‘Steve Brusatte, the author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, brings mammals out from the shadow of their more showy predecessors in a beautifully written book that . . . makes the case for them as creatures who are just as engaging as dinosaurs.’ – The Sunday Times, ‘Best Books For Summer’ 'In this terrific new book, Steve Brusatte . . . brings well-known extinct species, the sabre-toothed tigers and the woolly mammoths, thrillingly back to life' – The Times The passing of the age of the dinosaurs allowed mammals to become ascendant. But mammals have a much deeper history. They – or, more precisely, we – originated around the same time as the dinosaurs, over 200 million years ago; mammal roots lie even further back, some 325 million years. Over these immense stretches of geological time, mammals developed their trademark features: hair, keen senses of smell and hearing, big brains and sharp intelligence, fast growth and warm-blooded metabolism, a distinctive line-up of teeth (canines, incisors, premolars, molars), mammary glands that mothers use to nourish their babies with milk, qualities that have underlain their success story. Out of this long and rich evolutionary history came the mammals of today, including our own species and our closest cousins. But today’s 6,000 mammal species - the egg-laying monotremes including the platypus, marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas that raise their tiny babies in pouches, and placentals like us, who give birth to well-developed young – are simply the few survivors of a once verdant family tree, which has been pruned both by time and mass extinctions. In The Rise and Reign of the Mammals, palaeontologist Steve Brusatte weaves together the history and evolution of our mammal forebears with stories of the scientists whose fieldwork and discoveries underlie our knowledge, both of iconic mammals like the mammoths and sabre-toothed tigers of which we have all heard, and of fascinating species that few of us are aware of. For what we see today is but a very limited range of the mammals that have existed; in this fascinating and ground-breaking book, Steve Brusatte tells their – and our – story.

This book presents perspectives on the past and present state of the understanding of snake origins. It reviews and critiques data and ideas from paleontology and neontology (herpetology), as well as ideas from morphological and molecular phylogenetics. The author reviews the anatomy and morphology of extant snakes. Methods are also critiqued, including those empirical and theoretical methods employed to hypothesize ancestral ecologies for snakes. The modern debate on squamate phylogeny and snake ingroup phylogeny using molecules and morphology is examined critically to provide insights on origins and evolution. Key Features Important major evolutionary transformation in vertebrate evolution Continuing historical debate in vertebrate paleontology Of wide interest to a core audience of paleontologists, herpetologists, and morphologists Author acknowledged as prominent contributor to debate over snake origins Based on remarkable well preserved fossil specimens

This book elucidates the tissue structure and cell composition of the organs of zebrafish at the microscopic, ultrastructural and molecular levels. The distribution of important macromolecular substances is shown and the morphological relationship between different components is analyzed. The book is divided into 15 chapters and contains more than 700 structural photos, all of which are original experimental pictures of the research group. It shows the histological panorama of the whole zebrafish both in cross and longitudinal sections and covers and interprets the tissues and organs of zebrafish in detail, including oropharynx, taste buds, pharyngeal teeth, liver, etc. A brief text description of the structure and function meaning is available for every picture to facilitate the audience understanding the theoretical knowledge more vivid and concrete. In addition, the 3D reconstruction of the main organs of zebrafish is completed by computer-aided technology, and the three-dimensional morphology of the organs is displayed in an intuitive form. This book provides a reference for postgraduates and researchers in anatomy, biology, animal medicine, animal science, aquaculture, developmental biology, medicine, and experimental animals.

