Key Message:Widely praised for its comprehensive coverage and exceptionally clear writing style, this best-selling book explores how the anatomy, physiology, ecology, and behavior of animals interact to produce organisms that function effectively in their environments and how lineages of organisms change through evolutionary time. TheEighth Editionfeatures dozens of new figures and photos, updated information from molecular data and evolutionary development, and expanded discussions on global climate change, extinction, and conservation. Key Topics:The Diversity, Classification, and Evolution of Vertebrates, Vertebrate Relationships and Basic Structure, Early Vertebrates: Jawless Vertebrates and the Origin of Jawed Vertebrates, Living in Water, Radiation of the Chondrichthyes, Dominating Life in Water: The Major Radiation of Fishes, Geography and Ecology of the Paleozoic, Living on Land, Origin and Radiation of Tetrapods, Salamanders, Anurans, and Caecilians, Synapsids and Sauropods: Two Approaches to Terrestrial Life, Turtles, The Lepidosaurs: Tuatara, Lizards, and Snakes, Ectothermy: A Low-Cost Approach to Life, Geography and Ecology of the Mesozoic, Mesozoic Diapsids: Dinosaurs, Crocodilians, and Birds, Avian Specializations, The Synapsida the the Evolution of Mammals, Geography and Ecology of the Cenozoic, Mammalian Characteristics and Diversity, Mammalian Specializations, Endothermy: A High-Energy Approach to Life, Body Size, Ecology, and Sociality of Mammals, Primate Evolution and the Emergence of Humans, The Impact of Humans on Other Species of Vertebrates Market:Intended for those interested in learning the basics of vertebrate life

I. VERTEBRATE DIVERSITY, FUNCTION, AND EVOLUTION 1. The Diversity, Classification, and Evolution of Vertebrates 2. Vertebrate Relationships and Basic Structure 3. Early Vertebrates: Jawless Vertebrates and the Origin of Jawed Vertebrates

II. NON-AMNIOTIC VERTEBRATES: FISHES AND AMPHIBIANS 4. Living in Water 5. Radiation of the Chondrichthyes 6. Dominating Life in Water: The Major Radiation of Fishes 7. Geography and Ecology of the Paleozoic 8. Living on Land 9. Origin and Radiation of Tetrapods 10. Salamanders, Anurans, and Caecilians

III. SAUROSPIDA: TURTLES, LEPIDOSAURS, AND BIRDS 11. Synapsids and Sauropods: Two Approaches to Terrestrial Life 12. Turtles 13. The Lepidosaurs: Tuatara, Lizards, and Snakes 14. Ectothermy: A Low-Cost Approach to Life 15. Geography and Ecology of the Mesozoic 16. Mesozoic Diapsids: Dinosaurs, Crocodilians, and Birds 17. Avian Specializations

IV. SYNAPSIDA: THE MAMMALS 18. The Synapsida the the Evolution of Mammals 19. Geography and Ecology of the Cenozoic 20. Mammalian Characteristics and Diversity 21. Mammalian Specializations 22. Endothermy: A High-Energy Approach to Life 23. Body Size, Ecology, and Sociality of Mammals 24. Primate Evolution and the Emergence of Humans 25. The Impact of Humans on Other Species of Vertebrates