|
Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Vertebrates > Amphibians
For millennia, humans have regarded snakes with an exceptional
combination of fascination and revulsion. Some people recoil in
fear at the very suggestion of these creatures, while others
happily keep them as pets. Snakes can convey both beauty and menace
in a single tongue flick and so these creatures have held a special
place in our cultures. Yet, for as many meanings that we attribute
to snakes--from fertility and birth to sin and death--the real-life
species represent an even wider array of wonders. The Book of
Snakes presents 600 species of snakes from around the world,
covering nearly one in six of all snake species. It will bring
greater understanding of a group of reptiles that have existed for
more than 160 million years, and that now inhabit every continent
except Antarctica, as well as two of the great oceans. This volume
pairs spectacular photos with easy-to-digest text. It is the first
book on these creatures that combines a broad, worldwide sample
with full-color, life-size accounts. Entries include close-ups of
the snake's head and a section of the snake at actual size. The
detailed images allow readers to examine the intricate scale
patterns and rainbow of colors as well as special features like a
cobra's hood or a rattlesnake's rattle. The text is written for
laypeople and includes a glossary of frequently used terms.
Herpetologists and herpetoculturists alike will delight in this
collection, and even those with a more cautious stance on snakes
will find themselves drawn in by the wild diversity of the suborder
Serpentes.
This is a book for all readers who want to learn about
amphibians, the animal group that includes frogs, toads,
salamanders, and caecilians. It draws on many years of classroom
teaching, laboratory experience, and field observation by the
authors. Robert Stebbins and Nathan Cohen lead readers on a
fascinating odyssey as they explore some of nature's most
interesting creatures, interspersing their own observations
throughout the book. "A Natural History of Amphibians" can serve as
a textbook for students and independent learners, as an overview of
the field for professional scientists and land managers, and as an
engaging introduction for general readers.
The class Amphibia contains more than 4,500 known living
species. New species are being discovered so rapidly that the
number may grow to more than 5,000 during our lifetimes. However,
their numbers are being rapidly decimated around the globe, largely
due to the encroachment of humans on amphibian habitats and from
growing human-caused environmental pollution, discussed at length
in the final chapter. The authors focus our attention on the
"natural history" of amphibians worldwide and emphasize their
interactions with their environments over time: where they live;
how they reproduce; how they have been affected by evolutionary
processes; what factors will determine their destinies over time.
Through the experienced eyes of the authors, who are skilled
observers, we come to see and understand the place of amphibians in
the natural world around us.
|
|