Product Description
With illustrations on seven vertebrates - Lamprey, Shark, Perch, Mudpuppy, Frog, Cat, Pigeon - Dissection of Vertebrates is the first book of its kind to include high-quality, digitally rendered illustrations, and has recently won an Award of Excellence in Illustrated Medical Book from the Association of Medicial Illustrators.

Using a systemic approach for each vertebrate, this book covers several vertebrates commonly used in providing a transitional sequence in morphology. This beautifully illustrated, full-color primary dissection manual is ideal for use by students or practitioners working with vertebrate anatomy. Not only is this book ideal for students, but also for researchers in vertebrate and functional morphology and comparative anatomy. The result of this exceptional work offers the most comprehensive treatment than has ever before been available.

* Received the Award of Excellence in an Illustrated Medical Book from the Association of Medical Illustrators
* Expertly rendered award-winning illustrations accompany the detailed, clear dissection direction
* Organized by individual organism to facilitate classroom presentation
* Offers coverage of a wide range of vertebrates
* Full-color, strong pedagogical aids in a convenient lay-flat presentation ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Book is exactly as expected.
The book is a thorough manual to aid in dissection. It was required for my 2nd level bio class. High quality pages, photos, great colour and descriptions.

great manual
This manual is great with diagrams and descriptions. I believe they should add more diagrams to further help understand the locations of body parts. ... Read more

Product Description
Vertebrate Palaeontology is a complete, up-to-date history of the evolution of vertebrates. The third edition of this popular text has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest research, including new material from North and South America, Australia, Europe, China, Africa and Russia.

• Highlights astonishing new discoveries including new dinosaurs and Mesozoic birds from China
  
• features a new chapter on how to study fossil vertebrates
  
• provides an increased emphasis on the cladistic framework with cladograms set apart from the body of the text and full lists of diagnostic characters
  
• includes new molecular evidence on early mammal diversification
  
• new features aid study including new functional and developmental feature spreads, key questions and extensive references to useful web sites
  
• strong phylogenetic focus making it an up-to-date source of the latest broad-scale systematic data on vertebrate evolution
  

To access the artwork from the book, please visit: www.blackwellpublishing.com/benton.

An Instructor manual CD-ROM for this title is available. Please contact our Higher Education team at HigherEducation@wiley.com for more information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

What you'd expect.
The book was in the condition advertised. Pleased and would order from this seller again.

Nice overview of the Vertebrates but info not current
Benton does a fine job with the actual subject matter of vertebrate paleontology per se, but his introduction and analysis as to how fossils are formed, and under what conditions,leaves a lot to be desired.He oversells the evolutionary angle with rampant,unsupported speculation and theory, completely ignoring the more recent work of Behe, Dembski et al, as well as credible explanations for the Cambrian findings at the Cheng-jiang and Burgess Shale deposits. In short, this is really not an up-to-date scientific book. To see what I mean, read Clarkson's book on INVERTEBRATE paleontology -- a far better and more scholarly work.

Excellent intermediate level book
This book provides a readable, self-contained, description of the evolution of vertebrates. I think it's a great book.

The main purpose of the opening two chapters is to provide background material for the rest of the book. The first shows how vertebrates fit into the tree of life. Enough embryology is presented to define deutrostomes. The only phylum considered in any detail is, not surprisingly, chordata. Some other phyla are described, but this is done mainly to show how they relate to chordates. This chapter is brief but lucid. The following chapter presents material on fossil excavation, cladistics and the fossil record.

After this introductory material the book progresses to its main topic. The approach is roughly chronological. As usual the focus is, for the most part, on the animals that were dominat in that time. For instance amphibians aren't considered after rise of amniotes and reptiles aren't considered after the Mesozoic.

The first topic covered is fish from the Paleozoic, at least through the Devonian period. The material is pretty much what one would expect: jawless fish, the origin of jaws, armour-plated fish, early sharks, bony fish, lung fish and a mass extinction of fish that occurred in the late Devonian. There is a chapter later in the book that covers fish evolution from the end of the Paleozoic. It treats the evolution of sharks and bony fish in more detail.

An outline of the remaining content is: amphibians, early amniotes (my favorite chapter covering synapsids/diapsids/anapsids), dinosaurs and reptiles from the Mesozoic, birds, mammals and finally a chapter on human evolution.