This collection of articles is a sampling of papers vironmental Toxicants and their Effects on the from the second biennial symposium for the 'Etho- Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Fishes', or- logy and Behavioral Ecology of Fishes'. This con- ganized by Mary Henry and Jack Ward featured ference was also the first North American Meeting invited papers by: John B. Sprague; Mary G. Henry & Gary J. Atchison; as well as contributed papers of the 'International Association of Fish Etholog- ists' and was held October 19-22, 1979 *on the Il- by Robert A. Drummond, Daniel Abel & Chris- linois State University campus in Normal. Illinois, topher C. Koenig; C. G. Prewitt & C. B. Stalnaker; U. S. A. , the site for the first conference in 1977 Kenneth S. Lubinski; J. Doerzbacher & C. F. Bryan; and the proposed site for the third biennial con- Michael A. Barry; Allen E. Bingham & Robert G. ference scheduled for May 1981. The organiza- White. tional committee for these conferences is Jack The symposium 'Reproductive Tactics' was or- Ward, Chairman, Illinois State University (Biology, ganized by Luther Brown, Jeff Baylis and David Normal, IL 61761); Jeffrey Baylis, University of Noakes, and featured invited papers by: Jerry F. Wisconsin (Zoology, Madison, WI 53706); Luther Downhower, Luther Brown, R. Pederson & G. Brown, George Mason University (Biology, Fair- Staples; Roger Thibault; George Barlow; Richard fax, VA 22030); Mike Fitzsimmons, Louisiana State Borowsky & John Diffley; Jack Ward & J. I.

This book considers the natural history and cultural symbolism of a most unusual woodpecker - a species that neither excavates nest holes in trees, nor bores into wood to find insect prey. The Wryneck is best renowned for performing a twisting, writhing head and neck display when threatened, but this ground-breaking work reveals many more secrets of its behaviour and evolution. Detailed information is presented on the species' origins, taxonomy, anatomy, appearance, moult, calls, distribution, conservation status, habitats, movements, breeding, diet and relationships, along with a chapter on its closest relative, the Red-throated Wryneck. The text is richly illustrated throughout with high quality photographs as well as sound spectrograms. The author augments his many hours watching Wrynecks with comprehensive literature research, creating what is surely the definitive volume on the species. This all-encompassing and engaging account has been written for a wide audience, whether professional ornithologist, citizen scientist, amateur birder, woodpecker aficionado or simply someone who wishes to learn more about this curious and remarkable bird.

Pinnipeds are marine mammals that include eared seals, true seals, and walruses. This book presents detailed reviews on the ecology and conservation of 10 pinniped species along the coasts and islands in Latin America, from Mexico to Chile and Argentina. Topics covered include their population dynamics, trophic ecology, reproduction, and behavior. In addition, the book addresses major conservation issues regarding climate change, interaction with fisheries, ecotourism, and other human activities.

Although the specimen of choice in the US drug testing industry is urine, and serum in clinical medicine, interest has recently grown in the use of other matrices as drug testing media. This book provides researchers and forensic toxicologists with a convenient general text summarizing the state of knowledge today. Chapters focus specifically on the application of these practices to drugs of abuse. The up-to-date information provided is complemented with thorough references.

This comprehensive introductory text integrates evolutionary, ecological, and demographic perspectives with new results from field studies and contemporary noninvasive molecular and hormonal techniques to understand how different primates behave and the significance of these insights for primate conservation. Each chapter is organized around the major research themes in the field, with Strier emphasizing the interplay between theory, observations, and conservation issues. Examples are drawn from the "classic" primate field studies as well as more recent studies, including many previously neglected species, to illustrate the vast behavioral variation that exists across the primate order. Primate Behavioral Ecology 6th Edition integrates the impacts of anthropogenic activities on primate populations, including zoonotic disease and climate change, and considers the importance of behavioral flexibility for primate conservation. This fully updated new edition brings exciting new methods, theoretical perspectives, and discoveries together to provide an incomparable overview of the field of primate behavioral ecology and its applications to primate conservation. It is considered to be a "must read" for all students interested in primates.

These fun, fact-filled books are perfect for young researchers. The history, geography, and people of each state are covered in these books. The text is enhanced with maps, photos, and graphs. Timelines and fast-facts sections reinforce the text. The detailed and well-written books are ideal for both research and entertainment.

