There are 123 currently recognized species of reptiles and amphibians to be found in New Zealand. Of these, an astonishing (well, it was to me, at least) 64 are of the family Scincidae – the skinks. All but one of these – the introduced and now established Rainbow Skink – are of the genus Oligosoma and are endemic. With the island’s geckos (all species of which are also endemic), this remarkable assortment of skinks comprises the entirely of the lizard species to be found in Aotearoa.
Each time the nice people from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s publicity department contact me to say that they have a new Peterson’s Field Guide soon to be released, I always reply with a note that includes the text “Western? ;-)” As nine times out of ten they’re Eastern, this has become a friendly little joke between us. However every so often a new – or updated edition of a – Western guide does make an appearance.
Whenever I am bound for some far-off destination, at least one of the books I stuff into my already over-stuffed bag will be a relevant volume of the Princeton Field Guides or Princeton Pocket Guides series. I make it a point of maintaining an extensive collection of them for just such purposes.
As all good herpetologists – be they amateur or professional – likely know, it’s been roughly twenty years since the third edition of “A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America” was published. And as might be assumed, quite a lot has changed in the field since that time.