Herpetological Highlights

246 Salamanders vs Volcanoes

Wed, 06 May 2026 13:32:32 +0100

This week we delve into the evolutionary history of a fascinating little salamander from North America: the cascade torrent salamander. Volcanoes and flooding have shaped this species' history over the last 15 million years, but they remain steadfast. Then we chat about some newly described frogs from Ecuador.

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Main Paper References:

Cousins CD, Olson DH, Millward LS, Adams MJ, Pearl CA, Rowe JC, Garcia TS. 2026. Genomics Reveals Extensive Population Structure and Undescribed Phylogenetic Relationships in the Cascade Torrent Salamander ( Rhyacotriton cascadae ). Journal of Biogeography 53:e70167. DOI: 10.1111/jbi.70167.

Falcão BB, São Pedro VA, Entiauspe‐Neto OM. 2026. Occurrence and evolution of cannibal behaviour in extant snakes. Biological Reviews 101:644–664. DOI: 10.1111/brv.70097.

Song Z, Griesser M, Schuppli C, Van Schaik CP. 2023. Does the expensive brain hypothesis apply to amphibians and reptiles? BMC Ecology and Evolution 23:77. DOI: 10.1186/s12862-023-02188-w.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Székely P, Hualpa-Vega S, Hualpa-Vega D, Székely D. 2026. Three new Pristimantis species in the subgenus Huicundomantis (Amphibia: Anura: Strabomantidae) from Reserva Biológica Cerro Plateado, southern Ecuador. PeerJ 14:e20930. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.20930.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

245 A Vegetation Investigation

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:00:00 +0100

This week we're diving into two reptile papers: the first is about desert lizards being secret nutritional strategists, timing what they eat across the year to nail mating season and prep for hibernation. Then we stumble into the chaotic world of rattlesnake seed dispersal, where a snake eats a rodent that ate a seed, and thanks to the snake, a tree grows.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Acevedo M, Salywon AM, Blackwell SA, Hodgson WC, Hughes ZS, Davis MA, Schuett GW. 2026. The potential for seed rescue and secondary dispersal in rattlesnakes. Royal Society Open Science 13:251226. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.251226.

Joshi M, Tatu A, Hawlena D, Raubenheimer D, Thaker M. 2026. Desert lizards modulate nutritional responses to match seasonal biological needs. Royal Society Open Science 13:251690. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.251690.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

244 Frogs Bringing the Pain

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:22:22 +0100

Bradykinin is a hormone that is released naturally in response to tissue damage, so if you hurt yourself, it makes it hurt. Quite a few animals from wildly different evolutionary histories have defensive toxins which are fake copies of this hormone. We discover which animals have them, when these defences evolved, and ultimately, how they are used for defence.

For our Species of the Bi-Week there have been multiple new rock monitors discovered - slender predators of Australia's rocky outcroppings.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Shi N, Touchard A, Schendel V, Koch TL, Starobova H, Niu P, Tran H, Ragnarsson L, Safavi-Hemami H, Vetter I, Robinson SD. 2026. Repeated convergent evolution of bradykinin mimics as defensive toxins. Science 391:1046–1052. DOI: 10.1126/science.adx0452.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Zozaya SM, Read WJ, Macor SA, Pavón-Vázquez CJ, Gale NP, Wright JM, Broady ES. 2026. Three new species reveal an unrecognized clade of rock monitors (Varanidae: Varanus ) from the eastern Australian savannas. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 206:zlaf192. DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf192.

Other Links/Mentions:

AphibiaWeb donation link: https://give.berkeley.edu/fund/FU0863000

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

243 Pythons are Seed Pipelines

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Invasive species are well known to damage ecosystems by directly eating other animals and disrupting the food chain. But their impacts can go much deeper, as a new study about seed dispersal by pythons and tegus in the Everglades has shown - they may be contributing to the destruction of rare and unusual habitats.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Figueroa A, Davis KR, Harman MEA, Bartoszek IA, Easterling IC, Yackel Adams AA, Romagosa CM. 2025. Double agents: invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) and Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) as potential seed dispersers in South Florida. Journal of Zoology:jzo.70082. DOI: 10.1111/jzo.70082.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Harman MEA, Fuller NR, Baiser B, Blackburn JK, Li X, Currylow AF, Yackel Adams AA, Falk BG, Romagosa CM. 2025. Dietary breadth and ecological plasticity facilitate invasion potential in a large omnivorous lizard. Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science 3:1635085. DOI: 10.3389/famrs.2025.1635085.

Sapkota, A., Karki, A., Sapkota, K. R., & Baral, R. (2025). First record of death-feigning behavior in common wolf snake Lycodon aulicus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Nepal. Nepalese Journal of Zoology, 9(2), 85-88.

Other Links/Mentions:

AmphibiaWeb 2008 Acris gryllus: Southern Cricket Frog University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Feb 24, 2026.

Acris gryllus from James W. Beck: https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?special=call&genus=Acris&species=gryllus

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

242 Spot the Viper to Survive

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Pitvipers of the genus Bothrops are famed for their camouflage and for being deadly ambush predators. New insights from snake CCTV have revealed that these snakes can only really catch and eat animals who can't spot them hiding in the leaf litter, and it's bad news for our furry friends. Then we chat about a jazzy new species of newt described from central China.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Glaudas X, Souza ED, Schunck F, Banci K, Rojas A, Hingst‐Zaher E, Martins M. 2025. To be (cryptic) or not to be? Variation in detectability by prey explains the diet of an ambush predator. Oikos:e11906. DOI: 10.1002/oik.11906.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Li S, Shi S, Liu J, Luo Z, Wang J, Liao L, Wang Y, Gong R, Wu J, Wang B. 2026. Description of a new species of the Asian newt genus Tylototriton Anderson, 1871 (Urodela, Salamandridae) from central China. Zoosystematics and Evolution 102:181–197. DOI: 10.3897/zse.102.173283.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Wang B, Nishikawa K, Matsui M, Nguyen TQ, Xie F, Li C, Khatiwada JR, Zhang B, Gong D, Mo Y, Wei G, Chen X, Shen Y, Yang D, Xiong R, Jiang J. 2018. Phylogenetic surveys on the newt genus Tylototriton sensu lato (Salamandridae, Caudata) reveal cryptic diversity and novel diversification promoted by historical climatic shifts. PeerJ 6:e4384. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4384.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

241 Poison Frog Parents

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Mimic poison frogs are utterly amazing, famous for mimicking multiple different frog species, and like other dart frogs they demonstrate bi-parental care where both male and female frogs team up to look after the young. What we didn't know was how flexible these parental roles are - can females step in to move tadpoles when males start slacking, and what triggers them to do so? It turns out they can, but they don't always.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Moss JB, Winter BM, Westrick SE, Julkowski K, Podraza ME, Fischer EK. 2026. Partner cues and individual variation underlie sex-reversed parental care in poison frogs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 293:20252200. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.2200.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Moss JB, Tumulty JP, Fischer EK. 2023 Evolution of acoustic signals associated with cooperative parental behavior in a poison frog. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 120, e2218956120. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218956120

Other Links/Mentions:

Buy Pyro by Dallin Kohler: https://www.torreyhouse.org/pyro

Kohler, Dallin. 2025. Pyro: The Quest for a Beautifully Elusive Snake. 979-8-89092-022-5

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

240 Small Homes for Small Gators

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 17:40:37 +0000

Chinese conservationists have worked hard to protect the critically endangered Chinese alligator, creating new habitats for them after significant alterations made most of their Yangtze River home unsuitable. Thanks to the power of GPS technology, we now have some fascinating insights into how they are using the wetlands they are being reintroduced to, and it's mixed news. We follow that chat up with two new species of sand swimming skinks from Madagascar, and some big news from Tom about a brand new mammal.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Li M, Sun K, Wang Z, Zhang C, Gao Y, Zhang S, Tu G, Wu X, Pan T. 2025. Extremely limited spatial and temporal utilization for wild Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis). Biology Letters 21:20250513. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2025.0513.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Miralles A, Schmidt R, Rakotoarison A, Delaunay A, Freiwald A, Rahagalala NA, Rakotomanga S, Razafimanafo D, Ratsoavina FM, Crottini A, Raselimanana AP, Glaw F, Vences M. 2025. Integrative taxonomy of Madagascar’s sand-swimming skinks (Scincidae: Voeltzkowia , Grandidierina) and preliminary evidence for an overlooked inland belt of white sand patches across the island’s west. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 205:zlaf147. DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf147.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Sun K, Li M, Wang Z, Sun S, Yang J, Wu X, Pan T. 2025. Habitat Integrity Challenges for the Chinese Alligator Amid Land Occupation by Human: Pathways for Protection. Ecology and Evolution 15:e71113. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.71113.

Other Links/Mentions:

Wild London (~37 minutes in for Aesculapian snakes) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002hzg7

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

239 Side Effects of Albinism

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Common knowledge suggests that albino animals are rare in the wild because they stick out like a sore thumb and get eaten by predators, but studies supporting this are relatively scarce. Now, researchers from Australia have discovered that the drawbacks of albinism are not limited to their obvious appearance. Even better, they used our old friends cane toads to prove it.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Funk AT, Martin J, Clark M, Païta A, Jolly CJ, Shine R. 2025. Knocking out genes to reveal drivers of natural selection on phenotypic traits: a study of the fitness consequences of albinism. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292:20251458. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.1458.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Clark MB, Funk AT, Paporakis A, Brown GP, Beach SJ, Tay A, Deering S, Cooper C, Tizard M, Jolly CJ, Ward-Fear G, Waddle AW, Shine R, Maselko M. 2025. Efficient CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing of the Cane Toad ( Rhinella marina ). The CRISPR Journal 8:321–332. DOI: 10.1177/25731599251382427.

Stephenson BP, Velani Z, Ihász N. 2022. The effect of albinism on avian predator attack rates in eastern garter snakes. Zoology 150:125987. DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2021.125987.

Other Links/Mentions:

Motorbike frog call from: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/517096-Ranoidea-moorei

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

238 Antivenom Breakthrough

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:10:45 +0000

New methods in antivenom technology may yield a treatment that works on most of the cobras in Africa, thanks to the blood of alpacas and some very clever scientists. Then we follow up with two new species of sleepyhead snake from Venezuala.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Ahmadi S, Burlet NJ, Benard-Valle M, Guadarrama-Martínez A, Kerwin S, Cardoso IA, Marriott AE, Edge RJ, Crittenden E, Neri-Castro E, Fernandez-Quintero ML, Nguyen GTT, O’Brien C, Wouters Y, Kalogeropoulos K, Thumtecho S, Ebersole TW, Dahl CH, Glegg-Sørensen EU, Jansen T, Boddum K, Manousaki E, Rivera-de-Torre E, Ward AB, Morth JP, Alagón A, Mackessy SP, Ainsworth S, Menzies SK, Casewell NR, Jenkins TP, Ljungars A, Laustsen AH. 2025. Nanobody-based recombinant antivenom for cobra, mamba and rinkhals bites. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09661-0.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Esqueda LF, Rojas-Runjaic FJM, Prudente A, Bazó S, Navarrete LF, Carmargo-Sillet E, Ortiz JC, Correa C, Guerrero P, Urra F. 2025. A first phylogenetic and taxonomic approach to sleepyhead snakes from Venezuela (Dipsadidae: Atractus), with the description of two new Andean species. Organisms Diversity & Evolution. DOI: 10.1007/s13127-025-00682-1.

Other Links/Mentions:

https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

237 City Slickin' Wall Lizards

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Urban areas represent both opportunities and risks for animals, and they adapt their behaviour in many ways to cope with this fast-paced lifestyle. Now, a new study has detailed how urban wall lizards in Croatia have richer social lives than their rural counterparts. Then we chat about a listener-submitted story detailing wild lizards eating pizza.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Maune AL, Wittenbreder T, Lisičić D, Caspers BA, Camerlenghi E, Damas-Moreira I. 2025. City lizards are more social. Biology Letters 21:20250326. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2025.0326.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Dendi, D., Segniagbeto, G. H., Meek, R., & Luiselli, L. (2023). Opportunistic foraging strategy of rainbow lizards at a seaside resort in Togo. African Journal of Ecology, 61(1), 226-227.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

236 Grippy Australian Geckos

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:07:05 +0000

Research from Asian geckos generally suggests that sticky pads are used for smooth surfaces, while claws help grip onto rougher surfaces like wood and rocks. But a new study using Australian geckos is has turned that paradigm upside-down. Then we talk about a brand new species of frog described from the mountains of central China.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Pillai RR, Riedel J, Wirth W, Allen-Ankins S, Nordberg E, Edwards W, Schwarzkopf L. 2025. What’s the point? The functional role of claws in pad-bearing taxa (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292:20251362. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.1362.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Li S, Shi S, Liu J, Zhao J, Gao S, Wang B. 2025. A new species of the Boulenophrys (Anura, Megophryidae) from Hubei, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution 101:1213–1226. DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.155859.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

GEORGALIS, G. L., & JONES, M. E. (2025). A new peculiar early diverging caenophidian snake (Serpentes) from the late Eocene of Hordle Cliff, England. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 24(25), 505-530.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

235 Magnetoad Goes Home

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 18:00:00 +0100

Toads continue to amaze us - this time they are using their sense of the Earth's magnetic field to find their way home. But how important this sense is for cane toads as they travel home from long journeys, and how much are they relying on their sense of smell, was a mystery, until a clever new study tested the toads. Then we briefly touch on how pythons digest bones so successfully.

Main Paper References:

Fernandez RC, Sotelo MI. 2025. A toad’s journey home: towards elucidating the neural and sensory basis of amphibian navigation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.0525.

Shaykevich DA, Pareja-Mejía D, Golde C, Pašukonis A, O’Connell LA. 2025. Neural and sensory basis of homing behaviour in the invasive cane toad, Rhinella marina. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292:20250045. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.0045.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Lignot J-H, Pope RK, Secor SM. 2025. Diet-dependent production of calcium- and phosphorus-rich ‘spheroids’ along the intestine of Burmese pythons: identification of a new cell type? Journal of Experimental Biology 228:jeb249620. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.249620.

Other Links/Mentions:

Starr M. 2025.New Cell Discovered in Pythons Allows Them to Completely Digest Bones. Available at https://www.sciencealert.com/new-cell-discovered-in-pythons-allows-them-to-completely-digest-bones (accessed August 25, 2025).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

234 Hot Dragons, Cold Dragons

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 10:15:53 +0100

We recap some of our recent travels, and then chat about bearded dragons. A new study shows that these lizards are making decisions about how they maintain their body temperature, and this has a knock-on effect on how well they perform during their daily lives. Being cold-blooded is complicated.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Wild KH, Roe JH, Curran J, Pearson PR, Schwanz L, Georges A, Sarre SD. 2025. Thermal performance curves, activity and survival in a free‐ranging ectotherm. Journal of Animal Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.70091.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Petzold A, Glaw F, Mullin KE, Rakotoarison A, Raselimanana AP, Cottini A, Orozco-terWengel P, Kohler J, Protzel D, Vences M, Hofreiter M, Scherz MD. 2025. A preliminary assessment of the diversity in the frog genus Anilany (Microhylidae: Cophylinae) with description of a new species from western Madagascar. Salamandra.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Marshall BM, Strine CT, Gore ML, Eskew EA, Stringham OC, Cardoso P, Chekunov S, Watters F, Fukushima C, García-Díaz P, Sinclair JS, Tlusty MF, Almeida RJ, Valdez JW, Hughes AC. 2025. Mapping the global dimensions of US wildlife imports. Current Biology:S0960982225008784. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.07.012.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

233 Colour-matching chameleons

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 12:52:40 +0100

In this episode we are talking chameleons, one of nature's most famous colour changers. But despite their famous status, very few studies have actually demonstrated that they can change colour under controlled conditions. Research led by our very own Tom Major has shown that flap-necked chameleons from Tanzania are capable of changing their colour, and brightness, to match their surroundings and escape predation.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Major T, Hesten ACM, Stipala J, Cant MA, Stevens M, Troscianko J. 2025 Flap-necked chameleons change colour to match their background. Biology Letters 21: 20250134

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Drown, R. M., Liebl, A. L., & Anderson, C. V. (2022). The functional basis for variable antipredatory behavioral strategies in the chameleon Chamaeleo calyptratus. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(10), jeb242955.

Stuart-Fox, D., Whiting, M. J., & Moussalli, A. (2006). Camouflage and colour change: antipredator responses to bird and snake predators across multiple populations in a dwarf chameleon. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 88(3), 437-446.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

232 The Glass is Half-full for Tortoises

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 16:14:54 +0100

The minds of reptiles remain largely mysterious to us, and we often wonder what kind of emotions they are capable of feeling. In this episode we dig into a new study which tries to uncover some of the mysteries of tortoise cognition, particularly whether they can experience different moods. We follow that up with a newly described species of lizard from the rocky deserts of Arabia.

Main Paper References:

Hoehfurtner T, Wilkinson A, Moszuti SA, Burman OHP. 2025. Evidence of mood states in reptiles. Animal Cognition 28. DOI: 10.1007/s10071-025-01973-y.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Šmíd J, Velenská D, Pola L, Tamar K, Busais S, Shobrak M, Almutairi M, Salim AFA, Alsubaie SD, AlGethami RHM, AlGethami AR, Alanazi ASK, Alshammari AM, Egan DM, Ramalho RO, Olson D, Smithson J, Chirio L, Burger M, Van Huyssteen R, Petford MA, Carranza S. 2025. Phylogeny and systematics of Arabian lacertids from the Mesalina guttulata species complex (Squamata, Lacertidae), with the description of a new species. BMC Zoology 10. DOI: 10.1186/s40850-025-00233-3.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Harding EJ, Paul ES, Mendl M. 2004. Cognitive bias and affective state. Nature 427:312–312. DOI: 10.1038/427312a.

Moszuti SA, Wilkinson A, Burman OHP. 2017. Response to novelty as an indicator of reptile welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 193:98–103. DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.03.018.

Other Links/Mentions:

Alamshah AL, Marshall BM. 2025. Big bills, small changes: with few exceptions, Jungle crows show minor variation in bill morphology across their distribution. EcoEvoRxiv. DOI: 10.32942/X2NW74. https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/9694/

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

231 Hotter Times for Desert Lizards

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 18:00:00 +0100

A monumental new study has addressed the likely impacts of climate change on the activity of desert lizards in Africa and Australia. Hotter temperatures will likely ‘squeeze’ the activity window of some lizards, especially those active during the day. We chat about the ramifications of this paper, before turning to news of dogs being attacked by anacondas.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Wild KH, Huey RB, Pianka ER, Clusella-Trullas S, Gilbert AL, Miles DB, Kearney MR. 2025. Climate change and the cost-of-living squeeze in desert lizards. Science 387:303–309. DOI: 10.1126/science.adq4372.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Starace, F., & Ineich, I. (2025). Predation on dogs by Green Anacondas, Eunectes murinus (Linnaeus, 1758): two cases from French Guiana. Herpetology Notes, 18, 415-419.

Other Links/Mentions:

Rhinella alata call from James LS, O’Mara MT, Touchon JC, Ryan MJ, Bernal XE, Page RA. 2025. The ontogeny of decision-making in an eavesdropping predator. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292:20250450. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.0450.

AmphibiaWeb - Rhinella alata. Available at https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-scientific_name=Rhinella+alata&rel-scientific_name=contains&include_synonymies=Yes (accessed June 19, 2025).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

230 Bats Listen to Hear Which Frog is Tastiest

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 13:14:22 +0100

Bats have famously good hearing, and fringe-lipped bats in Panama have tuned theirs to listen out for frogs calling out for mates. But these bats are quite particular about which amphibians they eat. New research has revealed that bats have to learn these skills, as the youngsters have way less idea which frogs they can safely tackle. We finish off talking about a newly described skink from urban China.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

James LS, O’Mara MT, Touchon JC, Ryan MJ, Bernal XE, Page RA. 2025. The ontogeny of decision-making in an eavesdropping predator. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292:20250450. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.0450.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Jia R-W, Gao Z-Y, Wu D-H, Wang G-Q, Liu G, Liu M, Jiang K, Jiang D-C, Ren J-L, Li J-T. 2025. Hidden Urban Biodiversity: A New Species of the Genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950 (Squamata: Scincidae) from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Southwest China. Animals 15:232. DOI: 10.3390/ani15020232.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

229 Tokay Geckos Will Remember You

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 18:00:00 +0100

New research suggests that tokay geckos can distinguish between different people, shedding further light on the intelligence of lizards. We delve into this study and voice warranted concerns about the intelligence of these little maniacs.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Damas-Moreira I, Bégué L, Ringler E, Szabo B. 2025. Tokay geckos adjust their behaviour based on handler familiarity but according to context. Scientific Reports 15:11364. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-95936-5.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Correa, C., Riveros-Riffo, E., & Donoso, J. P. (2025). Lost for more than a century: the rediscovery of Alsodes vittatus (Philippi, 1902)(Anura, Alsodidae), one of the rarest and most elusive amphibians from Chile. ZooKeys, 1230, 195.

Other Links/Mentions:

Pensoft Publishers. 2025.Ghost Frog Found: Scientists Stumble Upon Species Missing Since 1902. Available at https://scitechdaily.com/ghost-frog-found-scientists-stumble-upon-species-missing-since-1902/ (accessed May 1, 2025).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

228 Why do pythons have heat pits?

Fri, 30 May 2025 11:27:07 +0100

Almost all pythons and some boas have heat pits on their faces. This extraordinary adaptation lets these snakes 'see' the heat signature of their unsuspecting prey. A new study has determined the evolutionary history of these amazing attributes, and worked out whether they are more prevalent in snakes with certain lifestyles.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Biswas A, Ghosh A, Agashe M. 2025. In ‘hot’ pursuit: exploring the evolutionary ecology of labial pits in boas and pythons. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292:20250199. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.0199.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Albuquerque NR, Martins RH, Carvalho PS, Shepard DB, Santana DJ. 2025. A new species of parrot snake, Leptophis (Serpentes: Colubridae) from the Brazilian Cerrado. PeerJ 13:e18528. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.18528.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Bontrager DR, Christie JT, Pierce AJ, Artchawakom T, Waengsothorn S, Jones MD. 2025. Ritualistic Male–Male Combat of the Northern King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) in Thailand. Ecology and Evolution 15:e71191. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.71191.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

227 The Colourful Diet of Day Geckos

Tue, 20 May 2025 18:00:00 +0100

Day geckos and certain plants share a long evolutionary history, with day geckos feasting on nectar and in return pollinating plants. A study from back in the mid 2000s proved this neatly, and we delve into it this episode. After that, we have a snake eating somebody's underwear, and a very novel new method for controlling invasive cane toads in Australia.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hansen DM, Beer K, Müller CB. 2006. Mauritian coloured nectar no longer a mystery: a visual signal for lizard pollinators. Biology Letters 2:165–168. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2006.0458.

Other Links/Mentions:

Brann M. 2025. Woman finds python eating her bra and shirt for breakfast. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-25/cattle-producer-finds-python-eating-bra-and-shirt/104976022

de Kruijff P. 2025. Cannibal cane toad tadpoles that never grow up could help toad control. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2025-04-08/cane-toad-created-that-never-grows-up-and-eats-its-siblings/105100286

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

226 Iguanas on Tour

Tue, 13 May 2025 22:01:34 +0100

A new study has proven that ancient iguanas rafted over sea all the way from North America to Fiji, a staggering 8,000 km away. We discuss this epic voyage, and then turn our attention to a colourful new species of wolf snake from Myanmar.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Scarpetta SG, Fisher RN, Karin BR, Niukula JB, Corl A, Jackman TR, McGuire JA. 2025. Iguanas rafted more than 8,000 km from North America to Fiji. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 122:e2318622122. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318622122.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Van Nguyen T, Lee Jl, Jiang K, Ding L, Chit Mat, Poyarkov Na, Vogel G. 2025. A new species of wolf snake Lycodon Fitzinger, 1826 from China and Myanmar (Squamata: Colubridae), and new data on Lycodon gongshan Vogel & Luo, 2011. Zootaxa 5621:1–51. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5621.1.1.

Other Links/Mentions:

Bakar F. 2019.Frogs who married “to bring rain” to Indian village get divorced. Available at https://metro.co.uk/2019/09/15/frogs-who-married-to-bring-rain-to-indian-village-get-divorced-because-of-too-much-downpour-10745884/ (accessed April 30, 2025).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

225 Smooth Snakes vs Vipers

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 18:00:00 +0100

Are rare meadow vipers under threat from the world’s smoothest snake? We find out, then we chat about why asp vipers come in different colours.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Wenner B, Móré A, Radovics D, Bancsik B, Budai M, Rák G, Kovács G, Szabolcs M, Korsós Z, Mizsei E. 2025. The Smooth Snake is not a threat to the Meadow Viper: predator–prey interactions of a reptile specialist snake. Community Ecology. DOI: 10.1007/s42974-025-00234-9.

Dubey S, Zwahlen V, Mebert K, Monney J-C, Golay P, Ott T, Durand T, Thiery G, Kaiser L, Geser SN, Ursenbacher S. 2015. Diversifying selection and color-biased dispersal in the asp viper. BMC Evolutionary Biology 15:99. DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0367-4.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

224 Raptors Cannot Resist Rattlesnakes

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 18:00:00 +0000

This episode is all about the problems rattlesnakes face in the wild. A brilliant new study uncovers whether predatory birds in America are resistant to the toxins of the rattlesnakes they eat, and then we talk about how rattlesnakes deal with the problem of getting water in dry environments. Finally, a beautiful new species of pitviper has been described from Thailand.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Balchan NR, Crowther TW, Kratz G, Mackessy SP. 2025. Raptors without resistance: No evidence for endogenous inhibition of rattlesnake venom metalloproteinases in a Great Plains raptor assemblage. Toxicon 256:108275. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2025.108275.

McIntyre MG, Van Mierlo M, Parker MR, Goetz SM, Taylor EN, Boback SM. 2024. Rain-harvesting behavior in free-ranging prairie rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis). Current Zoology:zoae069. DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoae069.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Pawangkhanant P, Idiiatullina SS, Smits T, Dugdale I, Pierce A, Suwannapoom C, Poyarkov NA. 2025. A NEW SPECIES OF KARST-ASSOCIATED PITVIPER OF THE Trimeresurus kanburiensis COMPLEX (SQUAMATA: VIPERIDAE) FROM EASTERN THAILAND. Taprobanica 14. DOI: 10.47605/tapro.v14i1.347.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

223 Sky-diving Salamanders

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 14:18:02 +0000

Some tree-dwelling salamanders have a remarkable ability to ‘sky-dive’, controlling their descent after leaping away from predators. New research tests the gliding ability of a number of different species, and finds that some are more adept than others. We follow up with a brand new frog species described from Kangaroo Island, Australia.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Brown CE, Sathe EA, Dudley R, Deban SM. 2022. Aerial maneuvering by plethodontid salamanders spanning an arboreality gradient. Journal of Experimental Biology 225:jeb244598. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244598.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Parkin T, Rowley JJL, Elliott-Tate J, Mahony MJ, Sumner J, Melville J, Donnellan SC. 2024. Systematic assessment of the brown tree frog (Anura: Pelodryadidae: Litoria ewingii) reveals two endemic species in South Australia. Zootaxa 5406:1–36. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5406.1.1.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Brown, C. E., Goldenberg, W. P., Hinds, O. M., O'Donnell, M. K., & Staub, N. L. (2025). Vascular and Osteological Morphology of Expanded Digit Tips Suggests Specialization in the Wandering Salamander (Aneides vagrans). Journal of Morphology, 286(1), e70026.

Other Links/Mentions:

Sounds of Northern Pacific Treefrog - Pseudacris regilla. Available at https://californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/p.regilla.sounds.html (accessed February 18, 2025).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

222 Aesculapian Snake Special

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000

We are talking about our own work this week, focusing on our latest research into Europe’s foremost colubrid, the Aesculapian snake. We chat about radio-tracking these beasts and dive into some of the media coverage this study has received. Finally, we touch on some good conservation news from the Zoological Society of London.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper Reference:

Major T, Jeffrey L, Limia Russel G, Bracegirdle R, Gandini A, Morgan R, Marshall BM, Mulley JF, Wüster W. 2025. A reliance on human habitats is key to the success of an introduced predatory reptile. PLOS ONE 20:e0310352. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310352.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Major, T., Bracegirdle, R., Gandini, A., Russell, G. L., Pozzi, A. V., Morgan, R., ... & Wüster, W. (2023). Mate today, gone tomorrow: male on female cannibalism in Zamenis longissimus (Laurenti, 1768) in North Wales. Herpetology Notes, 16, 51-54.

Other Links/Mentions:

BBC Radio 4 inside science (Tom at 20:35): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0027txb

Conversation article about Aesculapian snakes: https://theconversation.com/britain-has-a-new-snake-species-should-climate-change-mean-it-is-allowed-to-stay-249043

Leap of Hope documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs1SIs0KRlk&ab_channel=ZSL-ZoologicalSocietyofLondon

Sample I. 2025. Endangered frogs born at London zoo after rescue mission in Chile. The Guardian.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

221 Salamander Salvation

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Salamanders and frogs return to their home pools to breed, but removal of these pools is making life more difficult for them. New research discovers how artificial pools can affect the genetics and fates of both spotted salamanders and wood frogs.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Winters DM, Wilson E, Coster SS, Rothenberger MB. 2024. Integrating Population Genetics With Long‐Term Environmental Monitoring to Evaluate and Guide Vernal Pool Creation for Amphibian Conservation. Ecology and Evolution 14. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70431.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Davis CL, Muñoz DJ, Amburgey SM, Dinsmore CR, Teitsworth EW, Miller DAW. 2023. Multistate model to estimate sex‐specific dispersal rates and distances for a wetland‐breeding amphibian population. Ecosphere 14. DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4345.

Other Links/Mentions:

Sabillo K. 2025.Bangladesh sees first ever rewilding of captive-bred elongated tortoises. Available at https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/01/bangladesh-sees-first-ever-rewilding-of-captive-bred-elongated-tortoises/ (accessed January 23, 2025).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

220 Toxic Toads A Tale of Two Species

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 09:11:55 +0000

The Asian common toad (aka Asian black-spined toad, Asian toad, black-spectacled toad) is a remarkably successful species, living alongside humans and colonising new lands. A new study suggests there might be more than meets the eye, with the toads being more than one species. We finish with a newly described tiny species of chameleon from Madagascar.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Dufresnes C, Jablonski D, Ambu J, Prasad VK, Bala Gautam K, Kamei RG, Mahony S, Hofmann S, Masroor R, Alard B, Crottini A, Edmonds D, Ohler A, Jiang J, Khatiwada JR, Gupta SK, Borzée A, Borkin LJ, Skorinov DV, Melnikov DA, Milto KD, Konstantinov EL, Künzel S, Suchan T, Arkhipov DV, Trofimets AV, Nguyen TV, Suwannapoom C, Litvinchuk SN, Poyarkov NA. 2025. Speciation and historical invasions of the Asian black-spined toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus). Nature Communications 16. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54933-4.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Rakotoarison A, Hasiniaina AF, Glaw F, Vences M. 2024. A new miniaturized species of leaf chameleon, genus Brookesia, from a littoral forest fragment in eastern Madagascar. Zootaxa 5506:533–547. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5506.4.3.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Vázquez Torres S, Benard Valle M, Mackessy SP, Menzies SK, Casewell NR, Ahmadi S, Burlet NJ, Muratspahić E, Sappington I, Overath MD, Rivera-de-Torre E, Ledergerber J, Laustsen AH, Boddum K, Bera AK, Kang A, Brackenbrough E, Cardoso IA, Crittenden EP, Edge RJ, Decarreau J, Ragotte RJ, Pillai AS, Abedi M, Han HL, Gerben SR, Murray A, Skotheim R, Stuart L, Stewart L, Fryer TJA, Jenkins TP, Baker D. 2025. De novo designed proteins neutralize lethal snake venom toxins. Nature:1–7. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08393-x.

Other Links/Mentions:

Callaway E. 2025. AI-designed proteins tackle century-old problem — making snake antivenoms. Nature 637:776–776. DOI: 10.1038/d41586-025-00133-z.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

219 Ball Pythons Care About Friendship

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 18:00:00 +0000

Our understanding of the social lives of snakes is evolving at breakneck speed. This week we discuss a new study which has revealed that ball pythons have social behaviour. We also talk about sociality in rattlesnakes, before moving on to some news from the world of milk snake speciation - there may be fewer species than previously thought.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Clark RW, Brown WS, Stechert R, Greene HW. 2012. Cryptic sociality in rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) detected by kinship analysis. Biology Letters 8:523–525. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.1217.

Skinner M, Kumpan T, Miller N. 2024. Intense sociability in a “non-social” snake (Python regius). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 78:113. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-024-03535-7.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Kornai D, Jiao X, Ji J, Flouri T, Yang Z. 2024. Hierarchical Heuristic Species Delimitation Under the Multispecies Coalescent Model with Migration. Systematic Biology 73:1015–1037. DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syae050.

Other Links/Mentions:

Salamander call and video by Heidi Rockney and Gary Nafis from: https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Dicamptodon&where-species=ensatus

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

218 Sleepy Skinks Love Tomatoes

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 18:00:00 +0000

A wildly ambitious new study manages to test how the personalities of sleepy skinks influence their success at finding food in the wild. Then we hit upon a beautiful new frog species from China.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Spiegel O, Michelangeli M, Sinn DL, Payne E, Klein JV, Kirkpatrick J, Harbusch M, Sih A. 2024. Resource manipulation reveals interactive phenotype‐dependent foraging in free‐ranging lizards. Journal of Animal Ecology 93:1108–1122. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14128.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Tang S, Sun T, Liu S, Luo S, Yu G, Du L. 2023. A new species of cascade frog (Anura: Ranidae: Amolops) from central Yunnan, China. Zoological Letters 9:15. DOI: 10.1186/s40851-023-00214-9.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Marshall BM, Alamshah AL, Cardoso P, Cassey P, Chekunov S, Eskew EA, Fukushima CS, García-Díaz P, Gore ML, Lockwood JL, Rhyne AL, Sinclair JS, Thomas Strine C, Stringham OC, Tlusty MF, Valdez JW, Watters F, Hughes AC. 2025. The magnitude of legal wildlife trade and implications for species survival. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 122. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2410774121.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

217 Blindsnake Takeover

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Blindsnakes have taken over the continent of Australia at rapid speed. We chat about their different body types and finish with some listener-submitted wild observations of unusual reptile behaviour.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Tiatragul S, Skeels A, Keogh JS. 2024. Morphological evolution and niche conservatism across a continental radiation of Australian blindsnakes. Evolution 78:1854–1868. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae132.

Other Links/Mentions:

Robles-Gil A. 2024.After the Death of Cassius, the World’s Largest Captive Crocodile, Scientists Are Trying to Solve the Mystery of His Age. Available at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-the-death-of-cassius-the-worlds-largest-captive-crocodile-scientists-are-trying-to-solve-the-mystery-of-his-age-180985422/ (accessed December 5, 2024).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

216 Bearded Dragons Master Imitators

Sun, 15 Dec 2024 18:25:56 +0000

A clever new experiment has shown that bearded dragons can learn skills by copying other dragons. Then we have a brand new orange and black newt species.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kis A, Huber L, Wilkinson A. 2015. Social learning by imitation in a reptile (Pogona vitticeps). Animal Cognition 18:325–331. DOI: 10.1007/s10071-014-0803-7.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Pomchote P, Peerachidacho P, Khonsue W, Sapewisut P, Hernandez A, Phalaraksh C, Siriput P, Nishikawa K. 2024. The seventh species of the newt genus Tylototriton in Thailand: a new species (Urodela, Salamandridae) from Tak Province, northwestern Thailand. ZooKeys 1215:185–208. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1215.116624.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Folt B, Marshall M, Emanuel JA, Dziadzio M, Cooke J, Mena L, Hinderliter M, Hoffmann S, Rankin N, Tupy J, McGowan C. 2022. Using predictions from multiple anthropogenic threats to estimate future population persistence of an imperiled species. Global Ecology and Conservation 36:e02143. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02143.

Loope KJ, Akçakaya HR, Shoemaker KT. 2024. Inflated predictions from a flawed model influenced the decision to deny federal protection for the gopher tortoise. Global Ecology and Conservation 54:e03089. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e03089.

Folt B, Marshall M, Emanuel JA, Dziadzio M, Cooke J, Mena L, Hinderliter M, Hoffmann S, Rankin N, Tupy J, McGowan C. 2024. Strengths and opportunities in gopher tortoise population modeling: Reply to Loope et al. Global Ecology and Conservation 54:e03093. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e03093.

Other Links/Mentions:

Learn JR. 2024.Research challenges gopher tortoise listing decision. Available at https://wildlife.org/research-challenges-gopher-tortoise-listing-decision/ (accessed December 5, 2024).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

215 How Snakes Tackle Scorpions

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 17:30:15 +0000

Despite their boring name, ground snakes exhibit a variety of gnarly behaviours to help them take down invertebrate prey like spiders, scorpions and centipedes.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Gripshover ND, Meik JM, Nicholson DJ, Cox CL. 2024. Feeding behavior varies based upon prey defenses in the ground snake (Squamata: Serpentes: Sonora episcopa). Journal of Zoology 324:71–82. DOI: 10.1111/jzo.13198.

