Arizona's Amphibians & Reptiles

Arizona's Amphibians & Reptiles, A Natural History and Field Guide, by Murphy with Jones and Clark, is an up to date and beautifully illustrated book that focuses on the herpetofauna that is the envy of professional and amateur herpetologists throughout the world. By day, lizards dominate the landscape, with occasional coachwhips sliding through in search of prey. The bizarre horned lizards stationed along ant trails, collared lizards poised on rocks as though they are sentinels of something we don't understand, and the many species of whiptail lizards, some of which reproduce parthenogenetically (cloning). At night, an entirely different and equally strange herpetofauna appears, with Gila monsters bumbling along, banded geckos, and a host of snake species from tiny threadsnakes to the numerous rattlesnake species. When summer monsoon rains hit, the nighttime desert comes alive with millions of toads, including the mysterious spadefoots, which form cocoons around their bodies by shedding multiple times after burrowing deep into the desert soil where they can hang out inactive for a year or more. Massive Sonoran Desert toads produce skin secretions causing a psychedelic effect when licked and tiny Mazatlan narrowmouthed toads hang out underneath tarantulas in their burrows when it is dry. Each species has a story to tell, and the more we learn, the more we discover that we are just scratching the surface as we seek to understand how so many species can live in one state, much of which is covered by desert. This book summarizes what is known about each species, with lots of interesting anecdotes that should whet any naturalist's imagination. This is a must-have for anyone interested in Arizona's spectacular fauna, and for those of you who are bird watchers, watch your step! Laurie J. Vitt George Lynn Cross Research Professor University of Oklahoma (Tubac, Arizona resident)