The Great Basin is a vast area of interior drainage including much of the expanse between the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. The unique geomorphology of this region has resulted in high local and regional biodiversity. Today, the Great Basin is considered one of the most threatened bioregions in North America. In this Special Feature, we bring together a broad range of perspectives that highlight how Great Basin landscape dynamics from 30 million years ago to today, including modern anthropogenic impacts, have shaped mammalian diversity from individual populations and species to entire biomes.

The alternating mountain ranges and desert basins of the Great Basin in the western United States support higher species diversity of mammals than any other region of comparable area in temperate North America. Topographically complex regions have strong environmental gradients and heterogeneous habitats that result in fragmented geographic ranges over long periods and may promote speciation. In order to evaluate the influence of topography and climate on mammal diversification, we traced the history of mammal diversity during the formation of basin-and-range topography. We compiled species-occurrence data from the NeoMap database of fossil mammals and calculated standing diversity, origination rate, extinction rate, diversification rate (originations − extinctions), and turnover rate (originations extinctions) for million-year intervals. We evaluated changes in faunal composition (species in mammalian orders and species in rodent families) over time and assessed whether significant changes in diversity and faunal composition tracked major changes in landscape history. Neogene geologic evolution generated by tectonic activity and changing climate created the topographic complexity and habitat heterogeneity of the Great Basin. Over the last 30 million years, extensional tectonic processes caused an older high plateau to collapse and stretch from east to west, resulting in longitudinal expansion by ~235 km to form the Great Basin. Average elevation decreased by 1–3 km. Global warming and associated increases in regional precipitation from 17 to 14 million years ago (mya; the Miocene Climatic Optimum [MCO]) interrupted the long-term trend of Cenozoic cooling and aridification. From 30 to 2 mya, Great Basin mammal diversity peaked during the MCO, then declined over the later Miocene and Pliocene. The major changes in diversity over time were robust to sampling effects. Faunal composition changed episodically, with increasing proportions of rodents, lagomorphs, and carnivores and decreasing proportions of ungulates and proboscideans. The highest diversification rate occurred during the MCO with smaller but significant diversification rates later in the Neogene. The highest turnover rates occurred during and immediately following the MCO. Comparison of rodent faunas of the Great Basin and the Great Plains showed substantial differences in the timing and magnitude of diversification and changes in taxonomic composition. These patterns support the hypothesis that climate change over complex topography stimulated diversification in the Great Basin.

Reconstructing the assembly of local ecological communities requires insight from a wide range of disciplines including biogeography, paleontology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Community assembly depends on the availability of species in a regional species pool (a “biota”), which itself is assembled through a history of diversification, geographic range shifting, and adaptive responses to environmental change. The Great Basin contains a diverse mammal biota sorted into communities along elevational, latitudinal, and structural habitat gradients. Molecular genetic approaches have clarified the timing of diversification events in response to dynamic Neogene landscapes in several iconic Great Basin mammals, although the role of Great Basin landscape evolution on species diversification remains largely unexplored. Divergence continued into the Quaternary, as widespread species formed genetically unique lineages in and around the Great Basin. In response to Quaternary climatic oscillation, some mammalian species maintained their ranges whereas others exhibited dramatic range contractions or expansions, impacting the composition of regional species pools available for local community assembly. Advances will come from elucidating phylogenetic and phylogeographic structure in more taxa, but also from emerging genomic and modeling approaches to address how ecological traits, niche shifts, and adaptive evolution have influenced specific responses to dynamic landscapes and climates resulting in the species assemblages that characterize the Great Basin.

The heterogeneous topography of the Great Basin province leads to one of the most climatically variable regions in the Northern Hemisphere. Along the southwestern edge lies Death Valley, an area of even more extreme climate and physiographic relief; Death Valley has the dubious distinction of being the hottest place on earth. Our research investigates the adaptive response of Neotoma (woodrats) to temperature fluctuations over the late Quaternary on the valley floor and along a nearby elevational and environmental gradient. By combining fieldwork on extant animals living on the valley floor with historical information from museum specimens and paleomiddens, we reconstruct the evolutionary histories of 2 species (N. lepida and N. cinerea) differing significantly in size and habitat preferences. Here, at the modern limit of both species' thermal and ecological thresholds, we find fluctuations in body size and range boundaries over the Holocene as climate shifted. Although N. cinerea is extirpated on the east side of the valley today, it was ubiquitous throughout the late Quaternary. Moreover, we find fundamental differences in the adaptive response of woodrats related to elevation and local microclimate. Modern work suggests the mechanism is physiological; exposure to consistently high temperatures leads to high mortality. Thus, high temperatures strongly restrict time available for the essential activities of foraging and mating. Our results illustrate the profound influence temperature has on all aspects of woodrat life history, ecology, distribution, and evolution.

