Product Description
No two lizard species have spawned as much folklore, wonder, and myth as the Gila Monster, Heloderma suspectum, and the Beaded Lizard, H. horridum--the sole survivors of an ancient group of predacious lizards called the Monstersauria. More like snakes on legs, monstersaurs are a walking contradiction: they are venomous yet don't appear to use their venom for subduing prey; their mottled patterns mingle with the broken shadows and textures of their desert and tropical dry forest habitats, yet their bright open mouths hiss a bold warning that a nasty bite awaits those who advance further. And while Gila Monster venom produces excruciating pain, it also contains a peptide that has become a promising new drug for treating type-2 diabetes. Perhaps the ultimate paradox is that monstersaurs are among the most famous of lizards, yet until quite recently they have remained among the least studied. With numerous illustrations, stunning color photographs, and an up-to-date synthesis of their biology, this book explains why the Monstersauria seems poised to change the way we think about lizards. Daniel D. Beck--who has been investigating Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards for over 22 years--teams up here with award-winning wildlife photographer Tom Wiewandt to produce a comprehensive summary of this small but remarkable family of lizards. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent book!
This is an excellent book on Helodermid lizards, written very well for both the lay person and the professional.A must have for anyone interested in or working with these lizards.

Best Helodermatid Lizard book out
This book is very informative and is a great book on Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizads. This book was so good I could hardly put it down. This book gave me a greater understanding of Gila monsters and Beaded Lizards. This book is for anyone who wants to learn all aspects of Heloderma Lizards. I Recommend this to anybody who is Interested in them.

Everything you want to know about heloderms
An Excellent book.If you want to know anything about Heloderms then this is the book for you.it covers just about every aspect of Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards that you could hope to know.it has great pictures that that help you understand even better what he's speaking about in the book.

One of the best written so far.
This is one of those books every serious herpetologist interested in Heloderms should have.As a former zookeeper, this book would have been very helpful in solving some of the smaller problems with breeding the several subspecies of H. suspectum such as charlesbogerti and alvarezi.Anyone who wants to learn more should own this book for their reference collection.

Not your average Herp book
As a member of the Tucson Herpetological Society,I have been hearing of the genesis of this book for years. I wondered, "How could a scientist in cold, wet, Washington write about Gilas and Beadeds?"
The answer was simple. Dan Beck spent many long, hot months in the Deserts of Arizona and surrounding states as well as in the Tropical Dry Forests of Mexico and Guatemala.
The result is a book that has been sorely needed for about a half-century. I picked it up and read it straight through in a few days as if it were a novel or a Harry Potter Book. I actually bought the book as a birthday present for my biologist son but after presenting him the first one, found I really needed to get one for myself as an easy reference to keep on my bookshelf.
I do not pretend to understand all the graphs and charts but I know they are necessary. Maybe someday I shall.
What I did like was the easy flow of the words as Dan Beck told the story of two of the most mysterious animals in the world. So little is known about these two species that often, writers are content to say, "They spend 95% of their time underground" or similar. Dan Beck fleshes out the story of why Heloderma spend so much time out of view and, presumably, underground. I also liked the manner in which the author introduced the next chapter in the last few words of the preceding chapter.For example, the last words of Chapter 4 on Physiological Ecology are,"we must consider their use of habitat and patterns of activity."Chapter 5 is appropriately titled, " Habitat Use and Activity Patterns." This is done a number of times but it took me several chapters to catch on.
One thing that greatly impressed me was the author's use of anecdotal information as well as research driven data from trusted sources. Many "stories" would have been dismissed years ago but are now considered as valuable information due to his own research.
Maybe this will be the beginning of a true understanding of these mysterious reptiles. ... Read more

Product Description
With the possible exception of the vampire bat, no North American animal has been the source of more superstitions, the subject of as many legends, or the object of more exaggerated claims than the Gila monster (HELODERMA SUSPECTUM). Not only is the Gila monster America's largest and only poisonous lizard, it is our slowest moving saurian, the only reptile having an armored hide, and the only lizard with a forked tongue like a snake's. No biologist has yet discovered a Gila monster nest or observed a Gila monster hatching in the wild. Add to these phenomena the fact that more than 99% of the Gila monster's life is spent out of sight below the surface of the ground, and you have the makings for a very mysterious creature indeed.Authors David Brown and Neil Carmony have examined the available literature to write a very readable account of the lizard's natural history, including descriptions, fossil records, distribution, temperature and moisture regulation, reproduction, longevity, predators, and population status. They also document its relationship to humans and folklore; its venom; bites of humans and other animals; and bite. The lore of the Southwest is replete with wild claims and fantastic stories about Gila monsters, selections of which introduce and enliven many subsections of the book. The authors then proceed to dispel such myths with accurate, well-researched discussions of the scientific data. This entertaining and informative volume will be enjoyed by anyone interested in reptiles, the Southwest, or the lore of desert creatures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Ignore the cover and read the book
It is an unfortunate fact of publishing that the people who design book covers are not the same as those who write the books.In fact, authors frequently have little or no say over how their work is packaged.Isuspect this is the case for Brown and Carmony's excellent work on Gilamonsters.