Each chapter begins with a list of "key questions" that will be addressed. This was useful both in providing a preview of the material to come and in providing a review of what was covered. The coverage in each chapter went along the lines of describing important genera, descriptions of how the various species made their way in the world, cladograms (of varying granularity), anatomical diagrams, photos of fossils and descriptions of important finds. One very nice feature is that some important concepts were explained in great detail, like the digits that birds have lost or how reptilian jaw bones evolved into important parts of the mammalian inner ear. Another nice feature is that the author makes it clear where there are controversies among paleontologists and explain where the weight of the evidence leads.

Aside from the main text some other good aspects of the book are that if gives lots of references (including some available on-line), the bibliography references a lot of good books and there is an appendix that gives a reasonably detailed classification of the vertebrates.

The book covers quite a lot of material in a surprisingly small number of pages, slightly less than 400 pages in the main text. I think more than enough background material is included in the book for non-specialists. However prior exposure to natural selection would be useful, although any likely readers probably have more than sufficient knowledge. Obviously any of the individual topics, like dinosaur evolution or human evolution, are considered in more detail in specialized texts. Given the vast amount of potential material I thought the level of detail was very good.

Vertebrate Palaeontology
"Vertebrate Palaeontology" written by Michael J. Benton is a chronological narritive wriiten like a college text book about the subject of vertebrate palaenolology.There are a few diversions into related current subject matter throughout the text making for some interesting reading but the focus of the book is how the vertebrate palaeontologists obtain their information.

I found the book to be very informative and rather detailed in scope and breath in some areas where there is a lot of information on the subject and and rather enlightening in areas where there is less information."Verterbrate Palaeontology" is designed for palaeontology courses in college given by either the biology, geology, or palaeontology departments within the university setting, but if you are an enthusiast you can still benefit from reading this book, and experience the "how" in how information is processed in a research setting.

"Vertebrate Palaeontology" is about the evolution of the vertebrate... that is, it is about all of the historical animals that have existed prior to man's evolution and about human evolution itself.The book makes for a fascinating read and I found that it is very logical in its progression and the information that the book imparts is quite valuable in its very nature as to how animals evolved as they did and for what purpose.

Like I've said, this book is not for the novice or a young reader, but for those that truly need to read about more detailed and structured information as to why things are as they are and happened for a particular reason.Reading "Vertebrate Palaeontogy" will give the reader a structured and discplined reading as to approaching the information at hand and you'll better understand the adaptations required for the move on to land and the relationships of the early amphibians and reptiles... orgins and biology of the dinosaurs and the role that extinction plays in the whole of evolution. Reading "Vertebrate Palaeontology" will train your mind in a logical train of thinking and gives the reader a leg up on what is found and how to interpret any evidence found and the approach to which and how to handle this information in a logical manner.

I gave "Vertebrate Palaeontology" a solid 5 stars for the reasons above and that there is a wealth of information contained within its pages that will definitely give you a more enlightened view of life on earth.The reading of "Vertebrate Palaeontology" will in some areas be very taxing and others the read is absolutely enlightening... this book is written for the specialist in mind. "Vertebrate Palaeontology" has plenty of illustrations and the book has an extensive bibliography and has the works of others in this field properly footnoted for further exploration into the topic.

Useful and interesting
Benton manages to write a thorough text on various vertebrate groups and their evolutionary trends, mentioning specific important species and basic morphology without making the book as dry as a bone. As one can always state about books that are overviews, one could wish for more thorough coverage of personal groups of interest, but as an overview, this is a great book. The diagrams and phylogenetic charts are very helpful, and the case studies that are provided in offset boxes are very interesting.

One major complaint about the book is the number of typos and mislabeled diagrams...it can become rather confusing. I have taken a pen to the book and with careful reading, re-reading and cross referencing, have corrected the errors in my own copy to save me the brain strain...but on the whole, this book does what one would want from it. ... Read more

Product Description

This review of Pennsylvania's conservation efforts is the first book to focus exclusively on the state's vertebrates of concern.

The 133 species of reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals discussed in this book are Pennsylvania's most vulnerable terrestrial vertebrates. Each species is described in a full account that details basic biology and includes photographs and range maps. The accompanying narratives focus on conservation priorities, research needs, and management recommendations. Featuring information compiled from a broad array of sources and by contributors who are recognized authorities on their respective species, this volume is a model for wildlife conservation across much of the northeastern United States.