Vegetation in the Great Basin has been changing over millennia in response to climate but the rate of change since European settlement in the last 150 years has been unprecedented. Beyond the changing climate, explanations for these more recent vegetation alterations are diverse and include a myriad of human influences: the introduction of livestock (cattle, sheep, and horses), homesteading, cultivation, mining, introduction of invasive species, forage seeding programs, water diversion, elevated CO₂ levels, changing fire frequencies, and recreation. These causes have had overlapping, interactive, and cumulative effects upon the landscapes of the Great Basin. This paper offers a survey of some of the most widespread historical land uses in the Great Basin since European settlement and how they may have altered natural plant communities and subsequently mammal habitats. By highlighting the nature, intensity, and extent of historical practices, this paper illustrates the need to consider a broad set of land-use legacies when defining wildlife–habitat associations at local and landscape scales. Further, it points to the need for more integrated efforts that combine historical ecology with wildlife ecology and management to address current knowledge gaps and guide effective conservation and restoration recommendations.

Forecasting the response of species and communities to environmental change is a priority for multiple disciplines in the natural sciences. In looking toward the future, much can be learned from examining faunal response under past episodes of environmental change. Typically, retrospective approaches are limited to one spatial and temporal scale. Here, we illustrate how integrating across spatiotemporal scales can provide powerful insights into faunal response, and can inform conservation and management. To do this we compare paleontological and neontological studies on the small mammal fauna of the Great Basin. Small mammal species and their assemblages have long been recognized as indicators of ecological change and ecosystem health. We use fossil data from two long-term owl roosts to reconstruct patterns of richness and the apportioning of abundance among functional groups across multiple episodes of warming during the Holocene (last 10,000 years). We then use these findings as a climate-only baseline against which to compare changes in richness and abundance in 2 independent mountain ranges over the past century. While the past century has been marked by climate warming, the modern day Great Basin landscape also has been subject to intense human land-use practices and the introduction of nonnative plant species. Our contrast highlights that for Great Basin small mammals, modern-day land-use practices are modifying climate-based expectations.

Robinson's mouse opossum (Marmosa robinsoni) typically inhabits xeric shrublands, savannas, and deciduous forests from Panama through Colombia and Venezuela, to the islands of Trinidad, Tobago, and Grenada. We assessed its phylogeographic structure in the 1st such study based on dense geographic sampling of any vertebrate from dry habitats in this region. We sequenced the cytochrome-b gene and the X-linked intron O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase, largely from dried skins and residual tissue on osteological material of museum specimens. Phylogenetic analyses revealed the existence of 2 well-supported phylogroups primarily distributed to the east and west of the Cordillera de Mérida. The estimated time since divergence between these phylogroups postdates the Miocene; therefore, Andean uplifts, changes in the course of the Río Orinoco, and marine transgressions of that epoch cannot be implicated as causal vicariant agents. Instead, expansion of humid forest or marine transgressions, or both, during the Pliocene and Pleistocene more likely led to this differentiation. We encountered little structure among populations east of the Cordillera de Mérida, suggesting recent range expansion in this region. Surprisingly, isolated populations from the Península de Paraguaná (northwestern Venezuela) are not closely related to geographically proximate mainland populations, but rather to more distant populations to the west in Colombia and Panama. By contrast, populations from central and eastern Venezuela are closely related to those on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. This genetic similarity among currently disjunct populations of M. robinsoni might have resulted from Holocene fragmentation of a more extensive Pleistocene distribution on coastal plains that were exposed during the last glacial maximum.

