The Nine-Banded Armadillo

The Nine-Banded Armadillo PDF Author: W. J. Loughry
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
ISBN: 0806194731
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 345

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Book Description
The word armadillo is Spanish for “little armored one.” This midsize mammal that looks like a walking tank is a source of fascination for many people but a mystery to almost all. Dating back at least eleven million years, the nocturnal, burrowing insectivore was for centuries mistaken for a cross between a hedgehog and a turtle, but it actually belongs to the mammalian superorder Xenarthra that includes sloths and anteaters. Biologists W. J. Loughry and Colleen M. McDonough have studied the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) for more than twenty years. Their richly illustrated book offers the first comprehensive review of everything scientists know about this unique animal. Engaging both scientists and a broader public, Loughry and McDonough describe the armadillo’s anatomy and physiology and all aspects of its ecology, behavior, and evolution. They also compare the nine-banded armadillo with twenty or so other, related species. The authors pay special attention to three key features of armadillo biology—reproduction, disease, and habitat expansion—and why they matter. Armadillos reproduce in a unique and puzzling manner: females always give birth to litters of genetically identical quadruplets, a strategy not found in any other vertebrates. Nine-banded armadillos are also the only vertebrates except for humans known to contract leprosy naturally. And what about habitat expansion? The authors suggest that the armadillo’s remarkable spread across the southeastern United States may be the consequence of its most notable feature: a tough, protective carapace. Biologists, evolutionists, students, and all those interested in this curious creature will find The Nine-Banded Armadillo rich in information and insight. This comprehensive analysis will stand as the definitive scientific reference for years to come and a source of pleasure for the general public.

The Nine-Banded Armadillo

The Nine-Banded Armadillo PDF Author: W. J. Loughry
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
ISBN: 0806194731
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 345

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Book Description
The word armadillo is Spanish for “little armored one.” This midsize mammal that looks like a walking tank is a source of fascination for many people but a mystery to almost all. Dating back at least eleven million years, the nocturnal, burrowing insectivore was for centuries mistaken for a cross between a hedgehog and a turtle, but it actually belongs to the mammalian superorder Xenarthra that includes sloths and anteaters. Biologists W. J. Loughry and Colleen M. McDonough have studied the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) for more than twenty years. Their richly illustrated book offers the first comprehensive review of everything scientists know about this unique animal. Engaging both scientists and a broader public, Loughry and McDonough describe the armadillo’s anatomy and physiology and all aspects of its ecology, behavior, and evolution. They also compare the nine-banded armadillo with twenty or so other, related species. The authors pay special attention to three key features of armadillo biology—reproduction, disease, and habitat expansion—and why they matter. Armadillos reproduce in a unique and puzzling manner: females always give birth to litters of genetically identical quadruplets, a strategy not found in any other vertebrates. Nine-banded armadillos are also the only vertebrates except for humans known to contract leprosy naturally. And what about habitat expansion? The authors suggest that the armadillo’s remarkable spread across the southeastern United States may be the consequence of its most notable feature: a tough, protective carapace. Biologists, evolutionists, students, and all those interested in this curious creature will find The Nine-Banded Armadillo rich in information and insight. This comprehensive analysis will stand as the definitive scientific reference for years to come and a source of pleasure for the general public.

Blondes in Venetian Paintings, the Nine-banded Armadillo, and Other Essays in Biochemistry

Blondes in Venetian Paintings, the Nine-banded Armadillo, and Other Essays in Biochemistry PDF Author: Konrad Bloch
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 9780300070552
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 280

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Book Description
In this fascinating book, the Nobel Prize-winning scientist Konrad Bloch muses on various aspects of biochemistry, explaining the chemical basis for many biological phenomena. Drawing on his own experiences as well as on colorful anecdotes about the work of other scientists, Bloch presents a new way of looking at the world and a revealing glimpse into the ways that scientific discoveries are made and problems are solved. Bloch begins with a charming essay on why--despite the fact that peroxide had not yet been invented--there are so many blonde women in Italian Renaissance paintings. He then considers, among other topics, some important biochemical processes that were discovered because of contamination; the importance of trial and error in biochemical research; the explanation of lactose intolerance in adults and practices for avoiding it; why the choice of animal models is important for medical research (and how the author injected himself with extracts of the tubercle bacilli to study the pathology of tuberculosis); and why the exotic nine-banded armadillo has unique potential for use in many areas of medical and biological investigations. He concludes with thoughts on biochemistry's origin and future.

Armadillo Rodeo

Armadillo Rodeo PDF Author: Jan Brett
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 039954934X
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 36

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Book Description
When Bo spots what he thinks is a "rip-roarin', rootin'-tootin', shiny red armadillo," he knows what he has to do. Follow that armadillo! Bo leaves his mother and three brothers behind and takes off for a two-stepping, bronco-bucking adventure. Jan Brett turns her considerable talents toward the Texas countryside in this amusing story of an armadillo on his own.

