The Atlantic Forest of South America: Biodiversity Status, Threats, and Outlook, edited by Carlos Galindo-Leal and Ibsen de Gusmão Câmara, 2003. Island Press, Washington DC. 488pp. ISBN 1-55963-988-1. Price: $70.00 (hard-back), $35.00 (paperback). This book presents an authoritative account of the world's most threatened tropical forest by the biologists and conservationists who know it best. Although the majority of the remaining Atlantic Forest extends across southeastern Brazil, substantial portions once existed in Paraguay and Argentina as well, and the text considers the surviving forests of each nation in turn before examining issues which affect the remnants of the biome as a whole. Chapters specific to primates include an overview of the conservation history of the golden lion tamarin in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and an assessment of primate species in Misiones, Argentina. Contents: Foreword – Gustavo A. B. da Fonseca, Russell A. Mittermeier & Peter Seligmann, pp. xi–xiii; Preface – Gordon E. Moore, p.xv. Part I. Introduction. 1. Atlantic Forest hot-spot status: An overview – C. Galindo-Leal & I. de Gusmão Câmara, pp.3–11; 2. State of the hotspots: The dynamics of biodiversity loss – C. Galindo-Leal, T. R. Jacobsen, P. F. Langhammer & S. Olivieri, pp.12–23. II. Brazil. 3. Dynamics of biodiversity loss in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: An introduction – L. P. Pinto & M. C. Wey de Brito, pp.27–30; 4. Brief history of conservation in the Atlantic Forest – I. de Gusmão Câmara, pp.31–42; 5. Status of the biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil – J. M. Cardoso da Silva & C. H. M. Casteleti, pp.43–59; 6. Monitoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest cover – M. M. Hirota, pp.60–65; 7. Conservation priorities and main causes of biodiversity loss of marine ecosystems – S. Jablonski, pp.66–85; 8. Endangered species and conservation planning – M. Tabarelli, L. P. Pinto, J. M. Cardoso da Silva & C. M. R. Costa, pp.86–94; 9. Past, present, and future of the golden lion tamarin and its habitat – M. C. M. Kierulff, D. M. Rambaldi & D. G. Kleiman, pp.95–102; 10. Socioeconomic causes of deforestation in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil – C. E. F. Young, pp.103–117; 11. The Central and Serra do Mar corridors in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest – A. P. Aguiar, A. G. Chiarello, S. L. Mendes & E. Neri de Matos, pp.118–132; 12. Policy initiatives for the conservation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest – J. C. Carvalho, pp.133–136. Part III. Argentina. 13. Dynamics of biodiversity loss in the Argentinean Atlantic Forest: An introduction – A. R. Giraudo, pp. 139–140; 14. Brief history of conservation in the Paraná Forest – J. C. Chebez & N. Hilgert, pp.141–159; 15. Biodiversity status of the interior Atlantic Forest of Argentina – A. R. Giraudo, H. Povedano, M. J. Belgrano, E. Krauczuk, U. Pardiñas, A. Miquelarena, D. Ligier, D. Baldo & M. Castelino, pp.160–180; 16. Threats of extinction to flagship species in the Interior Atlantic Forest – A. R. Giraudo & H. Povedano, pp.181–193; 17. Outlook for primate conservation in Misiones – M. S. Di Bitetti, pp.194–199; 18. The loss of Mbyá wisdom: Disappearance of a legacy of sustainable management – A. Sánchez & A. R. Giraudo, pp.200–206; 19. Socioeconomic roots of biodiversity loss in Misiones – S. Holz & G. Placci, pp.207–226; 20. Conservation capacity in the Paraná Forest – J. P. Cinto & M. P. Bertolini, pp.227–244; 21. Critical analysis of protected areas in the Atlantic Forest of Argentina – A. R. Giraudo, E. Krauczuk, V. Arzamendia & H. Povedano, pp.245–261; 22. Last opportunity for the Atlantic Forest – L. A. Rey, pp.262–264. Part IV. Paraguay. 