Author: Alan Channing
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501733699
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 527
Book Description
Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa is the first comprehensive guide to the frogs, toads, and caecilians of the ten sub-equatorial African countries—Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The result is at once a valuable reference tool, a field guide, and a source of ideas for future research.A source of increasing interest in their own right, amphibians are also benchmark species for biodiversity, and are used as laboratory animals in many of the sciences. In the wild, amphibians, especially frogs, act as natural monitors of water quality and are invaluable in pest control. Their skins secrete a wide range of pharmacologically active substances, such as antibiotics and painkillers. Yet frog populations are declining worldwide, mainly due to human destruction of their habitats. Alan Channing synthesizes information published over the last century to provide the first natural history and a portrait of the amphibian fauna of this vast region.Key features of Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa include*detailed accounts for 205 species of frogs and toads (and 2 species of caecilian) accompanied by color illustrations, distribution maps, details of breeding and tadpole behavior, and call descriptions*illustrations and tadpole identification keys for each genus*special sections for some species with topics such as "skin toxins"*an overview of fossil frogs, a discussion of humankind and frogs in Africa, and a bibliography of African frog biology
Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa
Author: Alan Channing
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501733699
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 527
Book Description
Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa is the first comprehensive guide to the frogs, toads, and caecilians of the ten sub-equatorial African countries—Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The result is at once a valuable reference tool, a field guide, and a source of ideas for future research.A source of increasing interest in their own right, amphibians are also benchmark species for biodiversity, and are used as laboratory animals in many of the sciences. In the wild, amphibians, especially frogs, act as natural monitors of water quality and are invaluable in pest control. Their skins secrete a wide range of pharmacologically active substances, such as antibiotics and painkillers. Yet frog populations are declining worldwide, mainly due to human destruction of their habitats. Alan Channing synthesizes information published over the last century to provide the first natural history and a portrait of the amphibian fauna of this vast region.Key features of Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa include*detailed accounts for 205 species of frogs and toads (and 2 species of caecilian) accompanied by color illustrations, distribution maps, details of breeding and tadpole behavior, and call descriptions*illustrations and tadpole identification keys for each genus*special sections for some species with topics such as "skin toxins"*an overview of fossil frogs, a discussion of humankind and frogs in Africa, and a bibliography of African frog biology
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501733699
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 527
Book Description
Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa is the first comprehensive guide to the frogs, toads, and caecilians of the ten sub-equatorial African countries—Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The result is at once a valuable reference tool, a field guide, and a source of ideas for future research.A source of increasing interest in their own right, amphibians are also benchmark species for biodiversity, and are used as laboratory animals in many of the sciences. In the wild, amphibians, especially frogs, act as natural monitors of water quality and are invaluable in pest control. Their skins secrete a wide range of pharmacologically active substances, such as antibiotics and painkillers. Yet frog populations are declining worldwide, mainly due to human destruction of their habitats. Alan Channing synthesizes information published over the last century to provide the first natural history and a portrait of the amphibian fauna of this vast region.Key features of Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa include*detailed accounts for 205 species of frogs and toads (and 2 species of caecilian) accompanied by color illustrations, distribution maps, details of breeding and tadpole behavior, and call descriptions*illustrations and tadpole identification keys for each genus*special sections for some species with topics such as "skin toxins"*an overview of fossil frogs, a discussion of humankind and frogs in Africa, and a bibliography of African frog biology
Field Guide to the Frogs & Other Amphibians of Africa
Author: Alan Channing
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781775845126
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
815 species of amphibian have been described on the African continent - 788 frogs, 23 caecilians and four salamanders. Field Guide to the Frogs & other Amphibians of Africa is the first guide ever to cover all these species. It features a brief introduction with tips for handling and identifying amphibians and a useful illustrated guide to each family group serves as a first step towards species ID. Species accounts describe physical features, distribution, habitat, biology, advertisement calls and conservation status, and are supported by colour photographs and up-to-date distribution maps. This guide will prove invaluable to nature lovers, tour guides, students and scientists.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781775845126
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
815 species of amphibian have been described on the African continent - 788 frogs, 23 caecilians and four salamanders. Field Guide to the Frogs & other Amphibians of Africa is the first guide ever to cover all these species. It features a brief introduction with tips for handling and identifying amphibians and a useful illustrated guide to each family group serves as a first step towards species ID. Species accounts describe physical features, distribution, habitat, biology, advertisement calls and conservation status, and are supported by colour photographs and up-to-date distribution maps. This guide will prove invaluable to nature lovers, tour guides, students and scientists.
