Mercedes S. Foster & Craig Guyer 
Reptile Biodiversity [PDF ebook] 
Standard Methods for Inventory and Monitoring

FIGURES xi
TABLES xvi
AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTOR xviii
FOREWORD Rick Shine xxii
PREFACE xxvi
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1
Mercedes S. Foster, Roy W. Mc Diarmid, and Neil Chernoff
Setting the Stage
Importance of Standardization
Intended Audience
CHAPTER 2. REPTILE DIVERSITY AND NATURAL HISTORY: AN OVERVIEW 8
Roy W. Mc Diarmid
Introduction
Turtles
Crocodilians
Lepidosaurs
CHAPTER 3. STUDY DESIGN AND SAMPLING 49
Overview Robert N. Fisher and Milan Mitrovich
The Value of Long-term Monitoring J. Whitfield Gibbons
Know Your Organisms Joseph C. Mitchell
Using Geographical Information Systems to Design Reptile Surveys Charles R. Peterson
and John R. Lee
Precautions for Quantitative Reptile Field Studies Lee-Ann C. Hayek
CHAPTER 4. PLANNING AND ASSOCIATED DATA 117
Overview Mercedes S. Foster
Climate Data and Seasonality Joseph C. Mitchell
Describing Microhabitats Robert E. Lovich and Kim Gray-Lovich
Diversity, Distribution Maps, and Atlas Production Ralph W. Axtell
Automated Data Acquisition Michael E. Dorcas and Charles R. Peterson
Handheld Computers for Digital Data Collection Carlton J. Rochester and Robert N.
Fisher
Databases, Metadata, and Integrated Data Management Christopher Brown and
Robert N. Fisher
Data quality Assurance and Quality Control Andrea Atkinson, Carlton J. Rochester,
and Robert N. Fisher
CHAPTER 5. FINDING AND CAPTURING REPTILES 183
Lee A. Fitzgerald
Introduction
General Considerations
Detecting, Counting, and Sampling Squamates
Contributed sections:
Funnel Traps, Pitfall Traps, and Drift Fences Lee A. Fitzgerald and J. H. Yantis
Specialized Trapping of Snakes over Large Areas D. Craig Rudolph
Finding, Counting, and Catching Crocodiles Frank Mazzotti
Collaboration with Local People for Sampling Reptiles Marcio Martins and
Cristiano Nogueira
CHAPTER 6. VOUCHER SPECIMENS 216
Robert P. Reynolds and Roy W. Mc Diarmid
Introduction
Field Identification
Specimen repositories
Sample size
Specimen data
Conclusions
Appendix A. Preparing reptiles as scientific specimens Sean J. Berry
Contributed section: Hemipenis preparation Christopher J. Raxworthy
Appendix B. Collection and preservation of reptilian embryos Alan H. Savitzky,
William A. Velhagen, Jr., and Neil Chernoff
Appendix C. Field parasitology techniques for reptile surveys Scott L. Gardner,
Robert N. Fisher, and Sean J. Berry
Appendix D. Collecting and preserving tissues for biochemical analyses James A.
