Book Description

This stunning guide explores the kingdom of snakes, toads, frogs, turtles, lizards, salamanders, and crocodiles, with information on physical appearance, voice, breeding cycles, habitat, range, and status in the wild. Poisonous or otherwise dangerous animals are distinguished with a warning symbol. An essay on observing reptiles and amphibians, and detailed anatomical drawings, round out the coverage in this comprehensive guide. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Edition needs refining.
The contemporary edition of the Audubon Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians is decades old. Though it covers many species of snakes, salamanders, newts, etc., it is underrated because of the lack of updating. Some species names are known to be out of date, or invalid. However, even this cannot override the true quality of all the Audubon guides, including this book. Even though a newly revised and updated edition is way overdue, it still presents spectacular photographs of various species. The system is the same, with the description in the back of the book. The Audubon Guide to Weather has been revised and updated over the years and hopefully, this one will be also.

The most complete North American reptile and amphibian book.
This book contains 657 full color pictures of over 470 species of reptiles and amphibians in North America. It covers from habitat locations to breeding and feeding. This is a must for any child or adult who is interested in our native animals.

mediocre
This guide is beset with problems, and there are better out there.

The range maps are so general as to be mostly useless. They're incredibly small, to the point where it's hard to discern where the lines on it are; is that snake's western range limit NM or AZ? You can't tell! The written descriptions of ranges are too vauge as well; they list eastern, western, southern and northern limits, but it's not like an animals range will make a nice little square; there are places within those boundaries where it does not occur. Maybe a lizards westernmost point is in, say Alamogordo, NM: it'll list that as it's westernmost point. but say, as it's range extends northward, it is restricted to a more easterly distribution; that won't be mentioned.

Furthermore, the guide is 25 years old. There have been massive taxonomic revisions since this was written; new species have been discovered, some species have been combined, some subspecies complexes split, etc. Ranges have also shifted since '79, due to development and climatic changes.

Also, the guide only deals with species level info. This is unnacceptable for some animals; L. getula (kingsnake) has some 7-8 subspecies, ranging from the mexican black to the desert to the eastern; these animals have markedly different apperances, habitat, ranges, and behaviors. But the guide doesn't deal with that; it list info for "L. getula" in general, without dividing it into subspecies information. This makes the guide worthless for Pituophis melanoleucus, Lampropeltis getula, Lampropeltis traingulum, and several other species which contain a wide range of different subspecies.

So what to do? Buy a good local field guide; they exist for most states- Degenhardt's Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico is execellent. Texas Snakes (Dixon) is good. Failing all else, most states maintain a listing of most native fauna online, usually whatever department deals with hunting and state parks will have a link to it. There is probably a good field guide for reptiles and amphibians of your state. If you need one for a bigger area, try Peterson's. They offer regional guides; one western and one eastern and central. They're a little more difficult to learn to use, but they're far more current, far more detailed, and once figured out, far more useful.

well, two and half,
This book may have been something for it's time, but it's since been eclipsed, and has become outdated.
For one thing, the book was written in the 70's--it's older than I am. Taxonomy has changed, but that's not the most important (taxonomy is always changing).
Ranges have shifted; habitat changes have forced various species into new areas and out of old ones, new species have been introduced and become established, etc. Even if the range maps were up to date, they're poorly done; very small and hard to see, and inexact.

Furthermore, the book doesn't delinate subspecies; all kingsnakes (L. getula) and rat snakes (L. obsoleta) are treated as one species a piece, despite each having over six very distinct subspecies. This is problematic as the various subspecies of kingsnake have remarkably different size, patterns, and ranges; a desert king is a rather different animal than an eastern king, but the book just gives you the same info for both. It happens numerous times with king snakes, milksnakes, ratsnakes, and all the pituophis species. It list some 10 subspecis for P. melanoleucus, and gives the same info for all of them, despite radical differences between, say, a northen pine and a bullsnake or SD gopher snake. It does the same thing with kingsnakes; it list 7 subspecies ranging from the Eastern to the Mexican, and gives on set of info for all of them. This occurs many times throughout the book, and negates it's value as a field guide. By now, with the explosion of herpetocultural writings, you're better off buying a good area specific guide; a Peterson's is a decent choice, or you can by a guide just for your state if there's a good one; such books typically give more in depth info and better done.

Over-rated
This guide has a lot of nostalgia for me; it was my first real field guide, a birthday present when I was in 2nd grade. But like many nostalgic items, it hasn't stood up to the test of time. On the plus side, the photos make a good book to introduce youngsters to the joys of the herping world. and animals are arranged by similarities to each other, not by family; a great help for the novice. And it covers "all" the reptiles on the continent, no need for 2 books. On the negative side, photos usually aren't helpful for id, and can in fact be very misleading. But the worse complaint is that the publishers haven't bothered trying to update this book, as they have some of there other guides. Reptile Taxonomy changes every year, and this book is over 2 decades old. Many new introductions, newly discovered species, and split off species aren't covered, and many animals go by out of date names. The ranges maps are also less than helpful, rarely delineating subspecies or race range, just species. Overall, skip this book and invest in the Petersons. They have been updated both in the late 90's, have better range maps, and use modern taxonomy ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first comprehensive guide to the unique wildlife of theGalápagos, encompassing the birds, mammals, and reptiles a visitor to theseextraordinary islands might encounter. The innovative, simple-to-use format of thepocket-sized volume will help beginners and experts alike to identify with confidence thestriking and charismatic Galápagos fauna.

