The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion - JD Skinner and RHN Smithers
The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion (Premium Revised Second Edition Copy)
The Monumental, Peerless Scientific Bible and Definitive Masterwork on All Inland and Coastal Mammalian Zoology
The Monumental, Peerless Scientific Bible and Definitive Masterwork on All Inland and Coastal Mammalian Zoology
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion
- Author: J.D. Skinner and R.H.N. Smithers
- Illustrator: Dick Findlay (Colour Plates)
- Publisher: University of Pretoria, Pretoria
- Publication Date: 1990
- ISBN-10: 0869798022
- ISBN-13: 9780869798027
- Edition Details: Second Edition, Completely Revised and Expanded Impression. Large Format Hardcover Issue.
- Binding: Publisher's original premium heavy-duty full cloth boards with crisp stamped title lettering on the spine, topped with an illustrated large-format dust jacket.
- Physical Format: Massive Heavy Quarto Folio (4to), 300 x 220 mm, xxv + 771 pages. Lavishly illustrated with brand-new full-page colour plates by Dick Findlay, hundreds of skull and anatomical line drawings, updated redrawn multi-colour distribution maps, and structural taxonomic keys.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good Plus to Near Fine (VG+/NF)
- Exterior / Boards: The original thick cloth-bound structural casing is in spectacular, pristine condition, remaining completely flat, square, and structurally flawless. The edges show no noticeable shelf wear, and the spine remains perfectly rigid, straight, and uncreased.
- Interior: The immense 771-page text block is robustly bound, exceptionally tight, and immaculate. The pages, fine-art colour plates, and complex mapping grids are clean, crisp, bright white, and firmly attached. Completely free of standard user highlighting, foxing, thumb marks, or dog-ears.
- Provenance: Features a neat previous owner's name inscribed on the preliminary page, adding an authentic mark of provenance while remaining entirely non-intrusive.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior: Present and beautifully preserved within an archival clear protective cellophane wrapper. The jacket retains high colour density and a crisp profile, showing only very slight, superficial signs of handling along the extreme edges. Free of major chipping, tattered tears, or sun fading.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Originally compiled by the legendary Reay Smithers in 1983, The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion stands as the absolute undisputed "Bible" of African zoological literature. This monumental 1990 Second Edition, completely revised and expanded by Professor John Skinner and published by the University of Pretoria, represents a massive technological and taxonomic overhaul of the classic reference text, cementing it as the most comprehensive survey of southern African mammals ever produced.
Originally compiled by the legendary Reay Smithers in 1983, The Mammals of the Southern African Subregion stands as the absolute undisputed "Bible" of African zoological literature. This monumental 1990 Second Edition, completely revised and expanded by Professor John Skinner and published by the University of Pretoria, represents a massive technological and taxonomic overhaul of the classic reference text, cementing it as the most comprehensive survey of southern African mammals ever produced.
The text covers every single mammalian species that occurs naturally on the African mainland south of the Cunene and Zambezi rivers, as well as those populating the subregion's coastal waters. This edition incorporates a vast body of new research data, addressing radical changes across all levels of mammalian classification. To guarantee absolute scientific accuracy, the authors pulled together contributions from top experts on each mammalian order, with each individual species description reviewed by a panel of independent, internationally recognized authorities. The volume is completely modernized with updated distribution maps, detailed skull drawings, and breathtaking new full-page colour plates painted by the iconic wildlife artist Dick Findlay. Long out of print in this heavy hardcover format, this 771-page tome is an indispensable, investment-grade cornerstone reference work for zoologists, evolutionary biologists, and serious collectors of fine Africana natural science.
Author Profile: J.D. Skinner and R.H.N. Smithers
Professor John Dawson Skinner (1932–2011) was one of the world's most distinguished mammalogists, authors, and academics, serving for decades as the Director of the Mammal Research Institute at the University of Pretoria and President of the Zoological Society of Southern Africa. Reay Henry Noble Smithers (1907–1987) was an equally legendary pioneer of African zoology and museum curation who directed the National Museums of Zimbabwe, personally leading massive field expeditions to catalogue the baseline biodiversity of the subcontinent. Together, Skinner’s rigorous academic oversight and Smithers’ foundational field scholarship created a timeless visual and scientific symphony. Their enduring work remains the primary global benchmark in African wildlife biology, earning them prestigious accolades from scientific institutions worldwide.
Professor John Dawson Skinner (1932–2011) was one of the world's most distinguished mammalogists, authors, and academics, serving for decades as the Director of the Mammal Research Institute at the University of Pretoria and President of the Zoological Society of Southern Africa. Reay Henry Noble Smithers (1907–1987) was an equally legendary pioneer of African zoology and museum curation who directed the National Museums of Zimbabwe, personally leading massive field expeditions to catalogue the baseline biodiversity of the subcontinent. Together, Skinner’s rigorous academic oversight and Smithers’ foundational field scholarship created a timeless visual and scientific symphony. Their enduring work remains the primary global benchmark in African wildlife biology, earning them prestigious accolades from scientific institutions worldwide.
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