Conservation Genetics in Mammals

Conservation Genetics in Mammals PDF Author: Jorge Ortega
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030333345
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 374

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Book Description
This book focuses on the use of molecular tools to study small populations of rare and endangered mammals, and presents case studies that apply an evolutionary framework to address innovative questions in the emerging field of mammalian conservation genomics using a highly diverse set of novel molecular tools. Novel and more precise molecular technologies now allow experts in the field of mammology to interpret data in a more contextual and empirical fashion and to better describe the evolutionary and ecological processes that are responsible for the patterns they observe. The book also demonstrates how recent advances in genetic/genomic technologies have been applied to assess the impact of environmental/anthropogenic changes on the health of small populations of mammals. It examines a range of issues in the field of mammalian conservation genomics, such as the role that the genetic diversity of the immune system plays in disease protection and local adaptation; the use of noninvasive techniques and genomic banks as a resource for monitoring and restoring populations; the structuring of population by physical barriers; and genetic diversity. Further, by integrating research from a variety of areas – including population genetics, molecular ecology, systematics, and evolutionary and conservation biology – it enables readers to gain a deeper understanding of the conservation biology of mammals that are at increasing risk of extinction at local, regional and global scales. As such, it offers a unique resource for a broad readership interested in the conservation biology of mammals and conservation management strategies to better preserve biodiversity.

The Amazing Armadillo

The Amazing Armadillo PDF Author: Larry L. Smith
Publisher: Univ of TX + ORM
ISBN: 0292749449
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 149

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Book Description
“Chatty, humorous, and sometimes almost hysterically funny . . . Everything, perhaps even more, that you might have wanted to know about armadillos.” —The Quarterly Review of Biology Perhaps no creature has so fired the imagination of a populace as the armadillo, that most ungainly, awkward, and timid little animal. What is it that sets this quizzical little creature apart from the rest of the animal kingdom? Larry L. Smith and Robin W. Doughty ably answer this question in The Amazing Armadillo: Geography of a Folk Critter. This informative book traces the spread of the nine-banded armadillo from its first notice in South Texas late in the 1840s to its current range east to Florida and north to Missouri. The authors look at the armadillo’s natural history and habitat as well as the role of humans in promoting its spread, projecting that the animal is increasing in both range and number, continuing its ecological success in areas where habitat and climate are favorable. The book also contributes to a long-standing research theme in geography: the relationship between humans and wildlife. It explores the armadillo’s value to the medical community in current research in Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) as well as commercial uses, and abuses, of the armadillo in recent times. Of particular note is the author’s engaging look at the armadillo as a symbol of popular culture, the efforts now underway to make it a “totem animal” symbolizing the easy-going lifestyles of some Sunbelt cities, and the spread of the craze for armadilliana to other urban centers.

The Biology of the Xenarthra

The Biology of the Xenarthra PDF Author: Sergio F. Vizcaíno
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813031651
Category : Xenarthra
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The Xenarthra are an order of the mammals consisting of the armadillos, anteaters, and sloths. The Biology of the Xenarthra is the first authoratative study of the Xenarthra in a generation. The volume features an impressive group of international scholars who explore the current biology and ecological status of these mammals in each of the geographic regions they inhabit. Many of these populations reside in developing countries, and before now, information on these species has been scarce. Topics cover a wide array of issues including genetics, physiology, behavior, ecology, and conservation. Discussions range from paleontological perspectives on xenarthran evolution to both lab and field-based studies of living species. Contemporary research in areas such as genome sequencing and leprosy in armadillos is also included.

Our Sea Turtles

Our Sea Turtles PDF Author: Blair Witherington
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1683343573
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 297

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Book Description
Our Sea Turtles is the story of understanding, experiencing, and saving the sea turtle and helping them thrive in our oceans. Now in its second edition, Blair and Dawn Witherington’s iconic book includes updated facts and figures, new photos, and new calls to action for saving the turtles. Well-organized sections that are full of photos, maps, and figures help readers get a sense of the various types of sea turtles and how they might be similar or different from one another. Those who are interested in not only learning about the marine animal but also in helping it benefit from the authors’ precise knowledge and understanding of sea turtles.

Armadillo's Burrow

Armadillo's Burrow PDF Author: Dee Phillips
Publisher: Bearport Publishing
ISBN: 1617727466
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 28

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Book Description
Looks at armadillo burrows and how armadillos use them to stay safe and raise their young.

The Armadillo from Amarillo

The Armadillo from Amarillo PDF Author:
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780152019556
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Book Description
When an armadillo named Sasparillo wants to know where on earth he is, he leaves his home in San Antonio and travels north through the canyons and prairies of Texas. In Amarillo he meets an eagle and, with her help, finds the answer to his question--as well as lots of adventures.

Zoological Lectures Delivered at the Royal Institution in the Years 1806 and 1807

Zoological Lectures Delivered at the Royal Institution in the Years 1806 and 1807 PDF Author: George Shaw
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Zoology
Languages : en
Pages : 454

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Book Description