Reptiles of Central America [Hardcover]

Gunther Kohler (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 367 pages
• Publisher: Herpeton Verlag Elke Kohler (2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3936180024
• ISBN-13: 978-3936180022
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,603,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars overpriced and virtually identical to the first edition, March 1, 2009

By 

the Penguin (Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reptiles of Central America, 2nd REVISED EDITION 2008 (Hardcover)

the first edition of this book was published in 2003, and it only took 5 years to get a new one out.
I assumed therefore that much has changed, but it hasn't. For a very hefty price you get a book that is virtually identical to the previous one, with 4% new species, that are not treated in any depth.
So if you have the 2003 edition you don't need this one.
If you don't - it is a very good book about Central American reptiles

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly effective text, August 23, 2007

By 

Michael B. Anders - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Reptiles of Central America (Hardcover)

The quality of this book doesn't need an essay. Organization is great, picture quality is excellent, and species coverage and range (dot locality) maps seem very accurate.

Small details such as how to differentiate seemingly-identical spiny-tailed iguanas (via tail spine illustrations) and Norops (via two pages of dewlap photos) really round out the perfection in this book. It's expensive for a reason - it can be.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars terrible field guide, January 16, 2012

By 

Jay Stafford - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Reptiles of Central America, 2nd REVISED EDITION 2008 (Hardcover)

I had high hopes for this book since I spend half of my time in Panama, but boy was I disappointed. If you want an incredibly detailed, technical textbook it will fit the bill, but if you want a practical book that you can actually use, it completely sucks. I can't believe the author didn't even use any common names throughout the book - it took me forever to figure out that the snake I saw behind my house was a Tiger Rat Snake - do I really care if it's scientifically known as a Spilotes pullatus? He can't even call a Coral Snake a Coral Snake - oh no, it has to be Micrurus fulvius tenere or Micrurus alleni, and he doesn't even tell you it's venomous. Has this clown ever left Gemany?

There's no rhyme or reason to the layout, so it's practically impossible to find the critter that you're hoping to identify. I understand now that this is not meant to be a practical field guide, but would it have killed the guy to use the names that 99% of the world uses?

I guess I'm just annoyed that I dropped $138 on a book that I can't use.