A road map that reveals the Keystone State's most sensitive species and what can be done to manage and conserve these important natural resources, Terrestrial Vertebrates of Pennsylvania is a valuable tool for wildlife managers, conservationists, and naturalists.

Product Description
ABOUT THE BOOK * *
The Vertebrata is one of the most speciose groups of animals, comprising more than 58,000 living species. This book provides a detailed account on the comparative anatomy, development, homologies and evolution of the head, neck, pectoral and forelimb muscles of vertebrates. It includes hundreds of illustrations (drawings and photographs) of, as well as numerous tables showing the homologies between the muscles of all the major ex- tant vertebrate taxa, including lampreys, elasmobranchs, hagfish, coelacanths, dipnoans, actinistians, teleosts, halecomorphs, ginglymodians, chondrosteans, caecilians, anurans, urodeles, turtles, lepidosaurs, crocodylians, birds, and mammals such as monotremes, rodents, tree-shrews, flying lemurs and primates, including modern humans. It also provides a list of more than a thousand synonyms that have been used by other authors to designate these muscles in the literature. Importantly, it also reviews data obtained in the fields of evolutionary developmental biology, molecular biology and embryology, and explains how this data helps to understand the evolution and homologies of vertebrate muscles.
The book will be useful to students, teachers, and researchers working in fields such as functional morphology, ecomorphology, evolutionary developmental biology, zoology, molecular biology, evolution, and phylogeny. As the book includes crucial information about the anatomy, development, homologies, evolution and muscular abnormalities of our own species, Homo sapiens, it will also be helpful to physicians and medical students.

CONTENTS * *
* Introduction and Aims

Product Description
This one-semester text is designed for an upper-level majors course. Vertebrates features a unique emphasis on function and evolution of vertebrates, complete anatomical detail, and excellent pedagogy. Vertebrate groups are organized phylogenetically, and their systems discussed within such a context. Morphology is foremost, but the author has developed and integrated an understanding of function and evolution into the discussion of anatomy of the various systems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Comparative Verterbrate Anatomy
Its much cheaper to get this paperback book instead of the hardcover one. I'm sure if you are buying this book its for a class, so the cheaper the better! Only problem I have with this book is that the chapters are loooong. Instead of breaking some things into multiple chapters it will lump families orders etc into one long chapter.

Great
Item came in time and was in good condition. I needed to return the book due to personal reasons and the seller was very easy to work with and the process was very smooth.

Better to buy this used.
This review is for the 5th edition of the text.Pages are flimsy and cheaply made.Not very many color pics/diagrams--most of them are in black and white, and seems to be lacking pictures for confusing concepts.I compared 4th and 5th editions, and there is virtually no difference, except pictures have been moved around within chapters (I felt ripped off for buying the newest edition>:().I would recommend buying one edition older, if you need this book for a class.
Boring text that goes into way too much detail.Maybe this is good for people who want to dedicate their lives to studying vertebrates, but not for college students who will only be introduced and exposed to this material for one semester.
Most of the focus of this book is on the evolutionary differences between different types of vertebrates within different anatomical systems.

Great buy
The book was in awesome condition, no writing, creases, nothing. =) It was a good price too.

Really fast shipping
The book was in perfect condition, plastic wrapped and everything. It came to me very quickly. Very Happy with my purchase. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume presents state-of-the-art papers on important topics and methods in the analysis of vertebrate microfossil assemblages. The minute remains of animals and plants have proven very useful to paleontologists as tools for dating large fossils, describing the environments which existed at the time the fossils were deposited, and identifying and mapping the extent of local floras and faunas, among other things. Due to the large sample sizes that can be obtained, the chance to recover rare taxa is much higher than it is during a search for skeletal remains. Analysis of the data produced from microvertebrate localities can address a wide range of questions as these papers clearly demonstrate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good for dinosaur fans
A nice assortment of papers with emphasis on dinosaurs from the Cretaceous. While I sympathize with workers whose favorite taxa or time periods are not discussed in the studies contained in this volume, I think it's unfair to criticize this work too heavily in this regard. After all, giving adequate coverage to 500 million years of Earth history in any one volume always omits far more than it includes. It would be nice, for instance, to see someone give a modern treatment to the vast Permian microfossil record (especially the Russian record which is barely touched in English), but I suppose that volume has still to be written. It's worth noting, too, that this volume is a collection of papers and not a textbook. The papers themselves are generally thorough and well illustrated, but are not meant to be a breakthrough synthesis of microfossil applications. Perhaps a more accurate title would avoid confusion, but that's why I always look at the table of contents before I buy a book since you can't judge a book by its cover. Highly recommended for dinosaur fans.

