Frogs and Reptiles of the Murray–Darling Basin

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A Guide to Their Identification, Ecology and Conservation

By: Michael Swan

eBook - February 2020 - eRetailers

A comprehensive guide to the 310 species of frogs and reptiles living in the Murray–Darling Basin.

The Murray–Darling Basin spans more than 1 million square kilometres across the lower third of Queensland, most of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, northern Victoria and the south-eastern corner of South Australia. Wildlife habitats range from the floodplains of the Basin to alpine areas, making the region of special ecological and environmental interest. + Full description

This book is the first comprehensive guide to the 310 species of frogs and reptiles living in the Murray–Darling Basin. An overview of each of the 22 catchment areas introduces the unique and varied climates, topography, vegetation and fauna. Comprehensive species accounts include diagnostic features, conservation ratings, photographs and distribution maps for all frogs, freshwater turtles, lizards and snakes recorded in this important region.

Certificate of Commendation, The Royal Zoological Society of NSW 2020 Whitley Awards: Field Guide

- Short description

Reviews

"If your ‘thing’ is herpetology you’ll probably want to add this to your library, and if you live in the catchment it’s probably a worthwhile investment."
Ian Fraser's Natural History Reviews #28, April 2020

"This is a very attractive book that is easy to use for its intended purpose. The photographs (and indeed the drawn illustrations) will delight the reader. I see this book being of interest and value to an audience ranging from herpetologists to field naturalists and even farmers in the massive Murray-Darling Basin."
Nick Clemann, Victorian Naturalist 137(5) 2020

Details

Paperback | February 2020 | $ 49.99
ISBN: 9781486311323 | 352 pages | 215 x 148 mm
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Colour photographs, Maps

ePDF | February 2020
ISBN: 9781486311330
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Available from eRetailers

ePUB | February 2020
ISBN: 9781486311347
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Available from eRetailers

Features

The first guide to the 310 species of frogs, freshwater turtles, lizards and snakes recorded in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Includes distribution maps based on museum records and a colour image of each species.
Each species account includes diagnostic criteria, colour photographs, and conservation ratings.

Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction

FROGS
Foam-nesting ground frogs (Family Limnodynastidae)
Ground frogs (Family Myobatrachidae)
Tree frogs (Family Pelodryadidae)
True toads (Family Bufonidae)

FRESHWATER TURTLES
Side-necked Freshwater Turtles (Family Chelidae)

LIZARDS
Southern padless geckos (Family Carphodactylidae)
Diplodactylid geckos (Family Diplodactylidae)
Cosmopolitan geckos (Family Gekkonidae)
Flap-footed lizards (Family Pygopodidae)
Skinks (Family Scincidae)
Dragons (Family Agamidae)
Monitor lizards/goannas (Family Varanidae)

SNAKES
Blind snakes (Family Typhlopidae)
Pythons (Family Pythonidae)
Colubrid snakes (Family Colubridae)
Venomous land snakes (Family Elapidae)

Species checklist
Glossary
References
Index of common names
Index of scientific names

Authors

Mike Swan was previously a senior herpetofauna keeper with Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary and was part of captive breeding programs for the Fijian Iguana, Broad-headed Snake, Corroboree Frog, Stuttering Frog, Philippine Crocodile and many other species. He is now the coordinator of the Lilydale High School reptile collection, the largest school collection of reptiles and frogs in Australia. He is also a keen photographer and has written numerous articles, papers and books about reptiles and frogs.