Amphibians and reptiles

1 Introduction
2 Basic biology
3 Ecology and Conservation
4 Surveying and monitoring
5 Working with amphibians
6 Working with reptiles
7 How schools can help
8 Identifying species found in Britain
Key I Adult and immature newts
Key II Newt eggs, larvae and metamorphs
Key III Frogs and toads (adults and metamorphs)
Key IV Frog and toad spawn
Key V Frog and toad larvae
Key V Adult and hatchling limbed lizards
Key VI Adult snakes
Distribution maps
9 Working with amphibians and reptiles: some basic essentials
10 Useful addresses and links
References
Index

This is a comprehensive guide to both native and non-native species of amphibians and reptiles found in the British Isles. It is number 31 in the well-respected Naturalists’ Handbook series which includes titles such as Common Ground Beetles and Insects on Dock Plants. In the introduction, Trevor Beebee points out that amphibians did not always have the degree of interest they have now with naturalist Carl Linnaeus declaring a “profound dislike of them” and Gilbert White gave “scant attention” to them!

After the introduction is a chapter on basic biology including skin, feeding, respiration, and reproduction. This is followed by a detailed account of the ecology of amphibians and reptiles and a section about conservation. The next two chapters are probably the most useful to people especially if they are interested in studying in more detail or surveying species such as the protected great crested newt or the more elusive wall lizard, with sections on both daylight and night-time searches (using powerful torches) and live trapping.

For adventurous teachers keen to encourage real science chapter 7 shows how schools can help to further the knowledge of these creatures. It includes three types of investigations: the first involves studying whether pupils have amphibians or reptiles living in around their own gardens, secondly investigating the school grounds or local nature reserves and finally a section about lab based studies. These investigations give the pupils the “chance to see wild animals and experience the excitement of completely new discoveries based on the simplest of scientific methods”.

Like most of the Naturalists’ Handbooks there is a species identification section covering the seven amphibian and six terrestrial reptiles native to Britain. This section has seven identification keys including adult and immature newts, newt eggs and larvae and adult and hatching limbed lizards. This is a very useful part of the book including extensive keys to aid identification and a selection of pictures that are very clear and include larva and spawn of some species. There are also 20 maps showing distributions. Like lots of groups of species, there is a problem with introduced and escapee specimens which has become more prevalent and this guide includes identification of these species including the midwife toad and Italian great crested newt. The final chapter considers some general aspects of working with amphibians and reptiles including the legal niceties and handling.

At the end of the book is a section on useful addresses and links (including where you can buy food for captive amphibians and reptiles!), two pages of references cited in the text and a four page index. Throughout the text is a glossary found in the margin of the book alongside where the word occurs. Colour photographs, graphs, maps, tables and diagrams are all very clear.

Trevor Beebee was professor of molecular ecology at the University of Sussex combining an interest in research and conservation. He has published over 150 scientific papers, more than 30 articles and several books on amphibians and reptiles. Beebee was awarded the Peter Scott Memorial Award by the British Naturalists’ Association in 2009 for contributions to amphibian conservation.

This Naturalists’ Handbook is very easy to read, encouraging those people interested in this aspect of natural history to be able to identify species and make a contribution to citizen science should they want to.