A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America by Joseph T. Collins, Roger Conant, Roger Tory Peterson (Editor), Tom R. Johnson (Illustrator), Isabelle Hunt Conant (Illustrator)

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This newly designed field guides features detailed descriptions of 595 species and subspecies. The 656 full-color illustrations and 384 drawings show key details for accurate identification. More than 100 color photographs and 333 color photographs and 333 color distribution maps accompany the species descriptions.

Booknews

The first edition was published in 1958, the second in 1975. This third edition of the invaluable field guide features new information, color plates, and new maps. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE Pls. 3, 9 Macroclemys temminckii IDENTIFICATION: 15-26 in. (38-66 cm); record 311-2 in. (80 cm). Weight 35-150 lbs. (16-68 kg); record 251 lbs. (113.9 kg) for a specimen maintained in captivity for nearly 50 years; 316 lbs. (143.3 kg) for a wild-caught example. Look for the huge head with its strongly hooked beaks, the prominent dorsal keels, and the extra row of scutes on each side of the carapace. Likely to be confused only with Snapping Turtles. Young (Pl. 3): Brown, shell exceedingly rough; tail very long. About 11-4-13-4 in. (3-4.4 cm) at hatching.

This gigantic freshwater turtle, our largest and one of the largest in the world, often lies at bottom of lake or river with mouth held open. A curious pink process on floor of mouth resembles a worm, wriggles like one, and serves as a lure for fish. similar species: Snapping Turtle has a saw-toothed tail and a smaller head, and also lacks the extra row of scutes be-tween costals and marginals. range: Sw. Ga. and n. Fla. to e. Texas; north in Mississippi Valley to Kans., Iowa, and sw. Ky.; an isolated record in cen. Tenn.