The Primate Family Tree: The Amazing Diversity of Our Closest Relatives [Hardcover]

Ian Redmond (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2008 | ISBN-10: 1554073782 | ISBN-13: 978-1554073788

Apes, monkeys, lemurs -- and other family members.

The Primate Family Tree is a beautiful and comprehensive resource on the subject of our animal relatives. Readers will find an abundance of up-to-date facts, review the latest research and conservation efforts, and discover the remarkable characteristics that all primates -- including humans -- share.

The book is structured according to the four main branches of the primate family tree and contains expert information on the natural history, characteristics and behavior of over 250 species, along with maps showing the ranges of the species. Some of the topics covered are:

• Definition of a primate
• Darwin's big idea, anthropological theories, DNA
• The structure of the primate family tree
• Distribution of species, including lorises and lemurs
• Diet, habitat, life cycles, social structure, communication
• Primate emotions
• Primates as "gardeners of the forest"
• Issues involving conservation, bush meat, civil war, habitat loss
• Primate tourism: Does it help or hurt?

With its authoritative text, color photographs taken in the field, range maps and classification diagrams, The Primate Family Tree is a comprehensive reference on a subject that is vitally important to all humans.

(20081011)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

It can be unnerving to meet the gaze of a primate, be it a tiny tarsier or the largest gorilla, and realize a sense of kinship. As biologist Redmond states, the viewer “will realize that there is a quizzical mind at work behind those big brown eyes.” Getting to know the other members of the primate family, a diverse and very successful order of mammals, can indeed be an eye-opening experience. Primates range in size from the tiny mouse lemurs and pygmy marmosets to the giant gorillas and humans, but all share the same characteristics of binocular vision, grasping hands with opposable thumbs, and large brains. Redmond, who studied gorillas with Dian Fossey and now works to protect the great apes, presents a guide to the 270-odd species of primates in this beautifully illustrated guide to our kin. After explaining what a primate is, including distribution, social structure, diet and communication, the author discusses human–other primate interactions and conservation. Each profile of a primate species includes range maps and species lists (including conservation status). --Nancy Bent

Review

A portrait of lemurs, monkeys, apes and others, with color photographs and a foreword by Jane Goodall. (Science News 200812)

Overall, this is a very attractive, interesting, and informative publication.... I recommend it very highly. (Marvin Druger, Syracuse University Science Books and Films )

Attractively illustrated.... excellent photographs... It provides a great introduction to primates and their evolution for students and the general public. (Diane Schmidt American Reference Book Annual )

[A] beautifully illustrated guide to our kin. (Nancy Bent Booklist )

The Primate Family Tree is a comprehensive reference on a subject that is vitally important to humans. (SirReadaLot.org )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (October 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1554073782
• ISBN-13: 978-1554073788
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 10 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #587,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Animals > Apes & Monkeys
  • #85 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > Primatology

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Probably interesting to the right audience, January 20, 2009

By 

Ursiform (Torrance, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Primate Family Tree: The Amazing Diversity of Our Closest Relatives (Hardcover)

Although it did not turn out to interest me a lot, this book might be good for a different audience. It is a well done but rather superficial introduction to the primates. It would serve as a good introduction to primates for someone with limited knowledge on the subject, a teenager interested in the subject, or an advanced child with an interest in monkeys and apes.

The book starts off with a decent introduction to the primate family, its features, its distribution, and its evolution. It then goes through each group of primates with descriptions and observations. The result is more coffee table book than I was hoping for, but it has its place. With a lot of good pictures and and a simple style it could be a good starting point to learn about primates.