Reptiles And Amphibians A Z

A heavily illustrated dictionary of selected reptiles and amphibians.

A guide to help people, both experienced and novices, identify reptiles and amphibians in Arizona

For both the casual observer and the experienced naturalist, this indispensable field guide and natural history reference covers all the salamanders, frogs, spadefoots, toads, lizards, snakes, tortoises, and turtles in Arizona. Over 200 stunning photographs, accompanied by range maps, show key details of identification. Fascinating life history and behavior accounts will leave the reader amazed at the biodiversity of Arizona, where the convergence of the ponderosa forests and subalpine meadows of the Colorado Plateau with the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, and Mojave deserts has resulted in a unique herpetofauna. Days are dominated by an astonishing variety of lizards; at night, by Gila monsters, geckos, and snakes. And when the summer monsoon sets in, the desert night comes alive with millions of toads and spadefoots.

Even in paradise, one needs to be mindful of whatÕs underfoot. The Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is a desert oasis in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, a rich repository of wildlife and a favorite destination for Tucsonans and visitors for more than a century. This book presents annotated and illustrated descriptions of the amphibians and reptiles found at Sabino Canyon and an overview of their natural environment. Representing a study spanning nearly twenty-five years, it documents their present and past distribution and examines environmental and herpetofaunal change due to physical, biological, and human impact on species and habitats. In this first publication to describe Sabino CanyonÕs biota in scientific detail, three expert authors pool their knowledge to provide a detailed discussion of ecological changeÑespecially as a consequence of drought, flooding, the introduction of exotic species, and direct human impact. Suburbia has arrived on the canyonÕs doorstep, and human visitation has soared, inalterably affecting the area. Of particular concern, breeding habitats for amphibians were profoundly altered by flash flooding in SabinoÕs streams following the 2003 Aspen Fire, which ravaged large parts of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The book contains richly detailed accounts of the 57 species found at SabinoÑ25 snakes, 17 lizards, 8 toads and frogs, 6 turtles, and 1 salamanderÑemphasizing their local ecology and the behavior likely to be witnessed by visitors. Physical descriptions and numerous photographsÑmany in colorÑfacilitate identification. Up-to-date distribution maps provide an essential baseline against which future researchers can measure change. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Their Habitats at Sabino Canyon is essential for anyone who seeks to understand this desert oasis, how it has changed, and how it may change in the future. Written with minimal technical jargon to make it as useful to students and visitors as it will be to scientists and resource managers, it makes a vital contribution to our understanding of creatures underfoot whose habitat we seek to share.

Merging the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, and Mojave deserts with the Colorado Plateau has resulted in the unique herpetofauna of Arizona. It is a mixture of temperate and tropical species. Arizona's Amphibians & Reptiles, a natural history and field guide contains stunning photographs, range maps, and comprehensively written accounts. Each species account includes essential information - the details needed for identification, a summary of the animal's natural history, and its conservation status. The 164 species accounts are written for a general audience interested in amphibians, reptiles, and natural history. Twenty-nine species of amphibians and 135 species of reptiles are discussed. The accounts include invasive species. References are provided. Naturalists, herpetologists, and people interested in Arizona's fauna will find this book valuable in the field and the library.

An A-Z of cold-blooded animals, featuring over 100 amazing creatures. This dictionary introduces young readers to the fascinating world of reptiles and amphibians. Presented in alphabetical order, each creature is illustrated in full colour. Explore the incredible variety of reptiles and amphibians, including crocodiles and alligators; turtles and tortoises; lizards; snakes; frogs and toads; and newts and salamanders. Meet the powerful anaconda, the mysterious marine iguana, the fierce Nile crocodile and many more. Discover how they live, how big or small they are, and how they attack prey or escape from predators.

A List of the Amphibians and Reptiles of Arizona is a comprehensive survey of the region's rich herpetofauna. The California Academy of Sciences provides readers with detailed descriptions of the various species of lizards, snakes, and frogs that make their homes in Arizona, and highlights the unique environmental factors that have shaped their evolution. The book is also accompanied by beautiful illustrations and photographs, making it a valuable resource for naturalists, students, and anyone interested in the biodiversity of the American Southwest. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.