The best Triturus book In English?

[david]

What's the best book written in English about all of the triturus species?

 

[francesco]

Hi David
If you're interested in ecological aspects of triturus and other european caudates I've just bought "Newts and salamanders of Europe" by R.A.Griffiths and I think it gives you a lot of information on the triturus ecology.
If you want a book focused on the description of the various species u should buy "Reptiles and amphibians of Britain and Europe" by E.N.arnold and J.ABurton. I have the old edition, don't know what the new one is like.
"Newts of the british isles" by P.J.Wisniewski is a small booklet of only 25 pages but it tells you a lot of interesting things on vulgaris, helveticus and cristatus biology. It also has very nice pictures.

 

[caleb]

I agree with Francesco- Griffiths and Arnold & Burton's books are pretty much essential. The new edition of Arnold & Burton is pretty much the same as the original one, but with a few taxonomic updates.

A couple of others you might consider are:

Beebee, T., & Griffiths, R., 2000. Amphibians and Reptiles- A Natural History of the British Herpetofauna

-Probably the best source of information on the three UK species (vulgaris, helveticus, cristatus).

The Great Crested Newt conservation handbook- available online at
http://www.froglife.fsnet.co.uk/HandbookF.htm (or free by post)

-lots of information relating to conservation of T. cristatus in the UK, very good if you're interested in knowing about T. cristatus in the wild.

If you're mainly interested in captive care, then the care sheets on Caudate Central are more useful than any book I've read.