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Train Wreck - George Bibel - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes - Valerie A. Kells - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Life in the Dark - Dante Fenolio - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes of Bermuda, Bahamas, and the Caribbean Sea - Valerie A. Kells - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

DKK 269.00
1

Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia - - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia - - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

First Place, Professional Reference Books, 25th Annual New York Book Show Despite their small sizes, Maryland and Washington, DC, possess a vast range of environments—from the high peaks of the Allegheny Ridges to the low marshes of the Chesapeake Bay. Home to 200 nesting bird species, these habitats are under constant threat from urban sprawl, changing farming practices, and the degradation of coastal wetlands. The Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia documents the impact of these environmental changes on the region’s bird population and discusses the recovery of the endangered Bald Eagle and the new confirmation of breeding by three species—the Common Merganser, the Ruddy Duck, and the Double-crested Cormorant. Species accounts, each with a stunning color photograph, provide detailed coverage of the habitats, biology, and relative abundance of mid-Atlantic nesting birds. Up-to-date maps reflect changes in their breeding ranges and distributions over the past two decades. Of perhaps greatest value are the comparative analyses with data from the first statewide survey conducted in the 1980s. Treasured by birders—and an invaluable reference for ornithologists, conservationists, and land use planners—this book will significantly influence our understanding and management of avian species in the region for the next decade.

DKK 678.00
1

Owls of the World - James Duncan - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Owls of the World - James Duncan - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Experience enigmatic owls across the globe through exquisite photos and intriguing scientific facts. In this beautiful book, James Duncan explores the behavior and lifecycle of the elusive owl, including courtship, nesting, and the unique adaptations for nocturnal life and predation that make this group of birds such stealthy hunters. Showcasing stunning full-color photographs from around the world, this book touches on a diverse array of the world's 200+ owl species, from the beautiful and highly recognizable Snowy Owl, which thrives on the freezing Arctic tundra, to the secretive and rare Forest Owlet, which haunts the mangroves of India. Duncan, who has banded more than 2,500 owls during the course of his research, explains why owls' particular physiology-from their ability to rotate their heads 270 degrees in either direction to their soft feathers, camouflaged plumage, and unique vocalizations-have helped them thrive. A chapter covers each owl family, including huge Eagle-Owls, diminutive Pygmy Owls, familiar Barn Owls, and unusual fishing and burrowing owls. Closing chapters look at relationships between owls and humans by exploring such issues as banding and falconry, threats to owls from human factors, and attendant conservation issues. An entertaining compendium of owls that depicts the birds' secret lives with both accuracy and grace, Owls of the World will appeal to birdwatchers, nature lovers, and dedicated owl aficionados alike.

DKK 243.00
1

Mountain Lions of the Black Hills - Jonathan A. (south Dakota State University) Jenks - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Mountain Lions of the Black Hills - Jonathan A. (south Dakota State University) Jenks - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

The story of the recovery of mountain lions in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Mountain lions, sometimes called pumas or cougars, were once spread throughout the United States, occupying all 48 of the contiguous states. By the 1960s, though, they were almost extinct in central and eastern North America. In Mountain Lions of the Black Hills, Dr. Jonathan A. Jenks, who, along with his team of graduate students, has tracked over 200 of these fascinating predators, tells the complex story of the big cats’ lives in the northern Great Plains. Jenks reports on mountain lion population dynamics, diet, nutrition, diseases, behavior, and genetics. He explores the impact of a changing prey base on population growth and decline, movements within and away from the region, and hunting on the species; discusses interactions between the cats and livestock; and examines local people’s evolving perceptions of mountain lions. Throughout, Jenks explores how we can balance conservation techniques with the needs of humans. Providing a unique look into how a large, secretive predator recolonized an isolated region of North America, Mountain Lions of the Black Hills is required reading for wildlife professionals. A captivating text for anyone struck by the wild majesty of these big cats, this book provides invaluable data upon which to make sound management decisions in the Great Plains and beyond.