23. Dynamics of biodiversity loss in the Paraguayan Atlantic Forest: An introduction – J. L. Cartes & A. Yanosky, pp.267–268; 24. Brief history of conservation in the Interior Atlantic Forest – J. L. Cartes, pp.269–287; 25. Biodiversity status of the Interior Atlantic Forest of Paraguay – F. Fragano & R. Clay, pp.288–309; 26. Socioeconomic drivers in the Interior Atlantic Forest – A. M. Macedo & J. L. Cartes, pp.310– 324; 27. The Guaraní Aquifer: A regional environmental service – J. F. Facetti, pp.325–327; 28. Conservation capacity in the Interior Atlantic Forest of Paraguay – A. Yanosky & E. Cabrera, pp.328–354. Part V. Trinational Issues. 29. Dynamics of biodiversity loss: An introduction to trinational issues – T. R. Jacobsen, pp.357– 359; 30. Species on the brink: Critically endangered terrestrial vertebrates – T. Brooks & A. B. Rylands, pp.360–371; 31. Putting the pieces back together: Fragmentation and landscape conservation – C. Galindo-Leal, pp.372–380; 32. Endangered forests, vanishing peoples: Bio-cultural diversity and indigenous knowledge – T. R. Jacobsen, pp.381–391; 33. Unwanted guests: The invasion of nonnative species – J. K. Reaser, C. Galindo-Leal & S. R. Ziller, pp.392–405; 34. Harvesting and conservation of heart palm – S. E. Chediack & M. F. Baqueiro, pp.406–412; 35. The effects of dams on biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest – C. Fahey & P. F. Langhammer, pp.413–425; 36: Populating the environment: Human growth, density and migration in the Atlantic Forest – T. R. Jacobsen, pp. 426–435; 37. Mercosur and the Atlantic Forest: An environmental regulatory framework – M. Leichner, pp.436–443; 38. A challenge for conservation: Atlantic Forest protected areas – A.-V. Lairana, pp.444–457. Part VI. Conclusion. 39. Outlook for the Atlantic Forest – C. Galindo-Leal, I. de Gusmão Câmara & P. J. Benson, pp.461–464.

Darwinian Heresies, edited by Abigail Lustig, Robert J. Richards, and Michael Ruse. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2004. 208pp. ISBN 0521815169 (hardcover), $65.00. Darwinian Heresies looks at the history of evolutionary thought in an attempt to break through conventional thinking to see whether there are assumptions or theories that are blinding us to important issues. The collection, which includes essays by historians and philosophers of science, digs beneath the surface and shows that not all is precisely as it is often assumed to be. Covering a wide range of issues starting back in the eighteenth century, Darwinian Heresies brings us up through the time of Charles Darwin and The Origin of Species all the way to the twenty-first century. It is suggested that Darwin's true roots lie in Germany, not in his native England; that Russian evolutionism is more significant than many are prepared to allow; and that the main influence on twentieth-century evolutionary biology was not Charles Darwin at all but his often-despised contemporary, Herbert Spencer. The collection is intended to interest, to excite, to infuriate, and to stimulate further work. Contents: 1. Introduction: Biologists on Crusade – Abigail Lustig, p.1–13; 2. Russian Theoretical Biology between Heresy and Orthodoxy: Georgii Shaposhinikov and His Experiments on Plant Lice – Daniel Alexandrov & Elena Aronova, pp.14–47; 3. The Specter of Darwinism: The Popular Image of Darwinism in Early Twentieth-Century Britain – Peter J. Bowler, pp.48–68; 4. Natural Atheology – Abigail Lustig, pp.69–83; 5. Ironic Heresy: How Young-Earth Creationists Came to Embrace Rapid Microevolution by Means of Natural Selection – Ronald L. Numbers, pp.84–100; 6. If This Be Heresy: Haeckel's Conversion to Darwinism – Robert J. Richards, pp.101–131; 7. Adaptive Landscapes and Dynamic Equilibrium: The Spencerian Contribution to Twentieth-Century American Evolutionary Biology – Michael Ruse, pp.131–150; 8. “The Ninth Mortal Sin”: The Lamarckism of W. M. Wheeler – Charlotte Sleigh, pp.151–172; 9. Contemporary Darwinism and Religion – Mikael Stenmark, pp.173–192. Available from: Cambridge University Press, 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA, Fax: 1-212-691-3239. General Address (Orders & Customer Service): Cambridge University Press, 100 Brook Hill Drive, West Nyack, NY 10994- 2133, USA, Tel: 1-845-353-7500, Fax: 1-845- 353-4141. Website: < http://www.cup.org>.