Highlighting the differences between similar species, the guide focuses on the keyidentification features of each. Information on the status, habitat preferences, breedingseasons, and significant behavioral characteristics is provided for each species, alongwith 78 distribution maps for all resident species. Fifty-three remarkable color platescompiled from a composite of 500 photographic images and 20 illustrations depictvirtually every bird, mammal, and reptile ever recorded on the Galápagos. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful Guide
This book is, in the words of my 8-year-old son, "incredible"! The layout is very easy to understand, the photographic plates that show the various species in related groupings are marvelously well-done. The text is informative without being pedantic, and the plethora of full-color photographs and excellent illustrations make the book a joy to use. If you are going to the Galapagos, BUY THIS BOOK! Better yet, buy more than one, because you will wear it out so fast flipping pages and grabbing it out of your travelling companions' greedy hands. If you aren't going, but want to learn about the fauna of this unique archipelago, you will find no better resource.

The best pocket guide to Galápagos land and air critters
Unless you are an advanced nature buff, birder, etc. this book should fulfill the need for travelers to recognize habitats and the land and air critters that inhabit them. Lavishly illustrated, good identification information, and even range maps- all very compact, and accurate. The information is next to the photo, so there's no paging back and forth- a good thing when you have a critter right in front of you. There's even a cross-referenced check-list by habitat! I'll definitely be taking this slender book with its strengthened, plasticized covers on my next trip to the "Islas Encantadas". You'll be glad you got this for your trip.

A Superb Guide for Scientists
A friend bought me this ID guide to take with me on a week-long cruise of the islands. The trip was magical and defies description; this ID guide was very helpful to me. It discusses not only the specific animals but also the ecology of specific vegetation zones of each island and documents sightings of each species. Not strictly for the layperson, because it requires some familiarity with scientific terms. I shared this guide with the National Park guides on our trip and they praised it highly - so I bought them each a copy. How's that for an endorsment? ... Read more

Book Description

Since the publication of The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America by Cornell University Press in 1989, scientific discoveries and taxonomic changes have resulted in the addition of many taxa and species to the herpetology of the Western Hemisphere. This updated, heavily rewritten, and greatly expanded version of that book now includes accounts of all 192 species of venomous snakes and lizards found in the Western Hemisphere. This two-volume set is illustrated with:

• 1500 stunning color photographs, including portraits of venomous reptiles—many of which are unique in showing newly discovered species and fresh views of male, female, and juvenile individuals—and images of snakebites, an important tool for the diagnosis and treatment of these injuries;

• Eight color vegetation and topographic maps;

• 161 black-and-white photographs;

• 109 line figures; and

• 113 completely revised black-and-white distribution maps.

Volume I includes a table of contents, list of tables, preface, introduction, and regional/country accounts with related bilingual identification keys and vegetation and topographic maps. Genus and species accounts in this volume treat all of the lizards, coralsnakes, and seasnakes; these accounts are accompanied by color photographs of individual species.

Volume II begins with the pitvipers, including all known species of rattlesnakes. This volume features four chapters by experts on mimicry, evolution, and snakebite treatment in tropical and temperate America. A glossary, literature-cited section, and index serve both volumes. Color photographs portray pitvipers, including rattlesnakes, and the damage done by snakebite.

The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere, Volumes I and II is an essential reference for all naturalists interested in herpetology—amateurs impressed by the beauty and complexity of venomous reptiles as well as professional herpetologists and their students conducting research in the classroom, in the field, and at the zoo. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great!
I am still reading the book, but I can say that everything inside is great. The format is very similar to the one used in the first version, but I found a lot new information about the venomous reptiles of all America. It is helping me with valuable information in a review that I am doing about all the venomous animals in America.

For everyone that knows the first version, I can say that this one has updated information and excellent images. For the ones who never knew the first version, I can say this is the best book you can find about venemous snakes and lizards in our hemisphere.

This is the best contribution to understand and appreciate the marvelous world of the venomous animals. ... Read more

Book Description

This field guide deftly describes the 105 species of snakes in Texas, the state with the largest number of different species in the nation. Learn facts about the biology and behavior of these creatures, plus the latest findings on abundance, reproduction, ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent field guide great pictures & information!
This field guide on snakes is excellent. The pictures of each snake are clear and you can identify them easily when you see them in the wild (or in you're house). The organization of this book splits up into two sections venomous and nonvenomous which allows a very quick way to tell if you should be anywhere near the snake. The infromation on each type is plentiful and everything you need to know is included. There are maps of where to find each type and whether they are endangered or protected in the state of Texas. A system is given in the beginning of the book for how to easily determine a snake and also what to do if you happen to be bit by a venomous type. The only thing I would like to see in the next revision is the striking distance of each snake which isn't given in this book.