DKK 638.00
1

Biology and Conservation of North American Tortoises - - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Biology and Conservation of North American Tortoises - - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

The most comprehensive book ever published on North America''s native tortoises. Tortoises, those unmistakable turtles, evolved from a lineage that split off from the familiar pond turtles roughly 100 million years ago. Over time, these plant-eating land turtles spread around the world, growing to an enormous size (depending on the species) and living so long that they have become the stuff of legends. By most accounts, they are indeed the longest-lived of the turtles, with good records suggesting individuals may live as long as 180 years (anecdotal records suggest that some reach ages of 200 years or more). Providing the first comprehensive treatment of North America’s tortoises, Biology and Conservation of North American Tortoises brings together leading experts to give an overview of tortoise morphology, taxonomy, systematics, paleontology, physiology, ecology, behavior, reproduction, diet, growth, health, and conservation. The contributors carefully combine their own expertise and observations with results from studies conducted by hundreds of other researchers. The result is a book that belongs in the library of every herpetologist. ContributorsGustavo Aguirre L.Linda J. AllisonMatthew J. ArescoRoy C. Averill-MurrayJoan E. BerishKristin H. BerryDennis M. BrambleK. Kristina DrakeTaylor EdwardsTodd C. EsqueRichard FranzCraig GuyerJ. Scott HarrisonSharon M. HermannJ. Howard HutchisonElliott R. JacobsonValerie M. JohnsonRichard T. KazmaierEarl D. McCoyPhilip A. MedicaRobert W. MurphyHenry R. Mushinsky Kenneth E. NussearMichael P. O’ConnorThomas A. Radzio David C. RostalLora L. SmithJames R. SpotilaCraig B. StanfordC. Richard TracyTracey D. TubervilleMichael TumaThane Wibbels

DKK 593.00
1

Republic of Numbers - David Lindsay (prince George's Community College) Roberts - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Republic of Numbers - David Lindsay (prince George's Community College) Roberts - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

This fascinating narrative history of math in America introduces readers to the diverse and vibrant people behind pivotal moments in the nation's mathematical maturation. Once upon a time in America, few knew or cared about math. In Republic of Numbers, David Lindsay Roberts tells the story of how all that changed, as America transformed into a powerhouse of mathematical thinkers. Covering more than 200 years of American history, Roberts recounts the life stories of twenty-three Americans integral to the evolution of mathematics in this country. Beginning with self-taught Salem mathematician Nathaniel Bowditch's unexpected breakthroughs in ocean navigation and closing with the astounding work Nobel laureate John Nash did on game theory, this book is meant to be read cover to cover. Revealing the marvelous ways in which America became mathematically sophisticated, the book introduces readers to Kelly Miller, the first black man to attend Johns Hopkins, who brilliantly melded mathematics and civil rights activism; Izaak Wirszup, a Polish immigrant who survived the Holocaust and proceeded to change the face of American mathematical education; Grace Hopper, the "Machine Whisperer," who pioneered computer programming; and many other relatively unknown but vital figures. As he brings American history and culture to life, Roberts also explains key mathematical concepts, from the method of least squares, propositional logic, quaternions, and the mean-value theorem to differential equations, non-Euclidean geometry, group theory, statistical mechanics, and Fourier analysis. Republic of Numbers will appeal to anyone who is interested in learning how mathematics has intertwined with American history.

DKK 286.00
1

Frogs - Whit Gibbons - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Frogs - Whit Gibbons - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Frogs are amazingly diverse—ranging from the massive goliath frog, which weighs several pounds, to the recently discovered gold frog, which measures a mere three-eighths of an inch when fully grown—and have inhabited the earth for more than 200 million years. Today, however, these amphibians face more challenges than any other vertebrate group. In this fun and informative book, herpetologists Mike Dorcas and Whit Gibbons answer common and not-so-common questions people may have about these fascinating animals. Dorcas and Gibbons discuss how frogs evolved, which species currently exist in the world, and why some have recently gone extinct. They reveal what frogs eat and what eats them, their role in cultures across the globe, why many populations are declining and what we can do to reverse this dangerous trend, why there are deformed frogs, and much more. They answer expected questions such as “What is the difference between a frog and a toad?” and “Why do some people lick toads?” and unexpected ones such as “Why do some frogs lay their eggs in the leaves of trees?” and “Do frogs feel pain?” The authors’ easy-to-understand yet thorough explanations provide insight into the amazing biology of this amphibian group. In addressing conservation questions, Dorcas and Gibbons highlight the frightening implications of the current worldwide amphibian crisis, which many scientists predict will bring extinction rates experienced by frog species to levels not seen in any vertebrate animal group in millions of years. Packed with facts and featuring two color galleries and 70 black-and-white photographs, Frogs: The Animal Answer Guide is sure to address the questions on the minds of curious naturalists.

