Reptile and Amphibian Variants: Colors, Patterns, and Scales

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Summary: Bechtel's "Variants" book a must for herpetoculturalists.
Review: Dr. Bechtel provides a great deal of insight on the patterns and colors of herps especially as to the way these characteristics are inhertited. Bechtel's background as a dermatologist and his lifetime of work with his interest in herpetoculture make him uniquely qualified to present a treatment of skin characteristics of reptiles and amphibians. There are sections of the book that provide a background in genetics for the layman and sections discussing the hertability of little known traits in seldom studied organisms. Color plates and diagrams effectively reinforce his text. Dr. Bechtel is known as one of the fathers of herpetoculture and his writings and work with corn snakes are widely regarded as seminal works. I highly recommend this book for serious herp people or anyone interested in the colors and patterns of reptile and amphibians.

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Summary: Reptiles and The Fascinating Mystery of Genetics...
Review: Today's advancements in herpetoculture have produced captive-bred reptiles of amazingly great beauty. Animals once unobtainable or unimaginable are now available to the scientifically curious and amateur alike. I am still waiting for a two-headed, albino Gila Monster! Roger D. Windsor ( By the way, Komodo Dragons ARE dinosaurs!