Too bad I can't give this one 6 stars.
A great book. A fantastic book. It's slightly larger than what one might expect for a field guide, but the difference is put to good use. Not only are the excellent photographs printed at such high resolution that you expect to see these scaled beauties slithering off the pages, but the accompanying text is so easy to read that you might find it to be a page-turner that ranks with some pretty good novels. This book is crammed with really useful or, at the very least, interesting info -- like the relative potencies of venoms from different snakes. (You might be surprised...) A detailed discussion of the mechanisms associated with different snake venoms and what might be done to counter them is really fascinating. The text for each species is accompanied by a distribution map; that text includes information on whether the snake in question is venomous, its behavior, reproduction, abundance, size, etc. I can't say enough good stuff about this book. If you live in a state adjacent to Texas and Mr. Tennant hasn't written a book about your snake population, it would well be worth getting this one. He also wrote the "Field Guide to Snakes of Florida," so you guys in Florida are lucky, too! This book made me want to head out at night to the local megapuddles that form near my house south of Houston to see what might be after those little frogs that seem to appear out of nowhere in the spring. Now, that might seem to be a little strange, but if you've read this book, you probably know what I mean.
Come to think of it, I'd like to give this one 7 stars...

I thought this book was excellent!
I am not a "herpetologist" - - I don't like snakes, but I am trying to tolerate the beneficial types. It was about dusk a few weeks ago when I stepped inside my storage shed to close the door. My first reaction was, "I don't remember leaving a hose on the floor." I flipped on the light and about two feet from me was the meanest biggest snake I ever saw (actually, it was only about 42" long). Was it deadly? - - I guess so 'cause it nearly gave me a heart attack! After that experience, I knew I needed a fairly complete book on Texas' snakes in my library, so I purchased the above book. It has over sixty pages of full color pictures (that's over 120 snakes) with a commentary on each one as to its type, size, general location, habits, food preference, etc. I took a picture of the snake in my barn - - and when the book arrived, there it was in living color - - "Texas Rat Snake." Harmless....and beneficial. The key to a great book on snakes for the common layman, in my opinion, is clear, colorful pictures. I remember checking the public library for such a book as this 10-15 years ago, and couldn't find one. So, I reinterate, for everyday identification of Texas' snakes, you'd be hard pressed to beat this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Pythons, boas, vipers, and a world more.In beautifully colorful fashion, find out about the fascinating universe of snakes.A vividly illustrated introduction to these reptiles goes up close and personal, and covers everything from origins and evolution to physical characteristics and habitat, from methods of reproduction to styles of hunting.Poisons, the meaning of their colors, and even snakes' representation in myth and legend, is here. The detailed discussions cover how and what snakes eat,which species are endangered, and defensive
behaviors--including shows and bluffs to impress their enemies, the postures of poisonous snakes (and their harmless imitators), and even the game of playing dead to throw predators off.The showcase is a dictionary of species, broken up by family and subfamily; thrilling photos bring you right up to each snake's face and textured skin, drawings add additional detail, and maps show distribution patterns throughout the world.
... Read more

Reviews (7)

The BEST snake book!
This is it. If you are looking for a book that covers everything snake with lots of pictures, you have found it. This has general information and husbandry, taxonomy, and goes through all the snakes, not just the popular pets and famous venomous ones. It also has information on responsible pet ownership. And it is enjoyable to read!

The Atlas of Snakes of the World
Wonderful! It is not just an atlas, it is very informative and very readable. I am just beginning a serious study of snakes, and this is a fantastic adult introduction. Snakes : The Evolution of Mystery in Nature is also a great book, but I suggest reading this first.

The Atlas of Snakes of the World
Lots of pictures but little real information on individual species. Snakes : The Evolution of Mystery in Nature is a better choice for those looking for more indepth info.

Very nice
This is the best snake encyclopedia I have ever read. It's worth it

Extremely valuable, concise, encyclopedia of snakes.
An extremely valuable reference source of virtually all known species of snakes. Written in an intellectual, scientific manner. A MUST have in any ophidiologist's collection!! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Buy it just for the color plates!
It's breadth of knowledge and splendorous photos will greatly increase your travel pleasure, because you really CAN see these animals just casually criss-crossing the country; you don't have to go to a special preserve.

In fact, another book I brought with me to Costa Rica last year, "Costa Rica : The Last Country the Gods Made," had a photo of a giant iguana that was taken literally 5 steps off the sand at the ultra-popular Manuel Antonio beach!

And guess what? I saw one when I was there!