DKK 264.00
1

Railroads in the African American Experience - Theodore Kornweibel - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Railroads in the African American Experience - Theodore Kornweibel - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Winner, 2011 George W. and Constance M. Hilton Book Award, Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, Inc.2010 Outstanding Academic Title, Choice Magazine Honorable mention, Large Nonproft Publishers Illustrated Text, 2010 Washington Book Publishers Show This captivating book takes readers on an illustrated tour of the black railroad experience from slavery to Amtrak. With almost 200 images—many never before published—Theodore Kornweibel, Jr., examines the significant contributions of African Americans to the building, maintenance, operation, and profitability of the American railway system. The history of American railroads, Kornweibel makes clear, cannot be separated from African American history. For over a century, railroading provided the most important industrial occupation for blacks. Brakemen, firemen, porters, chefs, mechanics, laborers—African American men and women have been essential to the daily operation and success of American railroads. The connections between railroads and African Americans extend well beyond employment. Civil rights protests beginning in the late 19th century challenged railroad segregation and job discrimination; the major waves of black migration to the North depended almost entirely on railroads; and railroad themes and imagery penetrated deep into black art, literature, drama, folklore, and music. Kornweibel’s visual presentation of this rich history brings to life the hundreds of thousands of blacks who toiled for decades on America’s great rail systems. Each chapter of text focuses on a different occupation or railroading experience, some peculiar to blacks. Together, the evocative images and the complementary essays supply a comprehensive and powerful survey of the social, cultural, political, and economic influence of African Americans on railroads and of railroads on the black community. Few today recall the importance of blacks to the American railroad industry, even though most black families have railroading ancestors. These stories of hardship and heroism, exploitation and endurance, anger and artistry illuminate a rich heritage and fascinating chapter in American history.

DKK 397.00
1

Academic Fault Lines - Patricia J. Gumport - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Academic Fault Lines - Patricia J. Gumport - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

How did public higher education become an industry? This unprecedented account reveals how campus leaders and faculty preserved the vitality and core values of public higher education despite changing resources and expectations. American public higher education is in crisis. After decades of public scrutiny over affordability, access, and quality, indictments of the institution as a whole abound. Campus leaders and faculty report a loss of public respect resulting from their alleged unresponsiveness to demands for change. But is this loss of confidence warranted? And how did we get to this point? In Academic Fault Lines , Patricia J. Gumport offers a compelling account of the profound shift in societal expectations for what public colleges and universities should be and do. She attributes these new attitudes to the ascendance of "industry logic"—the notion that higher education must prioritize serving the economy. Arguing that industry logic has had far-reaching effects, Gumport shows how this business-oriented mandate has prompted colleges to restructure for efficiency gains, adopt more corporate forms, develop deeper ties with industry, and mold academic programs in the interest of enhancing students'' future employment prospects. She also explains how industry logic gained traction and momentum, altering what constitutes legitimacy for public higher education. Yet Gumport''s narrative is by no means defeatist. Drawing on case studies of nine public colleges and universities, as well as more than 200 stakeholder interviews, Gumport''s nuanced account conveys the successful efforts of leaders and educators to preserve and even strengthen fundamental public values such as educational access, knowledge advancement regardless of currency, and civic responsibility. Ultimately, Academic Fault Lines demonstrates how intrepid faculty and administrators engaged their communities both on and off campus, collaborating and inventing win-win scenarios to further public higher education''s expanding legacy of service to all citizens while preserving its centrality to society and the world.