Other Links/Mentions:

Rana iberica call by Rafael Márquez from https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-scientific_name=Rana+iberica&rel-scientific_name=contains&include_synonymies=Yes

Burgess J. 2024. World’s largest crocodile in captivity dies. Available at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyvzyyd6l7o (accessed November 6, 2024).

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

214 Stinky Worm Lizards

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:38:36 +0000

Worm lizards are strange legless animals that live underground. Turns out they communicate by smell and are able to pass on surprisingly complex messages. There's also a brand new species of these subterranean lizards.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper Reference:

Martín J, Navarro-Castilla Á, De La Concha A, Cuervo JJ, Barja I, López P. 2024. Heat-altered scent marks of males of a fossorial reptile still allow recognition by females but lose information on male quality. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 78:77. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-024-03496-x.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Ribeiro S, Santos Jr AP, Martins IG, Oliveira ECS, Graboski R, Barbosa Da Silveira T, Benício MHM, Vaz-Silva W. 2024. A new four-pored Amphisbaena Linnaeus, 1758 (Amphisbaenia, Amphisbaenidae) from the north of Espinhaço Mountain Range, Brazil. ZooKeys 1213:1–27. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1213.122265.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Martín, J., Rodríguez-Ruiz, G., Navarro-Castilla, Á., Barja, I., & López, P. (2024). Blind date: female fossorial amphisbaenians prefer scent marks of large and healthy males. Integrative Zoology.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

213 Can you sex a blue-tongued skink?

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 09:59:16 +0000

In this Patreon-selected double bill we investigate the tricky task of sexing blue-tongued skinks and the strange underworld of olms.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

McKenzie A, Li T, Doneley B. 2022. A comparison of two techniques to identify the sex of the eastern blue‐tongue skink (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides). Australian Veterinary Journal 100:407–413. DOI: 10.1111/avj.13170.

Recknagel H, Zakšek V, Delić T, Gorički Š, Trontelj P. 2024. Multiple transitions between realms shape relict lineages of Proteus cave salamanders. Molecular Ecology 33:e16868. DOI: 10.1111/mec.16868.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

212 King Cobra Species Split

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 16:35:58 +0000

We chat about vipers hissing before hitting on some massive news with multiple new species of king cobra being described.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Van Zele N, Nicot T, Lengagne T, Ksas R, Lourdais O. 2024. Physiological costs of warning: Defensive hissing increases metabolic rate and evaporative water loss in a venomous snake. Physiology & Behavior 287:114708. DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114708.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Das I, Gowri Shankar P, Swamy P, Williams RC, Lalremsanga HT, Prashanth P, Sahoo G, Vijayakumar SP, Höglund J, Shanker K, Dutta SK, Ganesh SR, Wüster W. 2024. Taxonomic revision of the king cobra Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836) species complex (Reptilia: Serpentes: Elapidae), with the description of two new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 961. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.961.2681.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Shankar PG, Swamy P, Williams RC, Ganesh SR, Moss M, Höglund J, Das I, Sahoo G, Vijayakumar SP, Shanker K, Wüster W, Dutta SK. 2021. King or royal family? Testing for species boundaries in the King Cobra, Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836), using morphology and multilocus DNA analyses. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution:107300. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107300.

Other Links/Mentions:

Viper hissing sound from Vipera Ammodytes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YgJRa9675Y&t=33s

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

211 Babies Crying Attracts Crocodiles

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 19:08:34 +0000

Crocodiles and apes have a long history together, and they might have been dining on our young...

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Thévenet J, Papet L, Coureaud G, Boyer N, Levréro F, Grimault N, Mathevon N. 2023. Crocodile perception of distress in hominid baby cries. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 290:20230201. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0201.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Seilern-Macpherson K, Lawson B, Macadam CR, West P, Reed N, Gibson L, Świątek P, Gajda Ł, Cunningham AA, Heaver J, Julian AM. 2024. Predation of anurans in southern England by Batracobdella algira, a leech previously unknown in the UK. The Herpetological Journal 34:221–227. DOI: 10.33256/34.4.221227.

King RB, Ray JM, Stanford KM. 2006. Gorging on gobies: beneficial effects of alien prey on a threatened vertebrate. Canadian Journal of Zoology 84:108–115. DOI: 10.1139/z05-182.

Massenet M, Anikin A, Pisanski K, Reynaud K, Mathevon N, Reby D. 2022. Nonlinear vocal phenomena affect human perceptions of distress, size and dominance in puppy whines. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1973), 20220429. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0429

Other Links/Mentions:

Alligator sounds from AGKrokodile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkW7-KpOQLA

210 Box Turtle Personality

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 13:07:47 +0100

Turtles have personalities and these can be influenced by the environments they live in, with urban environments seemingly changing the way turtle populations behave. Plus we talk about a chunky new toad species.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Carlson BE, Carter SE, Hulbert AC, Hyslop NL, Free Kashon EA, Kimble SJA, Lisk J, McElroy C, Mook JL, Refsnider JM, Roe JH, Tetzlaff SJ, Windmiller B. 2024. Intrapopulation variation in boldness differs while average boldness is similar across populations of a widespread turtle. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 78:64. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-024-03480-5.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Caicedo-Martínez LS, Henao-Osorio JJ, Arias-Monsalve HF, Rojas-Morales JA, Ossa-López PA, Rivera-Páez FA, Ramírez-Chaves HE. 2024. A new species of terrestrial toad of the Rhinella festae group (Anura, Bufonidae) from the highlands of the Central Cordillera of the Andes of Colombia. ZooKeys 1196:149–175. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1196.114861.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Marr MM, Hopkins K, Tapley B, Borzée A, Liang Z, Cunningham AA, Yan F, Wang J, Turvey ST. 2024. What’s in a name? Using species delimitation to inform conservation practice for Chinese giant salamanders (Andrias spp.). Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society 3:kzae007. DOI: 10.1093/evolinnean/kzae007.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

209 Eggs, Tails, and Leucistic Snakes

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 21:13:48 +0100

A bunch of new research up for discussion with frogs building nests, two-tailed geckos jogging about, and a leucistic snake that's venomous and poisonous.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Angiolani‐Larrea FN, Jindiachi L, Tinajero‐Romero JG, Valencia‐Aguilar A, Garrido‐Priego M, Culebras J, Ringler E. 2023. Egg burying behaviour in Pristimantis highlights the link between direct development and specialised parental care. Ecology and Evolution 13:e10808. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10808.

Liang T, Ran J, Liang Q, Leng L, Du J, Wang J, Shi L. 2024. Report of abnormal tail regeneration of Eremias yarkandensis (Sauria: Lacertidae) and its locomotor performance. Ecology and Evolution 14:e11074. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11074.

Park S, Cheon S, Park H, Kim N, Rahman MM, Sung H. 2024. The first record of leucism in the Rhabdophis tigrinus (Boie, 1826) (Squamata, Colubridae) in South Korea. Ecology and Evolution 14:e11029. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11029.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

208 Smoked Out Lizards

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 09:18:16 +0100

Are lizards from fire-prone areas more savvy to smoke? New research suggests they are, plus we chat about a newly discovered green frog whose beautiful call (probably) resembles a flute.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper Reference:

Álvarez-Ruiz L, Belliure J, Pausas JG. 2021. Fire-driven behavioral response to smoke in a Mediterranean lizard. Behavioral Ecology 32:662–667. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab010.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Marinho P, Santos MTT, Faivovich J, Lyra ML, Giaretta AA, Haddad CFB, Carvalho TR. 2024. A New Species of the Aplastodiscus albosignatus Group (Hylinae: Cophomantini) from the Northern Mantiqueira Mountain Range. Herpetologica 80. DOI: 10.1655/Herpetologica-D-23-00008.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

207 Monitor Lizards Munching Manky Marsupials

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 20:17:42 +0100

In Australia rotten meat is a valuable commodity that monitor lizards compete for against dingoes and red foxes. Plus new work from a team including ZSL has discovered a key ingredient to some lizard and crocodilian teeth that explains how they are so tough.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Cairncross RJ, Spencer EE, Meisuria N, Crowther MS, Newsome TM. 2024. Carrion use by a reptile is influenced by season, habitat and competition with an apex mammalian scavenger. Ecology and Evolution 14:e70211. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70211.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

LeBlanc ARH, Morrell AP, Sirovica S, Al-Jawad M, Labonte D, D’Amore DC, Clemente C, Wang S, Giuliani F, McGilvery CM, Pittman M, Kaye TG, Stevenson C, Capon J, Tapley B, Spiro S, Addison O. 2024. Iron-coated Komodo dragon teeth and the complex dental enamel of carnivorous reptiles. Nature Ecology & Evolution. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02477-7.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

206 Lizards on Red Alert

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 21:56:32 +0100

We talk about tourists intimidating lizards, pythons eating each other, and some fun skink action including a brand new dragon-like skink.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Golawska S, Charalambidou I, Surmacki A, Golawski A. 2024. Tourism influences escape behavior of lizards in relationship with human clothing color. Scientific Reports 14:16869. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68092-5.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Wang K, Li L, Mu H-N, Xu S-J, Che J. 2024. A New Species of the Genus Tropidophorus Duméril, Bibron, 1839 (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) from China-Vietnam Border Region in Southeastern Yunnan Province, China. Zootaxa 5486:129–141. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5486.1.6.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Mahamud I, Asif AA, Rahman MM, Sarker S, Shome AR. 2024. Python eats python: A Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) preying on a Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus) in Bangladesh. Reptiles & Amphibians 31:e21418. DOI: 10.17161/randa.v31i1.21418.

Other Links/Mentions:

Aesculapian snakes paper: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.01.610713v1

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

205 SquaMates Podcast Crossover

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 18:00:00 +0100

At the World Congress of Herpetology in Borneo we had the pleasure of meeting Mark and Hiral from the SquaMates Podcast, and took the opportunity to record an episode together. You can watch the video on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/ptXlOtEzivs

Check out Mark D. Scherz, Ethan Kocak, Gabriel Ugueto, and Hiral Naik in the SquaMates Podcast: http://squamatespod.com/

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

204 World Congress of Herpetology

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0100

Back from the World Congress in Borneo, we catch up about the experience, and finish with the recording of the mini podcast we did in front of a live audience. Special thanks to the Singapore Herpetological Society for inviting us to speak in their symposium about outreach and inclusivity in herpetology.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Presentations at WCH References:

Isaac Krone, Kat Magoulick and Ryan Yohler “All (the Herps) the Earth will not Remember: How Geographic Gaps Pattern the Future Fossil Record of Reptiles and Amphibians”

Chantelle Derez, Cameron Baker, Joshua Llinas, Ross Dwyer and Richard Fuller “No Place Like Home: Relocated ‘Nuisance’ Pythons Move Further and Die Earlier”

Kaiqi Wu, Peng Guo, Yayong Wu and Gang Gao “From Plateau to Clouds - How to Promote Herpetology Research in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau through Online Science Popularisation” Documentaries at: https://www.youtube.com/@Terraristik4all/videos & space.bilibili.com/485572109

Sarin Tiatragul, Alexander Skeels and Scott Keogh “Spaghetti and Sausages: A Nonadaptive Radiation of Australian Blindsnakes”

Krystal A. Tolley, Wade K. Stanton-Jones, Jody M. Barends, Melissa Petford, Anthony Herrel and Graham J. Alexander “Responses to Habitat Change in Knysna Dwarf Chameleons (Bradypodion damaranum)”

Check out the Singapore Herpetological Society: https://herpsocsg.com/

Species of the Bi-Week:

Kurita T, Nishikawa K, Hossman MY, Mizuno T, Sato H, Gumal M. 2024. Description of a new sandstone-dwelling species of genus Cnemaspis (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Gunung Santubong National Park, southwestern Sarawak, Malaysia. Zootaxa 5468:361–378. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5468.2.7.

Editing and Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

203 Impulsive Skinks

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 18:00:00 +0100

This episode is all behaviour, looking at whether Australian lizards can exercise inhibitory control.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Szabo B, Hoefer S, Whiting MJ. 2020. Are lizards capable of inhibitory control? Performance on a semi-transparent version of the cylinder task in five species of Australian skinks. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 74:118. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02897-y.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Wojciech – https://www.fiverr.com/buczar

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

202 Homeward Hopping Frogs

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 18:00:00 +0100

This episode we are looking at egg-feeding poison frogs and their ability to find their way back to their home territory. Species of the Bi-week is a fresh mud snake.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Gómez-Consuegra J, Amézquita A. 2024. Ecological and behavioral correlates of homing performance in the egg-feeding poison frog Oophaga histrionica. Evolutionary Ecology 38:241–253. DOI: 10.1007/s10682-023-10283-z.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Nguyen SN, Le MV, Lathrop A, Vo T-D-H, Murphy RW, Che J. 2024. A new species of mud snake (Squamata: Homalopsidae: Myrrophis) from southern Vietnam. Vertebrate Zoology 74:221–233. DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e116992.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Wojciech – https://www.fiverr.com/buczar

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

201 Toxic Toe-tapping Frogs

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 18:00:00 +0100

Popular pets, dart frogs are known to tap their toes, but the precise reasoning behind it has eluded scientists until now.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Parrish TQ, Fischer EK. 2024. Tap dancing frogs: Posterior toe tapping and feeding in Dendrobates tinctorius. Ethology 130:e13465. DOI: 10.1111/eth.13465.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Phung TM, Pham CT, Nguyen TQ, Ninh HT, Nguyen HQ, Bernardes M, Le ST, Ziegler T, Nguyen TT. 2023. Southbound – the southernmost record of Tylototriton (Amphibia, Caudata, Salamandridae) from the Central Highlands of Vietnam represents a new species. ZooKeys 1168:193–218. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1168.96091.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Claessens, L. S. A., Ganchev, N. O., Kukk, M. M., Schutte, C. J., & Sloggett, J. J. (2020). An investigation of toe-tapping behaviour in anurans by analysis of online video resources. Journal of Zoology, 312(3), 158–162. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12815

Other Links/Mentions:

Caramaschi U., Nascimento LB, Silvano D. 2004. Dendropsophus jimi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T55520A11324324. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T55520A11324324.en

Call of Dendropsophus jimi from: https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Dendropsophus&where-species=jimi

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Wojciech– https://www.fiverr.com/buczar

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

200 Episode 200

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 18:00:00 +0100

To celebrate 200 episodes we test each other on how well we remember them, before diving in to a paper about urban water snakes.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Mészáros B, Bürgés J, Tamás M, Gál B, Schmera D, Hamer AJ. 2024. Urban oasis? Abundant dice snake (Natrix tessellata) populations along artificial lakeside habitats in urban landscapes. Landscape Ecology 39:124. DOI: 10.1007/s10980-024-01917-w.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Fondren A, Swierk L, Putman BJ. 2020. Clothing color mediates lizard responses to humans in a tropical forest. Biotropica 52:172–181. DOI: 10.1111/btp.12744.

Rai TP. 2020. An Elongated Tortoise Attempting to Prey on a Buff-striped Keelback the Turtle Rescue and Conservation Centre in Eastern Nepal. IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians 27:297–299.

Brock KM, Chelini M-C, Ayton C, Madden IE, Ramos C, Blois JL, Pafilis P, Edwards DL. 2022. Colour morph predicts social behaviour and contest outcomes in a polymorphic lizard (Podarcis erhardii). Animal Behaviour 191:91–103. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.017.

Nirody JA, Jinn J, Libby T, Lee TJ, Jusufi A, Hu DL, Full RJ. 2018. Geckos Race Across the Water’s Surface Using Multiple Mechanisms. Current Biology 28:4046-4051.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.10.064.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Wojciech– https://www.fiverr.com/buczar

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

199 Frog Saunas Save Lives

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 18:00:00 +0100

Frogs are being severely impacted by Bd fungus, but in this episode we look at a paper highlighting a potential buffer that may protect them –heat.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Waddle AW, Clulow S, Aquilina A, Sauer EL, Kaiser SW, Miller C, Flegg JA, Campbell PT, Gallagher H, Dimovski I, Lambreghts Y, Berger L, Skerratt LF, Shine R. 2024. Hotspot shelters stimulate frog resistance to chytridiomycosis. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07582-y.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

198 Ultra-violet Snakes

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 22:00:00 +0100

This episode is all about why snakes have UV colouration. We have a blue-headed lizard for the Species of the Bi-week.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Crowell HL, Curlis JD, Weller HI, Davis Rabosky AR. 2024. Ecological drivers of ultraviolet colour evolution in snakes. Nature Communications 15:5213. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49506-4.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Venegas PJ, García-Ayachi LA, Chávez-Arribasplata JC, Marchelie A, Bullard S, Quispe E, Valencia JD, Odar J, Torres-Carvajal O. 2024. Two new species of wood lizards (Hoplocercinae: Enyalioides) from Cordillera de Colán in north-eastern Peru. Journal of Vertebrate Biology 73. DOI: 10.25225/jvb.23074.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Das S, Greenbaum E, Brecko J, Pauwels OSG, Ruane S, Pirro S, Merilä J. 2024. Phylogenomics of Psammodynastes and Buhoma (Elapoidea: Serpentes), with the description of a new Asian snake family. Scientific Reports 14:9489. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60215-2.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

197 The Fortitude of Dragons

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 18:00:00 +0100

Bearded dragons are big and slow, so they can't run from venomous snakes. Instead, they have evolved venom resistance to take the bites and keep on moving.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Chandrasekara U, Mancuso M, Sumner J, Edwards D, Zdenek CN, Fry BG. 2024. Sugar-coated survival: N-glycosylation as a unique bearded dragon venom resistance trait within Australian agamid lizards. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology 282:109929. DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109929.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Rowley, J.J.L., Callaghan, C.T., Cutajar, T., Portway, C., Potter K., Mahony, S, Trembath, D.F., Flemons, P. & Woods, A. (2019). FrogID: Citizen scientists provide validated biodiversity data on frogs of Australia. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 14(1): 155-170.

Other Links/Mentions:

FrogID (2020). FrogID. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available: http://www.frogid.net.au (Accessed: Date [e.g., 1 January, 2020]).

Frog calls by: Dane Trembath & Gayle McGuirk https://www.frogid.net.au/frogs/cyclorana-maini

Morris S. 2024. ‘Male’ Brazilian rainbow boa produces 14 baby snakes in ‘miracle birth.’ The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/25/brazilian-rainbow-boa-baby-snakes-miracle-birth

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

196 Geckos on the Frontline

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 21:07:26 +0100

Bombs are terrifying for humans. Scientists have accidentally discovered that geckos probably find them scary too.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Dubiner S, Vardi R, Meiri S, Levin E. 2024. Stressed reptiles pay the metabolic price of war. Ecology:e4370. DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4370.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Idiiatullina SS, Pawangkhanant P, Suwannapoom C, Tawan T, Chanhome L, Nguyen TV, David P, Vogel G, Poyarkov NA. 2024. Another new species of karst-associated pitviper (Serpentes, Viperidae: Trimeresurus) from the Isthmus of Kra, Peninsular Thailand. European Journal of Taxonomy 930. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.930.2489.

Other Links/Mentions:

Kidangoor A. 2024.Studying snakes without rattling them? There’s now tech for that. Available at https://news.mongabay.com/2024/06/studying-snakes-without-rattling-them-theres-now-tech-for-that/ (accessed July 2, 2024).

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

195 What makes a snake bite?

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 18:00:00 +0100

Snake bite is a global health issue. This episode we look at a paper that tries to determine the factors that make snakes more or less likely to bite.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Alves-Nunes JM, Fellone A, Almeida-Santos SM, De Medeiros CR, Sazima I, Vuolo Marques OA. 2024. Study of defensive behavior of a venomous snake as a new approach to understand snakebite. Scientific Reports 14:10230. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59416-6.

Other Links/Mentions:

List of fatal croc incidents (compiled by Brandon Sideleau and colleagues) in Mexico since 2010: https://crocattack.org/fatal-crocodile-attacks-in-mexico-2010-present/

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

194 Mighty Morphing Salamanders

Sat, 22 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0100

Some species come in different colour morphs, but how do species maintain these different morphs? Do they end up behaving differently? This episode we look at the territorial behaviour of salamanders in North America, and check in on a whole bushel of tiny chameleons for the Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Ryan JM, Kuchta SR, Watling JI, Hickerson C-AM, Anthony CD. 2024. Color Polymorphism and Phylogeographic Variation of Agonistic Behavior in the Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus). Herpetologica 80. DOI: 10.1655/Herpetologica-D-22-00037.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Hughes DF, Behangana M, Lukwago W, Menegon M, Dehling JM, Wagner P, Tilbury CR, South T, Kusamba C, Greenbaum E. 2024. Taxonomy of the Rhampholeon boulengeri Complex (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae): Five New Species from Central Africa’s Albertine Rift. Zootaxa 5458:451–494. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5458.4.1.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

193 Snakes Can Smell Themselves

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 18:00:00 +0100

The mirror test is often used to try and determine if animals have self recognition. If they recognise it is them in the mirror, they will react to a change in their appearance. But for snakes, sight is not the primary sense, so scientists have had to get a bit more creative.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Freiburger T, Miller N, Skinner M. 2024. Olfactory self-recognition in two species of snake. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 291:20240125. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0125.

Other Links/Mentions:

Maggie Koerth-Baker. 2010. Kids (and Animals) Who Fail Classic Mirror Tests May Still Have Sense of Self. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/kids-and-animals-who-fail-classic-mirror/

Fejervarya cancrivora call by Zaharil Dzulkafly from: AmphibiaWeb - Fejervarya cancrivora

Crocodile sister hero: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-69002147.amp

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

192 Night of the Natrix

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 15:21:43 +0100

Common grass snakes are a widespread European species that are often spotted by people and recorded using apps. To the surprise of scientists, they have an interesting nightlife.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Spaseni P, Sahlean TC, Gherghel I, Zamfirescu Ștefan R, Petreanu IC, Melenciuc R, Alistar CF, Gavril VD, Strugariu A. 2024. Natrix natrix after dark: citizen science sheds light on the common grass snake’s nightlife. PeerJ 12:e17168. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17168.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Gabriel H, Rothe L-D, Köhler J, Rakotomanga S, Edmonds D, Galán P, Glaw F, Lehtinen RM, Rakotoarison A, Vences M. 2024. Unexpected diversity and co-occurrence of phytotelmic frogs (Guibemantis) around Andasibe, one of the most intensively surveyed amphibian hotspots of Madagascar, and descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa 5397:451–485. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5397.4.1.

Other Links/Mentions:

Vences, M. (2023). Dataset from the paper: Unexpected diversity and co-occurrence of phytotelmic frogs (Guibemantis) around Andasibe, one of the most intensively surveyed amphibian hotspots of Madagascar, and descriptions of three new species [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10028230

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

191 History Inside Frog DNA

Tue, 28 May 2024 18:00:00 +0100

This episode we chat about the thousands of frog ancestors whose stories can still be heard in the DNA of modern frogs. How did these frogs from the past deal with dramatic changes, and is modern urbanisation having a sizable effect today?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Moran PA, Bosse M, Mariën J, Halfwerk W. 2024. Genomic footprints of (pre) colonialism: Population declines in urban and forest túngara frogs coincident with historical human activity. Molecular Ecology 33:e17258. DOI: 10.1111/mec.17258.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

190 Snake Food Fights

Tue, 21 May 2024 18:00:00 +0100

This episode is all about questioning the assumption that snake male-male combat is driven by competition for mates. We look at a paper that presents evidence showing that food might be behind the combat. Species of the Bi-week returns for a variable and vibrant viper.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Farrell TM, Gull HC, Boyce FS, Richter SC. 2024. Ritualized male–male combat resulting from intraspecific food competition in three Agkistrodon species. Journal of Ethology 42:83–88. DOI: 10.1007/s10164-024-00806-8.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Arteaga A, Pyron RA, Batista A, Vieira J, Meneses Pelayo E, Smith EN, Barrio Amorós CL, Koch C, Agne S, Valencia JH, Bustamante L, Harris KJ. 2024. Systematic revision of the Eyelash Palm-Pitviper Bothriechis schlegelii (Serpentes, Viperidae), with the description of five new species and revalidation of three. Evolutionary Systematics 8:15–64. DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.8.114527.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

189 What can Brown Snakes do for you?

Fri, 10 May 2024 18:01:53 +0100

Killing snakes is bad karma, but it might also be bad for business.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Shine R, Dunstan N, Abraham J, Mirtschin P. 2023. Why Australian farmers should not kill venomous snakes. Animal Conservation:acv.12925. DOI: 10.1111/acv.12925.

Other Links/Mentions:

Pseudothecadactylus australis Gecko call courtesy of Jari Cornelis

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

188 Big Wetlands for Big Snakes

Fri, 03 May 2024 15:30:00 +0100

Giant garter snakes are big beasts that like wetland areas - we chat about how they get on when faced with the challenge of moving to a new wetland. Then, a brand new species of banded venomous snake has been discovered in Thailand.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Nguyen AM, Halstead BJ, Todd BD. 2024. Effect of translocation on home range and movements of giant gartersnakes. Global Ecology and Conservation 49:e02789. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02789.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Aksornneam A, Rujirawan A, Yodthong S, Sung Y-H, Aowphol A. 2024. A new species of krait of the genus Bungarus (Squamata, Elapidae) from Ratchaburi Province, western Thailand. Zoosystematics and Evolution 100:141–154. DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.116601

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Booth, C. L. (1990). Evolutionary significance of ontogenetic colour change in animals. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 40(2), 125-163.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

187 Anoles on the Night-shift

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 18:00:00 +0100

Anoles are adaptable creatures, but can they make the most of artificial light?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Taylor LA, Thawley CJ, Pertuit OR, Dennis AJ, Carson IR, Tang C, Johnson MA. 2022. Artificial light at night alters diurnal and nocturnal behavior and physiology in green anole lizards. Physiology & Behavior 257:113992. DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113992.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

186 Sleeping Dragons

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Hibernation is a pretty extreme biological process that shouldn’t be undertaken lightly. Bearded dragons are one of many beasts that have it perfected, and in this episode we look at how. Species of the Bi-week is back with a new strange skinned snake.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Capraro A, O’Meally D, Waters SA, Patel HR, Georges A, Waters PD. 2019. Waking the sleeping dragon: gene expression profiling reveals adaptive strategies of the hibernating reptile Pogona vitticeps. BMC Genomics 20:460. DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5750-x.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Li H, Zhu L-Q, Xiao B, Huang J, Wu S-W, Yang L-X, Zhang Z-Q, Mo X-Y. 2024. A new species of the genus Achalinus (Squamata, Xenodermatidae) from southwest Hunan Province, China. ZooKeys 1189:257–273. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1189.112784.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Natusch D, Lyons J, Mears L, Shine R. 2021. Biting off more than you can chew: Attempted predation on a human by a giant snake (Simalia amethistina). Austral Ecology 46:159–162. DOI: 10.1111/aec.12956.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

185 The tortoises are back in town

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 21:00:00 +0000

Tortoises return to an island in the Galapagos and prove themselves to be solid ecosystem engineers.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Tapia Aguilera W, Gibbs JP. 2023. Rewilding giant tortoises engineers plant communities at local to landscape scales. Conservation Letters 16:e12968. DOI: 10.1111/conl.12968.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Loconsole M, Stancher G, Versace E. 2023. Crossmodal association between visual and acoustic cues in a tortoise (Testudo hermanni). Biology Letters 19:20230265. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0265.

Starck, J. M., Schrenk, F., Schröder, S., & Pees, M. (2022). Malformations of the sacculus and the semicircular canals in spider morph pythons. Plos one, 17(8), e0262788.

Other Links/Mentions:

Scinax crospedospilus by Mario Sacramento from https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Scinax&where-species=crospedospilus

Charles Darwin Foundation. Studying the ecology and distribution of the invasive treefrog Scinax quinquefasciatus https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/research/projects/invasive-treefrog

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

184 Skin-eating Caecilians

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Caecilians, the strange underground amphibians, are known to let their babies eat their skin. But the full benefits of this practice are only now becoming clear.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kouete MT, Bletz MC, LaBumbard BC, Woodhams DC, Blackburn DC. 2023. Parental care contributes to vertical transmission of microbes in a skin-feeding and direct-developing caecilian. Animal Microbiome 5:28. DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00243-x.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Li S-Z, Liu J, Ke X-C, Cheng G, Wang B. 2024. A new species of Amolops (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from Guizhou Province, China. ZooKeys 1189:33–54. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1189.115621.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Starck, J. M., Schrenk, F., Schröder, S., & Pees, M. (2022). Malformations of the sacculus and the semicircular canals in spider morph pythons. Plos one, 17(8), e0262788.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

183 Lizards Disrupting Dinner

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 15:54:00 +0000

A wildly ambitious study which fundamentally alters the ecology of islands? Count us in.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Lapiedra O, Morales N, Yang LH, Fernández‐Bellon D, Michaelides SN, Giery ST, Piovia‐Scott J, Schoener TW, Kolbe JJ, Losos JB. 2023. Predator‐driven behavioural shifts in a common lizard shape resource‐flow from marine to terrestrial ecosystems. Ecology Letters:ele.14335. DOI: 10.1111/ele.14335.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Kim KS, Lockley MG, Lim JD, Bae SM, Romilio A. 2020. Trackway evidence for large bipedal crocodylomorphs from the Cretaceous of Korea. Scientific Reports 10:8680. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66008-7.

Other Links/Mentions:

Amos J. 2020. Fossil tracks left by an ancient crocodile that “ran like an ostrich.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53011567

Barbados frogs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LdK6JQUNyw

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

182 Sea Snake Squad

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:30:00 +0000

More evidence of social behaviour in snakes, this time from snakes that live underwater. Then we chat about a new species of alligator-looking lizard.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Somaweera R, Udyawer V, Amarasinghe AAT, De Fresnes J, Catherall J, Molchanova G. 2023. Apparent coordinated and communal hunting behaviours by Erabu sea krait Laticauda semifactiata. Scientific Reports 13:21471. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48684-3.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Clause AG, Luna-Reyes R, Mendoza-Velázquez OM, Nieto-Montes De Oca A, Solano-Zavaleta I. 2024. Bridging the gap: A new species of arboreal Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. PLOS ONE 19:e0295230. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295230.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Shine, R., Shine, T., Shine, J. M. & Shine, B. G. Synchrony in capture dates suggests cryptic social organization in sea snakes (Emy docephalus annulatus, Hydrophiidae). Austral Ecol. 30, 805–811 (2005).

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

181 Piebald Pythons

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Royal pythons, ball pythons, regardless of their name the colour morphs can be stunning. But have folk found which gene is responsible? And can that gene create the same patterns in other reptiles?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Garcia-Elfring A, Sabin CE, Iouchmanov AL, Roffey HL, Samudra SP, Alcala AJ, Osman RS, Lauderdale JD, Hendry AP, Menke DB, Barrett RDH. 2023. Piebaldism and chromatophore development in reptiles are linked to the tfec gene. Current Biology 33:755-763.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.004.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Chavan UM, Borkar MR. 2023. Observations on cooperative fishing, use of bait for hunting, propensity for marigold flowers and sentient behaviour in Mugger Crocodiles Crocodylus palustris (Lesson, 1831) of river Savitri at Mahad, Maharashtra, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 15:23750–23762. DOI: 10.11609/jott.8551.15.8.23750-23762.

Other Links/Mentions:

Theloderma corticale call by Peter Janzen from AmphibiaWeb - https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Theloderma&where-species=corticale

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

180 Urban Chameleon Warfare

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Urban environments can be dramatically different from natural ones. New challenges face any animal finding themselves in the big city. This episode we look at some tiny chameleons adapting to urban life, and now differ from their country relatives.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Petford MA, Herrel A, Alexander GJ, Tolley KA. 2023. Differences between urban and natural populations of dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion damaranum): a case of urban warfare? Urban Ecosystems. DOI: 10.1007/s11252-023-01474-1.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Sitthivong S, Brakels P, Xayyasith S, Maury N, Idiiatullina S, Pawangkhanant P, Wang K, Van Nguyen T, A. Poyarkov N. 2023. Hiding on jagged karst pinnacles: A new microendemic genus and species of a limestone-dwelling agamid lizard (Squamata: Agamidae: Draconinae) from Khammouan Province, Laos. Zoological Research 44:1039–1051. DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.062.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

179 Well-armed Newts

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

An arms race between newts and snakes means biological warfare.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Gilbert AL, Cabrera S, Hague MTJ, Stokes AN, Feldman CR, Hanifin CT, Brodie ED, Brodie ED. 2023. Phenotypic outcomes of predator–prey coevolution are predicted by landscape variation in climate and community composition. Functional Ecology 37:2170–2180. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14360.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Calhoun, D. M., Bucciarelli, G. M., Kats, L. B., Zimmer, R. K., & Johnson, P. T. (2017). Noxious newts and their natural enemies: Experimental effects of tetrodotoxin exposure on trematode parasites and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Toxicon, 137, 120-127.

Williams, B. L., Hanifin, C. T., Brodie, E. D., & Brodie III, E. D. (2010). Tetrodotoxin affects survival probability of rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) faced with TTX-resistant garter snake predators (Thamnophis sirtalis). Chemoecology, 20, 285-290.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

178 Meadow Vipers like Grazed Grass

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 10:50:27 +0000

New research sets out to work out what the meadow vipers like.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Mizsei E, Budai M, Móré A, Rák G, Radovics D, Bancsik B, Wenner B, Márton S, Korsós Z, Lengyel S, Vadász C. 2023. Management impacts on three reptile species ( Vipera ursinii , Lacerta agilis , Lacerta viridis ) in sandy grasslands in Hungary: Mowing should be avoided. Conservation Science and Practice:e13048. DOI: 10.1111/csp2.13048.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Jablonski D, Ribeiro-Júnior MA, Simonov E, Šoltys K, Meiri S. 2023. A new, rare, small-ranged, and endangered mountain snake of the genus Elaphe from the Southern Levant. Scientific Reports 13:4839. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30878-4.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Gould E, et al. 2023. Same data, different analysts: variation in effect sizes due to analytical decisions in ecology and evolutionary biology. EcoEvoRxiv. DOI: 10.32942/X2GG62.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

177 Are Iguanas Unwelcome Guests?

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Gopher tortoises build wonderful and important burrows, but what happens when an invasive species decides to move in.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Durso A, Rivero J. 2023. Black spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis) use of gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows in Buckingham, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 51:58–73. DOI: 10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.24021423.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Lopes RJ, Pinho CJ, Santos B, Seguro M, Mata VA, Egeter B, Vasconcelos R. 2019. Intricate trophic links between threatened vertebrates confined to a small island in the Atlantic Ocean. Ecology and Evolution 9:4994–5002. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5105.

Other Links/Mentions:

Cuban Treefrog sound from Ariel Rodríguez & Roberto Alonso via: AmphibiaWeb 2009 Osteopilus septentrionalis: Cuban Treefrog <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/1019> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Nov 26, 2023. Also https://www.fonozoo.com/fnz_detalles_registro_amphibia.php?id=98045&tipo_registro=1

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

176 Snakes and Pharaohs

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 22:00:00 +0000

We are relatively familiar with modern snake bite advice, but what snakes did the ancient Egyptians deal with?

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

McBride E, Winder IC, Wüster W. 2023. What Bit the Ancient Egyptians? Niche Modelling to Identify the Snakes Described in the Brooklyn Medical Papyrus. Environmental Archaeology:1–14. DOI: 10.1080/14614103.2023.2266631.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Liedtke HC, Malonza PK, Wasonga DV, Müller H, Loader SP. 2023. A new genus and species of toad from Mount Kenya illuminates East African montane biogeography. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society:zlad160. DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad160.

Other Links/Mentions:

Ross Mcgibbon calendars https://rmrphotography.com.au/2024-fundraising-calendar/

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

175 Herding Turtles

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 18:00:00 +0000

An exciting new study suggests turtles might be social creatures.

Main Paper References:

McKnight DT, Serano JC, Thompson DM, Ligon DB. 2023. They really do move in herds: evidence of group living in an aquatic turtle. Animal Behaviour:S0003347223002142. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.08.015.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Fernandes IY, Koch ED, Mônico AT. 2023. First record of a snake call in South America: the unusual sound of an ornate snail-eater Dipsas catesbyi. Acta Amazonica 53:243–245. DOI: 10.1590/1809-4392202300431.

