Ahmed,
M. F., A. Das, and S. K. Dutta. 2010. Amphibians
and Reptiles of Northeast India, A Photographic Guide. Guwahati: Aaranyak.
169 pages. About US$25.
There
are many places on the globe that have a poorly known herpetofauna, while these
places are fewer in number than they were 50 years ago, they still exist. Northeast
India covers 2.6 million square
kilometers, and is composed of the political units of: Assam, Arunachal
Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim. It contains
portions of the Eastern Himalayan and Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspots and has
a species rich herpetofauna with some of the most spectacular species of the
planet's fauna. Here you can see the unique crocodilian, the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus); the Narrow-headed
Softshell Turtle (Chitra indica) one
of the largest freshwater turtles; the Burmese Python (Python bivittatus); the Reticulated Python (Broghammerus reticulatus); as well as many colorful rhachophorid frogs,
pit vipers, and cobras. The book covers 101 species with accounts and those
species are illustrated in 165 color photos. An additional 90 species are
illustrated in the back of the book in a Photo Gallery Appendix. Thus, the book
contains illustrations of about 70% of the 274 species of the herpetofauna
known to occur in Northeast India. Sections on: how to use the guide, conservation,
an introduction to amphibian and reptiles, snakebite management and first aid,
facts and fallacies, and indexes are included. Each species account is
contained on a single page with a high quality photograph of the species. The
text for each account included a diagnostic synopsis, distribution, habits and habitat;
diet, legal protection, conservation status and threats, and notes. Overall
this is an excellent book that will provide the user with easily accessed
information on much of the herpetofauna of Northeast India. The book will be useful for the ecotourist or the visiting herpetologist who may not be familiar with the fauna, as well as the local population. The volume is a great start for a region that has been poorly known.
The book is available from Aaranyak ,50, Samanwoy Path, Survey, Beltola, Guwahati-
781028, Assam, India, email: info@aaranyak.org