Synopses & Reviews
Well adapted to numerous habitats, bats comprise almost one quarter of all species of mammals. This book is a comprehensive introduction to their biology. Suitable as a textbook for undergraduates and written by one of the world's leading researchers, the book offers an accessible summary of the extensive body of research on bats. The book takes a broad physiological perspective and devotes separate chapters to specific physiological systems as well as to bat ecology and phylogeny. It features a thorough discussion of echolocation, which continues to be the subject of intense research, and describes many European and neotropical bats, as well as North American species. Biology of Bats is an important resource both for students and researchers.
Review
"First published in German, this fine translation makes a wealth of information more readily available to biologists. Reviews functional anatomy, circulatory and respiratory systems, diet and digestion, aerodynamics, central nervous system, echolocation, vision, olfaction, reproduction and development, ecology, phylogeny, systematics, and more. Unusually comprehensive in its presentation of information. Suggested references listed at the end of each chapter. Well-suited as a textbook." -- Northeastern Naturalist, 2000
Table of Contents
Abbreviations
Introduction
1. Functional anatomy and locomotion
2. The circulatory and respiratory systems
3. Heat and water balance
4. Diet, digestion, and energy balance
5. Central nervous system
6. Echolocation
7. Vision, olfaction, and taste
8. Reproduction and development
9. Ecology
10. Phylogeny and systematics
Index