Walker's Marine Mammals of the World

by Nowak, Ronald M.

• ISBN13: 9780801873430
• ISBN10: 0801873436
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-28
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins Univ Pr

Summary

From the giant bottlenosed whale and the West Indian manatee to the crabeater seal and hourglass dolphin, from the pygmy sperm whale to the spotted-necked otter, marine mammals are among the most fascinating--and most watched--of the earth's many animal species. Some, such as dolphins, are known for their intelligence, friendliness toward humans, and surprisingly sophisticated social behavior. In addition, all these animals are sources of fascination for the special adaptations they have undergone for life in and around the water, for their unique methods of communication ("whale song"), and for the endangered status of many species. Now Ronald M. Nowak offers a comprehensive guide to this fascinating and varied order of mammals. Walker's Marine Mammals of the World includes scientific and common names, the number and distribution of species, measurements and physical traits, habitat, daily and seasonal activity, population dynamics, home range, social life, reproduction, longevity, and status of threatened species. A foreword by John E. Heyning is engagingly written for the general reader, while a more detailed and substantive introduction by Randall R. Reeves and Brent S. Stewart discusses issues in greater depth for the specialist. Illustrated with more than 140 detailed black and white photographs, this book will be welcomed by marine mammal experts and enthusiasts alike.

Author Biography

Ernest P. Walker (1891-1969) began work on Mammals of the World in the early 1930s, when he became assistant director of the National Zoo in Washington. His work reflected an unequaled store of knowledge about the world's mammals. Ronald M. Nowak is the author of the fifth and sixth editions of Walker's Mammals of the World. His other works on mammalogy include North American Quaternary Canis and several parts of the National Geographic Society's Wild Animals of North America, for which he also was editorial consultant. He received a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Kansas in 1973 and was staff mammalogist at the former Office of Endangered Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, from 1974 to 1987. He served as an Air Force officer for four years and is a private pilot.

Table of Contents

Foreword	vii
John E. Heyning
Marine Mammals of the World: An Introduction	1	(64)
Randall R. Reeves
Brent S. Stewart
Seals, Sea Lions, and Walrus: Pinnipedia	65	(59)
Eared Seals, Fur Seals, and Sea Lions: Otariidae	67	(23)
Walrus: Odobenidae	90	(4)
True, Earless, or Hair Seals: Phocidae	94	(30)
Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises: Cetacea	124	(86)
Ganges and Indus Dolphins, or Susus: Platanistidae	128	(2)
Baiji, or Chinese River Dolphin: Lipotidae	130	(1)
Franciscana, or La Plata Dolphin: Pontoporiidae	131	(1)
Boto, or Amazon Dolphin: Iniidae	132	(3)
Beluga and Narwhal: Monodontidae	135	(4)
Porpoises: Phocoenidae	139	(5)
Dolphins: Delphinidae	144	(30)
Beaked Whales: Ziphiidae	174	(7)
Sperm Whales: Physeteridae	181	(6)
Gray Whale: Eschrichtiidae	187	(3)
Pygmy Right Whale: Neobalaenidae	190	(1)
Right Whales: Balaenidae	191	(7)
Rorquals: Balaenopteridae	198	(12)
Dugong, Sea Cow, and Manatees: Sirenia	210	(11)
Dugong and Sea Cow: Dugongidae	211	(4)
Manatees: Trichechidae	215	(6)
Other Marine Mammals	221	(8)
Polar Bear: Ursus maritimus	221	(3)
Marine Otter: Lontra felina	224	(2)
Sea Otter: Enhydra lutris	226	(3)
World Distribution of Marine Mammals	229	(4)
Appendix	233	(6)
Literature Cited	239	(24)
Index	263