DKK 509.00
1

Marsupial Frogs - William Duellman - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Marsupial Frogs - William Duellman - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

The first major synthesis of marsupial frogs, this book is the magnum opus of renowned herpetologist William E. Duellman. This scientific masterpiece reveals many aspects of the lives of marsupial frogs and closely allied genera. Native to Central and South America, these amphibians differ from other frogs in that they protect their eggs after oviposition by either adhering them to the female’s back or placing them in a specialized dorsal pouch (thus the common name, marsupial frog). During mating, the male typically collects the eggs from the female with his feet—often one at a time and always out of water—fertilizes them, and then tucks them into the female’s pouch or attaches them to her back. In some species these eggs hatch as tadpoles, but most emerge as miniatures of the adults. Even among the tadpoles there is remarkable divergence, with some behaving in the typical manner (feeding and metamorphosing), whereas others forego all feeding until they metamorphose. In Marsupial Frogs , William E. Duellman’s synthesis of all that is known about the unique family Hemiphractidae is largely based on decades of his own careful laboratory and field study. He reveals the diversity of exotic color patterns and the frogs'' geographic distributions by providing more than 200 photographs, illustrations, and maps. This exceptional tome should find its way into the libraries of serious herpetologists, tropical biologists, and developmental biologists. Included in this book are • A molecular phylogeny of the family Hemiphractidae• A thorough osteological analysis• A review of external morphological features• An overview of the evolution of reproductive modes• A biogeographic synthesis• Keys to genera and species• Diagnosis and thorough description of each species of marsupial frog• Colored physiographic maps depicting species distributions

DKK 1044.00
1

Craft Class - Christopher Kempf - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Craft Class - Christopher Kempf - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

The hidden history of the creative writing workshop and the socioeconomic consequences of the craft labor metaphor. In a letter dated September 1, 1912, drama professor George Pierce Baker recommended the term "workshop" for an experimental course in playwriting he had been planning with former students at Harvard and Radcliffe. This was the first time that term, now ubiquitous, was used in the context of creative writing pedagogy. Today, the MFA (master of fine arts) industry is a booming one, with more than 200 programs and thousands of residencies and conferences for aspiring writers nationwide. Almost all of these offerings operate on the workshop model. In Craft Class, Christopher Kempf argues that the primary institutional form of creative writing studies, the workshop, has remained invisible before our scholarly eyes. While Baker and others marshaled craft toward economic critique, craft pedagogies consolidated the authority of elite educational institutions as the MFA industry grew. Transcoding professional-managerial soft skills—linguistic facility, social and emotional discernment, symbolic fluency—in the language of manual labor, the workshop nostalgically invokes practices that the university itself has rendered obsolete. The workshop poem or short story thus shares discursive space with the craft IPA or hand-loomed Pottery Barn rug—a space in which one economic practice rewrites itself in the language of another, just as right-wing corporatism continuously rewrites itself in the language of populism. Delineating an arc that extends from Boston's fin de siècle Society of Arts and Crafts through 1930s proletarian workshops to the pedagogies of Black Mountain College and the postwar MFA, Craft Class reveals how present-day creative writing restructures transhistorical questions of labor, education, and aesthetic and economic production. With the rise of the workshop in American culture, Kempf shows, manual and mental labor have been welded together like steel plates. What fissures does that weld seal shut? And on whose behalf does the poet punch in?

DKK 296.00
1

Manufacturing Advantage - Lindsay Schakenbach Regele - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Manufacturing Advantage - Lindsay Schakenbach Regele - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

How manufacturing textiles and guns transformed the United States from colonial dependent to military power. In 1783, the Revolutionary War drew to a close, but America was still threatened by enemies at home and abroad. The emerging nation faced tax rebellions, Indian warfare, and hostilities with France and England. Its arsenal—a collection of hand-me-down and beat-up firearms—was woefully inadequate, and its manufacturing sector was weak. In an era when armies literally froze in the field, military preparedness depended on blankets and jackets, the importation of which the British Empire had coordinated for over 200 years. Without a ready supply of guns, the new nation could not defend itself; without its own textiles, it was at the economic mercy of the British. Domestic industry offered the best solution for true economic and military independence. In Manufacturing Advantage, Lindsay Schakenbach Regele shows how the US government promoted the industrial development of textiles and weapons to defend the country from hostile armies—and hostile imports. Moving from the late 1700s through the Mexican-American War, Schakenbach Regele argues that both industries developed as a result of what she calls “national security capitalism”: a mixed enterprise system in which government agents and private producers brokered solutions to the problems of war and international economic disparities. War and State Department officials played particularly key roles in the emergence of American industry, facilitating arms makers and power loom weavers in the quest to develop industrial resources. And this defensive strategy, Schakenbach Regele reveals, eventually evolved to promote westward expansion, as well as America’s growing commercial and territorial empire. Examining these issues through the lens of geopolitics, Manufacturing Advantage places the rise of industry in the United States in the context of territorial expansion, diplomacy, and warfare. Ultimately, the book reveals the complex link between government intervention and private initiative in a country struggling to create a political economy that balanced military competence with commercial needs.

