Amphibian Species of the World
The Association of Systematics Collections (ASC) started this project in 1978 because the Convention on Trade In Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) needed a database for animals. (The ASC later changed its name to Natural Science Collections Alliance.) The ASC's Stephen R. Edwards wrote Mammal Species of the World first and started Amphibian Species of the World second.  Edwards decided to write about living amphibians because Richard G. Zweifel had just written a large list of amphibian names and because experts from the University of Kansas were there to help.  Darrel Frost came to help Edwards.  Frost planned to write Turtle and Crocodilian Species of the World next, but he decided to finish his Ph.D. instead.