Tiffany Garcia, then at UC Davis, initiated the first PageMaker file as an independent research project under the review of Brad Shaffer. In conjunction with our extensive field work, we noted many differences in the body sizes and appearance of local forms compared to those generally illustrated in other field guides. Bob Haase and Chris Brown had been working with students and volunteers on our project, and their experience working with both neophytes and trained colleagues was invaluable to refining the identification scheme. As our field study on local populations progressed, the field guide project also expanded in coverage with the addition of about one third more species. Jon Richmond drew all the illustrations for the glossary and views of the tadpoles. Many of these drawings were adapted from Robert Stebbin's 1985 "A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians". Greg Nichols of the US Department of Forestry created the GIS map. Review of many of the species accounts was done by Ed Ervin, Paul Griffin, Kathy Klingenberg, Andy Suarez, and Marie Vicario.
Our field research was supported by the Metropolitan Water District of California, the Biological Resources Division of USGS, the California Department of Fish and Game, the California State Parks Department, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of Forestry, and the National Science Foundation. Special thanks go to Peter Stine at the Biological Resources Division of USGS for his support of the project from its inception.
We also want to thank the many students at the University of California at San Diego, San Diego State University, the University of San Diego, the University of California at Irvine, Cal Poly Pomona, and other colleges who helped us in the field and laboratory. Special thanks also go to Stacie Hathaway and the docents of Torrey Pines State Park, and Samantha Weber and the volunteers at Cabrillo National Monument for their help. Peter Bowler, John Stevenson, Lisa Underwood, Greg Pregill, Andy Yuen, Bill Tippits, Bill Wagner, Eddie Kono, Jud Monroe, Mike Wells, Liam Davis, Gail Kobetich, John Bradley, Mark Pivelka, Steve Viers, Tom Oberbauer, Slader Buck, Rick Griffith, Pat Mock, Isabelle Kay, Barbara Carlson, John Rotenberry, Mike Hamilton, Don Lydy, Jeff Opdycke, Trish Smith, Sedra Shapiro, Mike Mitchell, Joe Funk....and many others were instrumental in cementing logistics.
We also express our appreciation to the San Diego Natural History Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum, the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and the California Academy of Sciences for loans and information from their collections.

 

Illustrations were drawn by Jon Q. Richmond.

Photographs were taken by Robert Goodman (Batrachoseps gabrielli and Charina bottae), Jeff Lovich (Chelydra serpentina), Rob Lovich (Lampropeltis zonata and Crotophytus bicinctores), Galen Rathbun (Rana boylii), Brad Shaffer (Apalone spinifera and Rana Pipiens), Manna Warburton (Petrosaurus mearnsii) and Chris Brown (all others)

Finally, the authors thank our wives and families for their support and patience over the years.