Costa Rica, Reptile Place
I have spent a considerable amount of time in Costa Rica, and I found this book to be both accurate and interesting. The reptiles, the amphibians...they're all there. Costa Rica is a beautiful country, and this is a beautiful book. A+,

Best on Herps for Costa Rica
I have known the author for 30 years. He knows more about the amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica than anyone I know. The pictures are spectacular. Kudos to both authors.

Between 2 continents and between 2 seas indeed
I have been waiting for this book for over a year and it was well worth it. With over 40 years of 'herping' Costa Rica Jay Savage needs no introduction. Neither do the photographers Michael and Patricia Fogden. Their stunning images of the tropics and its reptiles and amphibians are everywhere. Costa Rica currently has 178 amphibian species and 218 reptile species. Additionally, there are two introduced frogs and four introduced lizards. Savage covers them all. In fact the subtitle covers it moreso. Nearly everything related to herps between two continents and between two seas is covered.

Savage states he wrote this book for several audiences: the general reader with an interest in biology and the herpetofauna, the amateur or part-time naturalist with some background in biology, the tropical biology and herpetolgy student, and the professional biologist. I would say that Savage has succeeded wildly in hitting his broad mark. The book is in four parts. The first gives the layperson a general background of biology, classification, and systematics. This also serves as a good refresher for those familiar with the terms or who is new to learning them. Savage tells us how to observe, where to look, how to catch, and how to preserve as specimens or keep as study subjects the diverse herpetofauna in Costa Rica. Included is a brief political history of Costa Rica. This is just the first chapter. He then describes, in depth, Costa Rica's climate, geography, and numerous habitats and vegetation patterns. Then we learn how to use the meat of this book; the keys.

Parts two and three are the keys to all the known amphibians and reptiles, respectively, of Costa Rica. These keys, broken into appropriate chapters are incredible. We get family descriptions, species accounts, descriptions of eggs, larvae, and adults, location maps, body part nomenclature, countless figures including tadpoles, tadpole mouthparts, body patterns, and headscale counts. This may all sound arcane to the uninitiated but it is invaluable to experts in identifying individual species. Beginners could forego some of this information and focus on more broad details to identify if the snake they saw was poisonous or the frog outside their cabin was a treefrog. Conversely, if you wanted to know the difference between Sibon annulatus and Sibon longifrenis it is in here. The words and drawings are backed up by over 500 color plates detailing nearly every species mentioned. Incredible considering the rarity of some species. There are stunning plates of habitats but mostly they are smallish (6 to a page) but excellent and very descriptive images of the animals. Where else would you find such detailed images of elusive caecelians and salamanders alongside the extinct golden toad Bufo periglenes, numerous and nondescript rain frogs, all the lacertid lizards, snakes, turtles, and crocodilians? Any single part of this text would prove useful. It is hard to believe that so much has been accomplished.

Part four gives us ecological and geographical distribution patterns, evolution and development of herpetofauna, and information of plate movements and land bridge formation. Savage then ends with his explanation of why there are so many species between two continents and between two seas. Included are an addendum, a 17 page glossary, a 50 page literature cited section(!), and two indices. This tome is over 900 pages. There is a ton of information here and the reader can pick and choose what they need or want to know. I haven't read this book cover to cover, yet. And, I am not an expert herpetologist. There certainly could be errors in species accounts but that would most likely be left for a few select individuals to argue over. What I can say is that this text would have easily been too big of a project for it to succeed or prove useful. Somehow, Savage manages it in such a way as to be a benchmark for herpetological texts and guides. I honestly can not say when I've been this excited about a book, although Duellman's Hylid Frogs reprint is a good second. There is much more to this book. Want to know? Buy it.

What this book is not is a field guide in the classic sense. This is a large hefty book. Not likely to be packed in the luggage of a vacationing tourist. If you will be spending some time conducting work in this beautiful country then find something else to leave behind and bring the book. If you are like me then read it before you leave and after you return. You'll know where to look for specific animals and also find it useful in identifying prized photos weeks after returning. If you are looking for a classic herping field guide then try Twan Leenders new book. It is pocket sized and has lots of useful info. Better still own them both. ... Read more

Book Description

This newly designed field guides features detailed descriptions of 595 species and subspecies. The 656 full-color illustrations and 384 drawings show key details for accurate identification.More than 100 color photographs and 333 color photographs and 333 color distribution maps accompany the species descriptions. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Simply the best!
There is no other guide which I would consult prior to herping trips. The color plates are fantastic and so well-drawn that I can recall seeing the animals depicted in the field. A knowledge of the arrangement of this guide will make this the most easily perused guide in the field as well.

Any budding herpetologist would be wise to study the book from cover to cover in order to share in the wisdom of Conant/Collins.

The field guide is easy to read (though technical details are necessarily prevalent) and can be understood by even the least herpetologically-inclined person.

