Evolution of island mammals [[electronic resource] ] : adaptation and extinction of placental mammals on islands / / Alexandra van der Geer ... [et al.]

• Pubblicazione: Hoboken, N.J., : Wiley-Blackwell, 2010
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (509 p.)
• Disciplina: 569.09142; 599.13/809142; 599.13809142
• Soggetto topico: Mammals - Evolution; Island animals - Evolution
• Altri autori: GeerAlexandra van der
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Machine generated contents note: Preface. -- Part I Beyond the Mainland. -- 1 Introduction. -- 2 History of Island Studies. -- 3 Factors that Influence Island Faunas. -- Types of Islands. -- Dispersals to Islands. -- The Candidate Species. -- Composition of Island Faunas. -- Part II The Islands and Their Faunas. -- 4 Cyprus. -- Geology and Palaeogeography -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 5 Crete. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 6 Gargano. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 7 Sicily. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 8 Malta. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 9 Sardinia and Corsica. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 10 The Balearic Islands. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 11 Madagascar. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 12 Java. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 13 Flores. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 14 Sulawesi. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 15 The Philippines. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 16 Japan. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 17 The Southern and Central Ryukyu Islands. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 18 The Californian Channel Islands. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- 19 The West Indies. -- Geology and Palaeogeography. -- Historical Palaeontology. -- Biozones and Faunal Units. -- Part III Species and Processes. -- 20 Elephants, Mammoths, Stegodons and Mastodons. -- Distribution and Range. -- Dispersals. -- Taxonomic Confusions. -- Common Morphological Traits. -- Other Common Trends. -- 21 Rabbits, Hares and Pikas. -- Distribution and Range. -- Common Morphological Traits. -- Other Common Trends. -- Dispersal of Lagomorphs. -- 22 Rats, Dormice, Hamsters, Caviomorphs and other Rodents. -- Distribution and Range. -- Common Morphological Traits. -- Remark on Taphonomy. -- 23 Insectivores and Bats. -- Distribution and Range. -- Common Morphological Traits. -- 24 Cervids and Bovids. -- Distribution and Range. -- Common Morphological Traits. -- Taxonomic Confusions. -- 25 Hippopotamuses and Pigs. -- Distribution and Range. -- Common Morphological Traits. -- Taxonomic Confusions. -- 26 Carnivores. -- Distribution and Range. -- Common Morphological Traits. -- Taxonomic Confusions. -- 27 Patterns and Trends. -- Dwarfism and Gigantism. -- Increased Size Variation. -- Shorter Limbs and Stiff Joints. -- Increased Grinding Force. -- Neurological Changes. -- Changes in Metabolism. -- 28 Evolutionary Processes in Island Environments. -- Types of Speciation on Islands. -- Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors. -- 29 Extinction of Insular Endemics. -- Natural Disasters. -- Disappearance of the Island. -- Competition by New Species. -- Effects of Exotic Predators. -- Transmission of Diseases. -- Habitat Loss. -- Hunting to Extinction. -- References. -- Index.
• Sommario/riassunto: Evolution on islands differs in a number of important ways from evolution on mainland areas. Over millions of years of isolation, exceptional and sometimes bizarre mammals evolved on islands, such as pig-sized elephants and hippos, giant rats and gorilla-sized lemurs that would have been formidable to their mainland ancestors. This timely and innovative book is the first to offer a much-needed synthesis of recent advances in the exciting field of the evolution and extinction of fossil insular placental mammals. It provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on fossil island mamma
• Titolo autorizzato: Evolution of island mammals
• ISBN: 1-282-91415-4; 9786612914157; 1-4443-2398-9; 1-4443-2399-7
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910830025203321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II