カピバラ：世界最大げっ歯類の自然史 Capybaras : A Natural History of the World's Largest Rodent

Lord, Rexford D.

Johns Hopkins University Press（2009/10発売）

• 製本 Hardcover:ハードカバー版／ページ数 200 p.
• 言語 ENG
• 商品コード 9780801891632
• DDC分類 599.359

基本説明

This natural history details all aspects of the present body of information about capybara's anatomy, ecology, behavior, biology, conservation, management,and taxonomy.

Full Description

Capybaras-the largest rodents in the world-show little resemblance to their guinea pig relatives. Robust and agile, they reach the size of a small pig and weigh upward of 100 pounds at maturity. This natural history details all aspects of the present body of information about their anatomy, ecology, behavior, biology, conservation, management, and taxonomy. Capybaras range throughout South American tropical wetlands. Largely extirpated from their former haunts through agricultural practices and poaching, they have adapted well to human management and conservation efforts and are frequently raised on ranches as valued sources of both meat and leather. The herbivorous rodents play a vital role in the ecosystems of natural grasslands, wetlands, and gallery forests and are commonly prey for caimans, anacondas, jaguars, and pumas. Rexford D.
Lord draws on the extant literature and many years of personal experience in their habitats both north and south of the Amazon region-including his own ten-year study at a Venezuelan ranch-to provide detailed descriptions of capybaras' known history; the diseases, parasites, and hazards they face; and their population and behavioral characteristics. He discusses how they interact with predators and other animals and explains their long-running and growing commercial importance to humankind-including key information about their current value and future potential as an ecotourism attraction. Featuring dozens of photographs, comprehensive tables illustrating key traits and population information, and practical explanations of current ranch management methodology, this volume is the most extensive reference work on capybaras that has ever been produced.

Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
1. General Characteristics of the Capybara
Taxonomy and Distribution
History
Description
Status
2. Anatomy and Physiology
Head
Dentition
Feet
Skin
Stomach, Intestine, and Cecum
Reproductive System
3. Natural History, Ecology, and Behavior
Habitat
Social Behavior
Sexual Behavior
Feeding Behavior
Agonistic Behavior
Vocalizations
Grooming and Physical Contact
Activity Cycles
Home Range and Territory
Symbiosis
Food and Digestion
Reproduction
Mortality
4. Diseases, Parasites, and Hazards
Parasites
National Studies
Hazards
5. Census and Population
Capybara Populations
Populations on Hato El Cedral
Sex Ratio and Age Distribution
Calculating Populations
Population Results
Age
6. Conservation and Management
Harvest
Management
Commercial Potential
National Management of Capybaras in Venezuela
Maintenance and Breeding in Captivity
7. Case History: A 10-Year Population Study
Censuses
Calculation Methods
Appendix 1: Census Routes for Capybaras, Hato el Cedral, Apure, Venezuela
Appendix 2: Capybara Censuses, Hato el Cedral, Apure, Venezuela
Appendix 3: A Synopsis of the Capybara
References
Index