Predators with Pouches provides a unique synthesis of current knowledge of the world’s carnivorous marsupials—from Patagonia to New Guinea and North America to Tasmania. Written by 63 experts in each field, the book covers a comprehensive range of disciplines including evolution and systematics, reproductive biology, physiology, ecology, behaviour and conservation.
Predators with Pouches reveals the relationships between the American didelphids and the Australian dasyurids, and explores the role of the marsupial fauna in the mammal community. It introduces the geologically oldest marsupials, from the Americas, and examines the fall from former diversity of the larger marsupial carnivores and their convergent evolution with placental forms.
The book covers all aspects of carnivorous marsupials, including interesting features of life history, their unique reproduction, the physiological basis for early senescence in semelparous dasyurids, sex ratio variation and juvenile dispersal. It looks at gradients in nutrition—from omnivory to insectivory to carnivory—as well as distributional ecology, social structure and conservation dilemmas.
Directions for future research
A synthesis of the major issues or concepts in each field
Reviews and access to current and older literature
Chapters written by experts in each field worldwide
Covers all continents where carnivorous marsupials occur
Authors from Australia, Europe, North and South America
Part 1 Evolution and systematics
Part 2 Reproduction and development
Part 3 Physiology
Part 4 Evolutionary ecology and behaviour
Part 5 Conservation
Professional biologists in mammalogy, evolution, genetics, systematics, physiology, ecology, behaviour and conservation in universities, museums, zoos, state, national and non-government nature conservation agencies; undergraduates and natural historians.
“This is a truly fascinating book! … This stimulating, carefully produced and well-printed book belongs in the hands of all mammalogists interested in comparative aspects.”
P Langer (Mammalian Biology v.70 no.4 2005)
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