What's on this page?
The reference books and databases below will give you a basic outline about many species and taxa. They will not cover everything you need, but are a good start for your research. Many of them will offer references for further information. Grzimak's in particular provides citations to articles about the each species and taxa.
You can search for monographs (non-reference books) about taxa and species in the Fox Hunt box on the left. There also may be some additional reference books in your results.
The web resources are all trustworthy and provide basic information as well as references to other sources of information.
You can seek out scholarly & peer-reviewed sources on the "Search for Articles" tab.
Books & eBooks
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia by Call Number: eBookA completely revised and updated version of the original work published in Germany in 1960, this edition incorporates recent developments in the animal world as noted by prominent advisors and contributors from the scientific community.
Encyclopedia of Entomology by Publication Date: 2008Provides a detailed, global overview of insects and their close relatives, including taxonomy, behavior, ecology, physiology, history, and management. It covers all the major groups of arthropods, as well as many important families and individual species. The encyclopedia also covers physiology, genetics, ecology, behavior, insect relationships with people, medical entomology, and pest management.
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Web Resources
- Global Biodiversity Information Facilityan international network and data infrastructure funded by the world's governments and aimed at providing anyone, anywhere, open access to data about all types of life on Earth.
- All About Birds, The Cornell Lab of OrnithologyDatabase of bird species, behavior, and more.
- Animal Diversity WebAn online database of animal natural history, distribution, classification, and conservation biology at the University of Michigan. Thousands of species accounts about individual animal species. Students write the text of these accounts and we cannot guarantee their accuracy.
- FishBaseA global database of fish species. Provides comprehensive species data, including information on taxonomy, geographical distribution, biometrics and morphology, behaviour and habitats, ecology and population dynamics as well as reproductive, metabolic and genetic data.
- National PLANTS Database This link opens in a new windowPhotos and descriptive scientific information about over 82,000 plants.
- NatureServe ExplorerAn authoritative source for information on more than 70,000 plants, animals, and ecosystems of the United States and Canada. Explorer includes particularly in-depth coverage for rare and endangered species.
- USGS: biology and ecosystemsArticles, news, data, publications and more from the United States Geologic Survey on the topics of biology and ecosystems.