Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of the San Diego Region (California Natural History Guides)
$17.44
Pros
- excellent photos
- identification key
- thorough and well laid-out field guide for the region covered
- bonus information from the authors own research with contributed sections on the amphibian Chytrid fungi as well as snakebite and venom
Cons
- limited geographic coverage
- range maps lack county lines or other reference features
- the rapidly changing taxonomy of herpetology makes this 2006 field guide somewhat out of date
A great regional field guide for the San Diego County and the broader southern California region. This compact printed field guide includes quality photos, identification key, nicely formatted introductory sections, and thorough species descriptions. Beyond the field guide information, this book contain a section on the chytridiomycosis fungi that threaten many amphibian populations in addition to a section on snakebite and venom, both contributed by topic experts.
Review of the Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of the San Diego Region (California Natural History Guides)
Dec 3, 2016
FGR Team (FieldGuideReview.com)
Publisher’s Description:
With its varied topography of coast, mountains, and desert, the San Diego region, considered one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, boasts a rich variety of amphibians and reptiles—from the arboreal salamander to the green sea turtle to the secretive San Diego banded gecko and the red diamond rattlesnake. More than a field guide, this up-to-date, authoritative, conservation-oriented book is the first comprehensive resource on the herpetofauna of the region, which is unfortunately also known for its high number of endangered species. Jeffrey M. Lemm gives information on identification, habitats, biology, and the conservation status of all 88 amphibian and reptile species found in the San Diego region. Many of these animals can also be found in a wide area of Southern California and Northern Baja California, making this valuable guide useful for a wide geographic area and a must-have for outdoor enthusiasts, nature-lovers, and professionals alike.
* Includes a special venom section written by Sean Bush of Animal Planet’s “Venom ER”
* 160 color photographs illustrate the major habitats and all 88 amphibians and reptiles found in the region
* 70 range maps pinpoint the locations of each subspecies
* A new, easy-to-use taxonomic key by renowned herpetologist Jay Savage as well as line drawings of tadpoles and amphibian egg masses help make species identification simple