The Mediterranean-rim countries hold around 400 million people and 135 million of them live on the coast. A steady migration towards coastal areas, specifically in the south and east of the Mediterranean, is causing pressure on the coastal environment and, more importantly, on its biodiversity. In this second Mediterranean regional assessment, all the reptile and amphibian species existing within the region of study have been evaluated for their global conservation status. This assessment aims to assist in regional planning and to help identify internationally important sites for biodiversity. Like the first in the series, it also hopes to encourage development of a network of regional experts to enable future assessments and the continued updating of the baseline dataset.

The Mediterranean basin is one of the most geologically, biologically, and culturally complex region and the only case of a large sea surrounded by three continents. The chapter is focused on a diversity of Mediterranean amphibians and reptiles, discussing major threats to the species and its conservation status. There are 117 amphibians, of which 80 (68%) are endemic and 398 reptiles, of which 216 (54%) are endemic distributed throughout the Basin. While the species diversity increases in the north and west for amphibians, the reptile diversity increases from north to south and from west to east direction. Amphibians are almost twice as threatened (29%) as reptiles (14%). Habitat loss and degradation, pollution, invasive/alien species, unsustainable use, and persecution are major threats to the species. The important conservation actions should be directed to sustainable management measures and legal protection of endangered species and their habitats, all for the future of Mediterranean biodiversity.

This report contains a review of the conservation status of 165 Mediterranean species of dragonflies occurring in the Mediterranean basin, according to the IUCN regional Red Listing criteria. It identifies species that are threatened with extinction at regional level so that appropriate conservation action can be taken improve their status.

"This book provides concise, reliable, and up-to-date information on all 118 species currently recognized from Egypt, with detailed review of their taxonomy, identification, natural history, ecology, and conservation. This volume is based on the author's twenty-year experience with the reptile and amphibian fauna of Egypt and the Middle East, which includes extensive fieldwork and research. In total, the current work adds almost 20 percent to the previously reported fauna from Egypt, and presents many taxonomic innovations that are reported and elaborated here for the first time." "Each species entry contains concise information, including synonymy, tanxonomic notes, world and Egypt distributions, distinguishing features, habitat, ecology and conservation status. Over 130 high-quality color photographs and line drawings illustrate all the species dealt with. With easy-to-use keys, accurate distribution maps, diagnostic illustrations, a comprehensive bibliography, this guide is a valuable tool in the identification, study, and conservation of the animals."--BOOK JACKET.

Sweet, University of California, Santa Barbara; Michael J. Tyler, University of Adelaide, Australia; Zhao Er-Mi, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Peoples Republic of China