Encyclopedia of Animals
Published on 14. June 2025
Book
Hardback
448 pages
978-1-83886-561-0 (ISBN)
Description
Describing the most intriguing creatures on the planet, from the big cats of Africa to the apes that are our closest evolutionary ancestors and the whales and dolphins that roam the world's oceans, Animals profiles over 400 of the world's most fascinating species, offering a truly comprehensive overview of animals from every continent and giving a sense of the incredible diversity of animal types.
Featured animals are grouped by order, then within each order by family; each family section contains examples of the key species, which are illustrated with beautifully detailed, full-colour artworks. For easy reference, each entry includes a table of information on scientific name, order and family, features, habitats, distribution, diet and breeding, as well as informative maps and detailed box features.
Packed full of information and colour, Animals is guaranteed to appeal to any budding zoologist or animal enthusiast.
Featured animals are grouped by order, then within each order by family; each family section contains examples of the key species, which are illustrated with beautifully detailed, full-colour artworks. For easy reference, each entry includes a table of information on scientific name, order and family, features, habitats, distribution, diet and breeding, as well as informative maps and detailed box features.
Packed full of information and colour, Animals is guaranteed to appeal to any budding zoologist or animal enthusiast.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Amber Books Ltd
Target group
Reading Age: From 7 years, Interest Age: From 7 to 99 years
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Paper over boards
Laminated cover
Illustrations
Inset maps; Index; Halftones, color; Illustrations, color
Dimensions
Height: 273 mm
Width: 203 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
1820 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83886-561-0 (9781838865610)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
David Alderton has enjoyed a life-long interest in wildlife and has travelled widely, studying a variety of creatures in their natural habitats throughout the world. His books have sold over six million copies and been published in over 30 languages. He lives in Brighton, UK.
Content
Introduction
AFROSORICIDA-ARTIODACTYLA
Common Tenrec Common Eel Mediterranean Moray Eel Mallard Griswold's Marsupial Frog Pebas Stubfoot Toad European Toad Natterjack Toad Small Strawberry Dart Frog Common Midwife Toad European Treefrog Common Spadefoot Toad Moor Frog American Bullfrog Water Spider 28 European Garden Spider 29 Curved Spiny Spider 30 Trapdoor Spider 31 Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula 32 Southern Black Widow 33 Crab Spider 34 Pronghorn Antelope 35 Impala 36 Barbary Sheep 37 Springbok Antelope 38 American Bison 39 European Bison 40 Gaur 41 Water Buffalo 42 Bezoar Ibex 43 Alpine Ibex 44 Southern Serow 45 Blue Wildebeest 46 Topi Antelope 47 Thomson's Gazelle 48 Dorcas Gazelle 49 Himalayan Tahr 50 