Bats are highly charismatic and popular animals that are not only fascinating in their own right, but illustrate most of the topical and important concepts and issues in mammalian biology. This book covers the key aspects of bat biology, including evolution, flight, echolocation, hibernation, reproduction, feeding and roosting ecology, social behaviour, migration, population and community ecology, biogeography, and conservation.
This new edition is fully updated and greatly expanded throughout, maintaining the depth and scientific rigour of the first edition. It is written with infectious enthusiasm, and beautifully illustrated with drawings and colour photographs.

In her comprehensive and carefully crafted book, Gisela Kaplan demonstrates how intelligent and emotional Australian birds can be. She describes complex behaviours such as grieving, deception, problem solving and the use of tools. Many Australian birds cooperate and defend each other, and exceptional ones go fishing by throwing breadcrumbs in the water, extract poisonous parts from prey and use tools to crack open eggshells and mussels. Kaplan brings together evidence of many such cognitive abilities, suggesting plausible reasons for their appearance in Australian birds. Bird Minds is the first attempt to shine a critical and scientific light on the cognitive behaviour of Australian land birds. In this fascinating volume, the author also presents recent changes in our understanding of the avian brain and links these to life histories and longevity. Following on from Kaplan's well-received books on the Australian Magpie and the Tawny Frogmouth, as well as two earlier titles on birds, Bird Minds contends that the unique and often difficult conditions of Australia's environment have been crucial for the evolution of unusual complexities in avian cognition and behaviour.

This practical, straightforward guide to some of the most commonly seen birds in southern Africa is aimed at beginner birders, or even juniors. Less daunting than a full-blown field guide, it’s handy and accessible, combining simple text with clear artwork and photographs to introduce 300 of the region’s easy-to-see birds. For each bird the book offers:

- Simple text, including how to ‘find it’, ‘identify it’ and ‘understand it’

- Colour images, both illustrations and photographs

- A distribution map

- Common English names, plus scientific, Afrikaans and other African names

- Average size, details of the nest and the number of eggs laid on average

- Interest boxes for some birds, providing extra information.

Colourful, to-the-point and offering quick ID pointers, this book should find a ready market among southern African birders and outdoor enthusiasts.

This book provides a scientific forecast of the development in aquaculture with a focus on the environmental, technological, social and economic constraints that need to be resolved to ensure sustainable development of the industry and allow the industry to be able to feed healthy seafood products to the future generations. The chapters included discuss the most critical bottlenecks of the development encompassing subjects of understanding the environmental impacts, the current state-of-art in monitoring programs and in coastal zone management, the important interactions between wild and cultured organisms including release of non-native species into the wild, the current trends within the development of aquafeeds along with human health aspects as well as the political, socio-economic and economic trends within the industry including a chapter on approaches taken by Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to aquaculture. Finally the last chapter provides different future scenarios of the industry based on the identified bottlenecks.

Most British birds of prey have largely recovered from historical persecution, but the beleaguered Hen Harrier is still struggling and remains far less common than it should be. This is a particular shame, because it is one of our most inspiring raptors. Spectacular sky-dancing displays and balletic food passes from male to female brighten up the moors in summer. And in winter, communal roosts in the lowlands attract birders from far and wide to catch sight of this now-elusive species.  This book follows the Hen Harrier over a year: from rearing young hidden away in dense heather, to the fight for survival in the harshest months of winter. Interspersed among the monthly accounts are chapters on the history and status of this iconic bird, as well as an overview of one of the most intractable conflicts in modern conservation: the Hen Harrier’s liking for grouse moors (and the Red Grouse that live there) wins it few friends among shooters, and ongoing persecution continues to hamper its recovery. There are tentative signs of progress, but its fate as a breeding bird in England hangs in the balance.    Evocative illustrations, in part based on privileged access to the handful of breeding birds that remain on England’s moors, showcase the Hen Harrier’s exploits through the seasons. These will delight admirers of this species and hopefully foster a greater interest in its wellbeing. The Hen Harrier needs all the help it can get.