Must Have Reference
This book has been a faithfull field companion to countless herpers since the first edition was published in 1958. It is the best selling herp book of all time for a good reason. The text is both concise and comprehensive. The color plates are not only works of art but are designed to highlight markings that are useful for field identification. The images in most competitors are generally the most attractive color photos available. This makes a pretty book but is not always useful for identification. The book is also small enough to be unobtrusive in any backpack or large pant pocket. Many of the "field guides" being produced now are too large and heavy. My copy has stood up to years of abuse remarkably well. This version added excellent color photographs to compliment the original color plates. The one criticism I have is that this version spread the maps throughout the text. Previous editions had the maps bundled together in taxanomic order. Imagine you are trying to identify a skink in Missouri. In the previous editions you could flip open the book to the skink maps and immediately see which species are found in Missouri. In this edition you would have to flip through all of the skink species accounts to get that information. It does not seem like a big difference,unless you have ever attempted to hold onto a skink in Missouri. Overall I would have to characterize this book as a must have for any North American herper young or old.

Lovely Photos, not comprehensive
A useful guide to help identify specimens. They profile similiar species in similar poses, very helpful. It doesn't offer as many species as the RTP guides, but then RTP guides don't show photos. I also suspect that the guide I have isn't as likely to handle weathering (mud/rain/etc) as well as the RTP bindings.

Excellent guide
Excellent guide, color plates are great aids for quicky identification as well as colored maps explaining range of each specie, it also explains details of each specie in a very detailed way and suggest many tips in order to recognize particular species. I own many guides and honestly this is part of my favorites and best guides, maybe you wont find anything better than this except for the Audubon Guides, considering the extensive color pictures on those...
Sorry about my grammar, Im from Mexico.

Bible of Amphibians and Reptiles of this region
This book was my bible as a boy. For anyone who enjoys watching small creatures in their natural habitats, the life-histories of amphibians and reptiles can be very enjoyable. This book is educational and extremely comprehensive. Even after moving to Europe, I kept my copy of this book, purely for sentimental value (none of the species from back home are to be found over here).

The book is written for those who want a lot of information, yet it is accessible for anyone from a very inquisitive boy or girl, through to university students who want to identify species in the wild. (I know, I used my copy from the age of ten to twenty-five on countless field trips and excursions.)

It's sturdy and affordable, especially considering the amount of information it contains. There are many b/w illustrations within the text showing specific identifying features, and a nice set of colour and black and white plates. More useful than Audubon, if you like these peaceful little animals this book will be with you for a long time. ... Read more

Book Description

In this revised edition of Herpetology, the authors provide the only treatment of amphibians and reptiles that integrates information about evolutionary relationships with ecology, behavior, and physiology and provide up-to-date references to the primary literature. KEY TOPICS The book is broken down into four parts and explores these specific questions: what are amphibians and reptiles; how do they work; what do they do; and what are their prospects for survival. MARKET This book is ideal for professionals such as zoo and aquarium curators, animal keepers, reptile and amphibian hobbyists, wildlife managers and conservationists who are looking for an integrated approach to the ecology, behavior, morphology, and physiology of amphibians and reptiles, presented in a phylogenetic and organismal context. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Anurans and Squamates and Crocodylia! Oh, my!
This is easily the best herpetology text book out there. It is informative, yet not full of the boringness (if that's a word...) of many textbooks. You might say that it's...fun to read.

Herp Textbook
I have just finished an undergradute course which used this book as the main text. I agree with the previous reviewer that there is considerable overlap and occasional contradiction. The early chapters tend to use a lot of technical jargon, and seem to be written for people who already understand the material. I was not so impressed with phylogenic descriptions which frequently failed to discuss unifying characteristics within families. Later sections, including locomotion, water balance, and mate selection are well written. This book would benefit from a glossary, more relevant tables and figures, and a more inclusive index. Overall, editing is rather sketchy.

Best of what's available
Despite some fairly serious errors and omissions, this book is the best academic treatment of the field of herpetology yet written. It is a multi-authored text which allows people to write on what they know best, rather than making authors stretch well beyond their fields of expertise. This unfortunately means there's a lot of repetition between chapters, and some flat-out contradictions. It does a fairly good of reviewing the literature in a number of sub-fields of herpetology, and so provides more up-to-date reviews than you're likely to find in "Biology of the Reptilia". It is a good choice for a herpetology course for undergraduates--in fact I plan to use it for such a course in summer 1999. Amazing omissions: dinosaurs!! birds!! biogeography!! Notable inclusions: good chapters on foraging ecology, classification (too short), & thermoregulation. ... Read more

Book Description

This third edition covers all the species of reptiles and amphibians found in western North America. More than 650 full-color paintings and photographs show key details for making accurate identifications. Up-to-date color range maps give species' distributions. Important information on conservation efforts and survival status rounds out the detailed species descriptions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great update to a great field guide
Stebbins does it again. As a biologist who works throughout southern California I find this book indispensable. It is a vast improvement to the last edition (which was very good to begin with) with lots of color photos, many more color plates and the range maps are great too, again with color. It has revised the taxonomy of many species and included a many of the lastest subspecies designations. This book is easy to use from the novice to the advanced and should be in any nature enthusiasts library. ... Read more

