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HMW Handbook of the Mammals of the World (6 Viewers)

Descriptions often take some time, so if one of the describers was an author, it's likely there will be at least a reference to this critter in the next volume, although it will obviously lack a name.
 
Swissboy said:
Looks like their publication schedule was a bit too ambitious then.
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I agree and I am also thinking that the target to publish all 8 volumes until 2017 seems to be no more possible. If they will stay in the two years mode volume 8 will be publish not until 2023.
 
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HMW 2: bovid taxonomy

Mysticete said:
The lynx page mentions that the book will cover the latest taxonomic revisions, and that Bovidae has "doubled" it's size to 279 species. Wikipedia, which is based on on MSW3, lists 140 species. That is a pretty big damn jump in diversity, especially compared to changes in the carnivore volume, which for the most part was somewhat conservative on species limits (IMHO)
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twilighter said:
The new Colin Groves's fundamental study, seems to be the base of HMW II revolutionary taxonomy.
http://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/ecom...urce=2&viewMode=3&loggedIN=false&JavaScript=y
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Heller, Frandsen, Lorenzen & Siegismund (in press). Are there really twice as many bovid species as we thought? Syst Biol.
Abstract
A major reappraisal of the taxonomy of ungulates (hoofed mammals) was presented in 2011 (Groves and Grubb 2011; G&G henceforth). The reappraisal presents a drastic revision of the taxonomic diversity of the group. It nearly doubles the number of bovid species—a group comprising cattle, bison, buffalo, goats, sheep and antelopes—currently recognised (IUCN 2012), raising the number of species from 143 to 279. In our opinion, this represents taxonomic inflation; ecotypes or subspecies have been raised to the level of full species based not on new data, but solely on a change in the species concept used (Isaac et al. 2004). As we argue below, the excessive splitting of species is unconvincing in many cases. Furthermore, we warn that such taxonomic inflation in the bovids may impede management and conservation efforts (Isaac et al. 2004; Mace 2004; Frankham et al. 2012).
The revised bovid species list of G&G was incorporated into the recently published "Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2" (Wilson and Mittermeier 2011; HMW henceforth) published in collaboration with the IUCN and Conservation International, two of the leading international authorities involved in the conservation of global biodiversity. Whereas G&G is a scientific revision intended for experts in the field, HMW is a multi-authored book series presenting the most up-to-date taxonomy of mammals for a broader readership. Collectively, these two volumes are likely to be highly influential and to serve as a guideline for a wide-ranging audience including taxonomists, conservationists, ecologists, biodiversity managers and policy makers.
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Richard Klim said:
Heller, Frandsen, Lorenzen & Siegismund (in press). Are there really twice as many bovid species as we thought? Syst Biol.
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As a skeptic when it comes to all the constant systematic changes, this would seem like not that much of a surprise. But it might also be just another piece in the constant publish-or-perish vicious circle. Anyway, the inflation argument has a lot for it when the new so much higher number is not really based on new insights.
 
As someone who has the ungulate taxonomy book where they lay out the proposals, there are quite a few really poorly supported taxonomic proposals there, some splits of which are based on pitiful sample sizes and a handful of cranial measurements. There are splits in there that are almost certainly valid (Collared Peccary comes to mind), but there is a lot of stuff I don't see holding up (East European and West European Red Deer on top of that list).

I get the impression a lot of it was rushed to print after Grubb's death. Had he not died we might have gotten a more solid sample size and better explanations for some of the splits.
 
stonechat1 said:
And in a little while in my hands I hope.
................
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Don't quite hold your breath yet.
Due to economy shipping, that "little while" may well be a bit longer. As an example, a recent order from the UK took a full four weeks after having been shipped till I got it. In addition, they can't ship the whole batch at the same time. Thus, much depends when one's order is being dealt with.
 
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Swissboy said:
Don't quite hold your breath yet.
Due to economy shipping, that "little while" may well be a bit longer. As an example, a recent order from the UK took a full four weeks after having been shipped till I got it. In addition, they can't ship the whole batch at the same time. Thus, much depends when one's order is being dealt with.
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I heard from them today that my copy will be shipped next week. o:)
 
Mine arrived yesterday. I have to say I am rather disappointed in the artwork. It's all very sterile looking, with all species on one plate in the exact same posture...

The photos are great, of course and the production standard is very high, but I wouldn't have expected otherwise from Lynx!

But: no Homo sapiens... Although I can understand why 'our species' isn't featured, it would have been funny to have included artwork of a male, female and juveniles :) Although photos in the Breeding chapter might have been a tad too 18+, I reckon :)
 
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