Sable Antelope 51 Kirk's Dik-Dik 52 Rocky Mountain Goat 53 Arabian Oryx 54 Oribi Gazelle 55 Musk Ox 56 Argali (Mountain Sheep) 57 Bighorn Sheep 58 Mouflon 59 Yak 60 Mountain Reedbuck 61 Chamois (Gemse) 62 Saiga 63 Yellow-Backed Duiker 64 African Buffalo 65 Eland 66 Four-Horned Antelope 67 Greater Kudu 68 Bactrian Camel 69 Dromedary Camel 70 Llama 71 Vicuna 72 Roe Deer 73 Chital Deer 74 Elk 75 Red Deer 76 Sika Deer 77 Fallow Deer 78 Pere David's Deer 79 Indian Muntjac 80 White-Tailed Deer 81 Southern Pudu 82 Caribou 83 Giraffe 84 Hippopotamus 85 Siberian Musk Deer 86 Babirusa 87 Giant Forest Hog 88 Red River Hog 89 European Wild Boar 90 Collared Peccary 91
CARCHARHINIFORMES- CYPRINIFORMES
Great Hammerhead Shark 92 Red Panda 93 Golden Jackal 94 German Shepherd Dog 95 Coyote 96 Grey Wolf 97 Dingo 98 Leopard
Black-Backed Jackal 99 Maned Wolf 100 Dhole 101 African Hunting Dog 102 Raccoon Dog 103 Bat-Eared Fox 104 Grey Fox 105 Bush Dog 106 Arctic Fox 107 Red Fox 108 Fennec Fox 109 Siberian Husky 110 Cheetah 111 Caracal (Persian Lynx) 112 Domestic Cat 113 Eurasian Lynx 114 Sand Cat 115 European Wildcat 116 Ocelot 117 Serval 118 Bobcat 119 Clouded Leopard 120 Lion 121 Jaguar 122 Leopard 123 Siberian Tiger 124 Bengal Tiger 125 Puma 126 Jaguarundi 127 Snow Leopard 128 Indian Grey Mongoose 129 Meerkat 130 Spotted Hyena 131 Aardwolf 132 Striped Skunk 133 Sea Otter 134 American Mink 135 Wolverine 136 Otter 137 Pine Marten 138 Sable 139 Eurasian Badger 140 Honey Badger 141 Polecat 142 Ermine 143 Giant Otter 144 American Badger 145 Walrus 146 Northern Fur Seal 147 Californian Sea Lion 148 Hooded Seal 149 Bearded Seal 150 Leopard Seal 151 Southern Elephant Seal 152 Mediterranean Monk Seal 153 Harp Seal 154 Common Seal 155 Northern American Ringtail 156 White-nosed Coati 157 Kinkajou 158 Raccoon 159 Giant Panda 160 Sun Bear 161 Spectacled Bear 162 North American Black Bear 163 Brown Bear 164 Grizzly Bear 165 Kodiak Bear 166 Polar Bear 167 Asian Black Bear 168 Binturong 169 Common Genet 170 Common Mudpuppy 171 Alpine Salamander 172 Fire Salamander 173 Alpine Newt 174 Northern Right Whale 175 Blue Whale 176 Humpback Whale 177 Commerson's Dolphin 178 Common Dolphin 179 Long-Finned Pilot Whale 180 Killer Whale 181 Grey Whale 182 Amazon River Dolphin 183 Beluga 184 Narwhal 185 Harbour Porpoise 186 Sperm Whale 187 Herring Gull 188 Ruff 189 Common Vampire Bat 190
Indian Flying Fox Lesser Horseshoe Bat Daubenton's Bat Noctule Bat Nine-Banded Armadillo 195 Brazilian three-banded Armadillo Bombardier Beetle Green Tiger Beetle Musk Beetle Seven-Spot Ladybird Great Diving Beetle Stag Beetle Common Cockchafer European Rhinoceros Beetle Dung Beetle Rose Chafer Gravedigger Beetle 207 Kingfisher American Alligator Nile Crocodile Gharial Hoatzin Common Carp
DASYUROMORPHA -DIPTERA
Tasmanian Devil Cleaner Shrimp Lobster Fiddler Crab Hermit Crab Common Earwig Colugo Virginia Opossum Beech Marten Matschie's Tree Kangaroo 223 Pretty-Faced Wallaby Red Kangaroo Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby Common Spotted Cuscus Common Brushtail Possum Koala Brush-Tailed Bettong Long-Footed Potoroo Honey Possum Common Wombat 233 Common House Fly
