Author : John A. Long
Publisher : JHU Press
Page : 258 pages
File Size : 50,90 MB
Release : 2002
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780801872235
Diagrams showing skeletal features and tooth structure and a glossary of technical terms are included.
Author : Roger William Martin
Publisher : CSIRO PUBLISHING
Page : 169 pages
File Size : 49,24 MB
Release : 2005
Category : Nature
ISBN : 064309072X
To many people, the suggestion that a kangaroo could live up a tree is fantasy. Yet, in the rainforests of Far North Queensland and New Guinea, there are extraordinary kangaroos that do just that. Many aspects of these marsupials' anatomy and biology suggest a terrestrial kangaroo ancestor. Yet no one has, so far, come forward with a convincing explanation of how, why and when mammals that was so superbly adapted for life on the ground should end up back in the trees. This book reviews the natural history and biology of tree-kangaroos from the time of their first discovery by Europeans in the jungles of West Papua in 1826 right up to the present day, covering the latest research being conducted in Australian and New Guinea. Combining information from a number of disparate disciplines, the author sets forth the first explanation of this apparent evolutionary conundrum. Features * Provides a fascinating and readable account of an unusual evolutionary conundrum * Written by a field biologist with more than a decade's experience working with tree-kangaroos
Author : R Schodde
Publisher : CSIRO PUBLISHING
Page : 887 pages
File Size : 32,39 MB
Release : 1999-10-01
Category : Science
ISBN : 0643102930
Recent classifications of Australian birds have been limited to lists of "species" which are inadequate as biodiversity indicators. The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines fills a huge gap in ornithological knowledge by separating out and listing not only 340 species of song-birds but also the 720 distinct regional forms. Covering about half the national bird fauna, the Directory provides science and the community with baseline information about what bird it is and where it lives in an Australia-wide context. Identity is taken down to the level of distinct regional population. No other compendium on Australian birds does this.
Author : Chris Johnson
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 26,4 MB
Release : 2006-11-02
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780521686600
Publisher description
Author : Kenneth McNamara
Publisher : Western Australian Museum
Page : 112 pages
File Size : 45,59 MB
Release : 2010-10-01
Category : Nature
ISBN : 1920843604
In 1909 a rich accumulation of many thousands of bones was excavated from Mammoth Cave in Australia’s south-west. Many of the bones far exceeded in size any modern-day native mammal, evidence that in prehistoric times giant mammals had roamed the Australian bush. They included a marsupial the size of a buffalo, kangaroos more than two metres tall, wallabies much bigger than any living species, a marsupial ‘lion’ about the size of a leopard, giant echidnas and wombats, plus the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger). What did these animals look like and how did they live? And how did they become extinct in a relatively short period of time?
Author : Bruce M. Beehler
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 376 pages
File Size : 28,96 MB
Release : 2020-05-19
Category : Science
ISBN : 0691199914
An enthralling exploration of the biologically richest island on Earth, featuring more than 200 spectacular color images by award-winning National Geographic photographer Tim Laman In this beautiful book, Bruce Beehler, a renowned author and expert on New Guinea, and award-winning National Geographic photographer Tim Laman take the reader on an unforgettable journey through the natural and cultural wonders of the world's grandest island. Skillfully combining a wealth of information, a descriptive and story-filled narrative, and more than 200 stunning color photographs, the book unlocks New Guinea's remarkable secrets like never before. Lying between the Equator and Australia's north coast, and surrounded by the richest coral reefs on Earth, New Guinea is the world's largest, highest, and most environmentally complex tropical island—home to rainforests with showy rhododendrons, strange and colorful orchids, tree-kangaroos, spiny anteaters, ingenious bowerbirds, and spectacular birds of paradise. New Guinea is also home to more than a thousand traditional human societies, each with its own language and lifestyle, and many of these tribes still live in isolated villages and serve as stewards of the rainforests they inhabit. Accessible and authoritative, New Guinea provides a comprehensive introduction to the island's environment, animals, plants, and traditional rainforest cultures. Individual chapters cover the island's history of exploration; geology; climate and weather; biogeography; plantlife; insects, spiders, and other invertebrates; freshwater fishes; snakes, lizards, and frogs; birdlife; mammals; paleontology; paleoanthropology; cultural and linguistic diversity; surrounding islands and reefs; the pristine forest of the Foja Mountains; village life; and future sustainability. Complete with informative illustrations and a large, detailed map, New Guinea offers an enchanting account of the island's unequalled natural and cultural treasures.
