There is a large arachnid that eats scorpions and sprays acid. This amazing arthropod apex predator is the most significant arthropod predator in its range and yet few humans could answer a single question about it. Most people are not even aware that vinegaroons (or whipscorpions) exist. Although fearless monsters to other microfauna, and not so micro fauna, the whipscorpion is without venom and can hardly even pinch a human. These details-reproductive biology with representative photos of each stage discussed, morphological explanations including descriptive scanning electron micrographs, full husbandry explanations, select species accounts, and prey considerations-are presented here to bring light to every aspect of this heretofore forgotten arachnid order. This is the first book ever devoted to the order of the vinegaroons and the only full-length treatment of this order in the history of the written word. Never again should the vinegaroons be forgotten.

The pillbug and its relatives are beloved the world over by children-in this text they get their due for adults. Spectacular cultivars and amazing species represent an often forgotten group of backyard arthropods. In recent years the beautiful peach pillbug, zebra armadillo-bug, and Dalmatian isopod, among others, have burst on the scene in a growing hobby. Their use as feeders for herps and invertebrates combined with spectacular clean-up crew attributes for terrariums and paludariums may be the main assets of the isopod, but after learning about these spectacular beauties, their simple husbandry, and historical cultivation, the child inside may fall in love again.

Accounting standards are an essential element in the regulation of current financial reporting. Standard setters promulgate such standards, and companies and professional accountants follow them in preparing financial reports. Although much has been written about the history of standard setting, the conceptual underpinnings of accounting standards, the process of setting them, and whether such standards should be 'rules-based' or 'principles-based,' there has been little written about the kind of thing they are. This book examines the nature of accounting standards and the very idea of a rule, of implementation guidance, and of the objectives that are included in them. It enables the reader to grasp the reasons for promulgating standards, the role of the conceptual framework in setting standards in an institutional context, and the kind of rules that are useful in regulating financial reporting. The insights provided by this examination are used to throw light on the distinction between 'principles-based' and 'rules-based' standards and on the nature of 'good' accounting standards.'

Among the many different creatures that live in the world around us, snakes occupy a special place; most people either love them or hate them. Through the ages snakes have inspired fear or love, have been cast as gods or devils, as living representations of good or evil, and have even been used as fantastic medicinal tools. Many of the supernatural beliefs concerning snakes have been progressively eroded over the years by a number of great scientists, much of whose work is described in this book.
The Subtle Beast introduces the reader to the complex and absorbing world of snakes, tracing a fascinating journey from the macroscopic features of snakes to the molecular components of their venom. As the book progresses the reader will bear witness as the snake sheds its mythical skin to emerge in the full splendour of its true self.

Get your one-stop guide for understanding and raising this popular pet lizard.

Reptiles are now kept in one out of every seven pet homes, so it's no surprise that millions have gone gaga for geckos. This fun, easy-to-follow guide provides the scoop on caring for these colorful, gentle creatures, with savvy tips on everything from diet and exercise to housing and veterinary care. The book covers how to properly handle a gecko, what to do if a gecko drops his tail, how to keep the right cage temperatures, ways to protect geckos from other pets, and where to find the best supplies.

Liz Palika (Oceanside, CA) is an award-winning pet writer with more than 45 books to her credit, including "Turtles & Tortoises For Dummies."

Among the many different creatures that live in the world around us, snakes occupy a special place; most people either love them or hate them. Through the ages snakes have inspired fear or love, have been cast as gods or devils, as living representations of good or evil, and have even been used as fantastic medicinal tools. Many of the supernatural beliefs concerning snakes have been progressively eroded over the years by a number of great scientists, much of whose work is described in this book.
The Subtle Beast introduces the reader to the complex and absorbing world of snakes, tracing a fascinating journey from the macroscopic features of snakes to the molecular components of their venom. As the book progresses the reader will bear witness as the snake sheds its mythical skin to emerge in the full splendour of its true self.

Accounting standards are an essential element in the regulation of current financial reporting. Standard setters promulgate such standards, and companies and professional accountants follow them in preparing financial reports. Although much has been written about the history of standard setting, the conceptual underpinnings of accounting standards, the process of setting them, and whether such standards should be 'rules-based' or 'principles-based,' there has been little written about the kind of thing they are. This book examines the nature of accounting standards and the very idea of a rule, of implementation guidance, and of the objectives that are included in them. It enables the reader to grasp the reasons for promulgating standards, the role of the conceptual framework in setting standards in an institutional context, and the kind of rules that are useful in regulating financial reporting. The insights provided by this examination are used to throw light on the distinction between 'principles-based' and 'rules-based' standards and on the nature of 'good' accounting standards.'

The authoritative information and advice you need, illustrated throughout with full-color photographs--now revised and redesigned to be even more reader-friendly!
Frogs and toads are perennial favorite pets. They include easy-to-care for breeds and intriguing, exotic varieties. For both first-time pet owners and life-long hobbyists, frogs and toads can make fascinating pets, but it is essential to learn how to care for them properly. With colorful photos, charts, and tables, this guide covers the basics, including:
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Choosing your frog or toad
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Creating and maintaining your pet's new habitat
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Feeding and caring for your frog or toad
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Keeping your pet healthy

You'll also learn about the varieties of frogs and toads, and about their existence in the wild.

Alaska pollock is everywhere. If you're eating fish but you don't know what kind it is, it's almost certainly pollock. Prized for its generic fish taste, pollock masquerades as crab meat in california rolls and seafood salads, and it feeds millions as fish sticks in school cafeterias and Filet-O-Fish sandwiches at McDonald's. That ubiquity has made pollock the most lucrative fish harvest in America-the fishery in the United States alone has an annual value of over one billion dollars. But even as the money rolls in, pollock is in trouble: in the last few years, the pollock population has declined by more than half, and some scientists are predicting the fishery's eventual collapse. In Billion-Dollar Fish, Kevin M. Bailey combines his years of firsthand pollock research with a remarkable talent for storytelling to offer the first natural history of Alaska pollock. Crucial to understanding the pollock fishery, he shows, is recognizing what aspects of its natural history make pollock so very desirable to fish, while at the same time making it resilient, yet highly vulnerable to overfishing. Bailey delves into the science, politics, and economics surrounding Alaska pollock in the Bering Sea, detailing the development of the fishery, the various political machinations that have led to its current management, and, perhaps most important, its impending demise. He approaches his subject from multiple angles, bringing in the perspectives of fishermen, politicians, environmentalists, and biologists, and drawing on revealing interviews with players who range from Greenpeace activists to fishing industry lawyers. Seamlessly weaving the biology and ecology of pollock with the history and politics of the fishery, as well as Bailey's own often raucous tales about life at sea, Billion-Dollar Fish is a book for every person interested in the troubled relationship between fish and humans, from the depths of the sea to the dinner plate.

The literature on snakes is voluminous but overwhelmingly centered in the natural sciences, with little published about them in the fields of popular culture or the history of medicine. Focusing primarily on American culture and history from the 1800s, this study draws on a wide range of sources--including newspaper archives, medical journals, and archives from the Smithsonian Institute--to examine the complex relationship between snakes and humans.

RSPB Spotlight: Snakes is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. Snakes are superbly secretive reptiles, celebrated by many for their highly tuned senses and their complex and mysterious seasonal behaviours. Though some people may be fearful of them, these important reptiles play a crucial role in many habitats. And an encounter with any one of our native snake species is an experience worth cherishing. In Spotlight Snakes, Jules Howard takes readers on a journey through the ecology and lifestyle of Britain's three native snake species: the Barred Grass Snake, the Smooth Snake and our only venomous snake species, the Adder. As well as uncovering their unique hunting styles and courtship rituals, he delves into the myths and legends at the heart of humankind's widespread and sometimes troublesome fascination with these animals. He also charts the conservation challenges our native snakes face in the modern age and explores the solutions conservationists are employing to help these extraordinary predators remain a vital part of British ecosystems for generations to come. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photographs and informative expert text.

Every Sunday for almost a century John Cann's family ran the famous snake show in a pit at La Perouse in Sydney - an area once alive with tiger, brown and black snakes. After growing up with over 300 'pet' snakes in their backyard, John and his brother George took over the snake show from their parents in 1965. By the time John retired in 2010, he'd survived five venomous snake bites. Many of those familiar with John and his shows wouldn't know that he was also an Olympic athlete, a top state rugby league player who played alongside some of the legends of the game, a state champion boxer, an adventurer and a world authority on turtles. The Last Snake Man chronicles John's extraordinary life and times. From wrangling snakes to chasing turtles, from remote country towns to the impenetrable jungles of New Guinea, this is the story of an amazing Australian and his never-ending search for fascinating animals and adventure.