For upper-level undergraduate courses in herpetology, found in departments of Biology, Zoology, Natural Resources, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. This fascinating study integrates information about the ecology, behavior, morphology, and physiology of amphibians and reptiles, presenting topics in a phylogenetic and organismal context. An insightful collaboration among authors whose work has been instrumental in the development of such diverse specialties as molecular evolution, environmental physiology, and behavioral ecology, it shows amphibians and reptiles as vital organisms that represent a distinct and successful approach to terrestrial vertebrate life.