DKK 509.00
1

Craft Class - Christopher Kempf - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Craft Class - Christopher Kempf - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

The hidden history of the creative writing workshop and the socioeconomic consequences of the craft labor metaphor. In a letter dated September 1, 1912, drama professor George Pierce Baker recommended the term "workshop" for an experimental course in playwriting he had been planning with former students at Harvard and Radcliffe. This was the first time that term, now ubiquitous, was used in the context of creative writing pedagogy. Today, the MFA (master of fine arts) industry is a booming one, with more than 200 programs and thousands of residencies and conferences for aspiring writers nationwide. Almost all of these offerings operate on the workshop model. In Craft Class, Christopher Kempf argues that the primary institutional form of creative writing studies, the workshop, has remained invisible before our scholarly eyes. While Baker and others marshaled craft toward economic critique, craft pedagogies consolidated the authority of elite educational institutions as the MFA industry grew. Transcoding professional-managerial soft skills—linguistic facility, social and emotional discernment, symbolic fluency—in the language of manual labor, the workshop nostalgically invokes practices that the university itself has rendered obsolete. The workshop poem or short story thus shares discursive space with the craft IPA or hand-loomed Pottery Barn rug—a space in which one economic practice rewrites itself in the language of another, just as right-wing corporatism continuously rewrites itself in the language of populism. Delineating an arc that extends from Boston's fin de siècle Society of Arts and Crafts through 1930s proletarian workshops to the pedagogies of Black Mountain College and the postwar MFA, Craft Class reveals how present-day creative writing restructures transhistorical questions of labor, education, and aesthetic and economic production. With the rise of the workshop in American culture, Kempf shows, manual and mental labor have been welded together like steel plates. What fissures does that weld seal shut? And on whose behalf does the poet punch in?

DKK 841.00
1

The Sauropod Dinosaurs - Mark Hallett - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

The Sauropod Dinosaurs - Mark Hallett - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

From The Land Before Time to Jurassic Park, images of fantastically large, long-necked, plant-eating dinosaurs have captured our imaginations. These are the sauropods: centerpieces of museums and gentle giants of the distant past. Imagine what it must have been like to crest a hill and see in the valley below not just one sauropod, but an entire herd, feeding its way across the landscape. The most massive land animals ever to have lived, sauropods roamed widely across the continents through most of the "Age of Dinosaurs" from about 220 to 65 million years ago. They reached incredible sizes, giving rise to the question: Why were they so big? Early guesses suggested that they gained protection from predators by virtue of their size, which also allowed them to reach the tops of trees in order to eat leaves and conifer needles. More recent hypotheses hold that they needed a long and complicated digestive tract due to their consumption of low-nutrient food sources: size was an offshoot of that need. Whatever the explanation, there is little doubt that natural selection produced something extraordinary when the Sauropoda diversified into a wide variety of species. This book combines majestic artwork and the best of paleontological research to resurrect the lives of sauropods. The Sauropod Dinosaurs shows how these amazing creatures raised and defended their young, traveled in groups, and interacted with the rich diversity of Mesozoic plants and animals. Beautiful enough to sit on the coffee table, the book also serves as the best reference available on these bygone giants. Anyone with a passion for dinosaurs or prehistoric life will cherish this once-in-a-generation masterpiece. The book includes the following features:* Over 200 full-color illustrations* More than 100 color photographs from museums, field sites, and collections around the world* Thoughtfully placed drawings and charts* Clearly written text reviewed by major sauropod researchers* Descriptions of the latest sauropod concepts and discoveries* A field guide to major groups of sauropods* Detailed skeletal reconstructions and anatomical restorations* A comprehensive glossary

