Authors: Meyer W.; Hülmann G.; Seger H.

Source: Mammalian Biology, Volume 68, Number 5, 1 September 2003 , pp. 328-328(1)

Publisher: Urban & Fischer

Abstract:

This bilingual atlas, written in German and English, deals with the hairs of Insectivora (10 species), Chiroptera (21), Rodentia (24), Lagomorpha (3), Carnivora Fissipedia (14), Carnivora Pinnipedia (3 species), Perissodactyla (1), and Artiodactyla (10). In the first chapter the anatomy and development of hair is described. Some of the illustrations in this section are in colour. The second chapter deals with hair cuticle patterns and discusses their value as key structures for species identification. The third section introduces and describes methods for the identification and documentation of hair shaft structures. A determination key for the identification of guard hairs of the dorsum of Central European mammals represents the fourth chapter. It identifies the mammalian species to which the respective hairs belong.

The fifth chapter is the central part of this atlas; it consists of more than 220 pages. A double page presents written and illustrated information for each considered species. The left page identifies and depicts the species, presents basic biological information, such as body size and habitat, coloration of the fur cuticle. On the right page a scanning electron micrograph showing the structure of the hair cuticle of guard hairs is presented as three photos depicting tip, intermediate part and base of the hair shaft. The hair cuticle patterns are described in tabulated form as well as some data, such as scale area (in m²), scale perimeter m and scale index, the latter representing the number of scales per mm². The present reviewer was unable to find out why the ratio of scale width to scale height is called “Y-/X-Feret”. A list of references, a subject index and drawings of hair cuticle patterns for guard hairs of all considered species concludes the atlas, which might be a helpful source of reference for a wide range of interested readers, such as museum mammalogists, crimnologists, hunters, or fur dealers.

Document Type: Book review

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1078/1616-5047-00100

Publication date: 2003-09-01

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Biology ,  Zoology
• By this author: Meyer W. ;  Hülmann G. ;  Seger H.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers