Reptiles and Amphibians of the Amazon

Book excerpt: "The Bartlett's provide a convenient identification guide and reference manual for the reptiles and amphibians most likely to be encountered by visitors to the Amazon basin. It will be of great interest to ecotourists and herpetological hobbyists, and the basic natural history information will be useful to professional biologists who are not specialists in the taxa covered in the book."--Paul E. Moler, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Though travel to the Amazon Basin once was accessible only to the most intrepid explorer, today the region is a popular destination for scores of ecotourists, visitors who are likely to observe 50 species of reptiles and amphibians in just a weeklong trip. Until publication of this illustrated field guide, no book has been available to help identify these delightful, stunning, and sometimes venomous creatures. This handbook offers a colorful, easy-to-use guide to more than 250 of the snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, and salamanders common to the Amazonian regions of Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Colombia. From brightly colored frogs so small they fit on a thumbnail to large poisonous snakes camouflaged by green and brown patterned skin, it features all the more frequently seen species as well as types that are less common, and it also provides basic natural history information. Clear close-up photos accompany text that describes appearance, range, size, and color and lists similar species. For many years the authors have led tours to the rainforest. They travel remote rivers on small boats, bunk in tents pitched on sleeping platforms, and walk seldom-trodden trails, usually finding a herpetologic species new to them on each trip. At times, they were hard-pressed to identify the species they photographed; their fellow travelers have found the task even more difficult. For those who want to attach names and information to their natural surroundings, this new field guide will open up the beautiful and mysterious world of herpetofauna. In addition, students of rainforest ecology will find useful information about the infinite variety of rainforest adaptations, and hobbyists will appreciate hard-to-find information about imported specimens. R.D. Bartlett is the author of many books, including In Search of Reptiles and Amphibians and Popular Boas and Pythons, and has published more than 500 articles about herpetology in such magazines as Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Reptiles, and Reptile and Amphibian. Patricia Bartlett is the coauthor with R.D. Bartlett of numerous books, including A Field Guide to Florida Reptiles and Amphibians. Together they have led herpetology photography tours to many areas of the Amazon Basin.