CHINODERMATA-ESOCIFORMES
Sea Urchin Hedgehog Northern Pike
FALCONIFORMES
Golden Eagle Black Kite Andean Condor Peregrine Falcon Common Kestrel Secretary Bird
GASTEROSTEIFORMES- GRUIFORMES
Three-Spined Stickleback 244 Sun Bittern 245
HAPLOTAXIDA-ISOPTERA
Common European Earthworm 246 Shield-Backed Bug 247 Honeybee 248 Buff-Tailed Bumblebee 249 Foraging Ant 250 Red Wood Ant 251 European Hornet 252 Common Wasp 253 Cape Hyrax 254 Termite 255
LAGOMORPHA-LEPIDOPTERA
Snowshoe Hare 256 Black-Tailed Jackrabbit 257 Hare 258 European Rabbit 259 Plateau Pika 260 Great White Shark 261 Common Blue Butterfly 262 Purple Emperor 263 Monarch Butterfly 264 Morpho Butterfly 265 Red Admiral Butterfly 266 Queen Alexandra's Birdwing 267 Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly 268 Apollo Butterfly 269 Death's Head Hawkmoth 270 Emperor Moth 271
MACROSCELIDEA- MONOTREMATA
Giant Elephant Shrew 272 Common Mouse Opossum 273 African Elephant 274 Praying Mantis 275 Oyster 276 Duck-Billed Platypus 277 Short-Beaked Echidna 278
NUEROPTERA-ORTHOPTERA
Common Antlion 279 Common Octopus 280 Emperor Dragonfly 281 Broad-Bodied Chaser 282 Whale Shark 283 Field Cricket 284 Blue-winged Grasshopper 285 Great Green Bush Cricket 286
PASSERIFORMES-PULMONATA
Chaffinch 287 Raggi's Bird of Paradise 288 European Nuthatch 289 European Robin 290 Nightingale 291 Cormorant 292 Greater Bilby 293 Jewel Fish 294 Mudskipper 295 Siamese Fighting Fish 296 Yellow-Masked Angelfish 297 Common Clownfish 298 Queen Parrotfish 299 Yellow-Fin Tuna 300 African Wild Ass 301 Mustang 302 Domestic Horse 303 Kiang Tibetan Ass 304 Burchell's Zebra 305 White Rhinoceros 306 Indian Rhinoceros 307 Malayan Tapir 308 Leaf Insect 309 Greater Flamingo 310 Pangolin 311 Pygmy Anteater 312 Hoffman's Two-Toed Sloth 313 Giant Anteater 314 Southern Tamandua 315 Nancy Ma's Night Monkey 316 Red-Faced Black Spider Monkey 317 Brown Howler Monkey 318 Brown Woolly Monkey 319 Pygmy Marmoset 320 Golden Lion Tamarin 321 Emperor Tamarin 322 Cottontop Tamarin 323 Common Squirrel Monkey 324 White-Faced Capuchin Monkey 325 Vervet Monkey 326 Mantled Guereza 327 Pigtail Macaque 328 Rhesus Macaque 329 Barbary Ape 330 Mandrill 331 Proboscis Monkey 332 Hamadryas Baboon 333 Red-Shanked Douc 334 Hanuman Langur 335 Gelada Baboon 336 Aye-Aye 337 Bushbaby 338 Gorilla 339 Bonobo 340 Chimpanzee 341 Bornean Orangutan 342 Lar Gibbon 343 Siamang Gibbon 344 Indri Lemur 345 Ring-Tailed Lemur 346 Uakari Monkey 347 Dusky Titi 348 Spectral Tarsier 349 Asian Elephant 350
Edible Snail 351 Slug 352
RAJIFORMES-RODENTIA
Devil Ray 353 Naked Mole Rat 354 North American Beaver 355 Guinea Pig 356 Mara 357 Capybara 358 Mountain Viscacha 359 European Water Vole 360 European Hamster 361 Norwegian Lemming 362 Meadow Vole 363 Bank Vole 364 Muskrat 365 Gundi 366 Lesser Egyptian Jerboa 367 North American Porcupine 368 Botta's Pocket Gopher 369 Edible Dormouse 370 Common Dormouse 371 South African Porcupine 372 Libyan Jird 373 Harvest Mouse 374 House Mouse 375 Brown Rat 376 Coypu 377 Springhare 378 Black-Tailed Prairie Dog 379 Southern Flying Squirrel 380 Alpine Marmot 381 Red Squirrel 382 European Ground Squirrel 383 Siberian Chipmunk 384 Eastern Chipmunk 385