Amphibians of Central and Southern Africa
Author: A. Channing
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781919825632
Category : Amphibians
Languages : en
Pages : 470
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781919825632
Category : Amphibians
Languages : en
Pages : 470
Book Description
Chameleons of Southern Africa
Author: Krystal Tolley
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
ISBN: 1920572864
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 203
Book Description
Chameleons are fascinating creatures: they evoke a strong response in people, be it delight and wonder or fear. Chameleons of Southern Africa explores this interesting group of lizards and discusses their unusual and intriguing characteristics. The book presents an overview of all types of chameleons (of which there are up to 160 species), reproduction, behavior and their relationships to one another. There is a comprehensive identification guide to all southern African species – some 25 have been identified to date – together with distribution maps and colourful photographs of their many features and guises. For interested students, gardeners, naturalists and even just the curious, Chameleons of Southern Africa is an essential guide to these captivating lizards
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
ISBN: 1920572864
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 203
Book Description
Chameleons are fascinating creatures: they evoke a strong response in people, be it delight and wonder or fear. Chameleons of Southern Africa explores this interesting group of lizards and discusses their unusual and intriguing characteristics. The book presents an overview of all types of chameleons (of which there are up to 160 species), reproduction, behavior and their relationships to one another. There is a comprehensive identification guide to all southern African species – some 25 have been identified to date – together with distribution maps and colourful photographs of their many features and guises. For interested students, gardeners, naturalists and even just the curious, Chameleons of Southern Africa is an essential guide to these captivating lizards
Amphibians of North Africa
Author: Daniel Escoriza
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 9780128154762
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
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.
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 9780128154762
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
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.
Atlas and Red Data Book of the Frogs of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland
Author: L. R. Minter
Publisher: Smithsonian Institution Si/Mab Biodiversity Program
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 414
Book Description
Publisher: Smithsonian Institution Si/Mab Biodiversity Program
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 414
Book Description
The Wildlife of Southern Africa
Author: Vincent Carruthers
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
ISBN: 1775844641
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 1866
Book Description
A field guide to the wildlife of southern Africa, describing over 2,000 plants and animals, with accurate illustrations in full colour. This book has been a trusted fi eld companion for many years. Comprehensively updated, it now features range maps for most groups. The chapters are colour-coded for easy reference, and diagnostic features appear in bold type within the descriptions. Each chapter is written by a leading expert in the field. All the main plant and animal groups are covered: Lower invertebrates, Spiders and other arachnids, Insects, Freshwater fishes, Frogs, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Grasses, sedges, ferns and fungi, Wild flowers, Trees
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
ISBN: 1775844641
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 1866
Book Description
A field guide to the wildlife of southern Africa, describing over 2,000 plants and animals, with accurate illustrations in full colour. This book has been a trusted fi eld companion for many years. Comprehensively updated, it now features range maps for most groups. The chapters are colour-coded for easy reference, and diagnostic features appear in bold type within the descriptions. Each chapter is written by a leading expert in the field. All the main plant and animal groups are covered: Lower invertebrates, Spiders and other arachnids, Insects, Freshwater fishes, Frogs, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Grasses, sedges, ferns and fungi, Wild flowers, Trees
Bats of Southern and Central Africa
Author: Ara Monadjem
Publisher: Wits University Press
ISBN: 1776145828
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 728
Book Description
This revised edition of a book first published in 2010 supplements the original account of the 116 bat species then known to be found in Southern and Central Africa with an additional eight newly described species. The chapters on evolution, biogeography, ecology and echolocation have been updated, citing dozens of recently published papers. The book covers the latest systematic and taxonomic studies, ensuring that the names and relationships of bats in this new edition reflect current scientific knowledge. The species accounts provide descriptions, measurements and diagnostic characters as well as detailed information about the distribution, habitat, roosting habits, foraging ecology and reproduction of each species. The updated species distribution maps are based on 116 recorded localities. A special feature of the 2010 publication was the mode of identification of families, genera and species by way of character matrices rather than the more generally used dichotomous keys. Since then these matrices have been tested in the field and, where necessary, slightly altered for this edition. New photographs fill in gaps and updated sonograms aid with bat identification in acoustic surveys. The bibliography, which now contains more than 700 entries, will be an invaluable aid to students and scientists wishing to track down original research.
