Overview

With stunning insights, Life of Marsupials explores this unusual group of mammals, covering the extraordinary diversity of forms around the world, in Australia, New Guinea and the Americas. The author's original text, Life of Marsupials, which was published in 1973, was the first student textbook on marsupials. In this completely re-written edition, he brings a lifetime's experience and masterly insights into the lives of these fascinating mammals. Despite separate evolution there are extraordinary similarities in which marsupials have solved the challenges of living in environments such as deserts, alpine snowfields and tropical rainforests. However, this book also looks at their differences: how some can live on grass and others on leaves; and how some can glide, some can swim and others can hop with extraordinary efficiency. With stunning colour photography of 39 species the book include topics such as: What makes a marsupial? Reproduction and development; Opossums of America: cousins from a distant time; Carnivorous marsupials: bright-eyed killers of the night; Bandicoots: fast-living opportunists; Pygmy possums and sugar gliders; Life in the trees: koala, greater glider and possums; Wombats: vegetarians of the underworld; Kangaroos: consummate herbivores; Marsupials and people; Written by a leading expert on marsupial biology, Life of Marsupials will be of keen interest to zoologists, mammalogists, wildlife researchers and natural historians.

Full Product Details

Author:   Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe
Publisher:   CSIRO Publishing
Imprint:   CSIRO Publishing
Edition:   Revised edition
Dimensions:   Width: 17.00cm , Height: 3.00cm , Length: 24.50cm
Weight:   1.300kg
ISBN:  

9780643062573

ISBN 10:   0643062572
Pages:   464
Publication Date:   01 April 2005
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Reviews

This book is a goldmine for teachers as well as researchers. Tyndale-Biscoe has come close to that goal many of us attempt - to produce a volume that is a helpful reference, a useful textbook for tertiary courses, and a valuable addition to the library of any naturalist. -- Michael L. Augee, Quarterly Review of Biology, March 2007 This new edition improves and updates an already excellent book. It's a marvellous resource for scholars of every level. The book is easy to read and is effectively and attractively illustrated. I recommend it to everyone interested in biology. -- Robert L Close, Australian Zoologist, Vol. 33, No. 3, June 2006 All-in-all, this edition provides a superb, up-to-date synopsis of the biology of marsupials. It is well written and accessible to any reader. CSIRO Publishing have produced an attractive book, including a good selection of colour plates, as well as numerous consistently clear and informative black and white figures. The quality of editing and proofing is exemplary. There is no book that covers what we know of the life of marsupials so well. -- Peter J. Jarman (Austral Ecology, Vol 31, Issue 5, August 2006) It is amazing that a single individual has had the discipline and knowledge to put together such an impressive book. This book represents a rich source of information and synthesis for those interested in marsupial biology. Anyone interested in the conservation of native marsupial species should read this volume. -- Marcelo R Sanchez-Villagra (Journal of Mammalian Evolution, Vol. 13, No. 1, March 2006) Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe authoritatively presents the amassed wealth of marsupial-focussed scientific endeavour of the last 35 years and integrates it into the vast body of information contained in the first edition, published in 1970. . .The book is an incredible resource. -- Alan Barton, natural historian (Wildlife Australia Magazine, Summer 2005) . . . a readable and wide-ranging introduction to the genus as a whole. --Nicholas Gould (International Zoo News, Vol 52, Number 6, 2005) While there is a lot of detail, and some in depth scientific information, Life of Marsupials is quite accessible for readers with interests in zoology, or natural history. The insightful discussions of the remarkable lifestyles of these mammals make for a very enjoyable read. -- Natalie Warburton (Science Network WA) While the book is based on his original 1973 publication (of the same title), the author enriches this new edition with his lifetime's experiences and insights. -- Savannah Links issue 32 January-June 2005 This book will be a goldmine for teachers as well as researchers. Tyndale-Biscoe has come close to that goal many of us attempt - to produce a volume that is a helpful reference, a useful textbook for tertiary courses, and a valuable addition to the library of any naturalist. -- Michael L Augee, Quarterly Review of Biology, March 2006 Life of Marsupials is a remarkable book. It is a brilliant act of individual scholarship and a crowning achievement of a research career on this fabulous group of animals... An encyclopaedic work of excellence. -- Daniel Lunney, Historical Records of Australian Science, Vol. 17, 2006

This book is a goldmine for teachers as well as researchers. Tyndale-Biscoe has come close to that goal many of us attempt - to produce a volume that is a helpful reference, a useful textbook for tertiary courses, and a valuable addition to the library of any naturalist. -- Michael L. Augee, Quarterly Review of Biology, March 2007 This new edition improves and updates an already excellent book. It's a marvellous resource for scholars of every level. The book is easy to read and is effectively and attractively illustrated. I recommend it to everyone interested in biology. -- Robert L Close, Australian Zoologist, Vol. 33, No. 3, June 2006 All-in-all, this edition provides a superb, up-to-date synopsis of the biology of marsupials. It is well written and accessible to any reader. CSIRO Publishing have produced an attractive book, including a good selection of colour plates, as well as numerous consistently clear and informative black and white figures. The quality of editing and proofing is exemplary. There is no book that covers what we know of the life of marsupials so well. -- Peter J. Jarman (Austral Ecology, Vol 31, Issue 5, August 2006) It is amazing that a single individual has had the discipline and knowledge to put together such an impressive book. This book represents a rich source of information and synthesis for those interested in marsupial biology. Anyone interested in the conservation of native marsupial species should read this volume. -- Marcelo R Sanchez-Villagra (Journal of Mammalian Evolution, Vol. 13, No. 1, March 2006) Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe authoritatively presents the amassed wealth of marsupial-focussed scientific endeavour of the last 35 years and integrates it into the vast body of information contained in the first edition, published in 1970. . .The book is an incredible resource. -- Alan Barton, natural historian (Wildlife Australia Magazine, Summer 2005) . . . a readable and wide-ranging introduction to the genus as a whole. --Nicholas Gould (International Zoo News, Vol 52, Number 6, 2005) While there is a lot of detail, and some in depth scientific information, Life of Marsupials is quite accessible for readers with interests in zoology, or natural history. The insightful discussions of the remarkable lifestyles of these mammals make for a very enjoyable read. -- Natalie Warburton (Science Network WA) While the book is based on his original 1973 publication (of the same title), the author enriches this new edition with his lifetime's experiences and insights. -- Savannah Links issue 32 January-June 2005 This book will be a goldmine for teachers as well as researchers. Tyndale-Biscoe has come close to that goal many of us attempt - to produce a volume that is a helpful reference, a useful textbook for tertiary courses, and a valuable addition to the library of any naturalist. -- Michael L Augee, Quarterly Review of Biology, March 2006 Life of Marsupials is a remarkable book. It is a brilliant act of individual scholarship and a crowning achievement of a research career on this fabulous group of animals... An encyclopaedic work of excellence. -- Daniel Lunney, Historical Records of Australian Science, Vol. 17, 2006

Author Information

For more than 40 years, Hugh Tyndale-Biscoe has been at the cutting edge of marsupial research, from brushtail possums in New Zealand, to quokkas in Western Australia, and from tammar wallabies in Canberra to opossums in South America.

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