Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern AfricaThe Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa was published a decade ago as a comprehensive guide to the region's 397 reptile species. Since then herpetological studies in southern Africa have undergone a renaissance and in the last 10 years more than 83 new reptile species have been discovered - at a phenomenal rate of a new species every 44 days. The text has been completely reworked and includes taxonomic changes and updates, and new information on biology, breeding, subspecies and habitats; all the distribution maps have been updated to include the latest range extensions; 16 new colour plates have been added to the 96 existing plates, together presenting more than 600 full-colour photographs; explanatory notes and a comprehensive glossary make the subject accessible to even the beginner herpetologist; and, for the first time, the index to common names is presented in the form of a checklist, allowing naturalists to compile a life list. |
Other editions - View all
Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa William R. Branch No preview available - 1998 |
Common terms and phrases
adder adults Afroedura Agama Angola bands belly is white Biology and breeding bite blotches Botswana Cape carapace coastal colour dark brown dorsal scales dwarf chameleon ear openings eggs elongate Endemic enlarged eyes feed female lays femoral pores flanks flat lizard flattened fynbos genus grassland grey grey-brown gular Habitat Hatchlings measure head shields irregular juveniles Kalahari Karoo karroid keeled KwaZulu-Natal legless skink limbs longitudinal rows lower eyelids male medium-sized montane mountain Mozambique Mpumalanga Namaqualand Namib Namib Desert Namibia nasals nostril occurs Pachydactylus paired pale plastron Platysaurus preanal pores Province Range region reptiles restricted rock cracks rostral rows at midbody sand sand lizard scale rows scansors skink slender smooth snake snout southern Africa species spiny spots stripes subcaudals subcontinent subocular Subspecies tail termites terrapin terrestrial Thick-toed Gecko Pachydactylus throat toes tortoise tubercles typical race upper labials usually venom ventrals worm lizard yellow Zimbabwe