Publisher: Wits University Press
ISBN: 1776145828
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 728
Book Description
This revised edition of a book first published in 2010 supplements the original account of the 116 bat species then known to be found in Southern and Central Africa with an additional eight newly described species. The chapters on evolution, biogeography, ecology and echolocation have been updated, citing dozens of recently published papers. The book covers the latest systematic and taxonomic studies, ensuring that the names and relationships of bats in this new edition reflect current scientific knowledge. The species accounts provide descriptions, measurements and diagnostic characters as well as detailed information about the distribution, habitat, roosting habits, foraging ecology and reproduction of each species. The updated species distribution maps are based on 116 recorded localities. A special feature of the 2010 publication was the mode of identification of families, genera and species by way of character matrices rather than the more generally used dichotomous keys. Since then these matrices have been tested in the field and, where necessary, slightly altered for this edition. New photographs fill in gaps and updated sonograms aid with bat identification in acoustic surveys. The bibliography, which now contains more than 700 entries, will be an invaluable aid to students and scientists wishing to track down original research.
Alien Reptiles and Amphibians
Author: Fred Kraus
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402089465
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 571
Book Description
Transportation of species to areas outside their native ranges has been a feature of human culture for millennia. During this time such activities have largely been viewed as beneficial or inconsequential. However, it has become increasingly clear that human-caused introductions of alien biota are an ecological disruption whose consequences rival those of better-known insults like chemical pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Indeed, the irreversible nature of most alien-species int- ductions makes them less prone to correction than many other ecological problems. Current reshuffling of species ranges is so great that the present era has been referred to by some as the “Homogocene” in an effort to reflect the unique mag- tude of the changes being made. These alien interlopers often cause considerable ecological and economic d- age where introduced. Species extinctions, food-web disruptions, community alte- tions, ecosystem conversion, changes in nutrient cycling, fisheries collapse, watershed degradation, agricultural loss, building damage, and disease epidemics are among the destructive – and frequently unpredictable – ecological and economic effects that invasive alien species can inflict. The magnitude of these damages c- tinues to grow, with virtually all environments heavily used by humans now do- nated by alien species and many “natural” areas becoming increasingly prone to alien invasion as well. Attention to this problem has increased in the past decade or so, and efforts to prevent or limit further harm are gaining wider scientific and political acceptance.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402089465
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 571
Book Description
Transportation of species to areas outside their native ranges has been a feature of human culture for millennia. During this time such activities have largely been viewed as beneficial or inconsequential. However, it has become increasingly clear that human-caused introductions of alien biota are an ecological disruption whose consequences rival those of better-known insults like chemical pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. Indeed, the irreversible nature of most alien-species int- ductions makes them less prone to correction than many other ecological problems. Current reshuffling of species ranges is so great that the present era has been referred to by some as the “Homogocene” in an effort to reflect the unique mag- tude of the changes being made. These alien interlopers often cause considerable ecological and economic d- age where introduced. Species extinctions, food-web disruptions, community alte- tions, ecosystem conversion, changes in nutrient cycling, fisheries collapse, watershed degradation, agricultural loss, building damage, and disease epidemics are among the destructive – and frequently unpredictable – ecological and economic effects that invasive alien species can inflict. The magnitude of these damages c- tinues to grow, with virtually all environments heavily used by humans now do- nated by alien species and many “natural” areas becoming increasingly prone to alien invasion as well. Attention to this problem has increased in the past decade or so, and efforts to prevent or limit further harm are gaining wider scientific and political acceptance.
Insects of Southern Africa
Author: C. H. Scholtz
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 536
Book Description
Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 536
Book Description