SALMONIFORMES- SYNGNATHIFORMES
Rainbow Trout 386 Atlantic Salmon 387 Devil Lionfish 388 Mediterranean Scorpion 389 Common Cuttlefish 390 Wels Catfish 391 Portuguese Man o'War 392 Dugong 393 Manatee 394 Common Whelk 395 Triton 396 Eurasian Water Shrew 397 Eurasian Shrew 398 European Mole 399 Emperor Penguin 400 Frilled Lizard 401 Thorny Devil 402 Slow Worm 403 Boa Constrictor 404 Green Anaconda 405
Red Fox European Chameleon 406 Plumed Basilisk 407 Grass Snake 408 Black Mamba 409 Eastern Coral Snake 410 King Cobra 411 Tokay Gecko 412 Gila Monster 413 Marine Iguana 414 Green Iguana 415 Balkan Green Lizard 416 Common Wall Lizard 417 India Python 418 Shingleback Skink 419 Komodo Dragon 420 Texan Rattlesnake 421 European Adder 422 Tawny Owl 423 North Island Kiwi 424 Seahorses 425
TESTUDINES-TUBULIDENTATA
Green Turtle 426 Common Snapping Turtle 427 Leatherback Turtle 428 Red-Eared Terrapin 429 Galapagos Tortoise 430 Gopher Tortoise 431 Spiny Porcupinefish 432 Longfin Inshore Squid 433 Aardvark 434
VALVATIDA-VENEROIDA
Red-knobbed Starfish 435 Giant Clam 436
Glossary
Climate Map
Index
AFROSORICIDA-ARTIODACTYLA
Common Tenrec Common Eel Mediterranean Moray Eel Mallard Griswold's Marsupial Frog Pebas Stubfoot Toad European Toad Natterjack Toad Small Strawberry Dart Frog Common Midwife Toad European Treefrog Common Spadefoot Toad Moor Frog American Bullfrog Water Spider 28 European Garden Spider 29 Curved Spiny Spider 30 Trapdoor Spider 31 Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula 32 Southern Black Widow 33 Crab Spider 34 Pronghorn Antelope 35 Impala 36 Barbary Sheep 37 Springbok Antelope 38 American Bison 39 European Bison 40 Gaur 41 Water Buffalo 42 Bezoar Ibex 43 Alpine Ibex 44 Southern Serow 45 Blue Wildebeest 46 Topi Antelope 47 Thomson's Gazelle 48 Dorcas Gazelle 49 Himalayan Tahr 50 Sable Antelope 51 Kirk's Dik-Dik 52 Rocky Mountain Goat 53 Arabian Oryx 54 Oribi Gazelle 55 Musk Ox 56 Argali (Mountain Sheep) 57 Bighorn Sheep 58 Mouflon 59 Yak 60 Mountain Reedbuck 61 Chamois (Gemse) 62 Saiga 63 Yellow-Backed Duiker 64 African Buffalo 65 Eland 66 Four-Horned Antelope 67 Greater Kudu 68 Bactrian Camel 69 Dromedary Camel 70 Llama 71 Vicuna 72 Roe Deer 73 Chital Deer 74 Elk 75 Red Deer 76 Sika Deer 77 Fallow Deer 78 Pere David's Deer 79 Indian Muntjac 80 White-Tailed Deer 81 Southern Pudu 82 Caribou 83 Giraffe 84 Hippopotamus 85 Siberian Musk Deer 86 Babirusa 87 Giant Forest Hog 88 Red River Hog 89 European Wild Boar 90 Collared Peccary 91
CARCHARHINIFORMES- CYPRINIFORMES
Great Hammerhead Shark 92 Red Panda 93 Golden Jackal 94 German Shepherd Dog 95 Coyote 96 Grey Wolf 97 Dingo 98 Leopard
