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Amphibians, Reptiles, & Natural History

Clotting Factors from a Saw-scaled Viper

JCM

posted on

February 27, 2013

Saw Scaled Viper In Mangaon, MH, India. Photo credit: Shantanu Kuveskar The powerful venom of the saw-scaled viper Echis carinatus contains both anticoagulants and coagulants finds a study published in the launch edition of BioMed Central’s open access journal Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases. These may be a source of potent…
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Siamese crocodiles reintroduced in Lao PDR

JCM

posted on

February 25, 2013

The following is a WCS Press Release. Members of the Village Crocodile ConservationGroup prepare to release three of the nineteen Siamese crocodiles.Photo Credit: Alex McWilliam/WCS. THAN SOUM, LAO PDR (February 21, 2012) — The Wildlife Conservation Society announced today the successful release of 19 critically endangered baby Siamese crocodiles into a local wetland in Lao PDR,…
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Cultivating snakes in China

JCM

posted on

February 24, 2013

The following is from the Global Times. Visit the original story to see the interesting photographs. The first batch of snakes arrives in the village, ready for raising in the new year. Photo: Yang Hui/GT. Nestled away in Zhejiang Province, the village of Zisiqiao has nurtured a reputation as being one of China’s “best snake…
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Results of the Python Challenge

JCM

posted on

February 23, 2013

The following is from the National Parks Traveler. It is the most reasonable summary of the Python Challenge results that I have found. The results are expected and telling. More than 1600 people sign up to look for invasive pythons in the Florida Everglades, after a month they find 68 snakes (= 0.0425 snakes/person). The conclusion – pythons…
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Roads & snakes in Saskatchewan

JCM

posted on

February 21, 2013

An eastern yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris) in Texas Photo Credit: David Sledge. Roads contribute significantly to mortality of snakes and can greatly increase the probability of local extinction. In North America populations of some snake species have declined or been extirpated due to road mortality. The abundance of larger snakes was reduced by more…
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A very large aquatic Palaeophiine snake from Morroco’s Eocene

JCM

posted on

February 20, 2013

Fossil snakes of the Palaeophiinae snakes are relatively poorly known, but they inhabited the oceans, lakes, rivers and possibly the land from the Maastrichtian to the Late Eocene. This subfamily includes the two genera Palaeophis and Pterosphenus. Palaeophiinae includes a wide range of species of various sizes. The largest species known to date is considered to be…
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A New Aquatic Snake From Brazil’s Mato Grosso

JCM

posted on

February 15, 2013

Helicops apiaka sp. nov. (UFMT-R 8180), live specimen from aranaíta municipality, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, with a detail of ventral coloration (lower right corner). The aquatic snake genus Helicops Wagler, 1830, is widely distributed in South America and of closely related to Hydrops and Pseudoeryx. Currently, 15 species of Helicops are recognized with ﬁve species…
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The Monstersauria & Venom Delivery

JCM

posted on

February 9, 2013

Gila monster teeth. JCM Lizards and snakes are diverse in both feeding and defense strategies and some used modified teeth to deliver venom to prey and predators. The oldest known squamate with grooves in its teeth, similar to those found in the modern heloderms (gila monster and beaded lizards), is the monstersaura Estesia mongoliensis. In living lizards, only members in…
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The unusual herp diversity of Luzon’s Sierra Madre Mountain Range

JCM

posted on

February 7, 2013

Hologerrhum philippinum A recent study of the amphibians and reptiles of Sierra Madre Mountain Range, northeastern Luzon, reveals a preliminary enumeration of more than 100 species that contribute to the unique biodiversity of the region. At present, the Luzon region’s herpetological range stands at more than 150 species. Out of these, a total of 49…
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Update – The Python Challenge 2013

JCM

posted on

February 7, 2013

The following article is a modified version of an on-line article at Ocala.com. The 800 participants in the Python Challenge have been actively searching for invasive pythons for almost a month, and the even will be coming to a close on 16 February. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission considered the goals of the event to…
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Asian Wolf Snakes – A Molecular Revision

JCM

posted on

February 6, 2013

Lycodon aulicus, Bannerghatta, India. Photo credit: Saleem Hameed Asian wolf snakes of the genus Lycodon are one of many poorly understood radiations of advanced snakes in the superfamily Colubroidea. Only three of species (of about 37) have been previously represented in higher-level phylogenetic analyses, and nothing is known of the relationships among the species in…
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An new pterosaur from Transylvanian

JCM

posted on

February 6, 2013

A new kind of pterosaur, a flying reptile from the time of the dinosaurs, has been identified by scientists from the Transylvanian Museum Society in Romania, the University of Southampton in the UK and the Museau Nacional in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Map showing the global distribution of faunas containing small-medium and giant-sized azhdarchids, evidence…
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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…