A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians (Peterson Field Guide Series) (Paperback)

by Robert C. Stebbins (Author, Illustrator), Roger Tory Peterson (Editor) "Many people are discovering the pleasures of observing amphibians and reptiles, and biologists are turning increasingly to these animals as subjects for scientific research..." (more)
Key Phrases: dorsal granules, lower preocular, swollen tail base, Baja Calif, Santa Cruz, Sierra Nevada (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This third edition covers all the species of reptiles and amphibians found in western North America. More than 650 full-color paintings and photographs show key details for making accurate identifications. Up-to-date color range maps give species' distributions. Important information on conservation efforts and survival status rounds out the detailed species descriptions.

About the Author
Robert C. Stebbins is Emeritus Professor of Zoology and Emeritus Curator in Herpetology, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of numerous books, including A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians and A Natural History of Amphibians.

Roger Tory Peterson (August 28, 1908 – July 28, 1996), was an American naturalist, ornithologist, artist, and educator, and held to be one of the founding inspirations for the 20th century environmental movement.

Peterson was born in Jamestown, New York. After graduating from high school‚ Peterson moved to New York City‚ where he attended the Art Students League (1927-1928) and the National Academy of Design (1929-1931). He then taught science and art at the Rivers School in Brookline, Massachusetts. In 1934 he published his seminal Guide to the Birds, the first modern field guide, which sold out its first printing of 2‚000 copies in one week, and subsequently went through 5 editions. He co-wrote Wild America with James Fisher, and edited or wrote many of the volumes in the Peterson Field Guide series on topics ranging from rocks and minerals to beetles to reptiles. He developed the Peterson Identification System, and is known for the clarity of both his illustrations of field guides and his delineation of relevant field marks.

Peterson received every major American award for natural science, ornithology, and conservation, as well as numerous honorary medals, diplomas, and citations from America and elewhere, including the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Order of the Golden Ark of the Netherlands. He died in 1996 at his home in Old Lyme, Connecticut. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Jamestown, New York is named in his honor.

Robert C. Stebbins is Emeritus Professor of Zoology and Emeritus Curator in Herpetology, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of numerous books, including A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians and A Natural History of Amphibians.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 3 edition (March 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395982723
• ISBN-13: 978-0395982723
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,151 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great update to a great field guide, March 26, 2003

By	David Carr "Biologist & DJ" (Orange, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Stebbins does it again. As a biologist who works throughout southern California I find this book indispensable. It is a vast improvement to the last edition (which was very good to begin with) with lots of color photos, many more color plates and the range maps are great too, again with color. It has revised the taxonomy of many species and included a many of the lastest subspecies designations. This book is easy to use from the novice to the advanced and should be in any nature enthusiasts library.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars must have, March 18, 2006

By	Jerry L. Boyer (Rodeo, California United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

great detail & pictures are in color this edition! Maps are in color also! This is helpful when out in the field looking for your "herps". Thanks to Robert Stebbins & all involved in compling all the data needed for the updated guide

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this, November 24, 2006

By	Robert K. Pyles (UT USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I love this book because I have the National Audubon Society First Field Guide for reptiles and I would often run in to reptile that the I couldn't Identify. I knew that I needed a bigger better book. So I bought the western and eastern Peterson Field guide for reptiles and amphibians and it had a lot more reptiles and it had amphibians which I never had a book that had information about them before, it has a lot more reptiles and it's shows you were they are each located. It give you a detailed description of each animal and a detailed drawing of each animal. Because of this I have been able to identify reptiles and amphibian that I couldn't before. I don't like that they use drawing of the animals instead of pictures and the drawings just show the heads of the snakes.