Sato’s Great work on the salamanders of Imperial Japan—comprising the main Japanese islands, the entire Korean peninsula, Taiwan, and half of Sakhalin Island (Russia)—is the most detailed summary of the natural history of East Asian salamanders ever published. This region is one of the world’s hotspots for salamander biodiversity.
This book was originally published in 1943, but in an old form of Japanese that was abandoned after World War II and is not easily read today. Thus, this English translation by Richard Goris, an American biologists long resident in Japan, represents the first time that Sato’s monograph will be made available for general use.
Details about the book’s contents:
- The book is based on Sato’s own field studies and laboratory research and covers 24 species in seven genera and three families (Hynobiidae, Cryptobranchidae, and Salamandridae). There is a long chapter on the Japanese giant salamander.
- The text, which is derived almost entirely from Sato’s original work, recounts his extensive field studies on remote islands, in streams and ponds, and on snow peaks, accompanied by numerous photographs from the field.
- The book covers systematics extensively (with complete synonymies). There are many line drawings and tables which provide basic morphological and life history data on each species, their distributions (spot maps for each species), reproduction, developmental stages, ecology, and karyotype details.
- All of the species are illustrated in 31 plates (with multiple figures) based on watercolor drawings from living specimens by the noted Japanese artist, Hajime Yoshioka.
Specifications: 410 pages, 149 figures and photographs, 87 tables. 31 full-page plates (29 in color). 7×10 inches (17.8×25.4 cm), clothbound. ISBN 978-1-946681-00-3. Publication date: early 2023.
Prices: $68.00 (SSAR members get 10% discount); institutions: $85. Shipping: USA addresses, add $10; non-USA, at cost (please inquire).
To order: This book at all other SSAR publications may be purchased online at https://ssar.wildapricot.org/Bookstore and charged to Discover, Mastercard, or Visa. Purchases may also be made payable to “SSAR” and mailed to: SSAR, P.O. Box 4022, Topeka, KS 66604, USA (email: cclassi@ssarherps.org). Overseas customers may also make payment in USA funds using a draft drawn on an American bank or by International Money Order.
