Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia [Paperback]

Australia has a rich and diverse mammal fauna with many species found nowhere else - 89% of Autralian marsupials, and 73% of Australian placental mammals, are endemic. Only New Guinea shares with Australia the presence of representatives of all three subclasses of mammals - monotremes, marsupials and placentals. Until now there has been no comprehensive guide to the identification of all species of Australian mammals. This book provides concise and accurate details of the appearance, diagnostic features, distribution, habitat, and key behavioural characters of all mammals known to have occurred in Australia or its waters since the time of settlement by Europeans. It includes details of 156 species of marsupial, 2 monotremes, 76 bats, 64 native rodents, 10 seals, 44 whales and dolphins and 22 introduced species (total 376 species). The classic field guide layout, as perfected in bird field guides, has been adopted - each two-page spread provides all the information needed to make an identification - full colour illustration of the entire animal, smaller diagrams of diagnostic features, distribution map, and species text and measurements, including details of how to differentiate between similar species. For groups that are difficult to identify to species level, identification keys are provided to assist the identification process. These include keys to the genera of small marsupials, rodents and bats, and to all stranded marine mammals that could conceivably be washed onto an Australian beach - whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and the Dugong. Wherever possible, the keys utilise obvious features of external morphology, so that specialist knowledge is not required to use them.