It is true that Gila Monster, Facts and Folklore of America'sAztec Lizard carries errors on the back cover, but there are none in thetext. Indeed, Brown and Carmony communicate their fascinating subject ina manner that is both readable and accurate.They present not only acomplete picture of Gila Monster biology, but also a fascinating look theanimals' cultural significance.I heartily urge this book for anyone whohas an interest in the herpetology, natural history, or folklore of theAmerican Southwest.

promotes misconceptoins of the lizard
The overall content of the book was good and easily readable, but especially on the cover the authors stated some out and out untruths about the Gila Monster.The Gila Monster is not the only lizard with a forkedtongue or with an armored hide as the authors stated. The varanids andteiids also have forked tongue and at least some have armored hides. I tendto disagree with a few other comments made in the book, but at presentthese are just my opinions and need more research before I can justify anargument against them. The book was interesting, but have some suspicionwhen reading as to whether or not it is all correct.

Good introduction to the lizard
Fascinating information regarding early envenomations in the American West, a good bibliography, and wonderful introduction to the subject suitable for any naturalist. ... Read more

Product Description
Details the life cycle and habits of the gila monster. ... Read more

Product Description

Gale proudly presents the completely revised and updated version of the acclaimed “Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia” set. Hailed by many as the best reference work on animals ever published, a legacy left to us by famed zoologist and animal lover Bernhard Grzimek, this set is renowned for its scientific reporting and coverage, and serves as a major point of reference for researchers, students, and those hoping to satisfy their curiosity about the animal kingdom. Information can be found on life cycles, predators, food systems, overall ecology and much more. Staying true to the original scientific pedigree, Gale enlisted prominent advisors and contributors from the international scientific community to incorporate recent developments in our knowledge of the animal world.

Product Description
Chapters: Platypus, Cnidaria, Komodo Dragon, Portuguese Man O' War, Spider Bite, Snakebite, Gila Monster, Beaded Lizard, Sunda Loris, Box Jellyfish, Slow Loris, Chironex Fleckeri, Irukandji Jellyfish, Blue-Ringed Octopus, Venomous Snake, Toxicofera, Solenodon, Conidae, Naja Ashei, Venomous Mammals, Heloderma Horridum Charlesbogerti, Pogonomyrmex Maricopa, Red Sea Species Hazardous to Humans, Lonomia, Greater Blue-Ringed Octopus, Striped Pyjama Squid, List of Venomous Animals, Dry Bite, Carukia Barnesi. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 225. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Cnidaria (pronounced with a silent c) is a phylum containing over 9,000 species of animals found exclusively in aquatic and mostly marine environments. Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that they use mainly for capturing prey. Their bodies consist of mesoglea, a non-living jelly-like substance, sandwiched between two layers of epithelium that are mostly one cell thick. They have two basic body forms: swimming medusae and sessile polyps, both of which are radially symmetrical with mouths surrounded by tentacles that bear cnidocytes. Both forms have a single orifice and body cavity that are used for digestion and respiration. Many cnidarian species produce colonies that are single organisms composed of medusa-like or polyp-like zooids, or both. Cnidarians' activities are coordinated by a decentralized nerve net and simple receptors. Several free-swimming Cubozoa and Scyphozoa possess balance-sensing statocysts, and some have simple eyes. Not all cnidarians reproduce sexually. Many have complex lifecycles with asexual polyp stages and sexual medusae, but some omit either the polyp or the medusa stage. Cnidarians were for a long time grouped with Ctenophores in the phylum Coelenterata, but in...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=6621 ... Read more

Product Description

Gila monsters are the biggest lizards in North America. Learn more about these scaly desert dwellers in Gila Monsters.

... Read more

Product Description
An introduction to gila monsters including a description of their appearance and information on where they live, what they eat, how they produce young, and the dangers that gila monsters face. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is a journal article from Biological Conservation, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
... Read more

Product Description
Amazing Animal Stories, 4.0 Reading Level, Reading Comprehension Duplicator Book (tarantula, stegosaurus, manta ray, black mamba, killer whale, roadrunner, basilisk lizard, grizzly bear, octopus, driver ant,, black swallower, platypus, gila monster, triceratops, portuguese man-of-war, cheetah, angler fish, pickerel frog, arctic tern, wrasse fish) ... Read more