Author : Ross Piper
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 228 pages
File Size : 18,79 MB
Release : 2009-03-20
Category : Nature
ISBN : 0313349886
Everyone is familiar with the dodo and the wooly mammoth, but how many people have heard of the scimitar cat and the Falkland Island fox? Extinct Animals portrays over 60 remarkable animals that have been lost forever during the relatively recent geological past. Each entry provides a concise discussion of the history of the animal—how and where it lived, and how it became extinct—as well as the scientific discovery and analysis of the creature. In addition, this work examines what led to extinction—from the role of cyclical swings in the Earth's climate to the spread of humans and their activities. Many scientists believe that we are in the middle of a mass extinction right now, caused by the human undermining of the earth's complex systems that support life. Understanding what caused the extinction of animals in the past may help us understand and prevent the extinction of species in the future. Extinct Animals examines the biology and history of some of the most interesting creatures that have ever lived, including: The American Terror Bird, which probably became extinct over 1 million years ago, who were massive predators, some of which were almost 10 feet tall; the Rocky Mountain Locust, last seen in 1902, formed the most immense animal aggregations ever known, with swarms estimated to include over 10 trillion insects; the Giant Ground Sloth, which was as large as an elephant; and the Neandertals, the first Europeans, which co-existed with prehistoric Homo sapiens. Extinct Animals includes illustrations—many created for the work—that help the reader visualize the extinct creature, and each entry concludes with a list of resources for those who wish to do further research.
Author : Ian Parsonson
Publisher : CSIRO PUBLISHING
Page : 305 pages
File Size : 23,79 MB
Release : 1998-01-01
Category : Science
ISBN : 0643102388
This definitive work on the introduction of domestic animals to Australia begins with the first white settlement at Botany Bay. It explores the foundations of our wool and beef industries, examining the role of early leaders like Phillip, King, Macarthur and Bligh.The book considers the successful introduction of the horse, Australia's first live animal export, and goes on to explore the role of the acclimatisation societies, the development of the veterinary profession and the control and eradication of some of the major exotic and introduced diseases of sheep and cattle. The author, Dr Ian Parsonson, retired as Assistant Chief of the Australian Animal Health Laboratory at Geelong, Victoria, after a long career in veterinary practice and research. His areas of expertise include bacterial and viral diseases, pathology and microbiological laboratory safety. He is a committee member of the International Embryo Transfer Society and the Animal Gene Storage and Resource Centre of Australia.
Author : Donald R. Prothero
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 10,5 MB
Release : 2016-12-06
Category : Nature
ISBN : 0691156824
The ultimate illustrated guide to the lost world of prehistoric mammals After the mass extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, mammals became the dominant terrestrial life form on our planet. Roaming the earth were spectacular beasts such as saber-toothed cats, giant mastodonts, immense ground sloths, and gigantic giraffe-like rhinoceroses. Here is the ultimate illustrated field guide to the lost world of these weird and wonderful prehistoric creatures. A woolly mammoth probably won't come thundering through your vegetable garden any time soon. But if one did, this would be the book to keep on your windowsill next to the binoculars. It covers all the main groups of fossil mammals, discussing taxonomy and evolutionary history, and providing concise accounts of the better-known genera and species as well as an up-to-date family tree for each group. No other book presents such a wealth of new information about these animals—what they looked like, how they behaved, and how they were interrelated. In addition, this unique guide is stunningly illustrated throughout with full-color reconstructions of these beasts—many never before depicted—along with photographs of amazing fossils from around the world. Provides an up-to-date guidebook to hundreds of extinct species, from saber-toothed cats to giant mammoths Features a wealth of color illustrations, including new reconstructions of many animals never before depicted Demonstrates evolution in action—such as how whales evolved from hoofed mammals and how giraffes evolved from creatures with short necks Explains how mass extinctions and climate change affected mammals, including why some mammals grew so huge
Author : Bill Breed
Publisher : CSIRO PUBLISHING
Page : 196 pages
File Size : 33,72 MB
Release : 2007
Category : Nature
ISBN : 0643091661
Details the diversity, evolution and ecology of this much neglected group of animals, and describes their range of reproductive strategies and dietary adaptations. The book includes a chapter on rodent diseases, the impact of human settlement, and the efforts that are being made to conserve key species.