Other Links/Mentions:

Code review preprint: https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/5393/

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

174 Rotting Salamanders

Sat, 28 Oct 2023 12:33:34 +0100

Fire salamanders are the focus of this episode. Like humans, they have been facing a pandemic recently, and new research delves into how populations have been coping. We top it off with a brand new snake species from Vietnam.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Erens J, Preissler K, Speybroeck J, Beukema W, Spitzen-van Der Sluijs A, Stark T, Laudelout A, Kinet T, Schmidt BR, Martel A, Steinfartz S, Pasmans F. 2023. Divergent population responses following salamander mass mortalities and declines driven by the emerging pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 290:20230510. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0510.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Kane D, Tapley B, La TV, Nguyen LT. 2023. A new species of the genus Rhabdophis Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Colubridae) from the Hoang Lien range, northwest Vietnam. Zootaxa 5343:101–125. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5343.2.1.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Ivimey‐Cook ER, Pick JL, Bairos‐Novak KR, Culina A, Gould E, Grainger M, Marshall BM, Moreau D, Paquet M, Royauté R, Sánchez‐Tójar A, Silva I, Windecker SM. 2023. Implementing code review in the scientific workflow: Insights from ecology and evolutionary biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 36:1347–1356. DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14230.

Other Links/Mentions:

Adder conservation genetics preprint: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.19.557540v1.full

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

173 Never Smile at a Crocodile

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Crocodiles leave their mouths open for long periods of time, and we don’t really know why. We also take a long tangent on the swiftlet nest business and what wee reptiles are cashing in themselves.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Price C, Ezat MA, Hanzen C, Downs CT. 2022. Never smile at a crocodile: Gaping behaviour in the Nile crocodile at Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa. Behavioural Processes 203:104772. DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104772.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Quah ESH, Chong JL. 2022. Reptile predators of swiftlets (genus Aerodramus) with a focus on their impact on the swiftlet farming industry. Herpetology Notes.

Wüster, W., & Tillack, F. 2023. On the importance of types and the perils of “en passant” taxonomy: a brief history of the typification of Coluber naja Linnaeus, 1758 (Serpentes: Elapidae) and its implications, with the designation of a lectotype. Zootaxa, 5346(4), 403-419.

Other Links/Mentions:

AmphibiaWeb. 2023. University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 28 Sep 2023. https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-scientific_name=Hyperolius+tuberilinguis&rel-scientific_name=contains&include_synonymies=Yes

Audio from flamelily via iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152630015

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

172 Super Hybrid Salamanders

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Tracking and understanding invasive species is difficult, but even more so when the invasive can interbreed with the endangered native species creating a more powerful hybrid. This episode we look at a hybridising salamander. We also have a very special Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Cooper RD, Shaffer HB. 2023. Managing invasive hybrids with pond hydroperiod manipulation in an endangered salamander system. Conservation Biology:cobi.14167. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14167.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Major T, Renk P, Reissig J, Paijmans JLA, Morris E, Hofreiter M, Barlow A, Broadley DG, Wüster W. 2023. Museum DNA reveals a new, potentially extinct species of rinkhals (Serpentes: Elapidae: Hemachatus) from the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. PLOS ONE 18:e0291432. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291432.

Other Links/Mentions:

Conversation article about the Nyanga rinkhals: https://shorturl.at/ouvyL

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

171 Weaponised Chameleons

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Chameleons have evolved a diversity of weaponry. New research determines what these weapons are, and which chameleon groups are the most heavily-armed.

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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Van Kleeck-Hann M, Wiens JJ. 2023. Macroevolution of sexually selected weapons: weapon evolution in chameleons. Evolution:qpad138. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad138.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Kang, C., Kim, Y. E., & Jang, Y. 2016. Colour and pattern change against visually heterogeneous backgrounds in the tree frog Hyla japonica. Scientific reports, 6(1), 22601.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

170 Meals for Mamushi

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 20:30:00 +0100

They call them mamushi, or the Japanese pitviper. New research determines whether these snakes operate in chilly weather, or if their prey are safe to relax.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kodama T, Mori A. 2023. How important is temperature for strike success of ectotherms? Thermal effects on predator–prey interactions of free‐ranging pit vipers (Gloydius blomhoffii). Ethology:eth.13400. DOI: 10.1111/eth.13400.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Lawson LP, Loader SP, Lyakurwa JV, Liedtke HC. 2023. Diversification of spiny-throated reed frogs (Anura: Hyperoliidae) with the description of a new, range-restricted species from the Ukaguru Mountains, Tanzania. PLOS ONE 18:e0277535. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277535.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Kimbrough L. 2023.No croak: New silent frog species described from Tanzania’s ‘sky island’ forests. Available at https://news.mongabay.com/2023/02/no-croak-new-silent-frog-species-described-from-tanzanias-sky-island-forests/ (accessed April 12, 2023).

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

169 Gecko Screams in the Night

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Vocal plasticity is the topic for this episode. Can tokay geckos modify their call? Do young turtle vocalisations help them coordinate their movements?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Brumm H, Zollinger SA. 2017. Vocal plasticity in a reptile. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284:20170451. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0451.

Lacroix C, Davy CM, Rollinson N. 2022. Hatchling vocalizations and beneficial social interactions in subterranean nests of a widespread reptile. Animal Behaviour 187:233–244. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.006.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Goutte S, Mason MJ, Antoniazzi MM, Jared C, Merle D, Cazes L, Toledo LF, el-Hafci H, Pallu S, Portier H, Schramm S, Gueriau P, Thoury M. 2019. Intense bone fluorescence reveals hidden patterns in pumpkin toadlets. Scientific Reports 9:5388. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41959-8.

Goutte S, Mason MJ, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Montealegre-Z F, Chivers BD, Sarria-S FA, Antoniazzi MM, Jared C, Almeida Sato L, Felipe Toledo L. 2017. Evidence of auditory insensitivity to vocalization frequencies in two frogs. Scientific Reports 7:12121. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12145-5.

Bornschein MR, Jr MMR, Pie MR, Confetti AE, Ribeiro LF. 2018. Redescription of the advertisement call of Brachycephalus tridactylus (Anura: Brachycephalidae). PeerJ Inc. DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.27243v1.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

168 Similar Snacks for Sympatric Snakes

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 11:15:00 +0100

Snake diets are difficult to study, but are deeply interesting. This episode we look at a paper that has gathered together records (paper and digital) to examine whether rat snakes and cobras compete for food. We also have a tiny hopping Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Weiss M, Kalki Y. 2023. Trophic Niche Partitioning between Sympatric Naja naja and Ptyas mucosa: Crowdsourced Data in Application to Community Ecology. Journal of Herpetology 57. DOI: 10.1670/22-013.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Mângia S, Santana DJ, De Oliveira Drummond L, Sabagh LT, Ugioni L, Costa PN, Wachlevski M. 2023. A new species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from Serra do Tabuleiro, Southern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology 73:575–597. DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e102098.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Essner RL, Pereira REE, Blackburn DC, Singh AL, Stanley EL, Moura MO, Confetti AE, Pie MR. 2022. Semicircular canal size constrains vestibular function in miniaturized frogs. Science Advances 8:eabn1104. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn1104.

Other Links/Mentions:

Davey M. 2023. ‘Oh my god’: live worm found in Australian woman’s brain in world-first discovery. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/28/live-worm-living-womans-brain-australia-depression-forgetfulness

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

167 Resistant Caecilians

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:00:24 +0100

Caecilians are well adapted to a life underground, but a serious threat lives under there with them. All over the world, they have evolved the same means to fight this subterranean threat.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Mancuso M, Zaman S, Maddock ST, Kamei RG, Salazar-Valenzuela D, Wilkinson M, Roelants K, Fry BG. 2023. Resistance Is Not Futile: Widespread Convergent Evolution of Resistance to Alpha-Neurotoxic Snake Venoms in Caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24:11353. DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411353.

Other Links/Mentions:

https://www.threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/8336/9359

https://asianturtleprogram.org/healthy-big-headed-turtles-found-in-the-wild-four-years-after-release-into-the-wild-highlights-the-importance-of-conservation-activities/?fbclid=IwAR1lTt0zpuf8n5VardZeXQHaVWJ4iCtxI9fe6Elm78ZxOFiZHNuW2lp07Ps

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

166 Emotional Support Rattlesnakes

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 22:15:29 +0100

We chat about some new research on the social behaviour of rattlesnakes. Plus a brand new snake species just described from Australia.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Martin CE, Fox GA, Putman BJ, Hayes WK. 2023. Social security: can rattlesnakes reduce acute stress through social buffering? Frontiers in Ethology 2:1181774. DOI: 10.3389/fetho.2023.1181774.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Nankivell JH, Maryan B, Bush BG, Hutchinson MN. 2023. Whip it into shape: Revision of the Demansia psammophis (Schlegel, 1837) complex (Squamata: Elapidae), with a description of a new species from central Australia. Zootaxa 5311:301–339. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5311.3.1.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Tian, L., Preisser, E. L., Haynes, K. F., & Zhou, X. 2017. Social buffering in a eusocial invertebrate: termite soldiers reduce the lethal impact of competitor cues on workers. Ecology, 98(4), 952-960.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

165 Toad vs Toad

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Two toad species are wreaking havoc as invaders, but which is worse - and why?

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kelly, C. L., Schwarzkopf, L., Christy, T. M., & Kennedy, M. S. (2023). The toad less travelled: Comparing life histories, ecological niches, and potential habitat of Asian black-spined toads and cane toads. Wildlife Research. doi: 10.1071/WR22111

Other Links/Mentions:

Ingerophrynus parvus call by Zaharil Dzulkafly from: http://bitly.ws/LcAv

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

164 Isolated Indigo Snakes

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:57:15 +0100

Humans get in the way of snakes finding love over long distances, and then we talk about a cool new gecko that glides, or does it paraglide?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Bauder, J. M., Peterman, W. E., Spear, S. F., Jenkins, C. L., Whiteley, A. R., & McGarigal, K. (2021). Multiscale assessment of functional connectivity: Landscape genetics of eastern indigo snakes in an anthropogenically fragmented landscape in central Florida. Molecular Ecology, 30(14), 3422–3438. doi: 10.1111/mec.15979

Species of the Bi-Week:

Lalremsanga, H. T., Muansanga, L., Vabeiryureilai, M., & Mirza, Z. A. (2023). A new species of Parachute Gecko of the subgenus Ptychozoon (Sauria: Gekkonidae: Gekko) from the Indo-Burma region. Salamandra, 59(2).

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

163 Geckos Understand the Smell of Trouble

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 18:00:00 +0100

When surviving in the wilds, maximising all your senses is wise. When you can’t see a threat, maybe you’ll hear one… or smell one? We look at a wonderfully smart gecko looking to dodge snakes using the power of smell.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hammond, J. E., Witkowski, S., Wilson, T., Zouvi, C. A., Goetz, N. L., Eck, N. F., & Clark, R. W. (2020). Know Thine Enemy: Predator Identity Influences the Response of Western Banded Geckos (Coleonyx variegatus) to Chemosensory Cues. Journal of Herpetology, 54(4). doi: 10.1670/19-131

Other mentions:

McKnight, D. T., Ard, K., Auguste, R. J., Barhadiya, G., Benard, M. F., Boban, P., ... & Nordberg, E. J. (2023). Nocturnal basking in freshwater turtles: A global assessment. Global Ecology and Conservation, 43, e02444.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

162 My squeak is as bad as my strike

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Animals make all sorts of noises for all sorts of reasons. Working out what they mean is difficult, especially if the animal is less than honest. This episode is all about the truthfulness of the screams of a little lacertid. Our Species of the Bi-week is a delicate frog.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Baeckens, S., Llusia, D., García-Roa, R., & Martín, J. (2019). Lizard calls convey honest information on body size and bite performance: A role in predator deterrence? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 73(6), 87. doi: 10.1007/s00265-019-2695-7

Species of the Bi-Week:

Köhler, J., Venegas, P. J., Castillo-Urbina, E., Glaw, F., Aguilar-Puntriano, C., & Vences, M. (2023). A third species of glassfrog in the genus Chimerella (Anura, Centrolenidae) from central Peru, discovered by an integrative taxonomic approach. Evolutionary Systematics, 7(2), 195–209. doi: 10.3897/evolsyst.7.102950

Other Links/Mentions:

Salam, E. (2023, May 12). Chonk the snapping turtle delights locals with Chicago River appearance. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/12/chonk-snapping-turtle-chicago-river

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

161 Do colourful lizards make better battlers?

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Colour morphs exist in many species, but are those colours linked to differences in behaviour or success? We look at a polymorphic lizard and whether combat success is linked to three different colour morphs, and maybe why.

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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Brock KM, Chelini M-C, Ayton C, Madden IE, Ramos C, Blois JL, Pafilis P, Edwards DL. 2022. Colour morph predicts social behaviour and contest outcomes in a polymorphic lizard (Podarcis erhardii). Animal Behaviour 191:91–103. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.017.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Boruah B, Raj P, Dutta SK, Das A. 2018. Redescription and geographic distribution of Raorchestes shillongensis (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India. Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology 17:3. DOI: 10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v17i1p3-20.

Other Links/Mentions:

Raorchestes shillongensis call from ti_lamare: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/92667238

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

160 Glowing Salamanders

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 18:00:00 +0100

This episode we explore the weird world of glowing salamanders and speculate about the possible reasons behind this adaptation. Species of the Bi-week returns with a small seepage specialist.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Cox JL, Fitzpatrick BM. 2023. Biofluorescent sexual dimorphism revealed in a southern Appalachian endemic salamander, Plethodon metcalfi. Scientific Reports 13:3588. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29051-8.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Fedler MT, Enge KM, Moler PE. 2023. Unraveling Siren (Caudata: Sirenidae) systematics and description of a small, seepage specialist. Zootaxa 5258:351–378. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5258.4.1.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

159 When Loggerheads come to blows

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0100

Everyone thinks turtles are chill, but they aren't always. They can be competitive when they need to be.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Schofield G, Papafitsoros K, Chapman C, Shah A, Westover L, Dickson LCD, Katselidis KA. 2022. More aggressive sea turtles win fights over foraging resources independent of body size and years of presence. Animal Behaviour 190:209–219. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.05.006.

Other Links/Mentions:

Kuta S.Lizard Remains Found Inside 2,500-Year-Old Coffins from Ancient Egypt. Available at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lizard-remains-found-inside-2500-year-old-coffins-from-ancient-egypt-180982032/ (accessed April 25, 2023).

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

158 Colossal Crocs are Big River Chillers

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 18:50:00 +0100

New research on crocodiles sheds light on how these massive beasts interact with each other.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Barham KE, Baker CJ, Franklin CE, Campbell HA, Frére CH, Irwin TR, Dwyer RG. 2023. Conditional alternative movement tactics in male crocodiles. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 77:31. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-023-03303-z.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Richards SJ, Donnellan SC, Oliver PM. 2023. Five new species of the pelodryadid genus Litoria Tschudi from the southern versant of Papua New Guinea’s Central Cordillera, with observations on the diversification of reproductive strategies in Melanesian treefrogs. Zootaxa 5263:151–190. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5263.2.1.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

157 The Bushmasters of Brazil

Tue, 09 May 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Bushmasters are massive vipers that remain somewhat of a mystery. This episode we look at a paper investigating their spatial ecology and habitat preferences.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Padrón DF, Mebert K, Pareja-Mejía D, Bauer A, Fernandes Vasconcelos LD, Correia D, Fernandez Giné GA, Solé M. 2022. Living in a mosaic of Brazilian Atlantic Forest and plantations: spatial ecology of five bushmaster Lachesis muta (Viperidae Crotalinae). Ethology Ecology & Evolution:1–21. DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2022.2123860.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Guedes P, Alves-Martins F, Arribas JM, Chatterjee S, Santos AMC, Lewin A, Bako L, Webala PW, Correia RA, Rocha R, Ladle RJ. 2023. Eponyms have no place in 21st-century biological nomenclature. Nature Ecology & Evolution. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02022-y.

Quah ESH, Grismer LL, Anuar MSS. 2023. Observations and description of a rare escape mechanism in a snake: Cartwheeling in Pseudorabdion longiceps (Cantor, 1847) (Squamata, Colubridea). Biotropica n/a. DOI: 10.1111/btp.13213.

Other Links/Mentions:

Pipa parva call from - https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Pipa&where-species=parva

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

156 Comfort Eating Lizards

Thu, 04 May 2023 20:00:00 +0100

Stress can come from many places, loud noises are one example. So how do lizards react when their home is constantly bombarded by loud noises? We also have a new gecko for Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kepas ME, Sermersheim LO, Hudson SB, Lehmicke AJJ, French SS, Aubry LM. 2023. Behavior, stress and metabolism of a parthenogenic lizard in response to flyover noise. Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science 1:1129253. DOI: 10.3389/famrs.2023.1129253.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Chan KO, Grismer LL, Santana F, Pinto P, Loke FW, Conaboy N. 2023. Scratching the surface: a new species of Bent-toed gecko (Squamata, Gekkonidae, Cyrtodactylus) from Timor-Leste of the darmandvillei group marks the potential for future discoveries. ZooKeys 1139:107–126. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1139.96508.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Walker, JM, Taylor HL, Manning GJ, Cordes JE, Montgomery CE, Livo LJ., ... & Loeffler C. 2012. Michelle's lizard: identity, relationships, and ecological status of an array of parthenogenetic lizards (Genus Aspidoscelis: Squamata: Teiidae) in Colorado, USA. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 7(2), 227-248.

Other Links/Mentions:

Kimbrough L. 2023.New gecko species from Timor-Leste hints at island’s unknown diversity. Available at https://news.mongabay.com/2023/02/new-gecko-species-from-timor-leste-hints-at-islands-unknown-diversity/ (accessed April 6, 2023).

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

155 No Eardrums, No Problem

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 18:00:00 +0100

It's a commonly held belief that snakes can't hear, or can't hear very well, because they have no external ear openings. Some clever new research puts that myth to bed.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Zdenek CN, Staples T, Hay C, Bourke LN, Candusso D. 2023. Sound garden: How snakes respond to airborne and groundborne sounds. PLOS ONE 18:e0281285. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281285.

Other Links/Mentions:

Zdenek et al video of snakes reacting to noise - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnNzinwwItk

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

154 The Frogs Who Live With Ants

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Some animals can escape the attention of ants with special chemical cues. We discuss a nice example of this and follow up with a brand new frog species.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

de Lima Barros A, López-Lozano JL, Lima AP. 2016. The frog Lithodytes lineatus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) uses chemical recognition to live in colonies of leaf-cutting ants of the genus Atta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 70:2195–2201. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2223-y.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Griesbaum F, Jongsma GFM, Penner J, Kouamé NG, Doumbia J, Gonwouo NL, Hillers A, Glos J, Blackburn DC, Rödel M-O. 2023. The smallest of its kind: Description of a new cryptic Amnirana species (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from West African rainforests. Zootaxa 5254:301–339. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5254.3.1.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

153 The Rising Toad Tide

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 18:00:00 +0100

Toads are wonderful creatures, and their exceptional adaptability makes them superb invaders when transported to new lands by humans. Unfortunately, this can be bad news for the creatures already present –see Cane Toads in Australia. We check in on the progress of Asian Common Toads in Madagascar this episode.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Licata F, Ficetola GF, Falaschi M, Muller BJ, Andreone F, Harison RF, Freeman K, Monteiro AT, Rosa S, Crottini A. 2023. Spatial ecology of the invasive Asian common toad in Madagascar and its implications for invasion dynamics. Scientific Reports 13:3526. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29467-2.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Vences M, Brown JL, Lathrop A, Rosa GM, Cameron A, Crottini A, Dolch R, Edmonds D, Freeman KLM, Glaw F, Grismer LL, Litvinchuk S, Milne MG, Moore M, Solofo JF, Noël J, Nguyen TQ, Ohler A, Randrianantoandro C, Raselimanana AP, van Leeuwen P, Wogan GOU, Ziegler T, Andreone F, Murphy RW. 2017. Tracing a toad invasion: lack of mitochondrial DNA variation, haplotype origins, and potential distribution of introduced Duttaphrynus melanostictus in Madagascar. Amphibia-Reptilia 38:197–207. DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00003104.

Other Links/Mentions:

Indus Valley Bullfrog information from AmphiaWeb - https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-scientific_name=Hoplobatrachus+Tigerinus&rel-scientific_name=contains&include_synonymies=Yes

Indus Valley Bullfrog call from Md Azijul Hakim - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAxF0MKBcUw

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

152 Pythons as Prey

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 18:00:00 +0100

We have previously talked about pythons in Florida eating everything they can fit in their mouths; but are there any creatures that eat them? We follow up the chat of python predators with a new tiny Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Currylow A, Fitzgerald A, Goetz M, Draxler J, Anderson G, McCollister M, Romagosa C, Yackel Adams A. 2023. Natives bite back: depredation and mortality of invasive juvenile Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Management of Biological Invasions 14:107–122. DOI: 10.3391/mbi.2023.14.1.06.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Menegon M, Lyakurwa JV, Loader SP, Tolley KA. 2022. Cryptic diversity in pygmy chameleons (Chamaeleonidae: Rhampholeon) of the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, with description of six new species. Acta Herpetologica 17:85–113. DOI: 10.36253/a_h-12978.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

151 Glassfrogs and Their Transparent Tricks

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Some frogs can make themselves virtually invisible to would-be predators - we find out how.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Taboada C, Delia J, Chen M, Ma C, Peng X, Zhu X, Jiang L, Vu T, Zhou Q, Yao J, O’Connell L, Johnsen S. 2022. Glassfrogs conceal blood in their liver to maintain transparency. Science 378:1315–1320. DOI: 10.1126/science.abl6620.

Other Links/Mentions:

Frog call: https://bit.ly/3xKrmRf

Article about snake in the garden: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/gran-79-who-cant-see-28946676

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

150 The Underwater Antics of Turtles

Sun, 05 Mar 2023 17:37:00 +0000

New techniques allow unprecedented insight into the underwater behaviour of Australia's flatback sea turtles. Then we chat about some newly described spiny lizards from Peru.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hounslow JL, Fossette S, Byrnes EE, Whiting SD, Lambourne RN, Armstrong NJ, Tucker AD, Richardson AR, Gleiss AC. 2022. Multivariate analysis of biologging data reveals the environmental determinants of diving behaviour in a marine reptile. Royal Society Open Science 9:211860. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211860.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Venegas PJ, García-Ayachi LA, Chávez-Arribasplata JC, García-Bravo A. 2022. Four new species of polychromatic spiny-tailed iguanian lizards, genus Stenocercus (Iguania: Tropiduridae), from Peru. Zootaxa 5115:1–28. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5115.1.1.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

149 The Hidden Risk of Carrying Tadpoles

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Brightly coloured frogs warn predators of their toxicity, but can tadpoles stop this message from being delivered?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Toro-Gómez MP, Carvajal-Castro JD, Casas-Cardona S, Vargas-Salinas F. 2022. Experimental evidence in a poison frog model suggests that tadpole transport on the dorsum may affects warning signal effectiveness in poison frogs. Evolutionary Ecology. DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10219-z.

Other Links/Mentions:

Dendrobates leucomelas call recorded by Matthias Klethe from: http://www.dendrowiki.org/dendrobates-leucomelas.html

Other information about D. leucomelas from: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dendrobates_leucomelas/

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

148 Snakes with Dangerous Diets

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Eating without appendages is hard, and sometimes snakes make a meal of it.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kornilev YV, Natchev ND, Lillywhite HB. 2023. Perils of ingesting harmful prey by advanced snakes. Biological Reviews 98:263–283. DOI: 10.1111/brv.12906.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Das S, Greenbaum E, Meiri S, Bauer AM, Burbrink FT, Raxworthy CJ, Weinell JL, Brown RM, Brecko J, Pauwels OSG, Rabibisoa N, Raselimanana AP, Merilä J. 2023. Ultraconserved elements-based phylogenomic systematics of the snake superfamily Elapoidea, with the description of a new Afro-Asian family. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 180:107700. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107700.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

147 Crocodiles can feel with their face

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Some animals use touch to forage; turns out crocodiles are among them. But when did this adaptation come about and do crocs share characteristics with other tactile-foraging species?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Lessner EJ, Dollman KN, Clark JM, Xu X, Holliday CM. 2023. Ecomorphological patterns in trigeminal canal branching among sauropsids reveal sensory shift in suchians. Journal of Anatomy:joa.13826. DOI: 10.1111/joa.13826.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Smelski G, Cardwell M, Larsen J. 2023. Neurotoxic respiratory failure absent following Arizona rattlesnake bite. Toxicon. 224:107034. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107034.

Other Links/Mentions:

Frog call: https://bit.ly/3wr6zl1

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

146 Iguanas with a Sweet Tooth

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:30:00 +0000

What are the impacts of tourists feeding iguanas grapes? We look at a paper detailing how well iguanas can handle so many sweet treats. Species of the Bi-week is a wonderful boa that isn’t a boa.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

French SS, Hudson SB, Webb AC, Knapp CR, Virgin EE, Smith GD, Lewis EL, Iverson JB, DeNardo DF. 2022. Glucose tolerance of iguanas is affected by high-sugar diets in the lab and supplemental feeding by ecotourists in the wild. Journal of Experimental Biology 225:jeb243932. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243932.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Ortega-Andrade HM, Bentley A, Koch C, Yánez-Muñoz MH, Entiauspe-Neto OM. 2022. A time relic: a new species of dwarf boa, Tropidophis Bibron, 1840 (Serpentes: Amerophidia), from the Upper Amazon Basin. European Journal of Taxonomy 854:1–107. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.854.2021.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

145 Vipers On Ice

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Despite a warming planet, new research suggests that snakes in the UK may have more frosty mornings ahead. Then Sourish Kuttalam from Bangor University joins us to talk about a newly described viper from India.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Turner RK, Maclean IMD. 2022. Microclimate‐driven trends in spring‐emergence phenology in a temperate reptile (Vipera berus): Evidence for a potential “climate trap”? Ecology and Evolution 12. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8623.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Kuttalam S, Santra V, Owens JB, Selvan M, Mukherjee N, Graham S, Togridou A, Bharti OK, Shi J, Shanker K, Malhotra A. 2022. Phylogenetic and morphological analysis of Gloydius himalayanus (Serpentes, Viperidae, Crotalinae), with the description of a new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 852. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.852.2003.

Other Links/Mentions:

https://www.captiveandfieldherpetology.com/expeditions

Crinia georgiana, Quacking Frog call from frogid, By: Dale Roberts - https://www.frogid.net.au/frogs/crinia-georgiana

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

144 New Zealand’s Native Frogs

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

We uncover some small and unusual frogs native to the islands of New Zealand.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Altobelli J, Lamar S, Bishop P. 2021. Archaic, terrestrial Hamilton’s frogs (Leiopelma hamiltoni) display arboreal behaviours. New Zealand Journal of Ecology. DOI: 10.20417/nzjecol.45.24.

Lamb SD, Altobelli JT, Easton LJ, Godfrey SS, Bishop PJ. 2022. Captive Hamilton’s frog (Leiopelma hamiltoni) associates non-randomly under retreat sites: preliminary insights into their social networks. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 49:236–251. DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2021.1994426.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

143 Can frogs stand the heat?

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

The climate crisis presents numerous questions about how animals will cope. We look at one frog-focused example where the researchers actually heated up a forest.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hawley Matlaga TJ, Burrowes PA, Hernández-Pacheco R, Pena J, Sutherland C, Wood TE. 2021. Warming increases activity in the common tropical frog Eleutherodactylus coqui. Climate Change Ecology 2:100041. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecochg.2021.100041.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Folwell, M. J., Sanders, K. L., Brennan, P. L., & Crowe-Riddell, J. M. (2022). First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1989), 20221702.

Other Links/Mentions:

Coqui frog call: https://amphibiaweb.org/species/2858#

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

142 Alligators can regrow their tails

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000

Tail regrowth is a weird and wonderful trait some herpetofauna possess. But there’s a new paper about the regrowing tails of alligators. Species of the Bi-week is more like Genus of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Xu C, Palade J, Fisher RE, Smith CI, Clark AR, Sampson S, Bourgeois R, Rawls A, Elsey RM, Wilson-Rawls J, Kusumi K. 2020. Anatomical and histological analyses reveal that tail repair is coupled with regrowth in wild-caught, juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Scientific Reports 10:20122. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77052-8.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Blair C, Bryson RW, García-Vázquez UO, Nieto-Montes De Oca A, Lazcano D, Mccormack JE, Klicka J. 2022. Phylogenomics of alligator lizards elucidate diversification patterns across the Mexican Transition Zone and support the recognition of a new genus. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 135:25–39. DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab139.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Seifert, A.W., Kiama, S.G., Seifert, M.G., Goheen, J.R., Palmer, T.M. and Maden, M., 2012. Skin shedding and tissue regeneration in African spiny mice (Acomys). Nature, 489(7417), pp.561-565.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

141 Mountain Dragons

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 11:27:51 +0000

Mountain dragons are found in Australia and Tasmania. We get stuck in to the ecology of these busy little lizards.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Stuart-Smith JF, Stuart-Smith RD, Swain R, Wapstra E. 2008. Size dimorphism in Rankinia [Tympanocryptis] diemensis (Family Agamidae): sex-specific patterns and geographic variation: size dimorphism in R. diemensis. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 94:699–709. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2008.01026.x.

Stuart-Smith J, Swain R, Welling A. 2005. Reproductive ecology of the Mountain Dragon, Rankinia (Tympanocryptis) diemensis (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) in Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania:23–28. DOI: 10.26749/rstpp.139.23.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Stuart‐Smith, J., Swain, R., Stuart‐Smith, R. D., & Wapstra, E. (2007). Is fecundity the ultimate cause of female‐biased size dimorphism in a dragon lizard?. Journal of Zoology, 273(3), 266-272.

Tombak, K. J., Gersick, A. S., Reisinger, L. V., Larison, B., & Rubenstein, D. I. (2022). Zebras of all stripes repel biting flies at close range. Scientific reports, 12(1), 1-8.

Other Links/Mentions:

Leptopelis viridis call from https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?special=call&genus=Leptopelis&species=viridis

https://www.nhbs.com/mountain-dragons-book

Rödel, M. O. (2000). Herpetofauna of West Africa, Vol. I. Amphibians of the West African Savanna. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt, Germany.

Radwin M. 2022.Rare, critically endangered gecko making dramatic recovery in Caribbean. Available at https://news.mongabay.com/2022/12/rare-critically-endangered-gecko-making-dramatic-recovery-in-caribbean/ (accessed December 8, 2022).

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

140 Snake Diets Through the Ages

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 11:14:42 +0000

After the dinosaurs went extinct snakes were feeling hungry.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Grundler MC, Rabosky DL. 2021. Rapid increase in snake dietary diversity and complexity following the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. PLOS Biology 19:e3001414. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001414.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Goutte S, Reyes-Velasco J, Kassie A, Boissinot S. 2022. Genetic and morphometric analyses of historical type specimens clarify the taxonomy of the Ethiopian Leptopelis gramineus species complex (Anura, Arthroleptidae). ZooKeys 1128:63–97. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1128.82176.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

139 Can brownsnakes be bothered?

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 21:50:38 +0000

Elapid behaviour is not as well studied as we’d like, so in this episode we look at a couple of papers to cover more ground. One describing the changing morphology to optimise caudal luring, and another that looks at just how much you can bother a brownsnake before the worst happens.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Crowe-Riddell JM, Dix S, Pieterman L, Nankivell JH, Ford M, Ludington AJ, Simões BF, Dunstan N, Partridge JC, Sanders KL, Allen L. 2021. From matte banded to glossy black: structures underlying colour change in the caudal lures of southern death adders (Acanthophis antarcticus, Reptilia: Elapidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 132:666–675. DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa218.

Whitaker PB, Ellis K, Shine R. 2000. The defensive strike of the Eastern Brownsnake, Pseudonaja textilis (Elapidae): Defensive strike of Eastern Brownsnake. Functional Ecology 14:25–31. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2000.00385.x.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

28 (not 38) new species of gecko in New Caledonia: https://www.dropbox.com/s/69y399u22ujxusb/Bavayia_PCAS_Nov_2022.pdf?dl=0

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

138 Evolving Anoles

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 22:03:37 +0000

The complexities of evolution pose constant questions. One of the most fruitful groups to look at when trying to understand evolution is Anolis lizards. They are well known for repeated convergent evolution, many species, and existing in a wealth of environments; so this episode we look at an example of what can drive that evolution. Also a cryptic viper for Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Prates I, D’Angiolella AB, Rodrigues MT, Melo‐Sampaio PR, de Queiroz K, Bell RC. 2021. Evolutionary drivers of sexual signal variation in Amazon Slender Anoles. Evolution 75:1361–1376. DOI: 10.1111/evo.14230.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Zhang M-H, Shi S-C, Li C, Yan P, Wang P, Ding L, Du J, Plenković-Moraj A, Jiang J-P, Shi J-S. 2022. Exploring cryptic biodiversity in a world heritage site: a new pitviper (Squamata, Viperidae, Crotalinae) from Jiuzhaigou, Aba, Sichuan, China. ZooKeys 1114:59–76. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1114.79709.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

137 Switzerland’s Frog-enaissance

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Back in the 90s the Swiss authorities decided to start digging loads of ponds for their dwindling amphibians. But did these uniquely slippery customers appreciate it?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Moor H, Bergamini A, Vorburger C, Holderegger R, Bühler C, Egger S, Schmidt BR. 2022. Bending the curve: Simple but massive conservation action leads to landscape-scale recovery of amphibians. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119:e2123070119. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2123070119.

Biakzuala L. 2022. Collection of vulnerable nests with eggs for the captive incubation of king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) as a conservation strategy in Mizoram north-east India. The Herpetological Bulletin:18–20. DOI: 10.33256/hb159.1820.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

136 Set a course for Tiny Boa Island

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 21:32:38 +0000

Central American boas are the focus of this episode - we disentangle why some are large, and others are very small. Followed up by a Species of the Bi-Week with a stubby tail.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Card DC, Adams RH, Schield DR, Perry BW, Corbin AB, Pasquesi GIM, Row K, Van Kleeck MJ, Daza JM, Booth W, Montgomery CE, Boback SM, Castoe TA. 2019. Genomic Basis of Convergent Island Phenotypes in Boa Constrictors. Genome Biology and Evolution 11:3123–3143. DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evz226.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Oliver PM, Donnellan SC, Gunn BF. 2022. Plio–Pleistocene vicariance across arid Australia in the ‘Spiny Knob-tailed Geckos’ (Nephrurus asper group), with the description of a new species from western Queensland. Australian Journal of Zoology 69:216–228. DOI: 10.1071/ZO22008.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Card, D. C., Schield, D. R., Adams, R. H., Corbin, A. B., Perry, B. W., Andrew, A. L., ... & Castoe, T. A. (2016). Phylogeographic and population genetic analyses reveal multiple species of Boa and independent origins of insular dwarfism. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 102, 104-116.

Jack, K. M., Brown, M. R., Buehler, M. S., Cheves Hernadez, S., Ferrero Marín, N., Kulick, N. K., & Lieber, S. E. (2020). Cooperative rescue of a juvenile capuchin (Cebus imitator) from a Boa constrictor. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1-7.

Reynolds, R. G., Niemiller, M. L., & Revell, L. J. (2014). Toward a Tree-of-Life for the boas and pythons: Multilocus species-level phylogeny with unprecedented taxon sampling. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 71, 201-213.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

135 I should have stayed an egg

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000

A look at the world's shortest-lived tetrapod, a tiny chameleon, Labord's chameleon. What is their life like? And where do they go in the short months when they are not an egg?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hudel L, Kappeler PM. 2022. Sex-specific movement ecology of the shortest-lived tetrapod during the mating season. Scientific Reports 12:10053. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14156-3.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Cuadrado M. 2001. Mate guarding and social mating system in male common chameleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon). Journal of Zoology 255:425–435. DOI: 10.1017/S0952836901001510.

Palmisano, J. N., Bockoven, C., McPherson, S. M., Ossiboff, R. J., Walden, H. D., & Farrell, T. M. 2022. Infection Experiments Indicate That Common Florida Anurans and Lizards May Serve as Intermediate Hosts for the Invasive Pentastome Parasite, Raillietiella orientalis. Journal of Herpetology, 56(3): 355-361. DOI: 10.1670/21-061.

Other Links/Mentions:

Tomato frog call from amphibiaweb.org: https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-scientific_name=Dyscophus+antongilii&rel-scientific_name=contains&include_synonymies=Yes

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

134 For Rattlesnakes, Wetter is Better

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Reptiles can be tough, especially when faced with a lack of water. But does providing them with extra water help them out? We also have a bent-toed Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Capehart GD, Escallón C, Vernasco BJ, Moore IT, Taylor EN. 2016. No drought about it: Effects of supplemental hydration on the ecology, behavior, and physiology of free-ranging rattlesnakes. Journal of Arid Environments 134:79–86. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2016.06.018.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Yodthong S, Rujirawan A, Stuart BL, Grismer LL, Aksornneam A, Termprayoon K, Ampai N, Aowphol A. 2022. A new species in the Cyrtodactylus oldhami group (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. ZooKeys 1103:139–169. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1103.84672.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

133 Tale of the Caledonian Castaways

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 18:19:03 +0100

The islands of New Caledonia are famous for their geckos. Recent research has revealed the evolutionary past of these sticky lizards, and it all began shortly after the islands themselves emerged from the Pacific Ocean.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Skipwith PL, Bauer AM, Jackman TR, Sadlier RA. 2016. Old but not ancient: coalescent species tree of New Caledonian geckos reveals recent post‐inundation diversification. Journal of Biogeography 43:1266–1276. DOI: 10.1111/jbi.12719.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Griffing, A. H., Sanger, T. J., Epperlein, L., Bauer, A. M., Cobos, A., Higham, T. E., ... & Gamble, T. 2021. And thereby hangs a tail: morphology, developmental patterns and biomechanics of the adhesive tails of crested geckos (Correlophus ciliatus). Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288(1953), 20210650.

