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<p>The animal on the cover of <em>Scaling Python with Dask</em> is the spectacled caiman (<em>Caiman crocodilus</em>), also known as the white or common caiman.</p>

<p>Despite its species name (<em>crocodilus</em>), this small to medium-sized crocodilian is more closely related to the phenotypically similar alligator (being of the family <em>Alligatoridae</em>) than the crocodile (family <em>Crocodylidae</em>), and is often misidentified as the former. Its common name derives from a protruding, bony ridge between its eyes, which is reminiscent of the bridge between a pair of eyeglasses.</p>

<p>The spectacled caiman is the most widely distributed caiman globally, and the most widely distributed New World crocodilian, with a native range extending throughout much of Central and South America. Populations have also been introduced in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Though intolerant of cold climates, the caiman is otherwise quite adaptable and lives in a variety of habitats, including forests and inland wetlands and rivers.</p>

<p>Climate and temperature play an especially important role in caimans' nesting habits. Eggs are typically laid only in the summer months, and the caimans use vegetation to incubate their nests: as the vegetation decays, it produces heat, which keeps the eggs warm. Nest temperature ultimately determines the sex of the developing caimans (around 90°F or higher produces female offspring).</p>

<p>In the 1980s, the spectacled caiman was listed as threatened by the IUCN, due to population declines caused primarily by commercial hunting. Conservation programs for the species are now in place in many countries, and with a large global population and range, the species is now listed as of least concern. Many of the animals on O'Reilly covers are endangered; all of them are important to the world.</p>

<p>The cover illustration is by Karen Montgomery, based on an antique line engraving by Georges Cuvier. The cover fonts are Gilroy Semibold and Guardian Sans. The text font is Adobe Minion Pro; the heading font is Adobe Myriad Condensed; and the code font is Dalton Maag's Ubuntu Mono.</p>


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