Quite the disappointment
I was quite disappointed in this book, mainly because the title is rather misleading.It should have been called "Vertebrate Microfossil Assemblages: Their Role in CRETACEOUS Paleoecology and Paleobiogeography"!I work on Devonian fish where the only things found are microvert `parts'.I was hoping for a more comprehensive volume devoted to microvert recovery, methodology and significance, not one so limited in scope.The first part is devoted to some of that, but it only covers the first 17 pages.The next 230 pages are devoted to specific localities that produce land verts; only one mentions anything about fish.Because of the rarity of macrofossils in general, I'm sure that this would be a valuable addition to the Cretaceous dinosaur, amphibian or bird field paleontologist who values these underrated treasures.However, the volume is nearly useless to other microvertebrate workers and amateurs who key in on larger fossils.I didn't derive any new methodologies from this volume that could be applied to other studies.I remember receiving a flyer from Indiana U Press last summer and the excitement it spawned after seeing this title listed as an upcoming volume.Then, it was postponed at least twice.Unfortunately, it was not worth the wait.While this is hardly important to a scientist, to top-it-all-off, the cover looks like it was designed by a high school art class. ... Read more

Product Description

This book explores afresh the long-standing interest, and emphasis on, the `special' capacities of primates. Some of the recent discoveries of the higher cognitive abilities of other mammals and also birds challenge the concept that primates are special and even the view that the cognitive ability of apes is more advanced than that of nonprimate mammals and birds. It is therefore timely to ask whether primates are, in fact, special and to do so from a broad range of perspectives. Divided into five sections this book deals with topics about higher cognition and how it is manifested in different species, and also considers aspects of brain structure that might be associated with complex behavior.

Product Description
The Evolution of Vertebrate Design is a solid introduction to vertebrate evolution, paleontology, vertebrate biology, and functional, comparative anatomy. Its lucid style also makes it ideal for general readers intrigued by fossil history.Clearly drawn diagrams illustrate biomechanical explanations of the evolution of fins, jaws, joints, and body shapes among vertebrates.A glossary of terms is included.

"A luminous text is matched by lucid drawings rationally placed. . . .A great teaching monograph, the book will charm lay readers of fossil history.For virtually every college & public collection."--Scitech Book News ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Extremely fine exposition
I found this to be one of the best written books on the subject, extremely clear explanation of many facets in the design of vertebrate structures. The illustrations are simple and clear. I wish there were more of this kind of texts.

Evolution <-> design of vertebrates
This clearly written, concise reference is suitable for the general reader interested in general functional principles in the evolution of vertebrates. The earliest vertebrates to the evolutionary radiation of mammals are covered. Leonard Radinsky was a professor at the University of Chicago, working on this reference as a textbook that would introduce students to vertebrate functional morphology combined with paleontology. Although he died in 1985, this reference was completed by Sharon B. Emerson in 1987. ... Read more

Product Description
An understanding of sexual segregation is important in the explanation of life history and social preference, population dynamics and the conservation of rare species. This book explores the reasons why this behaviour has evolved and what factors contribute to it. Males and females of many species can, and do, live separately for long periods of time. This sexual segregation is widespread and can be on social, spatial or habitat scales. ... Read more

Product Description
The long-awaited third edition of this popular textbook, which has been unavailable for several years, is completely revised and updated.It retains the successful format of previous editions, dealing with the nature, actions and roles of hormones among vertebrate animals. Special emphasis is placed on the evolution and origins of hormones and their receptors; the role of hormones in the physiological coordination of vertebrates; and each endocrine process in the context of the organism's physiology, ecology, and evolution. Comparative Vertebrate Endocrinology discusses the intimate physiology of the endocrine system and the pivotal role of hormones in coordinating basic body processes such as nutrition, reproduction, calcium metabolism, and osmoregulation, as well as their contributions to animal coloration, molting, and development. The species included range from lower chordates to mammals, including marsupials. ... Read more

