Download or read book Amphibians of North Africa written by Daniel Escoriza and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2019-03-16 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Amphibians of North Africa is a comprehensive compilation of available data on the amphibians and reptiles found in various ecosystems across North West Africa and parts of the Mediterranean region. It is essential to identifying and understanding the ecological role of regional herpetofauna and its conservational importance. It examines the biological origins and diversity of amphibians in North Africa, along with their diverse ecosystems, including deserts, grasslands and subtropical forests. The book features detailed descriptions of the adult and larvae stages of species, such as the North African fire salamander, the common painted frog, Brongersma's toad and the Mediterranean tree frog. This book is a vital resource for herpetology and ecology students and researchers, helping them identify, understand and conserve these amphibians and reptiles in their various habitats across the North African and Mediterranean regions. - Presents the only book on research and species recognition of North West African and Mediterranean amphibians and reptiles in all life phases - Provides novel, iconographic material about little-known species - Features helpful visuals, including ink-drawings, photographs of adult and larvae stages, habitat photographs and distributional maps

Download or read book The Evolution of Animal Communication written by William A. Searcy and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2010-01-01 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gull chicks beg for food from their parents. Peacocks spread their tails to attract potential mates. Meerkats alert family members of the approach of predators. But are these--and other animals--sometimes dishonest? That's what William Searcy and Stephen Nowicki ask in The Evolution of Animal Communication. They take on the fascinating yet perplexing question of the dependability of animal signaling systems. The book probes such phenomena as the begging of nesting birds, alarm calls in squirrels and primates, carotenoid coloration in fish and birds, the calls of frogs and toads, and weapon displays in crustaceans. Do these signals convey accurate information about the signaler, its future behavior, or its environment? Or do they mislead receivers in a way that benefits the signaler? For example, is the begging chick really hungry as its cries indicate or is it lobbying to get more food than its brothers and sisters? Searcy and Nowicki take on these and other questions by developing clear definitions of key issues, by reviewing the most relevant empirical data and game theory models available, and by asking how well theory matches data. They find that animal communication is largely reliable--but that this basic reliability also allows the clever deceiver to flourish. Well researched and clearly written, their book provides new insight into animal communication, behavior, and evolution.

Download or read book The Evolution of Parental Care written by Nick J. Royle and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012-08-09 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Parental care includes a wide variety of traits that enhance offspring development and survival. This novel book provides a fresh perspective on the current state of the study of the evolution of parental care, written by some of the top researchers in the field, and taking a broad taxonomic approach.

Download or read book The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians written by Kentwood D. Wells and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2010-02-15 with total page 1162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Consisting of more than six thousand species, amphibians are more diverse than mammals and are found on every continent save Antarctica. Despite the abundance and diversity of these animals, many aspects of the biology of amphibians remain unstudied or misunderstood. The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians aims to fill this gap in the literature on this remarkable taxon. It is a celebration of the diversity of amphibian life and the ecological and behavioral adaptations that have made it a successful component of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Synthesizing seventy years of research on amphibian biology, Kentwood D. Wells addresses all major areas of inquiry, including phylogeny, classification, and morphology; aspects of physiological ecology such as water and temperature relations, respiration, metabolism, and energetics; movements and orientation; communication and social behavior; reproduction and parental care; ecology and behavior of amphibian larvae and ecological aspects of metamorphosis; ecological impact of predation on amphibian populations and antipredator defenses; and aspects of amphibian community ecology. With an eye towards modern concerns, The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians concludes with a chapter devoted to amphibian conservation. An unprecedented scholarly contribution to amphibian biology, this book is eagerly anticipated among specialists.

Download or read book Eco evolutionary Dynamics written by Andrew P. Hendry and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-06-09 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent years, scientists have realized that evolution can occur on timescales much shorter than the 'long lapse of ages' emphasized by Darwin - in fact, evolutionary change is occurring all around us all the time. This work provides an authoritative and accessible introduction to eco-evolutionary dynamics, a cutting-edge new field that seeks to unify evolution and ecology into a common conceptual framework focusing on rapid and dynamic environmental and evolutionary change.

Download or read book Sex Size and Gender Roles written by Daphne J. Fairbairn and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2007-07-05 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of 20 chapters written by leading evolutionary biologists from around the globe provides a fascinating insight into the patterns and causes of differences between males and females in the natural world.

