Whales and Dolphins of the Southern African Subregion

ISBN-13: 9780521897105 / Angielski / Twarda / 2008 / 352 str.

Peter B. Best (University of Pretoria);Isabelle Ansorge (University of Cape Town);Johann Lutjeharms (University of Cape Town)

Opis

This book is the first stand-alone and definitive account of the cetaceans of the oceanic region from the equator to Antarctica, and between the longitudes of 20 W and 80 E - a region that includes almost two-thirds of the world's marine cetacean species. In the fascinating accounts of 51 species of whales and dolphins (and one porpoise), information for this region is comprehensively summarised, allowing Peter Best to give us the benefit of his extensive knowledge and of the wealth of unpublished information he has accumulated during his 40 years of studying these creatures. Approximately 100 illustrations have been created in colour for this book by world-renowned marine mammal illustrator Pieter Folkens. Colour photographs of the living animal portray the 'jizz' of each species and specific coloration or behavioural features."

Recenzje

'The author is an internationally recognised expert on cetaceans, and has an enviable publication record which focuses on cetaceans in this region. Professor Best is still very active in the field and so, unlike the output of some other veteran authorities, this volume will be up-to-date and therefore have a longer shelf-life than might otherwise be the case. The group of animals to be covered is nothing short of iconic. The illustrator is superb in this field, and will give the work real authority. The content is detailed and comprehensive; no recent book, covering any geographical area, deals with the subject in this way.' Dr Anthony R. Martin, British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge

Spis treści

Contributors; Foreword; The Mammal Research Institute; Acknowledgements; Introduction; Map of the subregion; The cetacean environment off southern Africa Isabelle Ansorge and Johann Lutjeharms; The South African species gate William Perrin; A classification of living cetacea; Keys to the whales, dolphins and porpoise of the region; Anatomy of cetacean skulls; Species accounts; BALAENIDAE: Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis; NEOBALAENIDAE: Pygmy right whale, Caperea marginata; BALAENOPTERIDAE: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae; Antarctic minke whale, Balaenoptera bonaerensis; Dwarf minke whale, B. acutorostrata subsp.; Bryde's whale, B. brydei; Sei whale, B. borealis; Fin whale, B. physalus; Blue whale, B. musculus; PHYSETERIDAE: Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus; KOGIIDAE: Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps; Dwarf sperm whale, K. sima; ZIPHIIDAE: Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris; Arnoux's beaked whale, Berardius arnuxii; Shepherd's beaked whale, Tasmacetus shepherdi; Longman's beaked whale, Indopacetus pacificus; Southern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon planifrons; Hector's beaked whale, Mesoplodon hectori; True's beaked whale, M. mirus; Gervais' beaked whale, M. europaeus; Gray's beaked whale, M. grayi; Andrews' beaked whale, M. bowdoini; Layard's beaked whale, M. layardii; Blainville's beaked whale, M. densirostris; Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, M. ginkgodens; DELPHINIDAE: Heaviside's dolphin, Cephalorhynchus heavisidii; Commerson's dolphin, C. commersonii; Rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis; Atlantic humpback dolphin, Sousa teuszi; Indian humpback dolphin, S. chinensis; Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncates; Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphin, T. aduncus; Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuate; Atlantic spotted dolphin, S. frontalis; Spinner dolphin, S. longirostris; Clymene dolphin, S. clymene; Striped dolphin, S. coeruleoalba; Short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis; Long-beaked common dolphin, D. capensis; Fraser's dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei; Dusky dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus; Hourglass dolphin, L. cruciger; Southern right whale dolphin, Lissodelphis peronii; Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus; Melon-headed whale, Peponocephala electra; Pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuate; False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens; Killer whale, Orcinus orca; Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas; Short-finned pilot whale, G. macrorhynchus; PHOCOENIDAE: Spectacled porpoise, Phocoena dioptrica; Bibliography; Glossary; Photographic acknowledgements; Index; List of subscribers.