Synopsis
The newest edition of "A Manual of Mammalogy" is a comprehensive guide to the study of mammals in both the laboratory and the field.
From the Publisher
Organized into three groups of chapters: Chapters 1 through 8 deal with the techniques needeed to recognize characteristics that differentiate mammals, and to understand their basic structural similarities and differences. Chapters 9 through 27 provide information and techniques for identifying all of the orders and families of mammals. Chapters 28 through 37 deal with ways to study mammals from ecological perspectives in both field and laboratory settings.
All of the identification keys to the living families have been extensively updated along with selected figures.
This book provides updated information on how mammals are studied along with extensive hands-on exercises to give students experience in conducting field and laboratory research. Examples, illustrations and literature references help to effectively facilitate explanations throughout.
In regrouping topics and chapters for this edition, the intent of the authors is to provide readers with better organization and presentation of material that will aid both instructors and students.
Changes to Chapter 1. Information on reproductive anatomy and on systematics and nomenclature, which were previously included in separate chapters, is added to this chapter.
Changes to Chapter 2. The Skull. Terminology is updated and revised.
Changes to Chapter 3. Teeth. Section on tooth replacement revised. Discussion of teeth of extinct species of mammals is deleted because this information may be found in many other sources.
Changes to Chapter 4. The Integument. All text is revised and five figures are added.
Changes to Chapter 5. Horns and Antlers. This chapter is revised and three new figures (including one original) are added.
Changes to Chapter 6. The Postcranial Skeleton. A completely new section is added on the postcranial axial skeleton, along with a new figure. To conserve space, we also include, in this chapter, information on claws, nails, and hooves that was previously found in a separate chapter.
Changes to Chapter 7. Locomotor Adaptations. Corrections are made in the text and one figure is added.
Changes to Chapter 8. Keys and Keying. Minor revision is made to the text.
Changes to Chapter 9. The Orders of Living Mammals. Twenty-six orders of living mammals are included in this revised edition, as in the treatment by Wilson and Reeder (1993) and by Feldhamer et al. (1999). The marsupials, Metatheria, are grouped into seven orders. In the Eutheria, two groups previously included in the order Insectivora are now treated separately as the orders Scandentia and Macroscelidea. Also, the ordinal name Edentata is dropped in favor of the name Xenarthra, for the sloths, armadillos, and anteaters. The toothed whales and allies and the baleen whales are grouped as suborders of the order Cetacea, rather than as separate orders. The Key to Living Orders and the Comments and Suggestions on Identification have been completely rewritten to reflect these taxonomic changes.
Changes to Chapter 10. The Monotremes. Minor revisions made to text and illustrations.
Changes to Chapter 11. The Marsupials. The chapter on marsupials is extensively rewritten to reflect that these mammals are now included in seven orders.
Changes to Chapter 12. The Insectivores. This chapter now includes only the families Solenodontidae, Tenrecidae, Chrysochloridae, Erinaceidae, Soricidae, and Talpidae. The Key to Living Families and portions of the text are rewritten to reflect that only these mammals are now treated as members of this order.
Changes to Chapter 13. The Colugos. Minor changes are made in the text.
Changes to Chapter 14. The Bats. The keys and text are revised and one figure is added.
Changes to Chapter 15. The Tupaiids. The tupaiids were formerly treated in the chapter on Insectivora. Consistent with current taxonomy, the tupaiids, order Scandentia, are now dealt with in a separate chapter.
Changes to Chapter 16. The Primates. The text and key in this chapter are extensively revised.
Changes to Chapter 17. The Xenarthrans. The text and the key are revised and one new original figure is added.
Changes to Chapter 18. The Pangolins. Minor revisions are made to the text.
Changes to Chapter 19. The Carnivores. Extensive revisions made to the text and to the key.
Changes to Chapter 20. Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises. These mammals are included in a single order, Cetacea, with baleen whales discussed under the suborder Mysticeti, and with toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises treated in the suborder Odontoceti. Four figures are added.
Changes to Chapter 21. The Macroscelidids. These animals were formerly included in the chapter on Insectivora. Minor revisions are made to the text.
Changes to Chapter 22. The Lagomorphs. Minor revisions are made to the text and to the key.
Changes to Chapter 23. The Rodents. Extensive revision is made to the text and to the keys, with five figures added (including one new original drawing). For the Muridae, many subfamilies are keyed out. As in previous editions, there is a Key to Living Families of the World and a Key to Living Families of North America and Middle America.
Changes to Chapter 24. The Aardvark. Minor revisions and corrections are made to the text. In the previous editions, the aardvark was included in the chapter on subungulates.
Changes to Chapter 25. The Subungulates. In this edition, the subungulates are considered to include only the orders Proboscidea, Hyracoidea, and Sirenia. Two illustrations are added, including a new original drawing of an African elephant. Revisions and corrections are made to the text and to the Key to Living Families.
Chapter 26. The Perissodactyls. Minor changes and corrections are made in the text and in the key.
Changes to Chapter 27. The Artiodactyls. Extensive revisions are made of the text and the key, and one figure is added.
Changes to Chapter 28. Sign and Habitat Analysis. The section on identifying mammal sign is updated and the figure on beaver sign is revised. A new section on quantitative methods for analysis of selected habitat features is added. Three figures are added, including one new original drawing.
Changes to Chapter 29. Recording Data. This chapter is extensively revised, with obsolete methods deleted and new material added on working with map coordinates and finding your position by use of global positioning (GPS) receivers. Information is also included on the latest documentation standards for museum specimens. One figure is added and one is corrected.
Changes to Chapter 30. Collecting. This chapter is extensively revised and updated. Specific guidelines and references are included on how to work safely with mammals in both the field and in the laboratory. Information is included on how to obtain the latest information on laws and regulations governing the capture, care, and handling of mammals.
Changes to Chapter 31. Specimen Preparation and Preservation. The text is thoroughly revised and corrected and new material is added on how to work with tissues and other special preparations. A new figure is added on how to determine the sex of mammals by examination of external genitalia.
Changes to Chapter 32. Collecting Ectoparasites of Mammals. The text and the Key to Arthropod Ectoparasites of Mammals was extensively revised and updated by Eric H. Smith. Many figures are added to provide a convenient single reference for identification of these arthropods.
Changes to Chapter 33. Age Determination. The text is extensively revised and corrected, and new material, including four figures, is added. New sections include references on how to determine the ages of live mammals.
Changes to Chapter 34. Diet Analysis. This chapter is extensively revised and updated with new material, including four added figures, and information on new methods for determining the diets of mammals.
Changes to Chapter 35. Analysis of Spatial Distribution. This chapter is extensively rewritten and the legend on the spatial territories of yellow-bellied marmots is corrected. The illustration showing how to determine the area of a home range by the minimum area method is also corrected. New material is presented on the use of computer programs to get estimates of home range size and characteristics.
Changes to Chapter 36. Estimation of Relative Abundance and Density. This chapter includes an abbreviated subset of material that previously was in a separate chapter on reproduction. Because population biology is normally treated in a separate course or as a major component in a course in ecology, we elected to delete much of this material from the current edition. Still included is information on how to estimate relative abundance and density, including references to computer programs for estimating density.
Changes to Chapter 37. Literature Searches. The new name for this chapter indicates that there are many ways to find the literature pertaining to mammals. The list of journals is updated and new sections are added on computerized literature databases and on computerized literature search strategies, including how to perform Boolean searches. One new figure is added.
Glossary. Obsolete terms are deleted and many new terms are added. Definitions of most terms are rewritten to improve clarity and understanding.
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