The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Zoology is the first dictionary of zoology to be published for many years and is the only one of its kind in English. Containing nearly 6,000 entries, this up-to-date and authoritative reference work will be invaluable to students, amateur naturalists, and nonspecialist readers with an interest in the subject. In addition to ecology, the subjects covered include evolutionary concepts, animal behavior, Earth history, cell structure and function, physiology, zoogeography, taxonomic principles, and genetics. There are also brief biographical notes on some of the most important figures in the development of the relevant disciplines. The taxa covered include invertebrates, with particular emphasis on arthropods, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals. The Dictionary is edited by Michael Allaby, a well-known writer on the environment and the editor or author of numerous books including The Oxford Dictionary of Natural History and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Earth Sciences