Peterson Field Guide Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America

Peterson Field Guides #12

by Roger Conant, Isabelle Hunt Conant (Illustrations), Tom R. Johnson (Illustrations)

This newly designed field guides features detailed descriptions of 595 species and subspecies. The 656 full-color illustrations and 384 drawings show key details for accurate identification. More than 100 color photographs and 333 color photographs and 333 color distribution maps accompany the species descriptions.

Genres: Reference, Field Guides, Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Biology, Animals

616 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Davis Winn]

I “terrapin” her “cooter” and that shit “skink”

[Dallin Kohler]

Comprehensive, but I was sad that it lacks natural history info (purely ID stuff here)

[Jessie (saxgrl1)]

Not my favorite field guide, but there are few Reptile and Amphibian guides out there. The description of Mudpuppies is slightly offensive to the southerner. "...but southerners, not to be outdone in coining colorful names, refer to it and all its relatives as "waterdogs." Throughout much of Dixieland, "mudpuppy" is also used by contry folk..." Is any of the elaborate discription necessary? How about "In the south, it is commonly referred to as a "waterdog."
Aside from that, an ok field guide. Slightly better than The National Audubon Society's Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians in that there are more descriptive pictures rather than just pretty photographs.

[James Zaworski]

The Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians is an extremely handy guide to the identification and ranges of the various species in the eastern and central part of the United States. It's a great general guide, and the illustrations and keys are great. I used my copy so much in the past that I had to buy an extra copy for home use, as the one used in the field got rather beat up and worn out.

[Ken-ichi]

This was one of my best friends growing up. I guess that says a lot.

[Alex Tsiatsos]

plates are too dark and indistinct and range-based species selection is odd. It covers species almost to the west coast but not quite all the way

[Ben Whorton]

Good general reference, but there are other guides with better photos and more specificity.

[Sarah Morgan Sandquist]

Useless for identification as there are basically no pictures, let alone for carrots life stages or genders.

[Melanie]

I don’t think I retained much of this information, but it is an excellent book to keep on-hand.

[Texmexlex]

good guide

[Scott Cox]

This is a very comprehensive field guide to Eastern/Central North America reptiles and amphibians. My only recommended suggestion (common to many of the Peterson Field Guide series) is that I wish the range maps were included with the species rather than being separate in the back of the book. However, this guide is extremely helpful for field identification. I have used it mostly in Florida, but I have found it helpful as far west as Big Bend National Park in Texas.

[Clif]

This has a different cover than the version I have.

I read this book all the time when I was growing up, hoping I could tell which snakes we would have to avoid while on vacation in Florida and the like. Still one of my favorites!!

[Alan]

love it love it love it. All that information on all those southern endemics! Biogeography the same as the plants!

I've known this book since its first edition. It just keeps getting better... arguably the best of all the Peterson field guides.

[Rose]

597.6 Con

[Naja]

This field guide was actually first published in 1958, and has been continuously updated since then. Any field herper in their right mind should have this in their collection.

[Sheri Fresonke Harper]

Useful book for identifying all those creatures you run into in the backyard and out in the National Parks. Good photographs and descriptions. Regional maps are at the back.