Product Description

Authoritative and engaging, this volume from the Walker's Mammals series focuses on marsupials, pouched animals whose unusual method of reproduction -- between egg laying and placental birth -- places them in a unique category among mammals.

A comprehensive guide to the biology and distribution of marsupials, this book includes common and scientific names, size and physical traits, habitat and ecology, behavior and social interactions, reproduction, life span, and conservation. The text is coupled with illustrations from the collections of leading photographers and the world's greatest museums. An introduction by marsupial expert Christopher R. Dickman describes the evolution and current status of marsupials and reveals why they add so much intrigue to the natural world.

Customer Reviews (2)

no color photos
I was let down when it arrived because the images are older B/W shots, and on the small side. Not so good for doing research for a story, or to learn about the animals. Scholarship wise, it was competent, but not pleasant reading. If you want dry facts in a awkward writing style, this is the book.

The Best Paperback Available
Did you know that Queen Isabella was interested in the marsupials, or that it was once believed that marsupials copulated nasally and sneezed the newborn into their pouches?

"Walkers' Marsupials of the World" is a handsome, scholarly work well suited for the amateur or generalist.Its overall qualities outweigh its few quirks, and I can strongly recommend the edition to all but children and post-graduate level specialists.

This scholarly and informative book, which is suited to a high-school or above reading level, consists of an entertaining opening monograph by Christopher Dickman on topics germane to marsupials as a group, and a comprehensive main body by Ronald Nowak describing in detail all living and recent genera.

The section heads of the 42 page Introduction include: Taxonomy & Evolution, Morphology, Reproduction, Distribution & Diversity, Diet, Life History, Economic & Ecologic Importance, and Conservation, as well as References.

The Introduction is written mainly from an ecological and taxonomic viewpoint.While the physiological specializations of the group as a whole, and certain developments, such as the unique dentition of the Diprototont subgroup (i.e., Koalas, & `Roos as opposed to Opossums, Devils & Bandicoots) are mentioned in the text, there are no line drawings of skeletons or any anatomical diagrams.Pouch anatomy and specializations of the digits are described in the text, but there are only a few photographs of young suckling, none of birthing, and only a few insets in the main section showing external foot morphology.I, for one, have always been fascinated by the "two-thumbed/three fingered hand" of the Koala, for example. But there is little attention to anatomical detail.

There are over 140 black and white photographs in the book, almost all of individual live specimens.While keeping the price reasonable, the lack of color makes the work a bit drab and definitely unsuitable for children.

The main text examines each of the known marsupial genera, with at least one photo per genus, including the tragically lost Tasmanian "tiger" and all known (recent) species are named.Fossil forms are excluded.

There is no cladistic analysis, but the text and a table in the introduction serve as a classification in outline form, and taxonomic issues, such as the phylogenetic position of the "Monito del Monte" (a South American enigma that may be more closely related to Australasian groups than to the American opossums) are addressed.

The book does treat the Marsupials as consisting of seven groups of ordinal rank, an improvement over the traditional lumping of all groups into just one order.Overall mammalian taxonomy is in such a flux now, that the work is reluctant to make any authoritative statements, choosing a reasonable middle ground.As the work is fully noted, and references at least as recent as 2003 are in the bibliographies, those interested in such matters will be well guided in their own research.

Given that there are no maps, no drawings of internal or reproductive anatomy, no illustrations of such fantastic extinct forms as the marsupial "lion" Thylacoleo, or any other visual aids except the black and white "field-guide" photos, it is absolutely bizarre that the editors included a bare-boned appendix giving the geological timeline back to the Permian and four pages of metric/U.S. conversions with a 47 inch/1200 mm ruler (broken up into 10 segments to fit the page width!) instead.

Nevertheless, the paperback edition is well worth its price at pennies per page, and I would rate it four and a half stars.
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A companion series to Looking at Minibeasts and Looking at Plants, this series takes a close look at the many diverse species of small mammals from around the world. Learning about their habitats, eating habits and how they rear their young, children will become acquainted with a wide range of animals. They will also discover the dangers confronting these special animals in the modern world and how we can all work to save them. Each book contains a table of contents, glossary and an index. ... Read more

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Marsupials belong to the Class Mammalia, sharing some features with other mammals, yet they also possess many unique features. It is their differences from the more traditionally studied mammals, such as mice and humans, that is of greatest value to comparative studies. Sequencing of genomes from two distantly related marsupials, the short grey-tailed opossum from South America and the Australian tammar wallaby, has launched marsupials into the genomics era and accelerated the rate of progress in marsupial research. With the current worldwide concern for the plight of the endangered Tasmanian devil, marsupial genetics and genomics research is even more important than ever if this species is to be saved from extinction.This volume recounts some of the history of research in this field and highlights the most recent advances in the many different areas of marsupial genetics and genomics research. ... Read more

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Australia, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Indonesia together share all the monotremes (egg-laying mammals) of the world and all the marsupials (pouched mammals) except those of the Americas. There is an urgent need for concerted action to conserve the marsupials and monotremes of the Australasian region. Australia has the worst extinction rate for the mammals of any continent or country and Papua New Guinea and eastern Indonesia are undergoing rapid development which, if not properly planned and controlled, could threaten the habitat of many marsupials, as well as other species.