Marmosa robinsoni típicamente habita arbustales secos, sabanas, y bosques deciduos de Panamá, Colombia, y Venezuela, y se encuentra presente también en las islas de Trinidad, Tobago, y Granada. En este estudio evaluamos la estructura filogeográfica de M. robinsoni en lo que, hasta donde sabemos, representa el primer estudio de este tipo basado en un muestreo geográfico denso de un vertebrado de los hábitats secos del norte de Suramérica. Secuenciamos el gen mitocondrial citocromo b y el intron nuclear O-N-acetilglucosamina transferasa (ubicado en el cromosoma X). Para ello, obtuvimos ADN principalmente a partir de pieles de estudio y tejido residual tomado de material osteológico de ejemplares de museos. Los análisis filogenéticos revelaron (con buen apoyo) la existencia de dos filogrupos predominantemente distribuidos al Este y Oeste de la Cordillera de Mérida. La estimación del tiempo transcurrido desde que estos dos filogrupos divergieron claramente indica que tal divergencia ocurrió luego del Mioceno; por lo tanto, el levantamiento de los Andes, los cambios de curso del Río Orinoco, y las transgresiones marinas de esa época no pueden ser consideradas como posibles agentes vicariantes relevantes entre estos grupos. En cambio, expansiones de bosques húmedos y/o transgresiones marinas durante el Plioceno y Pleistoceno podrían haber causado esta divergencia. Encontramos poca estructura filogeográfica entre las poblaciones al Este de la Cordillera de Mérida, lo cual sugiere una expansión reciente a esta región. Sorprendentemente, poblaciones aisladas en la Península de Paraguaná (noroeste de Venezuela) no están cercanamente relacionadas con las poblaciones geográficamente más próximas (continentales y adyacentes a la península), sino a las poblaciones más distantes al Oeste en Colombia y Panamá. En cambio, las poblaciones del centro y del oriente de Venezuela están cercanamente relacionadas a poblaciones pres

The importance of a frugivore's behavior and movement on seed dispersal patterns, although widely recognized, is sometimes difficult to obtain. This is particularly true for small and nocturnal animals that inhabit structurally complex environments, such as Dromiciops gliroides. We studied different behavioral traits of this species in its natural environment during the fruiting season of the mistletoe Tristerix corymbosus. Using videos recorded by camera traps, we obtained data regarding activity levels, time allocation, feeding patterns, and movement velocities of this frugivore. Our results showed that this small marsupial seemed to avoid moonlight, and to balance the costs generated by feeding during brightest nights (i.e., when more conspicuous to predators) feeds at higher rates than during less-illuminated nights. Feeding pattern analyses showed that D. gliroides can consume between 1 and 10 fruits per plant, but generally consumes 3 fruits. We also observed that the mean time needed for D. gliroides to extract and manipulate a fruit was 6 s. Time allocation analyses showed that, on average, individuals stayed on T. corymbosus and its hosts for 55 s, and allocate most of that time on feeding and moving within the mistletoe. Video analyses were demonstrated to be a useful sampling technique, which, in addition to allowing us to obtain information about activity patterns, also permitted us to assess fruit consumption patterns, visit lengths, and time allocation when visiting mistletoe. Moreover, video allowed us to understand the variability of movement velocities under different behavioral states. The information we provide here could be included into models to simulate seed dispersal in a more realistic and accurate way that incorporates not only spatial distribution of resources, but also detailed behavioral information of frugivores.

Dromiciops gliroides is an arboreal nocturnal marsupial. We used camera traps to monitor its activity in native forest and eucalyptus plantations with native understory for 2 summers. We obtained 2.75 records camera⁻¹ month⁻¹ in the forest and 2.16 in the plantation. Activity period ranged from 1900 to 0700 h, but reached its peak around 0200 h. Activity patterns were variable among months, but there were no significant differences between native and eucalyptus habitats, which overlapped between 55% and 97%. It is remarkable to have found D. gliroides in habitats dominated by exotic trees, because this species has been considered to be restricted to native forests.

