Customer Reviews:
 Beautiful photos May 9, 2002
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Some of the most beautiful lifeforms on this planet are illustrated in this book, and when reading it, one can only feel more amazement and respect for this order of reptiles. The colors, patterns, and life styles of snakes are varied enough to keep a serious student of herpetology busy for a long time. One can only envy the photographer who took the pictures in this book. The book is not just a photo collection however, for the author also includes a discussion of their taxonomy, natural history, biology, eating habits, diseases, reproduction, and how to care for them in captivity. The most interesting discussion in the book was on taxonomy, for it is very controversial. The binomial system is employed in the book, but the author explains that a trinomial classificiation becomes appropriate when certain characteristics are unable to justify a separate classification as a species. The North American Common Kingsnake is offered as an example of this, having at it were seven subspecies. The top 10 most beautiful snakes in the book:
1. Trimeresurus wagleri p. 569
2. Chondropython viridis p.41
3. Diadophis punctatus punctatus p. 257
4. Oxybelis fulgidus p. 356
5. Ahaetulla prasina p. 312
6. Dendraapsis augusticeps p. 412
7. Bitis nasicornis p. 476
8. Naja nigricollis p. 429
9. Drymarchon corais couperi p. 111
10. Lampropeltis zonata p. 164
 This book is unfortunately out of date with incorrect facts. July 24, 1999
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
John Coborn has written some very good books but this one gets the two stars from the brilliant photos. The species doesn't get their english name by the pictures, only by taxonomy, and those are some times incorrect. Incorrect maximum lengths for the species some times as well. John Coborn could have done it better.
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