This Action Plan provides an overall perspective of the problems that confront conservation agencies and NGOs in the region and recommends actions required before the year 2000. ... Read more

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The ecological literature on marsupials is dominated by descriptive natural history, and there has hitherto been little attempt at either synthesis or evolutionary interpretation. This book attempts to provide such a synthesis, by drawing on both the descriptive data base and predictions from the burgeoning literature on behavioural and evolutionary ecology. It documents the excellent potential the study of marsupials provides for resolution of theoretical questions of general importance in biology. It does this in three ways. First, by describing the impressive diversity of marsupial life history strategies and trophic roles. Second, by careful comparison with the eutherians, the scope of the marsupial radiation is used to analyse the role of developmental constraints and adaptive radiation in determining the diversification of higher taxa. Lastly, it is suggested that the accessibility of marsupial young during their obligatory pouch life facilitates measurement, manipulation and assessment of kinship not possible in other mammalian groups. Further special topics include marsupial/plant mutualism, marsupial competition and the empirical uses of mammals with simple life histories. ... Read more

Product Description
Ages 5 to 9 years. Meet the marsupials! Kids will love learning about koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wombats, and other mammals with pouches in this book. Interesting facts and captivating photographs highlight this amazing group of animals most of which have had to adapt to the harsh Outback of Australia. In this fascinating and easy-to-read book children will learn about: marsupial pouches and their uses; where marsupials live and how they survive in hot, dry climates; how marsupials eat and move from place to place; how marsupials care for their joeys. ... Read more

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The aim of this book is to examine a variety of problems in the understanding of the evolutionary history of the marsupials.In his exposition, the author covers developmental and reproductive biology, the cranio-skeletal system (including dentition, skull, and postcranial morphology), and the ecologically related aspects of skeletal morphology.In reviewing the evidence from bones, he presents much new information on both living and fossil groups of marsupials.All groups of marsupials are treated in detail, and in the final chapter their history in space and time and their paleobiogeography are considered. ... Read more

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Examines in general the history and characteristics of marsupials, and discusses specifically the habits and characteristics of opossums, kangaroos, and other similar animals. Includes a section on monotremes. ... Read more

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This volume is based on investigations in the extensive Hill Collection from the Hubrecht Laboratory, International Embryological Institute, Utrecht. More than 100 serial sections of 11 species were investigated and represent the most complete source material ever compiled for such a purpose. For the first time it is possible to describe the morphogenesis of the marsupial breast-shoulder apparatus not only through single developmental stages, but also as a continual process. The breast-shoulder apparatus forms a compact arch in the intrauterine embryos and in the neonates, respectively. In the pouch young, this arch is reduced soon after birth. This early formation on a skeletal base is made possible by the fact that in marsupial embryogenesis some ancestral structures persist that are encountered in reptiles and in monotremes, but not in advanced placentals. This genetically determined early embryonic condition is preserved up to the time of birth and plays a role in the active movements of the fore-limbs in neonates during birth. ... Read more

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Marsupial Nutrition describes the food resources used by marsupials from small insectivores to large folivores.It discusses the ways in which these animals' digestive systems and metabolism are designed to cope with foods as different as nectar and fungus, tree sap and tough perennial grasses, and insects and eucalypt foliage.Although the subject species are marsupials, the general principles of nutritional ecology and digestive strategies that are introduced at the beginning of the chapters are applicable to all mammals.Advanced undergraduates and graduate students in the areas of vertebrate zoology, nutrition, ecology, and digestive physiology will find Marsupial Nutrition particularly instructive, and wildlife biologists, veterinarians, and nutritionists will also find much of interest. ... Read more

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Most people know about lions, zebras, monkeys, and bears, but what about bettongs and bilbies? Or quolls and quokkas? And potoroos and pademelons? These animals live on the continent of Australia, along with kangaroos, koalas, and many other marsupials. With breathtaking full-page images, including a double-gatefold spread, Sibert-Honor photographer Nic Bishop introduces the beauty and diversity of these amazing animals. The simple, engaging text presents both basic information and fun, quirky facts about marsupials' appearance, habits, and life cycle. An index and glossary are included.