Janelas para a Biodiversidade no Parque Nacional do Jaú, por Sérgio Henrique Borges, Simone Iwanaga, Carlos César Durigan & Marcos Roberto Pinheiro. Fundação Vitória Amazônica, Manaus, 2004. 280pp. ISBN: 8585830034 (paperback), R$50.00 + postage (no Brasil). O “Janelas para a Biodiversidade” é um projeto de planejamento de pesquisa, com o objetivo de desenvolver uma estratégia para inventariar e monitorar a biodiversidade, e o uso dos recursos naturais, pelos residentes do Parque Nacional do Jaú. O projeto conta com a participação de pesquisadores de várias instituições, como o Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Universidade de Campinas (UNICAMP) e Universidade de São Paulo (USP). O Projeto “Janelas para a Biodiversidade” foi implementado pela Fundação Vitória Amazônica (FVA) entre 1999 e 2002, em parceria com o IBAMA, apoio da WWF-Brasil e do Programa USAID. A experiência do projeto é relatada em um livro editado em 2004 pela FVA, na expectativa de que seja útil para outras entidades e agências ambientais que trabalham na Amazônia. O livro reúne contribuições de 31 pesquisadores das áreas biológicas e sociais representando a FVA e outras importantes instituições de pesquisa. Ao comprar um exemplar você estará contribuindo para projetos de conservação na bacia do rio Negro. Sumário: Apresentação – J. T. da Frota Alves Neto & C. C. Durigan, pp.vii–viii; Prefácios – M. Saragoussi & J. A. A. Gomes, pp.ix–xii. Seção 1 – Definindo a Metodologia. 1. Planejando o estudo da biodiversidade na Amazonia brasileira: Uma experiencia no Parque Nacional do Jaú – S. H. Borges, C. C. Durigan, M. R. Pinheiro, J. L. C. Camargo & A. Murchie, pp.3–14; Caracterização das Janelas para a Biodiversidade do Parque Nacional do Jaú – M. R. Pinheiro & S. H. Borges, pp.19–28. Seção 2 – Pesquisas Sociais. Dinâmica da população humana nos rios do Parque Nacional do Jaú – M. R. Pinheiro & A. B. Macedo, pp.43–61; As condições de vida e uso dos recursos pelos moradores do Parque Nacional do Jaú – M. P. S. R. Chaves, J. P. Abreu & F. Bindá, pp.63–78. Seção 3 – Inventários Biológicos. 5. Biodiversidade de algas planctônicas do Parque Nacional do Jaú: Janela Seringalzinho – S. Melo, M. G. Sophia, M. Menezes & C. A. Souza, pp.83–92; 6. As palmeiras da região do Seringalzinho – C. V. Castilho, pp.95–102; 7. A vegetação ao longo de um gradiente edáfico no Parque Nacional do Jaú – A. Vicentini, pp.105– 131; 8. Araneofauna na região do Seringalzinho – C. S. Azevedo & M. Smith, pp.135–141; 9. Tabanidae (Insecta: Diptera) do Parque Nacional do Jaú. II – A. L. Henriques, pp.143–151; 10. Formigas do Parque Nacional do Jaú: Uma primeira análise – H. L. Vasconcelos, N. J. Fraga & J. M. S. Vilhena, pp.153–160; 11. Anfíbios, lagartos e serpentes do Parque Nacional do Jaú – S. Neckel-Oliveira & M. Gordo, pp.161–173; 12. Inventário de aves no Parque Nacional do Jaú utilizando a abordagem do Projeto Janelas para a Biodiversidade – S. H. Borges, pp.177–192; 13. Levantamento de mamíferos diurnos de médio e grande porte no Parque Nacional do Jaú: Resultados preliminares – S. Iwanaga, pp.195–207. Seção 4 – Uso de Recursons Naturais. 14. A caça e a pesca no Parque Nacional do Jaú – J. C. B. Pezzuti, G. H. Rebêlo, D. F. Silva, J. P. Lima & M. C. Ribeiro – pp.213–228; 15. O extrativismo de cipós (Heteropsis spp., Araceae) no Parque Nacional do Jaú – C. C. Durigan & C. V. Castilho, pp.231–242; 16. Práticas agriculturais dos moradores do Parque Nacional do Jaú – S. H. Borges, F. Filoni & I. C. Siqueira, pp.245–253. Seção Final – Síntese e Avaliação. 17. Projeto Janelas a Biodiversidade: Avaliação e perspectivas – J. L. C. Camargo, S. H. Borges, C. C. Durigan, M. R. Pinheiro & S. Iwanaga, pp.259–273. Para comprar: ligue para (0xx92) 642 7866/4559 ou escreva para <fva@fva.org.br> informando o seu endereço completo para cálculo de taxas postais.

