Don E. Wilson

David Burnie

Offers photographs and information about mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and invertebrates from throughout the world.

Animal

With more than 1 million copies sold, this updated and revised celebration of the animal kingdom features photos and descriptions of over 2,000 species and habitats. Bringing animals, habitats, and up-to-date research to life for readers around the world, Animal explores the creatures that have fascinated and inspired humans for years, from intrepid Emperor penguins to fierce Siberian tigers, to the very intelligent and highly communicative humpback whale. This updated edition introduces the olinguito, the adorable, recently discovered mammal that looks like a cross between a cat and a teddy bear, and the Skywalker gibbon found in the tropical forests of Yunnan Province in southwest China and Myanmar.

Roland W. Kays

The best field guide to North American mammals The best-selling field guide that "sets new standards" (New Scientist) and "makes all other field guides for mammals of the United States. . . and Canada obsolete" (Journal of Mammalogy) is now even better. Covering 20 species recognized since 2002 and including 13 new color plates, this fully revised edition of Mammals of North America illustrates all 462 known mammal species in the United States and Canada—each in beautiful color and accurate detail. With a more up-to-date species list than any other guide, improved facing-page descriptions, easier-to-read distribution maps, updated common and scientific names, and track and scat illustrations, this slim, light, and easy-to-use volume is the must-have source for identifying North American mammals. Roland Kays and Don Wilson have scoured the technical literature to pull out the key differences between similar species, and illustrated these whenever possible, making the guide useful to amateur naturalists and professional zoologists alike. Casual animal watchers will appreciate the overview of mammal diversity and the tips on identifying animals they can spy in their binoculars, while scientists will appreciate the exacting detail needed to distinguish similar species, including illustrations of shrew teeth, bat toes, and whale dorsal fins. The best-illustrated and easiest-to-use field guide to North American mammals Beautiful and accurate color illustrations of all 462 mammals found in the United States and Canada—including 20 species recognized since 2002 112 color plates—including 13 new ones Key identification information—fully revised—on facing pages The most current taxonomy/species list Fully revised, easy-to-read range maps Illustrations of tracks, scat, and whale and dolphin dive sequences

Second Edition

Mammals of North America

Abelardo Sandoval

A landmark reference to one of the world's most complex and most studied tropical ecosystems, this study documents the general floristics, flora, and fauna of the Manu Biosphere Reserve in southeastern Peru.

La Biodiversidad Del Sureste Del Perú

Alfred L. Gardner

"These proceedings result from a joint meeting of the Fifth International Bat Research Conference and the Ninth North American Bat Research Symposium held at the University of New Mexico on 6-13 August 1978."

Proceedings

Long the subject of myth and superstition, bats have been among the most misunderstood of mammals due to their nocturnal habits, capacity for flight, and strange appearance. Seeking to dispel the myths associated with these remarkable creatures and arguing for their key role in a balanced ecosystem, Bats in Question covers all aspects of bat biology in a practical question-and-answer format. Describing where bats live, how they use echolocation to navigate, and even why they hang upside down, the book also gives the conservation status of all 925 bat species. Don E. Wilson traces the evolution of bats and shows their remarkable diversity by describing each of the major groups in terms of their different body structures and habitats. He sheds light on bats' complex social systems, extraordinary variation in size, and food preferences that encompass plants, insects, and mammals. The book also explores cultural attitudes about bats—telling how, until recently, bats had been relegated to the world of vampires and how they have emerged to take their place in public awareness as important and fascinating members of our ecosystems.

The Smithsonian Answer Book

Bats in Question

Edward O. Wilson

Marjorie L. Reaka-Kudla

"The book before you . . . carries the urgent warning that we are rapidly altering and destroying the environments that have fostered the diversity of life forms for more than a billion years." With those words, Edward O. Wilson opened the landmark volume Biodiversity (National Academy Press, 1988). Despite this and other such alarms, species continue to vanish at a rapid rate, taking with them their genetic legacy and potential benefits. Many disappear before they can even be identified. Biodiversity II is a renewed call for urgency. This volume updates readers on how much we already know and how much remains to be identified scientifically. It explores new strategies for quantifying, understanding, and protecting biodiversity, including New approaches to the integration of electronic data, including a proposal for a U.S. National Biodiversity Information Center. Application of techniques developed in the human genome project to species identification and classification. The Gap Analysis Program of the National Biological Survey, which uses layered satellite, climatic, and biological data to assess distribution and better manage biodiversity. The significant contribution of museum collections to identifying and categorizing species, which is essential for understanding ecological function and for targeting organisms and regions at risk. The book describes our growing understanding of how megacenters of diversity (e.g., rainforest insects, coral reefs) are formed, maintained, and lost; what can be learned from mounting bird extinctions; and how conservation efforts for neotropical primates have fared. It also explores ecosystem restoration, sustainable development, and agricultural impact. Biodiversity II reinforces the idea that the conservation of our biological resources is within reach as long as we pool resources; better coordinate the efforts of existing institutions--museums, universities, and government agencies--already dedicated to this goal; and enhance support for research, collections, and training. This volume will be important to environmentalists, biologists, ecologists, educators, students, and concerned individuals.

Understanding and Protecting Our Biological Resources

Biodiversity II

DeeAnn M. Reeder

"A uniquely valuable compendium of taxonomic and distributional data on the world's living and historically extinct mammalian species." -- Journal of Mammalogy "A valuable reference work and a vital tool, particularly for researchers." -- Journal of Natural History "By far the most convenient source for finding the correct scientific name of any mammal and should be on the reference shelf of libraries striving to have useful science sections." -- Science Books and Films "An outstanding and authoritative work, and it should serve as a standard reference for mammalian species taxonomy for many years to come." -- Journal of Mammalian Evolution

Don E. Wilson

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