R. D. Bartlett is a veteran herpetologist/herpetoculturist with over 40 years' experience writing, photographing, and educating people about reptiles and amphibians; with editor and writer, Patricia Bartlett, he has written 50-plus books on the subject. In their latest collaboration, the Bartletts offer amateur and professional naturalists a portable guide to the 168 species of turtles, lizards, iguanian lizards, iguanas and their relatives found in the western U.S. and Hawaii, including both native and introduced species. The species are listed and discussed in a traditional manner, divided by families, subfamilies, genera, species, and subspecies, with each identified by both their well-accepted, traditional common and scientific names. Each entry includes information about the abundance/range, habitat, size, identifying features, similar species, and additional subspecies, accompanied by a full-color photograph and a range map. Also included are a general introduction to the text, a glossary of terms, and a list of references and additional reading. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)