Black-Backed Jackal 99 Maned Wolf 100 Dhole 101 African Hunting Dog 102 Raccoon Dog 103 Bat-Eared Fox 104 Grey Fox 105 Bush Dog 106 Arctic Fox 107 Red Fox 108 Fennec Fox 109 Siberian Husky 110 Cheetah 111 Caracal (Persian Lynx) 112 Domestic Cat 113 Eurasian Lynx 114 Sand Cat 115 European Wildcat 116 Ocelot 117 Serval 118 Bobcat 119 Clouded Leopard 120 Lion 121 Jaguar 122 Leopard 123 Siberian Tiger 124 Bengal Tiger 125 Puma 126 Jaguarundi 127 Snow Leopard 128 Indian Grey Mongoose 129 Meerkat 130 Spotted Hyena 131 Aardwolf 132 Striped Skunk 133 Sea Otter 134 American Mink 135 Wolverine 136 Otter 137 Pine Marten 138 Sable 139 Eurasian Badger 140 Honey Badger 141 Polecat 142 Ermine 143 Giant Otter 144 American Badger 145 Walrus 146 Northern Fur Seal 147 Californian Sea Lion 148 Hooded Seal 149 Bearded Seal 150 Leopard Seal 151 Southern Elephant Seal 152 Mediterranean Monk Seal 153 Harp Seal 154 Common Seal 155 Northern American Ringtail 156 White-nosed Coati 157 Kinkajou 158 Raccoon 159 Giant Panda 160 Sun Bear 161 Spectacled Bear 162 North American Black Bear 163 Brown Bear 164 Grizzly Bear 165 Kodiak Bear 166 Polar Bear 167 Asian Black Bear 168 Binturong 169 Common Genet 170 Common Mudpuppy 171 Alpine Salamander 172 Fire Salamander 173 Alpine Newt 174 Northern Right Whale 175 Blue Whale 176 Humpback Whale 177 Commerson's Dolphin 178 Common Dolphin 179 Long-Finned Pilot Whale 180 Killer Whale 181 Grey Whale 182 Amazon River Dolphin 183 Beluga 184 Narwhal 185 Harbour Porpoise 186 Sperm Whale 187 Herring Gull 188 Ruff 189 Common Vampire Bat 190
Indian Flying Fox Lesser Horseshoe Bat Daubenton's Bat Noctule Bat Nine-Banded Armadillo 195 Brazilian three-banded Armadillo Bombardier Beetle Green Tiger Beetle Musk Beetle Seven-Spot Ladybird Great Diving Beetle Stag Beetle Common Cockchafer European Rhinoceros Beetle Dung Beetle Rose Chafer Gravedigger Beetle 207 Kingfisher American Alligator Nile Crocodile Gharial Hoatzin Common Carp
DASYUROMORPHA -DIPTERA
Tasmanian Devil Cleaner Shrimp Lobster Fiddler Crab Hermit Crab Common Earwig Colugo Virginia Opossum Beech Marten Matschie's Tree Kangaroo 223 Pretty-Faced Wallaby Red Kangaroo Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby Common Spotted Cuscus Common Brushtail Possum Koala Brush-Tailed Bettong Long-Footed Potoroo Honey Possum Common Wombat 233 Common House Fly
CHINODERMATA-ESOCIFORMES
Sea Urchin Hedgehog Northern Pike
FALCONIFORMES
Golden Eagle Black Kite Andean Condor Peregrine Falcon Common Kestrel Secretary Bird
GASTEROSTEIFORMES- GRUIFORMES
Three-Spined Stickleback 244 Sun Bittern 245
HAPLOTAXIDA-ISOPTERA
Common European Earthworm 246 Shield-Backed Bug 247 Honeybee 248 Buff-Tailed Bumblebee 249 Foraging Ant 250 Red Wood Ant 251 European Hornet 252 Common Wasp 253 Cape Hyrax 254 Termite 255
LAGOMORPHA-LEPIDOPTERA
Snowshoe Hare 256 Black-Tailed Jackrabbit 257 Hare 258 European Rabbit 259 Plateau Pika 260 Great White Shark 261 Common Blue Butterfly 262 Purple Emperor 263 Monarch Butterfly 264 Morpho Butterfly 265 Red Admiral Butterfly 266 Queen Alexandra's Birdwing 267 Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly 268 Apollo Butterfly 269 Death's Head Hawkmoth 270 Emperor Moth 271
MACROSCELIDEA- MONOTREMATA
Giant Elephant Shrew 272 Common Mouse Opossum 273 African Elephant 274 Praying Mantis 275 Oyster 276 Duck-Billed Platypus 277 Short-Beaked Echidna 278
NUEROPTERA-ORTHOPTERA
Common Antlion 279 Common Octopus 280 Emperor Dragonfly 281 Broad-Bodied Chaser 282 Whale Shark 283 Field Cricket 284 Blue-winged Grasshopper 285 Great Green Bush Cricket 286
