Book Review

Bartlett and Bartlett, 2006. Guide and reference to the Amphibians of Eastern and 
Central North America (North of Mexico). 

Bartlett and Bartlett, 2006. Guide and reference to the Crocodilians, Turtles and Lizards 
of Eastern and Central North America (North of Mexico). 

Bartlett and Bartlett, 2006. Guide and reference to the Snakes of Eastern and Central 
North America (North of Mexico). 

Book Review:

Scopes of the volumes. The Bartlett and Bartlett (2006a, b, c) series of herpetological guides 
are a recent and informative guide on all the known herpetological species of Eastern and Central 
North America (North of Mexico), comprising the recent or less recent pest or invasive species 
(alloctonous taxa). 

General comments. Lacks of scientific descriptor and date of description. Bibliografic refer-
ences lack completely from the main text, limiting the immediacy of any taxonomic or ecological 
information. Habitat pictures are lacking. Measures in inches. Interesting prize ($ 29.95 each). It has 
been though more for herpetoculturists than properly for biologists, but it could be a very useful 
volume(s) in most scientific libraries.

Bartlett R.D. and Bartlett P.P., 2006. Guide and reference to the Amphibians of Eastern and Central 
North America (North of Mexico).

Individual volume report. Bartlett and Bartlett (2006a) volume has 283 pages, 257 colour 
photos, several identifying factors, body size, abundance and range in E and CN America, 168 dis-
tribution maps, notes on similar species and legal status. Bibliografic references lack completely from 
the main text, limiting immediacy of taxonomic or ecological information. As example: the authors 
mention that some hybrids could be triploid (p. 125), not explaining the meaning, nor inserting the 
term in the glossary. Some minor flaws: legend on page 133 (Fig. 97). 

Glossary is short, but fairly comprehensive. Key to faimilies: are simple and intuitive, quite 
informative. Pictures: do not perfectly resemble species, but look quite attractive. Photos: are good 
on average despite many of them reflect of brownish to reddish dominance; on the whole and for 
many species they offer a valuable range of variability among related taxa. 

A volume easy in reading and consultation. Of interest the complete list of the few introduced 
amphibian species and comments on them. 

Acta Herpetologica 2(2): 159-160, 2007 
ISSN 1827-9643 (online)  © 2007 Firenze University Press



160 Book review

Bartlett R.D. and Bartlett P.P., 2006. Guide and reference to the Crocodilians, Turtles and Lizards of 
Eastern and Central North America (North of Mexico)

Individual volume report. Bartlett and Bartlett (2006b) volume has 309 pages, 255 colour pho-
tos, several identifying factors, body size, abundance and range in E and CN America, 149 distribu-
tion maps, notes on similar species and legal status. A short but useful glossary. Key to families: are 
simple and intuitive, and quite informative. Pictures and photos: range from good to excellent. Habi-
tat pictures are lacking. Figure legends are often not enough informative. A volume easy in reading 
and consultation. Of particular interest is the list of the known introduced species and comments on 
them, their origin and reproduction success, if any. 

Bartlett R.D. and Bartlett P.P., 2006. Guide and reference to the Snakes of Eastern and Central North 
America (North of Mexico). 

Bartlett and Bartlett (2006c) volume has 342 pages, 209 colour photos, several identifying fac-
tors, body size, abundance and range in E and CN America, 98 distribution maps, notes on similar 
species and legal status. Glossary is short, and comprehensive. Key to families: are simple and intui-
tive, quite informative. Photos: are very good in most cases (some exceptions: photo on page 18), 
and for some species a good range of variability is shown. Maps exhaustive, despite the low scale.

A volume easy in reading and consultation. Of interest is the complete list of the six intro-
duced snake species and comments on them, their origin and reproduction success, when reported. 

Correspondence: 
Marco A.L. Zuffi, 1Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio, Università di Pisa, Via Roma 
79, I-56011 Calci (Pisa), Italy. E-mail: marcoz@museo.unipi.it