For the first time a book covering all Australian python species written by leading Australian breeders. Covers housing, sexing, breeding, egg incubation and raising young snakes. Contains graphs, charts and many coloured photographs. Sections on diseases and disorders and colour and pattern mutations of Australian pythons. Also includes information on natural habitats and behaviours.
180+ fine color photos, 40 text-figures (detailed line drawings), some distribution maps. Publisher's color pictorial stiff wrappers, oblong sm 4to. There is a long and warm inscription, signed by both authors, on the title page that is dated December 16, 1994. An extensive study of the pythons of Australia with superb color photographs
Spectacular Snakes of Australia showcases these beautiful creatures which play such an important part in our biodiversity. It portrays most of the species found in Australia, such as tiger snakes, copperheads, brown snakes, death adders and sea snakes, up close and personal. It also includes some unique photographs, such as the hatching of scrub pythons, that offer a rare glimpse into their more intimate lives. The informative text, based on the latest research, describes the reproductive biology, behaviour, predators and prey of these reptiles, as well as their habitat and conservation values. Readers will explore the importance of colours and patterns in allowing snakes to blend into their environment, their defence and attack mechanisms, and the adaptations they have undergone to cope with their surroundings. In addition, the author provides some anecdotes on his encounters with snakes, and clears up a few myths regarding snake behaviour. Richly illustrated with exceptional photographs, Spectacular Snakes of Australia features the deadly serious as well as the quirky – from snakes that love water to those with potent venom, and even snakes that are blind! This book is a real treat for snake lovers.
Documenting what is known about Australia's 14 species of python, this book covers their history, anatomy and physiology, behaviour, reproduction, food and feeding, conservation and management, and captive care. The book is illustrated with spectacular photos.
Drawing on years of experience and an impressive grasp of the literature, Richard Shine covers the day-to-day lives of snakes, discussing their anatomy, evolution, and habitat, and describing their behavior, sex habits, life history, and diet.
Who was Richard Kemp, after whom the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is named? Is Wake’s Gecko named after Berkeley’s Marvalee Wake? Or perhaps her husband, David? Why do so many snakes and lizards have Werner in their name? This reference book answers these and thousands of other questions about the origins of the vernacular and scientific names of reptiles across the globe. From Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti, the Florida cottonmouth subspecies named for Roger Conant, to Xantusia, the night lizard genera namesake of John Xantus, this dictionary covers everyone after whom an extant or recently extinct reptile has been named. The entries include a brief bio-sketch, a list of the reptiles that bear the individual’s name, the names of reptiles erroneously thought to be associated with the person, and a summary of major—and sometimes obscure or even incidental—contributions made by the person to herpetology and zoology. An introductory chapter explains how to use the book and describes the process of naming taxa. Easy to use and filled with addictive—and highly useful—information about the people whose names will be carried into the future on the backs of the world’s reptiles, The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles is a handy and fun book for professional and amateur herpetologists alike.