PASSERIFORMES-PULMONATA
Chaffinch 287 Raggi's Bird of Paradise 288 European Nuthatch 289 European Robin 290 Nightingale 291 Cormorant 292 Greater Bilby 293 Jewel Fish 294 Mudskipper 295 Siamese Fighting Fish 296 Yellow-Masked Angelfish 297 Common Clownfish 298 Queen Parrotfish 299 Yellow-Fin Tuna 300 African Wild Ass 301 Mustang 302 Domestic Horse 303 Kiang Tibetan Ass 304 Burchell's Zebra 305 White Rhinoceros 306 Indian Rhinoceros 307 Malayan Tapir 308 Leaf Insect 309 Greater Flamingo 310 Pangolin 311 Pygmy Anteater 312 Hoffman's Two-Toed Sloth 313 Giant Anteater 314 Southern Tamandua 315 Nancy Ma's Night Monkey 316 Red-Faced Black Spider Monkey 317 Brown Howler Monkey 318 Brown Woolly Monkey 319 Pygmy Marmoset 320 Golden Lion Tamarin 321 Emperor Tamarin 322 Cottontop Tamarin 323 Common Squirrel Monkey 324 White-Faced Capuchin Monkey 325 Vervet Monkey 326 Mantled Guereza 327 Pigtail Macaque 328 Rhesus Macaque 329 Barbary Ape 330 Mandrill 331 Proboscis Monkey 332 Hamadryas Baboon 333 Red-Shanked Douc 334 Hanuman Langur 335 Gelada Baboon 336 Aye-Aye 337 Bushbaby 338 Gorilla 339 Bonobo 340 Chimpanzee 341 Bornean Orangutan 342 Lar Gibbon 343 Siamang Gibbon 344 Indri Lemur 345 Ring-Tailed Lemur 346 Uakari Monkey 347 Dusky Titi 348 Spectral Tarsier 349 Asian Elephant 350
Edible Snail 351 Slug 352
RAJIFORMES-RODENTIA
Devil Ray 353 Naked Mole Rat 354 North American Beaver 355 Guinea Pig 356 Mara 357 Capybara 358 Mountain Viscacha 359 European Water Vole 360 European Hamster 361 Norwegian Lemming 362 Meadow Vole 363 Bank Vole 364 Muskrat 365 Gundi 366 Lesser Egyptian Jerboa 367 North American Porcupine 368 Botta's Pocket Gopher 369 Edible Dormouse 370 Common Dormouse 371 South African Porcupine 372 Libyan Jird 373 Harvest Mouse 374 House Mouse 375 Brown Rat 376 Coypu 377 Springhare 378 Black-Tailed Prairie Dog 379 Southern Flying Squirrel 380 Alpine Marmot 381 Red Squirrel 382 European Ground Squirrel 383 Siberian Chipmunk 384 Eastern Chipmunk 385
SALMONIFORMES- SYNGNATHIFORMES
Rainbow Trout 386 Atlantic Salmon 387 Devil Lionfish 388 Mediterranean Scorpion 389 Common Cuttlefish 390 Wels Catfish 391 Portuguese Man o'War 392 Dugong 393 Manatee 394 Common Whelk 395 Triton 396 Eurasian Water Shrew 397 Eurasian Shrew 398 European Mole 399 Emperor Penguin 400 Frilled Lizard 401 Thorny Devil 402 Slow Worm 403 Boa Constrictor 404 Green Anaconda 405
Red Fox European Chameleon 406 Plumed Basilisk 407 Grass Snake 408 Black Mamba 409 Eastern Coral Snake 410 King Cobra 411 Tokay Gecko 412 Gila Monster 413 Marine Iguana 414 Green Iguana 415 Balkan Green Lizard 416 Common Wall Lizard 417 India Python 418 Shingleback Skink 419 Komodo Dragon 420 Texan Rattlesnake 421 European Adder 422 Tawny Owl 423 North Island Kiwi 424 Seahorses 425
TESTUDINES-TUBULIDENTATA
Green Turtle 426 Common Snapping Turtle 427 Leatherback Turtle 428 Red-Eared Terrapin 429 Galapagos Tortoise 430 Gopher Tortoise 431 Spiny Porcupinefish 432 Longfin Inshore Squid 433 Aardvark 434
VALVATIDA-VENEROIDA
Red-knobbed Starfish 435 Giant Clam 436
Glossary
Climate Map
Index