Salamanders of the United States and Canada [Hardcover]

James Petranka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 1998

Secretive, nocturnal, and little known, salamanders are often the most abundant vertebrates on the forest floor. This comprehensive volume, the first survey published since 1943, describes the ecology, evolution, biodiversity, behavior, and natural history of 127 recognized species of salamanders found in the United States and Canada, from newts and sirens to waterdogs and hellbenders. Drawing on more than 2,100 research publications, the book includes detailed life history accounts, nearly 500 color and black-and-white photographs, identification keys for larvae as well as adults, and up-to-date distribution maps.

James W. Petranka presents a wealth of information on each species: identification, systematics, courtship and breeding, diet and predation, and the ecology of larval and adult stages are all described. He summarizes major patterns of geographic variation within species to emphasize differences between local and regional populations and to provide a realistic view of intraspecific life history diversity.

With its comprehensive coverage and extensive references, this volume is an indispensable guide not only for herpetologists but also for teachers, naturalists, conservation biologists, environmental planners, and anyone who needs detailed information on the diverse salamander fauna of the United States and Canada.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The last major reference on North American salamanders was Sherman C. Bishop's A Handbook of Salamanders, published in 1943 and reissued by Cornell University Press as a natural history classic in 1994. Now comes this totally new reference from Petranka (biology, Univ. of North Carolina, Asheville), who has published numerous articles on salamanders and is on the editorial board of two herpetology journals. His preface indicates that over 30 new species have been described since Bishop's classic was first published. Petranka's comprehensive work covers the identification and natural history of 127 recognized species and includes references to the recent literature; over 2000 publications are cited. Hundreds of black-and-white photographs accompany the text, and a center section of 172 color plates will further aid in identification. A distribution map is shown for each species. Essential for herpetology collections.?William H. Wiese, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Salamanders are one of the least familiar groups of animals, because they are both secretive and nocturnal--two strikes against being noticed by the general population. This survey of North American salamanders is the first since the 1940s and presents the most up-to-date research on every species. Beginning with two keys to help the reader identify an animal in the hand, whether it is an adult or a larva ("tadpole"), the book then discusses each species individually. The species accounts are illustrated with photos of both adults and larvae and cover such subjects as distribution (with excellent range maps), habitat, breeding and courtship, ecology, and conservation status. The latter is important as these animals are very sensitive to environmental disturbances and many forms are declining. A section of colorplates is provided for each species. The large glossary of often-specialized terms used when discussing salamanders, plus a genuinely massive list of literature cited, complete an excellent book that is recommended for all libraries. Nancy Bent

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 592 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian Books; 1 edition (July 17, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560988282
• ISBN-13: 978-1560988281
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 1.5 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,070,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #43 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Field Guides > Fish

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive, informative and pretty. Almost perfect., August 22, 1998

By 

John W. Steiner (Lithonia, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Salamanders of the United States and Canada (Hardcover)

This is destined to become one of the great classics in American Natural History. Dr. Petranka describes every species of salamander in exhaustive detail. His photographs and physical descriptions should enable even a novice to correctly identify every specimen. The accurate range maps make identification even easier. I especially enjoyed the habitat and ecological data provided for each species. Good stuff.

This is a great gift book for birdwatchers. It will broaden their horizons by forcing them to look down for a change.

Comment: The current trend in taxonomy is to split species rather than to lump them. Often this splitting is based on esoteric DNA differentiation. Fifteen years from now, the "lumpers" (me) will regain ascendency and a number of currently valid species will be relegated to varieties. The text follows the current splitting trend, but it does include a discussion of each species taxonomy and its relationships to closely related species.

Minor quibble: The photography is excellent. Beyond excellent. I only wish the editors had allowed for larger images and more of them, but that would have jacked up the price. I guess that sixty bucks is the perceived limit for this type of book. But salamanders are beautiful little animals that deserve better.

Buy this book. Read it. Then go out into the woods and turn over a few logs. Then put them back.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reference for serious herpetologists, August 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Salamanders of the United States and Canada (Hardcover)

Petranka provides a masterful summary of our current state of knowledge about the taxonomy, natural history, ecology, and behavior of North American salamanders. No other work comes close to matching the depth of coverage of this book. It is no surprise that this work received the Wildlife Society's prestigious Book of the Year Award.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most complete work on ecology of USA Caudata so far, July 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Salamanders of the United States and Canada (Hardcover)

As a keeper and breeder of rare Asian and American salamanders I'm very happy with the arrival of this book. It's so far the most comprehensive & complete work on life environments & ecology of American Urodela species I read. It truly helps us/me overhere to install the animals in a natural urodarium, keeping them as close to nature as possible. A similar older standard book by E. R. Dunn was more of scientifical nature. The only thing that comes close to it concerns Pfingstens book on Ohio Salamanders. I'm sure this book will become a future standardwork in this peticular field. It's already famous in the midst of Belgian, German and Dutch urodela circles. If only this excisted for Asian species too.