A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia

About this book

A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia has been the most comprehensive field guide available on the subject since the first edition was published in 2003. As new species are discovered, known ranges extended and higher quality images become available, updated editions of the book have been written to reflect these changes. This new edition adds 92 reptile species, mostly comprising new descriptions since the publication of the fifth edition, plus 10 species that come with the inclusion of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

This sixth edition of the book includes images, descriptions and maps for all 1,109 species of Australian reptiles described up until the end of June 2020. Some of these are pictured in life for the first time, and many are represented by several images to depict geographical and sexual differences.

The book features easy-to-use diagnostic illustrations to explain anatomical features, a comprehensive glossary, and the more significant reptile habitats are pictured. Each species has a clear and concise text description to aid identification, with diagnostic differences from confusion species given in bold font. Each species has a distribution map and image(s) on the facing page. For ease of use there are indexes to scientific and common names.

Designed as a field guide, with a sturdy plastic cover and compact layout,  this book is for anyone with an interest in reptiles, whether scientists or amateurs. It is regarded as the standard reference guide for professionals working in the field and is also popular with general naturalists.

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Biography

Gerry Swan is currently an Associate of the Australian Museum and Editor of the journal Herpetofauna. He is the author of several books and spends much of his time as a wildlife consultant and author. He is an established New Holland author, having written the popular Green Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Australia.

Wildlife photographer and author Steve Wilson works at the Queensland Museum as the Inquiry Centre Supervisor. He fields countless natural history inquiries from the general public. He has contributed to numerous articles on natural history to such popular magazines as GEO, BBC Wildlife, Das Tier and Australian Geographic and is co-author, with David Knowles, of Australia's Reptiles (1988) as well as writing two chapters of the popular bestseller, Wildlfie of Great Brisbane. Steve specializes in Herpetology and has authored several descriptions of new species of snakes and lizards in Australia.