Other Links/Mentions:

Kimbrough L. 2022.Tiny new tree frog species found in rewilded Costa Rican nature reserve: https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/tiny-new-tree-frog-species-found-in-rewilded-costa-rican-nature-reserve/

Crested gecko chirping audio on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFOGsS2TPuI

Independent article about house gecko on board ship: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/china-asian-maidstone-kent-b2007108.html

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

132 Radioactive Colour Changing Frogs

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 18:02:31 +0100

Radioactive frogs around Chernobyl haven't been the same since the nuclear disaster. We talk about why they aren't so green, before focusing on a newly described species that couldn't be greener.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Burraco P, Orizaola G. 2022. Ionizing radiation and melanism in Chornobyl tree frogs. Evolutionary Applications 15:1469–1479. DOI: 10.1111/eva.13476.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Varela-Soto D, Abarca JG, Brenes-Mora E, Aspinall V, Leenders T, Shepack A. 2022. A new species of brilliant green frog of the genus Tlalocohyla (Anura, Hylidae) hiding between two volcanoes of northern Costa Rica. Zootaxa 5178:501–531. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5178.6.1.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

131 Invasion of the Lung Crustaceans

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 18:00:00 +0100

We’ve chatted about invasive species in many episodes, but this time the invader is INSIDE the better known invader. A parasite has made its way to Florida, USA in the lungs of Burmese Pythons; has the parasite spread, and is it impacting the native snake species?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Miller MA, Kinsella JM, Snow RW, Falk BG, Reed RN, Goetz SM, Mazzotti FJ, Guyer C, Romagosa CM. 2020. Highly competent native snake hosts extend the range of an introduced parasite beyond its invasive Burmese python host. Ecosphere 11. DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3153.

Walden HDS, Iredale ME, Childress A, Wellehan JFX, Ossiboff RJ. 2020. Case Report: Invasive Pentastomes, Raillietiella orientalis (Sambon, 1922), in a Free-Ranging Banded Water Snake (Nerodia fasciata) in North Central Florida, USA. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7:467. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00467.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Kelehear, C., Spratt, D. M., O’Meally, D., & Shine, R. 2014. Pentastomids of wild snakes in the Australian tropics. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 3(1), 20-31. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2013.12.003.

Other Links/Mentions:

Gopher frog call from: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-herps/florida-frog-calls/

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

130 Versatile Blue Tongue

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0100

Blue tongue skinks are named for their distinctive blue tongue. We’ve talked previously about how they spook predators with a flash of blue, but this time we look at an alternative more food focused use. We also have a red hot Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hewes AE, Schwenk K. 2021. The functional morphology of lingual prey capture in a scincid lizard, Tiliqua scincoides (Reptilia: Squamata). Journal of Morphology 282:127–145. DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21287.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Yoshikawa N, Matsui M. 2022. A New Salamander of the Genus Onychodactylus from Central Honshu, Japan (Amphibia, Caudata, Hynobiidae). Current Herpetology 41. DOI: 10.5358/hsj.41.82.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Youngman, N. J., Llinas, J., & Fry, B. G. 2021. Evidence for resistance to coagulotoxic effects of Australian elapid snake venoms by sympatric prey (blue tongue skinks) but not by predators (monitor lizards). Toxins, 13(9), 590. DOI: 10.3390/toxins13090590.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

129 Fast Food is Bad for Turtles Too

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 18:00:00 +0100

A tortoise and turtle double-bill. Gopher tortoises face burrow cave-ins, and sea turtles eat human food.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Goodman SJ, Smith JA, Gorman TA, Haas CA. 2018. Longevity of Gopher Tortoise Burrows in Sandy Soils. Southeastern Naturalist 17:531–540. DOI: 10.1656/058.017.0310.

Smulders FOH, O’Shea OR, Christianen MJA. 2021. Animal-borne video reveals atypical behaviour in provisioned green turtles: A global perspective of a widespread tourist activity. Global Ecology and Conservation 25:e01417. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01417.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Mendonca, M., Beauman, R., & Balbach, H. (2007). Burrow Collapse as a Potential Stressor on the Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphenus). Engineer Research And Development Center Champaign IL Construction Engineering Research Lab.

Wester, E.E. (2004). Impact of natural gas pipeline operation and maintenance on longterm population viability of the threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). Report to Florida Gas Transmission Company. Southern Ecosystems Research, Auburn, AL

Other Links/Mentions:

Bulldog stuck in tortoise burrow: https://yhoo.it/3RYLgQh

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

128 Swampy Siren Songs

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Sirens resemble a salamander crossed with an eel. We work out how these bizarre amphibians hunt, and talk about a siren species only recently discovered by science.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Martin BT, Goodding DD, Ford NB, Placyk JS. 2013. Sensory Mediation of Foraging Behavior in the Western Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia nettingi). Journal of Herpetology 47:75–77. DOI: 10.1670/11-209.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Graham SP, Kline R, Steen DA, Kelehear C. 2018. Description of an extant salamander from the Gulf Coastal Plain of North America: The Reticulated Siren, Siren reticulata. PLOS ONE 13:e0207460. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207460.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

127 Frog Calls in a Concrete Jungle

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Animals have to adapt to all sorts of changes, but urbanisation is perhaps one of the most drastic. Urban noise can majorly interfere with communication, so how do frogs overcome the noise and busyness of the big city?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Halfwerk W, Blaas M, Kramer L, Hijner N, Trillo PA, Bernal XE, Page RA, Goutte S, Ryan MJ, Ellers J. 2018. Adaptive changes in sexual signalling in response to urbanization. Nature Ecology & Evolution. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0751-8.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Halfwerk W, Jones PL, Taylor RC, Ryan MJ, Page RA. 2014. Risky Ripples Allow Bats and Frogs to Eavesdrop on a Multisensory Sexual Display. Science 343:413–416. DOI: 10.1126/science.1244812.

Graitson, E., & Taymans, J. 2022. Impacts des lâchers massifs de faisans de Colchide (Phasianus colchicus L.) sur les squamates (Reptilia Squamata). Bull. Soc. Herp. Fr, 180.

Kaczmarek, E.B., Gartner, S.M., Westneat, M.W. and Brainerd, E.L., 2022. Air Breathing and Suction Feeding Kinematics in the West African Lungfish, Protopterus annectens. Integrative and Comparative Biology.

Other Links/Mentions:

The forest and urban calls from Halfwerk et al., 2018.

Forest call: https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41559-018-0751-8/MediaObjects/41559_2018_751_MOESM3_ESM.wav

Urban call: https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41559-018-0751-8/MediaObjects/41559_2018_751_MOESM4_ESM.wav

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

126 The Salamanders That Parachute

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s a Plethodontid Salamander, more specifically Aneides vagrans AKA the wandering salamander. As strange as it sounds we look at a gliding salamander this episode. Species of the Bi-week is an elegant wine-gum-looking beast.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Brown CE, Sathe EA, Dudley R, Deban SM. 2022. Gliding and parachuting by arboreal salamanders. Current Biology 32:R453–R454. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.04.033.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Dahinten-Bailey H, Serrano MJ, Alonso-Ascencio M, Cruz-Font JJ, Rosito-Prado I, Ruiz-Villanueva KJA, Vásquez-Almazan C, Ariano-Sánchez D. 2021. A new species of Bolitoglossa (Caudata: Plethodontidae) of the Bolitoglossa franklini group from an isolated cloud forest in northern Guatemala. Zootaxa 4966:202–214. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4966.2.7.

Other Links/Mentions:

Gliding salamanders video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5w13ZHyTs8

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

125 Last of the Giant Lizards

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Many large animals have gone extinct in the last 50,000 years - but not Komodo dragons. We explore a paper detailing why they have survived while other megafauna have not.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Shine R, Somaweera R. 2019. Last lizard standing: The enigmatic persistence of the Komodo dragon. Global Ecology and Conservation 18:e00624. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00624.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

124 Garter Snake Gangs

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 14:55:17 +0100

Snakes are often thought of as totally solitary, but this isn't always the case. We talk about a new study detailing snake social behaviour, and follow it up with two recently described frog species from Central Africa.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Skinner M, Miller N. 2020. Aggregation and social interaction in garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 74. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-2827-0.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Greenbaum E, Allen KE, Vaughan ER, Badjedjea G, Barej MF, Behangana M, Conkey N, Dumbo B, Gonwouo L, Hirschfeld M, Hughes DF, Igunzi F, Kusamba C, Lukwago W, Masudi FM, Penner J, Rödel M, Roelke CE, Romero S, Dehling JM. 2022. Systematics of the Central African Spiny Reed Frog Afrixalus laevis (Anura: Hyperoliidae), with the description of two new species from the Albertine Rift. Zootaxa 5174:201–232.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Alexander, G. J. 2018. Reproductive biology and maternal care of neonates in southern African python (Python natalensis). Journal of Zoology, 305(3), 141-148.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

123 Fantastic Mr Foxsnake

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Foxsnakes are widely distributed and with an apparently tumultuous taxonomic history, but we can still take a look at the habitats they prefer and their ability to traverse fragmented landscapes.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Row JR, Blouin-Demers G, Lougheed SC. 2012. Movements and Habitat Use of Eastern Foxsnakes (Pantherophis gloydi) in Two Areas Varying in Size and Fragmentation. Journal of Herpetology 46:94–99. DOI: 10.1670/10-262.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Chambers EA, Hillis DM. 2019. The Multispecies Coalescent Over-splits Species in the Case of Geographically Widespread Taxa. Systematic Biology:syz042. DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syz042.

Conant, R. (1940). A new subspecies of the Fox Snake, Elaphe vulpina Baird and Girard. Herpetologica, 2(1), 1-14.

Crother, B. I., White, M. E., Savage, J. M., Eckstut, M. E., Graham, M. R., & Gardner, D. W. (2011). A Reevaluation of the Status of the Foxsnakes Pantherophis gloydi Conant and P. vulpinus Baird and Girard (Lepidosauria). International Scholarly Research Notices, 2011.

Other Links/Mentions:

Eastern fox snake combat (mistitled): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogaXTO-XcKc

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

122 Volcano Lizards

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Lizards can live in some tough environments, but does any lizard top the chubby Phymaturus living on the side of an active volcano? This episode we explore how they are coping with repeated ashfall events, as well as highlighting a newly described Phymaturus species.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Boretto JM, Cabezas-Cartes F, Kubisch EL, Sinervo B, Ibargüengoytía NR. 2014. Changes In Female Reproduction And Body Condition In An Endemic Lizard, Phymaturus spectabilis, Following The Puyehue Volcanic Ashfall Event. Herpetological Conservation and Biology:11.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Lobo F, Barrasso DA, Hibbard T, Quipildor M, Slodki D, Valdecantos S, Basso NG. 2021. Morphological and Genetic Divergence within the Phymaturus payuniae Clade (Iguania: Liolaemidae), with the Description of Two New Species. South American Journal of Herpetology 20:41.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Becker, L. A., Boretto, J. M., Cabezas-Cartes, F., Márquez, S., Kubisch, E., Scolaro, J. A., ... & Ibargüengoytía, N. R. (2019). An integrative approach to elucidate the taxonomic status of five species of Phymaturus Gravenhorst, 1837 (Squamata: Liolaemidae) from northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 185(1), 268-282.

Cabezas-Cartes F, Kubisch EL, Ibargüengoytía NR. 2014. Consequences of volcanic ash deposition on the locomotor performance of the Phymaturus spectabilis lizard from Patagonia, Argentina: Effect Of Volcanic Ash In Locomotion Of Lizards. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology 321:164–172. DOI: 10.1002/jez.1846.

Other Links/Mentions:

Frog call of Boana faber from Rodrigo Dela Rosa – https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?special=call&genus=Boana&species=faber

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

121 The Cheeky Startler

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Toad headed agamas have a bonkers display - bright pink flaps which pop out of the sides of their head. It has long been assumed this serves as a warning to would-be predators, but does scientific evidence support this?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper Reference:

Whiting, M. J., Noble, D. W. A., & Qi, Y. (2022). A potential deimatic display revealed in a lizard. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 136(3), 455–465. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blac044

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Petrovan, S. O., Al-Fulaij, N., Christie, A., & Andrews, H. (2022). Why link diverse citizen science surveys? Widespread arboreal habits of a terrestrial amphibian revealed by mammalian tree surveys in Britain. PloS one, 17(7), e0265156.

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

120 Vipers With Eyebrows

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 20:28:02 +0100

Some vipers have crazy horns - we chat about it, and discuss a brand new species of lizard from South America.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Busschau, T., & Boissinot, S. (2022). Habitat determines convergent evolution of cephalic horns in vipers. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 135(4), 652–664. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blac008

Species of the Bi-Week:

Amézquita, A., Daza, J. M., Contreras, L. A. B., Orejuela, C., Barrientos, L. S., & Mazariegos H., L. A. (2022). One more and one less: a new species of large bromelicolous lizard (Gymnophthalmidae: Anadia) from the Andean cloud forests of northwestern Colombia and the phylogenetic status of Anadia antioquensis. Zootaxa, 5150(2), 217–238. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5150.2.3

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Editing and Music:

Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

119 Crocodile Comeback

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Despite existing on the planet for millions of years with minor morphological changes, crocodiles are having a difficult time in a new human dominated world. However, there are success stories. This episode we take a look at the rebound of American Crocodiles, and also explore how long herpetofauna live for.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Mazzotti FJ, Balaguera-Reina SA, Brandt LA, Briggs-González V, Cherkiss M, Farris S, Godahewa A. 2022. Natural and Anthropogenic Factors Influencing Nesting Ecology of the American Crocodile in Florida, United States. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10:904576. DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.904576.

Reinke BA, Cayuela H, Janzen FJ, Lemaître J-F, Gaillard J-M, Lawing AM, Iverson JB, Christiansen DG, Martínez-Solano I, Sánchez-Montes G, Gutiérrez-Rodríguez J, Rose FL, Nelson N, Keall S, Crivelli AJ, Nazirides T, Grimm-Seyfarth A, Henle K, Mori E, Guiller G, Homan R, Olivier A, Muths E, Hossack BR, Bonnet X, Pilliod DS, Lettink M, Whitaker T, Schmidt BR, Gardner MG, Cheylan M, Poitevin F, Golubović A, Tomović L, Arsovski D, Griffiths RA, Arntzen JW, Baron J-P, Le Galliard J-F, Tully T, Luiselli L, Capula M, Rugiero L, McCaffery R, Eby LA, Briggs-Gonzalez V, Mazzotti F, Pearson D, Lambert BA, Green DM, Jreidini N, Angelini C, Pyke G, Thirion J-M, Joly P, Léna J-P, Tucker AD, Limpus C, Priol P, Besnard A, Bernard P, Stanford K, King R, Garwood J, Bosch J, Souza FL, Bertoluci J, Famelli S, Grossenbacher K, Lenzi O, Matthews K, Boitaud S, Olson DH, Jessop TS, Gillespie GR, Clobert J, Richard M, Valenzuela-Sánchez A, Fellers GM, Kleeman PM, Halstead BJ, Grant EHC, Byrne PG, Frétey T, Le Garff B, Levionnois P, Maerz JC, Pichenot J, Olgun K, Üzüm N, Avcı A, Miaud C, Elmberg J, Brown GP, Shine R, Bendik NF, O’Donnell L, Davis CL, Lannoo MJ, Stiles RM, Cox RM, Reedy AM, Warner DA, Bonnaire E, Grayson K, Ramos-Targarona R, Baskale E, Muñoz D, Measey J, de Villiers FA, Selman W, Ronget V, Bronikowski AM, Miller DAW. 2022. Diverse aging rates in ectothermic tetrapods provide insights for the evolution of aging and longevity. Science 376:1459–1466. DOI: 10.1126/science.abm0151.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Koch, Claudia, and Pablo J Venegas. 2016. “A Large and Unusually Colored New Snake Species of the Genus Tantilla (Squamata; Colubridae) from the Peruvian Andes.” PeerJ 4: e2767. OPEN ACCESS

Other Links/Mentions:

BBC article on the giant Mekong stingray - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-61862169

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

118 The Frogs That Cannot Hop

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 17:00:00 +0100

Animals come in many sizes, great and small. But all are subject to the laws of physics. In this episode we look at how the tiniest of frogs are too small to elegantly jump. Species of the Bi-week returns for an even fresher, more chocolatey frog.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Species of the Bi-Week:

Chávez G, Thompson ME, Sánchez DA, Chávez-Arribasplata JC, Catenazzi A. 2022. A needle in a haystack: Integrative taxonomy reveals the existence of a new small species of fossorial frog (Anura, Microhylidae, Synapturanus) from the vast lower Putumayo basin, Peru. Evolutionary Systematics 6:9–20. DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.6.80281.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Montano Y, Marshall BM, Ward M, Silva I, Artchawakom T, Waengsothorn S, Strine C. 2022. A stable home: Autocorrelated Kernel Density Estimated home ranges of the critically endangered Elongated Tortoise. The Herpetological Journal 32:120–129. DOI: 10.33256/32.3.120129.

Other Links/Mentions:

Video of frogs’ poor jumping ability - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ngnnhcT-s

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

117 Predation Liberation - Shine on Chameleons

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Jackson's chameleons are famous for their bright colours and fancy horns. But can a lack of predators make them even jazzier?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper Reference:

Whiting MJ, Holland BS, Keogh JS, Noble DWA, Rankin KJ, Stuart-Fox D. 2022. Invasive chameleons released from predation display more conspicuous colors. Science Advances 8:eabn2415. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn2415.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Gordon, S. P., Reznick, D., Arendt, J. D., Roughton, A., Ontiveros Hernandez, M. N., Bentzen, P., & López-Sepulcre, A. (2015). Selection analysis on the rapid evolution of a secondary sexual trait. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1813), 20151244.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

116 The Unfamiliar Scent of Death

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 15:00:00 +0100

Can the smell of predators put lizards off their lunch?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper Reference:

Webster C, Massaro M, Michael DR, Bambrick D, Riley JL, Nimmo DG. 2018. Native reptiles alter their foraging in the presence of the olfactory cues of invasive mammalian predators. Royal Society Open Science 5:180136. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180136.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Oliver PM, Rittmeyer EN, Torkkola J, Donnellan SC, Dahl C, Richards SJ. 2020. Multiple trans-Torres Strait colonisations by tree frogs in the Litoria caerulea group, with the description of a new species from New Guinea. Australian Journal of Zoology 68:15.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Apfelbach R, Parsons MH, Soini HA, Novotny MV. (2015) Are single odorous components of a predator sufficient to elicit defensive behaviors in prey species? Frontiers in Neuroscience. 9, 263. (doi:10. 3389/fnins.2015.00263)

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

115 Tag! You’re Envenomated

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Venoms are complex, and researchers are constantly discovering new intriguing uses. But this episode we look at a fascinating new venom use for the snakes themselves.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Saviola AJ, Chiszar D, Busch C, Mackessy SP. 2013. Molecular basis for prey relocation in viperid snakes. BMC Biology 11:20. DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-11-20.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Teshera MS, Clark RW, Wagler AE, Greenbaum E. 2021. Foraging and scavenging behaviour of the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis): no evidence that envenomation cues facilitate kleptoparasitism of struck prey. Amphibia-Reptilia:1–11. DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10073.

Other Links/Mentions:

Indian purple frog call from Thomas A, Suyesh R, Biju SD, Bee MA. 2014. Vocal behavior of the elusive purple frog of India (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis), a fossorial species endemic to the Western Ghats. PloS one, 9(2), p.e84809: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vocal-Behavior-of-the-Elusive-Purple-Frog-of-India-(Nasikabatrachus-sahyadrensis)-a-Fossorial-pone.0084809.s005.ogv

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

114 Not All Retics Are The Same

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 18:00:00 +0100

A phylogenetic paper focused episode looking at the longest snake of them all: Reticulated pythons. Are all reticulated pythons part of one big happy whole, or do the hundreds of islands they inhabit mean pythons represent just as many sub-species? Species of the Bi-week is a wonderfully lemon-soaked lizard.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Murray-Dickson G, Ghazali M, Ogden R, Brown R, Auliya M. 2017. Phylogeography of the reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus ssp.): Conservation implications for the worlds’ most traded snake species. PLOS ONE 12:e0182049. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182049.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Pavón-Vázquez CJ, Esquerré D, Fitch AJ, Maryan B, Doughty P, Donnellan SC, Keogh JS. 2022. Between a rock and a dry place: phylogenomics, biogeography, and systematics of ridge-tailed monitors (Squamata: Varanidae: Varanus acanthurus complex). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 173:107516. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107516.

Other Links/Mentions:

Tom’s appearance on BBC Springwatch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCP2w5CVbkY

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

113 Bearded Dragons Dodgy Dinners

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 21:50:49 +0100

Bearded dragons love to eat bugs, but pesticide use means they aren't always as good as they look.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Contador-Kelsall I, Maute K, Story P, Hose GC, French K. 2022. Sublethal pesticide exposure influences behaviour, but not condition in a widespread Australian lizard. Conservation Physiology 10:coac024. DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac024.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Entiauspe‐Neto, O. M., Reichle, S., & Dos Rios, A. (2022). A case of playful interaction between Bolivian River Dolphins with a Beni Anaconda. Ecology, e3724.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

112 Intoxicated Crocs

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 19:14:34 +0100

Freshwater crocs are classic predators of the water's edge - but when prey changes, can they keep up?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Aiyer A, Shine R, Somaweera R, Bell T, Ward-Fear G. 2022. Shifts in the foraging tactics of crocodiles following invasion by toxic prey. Scientific Reports 12:1267. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03629-6.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Marques MP, Ceríaco LMP, Stanley EL, Bandeira SA, Agarwal I, Bauer AM. 2019. A new species of Girdled Lizard (Squamata: Cordylidae) from the Serra da Neve Inselberg, Namibe Province, southwestern Angola. Zootaxa 4668:503–524. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4668.4.4.

Other Links/Mentions:

Turtles making noise? - https://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/do-green-sea-turtles-make-noise/

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

111 Steps Towards Turtle Rehabilitation

Tue, 24 May 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Sometimes turtles can get caught up in nets and other sticky situations. Rehabilitation can help out these injured or exhausted turtles… but how do they fare when they are released back into the big wide ocean?

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Robinson DP, Hyland K, Beukes G, Vettan A, Mabadikate A, Jabado RW, Rohner CA, Pierce SJ, Baverstock W. 2021. Satellite tracking of rehabilitated sea turtles suggests a high rate of short-term survival following release. PLOS ONE 16:e0246241. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246241.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

BM Marshall, CT Strine, CS Fukushima, P Cardoso, MC Orr, AC Hughes. 2022. Searching the web builds fuller picture of arachnid trade. Communication Biology. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03374-0

Szymura, J. M., Spolsky, C., & Uzzoll, T. (1985). Concordant change in mitochondrial and nuclear genes in a hybrid zone between two frog species (genus Bombina). Experientia, 41(11), 1469-1470.

Other Links/Mentions:

Bombina call from Explore Croatia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvMYU8drjg0

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

110 Snakes - Ant-mothers or Ant-Eaters

Thu, 19 May 2022 18:00:00 +0100

We’ve talked about ants being the victims of herpetofauna depredation, but what about snakes that are friends to ants? This episode we chat about a paper detailing the antics of an “ant-mother”.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Jono T, Kojima Y, Mizuno T. 2019. Novel cooperative antipredator tactics of an ant specialized against a snake. Royal Society Open Science 6:190283. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190283.

Species of the Bi-Week:

de Oca AN-M, Castresana-Villanueva N, Canseco-Márquez L, Campbell JA. 2022. A New Species of Xenosaurus (Squamata: Xenosauridae) from the Sierra de Juárez of Oaxaca, Mexico. Herpetologica 78. DOI: 10.1655/Herpetologica-D-21-00041.1.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Hodges, CW, Marshall, BM, Hill, JG, Strine, CT. 2022. Malayan kraits (Bungarus candidus) show affinity to anthropogenic structures in a human dominated landscape. Scientific reports, 12(1), pp.1-16. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11255-z

Knolle, F, Goncalves, RP, Morton, AJ. 2017. Sheep recognize familiar and unfamiliar human faces from two-dimensional images. Royal Society Open Science, 4(11), 171228. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171228

Other Links/Mentions:

Wolves and raven playing: https://www.yellowstone.org/naturalist-notes-wolves-and-ravens/

Ant video from Jono et al., - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6731735/bin/rsos190283supp2.avi

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

109 Accelerating Python Research

Tue, 10 May 2022 18:00:00 +0100

We find out what Burmese pythons get up to when no one is watching.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Whitney, N. M., White, C. F., Smith, B. J., Cherkiss, M. S., Mazzotti, F. J., & Hart, K. M. (2021). Accelerometry to study fine-scale activity of invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in the wild. Animal Biotelemetry, 9(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-020-00227-7

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Studd, E.K., Derbyshire, R.E., Menzies, A.K., Simms, J.F., Humphries, M.M., Murray, D.L. and Boutin, S., (2021). The purr‐fect catch: using accelerometers and audio recorders to document kill rates and hunting behaviour of a small prey specialist. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 12(7), pp.1277-1287.

Carroll, G., Slip, D., Jonsen, I. and Harcourt, R., (2014). Supervised accelerometry analysis can identify prey capture by penguins at sea. Journal of Experimental Biology, 217(24), pp.4295-4302.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

108 In The Hall of The Mountain Kingsnake

Tue, 03 May 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Are mountain kingsnakes multiple species? We try to decide.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available at: www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Myers, E. A., Rodríguez-Robles, J. A., Denardo, D. F., Staub, R. E., Stropoli, A., Ruane, S., & Burbrink, F. T. (2013). Multilocus phylogeographic assessment of the California Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata) suggests alternative patterns of diversification for the California Floristic Province. Molecular Ecology, 22(21), 5418–5429. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12478

Species of the Bi-Week:

Székely, P., Székely, D., Ordó ñez-Delgado, L., Armijos- Ojeda, D., & Vörös, J. (2021). Our unknown neighbor: A new species of rain frog of the genus Pristimantis (Amphibia: Anura: Strabomantidae) from the city of Loja, southern Ecuador. PLoS ONE, 16(10 October), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258454

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Chambers EA, Hillis DM. (2019). The Multispecies Coalescent Over-splits Species in the Case of Geographically Widespread Taxa. Systematic Biology:syz042. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syz042.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

107 ROBO-TOADS

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 18:00:00 +0100

What’s the best way to explore toad mate choice… create hyper-realistic robo-toads of differing colours.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Gardner KM, Mennill DJ, Savi LM, Shangi NE, Doucet SM. 2021. Sexual selection in a tropical toad: Do female toads choose brighter males in a species with rapid colour change? Ethology 127:475–483. DOI: 10.1111/eth.13156.

Other Links/Mentions:

Incilius luetkenii call fromOrganization for Tropical Studies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9OoXAMrIYQ

Incilius luetkenii interacting with models from Gardner et al., 2021: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1111%2Feth.13156&file=eth13156-sup-0001-Videos1.mp4

Hylodes phyllodes call from AmphibiaWeb: https://amphibiaweb.org/sounds/Hylodes_phyllodes92.mp3

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

106 New Python Alert

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 18:00:00 +0100

We take a look at a frog that bucks the classic frog diet, and explore the confusing world of small Australian pythons. A new python here, a lost python there.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

da Silva HR, de Britto-Pereira MC. 2006. How much fruit do fruit-eating frogs eat? An investigation on the diet of Xenohyla truncata (Lissamphibia: Anura: Hylidae). Journal of Zoology 270:692–698. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00192.x.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Esquerré D, Donnellan SC, Pavón-Vázquez CJ, Fenker J, Keogh JS. 2021. Phylogeography, historical demography and systematics of the world’s smallest pythons (Pythonidae, Antaresia). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 161:107181. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107181.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

da Silva, H. R., de Britto-Pereira, M. C., & Caramaschi, U. (1989). Frugivory and seed dispersal by Hyla truncata, a neotropical treefrog. Copeia, 1989: 781-783.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

105 Creative crab eating snakes

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 18:00:00 +0100

Snakes eat crabs, and they eat them in some pretty unusual ways.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Jayne, B. C., Voris, H. K., & Ng, P. K. L. (2018). How big is too big? Using crustacean-eating snakes (Homalopsidae) to test how anatomy and behaviour affect prey size and feeding performance. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 123(3), 636–650. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/bly007

104 Unrequited sea snake love

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 11:43:19 +0100

This episode focuses on some confused sea snakes and their amorous intentions, with a wild Species of the Bi-Week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Lynch, T. P., Alford, R. A., & Shine, R. (2021). Mistaken identity may explain why male sea snakes (Aipysurus laevis, Elapidae, Hydrophiinae) “attack” scuba divers. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94728-x

Species of the Bi-Week:

Lalronunga, S., Lalhmangaiha, K., Zosangliana, I., Lalhmingliani, E., Gower, D. J., Das, A., & Deepak, V. (2021). A new species of Stoliczkia Jerdon, 1870 (Serpentes: Xenodermidae) from Mizoram, India. Zootaxa, 4996(3), 569–580. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4996.3.9

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

103 Endangered Giants

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 17:00:00 +0100

What can we learn about Endangered Giant herpetofauna from observing their movements? We take a look at some monster tortoises and gargantuan salamanders from opposite sides of the world. Later on hear the calls of our very red Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Pike KN, Blake S, Cabrera F, Gordon IJ, Schwarzkopf L. 2021. Body size, sex and high philopatry influence the use of agricultural land by Galapagos giant tortoises. Oryx:1–10. DOI: 10.1017/S0030605320001167.

Zhang L, Zhao H, Willard S, Wang Q, Jiang W, Zhang H-X, Kouba A. 2019. Spatial distribution and seasonal movement patterns of reintroduced Chinese giant salamanders. BMC Zoology 4:7. DOI: 10.1186/s40850-019-0046-9.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Baptista NL, Pinto PV, Keates C, Edwards S, Rödel M-O, Conradie W. 2021. A new species of red toad, Schismaderma Smith, 1849 (Anura: Bufonidae), from central Angola. Zootaxa 5081:301–332. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5081.3.1.

Other Links/Mentions:

Archer A.M. 2016. 910 -- Schismaderma carens. Red Toad (Bufonidae). https://vmus.adu.org.za/?vm=FrogMAP-6628

Baptista & Frommolt 2021. Advertisement calls of the toad Schismaderma branchi from Angola [Dataset]. Data Publisher: Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN) - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science. https://doi.org/10.7479/063t-ta10.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

102 War of the Worms

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000

Slow worm combat and snake fungal disease are the topics of this episode - turns out slow worms are savages.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Capula, M., Anibaldi, C., Filippi, E., & Luiselli, L. (1998). Sexual combats, matings, and reproductive phenology in an alpine population of the slow worm, Anguis fragilis. Herpetological Natural History, 6(1), 33–39.

Romer, A. S., Grinath, J. B., Moe, K. C., & Walker, D. M. (2022). Host microbiome responses to the Snake Fungal Disease pathogen (Ophidiomyces ophidiicola) are driven by changes in microbial richness. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 3078. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07042-5

Species of the Bi-Week:

Trivalairat, P., Sumontha, M., Kunya, K., & Chiangkul, K. (2022). Acanthosaura meridiona sp. nov. (Squamata: Agamidae), a new short-horned lizard from southern Thailand. Herpetological Journal, 32(1), 34–50. https://doi.org/10.33256/32.1.3450

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

101 Monitor Lizards

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 17:00:00 +0000

One of our favourite groups of lizards is the topic of this episode. They are truly incredible beasts capable of learning, adapting, and apparently creating fantastic metropolis fir for all sorts of creatures to co-exist. Of course Species of the Bi-week is back, this time with a stunning South American lizard.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Doody JS, Soennichsen KF, James H, McHenry C, Clulow S. 2021. Ecosystem engineering by deep‐nesting monitor lizards. Ecology 102. DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3271.

Pettit L, Ward-Fear G, Shine R. 2021. Invasion of cane toads (Rhinella marina) affects the problem-solving performance of vulnerable predators (monitor lizards, Varanus varius). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 75:39. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-02978-6.

Species of the Bi-Week:

García-Vázquez UO, Clause AG, Gutiérrez-Rodríguez J, Cazares-Hernández E, Torre-Loranca MÁ de la. 2022. A New Species of Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Sierra de Zongolica of Veracruz, Mexico. Ichthyology & Herpetology 110. DOI: 10.1643/h2021051.

Other Links/Mentions:

Video footage of lizards solving problems - https://figshare.com/articles/media/Invasion_of_cane_toads_Rhinella_marina_affects_the_problem-solving_performance_of_vulnerable_predators_monitor_lizards_Varanus_varius_/12830750/1?file=24355235

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

100 Episode 100

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 13:54:24 +0000

It's episode 100! We talk a bit about the effects of pesticides on frogs before having some fun testing our knowledge of herpetofauna.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hua, J., Wuerthner, V. P., Jones, D. K., Mattes, B., Cothran, R. D., Relyea, R. A., & Hoverman, J. T. (2017). Evolved pesticide tolerance influences susceptibility to parasites in amphibians. Evolutionary Applications, 10(8), 802–812. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12500

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

099 I hope it is a dry bite

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Snakes can bite; and when venomous, these bites can cause serious harm. But how frequently do snakes actually deploy that venom? We look at a review breaking down current knowledge. We also check out a paper looking at local names for herpetofauna, and whether that is connected to the danger those species pose. Species of the Bi-week returns with another venomous beastie.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Farooq, H., Bero, C., Guilengue, Y., Elias, C., Massingue, Y., Mucopote, I., Nanvonamuquitxo, C., Marais, J., Antonelli, A., & Faurby, S. (2021). Species perceived to be dangerous are more likely to have distinctive local names. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 17(69), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-021-00493-6

Pucca, M. B., Knudsen, C., Oliveira, I. S., Rimbault, C., Cerni, F. A., Wen, F. H., Sachett, J., Sartim, M. A., Laustsen, A. H., & Monteiro, W. M. (2020). Current Knowledge on Snake Dry Bites. Toxins, 12(668).

Species of the Bi-Week:

Barbo, F. E., Grazziotin, F. G., Pereira-filho, G. A., Freitas, M. A., Abrantes, S. H. F., & Kokubum, M. N. D. C. (2022). Isolated by dry lands: integrative analyses unveil the existence of a new species and a previously unknown evolutionary lineage of Brazilian Lanceheads (Serpentes : Viperidae : Bothrops) from a Caatinga moist-forest enclave. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 159(January), 147–159.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Ward-Smith, H., Arbuckle, K., Naude, A., & Wüster, W. (2020). Fangs for the memories? A survey of pain in snakebite patients does not support a strong role for defense in the evolution of snake venom composition. Toxins, 12(3), 201.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

098 Kingsnake Squeeze

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 17:44:47 +0000

Renowned for their habit of eating other snakes, just how do colourful kingsnakes manage to tackle prey almost their own size? We delve into this mystery, and find out just how much these snakes can eat. To top it off, there is a serpentine Species of the Bi-Week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Penning DA, Moon BR. (2017). The king of snakes: performance and morphology of intraguild predators (Lampropeltis) and their prey (Pantherophis). Journal of Experimental Biology 220:1154–1161. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.147082.

