The Pigmy Woodrat, Neotoma goldmani, Its Distribution and Systematic Position

Rainey, Dennis G.Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.6

Word count: 6.2K words
Chapters: 1

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Pigmy Woodrat, Neotoma goldmani, Its Distribution and Systematic PositionAuthor: Rainey, Dennis G.,Language: English, Class: QH: Science: Natural history, Release Date: Jan 22, 2010

Editor's review

This is a typical zoological monographic study, focusing on the distribution range and systematic position of a small woodrat, the pygmy woodrat (Neotoma goldmani). Rainey takes taxonomy and geographical distribution as the core threads, addressing specimen records and morphological comparisons; the work is concise and tightly argued, conforming to the common format of taxonomic studies on small mammals. Its value lies not in telling natural history stories for a general audience, but in providing a concrete species-level primary data node for rodent taxonomy and faunistic research. The compilation of distribution records and discussion of systematic position can be checked and cited by later researchers, and it also serves as a sample for observing mid-twentieth-century North American small mammal research methods from a history-of-science perspective. Readers should approach it with questions in mind: which characters did the author rely on for classificatory judgments, and what are the sources and limitations of the distribution data? For readers accustomed to popular science narratives, the book is information-dense and low in narrative flow, requiring some taxonomic background to enter smoothly.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Zoology readers specializing in rodent taxonomy and faunal studies
Researchers who need to consult original distribution and taxonomic data on the Goldman's woodrat
Enthusiasts of the history of North American small mammal research
Advanced students with a taxonomy background who want to practice reading specialized research literature

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking light narrative natural history and illustrated popular science
Beginners without a biology background or familiarity with taxonomic terminology
Practitioners looking for practical guidance on species conservation or ecological management

Reading tips

Read the abstract and conclusions first to grasp the author's core claim about systematic position, then review the evidence sections.
Cross-check scientific names and distribution records against modern taxonomic databases, noting differences arising from updated data.
Examine the distribution map and specimen records separately, and note how the author handles gaps and marginal records.
If citing in writing, consult subsequent taxonomic revision literature as well to provide fuller context.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers without a biology background?

Not very. The text centers on taxonomic characters, specimen records, and geographic distribution, with dense terminology and little narrative, making it demanding without a biology foundation. If you are simply curious about woodrats, start with popular mammal science writing, then return to the specific data here.

What background knowledge should I prepare before reading?

It helps to first understand the basic hierarchy of rodent taxonomy, the concepts of subspecies and geographic variation, and how specimen records and distribution ranges are typically described. With this background, the author's discussion of systematic position and the selection of distribution data will be easier to follow.

What is the main subject of this paper?

The subject is the species Neotoma goldmani, the Goldman's woodrat, and the core issues are its geographic distribution range and its position in the taxonomic system. The author builds the argument around specimens and records; this is a specialized study in small mammal taxonomy, not a general treatment of ecology, behavior, or conservation management.

What should I keep in mind when reading a public-domain electronic edition?

A public-domain electronic edition is convenient for searching and citation, but layout and figures may vary by version, so scientific names, page numbers, and figure numbers should be checked against the original before citing. For formal papers, also confirm the release date and completeness of the version used.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Rainey, Dennis G. Author

Dennis G. Rainey is a zoological author whose work focuses on North American woodrats. Publicly available biographical information about him is limited, and his nationality, education, and professional positions are not clearly documented. Judging from the two works held in the collection, his writing centers on the ecology and taxonomy of the genus Neotoma: one volume discusses the ecological habits of the Florida woodrat, while the other examines the distribution and systematic position of the pigmy woodrat. Such works are typically based on field observations and specimen data, with an emphasis on factual description and taxonomic argument, and belong to the genre of regional faunal accounts and studies of small mammals, aimed mainly at fellow researchers and natural history enthusiasts. The similarity of the two works indicates a sustained interest in a particular group and offers source material for subsequent research on the distribution and classification of related species.