The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians | 
| Author: National Audubon Society
Publisher: Knopf
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 10318
Media: Turtleback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 744
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 3.7 x 1.1
ISBN: 0394508246
Dewey Decimal Number: 598.1097
EAN: 9780394508245
ASIN: 0394508246
Publication Date: November 12, 1979
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Product Description
Why are some frogs able to freeze solid and still survive? How can secretions from amphibians offer scientists clues for treating human ailments? What allows reptiles and amphibians to regenerate their limbs? Reptiles & Amphibians, an exciting new Explore Your World™ handbook, incorporates the Discovery Channel's unique authoritative approach and acclaimed visuals to answer these and other questions in a captivating blend of information and entertainment.
Reptiles & Amphibians features:
Background information on evolution, anatomy, physiology, habitats, and life cycles of a range of reptile and amphibian families.
A detailed look at how reptiles and amphibians survive-how they eat, move around, defend themselves, and combat temperature extremes.
Examinations of metamorphosis, growth and longevity, and vocalization techniques.
Practical advice on how to responsibly study reptiles and amphibians in the wild or care for them as pets.
An identification guide to more than 160 of the most fascinating herpetological species from around the world, organized by environment.
More than 300 full-color photos and illustrations.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 excellent photographs + some interesting information + confusing April 4, 2008
This photographic guide features excellent images of probably almost all North-American reptiles and amphibians, including many subspecies and some introduced species. However, these photographs are often arranged confusingly, and only labelled with the common, not the scientific names. This reduces the uselfulness of this book as a field guide in my view considerably, together with the separate position of the range maps.
The species accounts are quite short, but contain usually information about (1) the outer appearance, (2) the voice, (3) breeding, (4) habitat, (5) range, (6) behaviour/interesting details. However, often there is information lacking or given only in very comprised form, which could be expected to be presented in more detail (cf. breeding biology of Aneides aeneus). The species accounts are table-like and therefore very clear.
In the range maps, the subspecies are not discriminated.
The binding of the eight printing (1989) was quite good, hard-back like but with plastic soft-cover.
The index appears somewhat confusing to me, but this may be only a first impression.
Missing are in my view also sections about the general biology of herps, including their anatomy and systematics, about herpetology and the handling of these animals, and a list with useful addresses.
time for an informational update September 30, 2007
As with all the Audubon field guides, the strong enduring points are the quality of the photos; the durable binding and leatherette cover; and the index that is organized and cross-referenced to the photos.
The descriptions are pretty staight forward; but, the summaries are woefully inadequate, even when this book was current. The anatomy, life cycle, and habitats are discussed for each species, albeit vaguely.
In the eventuality that there is an update . . . the details need to be fleshed out more; the range and distribution maps made more concise; and the descriptions of new species discovered plus expanded summations of each species would correct the deficiencies.
This field guide still has its place in the naturalists library, if only for the quality of the photos. For better information, however, you may want to look at the Peterson's guide.
Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts
The Cloud Reckoner
 Reptiles and Amphibians Field Guide January 5, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I love these books and can't say anything else than that!
Good For Wilderness Getaways September 23, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Though I agree with others a revision is long overdue, and there have been a few new species discovered over the years; namely salamanders. I still find it quite helpful though, in identifying the lizard that just ran across the trail, or for that possible snake sighting. And as bad as my eyes are (Keratoconus), yes the maps could be larger, but I don't find them particularly hard to read. Except for certain species that have very small and restricted ranges. Then finding the little dot can be near impossible. Beautiful photographs. Gives one a better appreciation of these animals; that, along with years of watching the "Crocodile Hunter" God rest his soul.
good for casual use March 7, 2005
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I have a soft spot for these Audubon guides because the first field guide I ever owned was an Audubon, and it got a lot of use. However, I currently use the Peterson Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, and I have found that it is easier to use, and more descriptive than this one. There are two main reasons for this:
1) The Peterson guide has a brief description of each animal on the page facing the image of the animal and points out, sometimes with the aid of small arrows, the most useful identifying characteristics. Like the Audubon guide, it also has a page number you can flip to for more details about the life history etc.
2) The distribution maps in these Audubon guides are fairly small and vague, while the Peterson has a separate section for maps in the back that are much larger and more accurate. Of course it's impossible to say exactly what the range of almost any animal is, but I feel that this Audubon guide definitely has room for improvement. I do enjoy the photography, though; the Peterson uses illustrations, some of which are black and white.
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