Amongst vertebrates, reptiles are the animals most adapted or suited to the hostile conditions in desert environments. S.D. Bradshaw describes in his book how they manage to survive there.

Inhalt
1 The Osmotic Anatomy of the Reptiles.- 1.1 Evidence for Homeostasis.- 1.2 A Comparative Account.- 1.3 Water and Electrolytes in Reptiles as a Group.- 1.4 Conclusions.- 2 Water and Electrolyte Homeostasis.- 2.1 Basic Concepts.- 2.2 The Maintenance of Homeostasis.- 2.3 Effector Systems.- 2.4 Osmoregulation in Crocodiles, Alligators and Chelonians.- 2.5 Osmoregulation in Lizards.- 2.6 Osmoregulation in Snakes.- 2.7 Conclusions.- 3 Activity and Hormonal Control of Excretory Organs.- 3.1 Avant Propos.- 3.2 The Kidney.- 3.3 The Cloacal-Colonic Complex.- 3.4 Cephalic Salt-Secreting Glands.- 3.5 Conclusion.- 4 Thermal Homeostasis.- 4.1 Generalities.- 4.2 The Interpretation of Field Studies.- 4.3 Physiological Mechanisms.- 4.4 Behavioural Mechanisms.- 4.5 Conclusion.- 5 Conclusion.- References.