BOOKS RECEIVED

FRÖSCHE, KRÖTEN, UNKEN. AUS DER WELT DER AMPHIBIEN. Walter Hödl and Gerhard Aubrecht (eds.). 1996. Stapfia 47. Biologiezentrum des Oberösterreich Landesmuseums, Johann-Wilhelm-Klein-Strasse 73, A-4040 Linz-Dornach, Austria. E-mail: bio-linz@Eunet. at. ISBN 3-85474-002-6. 271 p. 280 Austrian Shillings [approximately $22.00 (paper)].—This book was published to accompany a museum exhibit on frogs. The contributions are in German but include English abstracts. The book includes general reviews of communication and reproductive strategies of frogs by Walter Hödl, illustrated with beautiful color photographs, a review of the biology of the hybridogenetic frog Rana esculenta by Heinz Tunner, and a paper on hybrid zones in fire-bellied toads by Günter Gollman. There also is a chapter on Eocene frogs from the Messel formation in Germany, illustrated with color photographs, and one on the role of frogs in human culture. About half the book is devoted to problems of anuran conservation, both in Europe and the tropics. All of these chapters are written for an educated general audience, but they have much to offer professional herpetologists, including citations of technical papers and extensive bibliographies rich in European papers often overlooked by American workers. A high point of the book for frog enthusiasts and students of the history of herpetology is a chapter by Heinz Tunner on the contributions of the 18th-century naturalist August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof to the study of frog biology. This chapter includes beautiful full-page color reproductions of all 24 plates of anurans from his 1758 book. This alone makes the book worth purchasing, since most herpetologists will never see an original copy of this famous book.—K.D.W.

ERPETOOGIA DEL PIEMONTE E DELLA VALLE D'AOSTA. ATLANTE DEGLI ANFIBI E DEI RETTILI. Franco Andreone and Roberto Sindaco (eds.). 1998. Monografie XXVI, Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali Torino, Via Giolitti, 36-10123 Torino, Italy. ISBN 88-86041-28-4. 283 p. L. 100,000 (approximately $51.00).—This book, assembled by a team of Italian herpetologists, covers the amphibians and reptiles of the Piedmont and Aosta Valley in northwestern Italy. The book is likely to be most useful to European workers, especially those interested in the biogeography and conservation of European amphibians and reptiles. Nevertheless, some American herpetologists may find the book useful as well. Although the book is in Italian, English captions on figures and tables and a detailed English abstract improve the usefulness of the book for non-Italian readers. The book includes a historical introduction to herpetological studies in the Piedmont and Aosta Valley region. This is likely to be of interest both to Italian herpetologists and to those interested in the history of herpetology. It includes beautiful reproductions of some spectacular 19th-century color plates of amphibians by Camerano and Peracca. Other sections of the book provide a discussion of the geography and climate of the region covered, a detailed quantitative biogeographic analysis of the amphibians and reptiles of the region, an analysis of historic and current distributions of all species, a discussion of conservation problems, a key to identify all species of amphibians and reptiles, and individual species accounts. The key is well illustrated with color photographs that include arrows pointing to key features, as well as line drawings of key morphological features, amphibian larvae, and the heads of lizards and snakes, with important scale patterns highlighted in color. There also are color photographs of eggs of many species of amphibians. Species accounts focus on biogeography but include basic natural history information as well. Each account includes a full-color map showing current and historic distributions and color photographs. The photographs generally are of high quality, although some are a bit too small to see details well. Several accounts of anuran species include photographs of mating pairs and egg masses. At the end of the book, there are color photographs of key habitats in the region and the larvae of amphibians. A bibliography of about 350 references includes many Italian papers published in journals that can be difficult to find in the United States and hence are often overlooked by North American workers. Overall, the book is exceptionally well designed and produced and will be a significant addition to the literature on European herpetology.—K.D.W.

A KEY TO AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES AND CANADA. Robert Powell, Joseph T. Collins, and Errol D. Hooper Jr. 1999. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. ISBN 0-7006-0929-6. 131 p. $17.95 (paper).—This profusely illustrated book provides the first key to the identification of all amphibian and reptile species of the United States and Canada in more than 30 years. As such, it will be extremely useful to researchers, students, park naturalists, conservation biologists, and anyone else who needs to identify these animals. It will be especially useful to students in herpetology courses, who often must identify preserved specimens of amphibians and reptiles that lack their original colors. The key is easy to use and illustrated with outstanding line drawings that show details of color patterns and structures used for identification. A detailed glossary provides descriptions of key morphological features used for identification, with cross-references to figures illustrating these features. An unusual and helpful feature of the book is extensive cross-referencing to pages and plates in the two amphibian and reptile field guides in the Peterson Field Guide series by Conant and Collins and Stebbins, as well as species accounts in the Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. This modestly priced book is one that every biologist who works with North American amphibians and reptiles, or who teaches herpetology, will want to own.—K.D.W.