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Customer Reviews (3)

Some of the best nonfiction for young readers!
With "Marsupials" Nic Bishop continues to provide some of the best nonfiction for young readers.Although his photos for "Marsupials" aren't as breath-taking as his other titles (check out "Frogs" and/or "Spiders"), they are excellent nonetheless and capture a wide variety of these animals in numerous settings.The text is straightforward without being too simple, and provides thought-provoking details.My best guess is that this is written on a third grade reading level.So, for a child to independently read this, he would have to be an advanced first grader to a struggling fourth grader.

guaranteed treat
Bishop, Nic.Marsupials.Scholastic Inc.2009.

A Kangaroo can run faster than a horse and a Bilby "looks like a mix-and-match puzzle. It has the ears of a rabbit, the legs of a kangaroo, the body of an aardvark, and the silky soft fur of a chinchilla." These and many other interesting details about marsupials are presented in this very appealing photo essay. The photographs are astoundingly clear and up-close: a possum's liquid brown eyes stare out of one photo and his bright pink nose looks ready to twitch. There is a beautiful crystalline shot of an elusive tree kangaroo and a very humorous shot of a mother koala bear slumbering while her Joey looks askance down at her.In an amazing double spread foldout, four poses of a gliding possum reveal it soaring with its leg flaps fully extended.A nice author's note explains his passion to study marsupials in the field and his fear for the long term survival of some of the threatened breeds; a photograph shows him out in the field with all his camera gear. The variety of these unique mammals is well presented in this attractive book - a guaranteed treat for animal lovers.

This was a stunning look at some of the most elusive marsupials on the Australian continent!
Many children learn about mammals and marsupials in school, but aren't familiar with some of the more unusual members of the group.A marsupial, who is also a mammal, is different in that when their babies are born they "are so small, they look like pink jelly beans with two little legs."The kangaroo is probably the marsupial that quickly comes to most people's minds, but how about the boodie, the Mtschie's tree kangaroo, the rufous bettong, the bilby, the fat-tailed dunnart, the quoll, the numbat and the Tasmanian devil?Yes, there really is such a thing as a Tasmanian devil!

In this amazing book we are whisked off to the continent of Australia to learn about and meet with these marvelous, but sometimes downright odd looking creatures.For example, that Tasmanian devil, whose "bloodcurdling shrieks" frightened Australia's early settlers, can wolf down "half its weight in meat in just thirty seconds."The Matschie's tree kangaroo is one of those rarely seen creatures, so rare that many people don't believe they exist.You will when you see a photograph of one.These elusive critters can actually "walk by moving one leg at a time."This stunning book will give you an armchair view of marsupials Nic Bishop took months to capture with his camera.One time he snapped a picture of a wombat only after "wriggling on [his] belly for hours!"

This was a stunning look at some of the most elusive marsupials on the Australian continent.The astounding photographs were no surprise because if you have ever read any of Nic Bishop's previous books you'll know you are in for a real treat. One of my favorites was of a sugar glider leaping from one tree to another.The background was predominantly black and the animal's "flight," captured on a pull out four page spread, was beautiful.This is the type of nonfiction that even the most reluctant reader can learn from by simply looking at the photographs.It is hard to beat Nic Bishop when it comes to this type of book, but I think he's starting to top his own work! ... Read more

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Joint winner of the 2005 Whitley Medal.

Included in Choice Magazine's 2006 Outstanding Academic Titles list.

Over the past half a century research has revealed that marsupials – far from being ‘second class’ mammals – have adaptations for particular ways of life quite equal to their placental counterparts. Despite long separate evolution, there are extraordinary similarities in which marsupials have solved the challenges of living in such environments as deserts, alpine snowfields or tropical rainforests. Some can live on grass, some on pollen and others on leaves; some can glide, some can swim and others hop with extraordinary efficiency.

In Life of Marsupials, one of the world’s leading experts explores the biology and evolution of this unusual group – with their extraordinary diversity of forms around the world – in Australia, New Guinea and South America.

