iPhone App
Electronic Field Guide to the
Reptiles and Amphibians of
Southern California
Available Now at the
iTunes App Store. |
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Books Including Information about Herp Species that Occur in California
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Books Specifically About California Reptiles and Amphibians (See our Book Page for more information about selected books.)
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Stebbins, Robert C., and McGinnis, Samuel M. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of California: Revised Edition (California Natural History Guides) University of California Press, 2012.
Stebbins, Robert C. California Amphibians and Reptiles. The University of California Press, 1972.
Thelander, Carl G., editor in chief. Life on the Edge - A Guide to California's Endangered Natural Resources - Wildlife. Berkeley: Bio Systems Books, 1994.
Flaxington, William Craig. Field Observations of California Amphibians and Reptiles. 2002
Macey, J. Robert and Theodore Papenfuss."Herpetology." The Natural History of the White-Inyo Range Eastern California.
Ed. Clarence Hall. University of California Press, 1991.
Basey, Harold E. Discovering Sierra Reptiles and Amphibians. Yosemite Association and Sequoia Natural History Association, 1976, 1991.
Shedd, Jackson D. Amphibians and Reptiles of Bidwell Park. Quadco Printing, Chico. 2005
Lemm, Jeffrey. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of the San Diego Region (California Natural History Guides). University of California Press, 2006.
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Herps of Western North America
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Stebbins, Robert C. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians. 3rd Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.
Behler, John L., and F. Wayne King. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
Powell, Robert., Joseph T. Collins, and Errol D. Hooper Jr. A Key to Amphibians and Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. The University Press of Kansas, 1998.
Degenhardt, William G., Charles W. Painter, & Andrew H. Price. Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press,1996.
Conant, Roger, & Joseph T. Collins. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern and Central North America. Third Edition, Houghton Mifflin
Company, 1998.
Brennan, Thomas C., & Andrew T. Holycross. A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona. Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2006.
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Amphibians
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Bartlett, R. D. & Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Amphibians of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. University Press of Florida, 2009.
Corkran, Charlotte and Chris Thoms. Amphibians of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing, 1996.
Jones, Lawrence L. C., William P. Leonard, and Deanna H. Olson, editors. Amphibians of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle Audubon Society, 2005.
Lannoo, Michael (Editor). Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California Press, June 2005.
Leonard et. al. Amphibians of Washington and Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society, 1993.
Nussbaum, R. A., E. D. Brodie Jr., and R. M. Storm. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Pacific Northwest. Moscow, Idaho: University Press of Idaho, 1983.
Storer, Tracy I. A Synopsis of the Amphibia of California. University of Califonia Publications in Zoology Volume 27, The University of California Press, 1925.
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Frogs
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Bartlett, R. D. & Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Amphibians of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. University Press of Florida, 2009.
Elliott, Lang, Carl Gerhardt, and Carlos Davidson. Frogs and Toads of North America, a Comprehensive Guide to their Identification, Behavior, and Calls. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009.
Lannoo, Michael (Editor). Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California Press, June 2005.
Wright, Anna. Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada. Cornell University Press, 1949.
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Salamanders
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Bartlett, R. D. & Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Amphibians of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. University Press of Florida, 2009.
Bishop, Sherman C. Handbook of Salamanders. Cornell University Press, 1943.
Lannoo, Michael (Editor). Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California Press, June 2005.
Petranka, James W. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution, 1998.
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Reptiles
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Brown et. al. Reptiles of Washington and Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society,1995.
Nussbaum, R. A., E. D. Brodie Jr., and R. M. Storm. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Pacific Northwest. Moscow,
Idaho: University Press of Idaho, 1983.
St. John, Alan D. Reptiles of the Northwest: Alaska to California; Rockies to the Coast. Lone Pine Publishing, 2002.
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Snakes
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Bartlett, R. D. & Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Snakes of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. University Press of Florida, 2009.
Bartlett, R.D. , & Alan Tennant. Snakes of North America - Western Region. Gulf Publishing Co., 2000.
Brown, Philip R. A Field Guide to Snakes of California. Gulf Publishing Co., 1997.
