Reptiles: A Very Short Introduction - Softcover

Kemp, Tom

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198806418 ISBN 13: 9780198806417

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2019

Synopsis

For millions of years reptiles have walked, crawled, and slithered over the face of our Earth. From the mighty dinosaurs who dominated the land, the pterosaurs who took to the air, and the marine adapted ichthyosaurs, to the living reptiles today such as the lizards, snakes, crocodiles, and turtles, plus the single species of tuatara in New Zealand, reptiles have come in all shapes and sizes.

In this Very Short Introduction Tom Kemp discusses the adaptations reptiles made to first leave the sea and colonize the land in dry conditions, such as their waterproof skin, their ability to expel almost dry waste products, their efficient use of external heat for maintaining their body temperature, and the amniotic egg that is laid and develops on dry land. Considering the different living groups of reptiles today, Kemp then describes how their respective bodies are adapted for their different ways of life, from snake feeding patterns to the way crocodiles breathe. Finally, Kemp assesses the threat of extinction to reptile species due to over-exploitation, habitat destruction, and climate change, and considers what can be done.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

About this title

About the Author

Tom Kemp was Tutor in Zoology at St John's College, Oxford, and Senior Dean for several years before his retirement in 2009, when he was elected Emeritus Research Fellow, and appointed Honorary Research Associate of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. His research and field collecting have taken him on expeditions to Zambia, South Africa, Australia, and India. Since 2013, Tom Kemp and his wife have traveled extensively in southern Africa, observing and photographing wildlife.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198806418
• ISBN 13: 9780198806417
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160