Tortoises of the World

Giants to Dwarfs

George R. Zug, Devin A. Reese

$109

Hardback

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English

Johns Hopkins University Press
23 April 2024

The first book dedicated entirely to the fascinating ecology of the world's tortoises.

Tortoises of the World is the only book to offer a comprehensive exploration of the biology, natural history, and conservation of the fascinating family Testudinidae. Renowned reptile scientist George R. Zug and acclaimed science writer Devin A. Reese bring a wealth of research to life in this beautifully illustrated volume, the first dedicated wholly to tortoises.

Focusing on the diversity of the 47 known tortoise species and their evolution from ancestral turtles, this approachable and informative work explores:

• Tortoise adaptations, their unique body plan, and their behavioral ecology • The odd anatomy and physiology that enables tortoises' life in shells • Their resilience to extreme temperatures and aridity • Tortoises' role as ecosystem engineers in the diverse habitats they occupy • Their intricate life cycle, from mating rituals and nesting to the tenuous survival of eggs and hatchlings

Zug and Reese also examine the challenging nature of interactions between tortoises and humans while highlighting ongoing conservation efforts to secure their futures.

By: George R. Zug, Devin A. Reese
Imprint: Johns Hopkins University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 254mm, Width: 178mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 658g
ISBN: 9781421448350
ISBN 10: 1421448351
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 23 April 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Preface Chapter 1. How the Tortoise Beat the Hare Chapter 2. Life in a Shell: Tortoise Body Plan Chapter 3. Physiology and Behavior: Tortoise Resilience Chapter 4. Courtship to Nesting: Tortoise Reproduction Chapter 5. Hatchlings to Adults: Tortoise Life Cycle Chapter 6. Deserts to Rainforests: Tortoise Ecology Chapter 7. Today's Species: Tortoise Diversity Chapter 8. Ancestry and Evolution: Tortoise Origins Chapter 9. Human Interactions I: Tortoise Decimation Chapter 10. Human Interactions II: Tortoise Conservation Acknowledgments Further Readings Appendix. Turtle Families and Tortoise Species Standard and Scientific Name Index Subject Index

George R. Zug, emeritus research scientist of reptiles and amphibians at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, is an award-winning herpetologist, the author of Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific Islands, and the coauthor of Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. Devin A. Reese is the executive editor of Natural History magazine. An award-winning science writer who earned her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, she has written for the Smithsonian, PBS, the World Wildlife Fund, Science News, and elsewhere.