BOAS AND PYTHONS
OF THE WORLD
by
Mark O’Shea
New Holland Publishers
2007
BBC WILDLIFE MAGAZINE
BOOK OF THE MONTH
May 2007
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160 pages
over 100 detailed species accounts
over 150 full colour photographs
and a Foreword by Dave and Tracy Barker, Vida Preciosa, Boerne, Texas
Publisher’s synopsis: Few reptiles command more respect than the mighty boas and pythons. From eleven-meter-long anacondas in the Amazon to the diminutive Javelin Sand Boa, no longer than 80 centimeters, these are the longest members of the snake family. Supremely beautiful, they embody power and grace. But are they gentle giants or finely tuned killing machines? This book provides the answers, exploring the world of these huge snakes on a fascinating journey through the five continents they inhabit. It describes the distribution, habitat, life and habits of all the known species of boa and python, as well as highlighting the threats these magnificent creatures face from habitat destruction, hunting and climate change. Also included are the often overlooked but fascinating basal snakes, primitive relatives of the boas and pythons. Lavishly illustrated throughout with stunning photographs (many taken by the author and not published before), “Boas and Pythons” provides comprehensive and authoritative information in a lively and accessible format – a fitting celebration of one of the most fascinating yet little-known groups in the reptile world.
“Boas and Pythons of the World” comprises five chapters arranged geographically
as in its sister volume “Venomous Snakes of the World“:
INTRODUCTION: Evolution of leglessness as an advanced state; Anatomy of snakes;
Basal snake diversity and distribution; Constriction: Giant snakes: myth or monster?;
Man-eating snakes; Life underground, and Conservation.
THE AMERICAS: American blindsnakes; American basal snakes;
American Macrostomatan snakes, and American boas.
EUROPE AND ASIA: European and Asian blindsnakes; Asian basal snakes;
Asian macrostomatan snakes; Eurasian sand boas, and Asian pythons.
AFRICA AND THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS: African blindsnakes; African boas;
African pythons, and Indian Ocean boas.
AUSTRALASIA AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN ISLANDS: Australasian blindsnakes;
Indo-Australian basal snakes; Australasian pythons, and Pacific boas.
World map showing the distribution of Contents pages Chapter opener for Australasia and American English and Foreign Language Editions
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