A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa

by Graham Alexander

Overview

A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa introduces the 517 species currently described in the region, arranged into three main groups – snakes and lizards, crocodiles, and shelled reptiles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781431702251
Publisher:	Penguin Random House South Africa
Publication date:	03/13/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	408
File size:	57 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

GRAHAM ALEXANDER is an associate professor at the University of Witwatersrand, where he lectures and supervises postgraduate students. He has authored many scientific papers and popular articles, and his research has been the subject of documentaries on television. Alexander served as editor of the African Journal of Herpetology and associate editor of African Zoology, and has been curator at FitzSimons’ Snake Park and of the herpetology division at the State Museum in Windhoek.

Table of Contents

Introduction     8
How to use This Book     10
Distribution Patterns     17
Diversity of Reptiles     21
Biology and Behaviour     26
Finding and Observing Reptiles     38
Snakebite     39
Order: Squamata     44
Snakes     45
Blind Snakes     48
Worm Snakes     55
Pythons     58
African Burrowing Snakes     66
Colubrids     80
Elapids     143
Vipers     169
Lizards     190
Agamas     193
Chameleons     198
Monitors     209
Lacertids     215
Amphisbaenids     227
Skinks     232
Cordylids     254
Plated Lizards     275
Geckos     288
Order: Crocodylia     350
Crocodiles     351
Order: Testudines     356
Side-necked Terrapins     357
Soft-shelled Terrapins     364
Leatherback Turtles     368
Sea Turtles     373
Tortoises     379
Glossary     396
Indexto Scientific Names     398
Indexto Common Names     403