Customer Reviews

Reptiles of Central America

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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

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.

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.