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Amphibians, Reptiles, & Natural History

A new squamate phylogeny

JCM

posted on

April 30, 2013

This new study finds rubber boas are not erycines but more closely related to Ungaliophis. Lizards and snakes (living squamates) number about 9,400 known species. Despite Squamata being one of the most diverse and conspicuous radiations of terrestrial vertebrates, no studies have attempted to reconstruct a phylogeny for the group with large-scale taxon sampling. Such an…
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Correlations between habitat use and morphology in sea kraits

JCM

posted on

April 29, 2013

Laticauda colubrina. JCM In a forthcoming article in the Journal of Zoology Wang et al. (2013) report on the variation of characters in three species of Laticauda at Orchid Island, Taiwan. Previous research revealed that the phylogenetic and taxonomic status of the laticaudine sea kraits had been widely discussed in the literature. They found all…
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Northern Broad-headed snake ecology

JCM

posted on

April 27, 2013

Hoplocephalus bungaroides. Photo from Wikipedia Conservation of highly specialized animals require detailed information on habitat use, dispersal and movement patterns. This kind of data often is often difficult to gather, especially for endangered species because the animals are rare, and because research methods cannot further endanger the species. As a result, knowledge of many endangered taxa is based…
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Treeboa Ecomorphology

JCM

posted on

April 19, 2013

Neotropical treeboas (Corallus) form a monophyletic group of nine species distributed from south-eastern Guatemala to southeastern Brazil They occur on continental and oceanic islands and at elevations between sea level and about 1000 asl. All are moderately sized, with body lengths that are about 1.0–2.0 m, are relatively slender with laterally compressed bodies, thin necks,…
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A new cat-eyed snake from India

JCM

posted on

April 19, 2013

The nocturnal, arboreal, rear-fanged colubrine snake genus Boiga (the cat-eyed snakes) is represented in Peninsular India by six species: B. trigonata, B. forsteni, B. ceylonensis, B. nuchalis, B. dightoni and B. beddomei. Of these, the last four are characteristic of the wet hill-forest tracts of India’s Western Ghats, and, in the case of B. ceylonensis and B. beddomei, the wet-zone of central, hilly Sri Lanka as well.…
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A new technology to deal with envenomation

JCM

posted on

April 15, 2013

Engineers at the University of California, San Diego have invented a “nanosponge” capable of safely removing a broad class of dangerous toxins from the bloodstream, including toxins produced by MRSA, E. Coli, poisonous snakes and bees. The nanosponges are made of a biocompatible polymer core wrapped in a natural red blood cell membrane. Credit: Zhang…
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Ripples in the ecosystem

JCM

posted on

April 14, 2013

Humans have been moving animals around the planet for thousands of years. Hunter and gathers took dogs with them as they migrated, and with the evolution of agriculture soon other domesticated animals were traded between populations. Like all animals, human alter the environments they live-in and so do their commensal species. But humans are special…
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Suzio Report Winter-Spring 2013

JCM

posted on

April 10, 2013

Howdy Herpers, 13 April 2013 It is hoped that your inboxes have not been overtly cluttered with Suizo Reports of late? Truth be told, a few months ago, I got in a bit of hot water at work when a hacker…
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Organic matter recovered from Early Jurassic dinosaur

JCM

posted on

April 10, 2013

Semitransparent flesh reconstruction of embryonic dinosaur inside egg, with skeleton (artwork by D. Mazierski). A 190-million-year-old dinosaur bone bed near the city of Lufeng, in Yunnan, China has revealed for the first time how dinosaur embryos grew and developed in their eggs. The great age of the embryos is unusual because almost all known dinosaur embryos…
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Venom evolution in lizards & snakes

JCM

posted on

April 6, 2013

Python bites can produce false positives when using venom detection kits. JCM In 2005 it became apparent that venom first evolved in the ancestor of the the Iguiana Lizards, Anguingmoprh lizards and the snakes. These three clades form a larger clade now known as Toxicofera. In a forthcoming paper Fry et al. (2013) examine the…
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Camera trapping Komodo dragons

JCM

posted on

April 1, 2013

A photo of a cage trap (A) used to capture Komodo dragons and (B) a camera trap photo of a Komodo dragon investigating a bait box. Figure 2 from Ariefiandy et al. Camera traps have enhanced population monitoring of cryptic and low abundance apex carnivores. The effectiveness of passive infrared camera trapping, and ultimately population…
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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…