The most thorough treatment of lizards of the United States and Canada when first published in 1946, Handbook of Lizards has become a landmark among herpetologists and lizard specialists. Hobart M. Smith spent years compiling and organizing information on 136 species of lizards for this classic study. With more than 300 illustrations, including black-and-white photographs, labeled drawings, range maps, and illustrated keys, this volume serves as a still-relevant and convenient reference guide to the study of North American lizards. Darrel Frost, a prominent lizard specialist, provides a foreword for the 1995 paperback edition that underscores the work's relevance for herpetology today. In the first section, Smith covers in concise fashion the habits, life history, habitats, methods of collection and preservation, and structural features of lizards. The second section of the book considers each species under topics that are conveniently arranged for studying both living lizards and laboratory specimens: range, type, locality, size, color, scalation, recognition characters, habitat and habits, and references. Smith also discusses problems for further study and gives recommendations for special investigations of each species. The book concludes with an extensive bibliography.

The Lizard Keeper’s Manual by Philippe de Vosjoli intends to provide real detailed information for all devoted lizard owners who wish to provide the very best of care for their pets. The author states in the foreword, “In terms of the herpetoculture of reptiles, the keeping of lizards is probably the most challenging.” He explains that “Lizards demonstrate a great diversity of adaptations and specializations,” and thus keepers need the very best advice and soundest information possible, which is what The Lizard Keeper’s Manual provides to its readers. In over 200 pages, this colorful volume analyzes the needs of insect-eating lizards, of which there are literally thousands of species. Some lizards (the ones with generic housing and dietary requirements) are easy to maintain, though others have very specific needs (in terms of temperature, diet, humidity, etc.). As stated in the introduction, “The purpose of this book is to give herpetoculturists, both beginners and those more experienced, as well as pet industry personnel, a broad base of knowledge that will allow them to successfully keep a variety of insect-eating lizards.” Colorfully illustrated, The Lizard Keeper’s Manual provides chapter-length coverage on the following topics: selecting the right species of lizard, locating and purchasing a healthy lizard, quarantine and acclimation, types of vivaria, enclosures, vivarium design, heating, cooling/hibernation, lighting, humidity/ventilation, feeding/nutrition, handling, shipping/receiving, and diseases and disorders. The author recommends a number of excellent species for keepers, including geckos, chameleons, skinks, agamids, monitors, anoles, basilisks, as well as other large and miniature species. The chapter titled “Essential Concepts” is a crash course in herpetology, offering the reader an overview of the ontogeny (life stages), climatic and landscape factors, diet, water, and diseases of the lizard family. The chapter “General Guidelines for Popular Insect-Eating Lizards,” which covers over thirty different lizards in terms of their requirements and descriptions, is an outstanding resource for lizard keepers looking to expand the population of their vivaria. Appendices and index included.

Lizards of the World is ultimate book on these fascinating creatures, featuring the all the different types of lizard worldwide. As survivors from the time of the dinosaurs, lizards are scaly, cold-blooded, living fossils—relics from a prehistoric world that remain alive and well in ours. Lizards exert a morbid fascination, in many mythologies they are dark creatures, symbolizing death and misfortune. From chameleons and skinks to geckos and iguanas, Lizards of the World brings these creatures firmly into the light, to reveal their extraordinary diversity Found in almost every type of terrain globally, there are almost 6,500 species of lizard, including lizards with frills, horns, or wings, those that drop their tails, and others that squirt blood from their eyes. Here, the lizard family and subfamily profiles, organized phylogenetically, are illustrated with stunning photography. Each profile includes a population distribution map, a table of essential information, and a fascinating commentary revealing notable characteristics, fresh scientific understanding, and the diversity of species. Written by world-renowned herpetologist Mark O’Shea, Lizards of the World is a magnificent showcase of the natural history and beauty of these remarkable reptiles.

A decade after publication of the first edition, Handbook of Venoms and Toxins of Reptiles responds to extensive changes in the field of toxinology to endure as the most comprehensive review of reptile venoms on the market. The six sections of this new edition, which has nearly doubled in size, complement the original handbook by presenting current information from many of the leading researchers and physicians in toxinology, with topics ranging from functional morphology, evolution and ecology to crystallography, -omics technologies, drug discovery and more. With the recent recognition by the World Health Organization of snakebite as a neglected tropical disease, the section on snakebite has been expanded and includes several chapters dealing with the problem broadly and with new technologies and the promises these new approaches may hold to counter the deleterious effects of envenomation. This greatly expanded handbook offers a unique resource for biologists, biochemists, toxicologists, physicians, clinicians, and epidemiologists, as well as informed laypersons interested in the biology of venomous reptiles, the biochemistry and molecular biology of venoms, and the effects and treatment of human envenomation.

A “lot lizard” is a female hooker who works a highway truck stop as her territory. When trucker Bill Ketter looks for a little relaxation and release, he discovers, too late, that he has bitten off more than he can chew. In fact, his lot lizard is the one who does the biting—she is a vampire, one of a number who move from one truck stop to the next under the watchful and vicious eyes of the repulsive Carsey Brothers. Against his will, Bill becomes one of the undead. He follows the brothers and their cargo to another stop where he meets his ex‑wife and children, and Bill finds himself battling the vampires and their age‑old leader for the life of his teenage son. Garton has created another small masterpiece, contemporary adult horror at its most gruesome and loaded with extra doses of sex and gore. The confined setting creates a perfect claustrophobic stage for the story and the hellaciously quick pace never lets the action slow down.