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Amphibians, Reptiles, & Natural History

A novel approach to treating venomous snakebites

JCM

posted on

July 30, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO (July 30, 2013) – A team of researchers led by Dr. Matt Lewin of the California Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with the Department of Anesthesia at the University of California, San Francisco, has pioneered a novel approach to treating venomous snakebites—administering antiparalytics topically via a nasal spray. This new, needle-free treatment may…
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The sharp-tailed snake vs the developer

JCM

posted on

July 28, 2013

Photo credit Bill Bouton. A friend used to define the difference between a developer and an environmentalist as, one builds houses in forests, and one lives in them. Development can certainly be a threat to some aspects of the environment and cause some species to become expatriated. And, snake populations living in or near developments…
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Two western garter snakes proposed as threatened

JCM

posted on

July 25, 2013

Thamnophis rufipunctatus The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service propose to list the northern Mexican gartersnake (Thamnophis eques megalops) and narrow-headed gartersnake (Thamnophis rufipunctatus) as threatened taxa on July 10, 2013. Comments are accepted on this proposal until September 9, 2013. The northern Mexican gartersnake had a limited historical distribution in New Mexico that consisted of scattered…
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Suizo Report — Ellie Drops

JCM

posted on

July 19, 2013

Howdy Herpers, 07/20/13 First off, Typing Boy sometimes sends out “knock your socks off” missives that he expects multiple “ooos and ahhhs” from the gallery. And all he gets in return is the sound of crickets. There is no accounting for taste with this audience. Then, whilst mired in email Armageddon, he sends out a…
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A lost frog from the lost world

JCM

posted on

July 19, 2013

Allobates amissibilis sp. nov., newly discovered micro-endemic frog. © M. Hölting & R. Ernst/Senckenberg. Dresden, 17. July 2013. Ecotourism and Conservation – Can it work? In the context of a study in the forests of central Guyana, a team of scientists from the Senckenberg Research Institute in Dresden investigated this very question and by chance…
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Fruit-eating in crocodilians

JCM

posted on

July 17, 2013

Reptile roles in ecosystems are frequently acknowledged as predators, scavengers and prey but their role as pollinators and seed dispersal agents are often overlooked. In a forthcoming paper in the Journal of Zoology Platt et al (2013) report on the evidence that crocodilians disperse seeds. The authors ask the questions: (1) Do crocodilians consume fruit…
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Snake pattern evolution

JCM

posted on

July 13, 2013

Color patterns of snakes have been the subject of many studies and even more speculation. Why is it that some species are uniform in color, while others are striped, banded, or some other combination of patterns. Allen and colleagues (2013) note that an understanding of the diversity of color patterns found in snakes requires detailed…
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The asp viper reacts to a changing climate

JCM

posted on

July 12, 2013

The asp viper. Photo credit: Felix Reimann The asp viper (Vipera aspis) is a small, viviparous snake with a range in Central and Southern Europe, juveniles feed on lizards and adults feed on mice and shrews. It inhabits a wide variety of habitats, from Mediterranean to mountainous areas and as such it is one of the…
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Evolution not fast enough for climate change

JCM

posted on

July 11, 2013

Many vertebrate species would have to evolve about 10,000 times faster than they have in the past to adapt to the rapid climate change expected in the next 100 years, a study led by a University of Arizona ecologist has found. Scientists analyzed how quickly species adapted to different climates in the past, using data…
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Turtle shells develop from endoskeletal tissue

JCM

posted on

July 11, 2013

A team of researchers from Japan has finally solved the riddle of the origin of the turtle shell.By observing the development of different animal species and confirming their results with fossil analysis and genomic data, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology show that the shell on the turtle’s back derives only from its…
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A second species of Azemiops (Viperidae)

JCM

posted on

July 8, 2013

The holotype of Azemiops kharini (ZISP 26028) from Tam Dao, Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam. Fea’s viper, Azemiops fea was described by Boulenger in 1896, and assigned to its own subfamily in 1971. Its elliptically shaped, flattened head; enlarged head plates; smooth dorsal scales; folding front fangs; the absence of heat-sensing pits; and a coiled venom…
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Variation in Sistrurus venom does not support specific status for subspecies

JCM

posted on

July 3, 2013

Sistrurus is a clade of rattlesnakes containing two named species: the massasauga (S. catenatus) and pigmy rattlesnake (S. miliarius) rattlesnake. Each species consists of three named subspecies (S. c. catenatus; S. c. tergeminus, and S. c. edwardsii, and S. m. milarius, S. m. barbouri, and S. m. streckeri ). Recently, a phylogenetic analysis of the…
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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…