Paradise for Reptiles : Lizards, Snakes, and Giant Tortoises of the Galapagos Islands, Volume 2: Marine Iguanas, Land Iguanas, and Lava Lizards

A continuation of volume one focused on marine iguanas, land iguanas, and lava lizards, each of which offers key insights into evolution in the Galápagos Islands.

A continuation of volume one focused on marine iguanas, land iguanas, and lava lizards, each of which offers key insights into evolution in the Galápagos Islands.


Reptiles are intrinsic to the mystique of the Galápagos Islands, and A Paradise for Reptiles: Lizards, Snakes, and Giant Tortoises of the Galápagos Islands tells the story of these iconic animals and details the early encounters with each species, including the route by which they were recognized and named. Robert H. Rothman draws from a wide range of scientific literature to present an accessible, comprehensive account of the research on the natural history, behavioral ecology, physiology, genetics, and conservation of each major group. A Paradise for Reptiles is richly supplemented with thirty years of photographs taken by the author during annual trips to the Galápagos.

Volume 2: Marine Iguanas, Land Iguanas, and Lava Lizards continues the story of Galápagos reptiles with accounts of these three representatives of the family Iguanidae. In the historic literature, marine iguanas were reviled for their apparent ugliness, while lava lizards were generally ignored. However, each of the three lizards offers key insights into evolution in the Galápagos Islands.