Pathology of the Laboratory Rabbit serves as a “go to” text for all pathologists working on laboratory rabbits in safety assessment studies. The book helps diagnostic veterinary pathologists rule out spontaneous non-clinical disease pathology when assigning cause of death to these animals which are also kept as domestic pets. The book provides a comprehensive text on the spontaneous pathology seen in common laboratory rabbit strains. This is the first book collating information on all organ systems in these strains.

This book provides a resource of current understandings about various aspects of the biology of spermatogonia in mammals. Considering that covering the entire gamut of all things spermatogonia is a difficult task, specific topics were selected to provide foundational information that will be useful for seasoned researchers in the field of germ cell biology as well as investigators entering the area. Looking to the future, the editors predict that the foundational information provided in this book -- combined with the advent of new tools and budding interests in use of non-rodent mammalian models -- will produce another major advance in knowledge regarding the biology of spermatogonia over the next decade. In particular, we anticipate that the core molecular machinery driving different spermatogonial states in most, if not all, mammals will be described fully, the extrinsic signals emanating from somatic support cell populations to influence spermatogonial functions will become fully known, and the capacity to derive long-term cultures of SSCs and transplant the population to regenerate spermatogenesis and fertility will become a reality for higher order mammals.

The orangutan is the most highly endangered species of great ape. Orangutans are threatened by deforestation, poaching, the illegal pet trade, and the isolation and fragmen tation of dwindling wild populations. Their conservation is impeded by certain aspects of their ecology (e. g. , a rain forest habitat) and certain features of their life history (e. g. , an eight-to twelve-year interbirth interval). Added to the U. S. Endangered Species List in 1970, the orangutan is now clearly on the road to extinction. The number of wild orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra is currently estimated to have decreased to between 12,300 and 20,571 individuals. Only 2% of original orangutan habitat is protected and some of these areas are now being destroyed. Clearly, attention to ecology, demography, censusing, rehabilitation, and conservation is essential if the orangutan is to survive in the wild beyond the next century. The protection of orangutans is a complex, multifaceted problem, involving such pressing issues as human poverty, overpopulation, and the economic development of Southeast Asia. Although the orangutan has been placed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), more orangutans were sold illegally in Taiwan between 1990 and 1993 than are housed in all the world's zoos. In the past, scientific and public attention has centered on the African apes. For this reason, the sole Asian great ape, the orangutan, has been called the "neglected ape.

The Ecology of Wild Birds Diseases would present a new insight to infectious diseases from an ecological and epidemiological view. The book will help students, researchers, biologists, veterinarian and wildlife managers and conservationists to understand the complex epidemiological interactions among different factors, those that are important for occurrence and expansion of diseases; some which in turn can significantly impact other wild and domestic animal populations and human health. The purpose of the book is to serve as a reference text for understanding the complexity of diseases of wild birds bringing essential ecological and epidemiological information into one volume.

From the world-famous expert on chimpanzees - the powerfully compelling sequel to the international bestseller IN THE SHADOW OF MAN: 'An instant animal classic' Time Equipped with little more than a notebook, binoculars, and her fascination with wildlife, Jane braved a realm of unknowns to give the world a remarkable window into humankind's closest living relatives. On the shores of Lake Tanganyika, Gombe is a community where the principal residents are chimpanzees. Through Goodall's eyes we watch as the younger chimpanzees vie for power, and how the leaders must deal with this challenge. We learn how one mother successfully rears her children, whilst another appears to doom her offspring to failure. All life is here - glorious births and heart-breaking deaths, moments of brutality, alongside the most tender displays of affection. In THROUGH A WINDOW, as Jane Goodall reveals the story of this intimately intertwined community, we are shown the parallels with human emotions laid bare. Indeed, in the mirror of chimpanzee life, we see ourselves reflected.

