A Paradise for Reptiles: Lizards, Snakes, and Giant Tortoises of the Galápagos Islands, Volume 1: Tortoises, Geckos, and Snakes Volume 1 - Paperback

by Robert H. Rothman (Author)

"Reptiles are closely linked to the mystique of the Galâapagos Islands; indeed, the word "galâapago" means "tortoise" in Spanish. In A Paradise for Reptiles: Giant Tortoises, Lizards, and Snakes of the Galâapagos Islands, Volume 1, Robert H. Rothman presents an accessible, comprehensive account of the legendary giant tortoises and the lesser-known geckos and snakes. The text begins with an overview of the complex geological history of the Galâapagos necessary for understanding the course of colonization and evolution in the archipelago. The following chapters on tortoises, geckos, and snakes explore science's early encounters with these unique species, including the route by which each was recognized and named. Rothman draws from a wide range of scientific literature to explore the research on the natural history, behavioral ecology, physiology, genetics, and conservation of each major group of reptiles. A Paradise for Reptiles is richly supplemented with thirty years' worth of photographs taken by the author during annual trips to the Galâapagos Islands"--

Author Biography

Robert H. Rothman, PhD, is Professor Emeritus in the Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, at Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. He has led more than thirty annual trips to the Islands as part of his course Galápagos: Evolution and Ecology for science and nonscience RIT students.