Schulte II
CHAPTER 7. TECHNIQUES FOR DIFFICULT-TO-SAMPLE HABITATS 311
Overview Robert E. Lovich
1. Rock-dwelling reptiles Robert E. Lovich and Aaron M. Bauer
2. Snake hibernacula and communal denning Robert N. Reed, Cameron A.
Young, and Robert T. Zappalorti
3. Arboreal reptiles: Tree-trunk and canopy-dwelling species Indraneil Das
4. Swamp-dwelling crocodilians William E. Magnusson
5. Detecting and Capturing Turtles In Freshwater Habitats Richard C. Vogt
6. Alternative Methods For Sampling Freshwater Turtles Thomas S. B. Akre,
John D.Willson, and Thomas P. Wilson
7. Sampling Marine And Estuarial Reptiles Harold K. Voris and John C. Murphy
CHAPTER 8. STATISTICAL PROPERTIES OF TECHNIQUES AND VALIDATION 395
Gordon H. Rodda
Comparison of Techniques
Validation of Techniques And Assumptions
CHAPTER 9. STANDARD TECHNIQUES FOR INVENTORY AND MONITORING 415
Selecting a Technique Craig Guyer and Gordon H. Rodda
Techniques:
1. Complete Species Inventories Christopher J. Raxworthy, Natalia Ananjeva, and
Nikolai L. Orlov
2. Road Riding Brian K. Sullivan
3. Visual Encounter Surveys Craig Guyer and Maureen A. Donnelly
4. Quadrat Sampling Harold F. Heatwole
5. Permanent Plots with Mark-recapture Craig Guyer and Maureen A. Donnelly
6. Transect Surveys, including Line Distance Robert E. Lovich, William K. Hayes, Henry
Mushinsky, and Gordon H. Rodda
7. Pitfall-Trap Surveys Robert N. Fisher and Carlton J. Rochester
8. Sampling with Artificial Cover J. Steve Godley
9. Reptile Sign and Camera Traps Robert N. Fisher
10. Nest and Track Surveys Jack Frazier
11. Aerial Surveys for Marine Turtles Robert D. Kenney and C. Robert Shoop
CHAPTER 10. PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS OF REPTILIAN BIODIVERSITY DATA 586
Chad L. Cross, Natalia Ananjeva, Nikolai L. Orlov, and Antonio W. Salas
Introduction
Biodiversity Measures
Species Density and Continuously Distributed Data
Species Accumulation Curves
Rarefaction
Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Diversity
Making Inferences Based on Monitoring Data
Analyzing Biodiversity
Data
Computer Programs for Analyses of Biodiversity Data
CHAPTER 11. POPULATION SIZE AND DEMOGRAPHICS 615
Gordon H. Rodda
Introduction
Point estimates
Dynamic Demography
Contributed section:
Relative Abundance in Snakes: A Case Study David A. Steen, Craig Guyer,
and Lora L. Smith
CHAPTER 12. MONITORING EXPLOITED SPECIES 722
Lee A. Fitzgerald
Challenges Confronting Researchers Studying Exploited Species
Trade Patterns of Exploited Species of Reptiles
Natural History and Demographic Information from Hunted Animals
Harvest Data, Hunter Effort, and Hunting Patterns
Analysis and Interpretation of Exploitation Data
Informed Conservation of Exploited Species when Data Are Lacking
CHAPTER 13. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? 744
Roy W. Mc Diarmid and Mercedes S. Foster
Introduction
Major Conservation Efforts
Species Attributes
Where We Are Today
The Future
STANDARD PROCEDURES 762
I. DEALING WITH LIVE REPTILES 763
Ethical Considerations in Working with Reptiles Gordon M. Burghardt
Handling Live Reptiles Steven J. Beaupre and Harry W. Greene
Anesthesia in Reptiles Dale De Nardo
Standard Data from Live Specimens Patrick T. Gregory
II. TECHNIQUES FOR MARKING REPTILES 810
Michael V. Plummer and John W. Ferner
Introduction
Identifying Marks and Photographs
Permanent and Temporary Tags
Tagging Different Reptile groups
Morphological Modifications
Color Marking
Radiotelemetry
Cautions and Recommendations
III. DETERMINING AGE, SEX, AND REPRODUCTIVE CONDITION 834
Robert N. Reed and Anton D. Tucker
Introduction
Determining Sex
Determining Age
Determining Reproductive Condition
APPENDICES 868
I. SELECTED INSTITUTIONS WITH SIGNIFICANT COLLECTIONS OF REPTILES 869
Mercedes S. Foster and Roy W. Mc Diarmid
Introduction
Natural history museums and other specimen repositories
Directories of natural history museums and collections
II. RELEVANT WEBSITES 882
TK
Mercedes S. Foster
Reptile & other websites of interest
Computer Programs
Vendors
Equipment and Supplies
Chemicals
Telemetry Equipment
LITERATURE CITED 900
INDEX TK
ADDRESSES OF AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS 1111

Roy W. Mc Diarmid is a Research Zoologist and Curator of Reptiles for the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center at the National Museum of Natural History. Mercedes S. Foster is a Research Zoologist and Curator of Birds for the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center at the National Museum of Natural History. Craig Guyer is Professor of Biological Sciences at Auburn University. J. Whitfield Gibbons is Professor of Ecology at the University of Georgia and former head of the Environmental Outreach and Education program at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. Neil Chernoff is a scientist at the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.