In addition to the recommended print resources listed below, you may find the resources listed on our References and Links page helpful.
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Amphibians | Reptiles | Texts | Novels | Atlases
Bishop, S.C. 1941 (June). The Salamanders of New York. New York State Museum Bulletin No. 324. University of the State of New York, Albany, New York. 365 pp.
This book is currently out of print, but contains excellent information on Vermont’s salamanders.
Bishop, S.C. 1994. Handbook of Salamanders: The salamanders of the United States, of Canada, and of lower California. Comstock Publishing Associates, a division of Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. 555 pp.
A reprint of an old classic. It does not contain as much information on each species as The Salamanders of New York.
Dickerson, M.C. 1969. The Frog Book: North American toads and frogs, with a study of the habits and life histories of those of the northeastern states. Dover Publications, Inc., New York. 253 pp.
A reprint of an old classic. Still excellent information but some of it is outdated.
Dodd, C.K. 2013. Frogs of the United States and Canada. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 982 pp. in two volumes.
This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date source for frogs in North America.
Epple, A.O. 1983. The Amphibians of New England. Down East Books, Camden, Maine. 138 pp.
A good book for the beginner but without plates or photos.
Lannoo, M. (ed.) 2005. Amphibian Declines: the conservation status of United States species. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California. 926 pp.
Contians the most up-to-date conservation information on all North American amphibians.
McDiarmid, R.W. and R. Altig (eds.) 1999. Tadpoles: the biology of anuran larvae. University of Chicago Press, Ltd. London. 348 pp.
All you ever wanted to know about tadpoles.
Petranka, J.W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 587 pp.
The most current source for detailed information on salamanders.
Pfingsten, R.A. and F.L. Downs. 1989. Salamanders of Ohio. Bulletin of the Ohio Biological Survey Vol. 7, No. 2. College of Biological Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. 315 pp, 29 plates.
This contains detailed information on the many species of salamander that we share with Ohio.
Wright, A.H. and A.A. Wright. 1995. Handbook of Frogs and Toads of the United States and Canada. Comstock Publishing Associates, a division of Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. 640 pp.
A reprint of an old classic. No newer comprehensive works on frogs are available.
Amphibians | Reptiles | Texts | Novels | Atlases
Carr, A. 1995. Handbook of Turtles: the turtles of the United States, Canada, and Baja California. Comstock Publishing Associates, a division of Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. 542 pp.
A reprint of an old classic.
Ernst, C.H., and E. Ernst. 2003. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 668 pp.
The latest and most complete source for snakes.
Ernst, C.H. and J.E. Lovich. 2009. Turtles of the United States and Canada, Second Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press. 827 pp.
The best current source for detailed information.
Klauber, L.M. 1982. Rattlesnakes: their habits, life histories, & influence on mankind, abridged edition. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California. 350 pp.
An edited reprint of an old classic.
Klemens, M. (ed.) 2000. Turtle Conservation. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, DC. 334 pp.
A current discussion of conservation challenges.
Mitchell, J.C. 1994. The Reptiles of Virginia. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 352 pp.
This book provides excellent information on the species of reptile that we share with Virginia; most of our species are found in this book.
Smith, H.M. 1995. Handbook of Lizards: lizards of the United States and Canada. Comstock Publishing Associates, a division of Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. 557 pp.
A reprint of an old classic.
Tennant, A. 2003. Snakes of North America: eastern and central regions. Lone Star Books, Lanham, Maryland. 605 pp.
One of two excellent new snake resources.
Wright, A.H. and A.A. Wright. 1994. Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada, volumes 1 and 2. Comstock Publishing Associates, a division of Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York. 1105 pp.
A reprint of an old classic.
Amphibians | Reptiles | Texts | Novels | Atlases
Calhoun, A.J.K. and P. G. deMaynadier (eds.). 2008. Science and conservation of vernal pools in northeastern North America. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. 363 pp.
Coburn, E.A. 2004. Vernal pools: natural history and conservation. The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Blacksburg, Virginia and Granville, Ohio. 426 pp.
Duellman, W.E. and L. Trueb. 1994. Biology of Amphibians. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. 670 pp.
The standard text for amphibians.
Heyer, W.R., M.A. Donnelly, R.W. McDiarmid, L-A. C. Hayek, and M.S. Foster. 1994. Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity: standard methods for amphibians. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 364 pp.
Useful information for researchers.
Mitchell, J.C. 2000. Amphibian Monitoring Methods and Field Guide. Smithsonian National Zoological Park's Conservation & Research Center, Front Royal, Virginia. 56 pp.
Very accessible, designed for citizen scientists.
Stebbins, R.C. and N.W. Cohen. 1995. A Natural History of Amphibians. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 316 pp.
Lots of interesting information in an accessible and easy-to-read format.
West, L. and W.P. Leonard. 1997. How to Photograph Reptiles and Amphibians. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. 118 pp.
Zug, G.R. 1993. Herpetology: an introductory biology of amphibians and reptiles. Academic Press, a division of Harcourt Brace & Company, San Diego, California. 527 pp.
A standard text.
Amphibians | Reptiles | Texts | Novels | Atlases
Phillips, K. 1994. Tracking the Vanishing Frogs: an ecological mystery. St. Martin's Press, New York. 244 pp.
A good background read on amphibian decline.
Amphibians | Reptiles | Texts | Novels | Atlases
Bider, J.R. and S. Matte. 1996. The Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles of Quebec. St. Lawrence Valley Natural History Society and Ministere de l'Environnement et de la Faune du Quebec, Direction de la faune et des habitats, Quebec. 106 pp.
Taylor, J. 1993. The Amphibians and Reptiles of New Hampshire with keys to larval, immature and adult forms. Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Concord, New Hampshire. 71 pp.
Contains some simple and useful keys.