Bøger i UC Publications in Zoology serien

The Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ), located on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, is a leading center of herpetological research in the United States. This monograph offers a brief account of the principal figures associated with the collection and of the most important events in the history of herpetology in the MVZ during its first 93 years, and lists all type specimens of recent amphibians and nonavian reptiles in the collection.Although the MVZ has existed since 1908, until 1945 there was no formal curator for the collection of amphibians and nonavian reptiles. Since that time Robert C. Stebbins, David B. Wake, Harry W. Greene, Javier A. Rodriguez-Robles (in an interim capacity), and Craig Moritz have served in that position.The herpetological collection of the MVZ was begun on March 13, 1909, with a collection of approximately 430 specimens from southern California and as of December 31, 2001, contained 232,254 specimens. Taxonomically, the collection is strongest in salamanders, accounting for 99,176 specimens, followed by "e;lizards"e; (squamate reptiles other than snakes and amphisbaenians, 63,439), frogs (40,563), snakes (24,937), turtles (2,643), caecilians (979), amphisbaenians (451), crocodilians (63), and tuataras (3). Whereas the collection's emphasis historically has been on the western United States and on California in particular, representatives of taxa from many other parts of the world are present.The 1,765 type specimens in the MVZ comprise 120 holotypes, three neotypes, three syntypes, and 1,639 paratopotypes and paratypes; 83 of the holotypes were originally described as full species. Of the 196 amphibian and nonavian reptilian taxa represented by type material, most were collected in Mexico (63) and California (USA, 54).The Appendix of the monograph presents a list of curators, graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates, research assistants, curatorial associates, curatorial assistants, and visiting faculty who have conducted research on the biology of amphibians and reptiles while in residence in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology as of December 31, 2001.

Records of parasitism in crocodilians date back to the early 1800s, distributed among various types of published and unpublished materials. Analyzing parasite-host specificity, geographic distribution, and taxonomy can provide otherwise cryptic details about crocodilian ecology and evolution, as well as their local food web dynamics. This information is critical for improved conservation tactics for both crocodilians and their habitat.As climate change, anthropogenic conflict, and environmental pollution endanger crocodilian ecosystems, there is a need for organized information on crocodile, alligator, caiman, and gharial infectious diseases. This volume meets this need by delivering the first checklist of crocodilians and their parasites for researchers and scholars in biology, herpetology, and ecology in order to further the knowledge and study of crocodilian-parasite dynamics and improve our understanding of human impacts on ecosystems.

Oliver P Pearson's studies on mammalian biology remain standard reading for ecologists, taxonomists, and biogeographers. This work expands our understanding of the ecology and evolution of subterranean mammals, and of ecology, taxonomy, and biogeography of Neotropical mammals, a group that was central to the latter half of Pearson's career.

Offers an investigation of macrogeographic variation in the Plain Titmouse (Parus inornatus) complex in western North America, the author assessed population-level patterns of differentiation in morphometric, colorimetric, allozymic, mtDNA, and vocal characters.

The highly variable North American red crossbill complex has presented one of the most controversial problems in avian systematics. This study suggests that this crossbill complex contains several distinctive sibling species that breed sympatrically and show ecological differences.

Describes the postcrania of the Miocene marsupials Ilaria illumidens and Ngapakaldia tedfordi and compares them with those of other vombatiforms and out-group marsupials. This title offers an analysis of postcranial characters that shows Ilaria to be most closely related to the wombats, primarily on the basis of the highly derived manus.

Examines the pattern of alternation of structure and height of vertebral neural spines in the context of a larger review of axial structure in the most terrestrial of primitive Permo-Carboniferous tetrapods. This title states that a coupled pattern of axial dorsiflexion and rotation played a significant role in primitive terrestrial locomotion.

James L Patton served as Curator of Mammals in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and as Professor of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1969 until 2001. This book aims to bring to life both the distinguished career and the distinctive personality of this evolutionary biologist. It contains original research papers.