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Amphibians, Reptiles, & Natural History

Suizo Report — Some Summer and Fall Highlights

JCM

posted on

December 31, 2012

Happy New Year Herpers, I’m going to take a minute to try to persuade some of you to step up for the Tucson Herpetological Society. If any of you have a herp-related presentation of any sort that you would like to give us, please let me know. Currently, we have openings from March 2013 through…
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The White-flanked Malagasy Tree Frog, A New Frog from southern Madagascar

JCM

posted on

December 29, 2012

Guibemantis tasifotsy Mantellid frogs comprises the largest radiation of frogs in Madagascar with 200 know species in 12 genera. Within the family, at least three clades have independently adapted to phytotelmic breeding: Blommersia angolafa, Mantella laevigata, and the subgenus Pandanusicola in the genus Guibemantis. Pandanusicola are small frogs with snout–vent lengths between 20–38 mm that…
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Squamates & the Cretaceous Extinction

JCM

posted on

December 21, 2012

The carnivorous lizard Palaeosaniwa stalks a pair of hatchling Edmontosaurus as the snake Cerberophis and the lizard Obamadon look on. Obamadon gracilis is a small polyglyphanodontian named after President Obama. These squamates disappeared with the dinosaurs at the Cretaceous extinction. More than 9,000 living species of snakes and lizards exploit an extraordinary range of ecological…
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The First Known Freshwater Mosasauroid

JCM

posted on

December 21, 2012

An artist’s drawing of the Pannoniasaurus inexpectatus that lived 84 million years ago in freshwater floodplains. (Image: Tibor Pecsics) Until now, mosasauroids have been considered exclusively marine. However, László Makádi from the Hungarian Natural History Museum, and colleagues from the University of Alberta, Canada and MTA-ELTE Lendület Dinosaur Research Group, in Hungary report the discovery…
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Length–mass allometry in snakes

JCM

posted on

December 19, 2012

Arboreal, burrowing, and aquatic boids. Clue’s to an animals life style (aquatic or terrestrial, burrowing or arboreal) are related to its body size and mass. Body size and body shape are closely correlated to an animal’s physiology, ecology and life history, and, therefore, play a major role in understanding ecological and evolutionary phenomena. Since many…
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No evidence for erycine boas in North America before the Miocene

JCM

posted on

December 16, 2012

Extant erycine boas: An African Exyx colubrinus, and the North American Lichanura, and Charina The central Rocky Mountain Interior has long been a focus of study for late Eocene early Oligocene fossils in North America. The Medicine Pole Hills of North Dakota has preserved abundant late Eocene fossils which provide a glimpse of the central…
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Capuchin monkeys learn to respond or not respond to snakes

JCM

posted on

December 16, 2012

Photo credit: Steven G. Johnson Primates have evolved antipredator behaviors for many potential predators including snakes, crocodiles, caimans, felids, canids, raptors, and other primates. Antipredator behavior includes avoidance, mobbing, alarm calls, vigilance, evasive maneuver/ﬂeeing/seeking refuge, and aggressive behavior based on level of risk. Young animals are smaller and less experienced than adults and thus may be susceptible…
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Origins of the North American Desert Fauna

JCM

posted on

December 10, 2012

The Rosy Boa, Lichanura trivirgata. Phylogeographic studies of the southwestern deserts of North America have suggested diverse historical processes, with two hypotheses posed as most important for shaping genetic structure: climate fluctuations in the Pleistocene and pre-Pleistocene vicariance. Support for the climate fluctuation hypotheses emerged from a historical understanding of Pleistocene vegetation patterns within North…
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The Beaked Sea Snake, Two Cryptic Species

JCM

posted on

December 10, 2012

The deadliest sea snakes in the world can be found from the Arabian Peninsula to Australia. They like to live in estuaries and lagoons near the shore and have been known to get tangled in fishermen’s nets and inflict fatal bites. Their venom is extremely toxic, more potent than that of a cobra. But the…
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Suizo Report — 1,834

