Customer Reviews

Turtles of the World

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

 

 

Bonin, Devaux, and Dupre's book takes on a big challenge in cataloguing world turtle diversity and will serve well as an impressive addition.

The introduction is 9 pages and concise. Phylogenetic history, a couple of ancestral species, anatomy, senses, metabolism, behavior, and threats are summarized in prose oscillating between introductory and expert. The rest of the book is comprised of species accounts.

Pictures in this book are better used for fun than identification. The picture of savannah sidenecks (Podocnemis vogli) is awesome. Quite a few species are not pictured and subspecies/ regional variations are not visually comparable. There is not consistency in shot angles for practical comparison between species. Some species are pictured only as hatchlings, some are depicted only by a close zoom on the head, and at least two species appear to have their photographs switched. Picture captions don't include species' names, which may cause confusion. This book's visuals could be aided by Vetter's pictorial "Turtles of the World" multi-volume Terralog series.

Range maps are blobbed in. The map outlines are crude, and range outlines do not respect watersheds or other important distributional boundaries. A general idea of where species occur can be drawn.

Species' Description's are good, although no dichotomous keys are provided. The Natural History section for many species is shorter than current information necessitates, while for some (especially some tortoise species and the marine turtles) this section is disproportionately long. Details on reproduction (laying season, egg size, etc.) are given for some species, but absent from many for which information is available. The Protection section is very inconsistent between species. For some, IUCN and CITES information is included, while for others, it's left out. National protection status is discussed for turtles of France and French Guyana, but absent for virtually every other nation's turtle fauna.

There are virtually no citations throughout the book even though it's written in relatively diagnostic lingo. The bibliography is very short (page and a half) for the amount of information included, and information from the authors' experiences should have been noted where appropriate.

The French-to-English translation must be well done, because the book reads very cleanly, especially for a semi-technical reference. The book's construct is just like a textbook; cover, paper and print should survive many years of steady use.

This reference is not a replacement for the previous "Turtles of the World" by Ernst and Barbour (1989) or "Encyclopedia of Turtles" by Pritchard (1979), but it will serve well in the possession of anyone with an interest in turtle diversity. It may well do a stronger job than both previous works in sparking interest from future turtle enthusiasts through its more accessible nature.

Turtles of the World by Frank Bonin, Bernard Devaux, and Alain Dupre was originally published in French in 1996 and was followed by two editions. Peter Pritchard, a well-known turtle biologist and conservationist, translated the third edition into English for Johns Hopkins University Press. The hardback book is printed on coated paper and bound well for moderate use. It is more of a reference book than something one would carry in the field. In general, Turtles of the World is a good reference to all known species of turtles.

The front matter takes up 9 pages and covers general biology, paleontology, anatomy, physiology, behavior, and conservation. None of these sections is thorough, so readers should find other sources for in-depth information on these subjects. Each section to follow contains short species accounts that includes distribution, description, natural history, and protection. The distribution maps are shaded portions of continents showing country and major river outlines. One to two color photographs accompany each account. The maps are only generalizations and should not be considered accurate. The photos are attractive but provide only one or two views that may or may not be useful for identification because of the variation in color and pattern commonly exhibited by turtles. Some photos are much better than others.

Turtle taxonomy is in a state of flux. Name changes are published yearly due to our increasingly better understanding of relationships and geneaology. Some of the names in this book are stable but others; some are outdated. Kinosternon odoratum on page 173, for example, was used only temporarily in the scientific literature, as the long-standing name Sternotherus odoratus has remained otherwise stable for over a century. Nowhere in the species account is the more commonly used name mentioned. Thus, the names in this book should be checked against other, more scientific sources. Note that only scientific names are used in the book. Common names are not provided except in some accounts where they are deep in the text. The scientific names are followed by the authority, the name or names of the person or persons who provided the scientific name used here and the year in which that name was published. Readers unfamiliar with taxonomy will wonder why some of these names are in parentheses and others not. Nowhere in the book is that explained. Those in parentheses signify that the scientific name was originally placed in another genus by the authority, but that later changes put the species name in a different genus. Note here that a species name consists of two words: a genus and a species combined. The species name must always be accompanied by the generic name.

This book gives short shrift to the extreme plight turtles face around the world. They are declining at an alarming rate, especially in southeast Asia where nearly all species are threatened with immenent full-blown extinction. Why? Two reasons: consumption of turtles in China and other oriential markets, and loss of habitat. Readers should search for other sources to learn about the problems and efforts being made by people who love turtles to keep species from declining further.

Turtles of the World is a book that all turtle hobbyists and many professionals will want on their bookshelves for reference and comparative photographs. It should be used in conjunction with other books on turtle biology and identification. Peter Pritchard should be thanked for making this book available to the English audience.

This is an indispensable book for any ardent turtle lover or biologist. It updates and improves on the standard works of the past, such as Peter Pritchard's much-quoted Encyclopedia of Turtles. This latest and most up-to-date encyclopedia, originally written in French, has been translated into English by the same Dr. Pritchard, one of the world's foremost turtle experts, and contains every single turtle species still in existance, about half of which will be completely new to most people with an interest in these animals.

The book focuses on the lives of these animals in the wild, so people wanting to read about keeping turtles in captivity will not find answers to their questions here. The work contains a wealth of color photos, geographical maps and preservation statuses for all species. As all species had to fit into one volume, some are not described in as much detail as others, but as these are mainly subspecies, this is a minor quibble.

Warmly recommended.

College-level holdings, many an aquarium shop, and any serious natural history collection must have TURTLES OF THE WORLD. It's a definitive survey originally written in French and translated by a leading turtle expert, Peter C.H. Pritchard. Nearly 300 species of world turtles are covered including their habitats, lifestyle, and maps and photos. Co-written by a veterinarian expert with turtles, a nonprofit turtle research foundation and an avid conservationist, TURTLES OF THE WORLD's color photos pack every page and its information is well-rounded and key to any serious turtle researcher.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book is, by far, the best turtle & tortoise book I have ever seen.

I has lots of pictures, maps explaining exactly where does this turtles live, how they live and billions of useful information.

It is so well and easy written that anyone can read it and be amazed by it. And by anyone I mean a 5 year old or a 50 year old Tortoise expert with a PhD in aquatic reptiles.

If you like turtles like a hobby, or if you are a Collage teacher with a Masters in Turtlelogy or something like that... YOU MUST OWN THIS BOOK.

This book has everytihng ou wnat to know abotu turtles, with good pictures of them. You'll love it.

I highly recommend it a must-have reference for all people serious about turtles. It is up-to-date with the most recent taxonomy.