Stalking the Plumed Serpent and Other Adventures in Herpetology

Based on his more than 40 years of field research, Means, an expert on the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, reveals the biological complexity and beauty of the animals he has studied. In Australia, Means searches for the fiercey, reputed to be the worlds deadliest terrestrial snake. In Mexico, he stalks the rattlesnake that might have served as the model for the mythical plumed serpent of Mayan art. In Florida, he is chased by cottonmouth moccasins. Through his experiences, Means hopes that readers will gain a new appreciation for animals called herps, or creepy-crawly things.

Author Biography

D. Bruce Means grew up in Alaska, received his Ph.D. in biology from Florida State University, and is president of the Coastal Plains Institute and Land Conservancy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the rich biodiversity of the vast coastal plain of the southeastern United States. He is an adjunct professor of biological science at Florida State University, where he has taught courses on the ecology of upland, wetland, and coastal environments of the Southeast, as well as vertebrate biology, ichthyology, mammalogy, herpetology, general biology, tropical ecology, and conservation biology. His research has focused on such diverse topics as fire ecology, the natural history of South American tepuis, biogeography, conservation, endangered species, and the evolution and natural history of amphibians and reptiles. He has published more than 235 scientific articles, technical reports, and popular articles in National Wildlife, International Wildlife, Natural History, BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, Fauna, South American Explorer, and other magazines.