Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific Islands: A Comprehensive GuideThe Pacific is not only the worldŐs largest body of water; its vast expanse also includes an extraordinary number and diversity of oceanic islands, from Palau and the Marianas east of the Philippines to Cocos Island and the Gal‡pagos west of the Americas. The isolation of these islands and the extreme distances between them long prevented scientists from studying their floras and faunas in a comparative context. But now George R. Zug, one of the world's foremost experts on the diverse reptiles and amphibians of the Pacific Basin, offers the first such systematic overview in more than half a century. Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific Islands is a compendium of frogs, lizards, snakes, and turtles living on these lands and in the adjacent waters of the oceanic islands in the tropical Pacific. The means to identify each species is included, along with entries that describe each animal's form, coloration, habitat, distribution, reproductive biology, and natural history. Color plates of more than 75 percent of the species also help to facilitate visual identification. This accessible and informative guide is the most comprehensive field guide available and will appeal to both novice sightseers and professional naturalists. |
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Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific Islands: A Comprehensive Guide George R. Zug Limited preview - 2013 |
Reptiles and Amphibians of the Pacific Islands: A Comprehensive Guide George R. Zug No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
abutting plates Adult females range Adult males base of tail beneath eye Blindsnake body in middle Candoia carapace Chelonoidis chin clutches Crocodilia Cryptoblepharus dark dark-brown Dorsal ground color dorsal outline dorsally and laterally dorsolateral eggs Emoia enlarged as nuchal Eretmochelys imbricata Fiji forest fourth toe hindfoot Frogs G.R. Zug Galápagos Gehyra Green Seaturtle Guam HABITAT CHOICE Hatchlings head are smooth Hemidactylus frenatus hindlimbs Iguana imbricate scales keeled lamellae lamellae on fourth largest and beneath Lepidodactylus lugubris lizard lizard with moderately Micronesia midbody middle of trunk middorsal body scales Middorsal scales Midsize MISCELLANEA mm SVL Mourning Gecko Nactus pelagicus nape to base nesting nuchal plates occurs pair of middorsal Palau parietal eye parietal scale populations rows from nape scales cover head Scales on head Seakrait Seaturtle slightly Snake-eyed Skink snout species subdigital lamellae supralabials SVL mean Tail length tapering toe of hindfoot Treeskink underside Vanuatu Venter ventral scales ventrolaterally