Download or read book Caribbean Amphibians and Reptiles written by Brian I. Crother and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 1999-06-02 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Amphibians and reptiles are the most numerous, diverse, and frequently encountered animals on the Caribbean islands. This book provides a variety of perspectives on this amazing group of organisms. Caribbean Amphibians and Reptiles, compiled by an international team of zoologists, takes a fresh and detailed look at the complex biological puzzle of the Caribbean. The first true overview of the islands, it includes a historical examination of the people who have studied the Caribbean amphibians and reptiles. The book reviews the ecology, evolutionary history, and biogeographic explanations for the origins and diversity of the region's fauna with island-by-island coverage. It puts the Caribbean in perspective by comparing the islands to Central America and its amphibian reptile diversity. Additionally, the book includes figures, tables, and color plates which bring to life some of the region's most spectacular creatures.Key Features* Presents the first complete review of amphibians and reptiles in the Caribbean* Includes color plates and island maps* Contributors are recognized authorities in the field

Download or read book The Evolution of the Amphibian Auditory System written by Bernd Fritzsch and published by Wiley-Interscience. This book was released on 1988 with total page 762 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on a workshop held at the University of Bielefeld in Germany in March 1986, this book presents the work of researchers from a diversity of fields, from neuroanatomy to behavioural ecology, covering the anatomy, physiology and behavioural correlates of the auditory system in the vertebrate class amphibia. It summarizes all aspects of the amphibian auditory system, reviewing current knowledge of the structure, function and evolution of this sensory system, and offers new contributions to our understanding of this subject. Chapters discuss amphibian phylogeny, the anatomy and physiology of the peripheral auditory system, the anatomy and physiology of central auditory areas, specialized topics in sound localization, the development of the amphibian auditory system (including changes that occur during metamorphosis), acoustic communication in anurans, selected topics in the evolution of amphibian and vertebrate audition, and others aspects.

Download or read book North American Herpetology Or a Description of the Reptiles Inhabiting the United States written by John Edwards Holbrook and published by . This book was released on 1842 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Parrots written by Mike Parr and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2010-07-30 with total page 586 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first book created primarily for the field identification of parrots, one of the most familiar and colorful groups of birds. From the mighty. macaws to the diminutive pygmy parrots, the 350 species of parrots include cockatoos, parakeets, lovebirds, and Budgerigar. Most are brightly colored or even gaudy, but a few are drab, and some are nocturnal and flightess. Parrots, found throughout most of the warmer regions of the world, occur in greatest numbers in Australasian and South America. This book includes 88 superb color illustrations of every species and most identifiable subspecies of parrot, as well as range maps of their locations. It offers many firsthand insights into the ecology of each species, vocalizations, life cycle characteristics, and geographical variation. It also provides up-to-date information on the conservation status of those species of parrots that are threatened or endangered.

Download or read book The Alex Studies written by Irene M. PEPPERBERG and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-06-30 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 20 years ago Pepperberg set out to discover whether results of pigeon studies necessarily meant that other birds were incapable of mastering cognitive concepts and the rudiments of referential speech. This is a synthesis of her studies.

Download or read book State Museum Bulletin written by University of Washington. Museum and published by . This book was released on 1910 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Field Guide to the Snakes of Borneo written by Robert B. Stuebing and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Ecology and Evolution of Cooperative Breeding in Birds written by Walter D. Koenig and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004-04-22 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cooperative breeders are species in which more than a pair of individuals assist in the production of young. Cooperative breeding is found in only a few hundred bird species world-wide, and understanding this often strikingly altruistic behaviour has remained an important challenge in behavioural ecology for over 30 years. This book highlights the theoretical, empirical and technical advances that have taken place in the field of cooperative breeding research since the publication of the seminal work Cooperative Breeding in Birds: Long-term Studies of Behavior and Ecology (1990, HB ISBN 0521 372984, PB ISBN 0521 378907). Organized conceptually, special attention is given to ways in which cooperative breeders have proved fertile subjects for testing modern advances to classic evolutionary problems including those of sexual selection, sex-ratio manipulation, life-history evolution, partitioning of reproduction and incest avoidance. It will be of interest to both students and researchers interested in behaviour and ecology.

Download or read book Parrots written by Matt Cameron and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2012-09 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The beautiful plumage of parrots and the ability to mimic sounds are both a blessing and a curse.

Download or read book Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium 1705 written by Maria Sibylla Merian and published by Lannoo Publishers. This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a full-size facsimile of the magnum opus of Maria Sibylla Merian, a significant contributor to the field of entomology because of her careful observations and documentation of the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Merian, a German naturalist and scientific illustrator, was one of the foremost female scientists of the 17th century. In 1705, she published Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, for which she became famous. No more than 30 copies of this masterwork are left worldwide.

Download or read book The Evolution of Avian Breeding Systems written by J. David Ligon and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ever since Darwin, birds have provided much of the stimulus for the study of evolution and natural selection. This volume in the Oxford Ornithology Series looks at three of the most fascinating aspects of their reproductive biology: sexual selection, parental care, and mating systems. It provides empirical assessments of the main theories of mate choice by females and includes numerous related topics such as the role of sexual selection in speciation. It examines the often extreme sexual dimorphism in plumage and the bewildering array of ornamentation and courtship displays. Although most avian species are socially monogamous, others exhibit polygyny or polyandry of various forms, and the book looks at the effects of these extra-pair copulations on paternity and on the evolution of mating systems. Throughout the book the various theories are illustrated with extensive examples drawn a wide range of species, making it a valuable resource for all ornithologists and student of animal behavior.