Book Description

In the most exquisitely photographed, informative, and comprehensive book yet published on the subject, author and herpetologist Chris Mattison provides details and descriptions of snakes rarely available to lay readers. Magnificent color photographs accompany a well-organized, readable text containing rare material culled from scientific journals and herpetology society publications from around the world. Encyclopedia of Snakes encompasses the complete array of snake shapes, patterns, sizes, and behaviorall presented with an evolutionary perspective fittingly applied to this mysterious species. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

encyclopedia of snakes
I am not reviewing this book just can find no where to write a review of the site. in the memory you use to put the larger photos on you could put the table of contents and samples in the book. i see no virtual review of the book, nothing about it, no number of pages, no table of contents nothing. so therefore i will not buy from this site. i dont buy what i cant see or have no clue what the contents of the book is. this book is only a book of snakes not sure if it contains what i want or not. all i have a title that is all. titles dont sale books unless one is looking for a specific title.

The Encyclopedia of Snakes
This is a great book. Instaed of the usual individual synopsis of each species, it has a more general approach. The sections on taxonomy and classification were especially useful to me.

Excellent general introduction to herpetology
This books provides great info for snakes and their physiology, as well as taxonomy/classification. The main thing I found lacking was information on specific species; though it cover family/genus info fairly well, I felt it forsook the "trees for the forest." But overall very good.

Useful for the amateur to intermediate
Although not quite a good reference work for the true professional, The Encyclopedia of Snakes covers a wide array of topics and goes through the classification of the snakes in a comprehensible family by family format. The quality of the photographs is quite excellent, and, coupled with the extensive tidbits on habits, anatomy, classification, and range makes a wonderful and compelling read.

Great book for beginning herpers
I loved this book. It provided some natural history, but the meat of the book was the snakes' habits and lifestyles which is what most people starting in herpetology want. All in all it is a great book. ... Read more

Book Description

Herpetology, Second Edition has been thoroughly revised. The text has been reorganized, new chapters have been added, new text references have been inserted. All this plus new color systematics sections will maintain this book as THE leading textbook on the biology of amphibians and reptiles. The book will also showcase reptiles and amphibians as model systems in conceptual areas of biology. Such a text will help integrate herpetology as a discipline into conceptually oriented undergraduate programs. The book should also appeal to a large audience of sophisticated lay people interested in reptiles and amphibians.

* Written by internationally recognized experts on the biology of amphibians and reptiles
* Provides a general background on the evolution and morphology of amphibians and reptiles
* Details what is known about reproduction and life histories
* Examines physiological ecology, emphasizing water balance, temperature, and energy
* Integrates population and community ecology with conservation biology
* Provides detailed taxonomic accounts of all higher taxa, including high quality distribution maps and color photographs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Book
This book is for expierienced herpers only .It has almost evrything you need to know.If you are interested in learning more about herps.I give this a 5 if you are a expiereienced reader. ... Read more

Book Description

"Assays of assemblages of amphibians and reptiles provide important information on community structure in the tropics. These ectothermic organisms are highly responsive to slight differences in the environment and to seasonal differences, such as patterns of rainfall. Most species seem to have rather restricted home ranges; therefore, data gathered in a restricted area provide much better insight into the requirements of, and potential interactions among, the species in the assemblage."—from the Introduction

The rainforests in the southwestern part of the Amazon Basin in southeastern Peru are home to scores of amphibians and reptiles. Cusco Amazónico is a richly illustrated and comprehensive account of the lives of 151 of these species. William E. Duellman’s masterpiece of community ecology includes descriptions of the physical environment and vegetation found in this unique habitat along with syntheses of abundance, mass, feeding, reproductive guilds, and daily and seasonal patterns of activity. Identification keys in English and Spanish precede detailed and illustrated species accounts. Tadpoles of many frogs are described and illustrated.

Cusco Amazónico will become a standard reference for herpetologists, tropical biologists, biogeographers, ecologists, and conservationists and stands on its own as a portrait of an animal community in a unique bioregion. The illustrations include 236 color photographs, 121 charts and graphs, 16 maps, 42 line drawings, 2 halftones, and 56 sets of audiospectrograms and waveforms. There are 71 tables. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Slither into DK's Snake and you'll find yourself tantalized. Or is that terrorized? Either way, snake aficionados, and those looking to increase their appreciation of snakes, should not miss this gorgeous, full-color guide to the legless reptiles. Chris Mattison, a herpetologist and wildlife photographer, has gathered a concise compendium of facts, myths, and unbelievable images, with familiar as well as little-known species highlighted. While not zoologically comprehensive, Snake does provide a good sense of the diversity of these lovely and misunderstood animals. From the intricate patterns of the harmless checkered garter snake to the sheer magnificence of the deadly, 11.5-foot-long black mamba, each snake is presented with its best scale forward. Snake is full of great herpetological trivia, and the photos are sharply detailed close-ups. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Wonderful beginning book
This is a stunningly visual book with fantastic general information on snakes. I have a number of books by Chris Mattison, and this is his best! Well worth the price.