Penning DA. 2017. The gluttonous king: the effects of prey size and repeated feeding on predatory performance in kingsnakes. Journal of Zoology 302:119–125. DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12437.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Entiauspe-Neto, O. M., Abegg, A. D., Koch, C., Nuñez, L. P., Azevedo, W. D. S., Moraes, L. J., Tiutenko, A., Bialves, T. S., & Loebmann, D. (2021). A new species of Erythrolamprus (Serpentes: Dipsadidae: Xenodontini) from the savannas of northern South America. Salamandra, 57(2), 196-218.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

097 Picky Pink Panthers

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Chameleons! Specifically Panther Chameleons. We look at the decisions made by female chameleons, what are they looking for in a male chameleon, are they capable of forward planning? And a double-species Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Dollion, A. Y., Herrel, A., Marquis, O., Leroux-Coyau, M., & Meylan, S. (2020). The colour of success: Does female mate choice rely on male colour change in the chameleon Furcifer pardalis ? Journal of Experimental Biology, jeb.224550. doi: 10.1242/jeb.224550

Eppley, T. M. (2019). Evidence of spatiotemporal planning in a panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) on the Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar. Herpetology Notes, 12.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Shi, J.-S., Liu, J.-C., Giri, R., Owens, J. B., Santra, V., Kuttalam, S., … Malhotra, A. (2021). Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus Gloydius (Squamata, Viperidae, Crotalinae), with description of two new alpine species from Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. ZooKeys, 1061, 87–108. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1061.70420

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Gol, S., Pena, R. N., Rothschild, M. F., Tor, M., & Estany, J. (2018). A polymorphism in the fatty acid desaturase-2 gene is associated with the arachidonic acid metabolism in pigs. Scientific reports, 8(1), 1-9. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-19070-7

Other Links/Mentions:

Ross McGibbon Calendar: https://rmrphotography.com.au/2022-calendar-1/

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

096 Livid Lizards

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 16:54:06 +0100

This time we chat about the mighty Australian dragons of genus Ctenophorus. These little dragons have some serious personality, but how does it affect their lives, and can their colour give us clues about how aggro they can be? There's also a brand new dragon species.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Johnstone, K. C., McArthur, C., & Banks, P. B. (2021). Catch me if you can: Personality drives technique-specific biases during live-capture trapping. Wildlife Research. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR20121

Yewers, M. S. C., Pryke, S., & Stuart-Fox, D. (2016). Behavioural differences across contexts may indicate morph-specific strategies in the lizard Ctenophorus decresii. Animal Behaviour, 111, 329–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.10.029

Species of the Bi-Week:

Sadlier, R. A., Colgan, D., Beatson, C. A., & Cogger, H. G. (2019). Ctenophorus spinodomus sp. nov., a new species of dragon lizard (Squamata: Agamidae) from Triodia mallee habitat of southeast Australia. Records of the Australian Museum, 71(5), 199–215. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.71.2019.1700

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

095 Imps of Darkness

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 17:00:00 +0100

Spraying salt while chilling next to the shoreline –the M.O. of marine iguanas. But how do they cope with the harsh reality of life in 2021, like dramatic climate fluctuations and the increased pressures from humans? We also check out a tiny new Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

French SS, Neuman-Lee LA, Terletzky PA, Kiriazis NM, Taylor EN, DeNardo DF. 2017. Too much of a good thing? Human disturbance linked to ecotourism has a “dose-dependent” impact on innate immunity and oxidative stress in marine iguanas, Amblyrhynchus cristatus. Biological Conservation 210:37–47. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2017.04.006.

Wikelski M, Thom C. 2000. Marine iguanas shrink to survive El Niño. Nature 403:37–38. DOI: 10.1038/47396.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Torres-Carvajal O, Parra V, Sales Nunes PM, Koch C. 2021. A New Species of Microtegu Lizard (Gymnophthalmidae: Cercosaurinae) from Amazonian Ecuador. Journal of Herpetology 55. DOI: 10.1670/20-142.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

D’souza A, Gale GA, Marshall BM, Khamcha D, Waengsothorn S, Strine CT. 2021. Space use and activity of Boiga cyanea – a major songbird nest predator in a seasonal tropical forest in Thailand. Global Ecology and Conservation:e01875. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01875.

Moravec, J., Šmíd, J., Štundl, J., & Lehr, E. (2018). Systematics of Neotropical microteiid lizards (Gymnophthalmidae, Cercosaurinae), with the description of a new genus and species from the Andean montane forests. ZooKeys, (774), 105.

Wikelski, M. and P.H. Wrege. 2000. Niche expansion, body size, and survival in Galápagos marine iguanas. Oecologia 124: 107–115

Other Links/Mentions:

Cassella, C. 2021. Injecting Algae Into Suffocated Tadpoles Brings Their Brain Cells Back to Life: https://www.sciencealert.com/injecting-algae-into-the-brains-of-suffocating-tadpoles-keeps-their-neurons-alive

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

094 Hognose Hodgepodge

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 15:10:56 +0100

Hognose snakes - famous for their funny expressions and death-feigning, but why do Eastern hognoses come in different colours, and are some populations smaller than others? We find out, followed up by a brand new species of amphibian.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Lattanzio, M. S., & Buontempo, M. J. (2021). Ecogeographic Divergence Linked to Dorsal Coloration in Eastern Hog-Nosed Snakes (Heterodon platirhinos). Herpetologica, 77(2), 134–145. https://doi.org/10.1655/Herpetologica-D-19-00031.1

Vanek, J. P., & Burke, R. L. (2020). Insular dwarfism in female eastern hog-nosed snakes (Heterodon platirhinos; dipsadidae) on a barrier island. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 98(3), 157–164. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0137

Species of the Bi-Week:

De Oliveira, R. F., de Medeiros Magalhães, F., da Veiga Teixeira, B. F., de Moura, G. J. B., Porto, C. R., Guimarães, F. P. B. B., Giaretta, A. A., & Tinoco, M. S. (2021). A new species of the Dendropsophus decipiens Group (Anura: Hylidae) from Northeastern Brazil. PLoS ONE, 16(7 July), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248112

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Malayan krait spatial ecology pre-print: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.08.459477v1.full.pdf

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

093 Tortoise Talk

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 18:00:00 +0100

How social are tortoises? This episode we look at a paper investigating tortoises’ preference for faces, and a second on whether they stick together. While neither provide definitive answers, they both pose questions about how tortoises interact.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Versace E, Damini S, Stancher G. 2020. Early preference for face-like stimuli in solitary species as revealed by tortoise hatchlings. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117:24047–24049. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2011453117.

Ward M, Marshall BM, Hodges CW, Montano Y, Artchawakom T, Waengsothorn S, Strine CT. 2021. Nonchalant neighbors: Space use and overlap of the critically endangered Elongated Tortoise. Biotropica:btp.12981. DOI: 10.1111/btp.12981.

Species of the Bi-Week:

David P, Vogel G, Nguyen TQ, Orlov NL, Pauwels OSG, Teynié A, Ziegler T. 2021. A revision of the dark-bellied, stream-dwelling snakes of the genus Hebius (Reptilia: Squamata: Natricidae) with the description of a new species from China, Vietnam and Thailand. Zootaxa 4911:1–61. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4911.1.1.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Crane M, Silva I, Marshall BM, Strine CT. 2021. Lots of movement, little progress: a review of reptile home range literature. PeerJ 9:e11742. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11742.

Montano, Y, Marshall, BM, Ward, M., Silva, I., Artchawakom, T., Waengsothorn, S., & Strine, C. 2021. A stable home: Autocorrelated Kernel Density Estimated home ranges of the critically endangered Elongated Tortoise. OSF Preprints. DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/ka5t6

Rai TP. 2020. An Elongated Tortoise Attempting to Prey on a Buff-striped Keelback the Turtle Rescue and Conservation Centre in Eastern Nepal. IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians 27:297–299.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

092 Home is Where the Python's at

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:22:25 +0100

In this episode we are talking about the life and times of one of the world’s largest snakes - the Burmese python. We compare their movements in their native and introduced range, and talk a bit about what they get up to. Our Species of the Bi-Week is a colourful mimic.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Smith, S. N., Jones, M. D., Marshall, B. M., Waengsothorn, S., Gale, G. A., & Strine, C. T. (2021). Native Burmese pythons exhibit site fidelity and preference for aquatic habitats in an agricultural mosaic. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86640-1

Bartoszek, I. A., Smith, B. J., Reed, R. N., & Hart, K. M. (2021). Spatial ecology of invasive Burmese pythons in southwestern Florida. Ecosphere, 12(6). https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3564

Species of the Bi-Week:

Qi, S., Shi, J.-S., Ma, Y.-B., Gao, Y.-F., Bu, S.-H., Grismer, L. L., Li, P.-P., & Wang, Y.-Y. (2021). A sheep in wolf’s clothing: Elaphe xiphodonta sp. nov. (Squamata, Colubridae) and its possible mimicry to Protobothrops jerdonii. ZooKeys, 1048, 23–47. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1048.65650

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

091 Vyper Vyper Biting Bright

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 17:00:00 +0100

In the forests of the night, What immortal pit or eye, Could frame thy venomous symmetry? This episode we look at the biting behaviour, and glowing tails of vipers. Species of the Bi-week is a green treat from Southeast Asia.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Mendyk, R. W., & Laurence, P. (2021). Glow and Behold : Biofluorescence and New Insights on the Tails of Pitvipers (Viperidae: Crotalinae) and Other Snakes. Herpetological Review, 52(2), 221-237.

Piao, Y., Yao, G., Jiang, H., Huang, S., Huang, F., Tang, Y., Liu, Y., & Qin, C. (2021). Do pit vipers assess their venom? Defensive tactics of Deinagkistrodon acutus shift with changed venom reserve. Toxicon, 199, 101–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.06.003

Species of the Bi-Week:

Liu, S., Hou, M., Lwin, Y. H., Wang, Q., & Rao, D. (2021). A new species of Gonyosoma Wagler, 1828 (Serpentes, Colubridae), previously confused with G. prasinum (Blyth, 1854). Evolutionary Systematics, 5(1), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.5.66574

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Paul, L., & Mendyk, R. W. (2021). Glow and Behold: Biofluorescence and New Insights on the Tails of Pitvipers (Viperidae: Crotalinae) and Other Snakes. Herpetological Review, 52(2), 221-237.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

090 Little Snakes in the Big City

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 11:59:34 +0100

Urban snakes - are they more hip than their rural cousins, or do they suffer worse from parasites? We delve into some unexpected outcomes of urban life, followed by a brand new species of amphibian for our Species of the Bi-Week.

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T-shirts and other swag: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Lettoof, D., von Takach, B., Bateman, P. W., Gagnon, M. M., & Aubret, F. (2020). Investigating the role of urbanisation, wetlands and climatic conditions in nematode parasitism in a large Australian elapid snake. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 11, 32–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.11.006

Bury, S., & ZajĄc, B. (2020). The loss of sexual size dimorphism in urban populations of a widespread reptile, the European grass snake Natrix natrix. Current Zoology, 66(2), 217–218. https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoz034

Species of the Bi-Week:

Chávez, G., García-Ayachi, L. A., & Catenazzi, A. (2021). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder: Cruciform eye reveals new species of direct-developing frog (Strabomantidae, Pristimantis) in the Amazonian Andes. Evolutionary Systematics, 5, 81–92. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.5.63674

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Sprent, J. F. A. (1988). Ascaridoid nematodes of amphibians and reptiles: Ophidascaris Baylis, 1920. Systematic Parasitology, 11(3), 165-213.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

089 Flummoxed by Fluorescence

Tue, 25 May 2021 17:00:00 +0100

Fluorescing frogs (toadlets) and glowing geckos are topics of discussion this episode. We dig into the whys and ecological context of glowing, but really there remains a lot to learn. Carrying over from last episode is a wonderful Bungarus for the Species of the Bi-week. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Prötzel D, Heß M, Schwager M, Glaw F, Scherz MD. 2021. Neon-green fluorescence in the desert gecko Pachydactylus rangei caused by iridophores. Scientific Reports 11:297. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79706-z.

Rebouças R, Carollo AB, Freitas M de O, Lambertini C. 2019. Is the conspicuous dorsal coloration of the Atlantic forest pumpkin toadlets aposematic? Salamandra 55:39–47.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Chen Z-N, Shi S-C, Vogel G, Ding L, Shi J-S. 2021. Multiple lines of evidence reveal a new species of Krait (Squamata, Elapidae, Bungarus) from Southwestern China and Northern Myanmar. ZooKeys 1025:35–71. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1025.62305.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Taboada, C., Brunetti, A.E., Pedron, F.N., Neto, F.C., Estrin, D.A., Bari, S.E., Chemes, L.B., Lopes, N.P., Lagorio, M.G. and Faivovich, J., (2017). Naturally occurring fluorescence in frogs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(14), 3672-3677.

Other Links/Mentions:

Supplementary video for Prötzel et al., 2021: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79706-z#Sec18

Mark Scherz blog about geckos: http://www.markscherz.com/archives/4715

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

088 Bungarus Bonanza

Fri, 14 May 2021 18:48:28 +0100

Kraits! These banded and venomous beasts are still shrouded in mystery, but we cover some of the things we DO know about them in this Patreon special.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hodges, C. W., Barnes, C. H., Patungtaro, P., & Strine, C. T. (2021). Deadly dormmate: A case study on Bungarus candidus living among a student dormitory with implications for human safety. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 2(e12047), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12047

Hodges, C. W., D’souza, A., & Jintapirom, S. (2020). Diurnal observation of a Malayan Krait Bungarus candidus (Reptilia: Elapidae) feeding inside a building in Thailand. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 12(8), 15947–15950. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5746.12.8.15947-15950

Crane, M., Oliver, K., Silva, I., Aksornneam, A., Artchawakom, T., Suwanwaree, P., & Strine, C. T. (2016). A report of a Malayan Krait snake Bungarus candidus mortality as by-catch in a local fish trap from Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Tropical Conservation Science, 9(1), 313–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/194008291600900116

Knierim, T. K., Strine, C. T., Suwanwaree, P., & Hill, J. G. (2019). Spatial ecology study reveals nest attendance and habitat preference of banded kraits (Bungarus fasciatus). Herpetological Bulletin, 150, 6–13. https://doi.org/10.33256/hb150.613

Knierim, T. K., Marshall, B. M., Hayes, L., Waengsothorn, S., Suwanwaree, P., & Strine, C. T. (2018). The movements and habitat preferences of a Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) in an agrarian landscape. Herpetological Bulletin, 143, 30–33.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Gaynor KM, Hojnowski CE, Carter NH, Brashares JS. 2018. The influence of human disturbance on wildlife nocturnality. Science 360:1232–1235. DOI: 10.1126/science.aar7121.

Karraker NE, Fischer S, Aowphol A, Sheridan J, Poo S. 2018. Signals of forest degradation in the demography of common Asian amphibians. PeerJ 6:e4220. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4220.

Mohammadi S, Kluever BM, Tamashiro T, Amano Y, Hill Iii JG. 2014. Spatial and Thermal Observations of a Malayan Krait (Bungarus candidus) From Thailand. Tropical Natural History 14:21–26.

Tucker MA, et al. 2018. Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements. Science 359:466–469. DOI: 10.1126/science.aam9712.

Other Links/Mentions:

“Does ocean acidification alter fish behavior? Fraud allegations create a sea of doubt” By Martin Enserink - https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/05/does-ocean-acidification-alter-fish-behavior-fraud-allegations-create-sea-doubt

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

087 Invasion Evasion

Tue, 04 May 2021 17:00:00 +0100

Frogs: invasive menace, and victim. We look at two papers showing how frogs are faring in the face of human-caused species invasions. One where the frog is the invader, another where the frogs are facing down a novel threat –mongooses. Species of the Bi-week is a wee salamander from Japan.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kim R, Halstead BJ, Routman EJ, Andersen J. 2021. When introduced prey violates trophic hierarchy: Conservation of an endangered predator. Biological Conservation 256:109019. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109019.

Komine H, Iwai N, Kaji K. 2021. Rapid responses in morphology and performance of native frogs induced by predation pressure from invasive mongooses. Biological Invasions 23:1293–1305. DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02440-0.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Okamiya H, Sugawara H, Nagano M, Poyarkov NA. 2018. An integrative taxonomic analysis reveals a new species of lotic Hynobius salamander from Japan. PeerJ 6:e5084. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5084.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Cooper, W. (2005). The foraging mode controversy: Both continuous variation and clustering of foraging movements occur. Journal of Zoology, 267(2), 179-190. DOI: 10.1017/S0952836905007375

King, R.B., Ray, J.M., Stanford, K.M. (2006). Gorging on gobies: beneficial effects of alien prey on a threatened vertebrate. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 84, 108–115.

Other Links/Mentions:

RedBubble Storefront: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop

Voices of Missouri's Toads and Frogs (1985) by Missouri Department of Conservation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDf_GLpC3uQ&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=mooutdoors

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

086 Illusionary Tortoises

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 16:30:15 +0100

In this instalment we are talking tortoises - how clever are they, and how well do they get on with ravens? We follow up the tortoise double header with a miniature Species of the Bi-Week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Santacà, M., Petrazzini, M. E. M., Agrillo, C., & Wilkinson, A. (2019). Can Reptiles Perceive Visual Illusions? Delboeuf Illusion in Red-Footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria) and Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps). Journal of Comparative Psychology, 133(4), 419–427. https://doi.org/10.1037/com0000176

Segura, A., Jimenez, J., & Acevedo, P. (2020). Predation of young tortoises by ravens: the effect of habitat structure on tortoise detectability and abundance. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58851-5

Species of the Bi-Week:

Loc-Barragán, J. A., Reyes-Velasco, J., Woolrich-Piña, G. A., Grünwald, C. I., de Anaya, M. V., Rangel-Mendoza, J. A., & López-Luna, M. A. (2020). A new species of mud turtle of genus kinosternon (Testudines: Kinosternidae) from the pacific coastal plain of northwestern Mexico. Zootaxa, 4885(4), 509–529. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4885.4.3

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Soldati, F., Burman, O. H. P., John, E. A., Pike, T. W., & Wilkinson, A. (2017). Long-term memory of relative reward values. Biology Letters, 13, 20160853. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0853

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

085 Technicolour Dream Lizards

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:00:00 +0000

Lizards live in a world of colour. But how do they react to different colours, and what role does colour play in creating new species of lizard? We dip into papers covering Anoles and Geckos, with a bend-toed Species of the Bi-week.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Fondren A, Swierk L, Putman BJ. 2020. Clothing color mediates lizard responses to humans in a tropical forest. Biotropica 52:172–181. DOI: 10.1111/btp.12744.

Fulgione D, Buglione M, Rippa D, Trapanese M, Petrelli S, Monti DM, Aria M, Del Giudice R, Maselli V. 2019. Selection for background matching drives sympatric speciation in Wall Gecko. Scientific Reports 9. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37587-3.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Liu S, Rao D. 2021. A new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Yunnan, China. ZooKeys 1021:109–126. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1021.60402.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Gould, M. L., Green, L., Altenau, B., & Blumstein, D. T. (2004). A study of the species-confidence hypothesis with Spiny-cheeked Honeyeaters (Acanthagenys rufogularis). Emu - Austral Ornithology, 104(3), 267– 271. https ://doi.org/10.1071/MU03033

Huang, B., Lubarsky, K., Teng, T., & Blumstein, D. T. (2011). Take only pictures, leave only fear? The effects of photography on the West Indian anole Anolis cristatellus. Current Zoology, 57(1), 77–82. https :// doi.org/10.1093/czool

Swierk, L. (2019). ANOLIS AQUATICUS (= NOROPS AQUATICUS) (Water Anole). UNDERWATER BREATHING. Herpetological Review, 50(1), 134–135.

Other Links/Mentions:

Dude! Nature podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/2vlLbzAsEkQLv0YXkMxoB8?si=V1BBt-NfSDarUkAnSLrQaw

Pokemon beetles: https://www.enmu.edu/about/news-and-events/enmu-news/academic-news/3088-enmu-professor-s-beetle-discovery-named-after-three-legendary-bird-pokemon

Kestrel audio from Xeno-Canto recorded by: Peter Ward & Ken Hall [XC603740], Jerome Fischer [XC570888], Thomas G. Graves [XC565023]

Chickadee audio from Xeno-Canto recorded by: Thomas Magarian [XC464517]

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

Battle music – “The Ritual/Ancient Battle” composed by Gerald Fried

084 Beady Brains on the Move

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 17:00:00 +0000

This episode we delve into the problem solving capabilities of some large lizards, and uncover the lifestyle of Guatemalan beaded lizards. We also discuss the mysterious black beasts that inhabit the Caribbean Islands of the Lesser Antilles.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Ariano-Sánchez D, Mortensen RM, Reinhardt S, Rosell F. 2020. Escaping drought: Seasonality effects on home range, movement patterns and habitat selection of the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard. Global Ecology and Conservation 23:e01178. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01178.

Cooper T, Liew A, Andrle G, Cafritz E, Dallas H, Niesen T, Slater E, Stockert J, Vold T, Young M, Mendelson J. 2019. Latency in Problem Solving as Evidence for Learning in Varanid and Helodermatid Lizards, with Comments on Foraging Techniques. Copeia 107:78. DOI: 10.1643/CH-18-119.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Breuil M, Schikorski D, Vuillaume B, Krauss U, Morton MN, Corry E, Bech N, Jelić M, Grandjean F. 2020. Painted black: Iguana melanoderma (Reptilia, Squamata, Iguanidae) a new melanistic endemic species from Saba and Montserrat islands (Lesser Antilles). ZooKeys 926:95–131. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.926.48679.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Crawford, L. E., Knouse, L. E., Kent, M., Vavra, D., Harding, O., LeServe, D., ... & Lambert, K. G. (2020). Enriched environment exposure accelerates rodent driving skills. Behavioural brain research, 378, 112309.

Other Links/Mentions:

Varanus prasinus opening a door: https://youtu.be/ukayoMTScXw

Heloderma charlesbogerti opening a door: https://youtu.be/JJZ6J1igNNo

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

083 Humans and Venom

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Humans and snakes share a long and storied past. In this episode we examine one paper that looks at the prehistoric relationship between humans and cobras (namely their spitting), and a second that looks at how we can mitigate the negative impacts of this relationship today. Our stunning Species of the Bi-week looks to be covered in duck-weed.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kazandjian TD, Petras D, Robinson SD, van Thiel J, Greene HW, Arbuckle K, Barlow A, Carter DA, Wouters RM, Whiteley G, Wagstaff SC, Arias AS, Albulescu L-O, Plettenberg Laing A, Hall C, Heap A, Penrhyn-Lowe S, McCabe CV, Ainsworth S, da Silva RR, Dorrestein PC, Richardson MK, Gutiérrez JM, Calvete JJ, Harrison RA, Vetter I, Undheim EAB, Wüster W, Casewell NR. 2021. Convergent evolution of pain-inducing defensive venom components in spitting cobras. Science 371:386–390. DOI: 10.1126/science.abb9303.

Samuel SP, Chinnaraju S, Williams HF, Pichamuthu E, Subharao M, Vaiyapuri M, Arumugam S, Vaiyapuri R, Baksh MF, Patel K, Trim SA, Duncombe TE, Vaiyapuri S. 2020. Venomous snakebites: Rapid action saves lives—A multifaceted community education programme increases awareness about snakes and snakebites among the rural population of Tamil Nadu, India. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 14:e0008911. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008911.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Liu X, He Y, Wang Y, Beukema W, Hou S, Li Y, Che J, Yuan Z. 2021. A new frog species of the genus Odorrana (Anura: Ranidae) from Yunnan, China. Zootaxa 4908:263–275. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4908.2.7.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

082 Hey skink, why so blue?

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Who doesn't love blue tongue skinks? In this episode we discuss their ability to learn complex tasks, and finally discover why that tongue is so blue. Our Species of the Bi-Week is beautiful in more ways than one.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Badiane, A., Carazo, P., Price-Rees, S. J., Ferrando-Bernal, M., & Whiting, M. J. (2018). Why blue tongue? A potential UV-based deimatic display in a lizard. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 72(7). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-018-2512-8

Szabo, B., Noble, D. W. A., Byrne, R. W., Tait, D. S., & Whiting, M. J. (2019). Precocial juvenile lizards show adult level learning and behavioural flexibility. Animal Behaviour, 154, 75–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.06.003

Species of the Bi-Week:

Vanderduys, E., Hoskin, C. J., Kutt, A. S., Wright, J. M., & Zozaya, S. M. (2020). Beauty in the eye of the beholder: A new species of gecko (Diplodactylidae: Lucasium) from inland north Queensland, Australia. Zootaxa, 4877(2), 291–310. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4877.2.4

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

081 Is that even a frog?

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Frogs come in all shapes and sizes, but some frogs are particularly odd. Rain frogs with their globus bodies are the topic for this episode. Why are they living with mole-rats? And what do people living side-by-side with them think? Species of the Bi-week is a fresh rain frog, with remarkable colour variation.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Brom P, Anderson P, Channing A, Underhill LG. 2020. The role of cultural norms in shaping attitudes towards amphibians in Cape Town, South Africa. PLOS ONE 15:e0219331. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219331.

Šklíba J, Jirků M, Šumbera R. 2016. Burrow systems of mole-rats as refuges for frogs in the Miombo woodlands of south-east Africa. Journal of Tropical Ecology 32:158–161. DOI: 10.1017/S0266467415000644.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Nielsen SV, Conradie W, Ceríaco LMP, Bauer AM, Heinicke MP, Stanley EL, Blackburn DC. 2020. A new species of Rain Frog (Brevicipitidae, Breviceps) endemic to Angola. ZooKeys 979:133–160. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.979.56863.

Other Links/Mentions:

Voices of Missouri's Toads and Frogs (1985) by Missouri Department of Conservation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDf_GLpC3uQ&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=mooutdoors

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

080 Genetics to the Rescue

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 14:17:51 +0000

Hello 2021! We are back and this time discussing genetic rescue - can isolated, dwindling populations be assisted by adding individuals from elsewhere? After that, our Species of the Bi-Week has a dewlap but it isn't an anole.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Madsen, T., Loman, J., Anderberg, L., Anderberg, H., Georges, A., & Ujvari, B. (2020). Genetic rescue restores long-term viability of an isolated population of adders (Vipera berus). Current Biology, 30(21), R1297–R1299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.059

Scott, P. A., Allison, L. J., Field, K. J., Averill-Murray, R. C., & Shaffer, H. B. (2020). Individual heterozygosity predicts translocation success in threatened desert tortoises. Science, 370(6520), 1086–1089. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abb0421

Species of the Bi-Week:

Sadasivan, K., Ramesh, M. B., Palot, M. J., Ambekar, M., & Mirza, Z. A. (2018). A new species of fan-throated lizard of the genus Sitana Cuvier, 1829 from coastal Kerala, southern India. Zootaxa, 4374(4), 545–564. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4374.4.5

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Asad, S., Abrams, J. F., Guharajan, R., Sikui, J., Wilting, A., & Rödel, M. O. (2020). Stream Amphibian Detectability and Habitat Associations in a Reduced Impact Logging Concession in Malaysian Borneo. Journal of Herpetology, 54(4), 385-392. Read free here: https://bit.ly/2JoXJz7

Marshall, B. M. & Strine, C. (2021). Make like a glass frog: In support of increased transparency in herpetology. Herpetological Journal. 31, 35-45. Read free here: https://bit.ly/35J8W5L

Kyriazis, C. C., Wayne, R. K., & Lohmueller, K. E. (2020). Strongly deleterious mutations are a primary determinant of extinction risk due to inbreeding depression. Evolution Letters. https://doi.org/10.1002/evl3.209

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

079 Close Encounters of the Bird Kind

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 17:00:00 +0000

This week’s episode is a bit jumbled as we focus on whether birds are using alligators to help protect nests. For the Species of the Bi-week we have a tiny tiny toad.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Burtner BF, Frederick PC. 2017. Attraction of Nesting Wading Birds to Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Testing the ‘Nest Protector’ Hypothesis. Wetlands 37:697–704. DOI: 10.1007/s13157-017-0900-x.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Li S-Z, Liu J, Wei G, Wang B. 2020. A new species of the Asian leaf litter toad genus Leptobrachella (Amphibia, Anura, Megophryidae) from southwest China. ZooKeys 943:91–118. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.943.51572.

Other Links/Mentions:

Alligator eating ducks: https://bit.ly/36VyJZi

Alligators regrowing tails: https://bit.ly/3lXtz3k

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

078 Colour in the Desert

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 13:25:48 +0000

Greater earless lizards use their tail for all manner of things - but how has this shaped its evolution? We delve into this mystery and find out how horny toads (the lizards) cope with life at hot and cold extremes. Our Species of the Bi-Week is a colourful new desert dweller.

Ross McGibbon's 2021 calendar: https://bit.ly/3f93mgp

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Gilbert, A. L., Brooks, O. L., & Lattanzio, M. S. (2020). Multiple behavioral contexts of a melanized tail display in a desert lizard. Ethology, 126(3), 333–343. https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.12975

Parlin, A. F., Schaeffer, P. J., & Jezkova, T. (2020). Modelling the effect of environmental temperatures, microhabitat and behavioural thermoregulation on predicted activity patterns in a desert lizard across its thermally diverse distribution. Journal of Biogeography, January, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13936

Species of the Bi-Week:

Huamani-Valderrama, L., Quiroz, A., Gutiérrez, R., Aguilar-Kirigin, A., Huanca-Mamani, W., Valladares-Faundez, P., Cerdeña, J., Chaparro, J. C., Santa-Cruz, R., & Abdala, C. S. (2020). Some color in the desert: description of a new species of Liolaemus (Iguania : Liolaemidae) from southern Peru, and its conservation status. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, 14(3), 1–30.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Outomuro, D., Söderquist, L., Nilsson‐Örtman, V., Cortázar‐Chinarro, M., Lundgren, C., & Johansson, F. (2016). Antagonistic natural and sexual selection on wing shape in a scrambling damselfly. Evolution, 70(7), 1582–1595. https ://doi.org/10.1111/evo.12951

Other Links/Mentions:

David, P., Vogel, G., & Dubois, A. (2011). On the need to follow rigorously the Rules of the Code for the subsequent designation of a nucleospecies (type species) for a nominal genus which lacked one: the case of the nominal genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 (Reptilia: Squamata: Viperidae). Zootaxa, 2992(1), 1-51.

Hasson, O., Hibbard, R., & Ceballos, G. (1989). The pursuit deterrent function of tail‐wagging in the zebra‐tailed lizard (Callisaurus dra‐ conoides). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 67(5), 1203–1209. https://doi.org/10.1139/z89‐174

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

077 Battle Frogs

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 17:00:00 +0000

A rainy night in a tropical forest; the sound of frog battle calls ring out –but who will be victorious? This episode we dive into the details of frog battles for supremacy, where tiny strawberry frogs of all colours are fierce combatants. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Magalhães, R. F. de, Lacerda, J. V. A., Reis, L. de P., Garcia, P. C. A., & Pinheiro, P. D. P. (2018). Sexual Dimorphism in Bokermannohyla martinsi (Bokermann, 1964) (Anura, Hylidae) with a Report of Male–Male Combat. South American Journal of Herpetology, 13(2), 202. doi: 10.2994/SAJH-D-17-00039.1

Yang, Y., Prémel, V., & Richards‐Zawacki, C. L. (2020). Prior residence effect determines success of male–male territorial competition in a color polymorphic poison frog. Ethology, eth.13093. doi: 10.1111/eth.13093

Species of the Bi-Week:

Rowley, J. J. L., Le, D. T. T., Hoang, H. D., Cao, T. T., & Dau, V. Q. (2020). A new species of phytotelm breeding frog (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Zootaxa, 4779(3), 341–354. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4779.3.3

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Farnsworth, E. J., Chu, M., Kress, W. J., Neill, A. K., Best, J. H., Pickering, J., … Ellison, A. M. (2013). Next-generation field guides. BioScience, 63(11), 891–899. doi: 10.1525/bio.2013.63.11.8

Maritz, R. A., & Maritz, B. (2020). Sharing for science: High-resolution trophic interactions revealed rapidly by social media. PeerJ, 8, e9485. doi: 10.7717/peerj.9485

Nali, R. C., & Prado, C. P. (2014). The fight call of Bokermannohyla ibitiguara (Anura: Hylidae): first record for the genus. Salamandra, 50(3), 181-184.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

076 Green Pit Viper Special

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:10:09 +0000

They don't come greener than this - but what are they up to? We discuss the behaviour of some (mostly green) pit vipers, and we even have a brand new green species.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Strine, C., Brown, A., Barnes, C., Major, T., Artchawakom, T., Hill, J., & Suwanwaree, P. (2018). Arboreal mating behaviors of the big-eyed green pit viper (Trimeresurus macrops) in Northeast Thailand (Reptilia: Viperidae). Current Herpetology, 37(1), 81–87. https://doi.org/10.5358/hsj.37.81

Barnes, C. H., Farren, W., Strine, C. T., & Suwanwaree, P. (2020). Social behavior displayed by the Green Pit Viper Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) macrops. Tropical Natural History, 20(1), 95–103.

Bhaisare, D., & Pelling, E. (2015). Trimeresurus malabaricus (Malabar pit viper): Diving behaviour and underwater apnoea duration. Herpetological Bulletin, 134, 33–34.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Chen, Z., Yu, J., Vogel, G., Shi, S., Song, Z., Tang, Y., Yang, J., Ding, L., & Chen, C. (2020). A new pit viper of the genus Trimeresurus (Lacépède, 1804) (Squamata: Viperidae) from Southwest China. Zootaxa, 4768(1), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4768.1.7

Other Links/Mentions:

Wildlife laundering through breeding farms: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320711003685

Turtle laundering presentation (Starts at 1h50): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCMDKzhzkwU

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme- Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

075 Trading Blows and Trading Reptiles

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 17:00:00 +0100

In a mixed episode, we explore some gruesome ways to eat a toad practiced by kukri snakes, how the reptile trade looks to be a lot larger than what international trade databases report, and the description of a new cylindrical snake. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Bringsøe, H., Suthanthangjai, M., Suthanthangjai, W., & Nimnuam, K. (2020). Eviscerated alive: Novel and macabre feeding strategy in Oligodon fasciolatus (Günther, 1864) eating organs of Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) in Thailand. Herpetozoa, 33, 157.

Marshall, BM., Strine, CT., Hughes, AC. (2020). Thousands of reptile species threatened by under-regulated global trade. Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18523-4

Species of the Bi-Week:

Bernstein, J. M., Bauer, A. M., Mcguire, J. A., Arida, E., Kaiser, H., Kieckbusch, M., & Mecke, S. (2020). Molecular phylogeny of Asian pipesnakes, genus Cylindrophis Wagler, 1828 (Squamata: Cylindrophiidae), with the description of a new species from Myanmar. Zootaxa, 4851(3), 535-558.

Other Links/Mentions:

Ball python trade: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/03/ball-pythons-west-africa-exports/

HERpers facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2741262562643265/?ref=share

Happy Hour Field Guides Podcast: https://www.bourassawildlife.com/podcast/1-the-pandemic

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

074 Actual Cannibal Salamanders

Sun, 30 Aug 2020 17:00:00 +0100

This bi-week we are talking about some underwater cannibals, with a very stylish new species of salamander thrown in too. We also answer a patreon question about arboreal snakes, and how they avoid blood rushing out of their heads.

Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

McLean, K. I., Stockwell, C. A., & Mushet, D. M. (2016). Cannibalistic-morph Tiger Salamanders in Unexpected Ecological Contexts. The American Midland Naturalist, 175(1), 64-72.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Palacios-Aguilar, R., Cisneros-Bernal, A. Y., Arias-Montiel, J. D., & Parra-Olea, G. (2020). A new species of Bolitoglossa (Amphibia: Plethodontidae) from the central highlands of Guerrero, Mexico. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 98(6), 359-365.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Seymour, R. S., & Lillywhite, H. B. (1976). Blood pressure in snakes from different habitats. Nature, 264(5587), 664-666.

Seymour, R. S., & Arndt, J. O. (2004). Independent effects of heart–head distance and caudal blood pooling on blood pressure regulation in aquatic and terrestrial snakes. Journal of experimental biology, 207(8), 1305-1311.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme- Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

073 Lizards of the Night

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 17:00:00 +0100

Lizards of the night - Night lizards - Xantusiidae. We take a close look at the genetics of the island night lizards, and explore some new options for reptile home range estimations. Luck would have it, a new night lizard is our Species of the Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

O’Donnell RP, Drost CA, Fellers GM, Crabb BA, Mock KE. 2018. Rare long-distance dispersal of the Island Night Lizard, Xantusia riversiana, maintains high diversity in a fragmented environment. Conservation Genetics 19:803–814. DOI: 10.1007/s10592-018-1055-x.

Silva I, Crane M, Marshall BM, Strine CT. 2020. Revisiting reptile home ranges: moving beyond traditional estimators with dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement Models. bioRxiv:23. DOI: 10.1101/2020.02.10.941278.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Palacios-Aguilar R, Santos-Bibiano R, Flores-Villela O. 2018. A New Species of Lepidophyma (Squamata: Xantusiidae) from the Pacific Lowlands of Guerrero, Mexico. Journal of Herpetology 52:327–331. DOI: 10.1670/17-061.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Fellers GM, Drost CA. 1991. Ecology of the island night lizard, Xantusia riversiana, on Santa Barbara Island, California. Herpetological Monographs 5:28–78.

