Firefly Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians
With lush color photographs and lavishly detailed illustrations, this encyclopedia presents a striking abundance of information at a glance. Also noteworthy is the scholarly text, a comprehensive overview of these frequently studied phyla.A major article introduces the main classes: amphibians and reptiles. Articles pertaining to specific species follow.  Entries vary in length, depending upon the complexity of the species. All articles--penned by authorities in the field of biological study--provide current scientific information and research findings relating to physiology and to behavior.Several valuable features are standard in each article. Most significant are the "Factfiles," which provide a quick summary of valuable statistics, including the order, class, physical features, life cycles, population, habitat, color, reproduction habits, and longevity of the species. Conservation status, a key consideration for many researchers, is also noted, using IUCN (World Conservation Union) categories as a descriptor. Boxed "Special Feature" (for example,  "Decoding the Frog Chorus") and "Photo Story" (such as  "Harvesting Snake Venom") articles supplement the erudite text with fascinating sidelights concerning behavior, morphology, and economic and medical importance, among other topics.Although a glossary of biological terms are included, sidebars defining these terms on the pages on which they appear might have been a better placement because most students will not turn to the ends of the volume. A bibliography of sources and an index completes the  book.One thinks short and concise when perusing an encyclopedia. Such is not the case with this resource, which is strongly recommended for high-school, public, and academic libraries. For students, Marshall Cavendish's multivolumeReptiles and Amphibiansf [RBB F 15 03] offer less scholarly but equally attractive coverage.RBBCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved