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These are some other books that I think many would benefit from that are definitely worth the money. This is just an overview of some books that I think would be valuable to others that may be looking for good herpetology books.

Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica

By Jay M. Savage

This book is large and full of info and photos of all the species of reptiles and amphibians of Costa Rica. Excellent book and nice price tag at only around $75.

Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles List Price: $70

by George R. Zug, Janalee Caldwell, and Laurie J. Vitt 2nd edition Hardcover (February 2001) 600 pgs.

For a person studying to be an academic herpetologist, this book is a must. This is a book that I used for my senior level herpetology class and it has been excellently detailed in all the behavioral, ecological, and physiological aspects of herpetology. Although this may be difficult to read by some (because it is written for biology students) it has many of the terms and subjects that you will need to know in order to become a real herpetologist. It is a broad study of all the reptiles and amphibians of the world so it doesn't get into specific details about certain groups but with 600 pages of scientific information jammed into the best book on general herpetology, it doesn't leave much out. Probably not the most interesting book for herp enthusiasts or herpculturists but certainly something that all can learn from.

Herpetology: 3rd edition

By F. Harvey Pough, R. M. Andrews, J.E. Cadle, Marty Crump, Alan Savitzky, and K.D. Wells

The other excellent college text book on herpetology. I am a little biased towards the Zug herpetology book but this is a close second. Either book is great and you can't go wrong with buying them.

Lizards: Windows to the Evolution of Diversity

By Eric Pianka and Laurie Vitt

I love this book. This book is to lizards as Harry Greene's book is to snakes. If you study lizards, then you have to buy this book! It is incredible! Tons of information and photographs that express the variety of diversity of lizards throughout the planet. An interesting overview on all different types of lizard behavior and function told by two of the best lizard ecologists on the planet.

Cusco Amazónico

By William E. Duellman

A comprehensive book on one region in southeastern Peru, Reserva Amazonica. A remarkable station and laboratory that scientists and tourists will hopefully get to visit for years to come. This book was in the making for many years and has had many students and scientists conducting field work there and collaborating on research with Duellman. A book that will hopefully inspire other biologists to conduct serious long-term field studies on the biota at field stations and regions in the tropics.

A Key to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada

By Robert Powell, Joseph T. Collins, and Errol D. Hopper, Jr.

A necessity for any herpetologist studying North American species for exact identification of dead specimens. Has a lot of excellent drawings and figures showing particular morphological variations in separate species for easy identification. A few species are not listed but near all are.

The World's Most Spectacular Reptiles and Amphibians List Price: $23

by William H. Lamar (1997) 208 pgs.

I would definitely recommend this to any person who loves beautiful photography or herpetology.

Amphibians and Reptiles of Arkansas

By Stanley Trauth, Henry Robinson, and Michael Plummer

This book is awesome and a must for anyone living in Arkansas. It is probably the best single state based herpetology book available.

Reptiles and Amphibians of Europe

By E. Nicholas Arnold & Denys W. Ovenden

Distribution maps, color plates, and natural history information on each species of herp in Europe. Not that great of a guide but probably doesn’t have to be to identify the species on the continent. It is still probably the best field guide and general reference to European herps. Not that expensive either.

Reptiles of Australia

By Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan

Small distribution maps and photos of every species of reptile in Australia (over 836 species). Also has good basic information on each species. You can’t beat the $20 price tag of this excellent book. It isn’t thorough on any particular group or species but because of the great variety of reptiles it does a good job getting the basics down.

Introduction to Horned Lizards of North America

by Wade Sherbrooke

A small but very thorough field guide to all the species of horned lizards. It has distribution maps, photos, and natural history information on each species. An excellent guide and information book on such an awesome group of lizards.

Ecoviews: Snakes, Snails, and Environmental Tales

by Whit and Anne R. Gibbons

An excellent book with tons of info on many animals, not just reptiles and amphibians. Filled with a lot of great anecdotes that give us a really good look at how important and intricate the Earth's animals really are. This is not a scientific read and is made for the general public to understand how great the animals around them really are. I brought this book with me to Bolivia and read it while I was sitting around in La Paz after finishing up three weeks of field work. I finished it in two days and didn't want it to end.

Keeping All the Pieces: Perspectives on Natural History and the Environment

by Whit and Anne R. Gibbons

Just as good as "Ecoviews" with the same format. I was in the middle of reading this book before I gave it away as a gift to a good naturalist friend who deserved this great book. Both of these books make excellent gifts for any biologist, regardless of their specialty, though now I need to buy a new one for myself again, lol.

Their Blood Runs Cold

by Whit Gibbons

A really good book with a lot of snake, reptile, and amphibian stories and anecdotes. I didn't like this book as much as his others "Ecoviews" and "Keeping all the Pieces", but this pertains more to herps. It was well written and I enjoyed it a lot. Definitely worth getting but I would purchase his other two books first.

Ecology and Evolution in the Tropics: A Herpetology Perspective

Edited by: Maureen A. Donnelly, Brian I. Crother, Craig Guyer, Marvalee H. Wake,

and Mary E. White (2005)

Reptiles of the Northwest (2002)

By Alan St. John $19 271 pp.

This is a good field guide for reptiles in the northwestern United States. It has excellent photographs and good distribution maps. An excellent starter book if you live in the Pacific Northwest and want to learn more about the herps in your area. Also has some typical field guide natural history info. along with identification assistance and field notes.

Islands and the Sea : Essays on Herpetological Exploration in the West Indies

Edited by Robert W. Henderson and Robert Powell (2003) $48

Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles: Contributions to Herpetology No. 20

This book is a pleasure for anyone interested in reading other herpetologists’ field stories. Thirty herpetologists, from University professors to undergraduate students, share tales from their personal herpetological adventures in the islands of the West Indies. This is a fun, non-technical, and exciting read that will take you to their corner of the world and allow you to experience a little piece of what their fieldwork is like. The smaller chapters allow you to read periodically whenever you feel like enjoying an awe-inspiring story without worrying about having to devote a lot of time to a single chapter.

Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California

by L. Lee Grismer (2002) $95

Reptiles of Central America

by Gunther Köhler (2003) $125

Robert Jadin's Herpetology Journal

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