DKK 356.00
1

Rebels, Scholars, Explorers - Susan Turner - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Rebels, Scholars, Explorers - Susan Turner - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Unearthing the amazing hidden stories of women who changed paleontology forever. For centuries, women have played key roles in defining and developing the field of vertebrate paleontology. Yet very little is known about these important paleontologists, and the true impacts of their contributions have remained obscure. In Rebels, Scholars, Explorers, Annalisa Berta and Susan Turner celebrate the history of women "bone hunters," delving into their fascinating lives and work. At the same time, they explore how the discipline has shaped our understanding of the history of life on Earth. Berta and Turner begin by presenting readers with a review of the emergence of vertebrate paleontology as a science, emphasizing the contributions of women to research topics and employment. This is followed by brief biographical sketches and explanations of early discoveries by women around the world over the past 200 years, including those who who held roles as researchers, educators, curators, artists, and preparators. Forging new territory, Berta and Turner highlight the barriers and challenges faced by women paleontologists, describing how some managed to overcome those obstacles in order to build careers in the field. Finally, drawing on interviews with a diverse group of contemporary paleontologists, who share their experiences and offer recommendations to aspiring fossil hunters, they provide perspectives on what work still needs to be done in order to ensure that women's contributions to the field are encouraged and celebrated. Uncovering and relating lost stories about the pivotal contributions of women in vertebrate paleontology doesn't just make for enthralling storytelling, but also helps ensure a richer and more diverse future for this vibrant field. Illuminating the discoveries, collections, and studies of fossil vertebrates conducted by women in vertebrate paleontology, Rebels, Scholars, Explorers will be on every paleontologist's most-wanted list and should find a broader audience in the burgeoning sector of readers from all backgrounds eager to learn about women in the sciences.

DKK 425.00
1

Snakes of Central and Western Africa - Kate (assistant Professor Jackson - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

Snakes of Central and Western Africa - Kate (assistant Professor Jackson - Bog - Johns Hopkins University Press - Plusbog.dk

The first—and only—authoritative guide to the snakes of Central and Western Africa. Nobody knows exactly how many snake species live in the biodiversity hotspots of Western and Central Africa. While field guides abound that make mammals, birds, and even insects identifiable for residents, travelers, and scientists, half a continent's herpetological richness has remained shrouded in mystery. In a region where nearly 30,000 people die from snake bites every year, even dire medical necessity has been an insufficient inducement for researchers to take on the daunting task of assembling an authoritative list of extant species, let alone a full descriptive record to aid in identification, the essential first step to administering an effective antivenin. The reptiles of Central Africa, particularly, are the most poorly studied in the world, despite their crucial role in the survival of threatened ecosystems. With Snakes of Central and Western Africa, Jean-Philippe Chippaux and Kate Jackson have created a game changer. The result of years of field research and systematic study in the world's leading museums, this book compiles for the first time a comprehensive guide to the region's snakes. Covering a vast swath of the continent, ranging from Mauritania in the northwest to Rwanda in the east and Angola in the south, Chippaux and Jackson provide detailed accounts for the more than 200 species of snakes that inhabit the region. The first part of the book is devoted to the taxonomic characters used for identifying snakes. The authors deal with the evolution and biogeography of African snakes as well as epidemiological and clinical aspects of snakebite. The remaining chapters are organized phylogenetically, following the latest consensus on evolutionary patterns of major snake lineages in sub-Saharan Africa. Species identification is facilitated by simple and accessible dichotomous keys and detailed descriptions of morphological characteristics, complemented by numerous drawings, photos, and distribution maps. Invaluable information on taxonomy and natural history is also included. The book concludes with a comprehensive index and a list of nearly 600 references. Snakes of Central and Western Africa illuminates a previously little-known part of the natural world, provides vital information that could save many lives, and will make an excellent addition to any herpetology library.

DKK 722.00
1