JCM

posted on

December 8, 2012

I find myself in the midst of my own man-made purgatory. We speak of going through my notes and assembling data. Since the year 2000, I find that I have logged over 20,000 lizards. That number seems unbelievable. But I did something today that makes this number seem trivial by comparison. I decided to count…
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World Snake Day is July 16. The day is important to the conservation of snakes. Snakes live on every continent except Antarctica and can vary from the longest species, the reticulated python, to the smallest Barbados Threadsnake. Snakes try to avoid human contact. They consider humans predators. Venomous snakes (and many) use their venom to obtain food and only use it for defense when forced to. World Snake Day can help remove people's fears and illusions about snakes, and help them gain recognition as a marvelous adaptable apex species. World Snake Day can be used to educate and inform people about how to deal with snakes. Let's not mis this opportunity.

August 14th is World Lizard Day. It's the perfect time to show some love for these remarkable creatures that have been sharing our planet since the time of the dinosaurs. With over 6,000 known species, lizards come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns, and you can find them on every continent except Antarctica. But why should we celebrate lizards, you ask? Well, they're not just cool to observe in their natural habitats but also essential players in many ecosystems. Lizards help keep insect populations in check, which is vital to our ecosystems. So, let's give these amazing creatures the recognition they deserve on this special day! tems worldwide.

These extraordinary beings don’t merely excavate burrows that become abodes for various other species; they also provide a valuable service by assisting in maintaining the cleanliness of our beaches. Their diet includes the remains of deceased fish that wash ashore, making a substantial contribution to ecological equilibrium. This underscores the profound significance of safeguarding these gentle creatures.

World Turtle Day stands as an occasion specially designated to celebrate and protect both of these remarkable creatures. Its origins can be traced back to 2002 when American Tortoise Rescue introduced this meaningful event. It casts a spotlight on the myriad challenges that turtles and tortoises confront due to human intervention and environmental hazards. On this special day, educational institutions, rescue centers, and nature enthusiasts unite to deepen their understanding of these creatures and pledge unwavering commitments to their preservation.

Here are some impactful ways in which you can actively participate in the endeavor to safeguard these exceptional animals: Adopt a Turtle or Tortoise: Contemplate adopting a turtle or tortoise from a rescue shelter. These low-maintenance creatures make ideal companions, especially for families with young children.

Post List #4

California Kingsnake from se Arizona

Invasive Snakes refugia

Microhabitat use by the California Kingsnake in the Canary Islands

JCM Jan 14, 2026 3 min read

In this study, Maestresalas et al. (2026) characterize the shelter-use regime and the biotic and abiotic factors driving microhabitat selection by California kingsnake shelters on Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands. The intent is to help inform management. They expected that…

The Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla), also known as the Pacific chorus frog, has a range spanning the Pacific Northwest, from Northern California, Oregon, and Washington to British Columbia in Canada and extreme southern Alaska. They live from sea level to more than 10,000 feet in many types of habitats, reproducing in aquatic settings. They occur in shades of greens or browns and can change colors over periods of hours and weeks.

Pacific Treefrogs, one, two, or three species?

JCM Oct 16, 2025 2 min read

Evolutionary divergence in sexual signals may lead to and maintain reproductive isolation between populations. Both selective forces—such as ecological and sexual selection—and random processes like genetic drift may influence the…

A female Burmese python with eggs.

Burmese Python Nest in Great Cypress Swamp

JCM Oct 16, 2025 3 min read

Lisa McBride, a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) biologist, led a study to document a record-setting Burmese python nest found in Big Cypress National Preserve in 2022. McBride’s work details the…

Jurassic reptile fossil discovery blurs the line between snake and lizard

Jurassic reptile fossil discovery blurs the line between snake and lizard

JCM Oct 7, 2025 3 min read

by American Museum of Natural History edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan New research has uncovered a species of hook-toothed lizard that lived about 167 million years ago and has a…

Riama, a light bulb lizard from Ecuador

Discovering the lightbulb lizards of Ecuador

JCM Oct 7, 2025 2 min read

Alejandro Arteaga, a herpetologist in Ecuador sent out out the following email. If you have the resources for helping Alejandro I encourage you to do so. Today, I want to…