This volume synthesizes all that is known about the common snapping turtle to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive resource on the species' evolution, physiology, behavior, and life history. Anthony C. Steyermark, Michael S. Finkler, Ronald J. Brooks, and a team of experts detail the systematics, energetics, growth patterns, sex determination, and population genetics of snapping turtles and devote special attention to the fossil record of the snapping turtle family Chelydridae.

This book presents a comparative view of chelonian reproduction and discusses ecophysiological implications for their captive breeding. Chelonians, with their protective rigid armour, are a phylogenetically antique group of reptiles which radiated to occupy niches from the open waters of the oceans, to rivers, creeks, swamps, forests, savannahs, and deserts. A few North American turtle species have been well studied, but until recently reproductive data on other chelonian species have been scarce. The way in which chelonians adjust their conservative mode of reproduction to the various requirements of their habitats and life styles is the theme of this book; the physiology of reproduction and its interplay with ecological conditions are its central subjects.

Hormones and Reproduction of Vertebrates, Volume 3: Reptiles is the third of five second-edition volumes representing a comprehensive and integrated overview of hormones and reproduction in fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The book includes coverage of endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, physiology, behavior, and anatomy of reptilian reproduction. It provides a broad treatment of the roles of pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and gonadal hormones in all aspects of reproduction, as well as descriptions of major life history events. New to this edition is a concluding assessment of the effect of environmental influences on reptiles. Initial chapters in this book broadly examine sex determination, reproductive neuroendocrinology, stress, and hormonal regulation as it relates to testicular and ovarian function. Subsequent chapters examine hormones and reproduction of specific taxa, including turtles, crocodilians, lizards, and snakes. The book concludes with an examination of endocrine disruption of reproduction in reptiles. Hormones and Reproduction of Vertebrates, Volume 3: Reptiles is designed to provide a readable, coordinated description of reproductive basics in reptiles, as well as an introduction to the latest trends in reproductive research and a presentation of our understanding of reproductive events gained over the past decade. It may serve as a stand-alone reference for researchers and practitioners in the field of herpetology or as one of five coordinated references aligned to provide topical treatment across vertebrate taxa for researchers, practitioners, and students focused on vertebrate endocrinology. - Covers endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, physiology, behavior, and anatomy of reptile reproduction - Includes pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and gonadal hormones - Focuses on turtles, crocodilians, lizards, and snakes - Provides new coverage on environmental influences on reptiles