Amphibians and Reptiles of
Trinidad and Tobago

John Skillcorn

Authors: John C. Murphy
Publisher: Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida 32950
ISBN: 0-89464-971-X
Price: £59.50 (£36.57 at Pima Books www.amazon.co.uk/shops/pima_books ).  However, you might find it difficult to obtain.

The Publisher says about the book:
This is the only book dealing with the entire herpetofauna of Trinidad and Tobago, covering 130 species and subspecies and their natural history of the herpetofauna.

The volume describes the environments of the two islands, contains identification keys and is illustrated with 172 color photographs and 111 range maps.

Professional and amateur herpetologists, environmentalists, conservationists and ecotourists will find this volume indispensable.

and about the author:
John C. Murphy is an associate of the Division of Amphibians and Reptiles at The Field Museum in Chicago.  He was educated in zoology at Southern Illinois University and received a M.A. from Governor's State University.  He has studied amphibians and reptiles in the United States, eastern Caribbean, northern South America, Central America and Southeast Asia, and has written more than 60 articles for herpetological publications.

My comments:
The first thing you should notice about this book is that it is from the Krieger stable.  You will by now know that I am a Krieger fan and I have not been let down yet in all their books I have bought.  This proved to be no exception.

Keeping strictly to the subject of Dendrobatid frogs just for a moment, this book deals with the two species of Colostethus (oops, Mannophryne) which occur on these islands, namely MM. olmonae and trinitatis.  These two species live separately on the two islands: M. olmonae on Tobago and M. trinitatis on Trinidad.  It would appear that these two species form the limit of Dendrobatid frogs on the islands.  There are three photographs of these frogs: Plate 10 shows a view of the yellow throat region of a female M. olmonae while Plates 11 and 12 show male M. trinitatis: in the former you can see the black colouration of a calling animal in breeding condition, while the latter shows a male with a batch of tadpoles on his back.  However, having said that...

This book is a fascinating collection of data concerning the topography and its resultant climates, the vegetation and the animal life that exists on the islands.  Each species account is accompanied by a map showing the region in which the animal may be found.  The notes cover common names, species distribution, description, vocalisation if any, together with often extensive details of natural history.  This usually covers notes on the animals' reproductive strategies.  There are usually brief notes on any important aspects peculiar to their culture in captivity, such as lighting, humidity, temperature and food. 

The needs of territorial animals are also discussed where relevant e.g. some geckos.

For the purposes of identification, there are extensive keys with excellent line drawings showing important features, such as the toe structures on the forelimbs, or the patterning of the scales of the digits of lizards.  These keys run for twenty pages and are very thorough.

There is a useful glossary at the end of the book.

The main sections covering over 245 pages are as follows:

Part 1: General Information (34 pages on climate, vegetation and geology, even notes on venomous snake bites).

Part 2: Keys, covering 20 pages.

Part 3: Amphibian species accounts, encompassing 41 pages.

There follows the illustrations in colour, 48 pages covering 172 plates.

Part 4: Reptilian species accounts, occupying 112 pages.

Finally, there is a Glossary, Bibliography and an Index to Scientific Names.

I have to say that this is a very impressive book, and would form a vital part of anyone's library - especially if you are keeping, or have any desire to keep and breed, some of the amphibia or reptiles from Trinidad or Tobago.  I think you would find the notes indispensable.