Noonan MJ, et al. 2020. Effects of body size on estimation of mammalian area requirements. Conservation Biology:cobi.13495. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13495.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme- Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

072 Sidewinders Sighting Sites

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 15:01:34 +0100

Sidewinders, how do they go about life? From their hunting techniques, to how they view the landscape around them, this episode delves into the lives of these iconic vipers. Our Species of the Bi-Week is of course a recently described viper.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Clark RW, Dorr SW, Whitford MD, Freymiller GA, Putman BJ. (2016) Activity cycles and foraging behaviors of free-ranging sidewinder rattlesnakes (Crotalus cerastes): The ontogeny of hunting in a precocial vertebrate. Zoology 119, 196–206. (doi:10.1016/j.zool.2016.02.005)

Schraft HA, Bakken GS, Clark RW. (2019) Infrared-sensing snakes select ambush orientation based on thermal backgrounds. Scientific Reports. 9, 1–6. (doi:10.1038/s41598-019-40466-0)

Species of the Bi-Week:

Sumontha M et al. 2020 Protobothrops kelomohy sp. nov. (Squamata : Viperidae), the Second Known Species of Lance-Headed Pit Viper from Thailand. Tropical Natural History 20, 43–59.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Link to Tom’s marking snakes with VIE study: https://bit.ly/2ZNzUGA

Other Links/Mentions:

Sidewinder videos: Video 1 http://youtu.be/AmGn3eESJkg Video 2 http://youtu.be/pPF0Wupl3lE Video 3 http://youtu.be/N2Nf8uMOZ2c Video 4 http://youtu.be/Jl8Ma7GMLks Video 5 http://youtu.be/epwYN9qp2TI Video 6 http://youtu.be/hREihZCiCd8 Video 7 http://youtu.be/BLLoYSz7DiI

Eyewitness doc on reptiles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuyQsHWpBDQ

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme- Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

071 Don’t count your Sand Boas before they hatch

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 17:00:00 +0100

Like many a fossorial snake, Sand Boas hold many surprises; this episode we explore some of those. First, an investigation into Dollo’s “Law”, then a couple of natural history notes providing some insight into Sand Boa diets. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Lobo, J. V., & Streepada, K. S. (2015). First report on Whitaker’s boa Eryx whitakeri feeding on common vine snake. Reptile Rap, 17.

Londei, T. (2015). Arabian sand boa Eryx jayakari (Squamata: Boidae) preying on Arabian toad-headed agama Phrynocephalus arabicus (Squamata: Agamidae): A nocturnal-to-diurnal species interaction. Herpetology Notes, 8, 155–15.

Lynch, V. J., & Wagner, G. P. (2010). Did Egg-laying Boas Break Dollo’s Law? Phylogenetic Evidence For Reversal To Oviparity In Sand Boas (Eryx: Boidae). Evolution, 64(1), 207–216. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00790.x

Species of the Bi-Week:

Nguyen, H. N., Tran, B. V., Nguyen, L. H., Neang, T., Yushchenko, P. V., & Poyarkov, N. A. (2020). A new species of Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 from the Langbian Plateau, southern Vietnam, with additional information on Oligodon annamensis Leviton, 1953 (Squamata: Colubridae). PeerJ, 8, e8332. doi: 10.7717/peerj.8332

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Laird, M. K., Thompson, M. B., & Whittington, C. M. (2019). Facultative oviparity in a viviparous skink (Saiphos equalis). Biology Letters, 15(4), 20180827. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0827

Recknagel, H., Kamenos, N. A., & Elmer, K. R. (2018). Common lizards break Dollo’s law of irreversibility: genome-wide phylogenomics support a single origin of viviparity and re-evolution of oviparity. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 127, 579-588.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

070 Amphisbaenian Appetites

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 13:20:57 +0100

In this Patreon special episode we delve into the underground lives of the ultimate oddities - worm lizards. Find out how they go about tackling their invertebrate prey, and hear about a brand new species.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Baeckens, S., García‐Roa, R., Martín, J., Ortega, J., Huyghe, K., & Van Damme, R. (2017). Fossorial and durophagous: implications of molluscivory for head size and bite capacity in a burrowing worm lizard. Journal of Zoology, 301(3), 193-205.

López, P., Martín, J., & Salvador, A. (2013). Flexibility in feeding behaviour may compensate for morphological constraints of fossoriality in the amphisbaenian Blanus cinereus. Amphibia-Reptilia, 34(2), 241-247.

Species of the Bi-Week:

De Almeida, J. P. F. A., De Freitas, M. A., Da Silva, M. B., Valverde, M. C. C., Rodrigues, M. T., Pires, A. M., & Mott, T. (2018). A new four-pored Amphisbaena (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from northeastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 4514(4), 553-562.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Martín, J., Polo-Cavia, N., Gonzalo, A., López, P., & Civantos, E. (2012). Sexual dimorphism in the North African amphisbaenian Trogonophis wiegmanni. Journal of Herpetology, 46(3), 338-341.

Other Links/Mentions:

https://in2scienceuk.org/

Fundraiser for Ciliwung Herpetarium: https://bit.ly/3fJw6vj

www.herpetofaunaindonesia.org

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mronxhn2sU Amphisbaenia alba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoyrON_kGKw Amphisbaena fuliginosa

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species of the Bi-Week theme - Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

069 Freezing Frogs

Fri, 22 May 2020 17:00:00 +0100

We’re back and exploring the toughest of frogs; those frogs braving the harsh northern conditions that literally freezes them to the bone. How do they manage this incredible feat? We head south for a Species of the Bi-week because not all frogs are as tough as the Wood Frog. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Costanzo JP. 2019. Overwintering adaptations and extreme freeze tolerance in a subarctic population of the wood frog, Rana sylvatica. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 189:1–15. DOI: 10.1007/s00360-018-1189-7.

Storey KB, Storey JM. 2017. Molecular Physiology of Freeze Tolerance in Vertebrates. Physiological Reviews 97:623–665. DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00016.2016.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Catenazzi A, Ttito A. 2019. Noblella thiuni sp. n., a new (singleton) species of minute terrestrial-breeding frog (Amphibia, Anura, Strabomantidae) from the montane forest of the Amazonian Andes of Puno, Peru. PeerJ 7:e6780. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6780.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Ward M, Marshall BM, Hodges C, Montano Y, Artchawakom T, Waengsothorn S, Strine C. 2020. Nonchalant neighbours: Space use and overlap of the critically endangered elongated tortoise. OSF Preprints. DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/t34ax.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

068 Hoplocephalus with Scott Eipper

Fri, 08 May 2020 16:34:20 +0100

We had the good fortune to be joined by herpetologist and author Scott Eipper for this special episode on Hoplocephalus. We also talk about Scott and his wife Tie’s new book on Aussie snakes, and of course we have a Species of the Bi-Week - this one is a robust new sand dweller.

Grab the new book by Scott and Tie Eipper here: https://bit.ly/2WewX0a

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Shelton, M. B., Goldingay, R. L., & Phillips, S. S. (2018). Population ecology of a cryptic arboreal snake (Hoplocephalus bitorquatus). Australian Journal of Zoology, 65(6), 383-390.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Eskandarzadeh, N. et al. (2020) A new species of Eryx (Serpentes: Erycidae) from Iran. Zootaxa, 4767, 182-192.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Mirza, Z. A., Bhosale, H. S., Phansalkar, P. U., Sawant, M., Gowande, G. G., & Patel, H. (2020). A new species of green pit vipers of the genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 (Reptilia, Serpentes, Viperidae) from western Arunachal Pradesh, India. Zoosystematics and Evolution, 96, 123.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

067 Flipping Frogs

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 17:00:00 +0100

A selection of papers are discussed in this episode. Starting with a big finding from Central America on the fate of snakes post-frog loss, and ending with a pair of more lighthearted natural history notes. Species of the Bi-week returns with a serpentine ocean dweller. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Anderson, C. V., & Liebl L. A. (2019) MICRURUS ALLENI (Allen’s Coralsnake). DIET. Herpetological Review 50(1), 162-163

Paniagua K. S. & Abarca J. G. (2016). Thanatosis in four poorly known toads of the genus Incilius from the highlands of Costa Rica. Mesoamerican Herpetology 3(1), 135–140.

Zipkin, E. F., DiRenzo, G. V., Ray, J. M., Rossman, S., & Lips, K. R. (2020). Tropical snake diversity collapses after widespread amphibian loss. Science, 367(6479), 814-816.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Nankivell, J. H., Goiran, C., Hourston, M., Shine, R., Rasmussen, A. R., Thomson, V. A., & Sanders, K. L. (2020). A new species of turtle-headed sea Snake (Emydocephalus: Elapidae) endemic to Western Australia. Zootaxa, 4758(1), 141–156. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4758.1.6

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Arias-Piedra, E., & Chaves-Cordero, G. A. (2013). Dermophis glandulosus. Predation by Micrurus alleni. Dermophis glandulosus. Depredación por Micrurus alleni. Herpetological Review., 44(4), 657-658.

Fernández, J., Vargas-Vargas, N., Pla, D., Sasa, M., Rey-Suárez, P., Sanz, L., ... & Lomonte, B. (2015). Snake venomics of Micrurus alleni and Micrurus mosquitensis from the Caribbean region of Costa Rica reveals two divergent compositional patterns in New World elapids. Toxicon, 107, 217-233.

Marshall BM, Strine CT. 2020. Make like a glass frog: In support of increased transparency in herpetology. OSF Preprints. DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/74frd.

Montgomery, C. E., Lips, K. R., & Ray, J. M. (2011). Ontogenetic shift in height of sleeping perches of Cope's Vine Snake, Oxybelis brevirostris. The Southwestern Naturalist, 358-362.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

066 Chelonian Sniffing Canines

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 17:11:35 +0100

Reptiles and amphibians are hard to find, so how can you be sure you haven’t missed any? We explore some reptile detectives, some of which are good boys. The Species of the Bi-Week is coming at you from the rainforests of Sri Lanka.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Boback, S. M., Nafus, M. G., Yackel Adams, A. A., & Reed, R. N. (2020). Use of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities. Ecosphere, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3000

Jean-Marie, B., Raphael, G., Fabien, R., Aurélien, B., Sébastien, C., Nicolas, B., & Xavier, B. (2019). Excellent performances of dogs to detect cryptic tortoises in Mediterranean scrublands. Biodiversity and Conservation, 28(14), 4027–4045. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01863-z

Species of the Bi-Week:

Wickramasinghe, L. J. M., Vidanapathirana, D. R., Pushpamal, V., & Wickramasinghe, N. (2020). A new species of Dryocalamus (Serpentes: Colubridae) endemic to the rainforests of southwestern Sri Lanka. Zootaxa, 4748(2), 248–260. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4748.2.2

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: King cobra preprint: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.24.006676v1

Egg swallowing bridle snake: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/A-inserting-the-upper-jaw-from-the-punctured-point-of-the-shell-B-C-swallowing-the_fig1_327623312

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

065 Viper X Toad

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000

This episode we take a look at the Gaboon Viper… or is that a toad? Looking at a couple of papers, we check out the characteristics of Gaboon Viper skin, and how a smart toad may be harnessing the looks of a viper to stay safe. Species of the Bi-week returns and continues our African toad journey. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Spinner M, Gorb SN, Balmert A, Bleckmann H, Westhoff G. (2014). Non-Contaminating Camouflage: Multifunctional Skin Microornamentation in the West African Gaboon Viper (Bitis rhinoceros). PLoS ONE 9:e91087. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091087.

Vaughan ER, Teshera MS, Kusamba C, Edmonston TR, Greenbaum E. (2019). A remarkable example of suspected Batesian mimicry of Gaboon Vipers (Reptilia: Viperidae: Bitis gabonica) by Congolese Giant Toads (Amphibia: Bufonidae: Sclerophrys channingi). Journal of Natural History 53:1853–1871. DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2019.1669730.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Ceríaco LMP, Marques MP, Bandeira S, Agarwal I, Stanley EL, Bauer AM, Heinicke MP, Blackburn DC. (2018). A new earless species of Poyntonophrynus (Anura, Bufonidae) from the Serra da Neve Inselberg, Namibe Province, Angola. ZooKeys 780:109–136. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.780.25859.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Spinner M, Kovalev A, Gorb SN, Westhoff G (2013) Snake velvet black: hierarchical micro- and nanostructure enhances dark colouration in Bitis rhinoceros. Scientific Reports 3: 1846. doi: 10.1038/srep01846

Penner J, Fruteau C, Range F, Rödel M-O. (2008). Finding a needle in a haystack: new methods of locating and working with rhinoceros vipers (Bitis rhinoceros). Herpetological Review 39:310–314.

Wittenberg, R.D., Jadin, R.C., Fenwick, A.M. et al. (2015). Recovering the evolutionary history of Africa’s most diverse viper genus: morphological and molecular phylogeny of Bitis (Reptilia: Squamata: Viperidae). Organisms Diversity and Evolution 15, 115–125 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-014-0185-3

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

064 The Art of Turtle War

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 18:20:01 +0000

Painted turtles - cute, and brightly coloured, but are they harbouring a dark secret? We first discuss identifying their gender, followed by talk of some unusual behaviour. Our Species of the Bi-Week is an Angolan lizard.

Main Paper References:

Moldowan, P. D., Brooks, R. J., & Litzgus, J. D. (2017). Assessing head morphology dimorphism in the Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) using a photographic questionnaire. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 16(1), 76-82.

Moldowan, P. D., Brooks, R. J., & Litzgus, J. (2020). Demographics of injuries indicate sexual coercion in a population of Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta). Canadian Journal of Zoology, (ja).

Species of the Bi-Week:

Branch, W. R., Conradie, W., & Vaz Pinto, P. (2020). Another Angolan Namib endemic species: a new Nucras Gray, 1838 (Squamata: Lacertidae) from south-western Angola. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, 13(2), 82–95 (e199).

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Hawkshaw, D. M., Moldowan, P. D., Litzgus, J. D., Brooks, R. J., & Rollinson, N. (2019). Discovery and description of a novel sexual weapon in the world’s most widely-studied freshwater turtle. Evolutionary Ecology, 33(6), 889-900.

Silva, I., Crane, M., Marshall, B. M., & Strine, C. T. (2020). Revisiting reptile home ranges: moving beyond traditional estimators with dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement Models. BioRxiv, 23. doi:10.1101/2020.02.10.941278

Other Links/Mentions:

Sexing dolphins by their fins: https://www.nature.com/news/2008/081013/full/news.2008.1166.html

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

063 Croc-o-motion

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 17:00:00 +0000

Crocodiles! What are they doing, running about, biting bones… We take a look at a couple of papers: one examining just how they run, the other examining their role in the study of fossil bones. Species of the Bi-week is back and we finally give the newly rediscovered caiman sub-species the attention it deserves…. And a bonus species! FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Domínguez-Rodrigo, M., & Baquedano, E. (2018). Distinguishing butchery cut marks from crocodile bite marks through machine learning methods. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 5786. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-24071-1

Hutchinson, J. R., Felkler, D., Houston, K., Chang, Y.-M., Brueggen, J., Kledzik, D., & Vliet, K. A. (2019). Divergent evolution of terrestrial locomotor abilities in extant Crocodylia. Scientific Reports, 9(19302). doi:10.1038/s41598-019-55768-6

Species of the Bi-Week:

Balaguera-Reina, S. A. (2019). Rediscovering the Apaporis Caiman (Caiman crocodilus apaporiensis): Notes from a Long-Anticipated Expedition. Journal of Herpetology, 53(4), 310. doi:10.1670/19-028

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Sahle, Y., El Zaatari, S. & White, T. D. (2017). Hominid butchers and biting crocodiles in the African Plio–Pleistocene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.1716317114

Smales, L. R., Allain, S. J. R., Wilkinson, J. W., & Harris, E. (2020). A new species of Pseudoacanthocephalus (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae) from the guttural toad, Sclerophrys gutturalis (Bufonidae), introduced into Mauritius, with comments on the implications of the introductions of toads and their parasites into the UK. Journal of Helminthology, 94.

Other Links/Mentions:

Cuban crocodile galloping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O78CxqRl7NE

Freshwater croc galloping etc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co7bJlJliEs

Crocodilian movement discoveries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdaH73fD5dY

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

062 Step softshell, for you tread upon my turtles

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 11:25:28 +0000

They’re strange, they’re soft, they’re turtles - but where do they go? This episode is all about the comings and goings of softshell turtles living in the rivers of the USA. Species of the Bi-week is back, where we check out a slender character from Laos.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Plummer, M. V., & O’Neal, C. S. (2019). Aerobic Pushups: Cutaneous Ventilation in Overwintering Smooth Softshell Turtles, Apalone mutica. Journal of Herpetology, 53(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.1670/18-038

Ross, J. P., Bluett, R. D., & Dreslik, M. J. (2019). Movement and Home Range of the Smooth Softshell Turtle (Apalone mutica): Spatial Ecology of a River Specialist. Diversity, 11(8), 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/d11080124

Species of the Bi-Week:

Luu, V. Q., Bonkowski, M., Nguyen, T. Q., Le, M. D., Calame, T., & Ziegler, T. (2018). A New Species Of Lycodon Boie, 1826 (Serpentes: Colubridae) From Central Laos. Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 125(2), 263–276. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.1414221

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Cahn, A. R. (1937). The turtles of Illinois. Illinois Biological Monographs 16:1–218.

Fraser, K. C., Davies, K. T., Davy, C. M., Ford, A. T., Flockhart, D. T. T., & Martins, E. G. (2018). Tracking the conservation promise of movement ecology. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 6(October), 150. https://doi.org/10.3389/FEVO.2018.00150

Other Links/Mentions:

Crocfest: https://www.facebook.com/crocfests

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

061 Vertical Herps

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 17:00:00 +0000

Amphibians can make use of all sorts of places: from underground grottos to the tips of trees –but are there any patterns in where amphibians take to the trees? This episode we discuss a paper exploring just that, followed by an example of some civil serpents. This weeks Species of the Bi-week is tiny and cute. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Oliveira, B. F., & Scheffers, B. R. (2019). Vertical stratification influences global patterns of biodiversity. Ecography, 42(2), 249-249.

Barnes, C. H., Farren, W., Strine, C. T., Hill III, Jacques., Waengsothorn, S., & Suwanwaree, P. (2019). Are the habitat niches of female green pit vipers Cryptelytrops macrops and Viridovipera vogeli partitioned by vertical stratification?. Herpetological Bulletin, (149).

Species of the Bi-Week:

Santa-Cruz, R., von May, R., Catenazzi, A., Whitcher, C., López Tejeda, E., & Rabosky, D. L. (2019). A New Species of Terrestrial-Breeding Frog (Amphibia, Strabomantidae, Noblella) from the Upper Madre De Dios Watershed, Amazonian Andes and Lowlands of Southern Peru. Diversity, 11(9), 145.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Scheffers, B. R., Phillips, B. L., Laurance, W. F., Sodhi, N. S., Diesmos, A., & Williams, S. E. (2013). Increasing arboreality with altitude: a novel biogeographic dimension. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 280(1770), 20131581.

Strine, C., Barnes, C., Crane, M., Silva, I., Suwanwaree, P., Nadolski, B., … Hill, J. (2015). Sexual dimorphism of tropical green pit viper Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) macrops in Northeast Thailand. Amphibia-Reptilia, 36(4), 327–338. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00003010

Other Links/Mentions:

Posts concerning the resignation of Diversity and Distributions editorial staff:

https://retractionwatch.com/2018/11/28/majority-of-journals-editorial-board-resigns-after-publishers-handling-of-letter-about-move-to-open-access/

https://oanarchy.wordpress.com/2018/09/04/to-the-editors-diversity-and-distributions-and-wiley-publishers/

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

060 High-calibre Hydromantes

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 17:28:57 +0000

Episode 60 is a Patreon episode about salamanders from the genus Hydromantes. These little characters have some interesting adaptations, and evolve nearly as quickly as they can shoot one of their appendages. Our Species of the Bi-Week is a lizard that looks like a crocodilian.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Salvidio, S., Crovetto, F., & Adams, D. C. (2015). Potential rapid evolution of foot morphology in Italian plethodontid salamanders (Hydromantes strinatii) following the colonization of an artificial cave. Journal of evolutionary biology, 28(7), 1403-1409.

Deban, S. M., & Richardson, J. C. (2011). Cold‐blooded snipers: thermal independence of ballistic tongue projection in the salamander Hydromantes platycephalus. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology, 315(10), 618-630.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Campbell, J. A., Solano-Zavaleta, I., Flores-Villela, O., Caviedes-Solis, I. W., & Frost, D. R. (2016). A New Species of Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Sierra Madre del Sur of Oaxaca, Mexico. Journal of Herpetology, 50(1), 149-156.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Balaguera-Reina, Sergio. (2019). Rediscovering the Apaporis Caiman (Caiman crocodilus apaporiensis): Notes from a Long-Anticipated Expedition. Journal of Herpetology. 53. 310. 10.1670/19-028.

Deban, S. M., Wake, D. B., & Roth, G. (1997). Salamander with a ballistic tongue. Nature, 389(6646), 27.

Cureton, J. C., & Broughton, R. E. (2014). Rapid morphological divergence of a stream fish in response to changes in water flow. Biology letters, 10(6), 20140352.

Stuart, Y. E., Campbell, T. S., Hohenlohe, P. A., Reynolds, R. G., Revell, L. J., & Losos, J. B. (2014). Rapid evolution of a native species following invasion by a congener. Science, 346(6208), 463-466.

Vieites, D. R., Min, M. S., & Wake, D. B. (2007). Rapid diversification and dispersal during periods of global warming by plethodontid salamanders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(50), 19903-19907.

Other Links/Mentions:

Salamanders rolling downhill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK_Jb-LvfC0

Rediscovered Fernandina giant tortoise: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/02/extinct-fernandina-giant-tortoise-found/

Recently rediscovered Abronia species https://www.facebook.com/groups/NAFHA/permalink/2997101796985144/

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

059 Rediscovered Species Special

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 17:00:00 +0000

In a slightly shambolic episode we mix up the format, this Bi-week we take a look at some lost species and their recent rediscoveries. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

References:

1) Jackson’s climbing salamander (Bolitoglossa jacksoni)

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/10/salamanders-extinct-species-rediscovery-guatemala/

https://www.globalwildlife.org/jacksons-climbing-salamander/

https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Bolitoglossa&where-species=jacksoni

2) Pygmy blue tongue skink (Tiliqua adelaidensis)

Milne, T., Bull, C. M., & Hutchinson, M. N. (2003). Use of burrows by the endangered pygmy blue-tongue lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis (Scincidae). Wildlife Research, 30(5), 523-528.

Milne T, Bull CM, Hutchinson M (2003). "Fitness of the endangered pygmy blue tongue lizard Tiliqua adelaidensis in artificial burrows". Journal of Herpetology. 37 (4): 762–765.

Funny skink video: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-24/monarto-zoos-pygmy-blue-tongue-lizard-breeding-success/7195136?section=sa

3) Palawan Forest Turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis)

https://www.turtleconservancy.org/programs/palawan

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1042202

4) Bornean rainbow toad (Ansonia latidisca)

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Leticia_Ochoa-Ochoa/publication/216019689_Planning_amphibian_conservation_in_Mexico/links/0f317535a27be25d88000000/Planning-amphibian-conservation-in-Mexico.pdf#page=6

5) Albany Adder (Bitis albanica)

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/05/albany-adder-venomous-snake-extinct/

https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/snake/albany-adder-2/

6) Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidota)

https://web.archive.org/web/20090613092123/http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/features/snakes/taipan/rediscovery.asp

7) Armoured Mistfrog, Armoured Frog (Litoria lorica)

https://amphibiaweb.org/species/1269

8) Arakan Forest Turtle (Heosemys depressa)

Platt, S. G., Myo, K. M., Ko, W. K., Maung, A., & Rainwater, T. R. (2010). Field observations and conservation of Heosemys depressa in the Rakhine Yoma Elephant Range of western Myanmar. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 9(1), 114-119.

9) Allan's lerista, Greater Robust Fine-lined Slider, Retro slider (Lerista allanae)

https://theconversation.com/australian-endangered-species-retro-slider-12076

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=1378

10) Cropan’s boa (Corallus cropanii)

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/02/snakes-boa-rediscovered-brazil/

11) Andayapa Andes Toad (Rhaebo olallai)

https://www.globalwildlife.org/blog/tiny-lost-and-found-toad-becomes-harbinger-of-hope/

Other lost species: https://www.globalwildlife.org/search-for-lost-species/

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

058 Night of the Gecko

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 17:00:00 +0000

Geckos! In Hawai'i? We know what you're thinking - not by natural biogeographic processes! And you're right, they are there because they are invasive species brought by humans. In this Patreon-chosen episode, we explore some of the more unusual species the island has to offer. Our Species of the Bi-Week is a splendid lizard with an even more splendid name.

Check out the Ross McGibbon reptile calendar: http://rmrphotography.com.au/2020-calendar-1/

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Bucol, A., & Alcala, A. (2013). Tokay gecko, Gekko gecko (Sauria: Gekkonidae) predation on juvenile house rats. Herpetol. Notes, 6, 307-308.

Seifan, T., Federman, A., Mautz, W. J., Smith, K. J., & Werner, Y. L. (2010). Nocturnal foraging in a diurnal tropical lizard (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Phelsuma laticauda) on Hawaii. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 26(2), 243-246.

Goldberg, S. R., & Kraus, F. (2011). Notes on Reproduction of the Gold Dust Day Gecko, Phelsuma laticauda (Gekkonidae) from Hawaii. Current herpetology, 30(1), 79-81.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Ratsoavina, F. M., Raselimanana, A. P., Scherz, M. D., Rakotoarison, A., Razafindraibe, J. H., Glaw, F., & Vences, M. (2019). Finaritra! A splendid new leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus) species from Marojejy National Park in north-eastern Madagascar. Zootaxa, 4545(4), 563-577.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Heiss, R. S., Clark, A.B., & McGowan, K.J. (2009) “Growth and Nutritional State of American Crow Nestlings Vary between Urban and Rural Habitats.” Ecological Applications 19(4): 829–39. https://doi.org/10.1890/08-0140.1.

Wood, K. R., Burney, D. A., Allison, A., & Fisher, R. (2013). Emoia impar (Squamata, Scincidae): not extinct in the Hawaiian Islands. Oryx, 47(3), 328-328.

Other Links/Mentions:

Satanic leaf tailed gecko leaf-tail movement pairing: https://youtu.be/JGqYqZnqPRA

Phelsuma battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZb3xi3OZKs

Our patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

057 Pit Viper Proportions

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 18:00:00 +0100

Patreon episode - what’s up with Central American vipers? More specifically how is there size and shape impacted by location and interspecific interactions? We check out a couple of papers looking to explore just that. The Species of the Bi-week is a new moderately small insular viper. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Jadin, R. C., Mihaljevic, J. R., & Orlofske, S. A. (2019). Do New World pitvipers “scale‐down” at high elevations? Macroecological patterns of scale characters and body size. Ecology and evolution, 9(16), 9362-9375.

Meik, J. M., Setser, K., Mocino-Deloya, E., & Lawing, A. M. (2012). Sexual differences in head form and diet in a population of Mexican lance-headed rattlesnakes, Crotalus polystictus. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 106(3), 633-640.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Barbo, F. E., Gasparini, J.L., Almeida, A., Zaher, H., Grazziotin, F., Gusmão, R.B., Ferrarini, J. and Sawaya R. (2016). Another new and threatened species of lancehead genus Bothrops (Serpentes, Viperidae) from Ilha dos Franceses, Southeastern Brazil. Zootaxa, 4097(4), 511-529.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Strine, C., Barnes, C., Crane, M., Silva, I., Suwanwaree, P., Nadolski, B., … Hill, J. (2015). Sexual dimorphism of tropical green pit viper Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) macrops in Northeast Thailand. Amphibia-Reptilia, 36(4), 327–338. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00003010

Mackessy, S., Leroy, J., Mociño-Deloya, E., Setser, K., Bryson, R., & Saviola, A. (2018). Venom ontogeny in the mexican lance-headed rattlesnake (Crotalus polystictus). Toxins, 10(7), 271.

Other Links/Mentions:

Association of Zoos pdf: https://ams.aza.org/iweb/upload/RCP_Snake2016-76b7ff18.pdf

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

056 The Ecology of Snakebite

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 18:00:00 +0100

Snakebite is a worldwide phenomenon which has dramatic consequences for human health. But how does the ecology of snakes influence its incidence and severity? We first look at snakebite globally, and then focus in on a famous island. Our Species of the Bi-Week is a recently described tree-dwelling serpent.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Longbottom, J., Shearer, F. M., Devine, M., Alcoba, G., Chappuis, F., Weiss, D. J., … Pigott, D. M. (2018). Vulnerability to snakebite envenoming: A global mapping of hotspots. The Lancet, 392(10148), 673–684. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31224-8

Yue, S., Bonebrake, T. C., & Gibson, L. (2019). Human-snake Conflict Patterns in a Dense Urban-Forest Mosaic Landscape. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 14(1), 143–154.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Branch, W. R., Bayliss, J., Bittencourt-Silva, G. B., Conradie, W., Engelbrecht, H. M., Loader, S. P., … Tolley, K. A. (2019). A new species of tree snake (Dipsadoboa, Serpentes: Colubridae) from ‘sky island’ forests in northern Mozambique, with notes on other members of the Dipsadoboa werneri group. Zootaxa, 4646(3), 541–563. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4646.3.6

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Akani, G. C., Eyo, E., Odegbune, E., Eniang, E. A., & Luiselli, L. (2002). Ecological patterns of anthropogenic mortality of suburban snakes in an African tropical region. Israel Journal of Zoology, 48(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1092/NL55-UK13-XXQ9-NCYE

Devan-Song, A., Martelli, P., Dudgeon, D., Crow, P., Ades, G., & Karraker, N. E. (2016). Is long-distance translocation an effective mitigation tool for white-lipped pit vipers (Trimeresurus albolabris) in South China? Biological Conservation, 204, 212–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.10.013

Fourcade, Y., Besnard, A. G., & Secondi, J. (2018). Paintings predict the distribution of species, or the challenge of selecting environmental predictors and evaluation statistics. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 27(2), 245–256. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12684

Wilson, K., Hanks, E., & Johnson, D. (2018). Estimating animal utilization densities using continuous-time Markov chain models. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(5), 1232–1240. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12967

Other Links/Mentions:

https://theconversation.com/unsuitable-antivenoms-are-being-sold-in-africa-costing-lives-83658

Habib AG, Abubakar SB. (2011) Factors affecting snakebite mortality in north-eastern Nigeria. Int Health, 3, 50–55.

Iftime, Alexandru and Iftime, O. (2014): Thanatosis and autohaemorrhaging in the Aesculapian Snake Zamenis longissimus (LAURENTI, 1768), Herpetozoa 26, 3/4, 173-4.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

055 I Can’t Believe It’s Not Water Snakes

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 18:00:00 +0100

After an unscheduled delay we are back. What better way to return than a look into the lives and diets of water snakes - mysterious creatures of the wetlands, all consuming, and surprisingly numerous. We have a lumpy frog for the Species of the Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Virgin, E. E., & King, R. B. (2019). What Does the Snake Eat? Breadth, Overlap, and Non-native Prey in the Diet of Three Sympatric Natricine Snakes. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 11.

Willson, J. D., & Winne, C. T. (2016). Evaluating the functional importance of secretive species: A case study of aquatic snake predators in isolated wetlands. Journal of Zoology, 298(4), 266–273. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12311

Species of the Bi-Week:

Yánez-Muñoz, M. H., Veintimilla-Yánez, D., Batallas, D., & Cisneros-Heredia, D. F. (2019). A new giant Pristimantis (Anura, Craugastoridae) from the paramos of the Podocarpus National Park, southern Ecuador. ZooKeys, 852, 137–156. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.852.24557

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Brooks, S. E., Allison, E. H., & Reynolds, J. D. (2007). Vulnerability of Cambodian water snakes: Initial assessment of the impact of hunting at Tonle Sap Lake. Biological Conservation, 139(3–4), 401–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2007.07.009

Other Links/Mentions:

“Fantastic Voyage” Trailer, 20th Century Fox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO5E4wkg0hA

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

054 Venom Variation

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 18:00:00 +0100

Venom can be deadly, but not all venoms are created equal. They serve different purposes and have evolved for different reasons. In this episode we discuss a couple of new papers around the theme of venom, and finish off with a venomous new species for our Species of the Bi-week.

Main Paper References:

Goetz, S. M., Piccolomini, S., Hoffman, M., Bogan, J., Holding, M. L., Mendonça, M. T., & Steen, D. A. (2019). Serum-based inhibition of pitviper venom by eastern indigo snakes (Drymarchon couperi). Biology Open, 5.

Healy, K., Carbone, C., & Jackson, A. L. (2019). Snake venom potency and yield are associated with prey-evolution, predator metabolism and habitat structure. Ecology Letters, 22(3), 527–537. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13216

Species of the Bi-Week:

Captain, A., Deepak, V., Pandit, R., Bhatt, B., & Athreya, R. (2019). A new species of pitviper (Serpentes: Viperidae: Trimeresurus Lacepède, 1804) from West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 26, 13.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Barlow, A., Pook, C. E., Harrison, R. A., & Wüster, W. (2009). Coevolution of diet and prey-specific venom activity supports the role of selection in snake venom evolution. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 276(1666), 2443-2449.

Malhotra, A., & Thorpe, R. S. (2004). A phylogeny of four mitochondrial gene regions suggests a revised taxonomy for Asian pitvipers (Trimeresurus and Ovophis). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 32(1), 83–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2004.02.008

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

053 In Defense of Eggs

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 18:00:00 +0100

A slightly hap-hazard episode looking at some brave lizards facing down an ever present snake menace. Lizards have to stop nest raiding some-how and a couple of recent papers shed some light on how. We also have a well armoured Species of the Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Pike, D. A., Clark, R. W., Manica, A., Tseng, H.-Y., Hsu, J.-Y., & Huang, W.-S. (2016). Surf and turf: Predation by egg-eating snakes has led to the evolution of parental care in a terrestrial lizard. Scientific Reports, 6(1), 22207. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep22207

Sherbrooke, W. C. (2017). Antipredator Nest Guarding by Female Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma): Iguanian Parental Care. Herpetologica, 73(4), 331–337. https://doi.org/10.1655/Herpetologica-D-17-00028.1

Species of the Bi-Week:

Avila-Pires, T. C., Nogueira, C., & Martins, M. (2019). A new ‘horned’’ Stenocercus from the highlands of southeastern Brazil, and redescription of Stenocercus tricristatus (Reptilia: Tropiduridae)’. Zoologia, 36, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3897/zoologia.36.e22909

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Huang, W.-S., Greene, H. W., Chang, T.-J., & Shine, R. (2011). Territorial behavior in Taiwanese kukrisnakes (Oligodon formosanus). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(18), 7455–7459. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1101804108

Origgi, F. C., Schmidt, B. R., Lohmann, P., Otten, P., Meier, R. K., Pisano, S. R., ... & Gaschen, V. (2018). Bufonid herpesvirus 1 (BfHV1) associated dermatitis and mortality in free ranging common toads (Bufo bufo) in Switzerland. Scientific reports, 8(1), 14737. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32841-0

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

052 Salamanders Vs Plants

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 18:00:00 +0100

Salamanders are famous for being slippery and liking water, but we uncover some new and surprising elements in their ecology. Stay tuned for a Species of the Bi-Week that resembles a breakfast favourite.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Mezebish, T. D., Blackman, A., & Novarro, A. J. (2018). Salamander climbing behavior varies among species and is correlated with community composition. Behavioral Ecology, 29(3), 686–692. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ary022

Moldowan, P. D., Alex Smith, M., Baldwin, T., Bartley, T., Rollinson, N., & Wynen, H. (2019). Nature’s pitfall trap: Salamanders as rich prey for carnivorous plants in a nutrient‐poor northern bog ecosystem. The Scientific Naturalist, e02770. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2770

Species of the Bi-Week:

Sugawara, H., Watabe, T., Yoshikawa, T., & Nagano, M. (2018). Morphological and Molecular Analyses of Hynobius dunni Reveal a New Species from Shikoku, Japan. Herpetologica, 74(2), 159–168. https://doi.org/10.1655/Herpetologica-D-17-00002.1

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Adams, D. C., & Rohlf, F. J. (2000). Ecological character displacement in Plethodon: Biomechanical differences found from a geometric morphometric study. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 97(8), 4106–4111. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.97.8.4106

Other Links/Mentions:

Roberts, W. E. (1994). Explosive breeding aggregations and parachuting in a Neotropical frog, Agalychnis saltator (Hylidae). Journal of Herpetology, 193-199.

Stuart YE, Campbell TS, Hohenlohe PA, Reynolds RG, Revell LJ, Losos JB. 2014. Rapid evolution of a native species following invasion by a congener. Science. 346:463–466.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

051 Python Surprise

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 18:00:00 +0100

Pythons are marvellous beasts: their lives and ways remain mysterious. We check out a paper that lifts the curtain on a secretive Australian snake –the woma python– what do they do with their time? We also look a little closer at python facultative thermogenesis, what is it, who does it? The Species of the Bi-week is a new multi-coloured snake from high in the cloud forests. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Brashears, J., & DeNardo, D. F. (2015). Facultative thermogenesis during brooding is not the norm among pythons. Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 201(8), 817–825. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-015-1025-4

Bruton, M. J. (2013). Arboreality, excavation, and active foraging: novel observations of radiotracked woma pythons Aspidites ramsayi. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 56(2), 19.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Meneses-Pelayo, E., & Passos, P. (2019). New Polychromatic Species of Atractus (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) from the Eastern Portion of the Colombian Andes. Copeia, 107(2), 250. https://doi.org/10.1643/CH-18-163

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Cantalapiedra, J. L., Aze, T., Cadotte, M. W., Dalla Riva, G. V., Huang, D., Mazel, F., … Mooers, A. Ø. (2019). Conserving evolutionary history does not result in greater diversity over geological time scales. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 286(1904), 20182896. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.2896

Chambers, E. A., & Hillis, D. M. (2019). The Multispecies Coalescent Over-splits Species in the Case of Geographically Widespread Taxa. Systematic Biology, syz042. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syz042

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

050 Toady, Toady, Tody

Thu, 23 May 2019 17:46:32 +0100

In this milestone episode we are talking about toads - how common Asian species are coping with changes in land use and how the same changes in Europe impact the poisonous gunk of the common toad Bufo bufo. Our Species of the Bi-Week has nice tubercles.

