Description: Nearly thirty years after the publication of the last detailed book on the newts and salamanders of Europe, this book at last provides a much needed, modern coverage of the ecology, behaviour, evolution and conservation of these fascinating amphibians. The author abandons the popular conception of amphibians as a primitive group which are poorly adapted to life on land. Indeed, he shows how the diversity of newt and salamander life-styles underlines how this relatively small group of animals has managed to survive in such diverse habitats as underground caves, mountain tops, tropical forests and the Siberian tundra. Delightfully illustrated and fully referenced throughout, the book synthesises much recent research into a lively and readable format that will be of interest to both experienced and inexperienced herpetologists and natural historians. Given recent concerns over global amphibian declines, newts and salamanders have been the focus of consirable media attention and scientific work in recent years. This book describes how an understanding of the ecology and habitat requirements of these animals can lead to more effective conservation measures. The final chapter provides species-by-species accounts of all 32 newt and salamander species occurring within the western Palaearctic region. The classification of newts and salamanders is complex and often controversial, but the author provides a user-friendly guide to the relationships between the different species and subspecies. The species accounts are accompanied by notes and maps on distribution, habitat requirements and behaviour, as well as colour photographs of every species.

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