Very educational
I'm a college student and I work in a Science Center with several snakes from Texas; I'm always interested in learing more about snakes in the world. This book is amazing! It covers all topics related to snake's evolution, envirnoment, size and shape, scales, anatomy and movement, reproduction, classification of snakes, among other contents! With a gallery of beautiful and large pictures of these fenomenal creatures; the only problem is that it covers only 61 species that were chosen to be in the gallery to show readers the diversity of size, color, shape, and behavior, that is excellent! But I would've liked to see more variety of snakes. As a conclusion, this book is a MUST for people interested in learning more about snakes.

Best Snake Book !!
This book probably the BEST snake book I owned. Large of photo (I mean: really BIG photo!!, double pages). This book give you a very comprehensive section about the anatomy, how they hunt, habitats,and senses ...
It written in a very short informative way ....
I really love this book !! This book is "A MUST" for all snake lovers ...

Stunning!
This is a wonderful book, full of captivating pictures and beautifully written explanatory chapters. A serpent enthusiast myself, I have thoroughly enjoyed this book. Its excellent visuals guide you through the first few chapters which discuss several aspects of snakes themselves. The majority of the rest of the book looks at many different types of snakes..a page or two devoted to a certain individual species. I was impressed at the variety it covered, from boas to pythons to colubreds to venomous species. I applaud the author...this book will entertain beginners to professionals. This is a must for anyone who is interested in these amazing legless creatures.
--Lauren

Excellent for everyone
This book starts out by giving a very comprehensive section about the anatomy, hunting, evolution, habitats,and senses of the snake. Each of these topics were given two pages, of which were filled with interesting information. I keep snakes, but I still found myself learning things. After this, the book goes into a section that tells about many interesting species of snakes in a great format including color pictures. While the book doesn't feature as many species as I would have liked to have seen, the ones it does show are well chosen(for the most part). After this section, the book goes into a huge directory of genuses and species of almost all the snakes in the world(including some rare subspecies). This section of the book is invaluable for a herpitoligest or just someone looking up the latin name of a snake. Overall the book is great for average person and person who knows alot about snakes alike. I think the book could have been better if he had featured more species of snakes, but the book is fine as it is. ... Read more

Book Description

Amphibians and reptiles are the most numerous, diverse, and frequently encountered animals on the Caribbean islands. This book provides a variety of perspectives on this amazing group of organisms. Caribbean Amphibians and Reptiles, compiled by an international team of zoologists, takes a fresh and detailed look at the complex biological puzzle of the Caribbean. The first true overview of the islands, it includes a historical examination of the people who have studied the Caribbean amphibians and reptiles. The book reviews the ecology, evolutionary history, and biogeographic explanations for the origins and diversity of the region's fauna with island-by-island coverage. It puts the Caribbean in perspective by comparing the islands to Central America and its amphibian reptile diversity. Additionally, the book includes figures, tables, and color plates which bring to life some of the region's most spectacular creatures.

Key Features
* Presents the first complete review of amphibians and reptiles in the Caribbean
* Includes color plates and island maps
* Contributors are recognized authorities in the field ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Bahamas are not part of the Caribbean
I am not a customer but the editor of the book. I just noticed the review that complains the volume left out a key part of the Caribbean, the Bahamas. Interestingly enough, the Bahamas are in the Atlantic Ocean and not in nor border the Caribbean Sea.

Excludes a large part of the Caribbean, the Bahama Islands
A book on this subject is a welcome addition to the library of any herpetologist. However, this book has a number of shortcomings including its exclusion of the entire Bahama archipelago. A book with this title should include these islands with their endangered species. The book includes 8 color plates each with up to 11 color photos of native species. Unfortunately, a number of the captions do not match the photos on the plates making them useless to the uninitiated.

This book will be useful, however the typos and missing geographic coverage along with the unusually high price for such a small book are definite drawback.

This is a college-level, acedemic textbook and not a field guide which may account for its price. ... Read more

Book Description

A superb collection of field recordings and descriptions offer unparalleled access to the sounds and calls of numerous popular and less well-known amphibians. The book and CD provide an introduction to the sound repertoire of species living in eastern and central North America. A variety of calls from each species are included, along with an in-depth description and explanation of their significance. In addition to color photographs of the most common species, the text offers a fascinating look at the science of amphibian calls, making this guide an indispensable aid for the outdoor enthusiast. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

excellent work on frogs of eastern and central US
...which is why the previous reviewer did not find the Pacific Treefrog...