Features

Written by a leading expert on marsupial biology
Covers all marsupials in Australia, New Guinea and South America
Colour photos of 39 species
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Product Description
Marsupials differ from most other mammals in their method of reproduction, in that they have chosen, in an evolutionary sense, to develop lactation rather than placentation for the nurture of their young. The neonate is therefore born with a mixture of advanced and embryonic characters, and yet is readily accessible within the pouch, providing a unique system for the study of the ontogeny of various physiological and endocrinological parameters. Marsupials are therefore ideal animals for research into mammalian reproductive physiology. The results of this exciting new research are summarized in this book by two of the foremost workers in the field. Individual chapters analyse the genetic and hormonal control of sexual differentiation, male and female reproductive structures and their functions, the role of the corpus luteum in the oestrous cycle and pregnancy, the hormonal control of embryonic diapause and the role of the marsupial placenta in the development of the embryo. This book is more than just a straightforward review of marsupial reproduction for its detailed analyses and broad comparative coverage will attract mammalogists and reproductive physiologists with a wide range of research interests. ... Read more

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The last twenty years have seen many exciting discoveries leading to significant developments in our understanding of marsupial biology. Marsupials are emerging as model organisms in studies of life history evolution, ageing and senescence, sex determination and the development and regeneration of the nervous system. This volume provides a synthesis of recent developments in marsupial biology, bringing together knowledge currently scattered througout the primary literature. ... Read more

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An introduction to the characteristics, habits, and habitats of various marsupials, the animals with pouches for their young. ... Read more

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Marsupials are excellent objects for studies on developmental processes in all mammals including humans. Marsupials are very immature at birth and undergo most of their development in a pouch where they can be manipulated in a variety of ways without affecting the mother. Most of these studies are on systems which largely mature before birth in eutherian mammals and are consequently difficult to investigate. Attention is also drawn to certain features peculiar to adult marsupials: e.g., they continue to grow throughout adult life, valuable for studies on growth mechanisms, and furthermore the composition of marsupial milk changes radically through lactation, most important in studies of hormonal regulation of milk composition and secretion. ... Read more

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Marsupials are the only mammals that have a pouch on their body in which they carry their young. Most of these amazing animals live in Australia, where they have adapted to the harsh conditions of life in the outback. In What is a Marsupial children will learn astounding facts about marsupials, including:¥the important differences between marsupials and placentals¥how kangaroos, koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, opossums, and bilbies are related¥how marsupials reproduce and raise their young¥the ways in which they hunt and feed¥why some marsupials are in danger ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Intro to Marsupials
This was purchased to be used at at zoo when we first got kangaroos.
It was a good book and everyone, all ages, found it interesting.The
photos are good and made these unusual animals a lot easier to explain. ... Read more

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IN THIS LATEST BOOK in the acclaimed About… series, educator and author Cathryn Sill uses simple, easy-to-understand language to teach children what marsupials are, how they look, how they move, what they eat, and where they live. Illustrator John Sill introduces readers to a variety of marsupials, from the well-known koala and kangaroo to the less familiar cuscus and quoll. An afterword provides details on the animals featured and inspire young readers to learn more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Makes learning so fun!
This is the 4th book in this series that we have purchased for out toddler, and each one is just as good as the last. The illustrations are are phenomenal, the text simple but very informative, and everything comes together beautifully. I am certain that this book and series would be age appropriate for children as old as 8, but certainly are very good for curious toddlers as well. So happy to have found this series!

An excellent part of a wonderful series.
I can't praise these books highly enough;the illustrations are very appealing, the text is clear and simple without being babyish, and the layout is inviting.

Each double page spread features a charming picture of a particular marsupial on the right side, and a clean white page with anywhere from one word to one sentence describing an attribute of the marsupial pictured that also applies to other, sometimes all marsupials.

The simple text and layout make the book appealing as a read-aloud text for toddlers and preschoolers (my almost 3 yr. old loves this series) as well as an excellent choice for emerging readers.

It can be difficult to find high-quality nonfiction texts for the preschool and early elementary crowd, but this book and it's companions are a perfect choice.My 8 yr. old, who struggles with reading, enjoys these because they are within his grasp but are not oversimplified or dull.

At the end of the book are a few pages with thumbnails of each illustration accompanied by slightly more in-depth information about each animal.I read just a few of these at a time to my 3 yr. old, to match his comprehension and attention span; they are a very nice 'bonus' to an aleady delightful book. Very highly recommended.

Informative and entertaining picture-book format non-fiction
The 10th in a series of "About...A Guide for Children" books, ABOUT MARSUPIALS is a representative example of this terrific series. The "About...A Guide for Children" books are great nonfiction titles for the preK - 2nd grade set, each focusing on one type of animal (marsupials, mammals, birds, reptiles). The books are laid out in two-page spreads, eaching providing a very brief fact (for example, "Some marsupials do not have a pouch") and a beautifully detailed illustration of a specific type of animal. The large colorful pictures and the brief text make these terrific nonfiction additions to storytime and other read-aloud activities. ... Read more

Product Description
Examines a wide variety of marsupials, such as kangaroos, opossums, and wombats, and describes their physical characteristics, habits, natural environment, and evolution. ... Read more