the wild animals of the region.

Through full-colour photographs and distribution maps, and easy-to-read text, the beginner and budding naturalist will be able to identify the more common mammal species found in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their unique feeding and breeding habits.

Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation brings together experts from around the world to document the most up-to-date scientific knowledge on pangolins and their conservation. It chronicles threats facing the species, explores the current initiatives required to protect them, and looks ahead at the future of pangolin science and conservation efforts. Led by a team of editors with more than 20 years collective experience in pangolin conservation, this book includes accounts of the species' evolution, morphology, and systematics. It discusses the role of pangolins in historically symbolic, mythological, and ritualistic practices across Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as contemporary practices including international trafficking. Chapters in the latter portion of this book focus on conservation solutions, including law enforcement and international policy, behavior change, local community engagement, ex situ conservation, tourism, and other interventions needed to secure the future of the species. Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation is the latest volume in Elsevier's species-specific series, Biodiversity of the World: Conservation from Genes to Landscapes. This book is a valuable resource for researchers and students in species conservation science, planning, and policymaking.

Bringing together recent advances in the research into the ecology and biology of brown and sea trouth, this book places them in their ecological setting and shows how an understanding of their biology and environment aids efficient management of both fish stocks and the surroundings. In particular, it concentrates on the management of the fish in natural flowing waters, and discusses issues such as how to determine an efficient feeding strategy and the influence of hatchery stocks upon wild populations. A detailed case study focusing on the French experience is of especial interest. Biology and Ecology of the Brown Sea Trout synthesizes the considerable body of research available and provides a significant tool for the better management and conservation of these important fish.

A new addition to the successful 'Quick ID guide' series, Primates is a succinct survey of the features and habits of our closest relatives.

Divided into the three main primate groups - great apes, typical monkeys and prosimians (including the bushbabies) - this easy-to-use guide rovides pertinent facts, annotated photographs and up-to-date distribution maps to help readers accurately identify the most commonly seen and charismatic primates in the field.