The Biology of the Xenarthra

The Xenarthra are an order of the mammals consisting of the armadillos, anteaters, and sloths.The Biology of the Xenarthrais the first authoratative study of the Xenarthra in a generation. The volume features an impressive group of international scholars who explore the current biology and ecological status of these mammals in each of the geographic regions they inhabit. Many of these populations reside in developing countries, and before now, information on these species has been scarce. Topics cover a wide array of issues including genetics, physiology, behavior, ecology, and conservation. Discussions range from paleontological perspectives on xenarthran evolution to both lab and field-based studies of living species. Contemporary research in areas such as genome sequencing and leprosy in armadillos is also included.

Sergio F. Vizcafno is professor of vertebrate zoology at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata and associate researcher in the Divisi=n Paleontologfa de Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Argentina. W. J. Loughry, professor of biology at Valdosta State University, is author of a number of scientific papers on armadillos and is a contributor to the Encyclopedia of Mammals.

Xenarthran biology: Past, present, and future	p. 1
Phylogeny
Recent advances and future prospects in xenarthran molecular phylogenetics	p. 11
Morphology-based investigations of the phylogenetic relationships among extant and fossil xenarthrans	p. 24
Fossil Xenarthra
Fossil history of sloths	p. 39
Paleogeographic distribution and anatomical adaptations in Peruvian megatheriine ground sloths (Xenarthra: Megatherioidea)	p. 56
Skeletal anatomy and the fossil history of the Vermilingua	p. 64
The evolution of armored xenarthrans and a phylogeny of the glyptodonts	p. 79
Form, function, and paleobiology in xenarthrans	p. 86
Living Xenarthra: Physiology and Genetics
Armadillos and dimorphic pathogenic fungi: Ecological and evolutionary aspects	p. 103
Leprosy	p. 111
The spleen of the armadillo: Lessons of organ adaptation	p. 120
The use of armadillo clones from the genus Dasypus as experimental models to investigate the source of physiological variability	p. 126
The physiology of two- and three-toed sloths	p. 130
Sperm evolution in dasypodids	p. 143
Reproductive biology of the nine-banded armadillo	p. 151
Reproductive parameters and placentation in anteaters and sloths	p. 160
Placentation in armadillos, with emphasis on development of the placenta in polyembryonic species	p. 172
Sequencing the armadillo genome	p. 181
Chromosomal studies in the Xenarthra	p. 196
Genes and demes: Population genetic analyses of the Xenarthra	p. 205
Living Xenarthra: Conservation
Conservation status of the Xenarthra	p. 215
Maintenance of Xenarthra in captivity	p. 232
Exploitation of xenarthrans by the Guarani-Isoseno indigenous people of the Bolivian Chaco: Comparisons with hunting by other indigenous groups in Latin America, and implications for conservation	p. 244
Living Xenarthra: Ecology and Behavior
Anteater behavior and ecology	p. 257
Sloth ecology: An overview of field studies	p. 269
Behavioral ecology of armadillos	p. 281
Xenarthrans of the Paraguayan Chaco	p. 294
Ecology and conservation of three species of armadillos in the Pampas region, Argentina	p. 300
Biology and ecology of armadillos in the Bolivian Chaco	p. 306
The natural history of the pichi, Zaedyus pichiy, in western Argentina	p. 313
Bibliography	p. 319
List of Contributors	p. 357
Taxonomic Index	p. 361
Subject Index	p. 365
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

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The Biology of the Xenarthra

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