Dogs: their fossil relatives and evolutionary history

Description

Xiaoming Wang and Richard H. Tedford have spent the past 20 years studying the evolutionary history of the family Canidae. Both are well known for having established the modern framework for the evolutionary relationship of canids. Combining their research with Mauricio Antón's impeccable reconstructions of both extinct and extant species, Wang and Tedford present a remarkably detailed and nuanced portrait of the origin and evolution of canids over the past 40 million years. The authors cull their history from the most recent scientific research conducted on the vast collections of the American Museum of Natural History and other leading institutions. The fossil record of the Canidae, particularly those from their birth place in North America, are the strongest of their kind among known groups of carnivorans. Such a wonderfully detailed evolutionary history provides access to a natural history that is not possible with many other groups of carnivorans. With their... Preface Acknowledgments 1. Dogs: Methods of Study and the Place of Dogs in Nature 2. The Origin of Canids and Other Doglike Carnivorous Mammals 3. Diversity: Who Is Who in the Dog Family 4. Anatomy and Function: How the Parts Work 5. Hunting and Social Activity 6. Changing Environments and Canid Evolution 7. Going Places: Braving New Worlds 8. Domestic Dogs Appendix: Canid Species and Classification Glossary Further Reading Index