Main Paper References:

Bókony, V., Üveges, B., Verebélyi, V., Ujhegyi, N., & Móricz, Á. M. (2019). Toads phenotypically adjust their chemical defences to anthropogenic habitat change. Scientific Reports, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39587-3

Karraker, N. E., Fischer, S., Aowphol, A., Sheridan, J., & Poo, S. (2018). Signals of forest degradation in the demography of common Asian amphibians. PeerJ, 6, e4220. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4220

Species of the Bi-Week:

Carvalho, T. R. D., Giaretta, A. A., Angulo, A., Haddad, C. F. B., & Peloso, P. L. V. (2019). A New Amazonian Species of Adenomera (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from the Brazilian State of Pará: A Tody-Tyrant Voice in a Frog. American Museum Novitates, 3919(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1206/3919.1

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Arbuckle, K., Brockhurst, M., & Speed, M. P. (2013). Does chemical defence increase niche space? A phylogenetic comparative analysis of the Musteloidea. Evolutionary Ecology, 27(5), 863–881. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-013-9629-z

Karraker, N. E., & Welsh Jr, H. H. (2006). Long-term impacts of even-aged timber management on abundance and body condition of terrestrial amphibians in Northwestern California. Biological Conservation, 131(1), 132-140.

Møller A et al. 2015 Effects of urbanization on bird phenology: a continental study of paired urban and rural populations. Climate Res. 66, 185– 199. (doi:10.3354/cr01344)

Pramuk, J. B., Robertson, T., Sites, J. W., & Noonan, B. P. (2008). Around the world in 10 million years: Biogeography of the nearly cosmopolitan true toads (Anura: Bufonidae). Global Ecology and Biogeography, 17(1), 72–83. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2007.00348.x

Other Links/Mentions:

Call of Adenomera phonotriccus:

https://soundcloud.com/museugoeldi/canto-da-nova-especie-de-ra-da-amazonia-adenomera-phonotriccus

Link from Dr Levi Gray on twitter: https://t.co/eyEe6EXxxP

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

049 Great Lizard Escapes

Tue, 07 May 2019 18:00:00 +0100

It is a dangerous world for small lizards. To survive a lizard may need to pull off some pretty ingenious escape maneuvers. In this episode we look at two lizards that dodge predators using water. For the Species of the Bi-week we check out a species more likely to elicit escape behaviour than undertake it. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Nirody, J. A., Jinn, J., Libby, T., Lee, T. J., Jusufi, A., Hu, D. L., & Full, R. J. (2018). Geckos Race Across the Water’s Surface Using Multiple Mechanisms. Current Biology, 28(24), 4046-4051.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.10.064

Swierk, L. (2019). ANOLIS AQUATICUS (= NOROPS AQUATICUS) (Water Anole). UNDERWATER BREATHING. Herpetological Review, 50(1), 134–135.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Carrasco, P. A., Grazziotin, F. G., Farfán, R. S. C., Koch, C., Ochoa, J. A., Scrocchi, G. J., … Chaparro, J. C. (2019). A new species of Bothrops (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae) from Pampas del Heath, southeastern Peru, with comments on the systematics of the Bothrops neuwiedi species group. Zootaxa, 4565(3), 301. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4565.3.1

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

NICHOLSON, KIRSTEN E.; BRIAN I. CROTHER, CRAIG GUYER & JAY M. SAVAGE (2012). It is time for a new classification of anoles (Squamata: Dactyloidae). Zootaxa 3477: 1–108.

NICHOLSON, KIRSTEN E.; BRIAN I. CROTHER, CRAIG GUYER & JAY M. SAVAGE (2018). Translating a clade based classification into one that is valid under the international code of zoological nomenclature: the case of the lizards of the family Dactyloidae (Order Squamata). Zootaxa 4461 (4): 573–586.

Other Links/Mentions:

Video of surface running in the wild: https://www.cell.com/cms/10.1016/j.cub.2018.10.064/attachment/5ca65509-66ab-4c2e-b882-81b2a32dacc6/mmc2.mp4

Video of surface running in the lab: https://www.cell.com/cms/10.1016/j.cub.2018.10.064/attachment/810c5bcb-6b9f-4294-88cc-0181b6fbe4e3/mmc3.mp4

Video of underwater breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDwqWAv1RO4

Gecko walking on water article: https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/watch-a-gecko-runs-on-water

Which anole are you? https://www.playbuzz.com/item/d14bede2-6d3f-4814-92d2-2bd35caaedf5?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=ff&utm_campaign=ff&pb_traffic_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0IOp1Gczd2rrUBHC_ajsXDMKkUyRtJtvySoSPFV_qNTQbvAp9EVvsN06k

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

048 The Frog After Tomorrow

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 18:17:55 +0100

In this Patreon episode we delve into the world of amphibians - how will frogs, toads, salamanders and friends cope with human-induced climate alterations? We round off with a puddle-loving Species of the Bi-Week who is new to science.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Miller, D. A., Grant, E. H. C., Muths, E., Amburgey, S. M., Adams, M. J., Joseph, M. B., ... & Calhoun, D. L. (2018). Quantifying climate sensitivity and climate-driven change in North American amphibian communities. Nature communications, 9(1), 3926.

Üveges, B., Mahr, K., Szederkényi, M., Bókony, V., Hoi, H., & Hettyey, A. (2016). Experimental evidence for beneficial effects of projected climate change on hibernating amphibians. Scientific reports, 6, 26754.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Goutte, S., Reyes-Velasco, J., & Boissinot, S. (2019). A new species of puddle frog from an unexplored mountain in southwestern Ethiopia (Anura, Phrynobatrachidae, Phrynobatrachus). ZooKeys, (824), 53.

Other mentioned papers:

Morgan, M. J., Hunter, D., Pietsch, R. O. D., Osborne, W., & Keogh, J. S. (2008). Assessment of genetic diversity in the critically endangered Australian corroboree frogs, Pseudophryne corroboree and Pseudophryne pengilleyi, identifies four evolutionarily significant units for conservation. Molecular Ecology, 17(15), 3448-3463.

Other Links/Mentions:

Ross McGibbon reptile photography: https://www.facebook.com/RossMcGibbonReptilePhotography/

Steve Allain's new crowdfunder: https://www.gofundme.com/where-did-the-toads-come-from

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

047 Iguanas Rock

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 18:00:00 +0100

Iguanas rock, and rock iguana’s doubly so. We check out the status of the Bahamas dwindling populations of Cay-dwelling rock iguana with stories of rampaging raccoons, troublesome translocations and polite pirates. Species of the Bi-week is a micro-endemic treat from Madagascar. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hayes, W. K., Iii, R. A. E., Fry, S. K., Fortune, E. M., Wasilewski, J. A., Tuttle, D. M., … Carter, R. L. (2016). Conservation Of The Endangered Sandy Cay Rock Iguanas (Cyclura rileyi cristata): Invasive Species Control, Population Response, Pirates, Poaching, And Translocation. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 16.

Hayes, W. K., Jr, S. C., Crutchfield, T., Wasilewski, J. A., Rothfus, T. A., & Carter, R. L. (2016). Conservation Of The Endangered San Salvador Rock Iguanas (Cyclura rileyi rileyi): Population Estimation, Invasive Species Control, Translocation, And Headstarting. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 17.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Miralles, A., Glaw, F., Ratsoavina, F. M., & Vences, M. (2015). A likely microendemic new species of terrestrial iguana, genus Chalarodon, from Madagascar. Zootaxa, 3946(2), 201. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3946.2.3

Other mentioned papers:

Honebrink, R., Buch, R., Galpin, P., & Burgess, G. H. (2011). First documented attack on a live human by a cookiecutter shark (Squaliformes, Dalatiidae: Isistius sp.). Pacific Science, 65(3), 365-375.

Malone, C.L., T. Wheeler, J.F. Taylor, and S.K. Davis. 2000. Phylogeography of the Caribbean rock iguana (Cyclura): implications for conservation and insights on the biogeographic history of the West Indies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 17:269–279.

Other Links/Mentions:

Link to Ants Canada vs blind snake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b4H979ia-E

Link to HerpConBio edition: http://www.herpconbio.org/contents_vol11_Monograph6.html

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

046 Stinky Turtles

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 17:00:00 +0000

Episode 46 is a Patreon episode about...musk turtles! These endearing little monsters live in the waterways of the USA and we examine their unusual mouths and diet preferences. Species of the Bi-Week is a squishy chelonian.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Heiss, E., Natchev, N., Beisser, C., Lemell, P., & Weisgram, J. (2010). The fish in the turtle: On the functionality of the oropharynx in the common musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus (Chelonia, Kinosternidae) concerning feeding and underwater respiration. The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology, 293(8), 1416-1424.

Wilhelm, C. E., & Plummer, M. V. (2012). Diet of radiotracked Musk Turtles, Sternotherus odoratus, in a small urban stream. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 7(2), 258-264.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Farkas, B., Ziegler, T., Pham, C. T., Ong, A. V., & Fritz, U. (2019). A new species of Pelodiscus from northeastern Indochina (Testudines, Trionychidae). ZooKeys, (824), 71.

Other mentioned papers:

Snider, A.T. and J.K. Bowler. 1992. Longevity of reptiles and amphibians in North American collections. Second Edition. Herpetological Circulars No. 21.

Strokal, M., Ma, L., Bai, Z., Luan, S., Kroeze, C., Oenema, O., ... & Zhang, F. (2016). Alarming nutrient pollution of Chinese rivers as a result of agricultural transitions. Environmental Research Letters, 11(2), 024014.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

045.5 Question - Snake Eyes

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:00:00 +0000

A surprise episode to tackle some of Patreon questions. A long ramble about ourselves changes into a chat about sea snake tongue flicking followed by rotating snake eyes. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

References:

Banks, M. S., Sprague, W. W., Schmoll, J., Parnell, J. A. Q., & Love, G. D. (2015). Why do animal eyes have pupils of different shapes? Science Advances, 1(7), e1500391. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500391

Heath, J. E., Northcutt, R. G., & Barber, R. P. (1969). Rotational optokinesis in reptiles and its bearing on pupillary shape. Zeitschrift für vergleichende Physiologie, 62(1), 75-85.

Munro, D. F. (1950). Vertical orientation of the eye in snakes. Herpetologica, 84-88.

Simões, B. F., Sampaio, F. L., Douglas, R. H., Kodandaramaiah, U., Casewell, N. R., Harrison, R. A., … Gower, D. J. (2016). Visual Pigments, Ocular Filters and the Evolution of Snake Vision. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 33(10), 2483–2495. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msw148

van Doorn, K., & Sivak, J. G. (2013). Blood flow dynamics in the snake spectacle. Journal of Experimental Biology, 216(22), 4190–4195. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.093658

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

045 King Among Cobras

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:00:00 +0000

All snakes all episode this fortnight, but not just any snakes. We are talking about snake-eaters. King amongst the snake-eaters is the king cobra, where do they roam and what threats are they facing? Jumping across to Africa we check out a newly described, and smaller, snake-eater. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Marshall, B. M., Strine, C. T., Jones, M. D., Artchawakom, T., Silva, I., Suwanwaree, P., & Goode, M. (2018). Space fit for a king: spatial ecology of king cobras (Ophiophagus hannah) in Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, Northeastern Thailand. Amphibia-Reptilia. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-18000008

Marshall, B. M., Strine, C. T., Jones, M. D., Theodorou, A., Amber, E., Waengsothorn, S., … Goode, M. (2018). Hits Close to Home: Repeated Persecution of King Cobras (Ophiophagus hannah) in Northeastern Thailand. Tropical Conservation Science, 11, 194008291881840. https://doi.org/10.1177/1940082918818401

Species of the Bi-Week:

Portillo, F., Branch, W. R., Tilbury, C. R., Nagy, Z. T., Hughes, D. F., Kusamba, C., ... & Greenbaum, E. (2019). A Cryptic New Species of Polemon (Squamata: Lamprophiidae, Aparallactinae) from the Miombo Woodlands of Central and East Africa. Copeia, 107(1), 22-35.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Barnes, Curt & Strine, Colin & Suwanwaree, Pongthep & Major, Tom. (2018). Cryptelytrops albolabris (white- lipped viper): Behavior. Herp Review. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325251521_Cryptelytrops_albolabris_white-_lipped_viper_Behavior

Barve, S., Bhaisare, D., Giri, A., Shankar, P. G., Whitaker, R., & Goode, M. (2013). A preliminary study on translocation of “rescued” King Cobras (Ophiophagus hannah). Hamadryad, 36(6), 80–86.

Bhaisare, D., Ramanuj, V., Shankar, P. G., Vittala, M., Goode, M. J., & Whitaker, R. (2010). Observations on a wild King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), with emphasis on foraging and diet. IRCF Reptiles Amphibians, 17(2), 95–102.

Hart, K. M., Cherkiss, M. S., Smith, B. J., Mazzotti, F. J., Fujisaki, I., Snow, R. W., & Dorcas, M. E. (2015). Home range, habitat use, and movement patterns of non-native Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. Animal Biotelemetry, 3(8), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-015-0022-2

Hyslop, N. L., Meyers, J. M., Cooper, R. J., & Stevenson, D. J. (2014). Effects of body size and sex of Drymarchon couperi (eastern indigo snake) on habitat use, movements, and home range size in Georgia. Journal of Wildlife Management, 78(1), 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.645

Kusamba, C., A. Resetar, V. Wallach, and Z. T. Nagy. (2013). Mouthful of snake: an African snake-eater’s (Polemon gracilis graueri) large typhlopid prey. Herpetology Notes 6: 235–237.

Strine, C. T., Silva, I., Crane, M., Nadolski, B., Artchawakom, T., Goode, M., & Suwanwaree, P. (2014). Mortality of a wild king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah Cantor, 1836 (Serpentes: Elapidae) from Northeast Thailand after ingesting a plastic bag. Asian Herpetological Research, 5(4), 284–286. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1245.2014.00284

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

044 Where Those Herps At?

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 16:00:00 +0000

This episode is all about how hard it is to find herpetofauna, and the difficulty that causes when you try to understand their populations. We finish with a handsome web-footed new species. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Barata, I. M., Griffiths, R. A., & Ridout, M. S. (2017). The power of monitoring: optimizing survey designs to detect occupancy changes in a rare amphibian population. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 16491. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16534-8

Barata, I. M., Silva, E. P., & Griffiths, R. A. (2018). Predictors of Abundance of a Rare Bromeliad-Dwelling Frog ( Crossodactylodes itambe ) in the Espinhaço Mountain Range of Brazil. Journal of Herpetology, 52(3), 321–326. https://doi.org/10.1670/17-183

Ward, R. J., Griffiths, R. A., Wilkinson, J. W., & Cornish, N. (2017). Optimising monitoring efforts for secretive snakes: a comparison of occupancy and N-mixture models for assessment of population status. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 18074. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-18343-5

Species of the Bi-Week:

Ron, S. R., Caminer, M. A., Varela-Jaramillo, A., & Almeida-Reinoso, D. (2018). A new treefrog from Cordillera del Cóndor with comments on the biogeographic affinity between Cordillera del Cóndor and the Guianan Tepuis (Anura, Hylidae, Hyloscirtus). ZooKeys, 809, 97–124. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.809.25207

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Barata, I. M., Santos, M. T., Leite, F. S., & Garcia, P. C. (2013). A new species of Crossodactylodes (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil: first record of genus within the Espinhaço Mountain Range. Zootaxa, 3731(4), 552-560.

Other Links/Mentions:

Wicked Wildlife on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWasdfCg-HlxOq4NUOshFFg

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

043 Lazy Dragons, Lazy Newts

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 17:00:00 +0000

This fortnight is a real mix of papers. We cover Komodo dragon dispersal, newts crossing (or not) roads, and a paper looking at reptilian brains. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

De Meester, G., Huyghe, K., & Van Damme, R. (2019). Brain size, ecology and sociality: a reptilian perspective. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 1–11.

Jessop, T. S., Ariefiandy, A., Purwandana, D., Ciofi, C., Imansyah, J., Benu, Y. J., … Phillips, B. L. (2018). Exploring mechanisms and origins of reduced dispersal in island Komodo dragons. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 285(1891), 20181829. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.1829

Matos, C., Petrovan, S. O., Wheeler, P. M., & Ward, A. I. (2018). Short‐term movements and behaviour govern the use of road mitigation measures by a protected amphibian. Animal Conservation.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Ciofi, C., Puswati, J., Dewa, W., de Boer, M. E., Chelazzi, G., & Sastrawan, P. (2007). Preliminary Analysis of Home Range Structure in the Komodo Monitor, Varanus komodoensis. Copeia, 2007(2), 462–470. https://doi.org/10.1643/0045-8511(2007)7[462:PAOHRS]2.0.CO;2

Harlow, H. J., Purwandana, D., Jessop, T. S., & Phillips, J. A. (2010). Size-related differences in the thermoregulatory habits of free-ranging komodo dragons. International Journal of Zoology, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/921371

Purwandana, D., Ariefiandy, A., Imansyah, M. J., Seno, A., Ciofi, C., Letnic, M., & Jessop, T. S. (2016). Ecological allometries and niche use dynamics across Komodo dragon ontogeny. Science of Nature, 103(27), 26–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-016-1351-6

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

042 A Christmas Miracle

Tue, 15 Jan 2019 13:04:05 +0000

Discussions of the reptiles of Christmas Island(s) abound in episode 42. We kick off with a paper about juvenile snake sizes and follow up with some info about reptiles crossing oceans. The Species of the Bi-Week is a brand new reptile which takes it's name from a fluffy mammal.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Aubret, F. (2015). Island colonisation and the evolutionary rates of body size in insular neonate snakes. Heredity, 115(4), 349–356. https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.2014.65

Oliver, P. M., Blom, M. P. K., Cogger, H. G., Fisher, R. N., Richmond, J. Q., & Woinarski, J. C. Z. (2018). Insular biogeographic origins and high phylogenetic distinctiveness for a recently depleted lizard fauna from Christmas Island, Australia. Biology Letters, 14(6), 20170696. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2017.0696

Species of the Bi-Week:

Wostl, E., Hamidy, A., Kurniawan, N., & Smith, E. N. (2017). A new species of Wolf Snake of the genus Lycodon H. Boie in Fitzinger (Squamata: Colubridae) from the Aceh Province of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Zootaxa, 4276(4), 539. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4276.4.6

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Andrew, P., Cogger, H., Driscoll, D., Flakus, S., Harlow, P., Maple, D., ... & Tiernan, B. (2018). Somewhat saved: a captive breeding programme for two endemic Christmas Island lizard species, now extinct in the wild. Oryx, 52(1), 171-174.

Aubret, F., & Shine, R. (2009). Genetic Assimilation and the Postcolonization Erosion of Phenotypic Plasticity in Island Tiger Snakes. Current Biology, 19(22), 1932–1936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2009.09.061

Holt, B. G., Lessard, J.-P., Borregaard, M. K., Fritz, S. A., Araujo, M. B., Dimitrov, D., … Rahbek, C. (2013). An Update of Wallace’s Zoogeographic Regions of the World. Science, 339(6115), 74–78. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1228282

Herrel, A., Huyghe, K., Vanhooydonck, B., Backeljau, T., Breugelmans, K., Grbac, I., ... & Irschick, D. J. (2008). Rapid large-scale evolutionary divergence in morphology and performance associated with exploitation of a different dietary resource. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(12), 4792-4795.

Rocha, S., Carretero, M. A., Vences, M., Glaw, F., & James Harris, D. (2006). Deciphering patterns of transoceanic dispersal: the evolutionary origin and biogeography of coastal lizards (Cryptoblepharus) in the Western Indian Ocean region. Journal of Biogeography, 33(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01375.x

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

041 Learned Lizards

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:00:00 +0000

Smart lizards!? Traditionally, lizards are thought of as simple, but this episode we look at some smart skinks whose intelligence allows them to learn from each other. We look at a couple factors that influence that itelligence. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Munch, K. L., Noble, D. W. A., Botterill-James, T., Koolhof, I. S., Halliwell, B., Wapstra, E., & While, G. M. (2018). Maternal effects impact decision-making in a viviparous lizard. Biology Letters, 14(4), 20170556. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2017.0556

Whiting, M. J., Xu, F., Kar, F., Riley, J. L., Byrne, R. W., & Noble, D. W. A. (2018). Evidence for Social Learning in a Family Living Lizard. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 6(May). https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2018.00070

Species of the Bi-Week:

Grismer, L. L., Wood, P. L., Lim, K. K. P., & Liang, L. J. (2017). A new species of swamp-dwelling skink (Tytthoscincus) from Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 65(October), 574–584.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Beck, B. B. (1967). A Study of Problem Solving By Gibbons. Behaviour, 28(1–2), 95–109. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853967X00190

Dayananda, B., & Webb, J. K. (2017). Incubation under climate warming affects learning ability and survival in hatchling lizards. Biology Letters, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2017.0002

Duckett, P. E., Morgan, M. H., & Stow, A. J. (2012). Tree-dwelling populations of the skink Egernia striolata aggregate in groups of close kin. Copeia, 2012(1), 130-134.

Gardner, M. G., Hugall, A. F., Donnellan, S. C., Hutchinson, M. N., & Foster, R. (2008). Molecular systematics of social skinks: phylogeny and taxonomy of the Egernia group (Reptilia: Scincidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 154(4), 781-794.

Munch, K. L., Noble, D. W. A., Wapstra, E., & While, G. M. (2018). Mate familiarity and social learning in a monogamous lizard. Oecologia, 188(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-018-4153-z

Riley, J. L., Küchler, A., Damasio, T., Noble, D. W. A., Byrne, R. W., & Whiting, M. J. (2018). Learning ability is unaffected by isolation rearing in a family-living lizard. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 72(2), 20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-017-2435-9

Riley, J. L., Noble, D. W. A., Byrne, R. W., & Whiting, M. J. (2017). Early social environment influences the behaviour of a family-living lizard. Royal Society Open Science, 4(5), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.161082

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

040 Complications of Captivity

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 19:22:31 +0000

This episode we are talking about the pet trade - from the livelihoods of people who collect wild reptiles and amphibians in Madagascar and through to one of the issues that sometimes arises: escapees becoming non-native nuisances. We round off with a Species of the Bi-Week in the form of a slippery new lizard.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Robinson, J. E., Griffiths, R. A., Fraser, I. M., Raharimalala, J., Roberts, D. L., & St. John, F. A. V. (2018). Supplying the wildlife trade as a livelihood strategy in a biodiversity hotspot. Ecology and Society, 23(1), art13. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09821-230113

Stringham, O. C., & Lockwood, J. L. (2018). Pet problems: Biological and economic factors that influence the release of alien reptiles and amphibians by pet owners. Journal of Applied Ecology, 55(6), 2632–2640. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13237

Species of the Bi-Week:

Pui, Y. M., Karin, B. R., Bauer, A. M., & Das, I. (2017). A new species of Tropidophorus Duméril & Bibron, 1839 (Squamata: Sauria: Scincidae) from Sarawak, East Malaysia (Borneo). Zootaxa, 4258(6), 539. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4258.6.3

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Auliya, M., Altherr, S., Ariano-Sanchez, D., Baard, E. H., Brown, C., Brown, R. M., … Ziegler, T. (2016). Trade in live reptiles, its impact on wild populations, and the role of the European market. Biological Conservation, 204, 103–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.05.017

Auliya, M., García-Moreno, J., Schmidt, B. R., Schmeller, D. S., Hoogmoed, M. S., Fisher, M. C., … Martel, A. (2016). The global amphibian trade flows through Europe: the need for enforcing and improving legislation. Biodiversity and Conservation, 25(13), 2581–2595. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-016-1193-8

Capinha, C., Seebens, H., Cassey, P., García-Díaz, P., Lenzner, B., Mang, T., … Essl, F. (2017). Diversity, biogeography and the global flows of alien amphibians and reptiles. Diversity and Distributions, 23(11), 1313–1322. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12617

Duffy, R., St John, F. A. V., Büscher, B., & Brockington, D. (2014). The militarization of anti-poaching: Undermining long term goals? Environmental Conservation, 42(4), 345–348. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892915000119

Lybbert, T. J., Aboudrare, A., Chaloud, D., Magnan, N., & Nash, M. (2011). Booming markets for Moroccan argan oil appear to benefit some rural households while threatening the endemic argan forest. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(34), 13963-13968.

Other Links/Mentions:

Conservation chronicles: https://conservationchronicles.podbean.com/

Winter croc fest December 8, 2018 at Gatorama. Gatorama is an alligator farm and visitor attraction in Palmdale, Florida, USA.

Sami Asad frog video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pvwtaZPicI

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

039 An Appetite for Arboreality

Sat, 17 Nov 2018 17:00:00 +0000

Snakes, they’ve adapted to all sorts of environments. But what exactly has changed to allow them to take to the trees? This episode we check out what it takes to be arboreal and the impacts of taking arboreal prey. We head to the neotropics for the Species of the Bi-week for a colourful new snake. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Harrington, S. M., Haan, J. M. D. E., Shapiro, L., & Ruane, S. (2018). Habits and characteristics of arboreal snakes worldwide: arboreality constrains body size but does not affect lineage diversification. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, XX, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/bly097/5056838

Siers, S. R., Yackel Adams, A. A., & Reed, R. N. (2018). Behavioral differences following ingestion of large meals and consequences for management of a harmful invasive snake: A field experiment. Ecology and Evolution, 8(20), 10075–10093. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4480

Species of the Bi-Week:

Bernarde, P. S., Carlos, L., Turci, B., Abegg, A. D., & Franco, F. L. (2018). A remarkable new species of coralsnake of the Micrurus hemprichii species group from the Brazilian Amazon. Salamandra, 54(4), 249–258.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Allen WL, Baddeley R, Scott-Samuel NE, Cuthill IC. 2013. The evolution and function of pattern diversity in snakes. Behavioral Ecology 24: 1237–1250.

Blouin-Demers, G., & Weatherhead, P. J. (2001). An experimental test of the link between foraging, habitat selection and thermoregulation in black rat snakes Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta.
Journal of Animal Ecology, 70, 1006–1013. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.0021-8790.2001.00554.x

Das, I. (2010). A field guide to the reptiles of South-East Asia. London: Bloomsbury.

Glaudas, X., & Alexander, G. J. (2017). Food supplementation affects the foraging ecology of a low-energy, ambush-foraging snake. Behavioral ecology and sociobiology, 71(1), 5.

Ford, N. B., & Shuttlesworth, G. A. (1986). Effects of variation in food intake on locomotory performance of juvenile garter snakes. Copeia, 1986, 999–1001. https://doi.org/10.2307/1445298

Fritts, T. H. (2002). Economic costs of electrical system instability and power outages caused by snakes on the island of Guam. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 49, 93–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0964-8305(01)00108-1

Secor, S. M., & Diamond, J. (1998). A vertebrate model of extreme physiological regulation. Nature, 395(6703), 659–662. https://doi.org/10.1038/27131

Wasko, D. K., & Sasa, M. (2012). Food resources influence spatial ecology, habitat selection, and foraging behavior in an ambush-hunting snake (Viperidae: Bothrops asper): An experimental study. Zoology, 115(3), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2011.10.001

Other Links/Mentions:

Ahaetulla fronticinctca feeding from the California Academy of Science - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlRHNYUr-PU

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

038 A Frog Over Troubled Water

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 17:46:48 +0000

The News Niche strikes again. A varied podcast starting with some new frog research and moving onto a truly horrifying thunderdome.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Falaschi, M., Mangiacotti, M., Sacchi, R., Scali, S., & Razzetti, E. (2018). Electric circuit theory applied to alien invasions: A connectivity model predicting the balkan frog expansion in Northern Italy. Acta Herpetologica, 13(1), 33–42. https://doi.org/10.13128/Acta_Herpetol-20871

DiRenzo, G. V., Zipkin, E. F., Grant, E. H. C., Royle, J. A., Longo, A. V., Zamudio, K. R., & Lips, K. R. (2018). Eco‐evolutionary rescue promotes host–pathogen coexistence. Ecological Applications.

Fitzpatrick, L. D., Pasmans, F., Martel, A., & Cunningham, A. A. (2018). Epidemiological tracing of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans identifies widespread infection and associated mortalities in private amphibian collections. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 13845. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-31800-z

Van Kleeck, M. J., Smith, T. A., & Holland, B. S. (2018). Paedophagic cannibalism, resource partitioning, and ontogenetic habitat use in an invasive lizard. Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 1-18.

Meiri, S. (2018). Traits of lizards of the world: Variation around a successful evolutionary design. Global Ecology and Biogeography, (June 2017), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12773

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Pizzatto, L., Child, T., & Shine, R. (2008). Why be diurnal? Shifts in activity time enable young cane toads to evade cannibalistic conspecifics. Behavioral Ecology, 19(5), 990–997. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arn060

Scharf, A. K., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D. E., Wikelski, M., & Safi, K. (2018). Habitat suitability does not capture the essence of animal-defined corridors. Movement Ecology, 6(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-018-0136-2

Other Links/Mentions:

Namaqua chameleon cannibalism video *graphic* - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww7km7ADqAo

Elephant shrew nose video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8WVnKT7oEI

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

037 Chameleon Comeback

Tue, 16 Oct 2018 18:00:00 +0100

Chameleons -- perhaps one of the most instantly identifiable herps out there. But beyond their strange morphological adaptations what do we know about their lives? We check out a couple of papers looking at the lives of some East African species who until recently were missing some pretty basic natural history information. They are joined by a newly described species from the hills of Tanzania. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Hughes, D. F., Blackburn, D. G., Wilber, L., & Behangana, M. (2018). New distribution records, observations on natural history, and notes on reproduction of the poorly known Sudanese Unicorn Chameleon (Chamaeleonidae: Trioceros conirostratus) from Uganda, Africa. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, 12(2), 83–89.

Reaney, L. T., Yee, S., Losos, J. B., & Whiting, M. J. (2012). Ecology of the Flap-Necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis In Southern Africa. Breviora, 532(September), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3099/532.1

Species of the Bi-Week:

Menegon, M., Loader, S. P., Davenport, T. R. B., Howell, K. M., Tilbury, C. R., Machaga, S., & Tolley, K. A. (2015). A new species of Chameleon (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae: Kinyongia) highlights the biological affinities between the Southern Highlands and Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. Acta Herpetologica, 10(2), 111–120. https://doi.org/10.13128/Acta_Herpetol-17171

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Hebrard, J. J., & Madsen, T. (1984). Dry season intersexual habitat partitioning by flap-necked chameleons (Chamaeleo dilepis) in Kenya. Biotropica, 69-72.

Main, D. C., van Vuuren, B. J., & Tolley, K. A. (2018). Cryptic diversity in the common flap-necked chameleon Chamaeleo dilepis in South Africa. African Zoology, 53(1), 11-16.

Meiri, S. (2018). Traits of lizards of the world: Variation around a successful evolutionary design. Global Ecology and Biogeography, (June 2017), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12773

Miller, A. K., Maritz, B., McKay, S., Glaudas, X., & Alexander, G. J. (2015). An ambusher's arsenal: chemical crypsis in the puff adder (Bitis arietans). Proc. R. Soc. B, 282(1821), 20152182.

Preest, M. R., Ward, M. J., Poon, T., & Hermanson, J. W. (2016). Chemical Prey Luring in Jackson’s Chameleons. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 89(2), 110–117. https://doi.org/10.1086/685455

Stipala, J. 2014. Mountain Dragons: In Search of Chameleons in the Highlands of Kenya. Jan Stipala, Singapore.

Tilbury CR, Tolley KA, Branch, WR (2006). A review of the genus Bradypodion (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae), with the descriptions of two new genera. Zootaxa 1363: 23-38. (Kinyongia, new genus).

Other Links/Mentions:

Video of flap necked chameleon vs boomslang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnhX_ho9DsE

Another, where chameleon loses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23TxyVZiICo

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

036 Crocodiles of the Mekong

Sun, 07 Oct 2018 18:39:06 +0100

Revisiting the world of crocodilians, we take a look at the habitat shared by two Southeast Asian species, and discuss Siamese crocodile conservation. Our Species of the Bi-week is not a crocodile, but it is pretty scaly.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Ihlow, F., Bonke, R., Hartmann, T., Geissler, P., Behler, N., & Rödder, D. (2015). Habitat suitability, coverage by protected areas and population connectivity for the Siamese crocodile Crocodylus siamensis Schneider, 1801. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 25(4), 544–554. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2473

Staniewicz, A., Behler, N., Dharmasyah, S., & Jones, G. (2018). Niche partitioning between juvenile sympatric crocodilians in Mesangat, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 66, 528–537.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Karin, B. R., Freitas, E. S., Shonleben, S., Grismer, L. L., Bauer, A. M., & Das, I. (2018). Unrealized diversity in an urban rainforest: A new species of Lygosoma (Squamata: Scincidae) from western Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo). Zootaxa, 4370(4), 345–362. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4370.4.2

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Behler, N., Kopsieker, L., Staniewicz, A., Darmansyah, S., Stuebing, R., & Ziegler, T. (2018). Population size, demography and feeding preferences of the Siamese crocodile Crocodylus siamensis (Schneider, 1801) in the Mesangat Swamp in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 66, 506–516.

Eam, S. U., Sam, H., Hor, L., Mizrahi, M., & Frechette, J. L. (2017). Movement of captive-reared Siamese crocodiles Crocodylus siamensis released in the Southern Cardamom National Park , Cambodia. Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 102–108.

Starr, J. C. D. A. (2010). Development of a re-introduction and re-enforcement program for Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia. Global Re-introduction Perspectives: Additional Case Studies from Around the Globe, 118.

Starr, A., Daltry, J.C. & Nhek R. (2010) DNA study reveals Siamese crocodiles at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, Cambodia. Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter, 28, 5–7.

Other Links/Mentions:

Siamese croc article Save Our Species: http://www.saveourspecies.org/news/brighter-future-cambodias-siamese-crocodiles

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

035 Caecilians Caecilians Caecilians

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 18:00:00 +0100

This fortnight we are delving into the peculiar world of caecilians. Fossorial amphibians that seldom show their faces on the surface. We chat about caecilians' strange adaptations and how a ten-year study has shed some light on their reproductive habits. The Species of the Bi-week is a suitably elongated and slimy critter. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Jared, C., Mailho-Fontana, P. L., Jared, S. G. S., Kupfer, A., Delabie, J. H. C., Wilkinson, M., & Antoniazzi, M. M. (2018). Life history and reproduction of the neotropical caecilian Siphonops annulatus (Amphibia, Gymnophiona, Siphonopidae), with special emphasis on parental care. Acta Zoologica, (March), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.12254

Jared, C., Mailho-Fontana, P. L., Marques-Porto, R., Sciani, J. M., Pimenta, D. C., Brodie, E. D., & Antoniazzi, M. M. (2018). Skin gland concentrations adapted to different evolutionary pressures in the head and posterior regions of the caecilian Siphonops annulatus. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-22005-5

Species of the Bi-Week:

Maddock, S. T., Wilkinson, M., & Gower, D. J. (2018). A new species of small, long-snouted Hypogeophis Peters, 1880 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae) from the highest elevations of the Seychelles island of Mahé. Zootaxa, 4450(3), 359–375. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4450.3.3

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Jared, C. et al. (2005). Head co-ossification, phragmosis and defense in the casque-headed tree frog Corythomantis greeningi. Journal of Zoology, 265.

Sawaya, P. (1940) Sobre o veneno das glândulas cutâneas, a secreção e o coração de Siphonops annulatus. Bot. Fac. Fill. Ci. Let. Univ. São Paulo. Ser. Zool. 4, 207–270

Wilkinson, M., Kupfer, A., Marques-Porto, R., Jeffkins, H., Antoniazzi, M. M., & Jared, C. (2008). One hundred million years of skin feeding? Extended parental care in a Neotropical caecilian (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). Biology Letters, 4(4), 358–361. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0217

Wilson, N. J., Stokes, A. N., Hopkins, G. R., Brodie, Jr., E. D., & Williams, C. R. (2014). Functional and physiological resistance of crayfish to amphibian toxins: tetrodotoxin resistance in the white river crayfish (Procambarus acutus). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 92(11), 939–945. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2014-0128

Other Links/Mentions:

BBC Life in Cold Blood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCF4qmxdkkM

Video of caecilian babies eating the skin of their mother: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K6szXrBHwM

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

034 Hybrid Pythons

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 18:00:00 +0100

The News Niche has come again. This episode we talk about invasive python genetics (just what are they?) and new conservation tools, with a Species of the Bi-Week that features not one but two new cobras. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Gumbs, R., Gray, C. L., Wearn, O. R., & Owen, N. R. (2018). Tetrapods on the EDGE: Overcoming data limitations to identify phylogenetic conservation priorities. PloS one, 13(4), e0194680.