Dromiciops gliroides es un marsupial arbóreo nocturno. Se utilizaron trampas-cámara para monitorear su actividad en bosques nativos y plantaciones de eucalipto con sotobosque nativo por dos veranos. Se obtuvieron 2.75 registros cámara⁻¹ mes⁻¹ en el bosque y 2.16 en la plantación. El periodo de actividad se extendió entre las 19 y las 07 h, alcanzando su máximo aproximadamente a las 02 h. Los patrones de actividad variaron entre meses, pero no difirieron significativamente entre el bosque nativo y la plantación de eucalipto, donde se solaparon entre 55% y 97%. Es destacable el hecho de haber encontrado a D. gliroides en hábitats dominados por árboles exóticos, dado que se consideraba que esta especie estaba restringida al bosque nativo.

The Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata) is generally acknowledged to be a specialist forager on its preferred prey, the burrowing lagomorph plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae), but whether true dependency characterizes the relationship remains unclear. We estimated the presence of Tibetan foxes in 62 habitat patches that reflected a continuum of environmental conditions within their known geographic distribution within Qinghai Province, China. We used site-occupancy modeling and quantified the abundance of plateau pikas as well as other site variables that could plausibly predict fox presence. We quantified fox presence by collecting and sequencing DNA from scats. The number of pikas and the number of their burrows were the only covariates supported in predictive models of Tibetan fox presence. The probability of site occupancy by foxes increased with pika abundance, and was close to 0 when pikas were absent even within habitat patches otherwise generally suitable. DNA-based diet analysis also allowed us to identify prey species consumed by Tibetan foxes. Approximately 99% of fox scats contained pika DNA sequences, 97% contained predominantly pika sequences, and 73% contained only pika sequences. We conclude that Tibetan foxes in this region are not merely foraging specialists of plateau pikas, but that they are obligate predators on pikas. Plateau pikas, while presently still abundant on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, are considered a pest by government policy and are subject to extensive, government-funded poisoning programs. The Tibetan fox is currently at no substantial risk as a species, but this could change if pika poisoning increases in scope, intensity, or effectiveness.

The digestive system is one of the most reactive physiological systems to changes in environmental conditions as a result of a trade-off between functional benefits and maintenance costs. Empirical studies indicate that high-fiber diets promote an increase in the rate of food intake, and, thus, an increase in the size of the digestive organs. Here, we investigated variation in the size of digestive organs in 4 populations of Abrothrix olivacea and A. longipilis, both inhabiting 2 contrasting habitats. Based on published data on diet composition, we predicted that individuals from the more-productive forest habitat should show larger digestive organs than individuals from the less-productive steppe habitat. As expected, we found that individuals from the forest had significantly larger small and large intestines (relative to body mass) than individuals from the steppe. In addition, we found that individuals from the forest had a larger body size than individuals from the steppe, suggesting that habitat productivity has an important effect on body size.

El sistema digestivo es uno de los sistemas fisiológicos más reactivos frente a cambios en las condiciones ambientales, lo que se relaciona con el compromiso existente entre los beneficios funcionales y el costo energético de su mantenimiento. Diversos trabajos empíricos realizados a distintos niveles de organización biológica, desde individuos hasta especies, han demostrado que las dietas de baja calidad (e.g., con un alto contenido de fibra) promueven un incremento en las tasas de consumo de alimento (para cubrir sus requerimientos diarios de energía y nutrientes), y por tanto, un aumento en el tamaño de los órganos digestivos. En el presente trabajo investigamos la variación en el tamaño de los órganos digestivos al nivel interpoblacional, evaluando la variación existente entre 4 poblaciones de 2 especies del género Abrothrix (A. olivacea and A. longipilis) que habitan 2 ambientes contrastantes (el bosque templado Valdiviano y Magallánico y la estepa Patagónica). Basados en información existente sobre la dieta de estas especies, predecimos que los individuos provenientes de los ambientes más productivos (bosque)—los cuales tienen una dieta más herbívora—deberían presentar órganos digestivos más grandes que los individuos provenientes de ambientes menos productivos (estepa)—los cuales presentan una dieta más insectívora u omnívora. En efecto, los resultados obtenidos indican que los individuos que habitan el bosque Valdiviano y Magallánico tienen intestinos delgado y grueso significativamente mayores (respecto al tamaño corporal) que los individuos que habitan la estepa Patagónica. Además, se encontró que los individuos que provienen del bosque tienen un mayor tamaño corporal que los individuos que proviene de la estepa, sugiriendo que—al menos para nuestro sistema—la productividad primaria del hábitat tiene un efecto importante sobre el tamaño.