Product Description
An account of the different morphologies of vertebrate respiratory organs and structures. It explains the essence of different functional designs and strategies that have adaptively developed for the acquisition of molecular oxygen and elimination of carbon dioxide. The origins of the various respiratory systems are presented and debated from evolutionary, phylogenetic, behavioural and ecological perspectives. The book carefully outlines the interactions between the environment (the physical realm) and evolution and adaptation (the biological domain) that have set the composition and patterning of extant animal life. ... Read more

Product Description

Vertebrate Hair Cells provides a current overview of the mechanosensory receptor cells of the vertebrate inner ear. Each chapter is written by experimentalists active in exploring a particular set of questions in an aspect of hair cell function, including development, transduction, and synaptic transmission. Experimental approaches described include molecular, genetic, ultrastructural, biophysical and computational. Thus, each chapter covers not just what we know, but how we have learned it and the implications for future work. The experimental focus differentiates this book from general textbooks and targets an advanced audience, from senior undergraduates through to scientists in the field of hair cell research.

Customer Reviews (1)

Better together
Understanding vertebrate hairstyles necessitates firm grounding in the invertebrate hairstyles, thus I recommend as a companion to this volume "Invertebrate Hairstyles: A Survey of the Carinarioidia, from Afro to Mohawk." ... Read more

Product Description
This volume documents advances in molecular biology and developmental genetics that have contributed to a wealth of new data on the major steps in vertebrate evolution. The book appeals to evolutionary biologists and developmental biologists at postgraduate and postdoctorate level. It also serves as useful additional reading for senior undergraduates studying biology, zoology or developmental biology. ... Read more

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Dealing with important systems starting from lower vertebrates to mammals, this book covers topics including morphological, biochemical and molecular aspects of cartilages of the skeleton of sea lamprey; evolutionary transformation of respiratory islets of airbreathing fish, and more. ... Read more

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How do vertebrates get the oxygen they need, or even manage without it for shorter or longer periods of time? How do they sense oxygen, how do they take it up from water or air, and how do they transport it to their tissues? Respiratory system adaptations allow numerous vertebrates to thrive in extreme environments where oxygen availability is limited or where there is no oxygen at all. Written for students and researchers in comparative physiology, this authoritative summary of vertebrate respiratory physiology begins by exploring the fundamentals of oxygen sensing, uptake and transport in a textbook style. Subsequently, the reader is shown important examples of extreme respiratory performance, like diving and high altitude survival in mammals and birds, air breathing in fish, and those few vertebrates that can survive without any oxygen at all for several months, showing how evolution has solved the problem of life without oxygen. ... Read more

Product Description
The author examines hemostasis in animals from all seven majorvertebrate classes.Her research provides unique insights into thephylogenetic development of the various phases and components ofhemostasis. This monograph is a valuable reference for students,researchers, and teachers of biology, zoology, veterinary science,and human medicine. ... Read more

Product Description

This volume presents the proceedings of "Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11", hosted by the University of Liverpool and held July 25 - 28, 2006 at the University of Chester in the United Kingdom. Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11 contains the latest research on chemical communication relevant to vertebrates, particularly focusing on new research since the last meeting in 2003. Topics covered include chemical ecology, biochemistry, behavior and neurobiology of both the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems of vertebrates, from amphibia to mammals including humans. A broad range of taxonomic groups and topics are discussed, including sections on new directions in semiochemistry, olfactory response and function, recognition within species, sexual communication, maternal-offspring communication, communication between species, and applications for zoo animal enrichment and pest control. The volume is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Bets Rasmussen and includes a special tribute chapter on her ground-breaking research on elephant communication.

Product Description
As the first four-legged vertebrates, called tetrapods, crept up along the shores of ancient primordial seas, feeding was among the most paramount of their concerns. Looking back into the mists of evolutionary time, fish-like ancestors can be seen transformed by natural selection and other evolutionary pressures into animals with feeding habitats as varied as an anteater and a whale. From frog to pheasant and salamander to snake, every lineage of tetrapods has evolved unique feeding anatomy and behavior.
Similarities in widely divergent tetrapods vividly illustrate their shared common ancestry. At the same time, numerous differences between and among tetrapods document the power and majesty that comprises organismal evolutionary history.
Feeding is a detailed survey of the varied ways that land vertebrates acquire food. The functional anatomy and the control of complex and dynamic structural components are recurrent themes of this volume. Luminaries in the discipline of feeding biology have joined forces to create a book certain to stimulate future studies of animal anatomy and behavior. ... Read more