The earth is home to a wild proliferation of species, millions of
life-forms that come in a spectacular--and often bizarre--array of
sizes, shapes, and colors. But what triggers this fantastic
explosion of life? How does one species split into another? Even
Charles Darwin was baffled before such questions, calling them "The
Mystery of Mysteries."
In this fascinating, witty, and vividly written book, Menno
Schilthuizen illuminates these questions, showing how biologists
and zoologists over the last two centuries have responded to them,
assessing our current knowledge of species, and proposing his own
solution to Darwin's mystery. Using the sometimes-vicious academic
debates and the powerful personalities of scientists as background,
Schilthuizen explores the meandering path of species research and
sets it out in the clearest possible terms. From looking at how we
define a species, to exploring how geographical isolation and
sexual selection contribute to making new species, to showing how
species may appear gradually or instantaneously, Frogs, Flies, and
Dandelions offers a comprehensive account of this evolutionary
drama. Along the way, we get to know a remarkable cast of
characters from the plant and animal kingdoms, from the
copper-loving monkey flower to sockeye salmon, fire-bellied toads,
lyrebirds, apple maggot flies, and many others. Most important, we
get a clear picture of all the conditions necessary for one species
to give birth to another.
Written with engaging panache, and illuminating an area of study
intensely relevant to any assessment of the earth's biodiversity,
Frogs, Flies, and Dandelions will appeal to everyone--scientist and
layperson alike--curious about nature and animal behavior.
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