If there were Animal Olympics, some animals would be gold medal winners! Which animal could compete in synchronized swimming? Which animal would win gold in the marathon?

Animals perform many athletic tasks to an amazing degree of accomplishment: not only spectacular feats of running and jumping but also routine actions that ensure survival such as feeding, vocalization, diving, flying, and many more. The study of performance capacity (defined as the ability of an animal to conduct a key task) is of great interest to both ecologists and evolutionary biologists. At an ecological level, how well individuals perform often dictatesopportunities for reproduction, occupation of preferred territories, or capturing prey. Therefore, variation in performance capacities can be a key determinant of variation in fitness within animalpopulations. At an evolutionary level, variation in function often follows closely from variation in form, and therefore enables animals to invade novel habitats, or to overtake other species. This novel book examines how and why animal athletes have evolved. It uses examples from across the animal kingdom and integrates them in the broader context of ecology and evolution, thereby identifying common themes that transcend taxonomic divisions. Animal Athletes is anaccessible textbook of particular relevance to undergraduates, graduate students, researchers, and professionals in the fields of evolutionary biology, ecology, vertebrate morphology, and functionalmorphology.

The study of performance capacity (defined as the ability of an animal to conduct a key task) holds great interest at both ecological and evolutionary levels. In this book, the topic is addressed using examples from throughout the animal kingdom, identifying common themes that transcend taxonomy.

Who would win the Olympic gold medals if all the competitors were animals? Each book in the series covers a different type of Olympic sport, while each chapter looks at a different event. Primarily intended as high-interest reads, the books contain information relating to biology, and allow readers countless opportunities to compare and contrast. In addition, medal tables at the back of the books tally medals won by the different animal classifications, including mammals, reptiles and birds. This book looks at Athletics, pitting camel against ostrich in the marathon and salmon against froghopper in the high jump.

"Differentiated reader that answers questions about animal athletes--including which animals are the best divers, the highest jumpers, and more--with two levels of readability: emergent reader and fluent reader."--Provided by publisher.

If there were Animal Olympics, some animals would be gold medal winners! Which animal could compete in synchronized swimming? Which animal would win gold in the marathon?