This unique volume investigates the relationships of primates at the ordinal and higher classificatory levels from a variety of interdisciplinary viewpoints. Individual chapters examine the origin and evolution of gliding in early Cenozoic Dermoptera, the ontogeny of the tympanic floor in Archontans, the role of the neurosciences in primate evolutionary biology, and many other subjects. The work will be of particular interest to primatologists, zoologists, and systematists.

This book provides a novel focus on adaptive explanations for cranial and postcranial features and functional complexes, socioecological systems, life history patterns, etc. in early primates. It further offers a detailed rendering of the phylogenetic affinities of such basal taxa to later primate clades as well as to other early/recent mammalian orders. In addition to the strictly paleontological or systemic questions regarding Primate Origins, the editors concentrate on the adaptive significance of primate characteristics. Thus, the book provides the broadest possible perspective on early primate phylogeny and the adaptive uniqueness of the Order Primates.

Primate Biogeography is a subject rarely addressed as a discipline in its own right. This comprehensive source introduces the reader to Primate Biogeography as a discipline. It highlights the many factors that may influence the distribution of primates, and reveals the wide range of approaches that are available to understanding the distribution of this order. The biogeography of primates in the past is a major component of our understanding of their evolutionary history and is an essential component of conservation biology. This book will appeal to primatologists, physical anthropologists, zoologists, and undergraduates in these areas.

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Explores male number variation between and within primate species and its effects on male-female relationships.

Tree shrews are small-bodied, scansorial, squirrel-like mammals that occupy a wide range of arboreal, semi-arboreal, and forest floor niches in Southeast Asia and adjacent islands. Comparative aspects of tree shrew biology have been the subject of extensive investigations during the past two decades. These studies were initiated in part because of the widely accepted belief that tupaiids are primitive primates, and, as such, might provide valuable insight into the evolutionary origin of complex patterns of primate behavior, locomotion, neurobiology, and reproduction. During the same period, there has been a renewed interest in the methodology of phylogenetic reconstruction and in the use of data from a variety of biological disciplines to test or formulate hypotheses of evolutionary relationships. In particular, interest in the com parative and systematic biology of mammals has focused on analysis of phy logenetic relationships among Primates and a search for their closest relatives. Assessment of the possible primate affinities of tree shrews has comprised an important part of these studies, and a considerable amount of dental, cranio skeletal, neuroanatomical, reproductive, developmental, and molecular evi dence has been marshalled to either corroborate or refute hypotheses of a special tupaiid-primate relationship. These contrasting viewpoints have re sulted from differing interpretations of the basic data, as well as alternative approaches to the evolutionary analysis of data.

The Biology and Identification of the Coccidia (Apicomplexa) of Rabbits of the World is a taxonomic summation of a damaging intestinal parasite found in rabbits and transmissible to other species, including humans. This book conceptually and historically summarizes the world's literature on the parasite and also provides a quick guide to isolation procedures, identification, strategies for management, and available chemotherapy. It is a vital source of knowledge about coccidia's real and potential transmission to humans, which can lead to dangerous health problems, like severe dehydration, vomiting, lethargy and even death. Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease that affects several different animal species, including canines and humans, and is one of the most prevalent protozoal infections in North America. The causative agent is a protozoan that has the ability to multiply rapidly and cause major damage in the intestinal wall, rupturing the cells of the intestinal lining. The final stage, the oocyst, is extremely resistant to environmental stress and is difficult to completely remove from the environment. Oocysts are frequent contaminants of feed and water and when the sporulated oocysts are ingested by other animals, they start the life cycle over in the new host. With the demand for rabbits in scientific research and for rabbit meat for human consumption increasingly globally each year, rabbits are of epidemiologic significance for laboratory workers, university researchers, veterinarians, pet owners, and breeders. - Evaluates the scientific and scholarly merit of each of the publications written about coccidian from every rabbit species, providing a complete historical rendition - A treatise for the identification of coccidia and their treatment as needed - Written in a style that can be understood by most educated lay persons and laboratory workers - Written by the first ranked author team among the world-class parasitologists who study coccidia - Combined in one single source, this book follows the gold standards in coccidian biology and identification - Brings all that information together in one volume and solves the problems faced by researchers, veterinarians, students and others in trying to find and navigate through this scattered literature

This volume provides a survey and synthesis of current knowledge of the more than 650 species of land and marine mammals found in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil, as well as information on the mammalian fossil record, current biodiversity, and biogeography of this region. Chapters present up-to-date taxonomic information, ecological and behavioral characteristics, conservation status, and distribution maps for most species. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.