Description: A thorough understanding of the form, function, and design of animals is essential to any working biologist's knowledge. The emphasis here is on vertebrates, and each topic begins with a discussion of the underlying principles, followed immediately by practical experiments and laboratory, exercises. The author begins with a refresher on scaling and measurement. This is followed by three chapters on the mechanical properties of materials -- investigating elasticity, the strength of materials, and how things break. This leads the discussion to animal materials -- bones, joints, muscles -- which serve to illustrate principles of structure and load, lubrication, physiology, metabolism, and stamina. Finally, the systems are put in motion, as we discuss terrestrial locomotion, flight, and swimming. A Practical Guide to Vertebrate Mechanics will form an important part of undergraduate and beginning graduate courses for zoology, anatomy, biomechanics, and paleontology students.

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