Ernst, Carl H., Evelyn M. Ernst, & Robert M. Corker. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, 2003.
Wright, Albert Hazen & Anna Allen Wright. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada. Cornell University Press.
Ernst, Carl. H. Venomous Reptiles of North America. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1999.
Hayes, William K., Kent R. Beaman, Michael D. Cardwell, and Sean P. Bush, editors. The Biology of Rattlesnakes. Loma Linda University Press, 2009.
Hubbs, Brian R., & Brendan O'Connor. A Guide to the Rattlesnakes and other Venomous Serpents of the United States. Tricolor Books, 2011.
Klauber, Laurence M. Rattlesnakes. University of California Press. (Abridged from the 1956 two volume Rattlesnakes:
Their Habits, Life Histories, and Influence on Mankind.) University of California Press, 1982.
Rubio, Manny. Rattlesnake - Portrait of a Predator. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998.
Walls, Jerry G. Rattlesnakes: Their Natural History and Care. T. F. H. Publications, Inc., 1996.
Rossman, Douglas A., Neil B.Ford, & Richard A. Siegel. The Garter Snakes - Evolution and Ecology. University of Oklahoma Press, 1996.
Hubbs, Brian. Mountain Kings - A Collective Natural History of California, Sonoran, Durango and Queretaro Mountain Kingsnakes. Tricolor Books, 2004.
Hubbs, Brian. Common Kingsnakes, A Natural History of Lampropeltis getula. 2009.
Ernst, Carl H. and Evelyn M. Ernst. Venomous Reptiles of the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico: Crotalus (Volume 2. Johns Hopkins University Press. 2011
Mulks, Mitchell. Zonata, the California Mountain Kingsnake. LM Digital, 2004.
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Lizards
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Bartlett, R. D. & Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Turtles and Lizards of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. University Press of Florida, 2009.
Jones, Lawrence, Rob Lovich, editors. Lizards of the American Southwest: A Photographic Field Guide. Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2009.
Smith, Hobart M. Handbook of Lizards, Lizards of the United States and of Canada. Cornell University Press, 1946.
Brown, David E. & Neil B. Carmony. Gila Monster: Facts and Folklore of America's Aztec Lizard. High-Lonesome Books, 1991.
Sanborn, Sherburn R. The Lizard-Watching Guide - The Common Lizards of Southern California's Mojave and Colorado Deserts. Lorraine Press, 1994.
Sherbrooke, Wade C. Horned Lizards, Unique Reptiles of Western North America. Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1981.
Sherbrooke, Wade C. Introduction to Horned Lizards of North America. University of California Press, 2003.
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Turtles
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Bartlett, R. D. & Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Turtles and Lizards of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. University Press of Florida, 2009.
Carr, Archie. Handbook of Turtles: The Turtles of the United States, Canada, and Baja California. Cornell University Press, 1969.
Ernst, Carl H., Roger W. Barbour, & Jeffrey E. Lovich. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution 1994.
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Eastern North America
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Conant, Roger and Joseph Collins. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians -Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.
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Baja California
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Grismer, L. Lee. Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California, Including Its Pacific Islands and the Islands in the Sea of Cortés. The University of California Press, 2002.
McPeak, Ron H. Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California. Sea Challengers, 2000.
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Texas Herps
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Dixon, James R. and John E. Werler. Texas Snakes, Identification, Distribution, and Natural History. University of Texas Press, Austin Texas, 2000.
Dixon, James R. and John E. Werler. Texas Snakes, A Field Guide. University of Texas Press, Austin Texas, 2000, 2005.
Dixon, James R. Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas. Texas A&M University Press, College Station Texas, 2000.
Garrett, Judith M. and David G. Barker. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Texas. Gulf Publishing Company, Houston Texas, 1987.
Price, Andrew H. Poisonous Snakes of Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Press, 1998.
Tennant, Alan. Lone Star Field Guide to Texas Snakes. Taylor Trade Publishing, 2006.