Measuring daily and seasonal patterns of activity is useful for understanding the ecological and evolutionary drivers of behavior. We used collar-mounted light loggers to examine how nest attendance in arboreal squirrels and aboveground activity in semifossorial ground squirrels are affected by weather-driven changes in thermoregulatory conditions. Activity of lactating red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) had a diurnal pattern showing 3 daily peaks of activity with time spent outside the nest increasing with increasing ambient temperature, but decreasing with increasing relative humidity and wind. Despite the persistence of daylight during midsummer in the arctic environment, female arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii) also exhibited diurnal activity patterns with time spent above ground each day decreasing in response to precipitation but increasing with increasing ambient temperature and incident solar radiation. On cooler days, ground squirrels exhibited a unimodal activity pattern. However, on warm days, ground squirrels spent less time above ground when solar radiation and ambient temperature were both at their daily maxima, which resulted in a bimodal activity pattern. Our results highlight the utility of light loggers as a cost-effective means of addressing questions related to foraging behavior, parental care, thermoregulation, energetics, and timing of activity in arboreal and semifossorial small mammals.

A relatively recent approach to characterizing structure of natural communities is to use phylogenies of species pools to compare patterns of relatedness between real and simulated communities. Such an approach can provide mechanistic insights into structure. Despite popularity of phylogenetic approaches, we do not yet fully understand how phylogenetic community structure (PCS) metrics might be impacted by changes to the phylogeny or community membership data from which they are calculated. We investigate metric sensitivity and examine PCS of bats from the 4 great desert regions of North America. We inferred a phylogeny of the regional species pool to calculate PCS metrics using community membership data delimited using 3 different methods. We also randomized our phylogeny to determine how reasonable changes to the tree affect PCS metrics. Overall, PCS metrics are quite robust to moderate changes in the phylogeny from which they are calculated. These metrics also are fairly insensitive to our 3 methods of delimiting communities. Additionally, we found that in general, communities are significantly phylogenetically clustered, suggesting habitat filtering has been important in community assembly.

Una propuesta relativamente reciente para caracterizar la estructura de comunidades es el uso de filogenias de el pool regional de especies para comparar los patrones de relación filogenética (relatedness) entre especies observados en comunidades reales y comunidades simuladas. Estos métodos proveen información sobre los mecanismos que están involucrados en el proceso de ensamblaje de comunidades naturales. A pesar de la popularidad de estos métodos filogenéticos, todavía no se comprende completamente como las medidas de estructura filogenética de comunidades (EFC) pueden ser afectadas por cambios en la filogenia o en la matriz de comunidades, a partir de las cuales son calculadas. En este artículo se investiga la sensibilidad de las medidas de EFC a estos cambios, y se examina la estructura filogenética de las comunidades de murciélagos de los cuatro grandes desiertos de Norte América. Para esto, inferimos una filogenia de el pool regional de especies a partir del cual se calcularon las medidas de EFC utilizando datos de pertenencia a comunidades basados en tres métodos distintos. También aleatorizamos la estructura de el árbol filogenético para determinar si los cambios a este afectan a las medidas de EFC. En general, las medidas de EFC demostraron ser bastante robustas a cambios en la filogenia a partir de la que son calculadas. Estas medidas son también relativamente insensibles a diferentes métodos de delimitación de comunidades. Además, se encontró que, en general, las comunidades de murciélagos en los grandes desiertos norteamericanos están significativamente agrupadas filogenéticamente (phylogenetically clustered), lo que sugiere que el mecanismo de filtración de hábitat (habitat filtering) ha sido importante en el ensamblaje de estas comunidades.

