The capybara is the neotropical mammal with the highest potential for production and domestication. Amongst the favorable characteristics for domestication we can list its high prolificacy, rapid growth rate, a herbivorous diet, social behavior and relative tameness. The genus (with only two species) is found from the Panama Canal to the north of Argentina on the east of the Andes. Chile is the only country in South America where the capybara is not found. The species is eaten all over its range, especially by poor, rural and traditional communities engaged in subsistence hunting. On the other hand, in large urban settlements wildlife is consumed by city dwellers as a delicacy. The sustainable management of capybara in the wild has been adopted by some South American countries, while others have encouraged capybara rearing in captivity.

"Advances in Cephalopod Science: Biology, Ecology, Cultivation and Fisheries"-volume 67 in the "Advances in Marine Biology "series-addresses major themes of growing research interest in the field of cephalopod research. The book is composed of four chapters incorporating the latest advances in biology, ecology, life cycles, cultivation, and fisheries of cephalopods. Each chapter is written by a team of internationally recognized authorities to reflect recent findings and understanding. The book represents a breakthrough contribution to the field of cephalopod science.

"Advances in Marine Biology" was first published in 1963 under the founding editorship of Sir Frederick S. Russell, FRS. Now edited by Michael P. Lesser, with an internationally renowned editorial board, the serial publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics that appeal to postgraduates and researchers in marine biology, fisheries science, ecology, zoology, and biological oceanography. Eclectic volumes in the series are supplemented by thematic volumes on such topics as the biology of calanoid copepods.
Covers cephalopod cultureCovers environmental effects on cephalopod population dynamicsCovers biology, ecology and biodiversity of deep-sea cephalopodsCovers life stage transitions in successful cephalopod life strategies

This easy-to-use identification guide to the whales, dolphins and seals found in Southern African waters and the Southern Ocean is compact yet comprehensive.

Close to 50 species occur in the region: from the demonstrative Humpback Whale and Dusky Dolphin to the striking Leopard Seal and massive Blue Whale.

This part B of the fourth volume of The Crustacea contains chapters on: Crustaceans in the Biosphere Crustaceans and Mankind Crustaceans in Art Orders Lophogastrida, Stygiomysida, and Mysida [collectively known as Mysidacea] As evident from the number 4B tagged to this volume, vol. 4 as originally planned had to be split into two fascicles, 4A and 4B, simply because of the numbers of pages covered by the various contributions meant for volume 4. The chapters in this book grew out of those in the French edition volumes 7(II) and 7(III)(A). Overall, this constitutes the seventh tome published in this English series, viz., preceded by volumes 1 (2004), 2 (2006), 9A (2010), 9B (2012), 3 (2012), and 4A (2013). Readers/users should note that from vol. 4A onward we have had to abandon publishing the chapters in the serial sequence as originally envisaged by the late Prof. J. Forest, because the various contributions, i.e., both the updates and the entirely new chapters, have become available in a more or less random order.

"Sexual Selection: Perspectives and Models from the Neotropics" presents new sexual selection research based upon neotropical species. As neotropical regions aredestroyed at an alarming rate, with an estimated 140 species of rainforest plants and animals going extinct every day, it is important to bring neotropical research to the fore now.

Sexual selection occurs when the male or female of a species is attracted by certain characteristics such as form, color or behavior. When those features lead to a greater probability of successful mating, they become more prominent in the species. Although most theoretical concepts concerning sexual selection and reproductive strategies are based upon North American and European fauna, the Neotropical region encompasses much more biodiversity, with as many as 15,000 plant and animal species in a single acre of rain forest.

This book illustrates concepts in sexual selection through themes ranging from female cryptic choice in insects, sexual conflict in fish, interaction between sexual selection and the immune system, nuptial gifts, visual and acoustic sexual signaling, parental investment, to alternative mating strategies, among others. These approaches distinguish "Sexual Selection" from current publications in sexual selection, mainly because of the latitudinal and taxonomic focus, so that readers will be introduced to systems mostly unknown outside the tropics, several of which bring into question some well-established patterns for temperate regions.
Synthesizes sexual selection research on species from the NeotropicsCombines different perspectives and levels of analysis using a broad taxonomic basis, introducing readers to systems mostly unknown outside the tropics and bringing into question well-established patterns for temperate regionsIncludes contributions exploring concepts and theory as well as discussions on a variety of Neotropical vertebrates and invertebrates, such as insects, fish, arthropods and birds"