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General Interest Books about Herps, Herping & Natural History
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Anthony, Leslie. Snakebit: Confessions of a Herpetologist
Bartlett, Richard D. In Search of Reptiles & Amphibians. E. J. Brill, 1987.
(Many enjoyable tales of Dick's herping expeditions. Also recommended are his (sadly, now defunct) monthly columns "Notes From the Field" in Reptiles magazine.)
Alan Burdick. Out of Eden: An Odyssey of Ecological Invasion. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006.
Carr, Archie. So Excellent a Fishe: A Natural History of Sea Turtles. American Museum of Natural History, 1967.
Carr, Archie. The Windward Road
Carroll, David M. Swampwalker's Journal - A Wetlands Year. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999.
(A brilliant work from a master naturalist and artist who has an extraordinary understanding of the natural world.)
Carroll, David M. The Year of the Turtle: A Natural History. Camden House Publishing, Inc. 1991.
(Another wonderful immersion into the world of turtles and their habitats.)
Carroll, David M. Following the Water: A Hydromancer's Notebook
Carroll, David M. A Self-Portrait with Turtles
Christy, Bryan. The Lizard King. Hachette Book Group USA, 2008.
(The exciting true story of herp smugglers, the law enforcement officers who bring them to justice, and the global trade in herps.)
Conant, Roger. A Field Guide to the Life and Times of Roger Conant
Crump, Marty. In Search of the Golden Frog
Ditmars, Raymond. Thrills of a Naturalist's Quest
Freed, Paul. Of Golden Toads and Serpent's Roads. Texas A & M, 2003.
(Fun tales of herping around the world.)
Gould, Steven Jay. Bully for Brontosaurus. W. N. Norton & Company, 1991.
Green, Harry W. Snakes -The Evolution of Mystery in Nature. University of California Press, 1997.
(A beautifully-illustrated epic exploration of the world's snakes.)
Himmelman, John. Discovering Amphibians: Frogs and Salamanders of the Northeast
James, Jamie. The Snake Charmer: A Life and Death in Pursuit of Knowledge. Hyperion, 2008.
(An entertaining biographical adventure about Dr. Joe Slowinski, one of the leading experts on venomous snakes in the world who died of snakebite in the Burmese wilderness.)
Kauffeld, Carl. Snakes and Snake Hunting. reprinted 1995 by Krieger Publishing Co.
(A herping classic from the 1950's.)
Kauffeld, Carl. Snakes: The Keeper and the Kept. Krieger Publishing Company, reprinted 1995.
(Another classic herping essential.)
Kemnitzer, John W Jr. Snake Hunting the Carolina Tin Fields.
Lannoo, Michael . Okoboji Wetlands
Marzditzia, Hugo. Are Snakes Necessary? Preston Sturges Press.1941. (An Ophiology classic that Includes a remarkable account of the extremely rare Colobrina marzditzia - the Brazilian Glass Snake, which eats flies, milk, and pigeons eggs, and is as playful as a kitten.)
Merker, Gerold and Walter. Alterna: The Gray-Banded Kingsnake
(The highly-sought after Trans-Pecos snake, and the people who hunt them.)
Phillips, Kathryn. Tracking the Vanishing Frogs: An Ecological Mystery. St. Martin's Press, 1994.
(Describes the beginnings of our awareness of the global amphibian crisis.)
Pianka, Eric R. The Lizard Man Speaks. University of Texas Press, 1994.
Pianka, Eric R., and Laurie J. Vitt. Lizards: Windows to the Evolution of Diversity (Organisms and Environments, 5.) University of California Press, 2003.
Quammen, David. The Flight of the Iguana: A Sidelong View of Science and Nature. Simon and Schuster, 1988.
Stebbins, Robert C. and Nathan W. Cohen. A Natural History of Amphibians. Princeton University Press, 1997.
Switak, K. H. Adventures in Green Python Country
Wheeler, Donald G. Tales From the Golden Age of Rattlesnake Hunting. ECO Publishing, 2001.
Williamson, Mike. Trail of the Snake
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Places to Buy Herpetology and Other Natural History Books Online |
Bibliomania! - a great source for all herp publications.