FROGS. A WILDLIFE HANDBOOK. Kim Long. 1999. Johnson Books, 1880 South 57th Court, Boulder, Colorado 80301. E-mail: books@jpcolorado.com. ISBN 1-55566-226-9. 192 p. $15.95 (paper).—This slim volume is intended to be an identification guide and source of natural history information on North American frogs for general readers. Ideally, such books should be accurate and contain information of interest to the general public. This book succeeds to some extent, but it has several features that will be annoying to professional herpetologists and confusing to other readers. The book includes sections on frogs in myths and religion, including those of Native Americans, as well as brief discussions of anatomy, reproduction, tadpoles, feeding, predators, locomotion, home ranges, vocalizations, diseases, people versus frogs, and endangered frogs. In general, most of the information in these sections seems reasonably accurate, although the lack of attribution to specific sources means the information must be treated with caution. About 75 pages are devoted to the classification and identification of frogs, and it is here that most of the problems occur. The author has inexplicably chosen to include detailed treatments of true frogs (Rana), tree frogs (Hyla), chorus frogs (Pseudacris), and cricket frogs (Acris) but not toads (Bufo) or spadefoot toads (Scaphiopus), which are characterized as being “very close relatives of frogs.” The problem with this arbitrary system is that it perpetuates the myth that anurans commonly called “toads” are somehow distinct from “frogs” and, at the same time, are more closely related to one another than to “frogs.” This obviously is not the case for Bufo and Scaphiopus. Furthermore, the Sheep Frog (Hypopachus variolosus) is included with other “frogs,” but narrow-mouthed “toads” (Gastrophryne), which are members of the same subfamily, are relegated to the short section on “toads.” The book also incorrectly includes so-called tropical frogs (Eleutherodactylus, Leptodactylus) as members of the family Hylidae. The order in which individual species are described is confusing as well. Initially, species accounts are alphabetized by common names, starting with the Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), the Carpenter Frog (R. virgatipes), and the Cascades Frog (R. cascadae). This organization results in the Columbia Spotted Frog (Rana luteiventris) and the Oregon Spotted Frog (R. pretiosa) being discussed 10 pages apart, despite the fact that the descriptions and even the measurements for the two species are identical. To add to the confusion, the various members of the Rana pipiens complex are listed together, beginning with the Chiricahua Leopard Frog (R. chiricahuensis) and ending with the Rio Grande Leopard Frog (R. berlandieri). The alphabetical list then resumes with Maslin's Wood Frog (R. maslini), which is separated from the Wood Frog (R. sylvatica) by six pages. This illogical organization will make it impossible for general readers or students to understand the relationships among the various families of anurans, or even the relationships of different species within a single genus. The species of “frogs” are illustrated with watercolor paintings, which I found adequate, but not exceptional, but “toads” are illustrated only in black and white (although the illustrations also are derived from watercolors).—K.D.W.

VENOMOUS REPTILES OF NORTH AMERICA. Carl H. Ernst. 1999. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. ISBN 1-55098-447-3. 236 p. $29.95 (paper).—This paperback edition makes available, at a reasonable price, a book originally published in 1992 (for a detailed review, see Copeia 1993:255–257). It summarizes the literature on the Gila Monster and the elapid and viperid snakes of North America north of Mexico. Species accounts include information on identification, fossil record, variation, habitat, behavior, reproduction, growth and longevity, food and feeding, venom and bites, predators and defense, and population biology. The book will be useful for both amateur and professional herpetologists because it provides a rich source of information on basic natural history published in both well-known and obscure journals. Many species are illustrated with color photographs, some of which are outstanding and some merely adequate. The book will be the logical starting point for students contemplating research on venomous reptiles.—K.D.W.

BELIZE AND NORTHERN GUATEMALA. THE ECOTRAVELLERS' WILDLIFE GUIDE. Les Beletsky. 1999. Academic Press, San Diego, California. ISBN 0-12-084811-2. 487 p. $27.95 (paper). TROPICAL MEXICO. THE ECOTRAVELLERS' WILDLIFE GUIDE. Les Beletsky. 1999. Academic Press, San Diego, California. ISBN 0-12-084812-0. 497 p. $27.95 (paper).—These two guides for travelers interested in natural history and wildlife are similar in format to Les Beletsky's guide to Costa Rica (for a short review, see Copeia 1999:542–543). They include brief introductions to the geography and habitats of the region, descriptions of major national parks and nature reserves, and descriptions and illustrations of the common animals (mostly vertebrates) likely to be seen by tourists in these areas. In contrast to the Costa Rican guide, these two volumes have sections on coral reef animals, including fishes and common invertebrates. Amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are all covered, but genera of amphibians and reptiles with many species are illustrated by only a few selected examples (for example, Eleutherodactylus). Salamanders, most of which are cryptic and unlikely to be encountered by tourists, are greatly underrepresented in the color plates and descriptions. Because of the proximity of the regions covered in these two volumes, there is considerable overlap in species illustrated in the color plates. These books are not intended for serious researchers but nevertheless will be useful for first time visitors to these areas. The excellent quality of the color plates and color photographs of habitats make the books well worth their modest price.—K.D.W.