Turtles of the World, Volume 1 thru 3

Turtles of the World (Volumes 1, 2, and 3) By Holger Vetter

Listen up turtle and tortoise fans! These three books contain some of the most complete and current taxonomical data on a wide variety of species. Published by TerraLog, all three volumes in the set are quality, hard bound books, published in Europe and recently made available here in the United States.

Each volume is devoted to a specific geographic region or regions. Volume 1 covers turtles of Africa, Europe, and Western Asia.. Volume 2 covers North American Species, and the final volume covers Central and South America.

All three volumes can be used independently, that is they do not constantly cross-reference each other as do some multi-volume sets. Volume 1 is about 100 pages, while 2 and 3 contain close to 130 pages. The format of the books is consistent and very user friendly. Each volume has an introduction, a section on how to use the books, and then a breif but thorough overview of the families and genuses to be covered.

The vast majority of the books are the photo sections. About 95% of each book is chock full of excellent color photos of nearly all of the species and subspecies within the given genus. Each photo is labeled with the Latin name, as well as the sex (of the pictured individual) and adult size. Additionally, there is a series of symbols that provide info on environment, indoor and outdoor housing potential, diet, and social structure. There is a key at the back of the book that you can reference to understand these symbols.

The taxonomy here is updated and accurate to European (and for the most part American) standards. Animals are represented to the sub-specific level, making identification of certain animals much easier. The overall production quality of these books is fantastic. The photos are clear and glossy, and there are very few typos for a translated book. Keep in mind that in all three volumes, all of the text is in both German and English, side by side.

Volume 1 is $29.95 and volumes 2 and 3 will set you back a mere $49.95. A very reassonable price for such a wealth of information. All volumes are in stock and ready to ship from www.LLLReptile.com