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Amphibians, Reptiles, & Natural History

Human modified California kingsnakes now invasive species in the Canary Islands

JCM

posted on

April 29, 2014

The LA Times is carrying the following story. By Louis SahagunApril 27, 2014, 5:05 p.m. An albino variety of California kingsnake popular in the pet trade has infested the Canary Islands, decimating native bird, mammal and lizard species that have had no time to evolve evasive patterns in what was once a stable ecology northwest…
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Butler’s garter snake postpones building a firehouse

JCM

posted on

April 29, 2014

Thamnophis butleri,(Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) The following story is being carried by the CBC News A tender to build a new Windsor (Ontario, Canada) fire station has been cancelled. A species at risk will delay the construction of the new Fire Station No. 5, proposed on the northeast corner of Daytona Avenue and Northwood…
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Suizo Report — CM16, Magellan

JCM

posted on

April 27, 2014

Howdy Herpers, 04/24/14 On the evening of 4 September, 2013, Typing Boy here was being led around the plot by Dr. Wolfgang Wuster’s students, who were visiting us from the UK. In what was one of many unwise decisions on my part, I handed the receiver off to them without full…
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The black horned leaf frog is composed of multiple cryptic species

JCM

posted on

April 20, 2014

There are 31 horned leaf frogs in genus Proceratophrys which is distributed in Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and Paraguay. The Black Horned Frog, Proceratophrys melanopogon was described based on one adult female from Alto da Serra, Municipality of Paranapiacaba, São Paulo, Brazil in 1926. The species was not accepted as valid by some, but the species…
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Declining Central American Green Turtles

JCM

posted on

April 18, 2014

A 20-year assessment of Nicaragua’s legal, artisanal green sea turtle fishery has uncovered a stark reality: greatly reduced overall catch rates of turtles in what may have become an unsustainable take, according to conservation scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society and University of Florida. During the research period, conservation scientists estimated that more than 170,000…
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On the importance of natural history

JCM

posted on

April 16, 2014

Support in developed countries for natural history — the study of the fundamental nature of organisms and how and where they live and interact with their environment — appears to be in steep decline. Yet natural history provides essential knowledge for fields as varied as human health, food security, conservation, land management, and recreation. In…
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Suizo Report — Plot Biscuits

JCM

posted on

April 16, 2014

Howdy Herpers, 04/14/14 We trust that your inbox has been devoid of Suizo Reports lately? The president of the THS can’t imagine what he has been doing with all of his free time………..We should take a moment to explain the numbers that appear in parenthesis after the snake numbers for any of the people on…
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Saint-Girons’ Sea Krait uses nurseries

JCM

posted on

April 14, 2014

Sea kraits (Laticauda) are amphibious snakes widely distributed in the coral reefs of the East Indian and West Pacific Ocean. They forage in the ocean but return to land, usually coralline islets, for resting, shedding skin, an d digesting prey. Their dependence on coastal terrestrial habitats puts them at risk because of increasing human populations…
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Climate change impacts reptiles and birds in the southwest

JCM

posted on

April 14, 2014

Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Crotalus cerberus Awareness and acceptance of climate change is slowly spreading in American society. In a report released by the USGS’ Department of the Interior reports the results of modeling current and future breeding ranges of seven bird and five reptile species in the Southwestern United States with sets of landscape, biotic…
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The monotypic Alligator Snapping Turtle is now three species

JCM

posted on

April 10, 2014

The Alligator Snapping Turtle, Macrochelys temminckii, has gone from being a monotypic species of southeastern North American rivers and the main ingredient in turtle soup to an endangered species that is now three distinct species. This transformation took less than 50 years. Thomas et al. (2014) note previous molecular analyses using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA…
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The Indigo Snake and the Mine

JCM

posted on

April 5, 2014

The Eastern Indigo Snake. Photo credit: US Fish & Wildlife Service By David Fleshler, Sun SentinelApril 6, 2014 The expansion of a rock mine in southwestern Palm Beach County could kill up to a dozen federally protected eastern indigo snakes, the longest native snake in North America, according to a wildlife agency report. The Star…
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Boa & Python Specialist Group report on captive breeding

JCM

posted on

April 1, 2014

31 March 2014 | International news release Indonesia, Malaysia and Viet Nam are the main source of python skins, with China, Thailand and Viet Nam all producing python skins through farming. Photo credit: Daniel Natusch / IUCN The first report under the ‘Python Conservation Partnership’, a collaboration between Kering, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Boa and Python…
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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…