Mammals: A Very Short Introduction
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Mammals: A Very Short Introduction

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Mammals: A Very Short IntroductionFrom a modest beginning in the form of a little shrew like, nocturnal, insect eating ancestor that lived 200 million years ago, mammals evolved into the huge variety of different kinds of animals we see today. Many species are still small, and follow the lifestyle of the ancestor, but others have adapted to become large grazers and browsers, like the antelopes, cattle, rhinos, and elephants, or the lions, hyaenas, and wolves that prey upon them. Yet

From a modest beginning in the form of a little shrew-like, nocturnal, insect eating ancestor that lived 200 million years ago, mammals evolved into the huge variety of different kinds of animals we see today. Many species are still small, and follow the lifestyle of the ancestor, but others have adapted to become large grazers and browsers, like the antelopes, cattle, rhinos, and elephants, or the lions, hyaenas, and wolves that prey upon them. Yet others evolved to be specialist termite eaters able to dig into the hardest mounds, or tunnel creating burrowers, and a few took to the skies as gliders and the bats. Many live partly in the water, such as otters, beavers, and hippos, while whales and dugongs remain permanently in the seas, incapable of ever emerging onto land.

In this Very Short Introduction Tom Kemp explains how it is a tenfold increase in metabolic rate - endothermy or "warm-bloodedness" - that lies behind the high levels of activity, and the relatively huge brain associated with complex, adaptable behaviour that epitomizes mammals. He describes the remarkable fossil record, revealing how and when the mammals gained their characteristics, and the tortuous course of their subsequent evolution, during which many bizarre forms such as sabre-toothed cats, and 30-tonne, 6-m high browsers arose and disappeared. Describing the wonderful adaptations that mammals evolved to suit their varied modes of life, he also looks at those of the mainly arboreal primates that culminated ultimately in Homo sapiens.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.


Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 09/27/2017
ISBN: 9780198766940
Pages: 144
Weight: 0.35lbs
Size: 6.80h x 4.20w x 0.40d
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SKU: 60492416301

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Lexington, US
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Perfect for our purpose (Tricks)
Size: Newspaper 4 PCS
Perfect for tricks-related interactions (we have them inside a mailbox our dog opens… then he retrieves the news)
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Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2025
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Beware of these crinkle plastic filler!
Size: Newspaper 4 PCS
3:09 handed to her.. 3:13 (4 minutes) taken away from her.. chewing on the plastic inner sheet filler... Not good gor medium to larger dogs! Nothing more than a thin satin pillow sheet with crinkle plastic paper inside that can choke your dog if not monitored!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2026
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Charlotte Phillips
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Dog toy
Size: Newspaper 4 PCS
Dog toys cute and love the paper
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Thin dog doesn't use it no filling its flat
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Suck suck suck
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Twinkie
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 5
This is a great gift for our dog, but thank goodness she doesn't read.
Size: Newspaper 4 PCS
My puppy loves toys with crackling noises and I purchased these crackling papers. These are well sewn together, double sided and I have not had any problem with these tearing or shredding by her sharp baby teeth. On looking at the "paper" it seems to have articles for a mother of a human baby. The articles have many misspellings and are funny because of that. Since my puppy doesn't have dyslexia, she doesn't seem to notice the errors and enjoys playing with these and dragging them around our home.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2024

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