Stunning images taken by an amphibian and reptile expert reveal the mysterious hidden world of some of Earth's most dangerous cold-blooded animals.
The incredible photographs showcase a range of animals found on all continents - except Antarctica - and include the bright eyes of an albino alligator, the well camouflaged Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko and the luminous underbelly of the Purple Harlequin toad.
Other shots show the omnivore Western Blue-Tongued Skink lizard, the plant-like Vietnamese mossy frog and a two-headed corn-snake.
The remarkable photographs are showcased in photographer Matthijs Kuijpers' new book, Cold Instinct.
Up close and personal images capturing the stunning details of amphibians and reptiles around the world are displayed in a new book Cold Instinct. Many of the photos show bizarre looking creatures such as this Satanic leaf-tailed gecko, an endangered species from Madagascar that has a tail mimicking a leaf with eyes that allow them to hunt at night
Tje book features 72 creatures, including rare species such as the Western Blue-Tongued Skink lizard, the plant-like Vietnamese mossy frog and the purple Harlequin frog are just some of the animals featured. The image above shows an Azure dart frog, which is found in Suriname in South America
The book is by Dutch amphibian and reptile photographer Matthijs Kuijpers who has spent the last 30 years travelling the world in search of bizarre and rare species. The image above shows one of the rare species in his book, a western blue-tongued skink lizard that is native to Australia but can also be found in nearby New Guinea and Indonesia
He has spent the last 30 years travelling in search of these species and a total of 72 animals are included.
'Amphibians might look scary at first, but they are much more vulnerable than they appear,' states the info on the Kickstarter page.
'Their survival is challenged daily by threats of climate change, pollution and poaching. Habitat loss is the greatest threat to cold species in Europe.
'Some reptiles and amphibians have cleverly adapted to the threatening conditions, but they are in constant need of protection.
Mr Kuijpers (pictured) says that he always photographs in the local region where the animals are found. He said: I photograph everywhere in the same style, rain forest with a mobile flash installation or mobile studio in the western world'
Mr Kuijpers wanted his photos to focus on the animal and remove stereotypical ideas we associate with their environment: 'no backgrounds and no distractions', he said. The image above shows a Vietnamese mossy frog (Theloderma corticale), found in its native home of Vietnam
Mr Kuijpers childhood passion for photography and wild animals also saw him leave school to go to Madagascar and work with reptiles and amphibians. The Masobe gecko (Paroedura masobe, pictured) is a small reptile that is critically endangered and is found in Madagascar where it lives on the ground at low elevations
The photo shows an Albino alligator (Alligator missippienssis) photographed in captivity in the Everglades, North America and featured in Cold Instinct. Also known as the white alligator, it is native to the Louisiana swamps and is one of the rarest animals in the world, with only 12 known to exist
According to the book's page on kickstarter, the photos featured showcase some of the most peculiar animals the author has witnessed. The
