Mammalogy. 6th ed.

Abstract

As undoubtedly was the case for many, Vaughan’s Mammalogy was my 1st introduction to the discipline. Indeed my Mammalogy course (at the University of Vermont) shaped my career and convinced me I wanted to become a biologist. It was, therefore, with a great deal of respect that I agreed to write this review. This is a standard classic in mammalogy and the 6th edition will remain so.Although the same overall structure of the 5th edition has been maintained, there are a few changes since the 5th edition. First, Chapters 2 and 3 have swapped places so now the mammal origins chapter precedes the chapter on mammalian characters. This change seems a little awkward to me; it’s far easier to highlight important transitions in the evolution of mammals if students already are familiar with ancestral and derived states. The rest of the chapters are arranged in the same manner (this is both a strength and a weakness, see below) and the Table of Contents is less detailed than that in the 5th edition.