Although raccoons (Procyon lotor) were originally categorized as solitary carnivores, recent evidence shows that some raccoons have overlapping home ranges, travel in groups, and share dens. Moreover, raccoons use communal latrines and scent mark, suggesting that chemical signals may be important for communication. Using a familiarization–discrimination technique we investigated whether raccoons can discriminate individual differences in the odors of conspecific urine or feces. The subjects were wild caught (n = 10 raccoons for urine experiments; n = 8 raccoons for feces experiments) and tested in a large outdoor enclosure. We demonstrated that raccoons can distinguish individual differences in the odor of unfamiliar and unrelated conspecific urine, but not in the odor of feces. Gas chromatography was also done on the urine samples to look for chemical differences. The gas chromatograms showed visible differences and qualitative as well as quantitative differences in chemical composition. This is the 1st study to determine that raccoons can distinguish individual differences in chemosensory cues. This opens the door to future research on the role of olfaction in raccoon social organization.

Species that have experienced population reduction provide valuable case studies for understanding genetic responses to demographic change. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) were once widespread across the North American plains but were subject to drastic population reductions due to overexploitation and habitat fragmentation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A. a. peninsularis and A. a. sonoriensis, 2 pronghorn subspecies that inhabit the southern edge of the species' distribution, are almost extinct and now breed almost exclusively in captivity. We therefore sequenced the complete mitochondrial control region and genotyped 18 microsatellite loci in 109 individuals to evaluate the impact of population bottlenecks, captive breeding, small population sizes, and isolation on the genetic composition of captive populations of these 2 subspecies. We found extremely low levels of genetic diversity in both subspecies. The 2 subspecies showed high and significant genetic differentiation, indicating the absence of historic and recent gene flow despite their geographic proximity within the Sonoran Desert. Historical effective population size estimates for the 2 subspecies were inferred to be similar, whereas the Sonoran pronghorn has a contemporary effective size (N_e) more than twice as high as the Peninsular subspecies. Our findings suggest the need for careful genetic management of both subspecies in order to minimize the further loss of genetic variability.

Las especies que han experimentado reducciones poblacionales son ejemplos valiosos para entender la repuesta genética al cambio demográfico. En el pasado el berrendo (Antilocapra americana) tenia una amplia distribución en las praderas norteamericanas, sin embargo su población sufrió una drástica reducción por caza descontrolada y fragmentación de su hábitat durante finales del siglo XIX y comienzos del siglo XX. A. a. peninsularis y A. a. sonoriensis, son 2 subespecies del berrendo que habitan el extremo sur del rango de distribución de la especie; ambas se encuentran al borde de la extinción y sobreviven casi exclusivamente en cautiverio. En este estudio, secuenciamos en su totalidad la región control del ADN mitocondrial y genotipificamos 18 loci microsatélites en 109 individuos con el propósito de evaluar el impacto de cuellos de botella poblacionales, reproducción en cautiverio, tamaños poblacionales pequeños y aislamiento sobre la composición genética de estas dos subespecies. Encontramos niveles bajos de diversidad genética en ambas subespecies, particularmente en el berrendo peninsular. Las 2 subespecies mostraron diferenciación genética alta y significativa, lo que implica ausencia de flujo genético histórico y reciente, a pesar de su cercanía geográfica dentro del Desierto Sonorense. Inferimos que el tamaño poblacional histórico efectivo para ambas subespecies fue similar, mientras que el berrendo sonorense tiene un tamaño efectivo contemporáneo 2 veces mayor que el de la subespecie peninsular. Nuestro estudio sugiere que es necesario realizar un manejo genético cuidadoso en ambas subespecies, para así minimizar la pérdida de variabilidad genética durante la reproducción en cautiverio.

The diets of predators and their selection of prey often shape prey community dynamics. Understanding how different predators select their prey could enable ecologists to predict their impact on specific prey populations. Here, we investigate the diets of the feral cat (Felis catus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and dingo (Canis dingo) in the Simpson Desert of central Australia, over a 1-year period between 2011 and 2012, and compare the selectivity of these predators for small mammalian prey. We found that cats showed the greatest consumption of small mammals, whereas dingoes consumed larger prey, thus indicating preferences for different prey sizes. High occurrence of small mammals in the diets of all predators probably reflected high abundances of small mammals in the environment; rodents declined after an irruption, but were still abundant at the time of sampling. The cat exercised greatest selectivity for small mammal species, whereas the dingo did not positively select for any species. Positive selection by predators for the long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus) and negative selection for the spinifex hopping-mouse (Notomys alexis) may reflect inefficient and well-developed escape strategies by these 2 prey species, respectively. High selectivity by the cat for Forrest's mouse (Leggadina forresti) suggests that conservation of this rare rodent may depend on effective cat management.

The Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene) is endemic to warm Atlantic Ocean waters and is one of the least known delphinids. We reviewed existing published data (primarily strandings, captures, and bycatch) and unpublished sightings to examine the distribution, habitat, group size, seasonality, and pigmentation patterns of Clymene dolphins within the eastern tropical Atlantic (ETA). Following photographic verification, 84 confirmed and 8 probable at-sea sightings of ETA Clymene dolphins were analyzed. The documented records ranged from ∼19°N in central Mauritania to 14°26′S in southern Angola, confirming 14 ETA range states. At-sea sightings occurred in water depths of 437–5,000 m and at distances from shore of 21–937 km, corresponding with a continental slope and oceanic habitat. Sightings within the wider ETA region had year-round occurrence. Group size ranged from 3–1,000 animals, with 60.9% of groups comprising ≤ 50 animals. Photographic examination revealed a complex and variable pigmentation pattern in ETA Clymene dolphins, which contrasts with the simple tripartite pattern often described for this species. In particular, most ETA animals had a dark gray lateral stripe extending diagonally along the flank from the beak to the genital area and a conspicuous dark gray eye–flipper stripe of varying intensity and thickness. The at-sea sightings documented here significantly extend current knowledge of the distribution, ecology, and appearance of the Clymene dolphin.

Kingdon, J., D. Happold, T. Butynski, M. Hoffmann, M. Happold, and J. Kalina (eds.). 2013. Mammals of Africa (6 volumes). Bloomsbury Publishing, London, United Kingdom, 3,720 pp. Price (hardbound), $940.00.

Kingdon, J., D. Happold, M. Hoffmann, T. Butynski, M. Happold, and J. Kalina (eds.). 2013. Mammals of Africa. Volume I: Introductory Chapters and Afrotheria. Bloomsbury Publishing, London United Kingdom, 351 pp. ISBN-978-1-4081-2251-8 (print); ISBN-978-1-4081-8990-1 (epdf).

Butynski, T. M., J. Kingdon, and J. Kalina (eds.). 2013. Mammals of Africa. Volume II: Primates. Bloomsbury Publishing, London, United Kingdom, 556 pp. ISBN-978-1-4081-2252-5 (print); ISBN-978-1-4081-8991-7 (epdf).

Happold, D. C. D. (ed.). 2013. Mammals of Africa. Volume III: Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury Publishing, London, United Kingdom, 789 pp. ISBN-978-1-4081-2253-2 (print); ISBN-978-1-4081-8992-4 (epdf).

Happold, M., and D. C. D. Happold (eds.). 2013. Mammals of Africa. Volume IV: Hedgehogs, Shrews and Bats. Bloomsbury Publishing, London, United Kingdom, 800 pp. ISBN-978-1-4081-2254-9 (print); ISBN-978-1-4081-8993-1(epdf).

Kingdon, J., and M. Hoffmann (eds.). 2013. Mammals of Africa. Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses. Bloomsbury Publishing, London, United Kingdom, 544 pp. ISBN-978-1-4081-2255-6 (print); ISBN-978-1-4081-8994-8 (epdf).

Kingdon, J., and M. Hoffmann (eds.). 2013. Mammals of Africa. Volume VI: Pigs, Hippopotamuses, Chevrotain, Giraffes, Deer and Bovids. Bloomsbury Publishing, London, United Kingdom, 680 pp. ISBN-978-1-4081-2256-3 (print); ISBN-978-1-4081-8995-5 (epdf).

Royle, J. A., R. B. Chandler, R. Sollmann, and B. Gardner. 2014. Spatial Capture–Recapture. Academic Press, Waltham, Massachusetts, 577 pp. ISBN 978-0-12-405939-9, price (paper), $129.95.

R. A. Fariña, S. F. Vizcaíno, and G. D. Iuliis. 2013. Megafauna: Giant Beasts of Pleistocene South America. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana, 448 pp. ISBN 978-0-253-00230-3, price (cloth), $65.