What about Pacific Treefrog?
The CD is very well organized. The tone qualities are very good. As an amateur herpetologist, I deeply appreciate this audio archive of North American frogs and toads, especially the rana, bufo and hyla familes. Amphibians are going extinct and/ or disappearing rapidly from our planet. Mr. Elliot has compiled such an extensive audio library with great care and detail. All nature lovers and herpetologists must get this tape.

Nonetheless, Mr. Elliot failed to include the most widespread frog here in California... the Pacific Treefrog. This is the most well-known as the Hollywood frog. It is used widely to underscore background nature sounds in films. ... Read more

Product Description

This price is valid only online at Petco.com. Not available in stores at this price. For local in-store prices, please call your favorite Petco Store.To many hobbyists, the red-eared slider is the turtle. This pretty, wide-ranging water turtle has been sold for decades, with most being captive-bred on southern farms.Keeping a red-ear is not always easy, but this book provides all the information necessary to successfully grow that baby slider into a breeding-size adult. It also is completely illustrated in color with photos of red-ears and their closest relatives, making it a truly excellent value.Contents include:IntroductionHistory and TaxonomyHousingFeedingBreedingSickness and HealthGlossary of TermsSuggested Reading ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Mr. Dude thanks the author of this book
I'm the classic "how much is that puppy in the window?" case. I was in New York city walking in China town when I happened upon a bowl full of baby red ears. I just had to 'save' one of these squirming babies. Then I was worry about how to feed, house, and generally take care of my turtle, who was looking up at me with those moist, cat-like eyes while we sat on the subway. I had no idea how big it would get, or what to keep it in, or what to feed it besides the turtle pellets I got ripped off on.

I tried websites about sliders, while my baby sat in his styrofoam enclosure with his bowl of water and pellets sprinkled around him. Then I found this book on amazon.com. Right away I ordered it.

It has helped me alot. I bought a tank and food for my turtle, Mr. Dude. I learned how big he would get and where he came from. I also learned that it is illegall to sell baby red-eared sliders!!!

If you have a red-eared slider, or are looking into getting one, this book is a must-have.

(Good Luck!)

Good introduction to red-eared sliders
This book adequately covers the essentials of owning a turtle: housing, feeding, breeding, and diseases. The section on breeding is a little more extensive than in other intro books. A plus is that most of the pictures are in color. One thing missing from this book and others is a discussion of turtle behavior and sensory capability. Do they hear, see, smell, taste well? Do they like to hide? How long do they or can they stay submerged? Apparently and incorrectly, it is assumed this is all common knowledge. While this book will give one a start, owning a turtle is definitely a work in progress.

Red Eared Sliders
This was a very good book. It taught me a lot more than I used to know. I usually just look at the pictures but now that I've read this book I know a lot more. This book taught me how to take care of them and all of the diseases. If your looking for a good book to teach you every thing you need to know this is the one. ... Read more

Book Description

This all-new edition of the popular field guide provides photographs and descriptions of all species and subspecies of snakes of eastern and central North America from Texas to Manitoba, to the eastern seaboard of the continent. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Guide!
I just bought the 2003 edition of this book, and I must say it is great! The pics are very good! On some of the variable species, there are more than one photo to show you the different forms. The author provides great information on every aspect of the snakes' lives including size, reproduction, prey, habitat, and relative abundance. The book is very easy to read and is a steal at that price for 600 well written pages on North American snakes!- Anthony J. Chodan

Good, accessible guide
A very good reference and field guide to snakes from Texas to North Dakota eastwards, aimed at enthusiasts and accessible to the average reader. It builds on Tennant's earlier books on Texas and Florida snakes (which were excellent), and in fact the text of the species accounts is often lifted more or less directly from those books. This makes this book less than original, but the detail -- over 600 pages worth -- is very good. Lots of photos, though each are a little small. This book is thicker, more thorough and generally stronger than the companion western volume (Snakes of North America: Western Region). It also has a good bibliography. One quibble, though -- the range maps often do not extend into Canada (though the Canadian ranges of the relevant snakes are discussed in the text), which reduces the usefulness of this book for Canadian readers. Recommended.

Snakes of North America : Eastern and Central Regions (Field
Overall I thought this book was well written, very comprehensive, and quite easy to use. The copy I purchased has a problem with some of the pages being out of order. The Western guide I have has the range maps for the hognoses reversed. These may be a function of the printing company's sloppiness. However, I believe this book is an important addition to any serious amateur or professional herpetologist or budding herpetoculturist.

Excellent Field information
This book has the most comprehensive and up to date data down to sub-specific detail I've seen in a field guide, or any publication for that matter. This book is informative and easy to read. As a field guide it tries to group the animals by their appearance, which is occasionally annoying, but for a novice trying to identify something it is logical. The collection of pictures is quite complete, however, unusual color morphs of some species are depicted where it would be better to show clearer pictures of typical specimens(especially because it is a field guide). ... Read more