New Zealand Frogs and Reptiles

Forest and Bird, Issue 280, 1 May 1996, Page 49

New Zealand Frogs and Reptiles

by Brian Gill and Tony Whitaker (David Bateman) 1996, 112pp, $24.95 New Zealand might be short on mammals and low in numbers of forest birds, but it does have a wonderfully diverse array of lizards. Thus the reissue of Brian Gill’s 1986 handbook, totally revised and updated, is welcome. This time he had the collaboration (mainly with photos) of freelance herpetologist Tony Whitaker. As well as the lizards, the book covers frogs (three native and three introduced), two species of tuatara, and — often overlooked as part of our fauna — five marine turtles and two sea snakes. A lot of new skink and gecko species have been recognised in the decade since the first handbook, and there are likely to be more described as the biochemical genetics of lizards in this country is currently the subject of much study. There are brief descriptions of each species, plus notes on distribution, habitat, habits and conservation status (many are rare or threatened due to predation or habitat loss). A number of keys assist in distinguishing species in the wild, and the photos are clear and carefully chosen. Information on each species is unfortunately restricted by the field guide format. The book, however, will help to increase awareness of our rich and distinctive reptile and amphibian fauna as well as being a useful guide to identification.