CSIRO List of Australian Vertebrates: A Reference with Conservation Status. Second Edition [Book Review]

2007·0.28 MB·English

by  Gary Presland

BookReviews
CSIRO
list ofAustralian vertebrates: a reference with
conservation status. Second edition.
byMarkClayton,John C Wombey, IanJMason, R TerryChesserandAlice Wells
Publisher: CSIROPublishing, Collingwood, 2006. 162pages,paperback. ISBN
0643090754. RRP$59.95
To paraphrase the Bard: What’s in a
name? That which we call an Orange-
bellied Parrot would be as threatened by ACSIRUO LISSTOFTRALIAN
any other name. That’s not to say, of
course that names are unimportant, and VERTEBRATES
this is particularly the case with scientific
names. And as with all areas ofscientific AREFERENCEWITHCONSERVATION STATUS
study there is always a bit of movement
going on. Hence there is a regular need to
update the names and groupings ofverte-
brates.
This book is the second edition ofawork
that was originally published in 1998. As
the authors say (p. 1), ‘numerous changes
in intervening years’ in the taxonomy and
nomenclature of Australian vertebrates
makeaneweditiontimely.
Most ofthose changes are reflected in
this new edition, although some revisions
in the higher level systematics of
Australian vertebrates are not included. MarkClayton|lohnC.Wombey|Ian|.Mason|R.TerryChesser|AliceWells
Having said as much, the authors do not
tables constitute the core ofthe book, with
indicate either what those changes were or
why theyhaven’tbeen included. However, the conservation status ofeach animal indi-
this edition does provide information not cated forall states and territories, by means
presented in its predecessor. This includes ofcodes positioned in columns adjacent to
detail of all currently recognised and the species’ names. These four sections are
named subspecies; distributional informa- followedbyanothernew feature in thisedi-
tCIsiolomannmdonafnwoderaAluststhprealctiiearenrsitAonrtifaeroscut(niedc.g.TerNironirtofroyal)lk;l taFililonna,nlleaywn,lAyalplpdeeasnncdirimixabletsdhaatarnepdrionvaidcdecexesepdtdeettdawiitlcasexao-.f
more complete nomenclatural data for all separately by both common and scientific
species; and a supplementary table of names, grouped in the same order as in the
vagrantandaccidental mammal records. bodyofthebook.
winaTtrhrdoedausnctdtrourecyatussryeecttooifofnotlholefowgb.eonoeItkrabliesgiisnntfsroariwmgiahttthifooanrn,- wHooBwuyelvdietsrp,incakitturuweip,llftohbriesaainsspnioonttvaoalfubalboilgohektrtrehefaaetdrieonnngce.e
wherein are presented such matters as the tool for both professionals and interested
rationaleforthebook, an explanationofthe amateurs in awiderangeofcontextsdealing
typesofinformationtheworkcontains, and withvertebratesin naturalenvironments.
details ofthe sources ofbackground data The review copy ofAustralian verte-
uInpotnhewfhoiucrhstehceticoonrsetohafttfheolbloowokthiissbiansterdo.- bRreafteersenccaen sbeectfioounndofhetnhceefFoNrtChVwiLtihbirnartyh,e
duction, the complete range ofvertebrate where it will no doubt be sought regularly
animals istabulatedundergeneral headings bythe EditorsofThe VictorianNaturalist.
of amphibians, reptiles, birds and mam-
mals. Withineach ofthese sections, species Gary Presland
are grouped together by family. These SchoolofTShoeciUanlivaenrdsiEtnyviorfoMnemlebnotuarlneE,nq3u0i1r0y
Vol. 124 (2) 2007 127