Los Mamíferos de la Argentina, y la Región Austral de Sudamérica, by Aníbal Parera, with photographs by Francisco Erize. 2002. Editorial El Ateneo, Buenos Aires. 454pp. ISBN 950-02- 8536-3 (hardback), US$59.30. This superb book presents an overview of the mammal fauna of Argentina, illustrated with careful line drawings and excellent photographs. An accomplished conservationist, Parera has selected 108 native species from 13 orders to represent the full diversity of Argentine mammals. Each family, when possible, is represented by at least one species, and for those orders with exceptional diversity – notably bats and rodents – there is at least one example of each major feeding guild or ecomorph. In addition, owing to their broad interest and visual appeal, there is a particular focus on the ungulates, edentates and carnivores. The sec tion on edentates in particular is quite remarkable; the photographs must be among the best ever published for edentates, especially of such rare and camera-shy creatures as the fairy armadillo and giant armadillo. Each species profiled in the book is given a thorough dossier, including body measurements and description, habitat preferences and geographic distribution – with excellent range maps – and behavior, ecology and conservation status. Parera has also assembled a formidable bibliography of research on Argentinean mammals, many citations of which are not well known in North America. The edentates profiled in the text include Dasypus novemcinctus, Euphractus sexcinctus, Chaetophractus villosus, Zaedyus pichiy, Tolypeutes matacus, Priodontes maximus, Chlamyphorus truncatus, Myrmecophaga tridactyla and Tamandua tetradactyla, with additional photographs of other edentates from southern South America. Aside from its value as a compilation of Argentine mammalogy, this book is a wonder to page through, and – rare among books in this field – would be just as appropriate for a child who delights in mammals as for the adult who studies them. Available from the publisher's website at < http://www.elateneo.com.>

Los Mamíferos de la Argentina, y la Región Austral de Sudamérica, por Aníbal Parera, con fotografías de Francisco Erize. 2002. Editorial El Ateneo, Buenos Aires. 454 pp. ISBN 950-02-8536-3 (edición de tapas duras), precio US$59.30. Este excelente libro da una vista general de los mamíferos argentinos y sus países vecinos, con minuciosos dibujos y excelentes fotografías. El conservacionista Parera eligió 108 especies autóctonas de 12 órdenes para representar la gran diversidad de mamíferos argentinos. Cada familia, si posible, está representada por al menos una especie, y de los órdenes de mayor diversidad – particularmente, murciélagos y roedores – figura por lo menos un ejemplo de los distintos ecotipos. El libro incluye un enfoque especial en los ungulados, edentados y carnívoros por el gran atractivo visual de estos taxones y el amplio interés que despiertan en el público. El capítulo sobre edentados es simplemente extraordinario; las fotografías de edentados deben ser de las mejores que ya fueron publicadas, especialmente las de especies tan raras y difíciles de fotografiar como el pichiciego (Chlamyphorus truncatus) y el tatú carreta (Priodontes maximus). Cada especie incluida en el libro está presentada mediante una extensa ficha, la cual incluye medidas corporales y una descripción de las preferencias de hábitat, distribución geográfica – incluyendo excelentes mapas de distribución – comportamiento, ecología y estado de conservación. Parera también recopiló una muy amplia bibliografía sobre investigaciones científicas realizadas sobre mamíferos argentinos; muchos trabajos incluidos en su lista son poco conocidos en América del Norte. Los edentados presentados en el texto incluyen Dasypus novemcinctus, Euphractus sexcinctus, Chaetophractus villosus, Zaedyus pichiy, Tolypeutes matacus, Priodontes maximus, Chlamyphorus truncatus, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, y Tamandua tetradactyla, confotografías adicionales de otros edentados del sur de Sudamérica. Además de su gran valor como compilación sobre la mastozoología argentina, este libro es una maravilla que vale la pena hojear. Y como rareza entre los libros sobre esta temática, se lo podría recomendar tanto a un niño al que le gustan los mamíferos como a un adulto que los estudia. Disponible en el sitio de internet de la editora, en < http://www.elateneo.com>.