You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
This first volume in the series on "Comparative Brain Research in Mammals" deals with the brains of Insectivora. The importance of Insectivora lies above all in the fact that, (1) insectivore-like ancestors are regarded as the initial group for the evolution of higher mammals, and (2) the insectivore brains retained many conservative traits, though the animals have adapted to different living environments. Therefore, the study of Insectivora brains enables an insight into the size and composition of the brain structure of earlier ancestors of the higher mammals including primates and humans; in addition, it illumi nates the various evolutionary trends which made the successful adaptation to different biotopes possible. The alterations which the brain has experienced in the course of the phylo geny and the related adaptive radiation will be examined in the succeeding volumes on the brains of other Eutheria, e.g., bats (Volume 2) and primates (Volume 4). In Volume 3 the brains of marsupials will be compared with those of conservative and evolved Eutheria.
The three mammalian orders, Insectivora, Scandentia, and Macroscelidea, all comprise small, terrestrial mammals that are primarily adapted to an insectivorous diet. In general, we know very little about the threats facing the African Insectivora and elephant-shrews. However, the little we know suggests that they tend to be at risk from habitat modification, rather than from direct exploitation of the species themselves. Both on the African mainland and on Madagascar there are several centres of exceptional diversity and endemism for these species. These centres are identified in this Action Plan, and the principal conservation priority is the maintenance of sufficient areas of suitable habitat in these centres.
None