Vertebrate Life

by F. Harvey Pough, John Heiser, William McFarland

Widely praised for its comprehensive coverage and exceptionally clear writing style, this best-selling book explores how the anatomy, physiology, ecology, and behavior of animals interact to produce organisms that function effectively in their environments and how lineages of organisms change through evolutionary time. The Eighth Edition features dozens of new figures and photos, updated information from molecular data and evolutionary development, and expanded discussions on global climate change, extinction, and conservation. The Diversity, Classification, and Evolution of Vertebrates, Vertebrate Relationships and Basic Structure, Early Vertebrates: Jawless Vertebrates and the Origin of Jawed Vertebrates, Living in Water, Radiation of the Chondrichthyes, Dominating Life in Water: The Major Radiation of Fishes, Geography and Ecology of the Paleozoic, Living on Land, Origin and Radiation of Tetrapods, Salamanders, Anurans, and Caecilians, Synapsids and Sauropods: Two Approaches to Terrestrial Life, Turtles, The Lepidosaurs: Tuatara, Lizards, and Snakes, Ectothermy: A Low-Cost Approach to Life, Geography and Ecology of the Mesozoic, Mesozoic Diapsids: Dinosaurs, Crocodilians, and Birds, Avian Specializations, The Synapsida the the Evolution of Mammals, Geography and Ecology of the Cenozoic, Mammalian Characteristics and Diversity, Mammalian Specializations, Endothermy: A High-Energy Approach to Life, Body Size, Ecology, and Sociality of Mammals, Primate Evolution and the Emergence of Humans, The Impact of Humans on Other Species of Vertebrates. Intended for those interested in learning the basics of vertebrate life.

Genres: Science, Biology, Textbooks, Reference, Nonfiction, Animals, Evolution

904 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1989

Reviews

[caroline!]

psa: do not ever try to read a textbook in two days, even if you already have consumed the content in some form or another before in your life. it will absolutely ruin your brain capacity. i feel like i have died and been born anew with only a knowledge of vertebrate form and ecology and evolution to arm me in this strange world (but also i feel woefully unprepared for the exam which is in approximately 7 hours). pray for me

UPDATE FROM THE FUTURE i think the exam went well

UPDATE 2 I ONLY MISSED A POINT

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vertebrate Life: Eight Edition was a great help during my university exam revision for the modules vertebrate zoology and comparative physiology. This book covers a vast range of topics in great detail, such as: jawless vertebrates, the origin and radiation of tetrapods, Sauropsida, Synapsida, and many more topics alongside these.

There are many useful and interesting diagrams scattered throughout, a few examples: basic movements of swimming fishes, blood flow in the heart of a turtle, body form and reproduction of caecilians, and variation in the shape of the eye of birds.

This book can be difficult to find, and quite pricey. I purchased my hardback copy from the US via eBay and was lucky enough to have bought it cheaply. There is a ninth edition available, but I have been told that there aren't enough significant differences to warrant purchasing that far more expensive book over this edition.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this book. It boasts a wealth of knowledge.

[❤ Çandí ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ninth Edition