African Wildlife & Environment Issue 80

GOOD READS

Reptiles Pietersen, Darren, Luke Verburgt and John Davies (2021). Snakes and Other Reptiles of Zambia and Malawi. Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. Soft cover, 15 x 21 cm, 376 pp, illustrated in colour throughout with photographs, diagrams and maps. ISBN 978-1-77584 -737-3. RRP R430.

that year they were returning from a trip to the Drakensberg when they were kidnapped, robbed and murdered. Professor Fiona Ross from the University of Cape Town established the Saunders Guide Trust to ensure that their goal would be fulfilled. She, together with other botanists and friends of the Saunders', notably John Manning and Peter Goldblatt, oversaw the posthumous publication of this beautiful publication, and South Africa and the world owes them an enormous debt of gratitude for doing so. The book is a lasting memorial to the lives of two very special people, who live on through their beloved gladioli and the images of both of them in the field, gathering the material that they would never themselves see in print. This is the first book to offer a complete photographic record of the 166 species of Gladiolus that occur in South Africa. This genus has fascinated plant collectors, taxonomists and the general public for centuries. Known for their spectacular flowers, these highly adapted and specialised plants occur throughout Africa, Madagascar, Europe and the Middle East. South Africa is home to more than half the world's species, and the Western Cape is the heart of their species diversity. The book comprises an introduction giving the history of gladioli, information about the morphology and taxonomy of the genus, and guidelines to using the book in the field. Detailed descriptions are given of each species, along with what is known about ecology, pollinators, similar species and conservation status. There are up- to-date distribution maps indicating where the different species have been recorded. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the book is the over 1,000 excellent photographs taken in the field to show the morphology and habitat of each species. This is a book that anyone interested in the botany of South Africa, and the gladioli in particular, would want to have on their bookshelves, and to use in the field. It is a thing of beauty, and the tragic background to its creation brought a tear to my eye. I am sure the Saunders' would have wanted to share their love of these gorgeous plants with as many people as possible. Thankfully, that is now indeed achievable.

This book is about the snakes, lizards, terrapins, tortoises and crocodiles of Zambia and Malawi, of which there are 240 known species, including 14 endemics. This is the first book that describes every one of these species that occur in the two countries. It is beautifully produced and lavishly illustrated with stunning photographs, and is yet another invaluable contribution to the natural history literature of Africa. The team at Struik Nature has once again demonstrated its extraordinary skills in publishing outstanding books. In their preface, the authors point out that Zambia and Malawi are something of a 'herpetological enigma', being too far north to be included in southern African field guides, and too far south for East African field guides. This former 'black hole' has now been admirably filled by this excellent publication. In his foreword, noted herpetologist and author Johan Marais writes: "In an age of mediocrity and misinformation, it is great to see a herpetological book of this calibre. It will fit in well with other classics on African herpetology." The book provides comprehensive descriptions of each order, suborder, family, genus and species. For each group of reptiles, a key is provided to aid in species identification. The species descriptions cover identifying features, behaviour, prey and predators, range and danger to humans. Up-to-date distribution maps are based on over 16,000 recorded observations. It will be of enormous value to naturalists, conservationists, tour guides and safari and hunting companies operating in the two countries. It is a superb effort, highly recommended.

4 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 80 (2021)