Vertebrate life / F. Harvey Pough, Professor Emeritus, Rochester Institute of Technology, William E. Bemis, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Faculty Curator of Ichthyology, Cornell University, Betty McGuire, Senior Lecturer, Cornell University, Christine M. Janis, Professor Emerita of Biology, Brown University, USA, Honorary Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"Vertebrate Life distills the necessary information from vertebrate anatomy, physiology, ecology, and behavioral studies and then helps students see important connections across levels of biological scale. Students come to understand how organisms function effectively in their environments and how lineages of organisms change through evolutionary time. Processing complex detailed information about expansive phylogenies and diverse anatomies can be difficult for even the most motivated students, and Vertebrate Life addresses this challenge by combining appropriately-detailed, clearly-written text with outstanding phylogenies and figures, making it a thorough and engaging reference for students and instructors alike. The text's impressive illustration program helps students visualize complex concepts, allowing them to parse difficult anatomical information. The 11th edition has an upgraded illustration program with several new and revised figures, including layered figures presented in the new enhanced eBook. The text's integrative approach to vertebrate biology addresses the need to engage students in a challenging subject through the inclusion of material about extant organisms and also by linking the fossil record to the present day. The text further addresses this need by highlighting real-world applications, particularly as they relate to the conservation and protection of biodiversity in the modern world. The comprehensive and up-to-date coverage in Pough gives instructors the freedom of choice when structuring their vertebrate biology courses-while remaining an indispensable guide for students"--