The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates [Paperback]

Noel Rowe (Author), Russell A. Mittermeier (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Rowe, who is director of Primate Conservation, Inc., has spent the last 10 years studying and photographing primates around the world. The result of those years is this guide, which is described as "useful for students and primatologists" but not all encompassing. The foreword and introduction are written by Jane Goodall and Ralph Mittermeier, both of whom are well known for their research and conservation efforts regarding primates.

The number of identified species of primates has increased from 180 in 1960 to the 234 that are included in the guide. The book is divided into sections by superfamily, family, and subfamily or genus. Each section has an introductory page describing the superfamily complete with a scale drawing comparing the size of the primate with a five-foot, six-inch human. The species are then arranged alphabetically by Latin name. At least half a page is devoted to each genus, with one or more color photographs, the taxonomy, distinguishing physical characteristics, habitat, diet, life history, locomotion, social structure, and a map that shows the range of the species. The last species listed is Homo sapiens, with a mirror instead of a photograph accompanying the text! A sidebar for each species indicates the conservation status, from critically endangered to lower risk, as determined by one of three national or world organizations. Homo sapiens are considered lower risk by the convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. There is also a short glossary, an index, and a bibliography of more than 1,000 items cited in the text, plus a list of popular field guides, books for children, and 13 Web sites.

Some of the books in Jane Goodall's Animal World series have similar information, but Rowe's guide will still find a place in reference collections in school, public, and academic libraries because many humans are interested in their closest living relations. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

This exceptional coverage is a 'must purchase' for any library serious about primates: over 500 color photos and 16 illustrations are packed into a fine title which illustrates the diversity of primates in a field guide reference. This gorgeous collection is unparalleled and deserves a place in any serious science library. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 263 pages
• Publisher: Pogonias Pr; 1 edition (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964882515
• ISBN-13: 978-0964882515
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,740 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > Primatology
  • #39 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Apes & Monkeys

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful pictures and an incredible wealth of information, October 19, 1999

By 

"devons_mommy" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates (Hardcover)

This book was highly recommended to me by a primatologist. I thought the book might be too technical but I found out otherwise. This book contains beautiful pictures and great information on wide range on primates. This is a great Christmas present for any animal lover or anyone interested in learning more on endangered primate species.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good information - poor quality photos, August 7, 2000

By 

Summer B. Frace (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates (Hardcover)

While I found this book to have very nice information that was well organized, the photos and the overall layout and design of the book left something to be desired. For a pictoral guide, the photos were very small, many appeared to have been scanned in at a less than adequate resolution and it was poorly laid out design-wise. Being a primatologist and a graphic designer, I praise the information presented, but think the photos are a disappointment. Also a bit overpriced I might add.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete and informative, November 19, 2005

By 

Matthew Landau (Linwood, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates (Paperback)

Noel Rowe's book on the primates of the world is a solid reference and extremely well organized. There are many photographs of rarely seen species, and to have them all in one place makes this a great sourcebook. The writing is clear and concise. Highly recommended.