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Amphibians, Reptiles, & Natural History

A new species of high elevation Liolaemus (Family Liolaemidae)

JCM

posted on

January 22, 2016

Liolaemus uniformis. Photo credit: Jaime Troncoso-Palacios During a field trip at 3000 metres above sea level, a group of scientists, led by Jaime Troncoso-Palacios, Universidad de Chile, discovered a new endemic lizard species, in the mountains of central Chile, scientists. Noticeably different in size and scalation, compared to the rest of the local lizards, what initially…
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Rapoport’s rule & lizards

JCM

posted on

January 19, 2016

Left. Anna Pintor with a flap-footed lizards (Pygopodiae). Photo credit: Image courtesy of James Cook University.Right pygopodids are legless geckos. JCM James Cook University scientists have found lizards exposed to rain, hail and shine may cope better with extreme weather events predicted as a result of climate change than their fair-weather cousins. A new study by JCU PhD…
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Extreme Snowboarding

JCM

posted on

January 12, 2016

Going Where No Board Has Gone Before
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Organic Carrot Soup Recipe

JCM

posted on

January 12, 2016

This is some example content. WordPress is an extremely user friendly content management system for websites and blogs. Users can easily add and update text, images, video, audio and more using the WordPress platform. Curabitur lacinia porta purus. Mauris laoreet dignissim imperdiet. Proin tempor pellentesque neque tempor feugiat. Vivamus odio tortor, pulvinar vitae placerat sed,…
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Campfire Tales

JCM

posted on

January 12, 2016

True Tales To Give The Kids Nightmares
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Backcountry Hikes

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posted on

January 12, 2016

12 Backcountry Hikes That Can Be Completed In One Week
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Death by constriction, a fourth possible cause

JCM

posted on

January 10, 2016

A juvenile Burmese Python constricting a rat. The evolution of constriction was undoubtedly very important milestone in the evolution and radiation of snakes. Killing large prey quickly and reducing the chance of injury to a snake allowed snakes to subdue otherwise unobtainable, larger prey. Constricting snakes exert pressure by coiling around and squeezing their prey,…
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Sex chromosomes in snakes

JCM

posted on

January 2, 2016

In two recently published articles Rovatsos et al. (2015 a, b) highly differentiated heteromorphic ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes with a heterochromatic W are basic among the advanced snakes, Colubroidea, while other snake lineages generally lack them. The authors examined the dragonsnake, Xenodermus javanicus (family Xenodermatidae), which is phylogenetically nested between snake lineages with and without differentiated…
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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…