An essential guide to assist those surveying for water voles, whether as a professional ecological consultant, a researcher or simply an interested amateur. This book provides detailed descriptions of all the habitats used by water voles, including ideal habitats as well as less typical places, with annotated photos to help the surveyor home in on just the right areas to look. It also contains a comprehensive photographic reference guide to assist in the correct identification of water vole field signs, and explains how to distinguish them from those of similar species. Tips on where and how to search for field signs are also provided, along with guidance on how best to record survey data.

"An important new step for world ornithology" – Professor Osor Shagdarsuren Mongolia lies in the heart of Asia, bridging the vast Siberian taiga forests of the north and the world’s coldest deserts to the south. It encompasses great mountain ranges, extensive steppes and deserts, and pristine rivers and lakes. Large and sparsely populated, Mongolia harbours a rich avifauna including an array of globally rare and local species. - First-ever field guide to the birds of Mongolia - Covers 503 species, including all residents, migrants and vagrants - 113 superb plates depicting every species and many distinct plumages and races - Authoritative text covers identification features, along with voice, habitat, behaviour and status - Accurate maps for every species

Amphibians are the extant descendants of the first vertebrate class to successfully colonize terrestrial environments; hence they occupy a unique position between fish and reptiles. Amphibian skin provides essentially no resistance to evaporative water loss, and consequently daily water turnover rates are an order of magnitude greater than in other terrestrial vertebrate groups. This has led to a suite of physiological, morphological and behavioural adaptations that have allowed a successful terrestrial existence in spite of this apparently spendthrift water retention strategy.
Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Amphibians provides a synthesis of current research on the comparative physiology of amphibians with a particular emphasis on water balance. It adopts a strong environmental perspective and includes a wealth of information on ecology, phylogeny and development. As with other books in the Ecological and Environmental Physiology Series, the emphasis in this book is on the unique physiological characteristics of the amphibians, although the latest experimental techniques and future research directions are also considered. This accessible text is suitable for both graduate students and researchers in the fields of amphibian comparative physiology and physiological ecology, including specialist courses in amphibian ecology. It will also be of value and use to the many professional herpetologists requiring a concise overview of the topic.

This volume provides a selection of the most significant papers presented at the Second Conference on Fish Telemetry in Europe in La Rochelle, France, in April 1997. The conference was attended by 100 scientists from 18 countries. The contributions are grouped under the following headings: Methodology and New Developments, Tagging Procedures, Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Fish Migration, Stock Management and Conservation. Particular emphasis was put on tag miniaturisation, multiple functions and sampling strategies. Papers concerned the effects of tags on fish for consolidating behavioural or original physiological investigations noticeably more open to the marine environment. Methods were essentially applied to study the relationships between fish and their natural environment. Besides providing up-to-date information on the state of fish telemetry, the book illustrates the increase in spatial and temporal scales and the number of tracked fish which gives a statistical basis for field study in behavioural ecology.

There are nearly 6,000 mammalian species, among them our own. Research on our evolutionary cousins has a long history, but the last 20 years have seen particularly rapid progress in disentangling the interrelationships and evolutionary history of mammals. The present volume combines up-to-date reviews on mammalian phylogenetics with paleontological, taxonomic and evolutionary chapters and also summarizes the historical development of our insights in mammalian relationships, and thus our own place in the Tree of Life. Our book places the present biodiversity crisis in context, with one in four mammal species threatened by extinction, and reviews the distribution and conservation of mammalian diversity across the globe. This volume is the introductory tome to the new Mammalia series of the Handbook of Zoology and will be essential reading for mammalogists, zoologists and conservationists alike.

Sasol First Field Guide to Frogs of Southern Africa is a fascinating guide to the frogs of the region.

Full-colour photographs, distribution maps and easy-to-read text will help the budding naturalist to identify the more common frog species that occur in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their behaviour and unusual features.