The Encyclopedia of Amphibians

Patrick Colgan is the former executive director of the Canadian Museum
of Nature.

Some 5000 species of frogs, salamanders, and limbless caecilians are
known, and this book, a translation of a German original, splendidly
celebrates their diversity and importance to humans. Every aspect of
amphibians is covered in the material, which is well organized under
sections on systematics and biogeography, physiology, ecology and
ethology, meaning for humans, and conservation. These animals occur in
most terrestrial habitats, from deserts to mountain peaks, but are kept
out of marine habitats by their thin skins.

The delights of the book are in the details of anatomical adaptations,
magnetic orientation, warning coloration, and stunning mimicry. Some
frogs glide, some tadpoles are cannibalistic, and many species are good
parents, incubating young in their mouths or on their backs.
Reproductive intricacies include hormonal mechanisms, sexual maturation
of juveniles, and clonal breeding. The biochemistry of hormones and
poisons is well covered, as is the potential for pharmaceuticals. Cross
sections of bones permit aging while populational studies reveal the
impact of human barriers on human diversity. The chapter on amphibia in
human culture is fascinating social history, and that on conservation is
particularly good to see given the extinction or peril of many species.

The text is clear yet detailed and high-level, richly augmented by
references and many outstanding color photographs. While there is some
emphasis on Europe, the scope is global and, indeed, encyclopedic.
Highly recommended.