Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World (2-Volume Set)

About this book

Language: English, with vernacular names in English, French, German, and Spanish

The Handbook of the Mammals of the World (HMW) is an unprecedented, lavishly illustrated reference work for the Class Mammalia. This series of 9 large-format volumes describes and illustrates every currently recognized mammal species, and gives a detailed overview of each mammalian family. It provides up-to-date information on the evolutionary relationships, natural history, ecology, and current conservation status for all mammals. Every species is illustrated, and each family chapter contains beautiful colour photographs of mammals in action. HMW provides comprehensive worldwide coverage by involving an international group of expert authors, each of whom is a leading authority on their respective groups of mammals.

It took several years to produce the entire series, and this comprehensive Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World forms a suitable impressive capstone to the series. This latest work updates the taxonomy of each currently recognized species of mammal, providing a complete checklist in a set of two volumes (a set that comes in at 9 kilograms). HMW followed traditionally accepted classifications, based on Mammal Species of the World (Wilson and Reeder, 2005), but with several improvements. The views of the authors, all of them acknowledged authorities on their respective groups, were incorporated into each volume. Each volume considered the description of new species and ongoing systematic revisions that continue to add to our knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships within Mammalia. Ongoing taxonomic work and recent research using new molecular techniques have revolutionized our ability to analyze evolutionary relationships. This has resulted in sweeping changes in the number of species recognized in almost every group of mammals.

The new illustrated checklist incorporates all recently published revisions and combines them into a new, brief species account for every species. In addition to the updated scientific name of each species, the accounts include common names in English, French, German, and Spanish, and the IUCN Red List Conservation Category. Taxonomic notes update recent changes, and updated distributions are included too.  If subspecies are recognized, they are updated along with their current distributions. Accompanying each species account is a scientific illustration in full colour, adapted from the earlier volumes, along with an updated distribution map.

If you own the entire set of HMW, you will want to add this latest set of volumes to provide up-to-date coverage of all currently recognized species, including recently described forms. The Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World also works well as a complete, stand-alone summary of the current taxonomy and distribution of every currently recognized species of mammal.

Features:
- 27 orders, 167 families, 1,343 genera, 6,562 species (102 extinct and 18 domesticated).
- Features more than 7,250 illustrations, including 800 new ones of primates and more than 100 of other groups.
- Includes 6,442 distribution maps.

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