Zoo Book Sales
Powell's Books - This is where I hang out when I'm in Portland, and not just for the natural history books- their several-story building covers an entire city block, and it's full of books...
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More Online Resources for Information about California Herps |
CA dept. of Fish and Game Habitat Conservation Planning Branch - species of special concern, rare, threatened, endangered, & fully protected species.
Field Guide to Coastal Southern California Reptiles and Amphibians
Amphibiaweb -
A great site from UC Berkeley which covers all of the amphibians in California along with the rest of the planet.
LivingUnderworld.org - Includes Information about all of California's amphibians.
HerpWiki - The North American Field Herping Association (N.A.F.H.A.) field guide to North American amphibians and reptiles.
HumboldtHerps.com - The Humboldt County Herpetological Society
San Diego Natural History Museum Field Guide - Reptiles and Amphibians
Amphibians and Reptiles of Orange County, California and nearby places Compiled by Peter J. Bryand, University of California, Irvine.
Amphibians and Reptiles of Kern County, California
ShastaHerps.org - Shasta County Herps
Caudata.org - The Newt and Salamander Portal
Falling apart and merging: diversification of slender salamanders (Plethodontidae: Batrachoseps) in the American West Elizabeth L. Jockusch and David B. Wake
Southwestern Field Herping Associates
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research
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Rules and Regulations Regarding California Reptiles and Amphibians |
California Regulations
Federal Regulations regarding wildlife in National Parks
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General Herpetological Information and Organizations |
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
The Center for North American Herpetology
EMBL Reptile Database
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America including translations of Latin names, biographical explanations, and original description citations.
Amphibiaweb -
access to information on amphibian biology and conservation from UC Berkeley.
LivingUnderworld.org - Information about amphibians in the wild and in captivity and lots of photos.
Reptiles and Amphibians of Arizona
Amphibian Species of the World
Global Amphibian Assessment -
A comprehensive status assessment of the world's amphibian species, with a searchable database.
USGS Amphibian Checklist and Identification Guide
Herp Digest - An electronic newsletter dedicated to reptile and amphibian conservation and science
Key to the tadpoles of
the United States and Canada
Horned Lizards
Mexico Herpetology
Caudata.org
World Chelonian Trust
Gartersnake.info
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Online Forums |
To participate in or read conversations about field observations of herps in California or around the world, many
illustrated with photographs, check this list of online forums.
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Conservation |
See our Conservation Page for links.
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Information about Amphibian and Reptile Decline |
See our Conservation Page for links.
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Online museum herpetology collection databases |
HerpNet ( A collaborative effort by institutions to establish a global network between
databases of herpetological collections in natural history museums, funded by the National Science Foundation.)
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, UC Berkeley
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
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Herp Pet Care Information Links |
For a list of sources of information about caring for pet herps, or herpetoculture, click here.
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Other California Online Herp and Natural History Resources |
Joe Morlan's California Birding
Butterflies and Moths of North America
Cal Photo - Photography in California - a good place to learn where to see wildflowers and fall color.
California Wildlife Gardening and Horticulture tips from a CA native plant expert.
Ceres - California Biodiversity
Official California State site
Los Angeles County Natural History Museum
San Francisco Bay Area Wildlife
Bay Nature Magazine - Exploring Nature in the San Francisco Bay Area
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California Frog and Toad Calls Recordings |
See my List of Frog and Toad Calls on this website. I have recorded all of the species found in California except one, although not all were recorded in California.
The list includes links to the frog pages and to short videos of calling frogs. Here is a link to all of the Frog and Toad Videos on this web site, many of which include frog and toad sounds.
Carlos Davidson - Frog and Toad Calls of the Pacific
Coast - Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Carlos Davidson - Frog and Toad Calls of the Rocky Mountains - Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
There is a good CD that comes with this book: Lang Elliott, Carl Gerhardt, and Carlos Davidson. Frogs and Toads of North America, a Comprehensive Guide to their Identification, Behavior, and Calls. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009.
Charles M. Bogert - Sounds of North American Frogs - Smithsonian Folkways
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