The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals

Review

Anyone interested in mammalian nomenclature will want this book. (Ian Paulsen Birdbooker Report 2010)
The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals is a small treasure trove of information about the people whose names are immortalized in mammalian nomenclature. Given that we mammalogists are prone to ancestor worship, I expect it to be a best-seller. (Don E. Wilson Journal of Mammalian Evolution 2009)
This is a great reference for the mammalogy professional or student, or the curious naturalist. (Wildlife Activist 2010)
This is a splendid book which fills a real gap in zoological literature. (Nicholas Gould International Zoo News 2010)
This is a unique resource for the curious. (Choice 2010)
Useful and fascinating. The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals is recommended for public libraries and academic libraries, particularly those at schools with biology and veterinary programs. (Megan W. Lowe American Reference Books Annual 2011)
This is a fascinating book—highly readable—I didn't want to put it down. (Helen Ashton Reference Reviews 2011)
This comprehensive book is generously peppered with all manner of tantalising, fascinating trivia unlikely to be encountered so readily anywhere else... Scrupulously well-written, researched, and presented. Moreover, its contents guarantee that never again will a mammalian eponym pose a mystery, and will also provide countless hours of entertaining, educational browsing. (KarlShuker.com 2011)
I suspect that there are few people interested in picking up a dictionary for 'fun' reading. The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals should be an exception, however. Although it is intended as a reference for professionals and students of mammalogy, it will also serve as an enjoyable, nontechnical read for all curious naturalists or anyone interested in mammals. (Quarterly Review of Biology )
The reference makes for fascinating reading and is a top pick for any serious college-level collection strong in herpetology references. (The Midwest Book Review )

Product Description

Just who was the Przewalski after whom Przewalski's horse was named? Or Husson, the eponym for the rat Hydromys hussoni? Or the Geoffroy whose name is forever linked to Geoffroy's cat? This unique reference provides a brief look at the real lives behind the scientific and vernacular mammal names one encounters in field guides, textbooks, journal articles, and other scholarly works.Arranged to mirror standard dictionaries, the more than 1,300 entries included here explain the origins of over 2,000 mammal species names. Each bio-sketch lists the scientific and common-language names of all species named after the person, outlines the individual's major contributions to mammalogy and other branches of zoology, and includes brief information about his or her mammalian namesake's distribution. The two appendixes list scientific and common names for ease of reference, and, where appropriate, individual entries include mammals commonly -- but mistakenly -- believed to be named after people. The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals is a highly readable and informative guide to the people whose names are immortalized in mammal nomenclature.