Texas Turtles & Crocodilians - Troy D. Hibbitts, Terry L. Hibbits

Texas Turtles & Crocodilians

A Field Guide
Buch | Softcover
276 Seiten
2016
University of Texas Press (Verlag)
978-1-4773-0777-9 (ISBN)
27,40 inkl. MwSt
In this extensively illustrated field guide, two of the state’s most knowledgeable herpetologists present the first complete identification guide to all thirty-one native and established exotic turtle species in Texas, as well as the American Alligator.
Texas has a large and diverse turtle population, with forms that are found nowhere else (Cagle’s Map Turtle and the Texas Map Turtle) and wide-ranging species that barely touch the state, including the Painted Turtles and the Rough-footed Mud Turtle. From the Sabine River to El Paso, and from the Rio Grande to the Panhandle, thirty-one native and established exotic turtle species are definitely known in Texas, along with one crocodilian, the American Alligator.

Texas Turtles & Crocodilians is the first complete identification guide to all the state’s turtles and to its single alligator. It offers detailed species accounts, range maps, and excellent color photographs to aid in field identification. The authors, two of the state’s most knowledgeable herpetologists, open the book with a broad overview of turtle natural history, conservation biology, observation, and captive maintenance before providing a key to Texas turtles and accounts of the various turtle families and species. Appendices provide brief accounts of species that occurred prehistorically in Texas and non-established exotic species, as well as a table of Texas’ major watersheds and the turtle diversity in each one. Informational resources on Texas turtles and alligators, a map of Texas counties, a glossary, a bibliography, and indexes of common and scientific names complete the volume.

TROY D. HIBBITTS, a high school science teacher, is a past president and current member of the Texas Herpetological Society. He coauthored Texas Amphibians: A Field Guide and Texas Lizards: A Field Guide. TERRY L. HIBBITTS, a trained biologist, is an Honorary Life Member and past president of the Texas Herpetological Society, as well as its current editor. He also coauthored Texas Amphibians: A Field Guide.

Foreword by David Haynes
Acknowledgments
Introduction

What Is a Turtle?

Evolutionary History
Two Main Turtle Groups
Relationship between Turtles and Other “Reptiles”


What is a Crocodilian?

Evolutionary History
Three Main Crocodilian Groups
Relationship between Crocodilians and Other “Reptiles”
Relationship between Crocodilians and Birds


Natural History

Activity and Seasonality
Reproduction
Behavior


Major Watersheds in Texas and Turtle Diversity

Mississippi Watershed

Canadian River
Red River


Sabine and Neches Watersheds

Sabine River
Neches River


Trinity Watershed
Brazos Watershed
Colorado Watershed
Guadalupe Watershed
Nueces River
Rio Grande Watershed

Rio Grande
Pecos River
Devils River




Conservation

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
Pollution
Climate Change
Introduced Species
Effects of Predator Control on Turtles and Turtle Nests
Effects of the International Trade in Turtle Meat Products
Collection for the Pet Trade as Cause of Decline
Impacts of Fisheries Practices upon Turtle Species
Historic Declines and Recovery of the American Alligator
Impacts of Sport Hunting on American Alligator Population in Texas


Observation and Collection of Turtles and Crocodilians

Observation of Turtles and Crocodilians
Turtle and Crocodilian Photography
Collection of Turtles
Legal Aspects of Collecting Turtles and Crocodilians

Local Laws
Texas State Laws
Federal Laws


Permits and Collecting Turtles and Crocodilians in Texas
Threatened, Endangered, and Protected Nongame Species


Maintenance of Turtles and Crocodilians

Maintenance of Turtles and Crocodilians in Captivity
Creation of Turtle and Crocodilian Habitat
Handling of Turtles and Crocodilians


Museum and Preserved Specimens
Scientific and Common Names


Dichotomous Key to Texas Turtles

Dichotomous Keys
Key to Texas Turtles


Systematic Accounts

Class: Chelonia
Order Cryptodeira

Family: Chelydridae

Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)


Family: Emydidae

Cagle’s Map Turtle (Graptemys caglei)
Ouachita Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis)
Sabine Map Turtle (Graptemys sabinensis)
False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica)
Texas Map Turtle (Graptemys versa)
Diamond-backed Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna)
Rio Grande Cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi)
Texas River Cooter (Pseudemys texana)
Florida Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys nelsoni)--introduced
Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)
Mexican Plateau Slider (Trachemys gaigeae)
Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta)
Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia)
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina)
Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata)


Family: Testudinidae

Texas Tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri)


Family: Trionychidae

Smooth Softshell (Apalone mutica)
Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera)


Family: Kinosternidae

Yellow Mud Turtle (Kinosternon flavescens)
Rough-footed Mud Turtle (Kinosternon hirtipes)
Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum)
Razor-backed Musk Turtle (Sternotherus carinatus)
Stinkpot (Sternotherus odoratus)


Family: Cheloniidae

Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)


Family: Dermatochelyidae

Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)




Class: Crocodilia

Family: Alligatoridae

American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)






Appendix A: Species with Prehistoric Occurrence in Texas
Appendix B: Nonestablished Exotic Species
Appendix C: Table of Texas Turtles and Crocodilians and River Drainages They Inhabit
Appendix D: Turtle and Crocodilian Informational Resources
Appendix E: Map of Texas Counties
Glossary
Bibliography
Index of Common Names
Index of Scientific Names

Reihe/Serie Texas Natural History Guides
Verlagsort Austin, TX
Sprache englisch
Maße 114 x 184 mm
Gewicht 399 g
Themenwelt Sachbuch/Ratgeber Natur / Technik Naturführer
ISBN-10 1-4773-0777-X / 147730777X
ISBN-13 978-1-4773-0777-9 / 9781477307779
Zustand Neuware
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