The listed titles are good starting points and cover a range of species. They include encyclopedias, guide books, and handbooks. The scientific (ie Latin) names are included in all these titles. To search for a book on a particular species, go to Library Catalog Search.
American Insects | QL 474 .A761 2000 | 2nd edition. Includes diagrams, b/w photos and illustrations, with a brief bibliography. |
Animal Anatomy on File | QL 812.5 .A551 2003 | Ideal for the newcomer to animal anatomy. Contents are in a file folder, and there is permission to photocopy text and illustrations for educational purposes. |
Animal Behavior Desk Reference | QL 750.3 .B371 2001 | 2nd edition. Formatted like a standard dictionary. Contains definitions for terms such as animal behavior, biogeography, psychology, statistics, and other related sciences. |
Beacham's Guide to the Endangered Species of North America (Also available online) |
QH 77 .N56 B431 2001 | 6 volumes, with each one covering a set of species. Vol.1-mammals, birds, reptiles. Vol. 2-amphibians, fishes, snails, mussels, clams. Vol. 3-arachnids, crustaceans, insects, lichens,fern allies, true ferns, conifers, dicots. Vols. 4,5 & 6-more on dicots. Vol.6-monocots, glossary, organizations, geographic index, master index. Each entry concludes with contact information and references. |
(Also available online) |
QL 671 .B645 | Published bimonthly by the American Ornithologists' Union. Each issue focused on one bird species. Includes a bibliography. |
Comprehensive Molecular Insect Science (Also available online) |
QL 495 .C65 2005 | 7 volume set. Illustrated. Each chapter contains references. Topics range from endocrinology to pharmacology. Includes subject index and species index. |
(Also available online) |
QL 462.3 .E48 2003 | Illustrated, and with color photos. Each section carries references. Includes a chapter on Endangered Insects, and on Folk Beliefs & Superstitions. |
The New Encyclopedia of Reptiles & Amphibians (Also available online) |
QL 641 .E53 2002 | Better illustrated than the previous edition. Now has diagrams and color photos. Includes information on classification and conservation status. |
Flowering Plants of the World | QK 495 .A1 F64 1993 | Heavily illustrated. Includes a detailed glossary. |
Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia (Also available online) |
QL 45.2 .G923 2003 | 16 volume revised set, with chapter 17 as the master index. Chapters cover mammals, fishes, insects, reptiles, amphibians, mollusks and echinoderms. Well-illustrated. |
Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals | QL 701 .G7913 1990 | 5 volume set. Well-illustrated with many color photos, plates and maps. |
Handbook of Frogs & Toads of the United States & Canada | QL 668 .E2 W95 1995 | Contains over 100 species and subspecies of frogs and toads. |
Handbook of the Birds of the World | QL 673 .H2511 1992 | 7 volumes. Illustrated with color photos and maps. Contains information about habitat, breeding, communication, relationship with humans. |
Insects, Spiders, and other Terrestrial Arthropods | QL 467 .M3961 2000 | Guide to over 300 insects and other arthropod families. Very well-illustrated, with concise descriptions. |
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies | QL 548 .P941 1995 | Well-illustrated field guide to butterflies. Includes the anatomy of butterflies and how to watch and photograph them. |
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders | QL 473 .M541 1980 | Well-illustrated. Contains 550 insects and over 60 common spiders. |
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals | QL 715 .W481 1996 | Well-illustrated. Includes information on how mammals are classified, with a description on major habitats types. Mammals that are exclusively ocean-dwelling, such as whales, are not included in this field guide. |
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles & Amphibians | QL 651 .B44 1998 | Well-illustrated. Includes all native and introduced reptiles and amphibians found in North America. |
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, western region | QK 110 .S67 2001 | Well-illustrated. Includes family and species descriptions, as well as an introduction to plant anatomy. |
QL120 .N491 2004 | 2 volume set that includes IUCN categories. Vol 1 covers Aquatic Invertebrates & Fishes. Vol 2 covers Fishes & Aquatic Mammals. Also contains a glossary, index and bibliography. | |
Scientific and Common Names of 7,000 Vascular Plants in the United States | QK 96 .B73 1995 | Arranged in 4 sections: Vascular Plant Names, Common Name Index, Synonyms, and Families and Genera. |
Simon & Schuster's Guide to Insects | QL 473 .A761 1981 | Arranged like a field guide. Detailed introduction on anatomy, behavior and classification of insects. |
Synopsis & Classification of Living Organisms | QH 83 .S891 | 2 volumes. Articles arranged by Super-Kingdom. Kingdom and Sub-Kingdom. |
Toxic Plants of North America | QK 100 .N6 B871 2001 | "Covers both animal and human intoxications…" Arranged by scientific name. |
Trees | QK 475.6 .C611 1992 | A visual guide to more than 500 species of trees from around the world. Each entry carries the name of the person who first described and named that species of tree. |
Walker's Mammals of the World | QL 703 .W18 1999 | 2 volume set. Contains detailed accounts of every genus of mammal known to have existed in the past 5,000 years, including 21 new to science. |
Walkers's Carnivores of the World |
QL 737 .C2 N691 2005 | Portions have been adapted from Walker's Mammals of the World. Many b/w photos and a long list of references. |
Wild Animals of North America | QL 715 .N42 1998 | Prepared by the National Geographic. Contains brief descriptions and many color photos. Includes index and a species list. |
World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity | QL 82 .W6711 2000 | 3rd edition. Published by the FAO. Based on farm animals and their wild counterparts. Includes Breeds at Risk. |