Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol.8: Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos

*Volume 5* of the *Handbook of Mammals of the World* provides a comprehensive coverage of two major groups of mammals: monotremes and marsupials. Monotremes, such as the platypus and echidnas, are a distinct and ancient group of mammals, with only a few species still existing in Australia and New Guinea. Marsupials, originally from South America, likely arrived in Australia via Antarctica about 50 million years ago. With relatives remaining in America, marsupials have adapted to an incredible diversity of lifestyles and habitats.

This volume offers a detailed insight into all the families of monotremes and marsupials, both from the Australian and American regions, illustrated with full-color photographs showing various behaviors of these animals. The text contains the most up-to-date information on all families of these two groups.

Winner of the 2016 Whitley Medal

Each year, the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Australia, organizes the Whitley Awards in honor of Gilbert Whitley, an important Australian ichthyologist. The Whitley Award is given to the best publications published in the previous year on Australian zoology and unique fauna from the region. The Whitley Medal and Special Mention are the most coveted awards in Australian zoological publishing.

The Whitley Awards ceremony took place at the Australian Museum in Sydney on September 22, 2016. On behalf of Lynx Edicions, Professor Christopher Dickman accepted the award and gave a speech.

Key Features

• Winner of the 2016 Whitley Medal
• 44 full-color plates
• 717 full-color photographs
• 375 distribution maps

Content

• Families covered in the volume:
• Tachyglossidae (Echidnas): 1 genus, 4 species
  
• Ornithorhynchidae (Platypuses): 1 genus, 1 species
  
• Didelphidae (Opossums): 18 genera, 103 species
  
• Caenolestidae (Shrew opossums): 4 genera, 7 species
  
• Microbiotheriidae (Monito del Monte): 1 genus, 1 species
  
• Notoryctidae (Marsupial moles): 1 genus, 2 species
  
• Myrmecobiidae (Numbat): 1 genus, 1 species
  
• Dasyuridae (Carnivorous marsupials): 14 genera, 60 species
  
• Thylacomyidae (Greater bilby): 1 genus, 1 species
  
• Peramelidae (Bandicoots and Echymiperas): 5 genera, 21 species
  
• Phascolarctidae (Koala): 1 genus, 1 species
  
• Vombatidae (Wombats): 3 genera, 4 species
  
• Burramyidae (Pygmy bandicoots): 2 genera, 4 species
  
• Phalangeridae (Cuscuses, brush-tail possums and scaly-tailed possums): 8 genera, 24 species
  
• Pseudocheiridae (Ringtail possums and greater gliders): 5 genera, 9 species
  
• Petauridae (Striped possums, Leadbeater's possums and lesser gliders): 3 genera, 6 species
  
• Tarsipedidae (Honey possum): 1 genus, 1 species
  
• Acrobatidae (Feather-tail possums and feathertail gliders): 3 genera, 7 species
  
• Hypsiprymnodontidae (Musk kangaroo rat): 1 genus, 1 species
  
• Potoroidae (Bettongs and Potoroos): 5 genera, 10 species
  
• Macropodidae (Kangaroos and Wallabies): 13 genera, 56 species