
Amphibians, Reptiles, & Natural History

Naturalist, Photographer , Zoologist
After retiring from a career teaching biology and anatomy & physiology and science administration, I study reptiles and amphibians (but focus mostly on squamates). My current interest are in snake phylogeny and diversity, highly aquatic snakes (that are non-sea snakes), the herpetofauna of Trinidad and Tobago, and giant snakes. I have been on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Herpetological Society, the Board of Directors of the Tucson Herpetological Society; a research associate at the Field Museum in Chicago. I have been a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Snake Specialists Group International Society for the History and Bibliography of Herpetology (ISHBH); and on the board of directors of Friends of Madera Canyon.

Lalremsanga and colleagues (2023) describes a newly discovered genus Gekko (subgenus Ptychozoon) species. Known as Gekko mizoramensis, this lizard exhibits a scattered distribution throughout Mizoram in northeast India.

There are currently six described species on the Chinese mainland and five on Taiwan island, all of which are terrestrial, partially fossorial, and undergo larval development in water bodies. However, one Hynobius salamander collected…

Biological specialization refers to the process by which organisms adapt to occupy specific ecological niches, reducing the available niche space and increasing the efficient utilization of resources. This specialization often occurs through natural selection,…

The feeding behavior of kingsnakes preying on rattlesnakes is a well-known example of a predator-prey relationship among snakes. Recently, my neighbor drew my attention to what he believed to be a snake coiled up…

The impact of future climate change on global reptile diversity and distributions is a topic of concern. The potential effects on species range, position, and overlap across lizards, snakes, and turtles could result in…

On balmy evenings in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro, a peculiar sight might greet you - milk fruit trees adorned with brownish-orange frogs. Most frog species have an insect-based diet, but the Xenohyla…

The Yangtze giant softshell turtle, known as Rafetus swinhoei, is a critically endangered species characterized by its unique physical features, such as its deep head with a pig-like snout and dorsally placed eyes. This…

Studying organism movement patterns can offer valuable insights into species ecology and evolution. Various methods, including radio telemetry, have revealed links between movement patterns and landscape use, antipredator behavior, life history, response to human…

Both chambers agreed on the number for python eradication, though, penciling in $1.35 million. Regarding python eradication, hunters removed around 18,000 pythons from Florida since 2000, and a 200% increase in captures since 2017…