Hunter, M. E., Johnson, N. A., Smith, B. J., Davis, M. C., Butterfield, J. S., Snow, R. W., & Hart, K. M. (2018). Cytonuclear discordance in the Florida Everglades invasive Burmese python (Python bivittatus) population reveals possible hybridization with the Indian python (P. molurus). Ecology and Evolution.

Species of the Bi-Week: WÜSTER, W., Chirio, L., Trape, J. F., Ineich, I., Jackson, K., Greenbaum, E., ... & Hall, C. (2018). Integration of nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences and morphology reveals unexpected diversity in the forest cobra (Naja melanoleuca) species complex in Central and West Africa (Serpentes: Elapidae). Zootaxa, 4455(1), 68-98.

Other mentioned papers:

Hunter, M. E., Oyler-McCance, S. J., Dorazio, R. M., Fike, J. A., Smith, B. J., Hunter, C. T., ... & Hart, K. M. (2015). Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling improves occurrence and detection estimates of invasive Burmese pythons. PloS one, 10(4), e0121655.

Hyslop, N. L., Meyers, J. M., Cooper, R. J., & Stevenson, D. J. (2014). Effects of body size and sex of Drymarchon couperi (eastern indigo snake) on habitat use, movements, and home range size in Georgia. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 78(1), 101-111.

Lynch, V. J., & Wagner, G. P. (2010). Did egg‐laying boas break Dollo's law? Phylogenetic evidence for reversal to oviparity in sand boas (Eryx: Boidae). Evolution: International Journal of Organic Evolution, 64(1), 207-216.

Pyron, R. A., & Burbrink, F. T. (2014). Early origin of viviparity and multiple reversions to oviparity in squamate reptiles. Ecology letters, 17(1), 13-21.

Shine, R. (2015). The evolution of oviparity in squamate reptiles: an adaptationist perspective. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution, 324(6), 487-492.

Wang, Y., & Evans, S. E. (2011). A gravid lizard from the Cretaceous of China and the early history of squamate viviparity. Naturwissenschaften, 98(9), 739.

Zhu, F., Liu, Q., Che, J., Zhang, L., Chen, X., Yan, F., ... & Guo, P. (2016). Molecular phylogeography of white‐lipped tree viper (Trimeresurus; Viperidae). Zoologica Scripta, 45(3), 252-262.

033 Lost in Translocation

Tue, 21 Aug 2018 18:00:00 +0100

Translocation is a popular method for reducing human-wildlife conflict, but does it work for snakes? We delve into a couple of new papers about translocation in venomous species. Our Species of the Bi-week is a viper with an unusual appetite. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main paper references:

Wolfe, A. K., Fleming, P. A., & Bateman, P. W. (2018). Impacts of translocation on a large urban-adapted venomous snake. Wildlife Research.

Species of the Bi-Week: Shi, J., G. Wang, X. Chen, Y. Fang, L. Ding, S. Huang, M. Hou, J. Liu, and P. Li. 2017. A new moth-preying alpine pit viper species from Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (Viperidae, Crotalinae). Amphib. Reptil. 38: 517–532.

Other mentioned papers:

Barve, S., Bhaisare, D., & Giri, A. (2013). A preliminary study on translocation of “rescued” King Cobras (Ophiophagus hannah). Hamadryad, 36, 80-86.

Butler, H., Malone, B., & Clemann, N. (2005). The effects of translocation on the spatial ecology of tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus) in a suburban landscape. Wildlife Research, 32(2), 165-171.

Heiken, K. H., Brusch, G. A., Gartland, S., Escallón, C., Moore, I. T., and Taylor, E. N. (2016). Effects of long distance translocation on corticosterone and testosterone levels in male rattlesnakes. General and Comparative Endocrinology 237, 27–33. doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.
2016.07.023

Tulloch, A. I., Auerbach, N., Avery-Gomm, S., Bayraktarov, E., Butt, N., Dickman, C. R., ... & Lavery, T. H. (2018). A decision tree for assessing the risks and benefits of publishing biodiversity data. Nature ecology & evolution, 2(8), 1209-1217.

Zhu, F., Liu, Q., Che, J., Zhang, L., Chen, X., Yan, F., ... & Guo, P. (2016). Molecular phylogeography of white‐lipped tree viper (Trimeresurus; Viperidae). Zoologica Scripta, 45(3), 252-262.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

032 Duplicitous Dendrobatids

Tue, 24 Jul 2018 18:25:44 +0100

Frogs come in loads of crazy colours - but the reasons why can be quite complicated. We try to get to grips with some fascinating new research which suggests frogs can be both cryptic and shockingly obvious. Of course we have an amphibian Species of the Bi-Week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Barnett, JB, C Michalis, NE Scott-Samuel, and IC Cuthill. 2018. “Distance-Dependent Defensive Coloration in the Poison Frog Dendrobates Tinctorius , Dendrobatidae.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 201800826.

Lawrence, JP, M Mahony, and BP Noonan. 2018. “Differential Responses of Avian and Mammalian Predators to Phenotypic Variation in Australian Brood Frogs.” PLoS ONE 13 (4): 1–8.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Munir, M, A Hamidy, A Farajallah, and EN Smith. 2018. “A New Megophrys Kuhl and Van Hasselt (Amphibia: Megophryidae) from Southwestern Sumatra, Indonesia.” Zootaxa 4442 (3): 389.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Beckmann, Christa, and Richard Shine. 2012. “Do Drivers Intentionally Target Wildlife on Roads?” Austral Ecology 37 (5):629–32.

Maan, M. E., & Cummings, M. E. (2009). Sexual dimorphism and directional sexual selection on aposematic signals in a poison frog. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(45), 19072-19077.

Phillips, Ben, and Richard Shine. 2007. “When Dinner Is Dangerous: Toxic Frogs Elicit Species-Specific Responses from a Generalist Snake Predator.” The American Naturalist 170 (6):936–42.

Valkonen, J. K., Mäkelä, A., Mappes, J., & López‐Sepulcre, A. (In Press). Evaluating the potential for evolutionary mismatch in Batesian mimics: a case study in the endangered Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca). Evolutionary Applications.

Wüster, W., C. S. E. Allum, I. B. Bjargardottir, K. L. Bailey, K. J. Dawson, J. Guenioui, J. Lewis, et al. 2004. “Do Aposematism and Batesian Mimicry Require Bright Colours? A Test, Using European Viper Markings.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 271 (1556):2495–99.

Xing, L., Caldwell, M. W., Chen, R., Nydam, R. L., Palci, A., Simões, T. R., ... & Wang, K. (2018). A mid-Cretaceous embryonic-to-neonate snake in amber from Myanmar. Science Advances, 4(7), eaat5042.

Other Links/Mentions:

BBC coverage of snake in amber – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-44872148

Blog of snake in amber - https://natureecoevocommunity.nature.com/users/87830-tiago-r-simoes/posts/36712-a-new-chapter-on-early-snake-evolution-the-tale-of-the-snake-in-amber

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

031 From Tortoise Brutality to Snail-eating Snakes

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 18:00:00 +0100

Another News Niche episode! We talk about all sorts of things this fortnight: Anolis rebuttals, tortoise criminality, mollusc munching snakes and a little about the snakebite crisis. Naturally the Species of the Bi-week is not neglected, with this week hosting more species than you can snake a slug at. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Bush, JM, and D Simberloff. 2018. “A Case for Anole Territoriality.” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 72 (7): 111.

Kamath, A, and J Losos. 2018. “Reconsidering Territoriality Is Necessary for Understanding Anolis Mating Systems.” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 72 (7): 106.

Golubović, A., Arsovski, D., Tomović, L., & Bonnet, X. (2018). Is sexual brutality maladaptive under high population density?. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 124(3), 394-402.

Stamps, JA. 2018. “Polygynandrous Anoles and the Myth of the Passive Female.” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 72 (7): 107.

Yañez-Arenas, C, AT Peterson, P Mokondoko, O Rojas-Soto, and E Martínez-Meyer. 2014. “The Use of Ecological Niche Modeling to Infer Potential Risk Areas of Snakebite in the Mexican State of Veracruz.” PLoS ONE 9 (6).

Species of the Bi-Week:

Arteaga, A, D Salazar-Valenzuela, K Mebert, N Peñafiel, G Aguiar, JC Sánchez-Nivicela, RA Pyron, et al. 2018. “Systematics of South American Snail-Eating Snakes (Serpentes, Dipsadini), with the Description of Five New Species from Ecuador and Peru.” ZooKeys 766: 79–147.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Hoso, M, Y Kameda, S-P Wu, T Asami, M Kato, and M Hori. 2010. “A Speciation Gene for Left–Right Reversal in Snails Results in Anti-Predator Adaptation.” Nature Communications 1 (9): 133.

Hutter, C. R., Lambert, S. M., Andriampenomanana, Z. F., Glaw, F., & Vences, M. (2018). Molecular phylogeny and diversification of Malagasy bright-eyed tree frogs (Mantellidae: Boophis). Molecular phylogenetics and evolution.

Kamath, A, and J Losos. 2017. “The Erratic and Contingent Progression of Research on Territoriality: A Case Study.” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 71 (6): 1–13.

Kamath, A, and JB Losos. 2018. “Estimating Encounter Rates as the First Step of Sexual Selection in the Lizard Anolis Sagrei.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 285 (1873): 20172244.

Le Galliard, J. F., Fitze, P. S., Ferrière, R., & Clobert, J. (2005). Sex ratio bias, male aggression, and population collapse in lizards. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(50), 18231-18236.

Sazima, I. (1989). Feeding behavior of the snail-eating snake, Dipsas indica. Journal of Herpetology, 23(4), 464-468.

Other Links/Mentions:

IUCN Redlist: http://www.iucnredlist.org

Rainforest trust: https://www.rainforesttrust.org

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

030 Attack of the Toxic Toads

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 19:03:09 +0100

Generally speaking, toads are laid back, easy-going creatures. But every so often a species will find itself an invader in a new land and wreak total havoc. We discuss one such toad (but not necessarily the one you might think). Of course there is a toad which is brand new to science as well, in our Species of the Bi-Week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Moore, M, JFSN Fidy, and D Edmonds. 2015. “The New Toad in Town: Distribution of the Asian Toad, Duttaphrynus Melanostictus, in the Toamasina Area of Eastern Madagascar.” Tropical Conservation Science 8 (2): 440–55.

Marshall, BM, NR Casewell, M Vences, F Glaw, F Andreone, A Rakotoarison, G Zancolli, F Woog, and W Wüster. 2018. “Widespread Vulnerability of Malagasy Predators to the Toxins of an Introduced Toad.” Current Biology 28 (11): R654–55.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Landestoy T., MA, DB Turner, AB Marion, and SB Hedges. 2018. “A New Species of Caribbean Toad (Bufonidae, Peltophryne) from Southern Hispaniola.” Zootaxa 4403 (3): 523.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Brown, GP, BL Phillips, JK Webb, and R Shine. 2006. “Toad on the Road: Use of Roads as Dispersal Corridors by Cane Toads (Bufo marinus) at an Invasion Front in Tropical Australia.” Biological Conservation 133 (1): 88–94.

Feit, B, CE Gordon, JK Webb, TS Jessop, SW Laffan, T Dempster, and M Letnic. 2018. “Invasive Cane Toads Might Initiate Cascades of Direct and Indirect Effects in a Terrestrial Ecosystem.” Biological Invasions. Springer International Publishing, 1–15.

Jenkins, RKB, A Rabearivelo, CT Chan, WM Andre, R Randrianavelona, and JC Randrianantoandro. 2009. “The Harvest of Endemic Amphibians for Food in Eastern Madagascar.” Tropical Conservation Science 2 (1): 25–33.

Kelly, E, and BL Phillips. 2018. “Targeted Gene Flow and Rapid Adaptation in an Endangered Marsupial.” Conservation Biology, June.

Kuo, H-Y, C-W Hsu, J-H Chen, Y-L Wu, and Y-S Shen. 2007. “Life-Threatening Episode after Ingestion of Toad Eggs: A Case Report with Literature Review.” Emergancy Medecine Journal 24 (3): 215–16.

Llewelyn, J, K Bell, L Schwarzkopf, RA Alford, and R Shine. 2012. “Ontogenetic Shifts in a Prey’s Chemical Defences Influence Feeding Responses of a Snake Predator.” Oecologia 169 (4): 965–73.

O’Shea, M, A Kathriner, S Mecke, C Sanchez, and H Kaiser. 2013. “‘Fantastic Voyage’: A Live Blindsnake (Ramphotyphlops Braminus) Journeys through the Gastrointestinal System of a Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus).” Herpetology Notes 6 (1): 467–70.

Mohammadi, S, Z Gompert, J Gonzalez, H Takeuchi, A Mori, and AH Savitzky. 2016. “Toxin-Resistant Isoforms of Na+/K+-ATPase in Snakes Do Not Closely Track Dietary Specialization on Toads.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283: 20162111.

Phillips, BL, and R Shine. 2004. “Adapting to an Invasive Species: Toxic Cane Toads Induce Morphological Change in Australian Snakes.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 101 (49): 17150–55.

Pramuk, JB, T Robertson, JW Sites, and BP Noonan. 2008. “Around the World in 10 Million Years: Biogeography of the Nearly Cosmopolitan True Toads (Anura: Bufonidae).” Global Ecology and Biogeography 17 (1): 72–83.

Reardon, J. T., Kraus, F., Moore, M., Rabenantenaina, L., Rabinivo, A., Rakotoarisoa, N. H., & Randrianasolo, H. H. (2018). Testing tools for eradicating the invasive toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus in Madagascar. Conservation Evidence 15, 12-19.

Ujvari, B, HC Mun, AD Conigrave, A Bray, J Osterkamp, P Halling, and T Madsen. 2013. “Isolation Breeds Naivety: Island Living Robs Australian Varanid Lizards of Toad-Toxin Immunity via Four-Base-Pair Mutation.” Evolution 67 (1): 289–94.

Ujvari, B, H Mun, AD Conigrave, C Ciofi, and T Madsen. 2014. “Invasive Toxic Prey May Imperil the Survival of an Iconic Giant Lizard, the Komodo Dragon.” Pacific Conservation Biology 20 (4): 363–65.

Ujvari, B, NR Casewell, K Sunagar, K Arbuckle, W Wüster, N Lo, D O’Meally, et al. 2015. “Widespread Convergence in Toxin Resistance by Predictable Molecular Evolution.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112 (38): 11911–11916.

Vences, M, JL Brown, A Lathrop, GM Rosa, A Cameron, A Crottini, R Dolch, et al. 2017. “Tracing a Toad Invasion: Lack of Mitochondrial DNA Variation, Haplotype Origins, and Potential Distribution of Introduced Duttaphrynus melanostictus in Madagascar.” Amphibia-Reptilia 38 (2): 197–207.

Wogan, GOU, BL Stuart, DT Iskandar, and JA McGuire. 2016. “Deep Genetic Structure and Ecological Divergence in a Widespread Human Commensal Toad.” Biology Letters 12 (1): 20150807.

Other Links/Mentions:

CrocFest - www.crocfest.org

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

029 Striking Snakes

Tue, 12 Jun 2018 18:00:00 +0100

Vipers, sedentary and slow, until it matters most. But how fast can vipers strike? And how do other snakes compare? We check out a couple of papers answering these questions this fortnight as well as checking in on another Species of the Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Higham, TE, RW Clark, CE Collins, MD Whitford, and GA Freymiller. 2017. “Rattlesnakes Are Extremely Fast and Variable When Striking at Kangaroo Rats in Nature: Three-Dimensional High-Speed Kinematics at Night.” Scientific Reports 7: 40412.

Penning, DA, B Sawvel, and BR Moon. 2016. “Debunking the Viper’s Strike: Harmless Snakes Kill a Common Assumption.” Biology Letters 12 (3): 20160011.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Wickramasinghe, LJM, DR Vidanapathirana, HKD Kandambi, RA Pyron, and N Wickramasinghe. 2017. “A New Species of Aspidura Wagler, 1830 (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae) from Sri Pada Sanctuary (Peak Wilderness), Sri Lanka.” Zootaxa 4347 (2): 275–92.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Devan-Song, A, P Martelli, D Dudgeon, P Crow, G Ades, and NE Karraker. 2016. “Is Long-Distance Translocation an Effective Mitigation Tool for White-Lipped Pit Vipers (Trimeresurus Albolabris) in South China?” Biological Conservation 204: 212–20.

O’Hanlon, SJ, A Rieux, RA Farrer, GM Rosa, B Waldman, A Bataille, TA Kosch, et al. 2018. “Recent Asian Origin of Chytrid Fungi Causing Global Amphibian Declines.” Science 360 (6389): 621–27.

Rundus, A. S., Owings, D. H., Joshi, S. S., Chinn, E. and Giannini, N. (2007). Ground squirrels
use an infrared signal to deter rattlesnake predation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 104, 14372–
14376.

Schraft, H. A., & Clark, R. W. (2017). Kangaroo rats change temperature when investigating rattlesnake predators. Physiology & behavior, 173, 174-178.

Other Links/Mentions:

Videos from Higham et al. 2017

Snake miss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBEp2LtQwZ8&feature=youtu.be
Rat escapes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCxvIk8wS_8&feature=youtu.be

Rattlesnake falls down hill from Barbour and Clark 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ0EmVnDHkE

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

028 Indigo Snakes

Tue, 29 May 2018 18:00:00 +0100

Some snakes are equal parts impressive and mysterious. The indigo snakes are one such group. In this episode we talk about Drymarchon conservation controversies, and what they like to have for their lunch. Finally, we do an unintended Species of the Bi-week mash up. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Folta, B, J Bauder, S Spear, D Stevenson, M Hoffman, J Oaks, C Jenkins, D Steen, and C Guyer. 2018. “Phylogenetic, Population Genetic, and Morphological Analyses Reveal Evidence for One Species of Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon Couperi).” BioRxiv: 1–56. doi:10.1101/318766.

Goetz, SM, JC Godwin, M Hoffman, F Antonio, and DA Steen. 2018. “Eastern Indigo Snakes Exhibit an Innate Response to Pit Viper Scent and an Ontogenetic Shift in Their Response to Mouse Scent.” Herpetologica 74 (2): 152–58.

Species’ of the Bi-Week:

Kraus, F. (2013). A New Species of Hylophorbus (Anura: Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea. Current Herpetology, 32(2), 102-111.

Kraus, F. 2018. “A New Species of Choerophryne (Anura: Microhylidae) from Papua New Guinea.” Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 32 (2): 102–11.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

de Fraga, R, AP Lima, WE Magnusson, M Ferrão, and AJ Stow. 2017. “Contrasting Patterns of Gene Flow for Amazonian Snakes That Actively Forage and Those That Wait in Ambush.” Journal of Heredity 108 (5): 524–34.

Hyslop, NL, JM Meyers, RJ Cooper, and DJ Stevenson. 2014. “Effects of Body Size and Sex of Drymarchon Couperi (Eastern Indigo Snake) on Habitat Use, Movements, and Home Range Size in Georgia.” Journal of Wildlife Management 78 (1): 101–11.

Krysko, KL, MC Granatosky, LP Nuñez, and DJ Smith. 2016. “A Cryptic New Species of Indigo Snake (Genus Drymarchon) from the Florida Platform of the United States.” Zootaxa 4138 (3): 549.

Krysko, KL, LP Nuñez, CA Lippi, DJ Smith, and MC Granatosky. 2016. “Pliocene–Pleistocene Lineage Diversifications in the Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon Couperi) in the Southeastern United States.” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 98 (May): 111–22.

Strickland, JL, CL Parkinson, JK McCoy, and LK Ammerman. 2014. “Phylogeography of Agkistrodon Piscivorus with Emphasis on the Western Limit of Its Range.” Copeia 2014 (4): 639–49.

Wüster, W, JL Yrausquin, and A Mijares-Urrutia. 2001. “A New Species of Indigo Snake from North-Western Venezuela (Serpentes: Colubridae: Drymarchon).” Herpetological Journal 11 (4): 157–65.

Other Links/Mentions:

T shirts etc: https://www.redbubble.com/people/HerpHighlights?asc=u

https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

027 The Curious Case of the Collapsed Chelonian

Tue, 15 May 2018 18:00:00 +0100

Back to the news niche! This fortnight we’re talking about a collection of papers ranging from crocodile colours to frog personalities, as well as the mysterious death of a tortoise. We finish up with a meta-chat about science podcasting and a brief mention of the crazy future world of in-field laboratories. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

References:

Kelleher, S. R., Silla, A. J., & Byrne, P. G. (2018). Animal personality and behavioral syndromes in amphibians: a review of the evidence, experimental approaches, and implications for conservation. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 72(5), 79.

Leary, C. J., & Crocker‐Buta, S. (2018). Rapid effects of elevated stress hormones on male courtship signals suggest a major role for the acute stress response in intra‐and intersexual selection. Functional Ecology, 32(5), 1214-1226.

Mackenzie, LE. 2018. “Science Podcasts : Analysis of Global Production and Output from 2004 to 2018.” bioRxiv, Preprint. doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/298356.

Merchant, M., Hale, A., Brueggen, J., Harbsmeier, C., & Adams, C. (2018). Crocodiles Alter Skin Color in Response to Environmental Color Conditions. Scientific reports, 8(1), 6174.

Pomerantz, A, N Peñafiel, A Arteaga, L Bustamante, F Pichardo, LA Coloma, CL Barrio-Amorós, D Salazar-Valenzuela, and S Prost. 2018. “Real-Time DNA Barcoding in a Rainforest Using Nanopore Sequencing: Opportunities for Rapid Biodiversity Assessments and Local Capacity Building.” GigaScience 7 (4): 1–14.

Staniewicz, A, U Youngprapakorn, and G Jones. 2018. “First Report of Physiological Color Change in a Crocodilian.” Copeia 106 (2): 264–67. doi:10.1643/CP-17-711.

Urban, MC, BL Phillips, DK Skelly, and R Shine. 2008. “A Toad More Traveled: The Heterogeneous Invasion Dynamics of Cane Toads in Australia.” The American Naturalist 171 (3): E134–48

Ward, M. 2018. “INDOTESTUDO ELONGATA (Elongated Tortoise). UNUSUAL MORTALITY.” Herpetological Review 49 (1): 108–9.

Other Links/Mentions:

T-shirts etc: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

026 Assortment of Anoles

Tue, 01 May 2018 18:00:00 +0100

Long-time friends of herpetologists, anoles have proven a fruitful area of research for decades. This bi-week we discuss a couple of papers examining anole behaviour and colouration before highlighting a newly discovered (and rather spectacular) species.

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Medina, I, JB Losos, and DL Mahler. 2016. “Evolution of Dorsal Pattern Variation in Greater Antillean Anolis Lizards.” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 120 (2): 427–35.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Gray, L, R Meza-lázaro, S Poe, and AN De Oca. 2016. “A New Species of Semiaquatic Anolis (Squamata: Dactyloidae) from Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico.” Herpetological Journal 26 (October): 253–62.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Fidler, F, H Fraser, MA Mccarthy, and ET Game. 2018. “Improving the Transparency of Statistical Reporting in Conservation Letters.” Conservation Letters 11 (e12453): 1–4.

Galdino, CAB, G Horta, and RJ Young. 2014. “An Update to a Bead-Tagging Method for Marking Lizards.” Herpetological Review 45 (4): 587–89.

Kolbe, J. J., Glor, R. E., Schettino, L. R., Lara, A. C., Larson, A., & Losos, J. B. (2004). Genetic variation increases during biological invasion by a Cuban lizard. Nature, 431(7005), 177.

Ríos-Saldaña, CA, M Delibes-Mateos, and C Ferreira. 2018. “Are Fieldwork Studies Being Relegated to Second Place in Conservation Science?” Global Ecology and Conservation, April. Elsevier B.V., e00389.

Toda, M., Takahashi, H., Nakagawa, N., & Sukigara, N. (2010). Ecology and control of the green anole (Anolis carolinensis), an invasive alien species on the Ogasawara Islands. In Restoring the oceanic island ecosystem (pp. 145-152). Springer, Tokyo.

Wuster, W, CSE Allum, IB Bjargardottir, KL Bailey, KJ Dawson, J Guenioui, J Lewis, et al. 2004. “Do Aposematism and Batesian Mimicry Require Bright Colours? A Test, Using European Viper Markings.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 271 (1556): 2495–99.

Other Links/Mentions:

Anole Annals blog: http://www.anoleannals.org/

Wildlife, Cake and Cocktails podcast: https://www.facebook.com/WildlifeCakeCocktails/

Morelia Python Radio podcast: http://www.moreliapythonradio.com/

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

025 Return of the Invertebrates

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 18:00:00 +0100

We back for another invertebrate versus amphibian episode. But this time we’re focusing on carabid beetles and their relentless consumption all amphibian life. They have managed to turn the tables on their would be predator in a remarkable case of role-reversal. Species of the Bi-week is a beautiful frog with a fittingly macabre name. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Wizen, G., and A. Gasith. 2011. “Predation of amphibians by carabid beetles of the genus Epomis found in the central coastal plain of Israel.” Zookeys 100: 181–191.

Wizen, G., and A. Gasith. 2011. “An unprecedented role reversal: Ground beetle larvae (Coleoptera: Carabidae) lure amphibians and prey upon them.” PLoS One 6: 1–6.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Dias, I. R., C. F. B. Haddad, A. J. S. Argôlo, and V. G. D. Orrico. 2017. “The 100th: An appealing new species of Dendropsophus (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae) from northeastern Brazil R. Castiglia.” PLoS One 12: e0171678.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Barkai A, McQuaid C (1988) Predator–prey role reversal in marine benthic ecosystems. Science 242: 62–64.

Beckmann, C, and R Shine. 2011. “Toad’s Tongue for Breakfast: Exploitation of a Novel Prey Type, the Invasive Cane Toad, by Scavenging Raptors in Tropical Australia.” Biological Invasions 13 (6): 1447–55.

Brodie Jr., ED. 1977. “Hedgehogs Use Toad Venom in Their Own Defence.” Nature 268 (5621): 627–28.

Choh, Y., Takabayashi, J., Sabelis, M. W., & Janssen, A. (2014). Witnessing predation can affect strength of counterattack in phytoseiids with ontogenetic predator–prey role reversal. Animal Behaviour, 93, 9-13.

Escoriza, D., L. Mestre, G. Pascual, and J. Buse. 2017. “First case of attack of an adult Bufo spinosus Daudin, 1803 by a carabid beetle larva of Epomis circumscriptus (Duftschmid, 1812).” Bol. Asoc. Herpetol. Esp. 28: 2006–2008.

Petschenka, G, S Fandrich, N Sander, V Wagschal, M Boppré, and S Dobler. 2013. “Stepwise Evolution of Resistance to Toxic Cardenolides via Genetic Substitutions in the Na+/K+-ATPase of Milkweed Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Danaini).” Evolution 67 (9): 2753–61.

Scudder, GGE, and J Meredith. 1982. “The Permeability of the Midgut of Three Insects to Cardiac Glycosides.” Journal of Insect Physiology 28 (8): 689–94.

Ujvari, B, NR Casewell, K Sunagar, K Arbuckle, W Wüster, N Lo, D O’Meally, et al. 2015. “Widespread Convergence in Toxin Resistance by Predictable Molecular Evolution.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112 (38): 11911–11916.

Wilson, NJ, AN Stokes, GR Hopkins, ED Brodie, Jr., and CR Williams. 2014. “Functional and Physiological Resistance of Crayfish to Amphibian Toxins: Tetrodotoxin Resistance in the White River Crayfish (Procambarus Acutus).” Canadian Journal of Zoology 92 (11): 939–45.

Voyles, J, DC Woodhams, V Saenz, AQ Byrne, R Perez, G Rios-sotelo, MJ Ryan, et al. 2018. “Shifts in Disease Dynamics in a Tropical Amphibian Assemblage Are Not due to Pathogen Attenuation.” Science 359: 1517–19.

Other Links/Mentions:

Epomis circumscriptus attacking and preying upon Bufo viridis – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFJ_CXJ0qPo

Epomis circumscriptus attacking and preying upon Hyla savignyi – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMkFb5n97cU

Trophic interactions between Epomis adults and Triturus vittatus – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA46dbEpluI

Videos from Wizen and Gasith 2011 PLoS One – http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0025161

Photos from paper two: http://www.tau.ac.il/lifesci/departments/zoology/Amphibia/new.html

Rats vs toads: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukargs/permalink/2092225931007478/

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

024 News Niche - Crabs and p-values

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 18:00:00 +0100

This bi-week we decided to do things a little differently. No main theme, we just read random stuff and chatted about it. Featuring some exciting new developments in the crab vs snake continuum, and some methodological issues to keep an eye on. Huge thank you to our Patreons - if you enjoy the podcast please consider donating at www.patreon.com/herphighlights

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

References:

Akçakaya, H. Resit, Elizabeth L. Bennett, Thomas M. Brooks, Molly K. Grace, Anna Heath, Simon Hedges, Craig Hilton-Taylor, et al. 2018. “Quantifying Species Recovery and Conservation Success to Develop an IUCN Green List of Species.” Conservation Biology, 1–15.

Alexander, G. J. Reproductive biology and maternal care of neonates in southern African python (Python natalensis). Journal of Zoology. IN PRESS

Dolia, Jignasu. 2018. “Notes on the Distribution and Natural History of the King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah Cantor, 1836) from the Kumaon Hills of Uttarakhand, India.” Herpetology Notes 11:217–22.

Fraser, Hannah, Timothy H. Parker, Shinichi Nakagawa, Ashley Barnett, and Fiona Fidler. 2018. “Questionable Research Practices in Ecology and Evolution.” Pre-Print. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/AJYQG.

Garnett, S. T., & Christidis, L. (2017). Taxonomy anarchy hampers conservation. Nature News, 546(7656), 25.

Jayne, B. C., Voris, H. K., & Ng, P. K. (2018). How big is too big? Using crustacean-eating snakes (Homalopsidae) to test how anatomy and behaviour affect prey size and feeding performance. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 123(3), 636-650.

Loss, Scott R., and Peter P. Marra. 2018. “Merchants of Doubt in the Free-Ranging Cat Conflict.” Conservation Biology 32 (2):265–66.

Thomson, Scott A., Richard L. Pyle, Shane T. Ahyong, Miguel Alonso-Zarazaga, Joe Ammirati, Juan Francisco Araya, John S. Ascher, et al. 2018. “Taxonomy Based on Science Is Necessary for Global Conservation.” PLOS Biology 16 (3):e2005075.

Other Links/Mentions:

Video of Pareas carinatus eating a snail - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcis86ZSwhE

Supplementary material from Alexander 2018 (including videos of baby pythons): https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jzo.12554

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

023 Some smooth, some grassy, all hungry

Tue, 20 Mar 2018 17:00:00 +0000

We kick off this episode with the announcement of our move onto Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights . Research chat this time is all British snakes. We may not have the most extensive array of snake-life in the Britain, but that doesn't mean that there can’t be some exciting herpetofaunal research. This fortnight we are looking at a couple of papers on smooth and grass snakes. And a slight change to the Species of the Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Reading, C, and G Jofré. 2013. “Diet Composition Changes Correlated with Body Size in the Smooth Snake, Coronella Austriaca, Inhabiting Lowland Heath in Southern England.” Amphibia-Reptilia 34 (4): 463–70.

Sewell, D, JMR Baker, and RA Griffiths. 2015. “Population Dynamics of Grass Snakes (Natrix natrix) at a Site Restored for Amphibian Reintroduction.” Herpetological Journal 25 (July): 155–61.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Kindler, C, M Chèvre, S Ursenbacher, W Böhme, A Hille, D Jablonski, M Vamberger, and U Fritz. 2017. “Hybridization Patterns in Two Contact Zones of Grass Snakes Reveal a New Central European Snake Species.” Scientific Reports 7 (1): 1–12.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Buckley, J, and J Foster. 2005. “Reintroduction Strategy for the Pool Frog Rana Lessonae in England.” English Nature Research Report.

Glaudas, X, and GJ Alexander, 2017. “Food supplementation affects the foraging ecology of a low-energy, ambush-foraging snake.” Behavioral ecology and sociobiology, 71(1), 5.

Glaudas, X, TC Kearney, and GJ Alexander. 2017. “Museum specimens bias measures of snake diet: a case study using the ambush-foraging puff adder (Bitis arietans).” Herpetologica, 73(2), 121-128.

Madsen, T. 1984. “Movements, Home Range Size and Habitat Use of Radio-Tracked Grass Snakes (Natrix Natrix) in Southern Sweden.” Copeia 1984 (3): 707–13.

Reading, CJ, and GM Jofré. 2009. “Habitat Selection and Range Size of Grass Snakes Natrix natrix in an Agricultural Landscape in Southern England.” Amphibia-Reptilia 30 (3): 379–88.

Wasko, DK, and M Sasa. 2012. “Food Resources Influence Spatial Ecology, Habitat Selection, and Foraging Behavior in an Ambush-Hunting Snake (Viperidae: Bothrops Asper): An Experimental Study.” Zoology 115 (3): 179–87.

Wisler, C, U Hofer, and R Arlettaz. 2008. “Snakes and Monocultures: Habitat Selection and Movements of Female Grass Snakes (Natrix natrix l.) in an Agricultural Landscape.” Journal of Herpetology 42 (2): 337–46.

Thomson, SA, RL Pyle, ST Ahyong, M Alonso-Zarazaga, J Ammirati, JF Araya, JS Ascher, et al. 2018. “Taxonomy Based on Science Is Necessary for Global Conservation.” PLOS Biology 16 (3): e2005075.

Other Links/Mentions:

The grass snake and the frog video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sa_G9Hhf3o

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

022 The Ebb and Flow of Water Snakes

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 17:00:00 +0000

Unsurprisingly, water snakes love water. But what happens when this precious resource dries out? This week we discuss the effects of drought on various American water snakes, and pay homage to a newly described Mesoamerican snake. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Rose, JP, and BD Todd. 2017. “Demographic Effects of Prolonged Drought on a Nascent Introduction of a Semi-Aquatic Snake.” Biological Invasions 19 (10): 2885–98. doi:10.1007/s10530-017-1491-4.

Vogrinc, PN, AM Durso, CT Winne, and JD Willson. 2018. “Landscape-Scale Effects of Supra-Seasonal Drought on Semi-Aquatic Snake Assemblages.” Wetlands.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Campbell, JA. 2015. “A New Species of Rhadinella (Serpentes: Colubridae) from the Pacific Versant of Oaxaca, Mexico.” Zootaxa 3918 (3): 397.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Brown, GP, and PJ Weatherhead. 1999. “Growth and Sexual Size Dimorphism in Northern Water Snakes (Nerodia Sipedon).” Copeia 1999 (3): 723.

Fernández, M., Hamilton, H., Alvarez, O., & Guo, Q. (2012). Does adding multi-scale climatic variability improve our capacity to explain niche transferability in invasive species?. Ecological modelling, 246, 60-67.

Fuller, TE, KL Pope, DT Ashton, and HH Welsh. 2011. “Linking the Distribution of an Invasive Amphibian (Rana Catesbeiana) to Habitat Conditions in a Managed River System in Northern California.” Restoration Ecology 19 (201): 204–13.

King, RB, JM Ray, and KM Stanford. 2006. “Gorging on Gobies: Beneficial Effects of Alien Prey on a Threatened Vertebrate.” Canadian Journal of Zoology 84 (1): 108–15.

Mahoney, P. J. et al. (2015) ‘Introduction effort, climate matching and species traits as predictors of global establishment success in non-native reptiles’, Diversity and Distributions, 21(1), pp. 64–74.

Mazzotti, F. J., Cherkiss, M. S., Hart, K. M., Snow, R. W., Rochford, M. R., Dorcas, M. E., & Reed, R. N. (2011). Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida. Biological Invasions, 13(1), 143-151.

McClelland, P, JT Reardon, F Kraus, CJ Raxworthy, and C Randrianantoandro. 2015. “Asian Toad Eradication Feasibility Report for Madagascar.” Te Anau, New Zealand.

Pounds, JA, MPL Fogden, and JH Campbell. 1999. “Biological Response to Climate Change on a Tropical Mountain.” Nature 398 (6728): 611–15.

Rose, JP, and BD Todd. 2014. “Projecting Invasion Risk of Non-Native Watersnakes (Nerodia Fasciata and Nerodia Sipedon) in the Western United States.” Edited by Benedikt R. Schmidt. PLoS ONE 9 (6): e100277.

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

021 Frugivorous Monitors

Tue, 20 Feb 2018 17:00:00 +0000

Monitor lizards are renowned savengers... or so is widely thought. There are a few species that have cast aside the scavenger ways of their compatriots, opting for more relaxed arboreal lifestyles, spending their days high in the tree tops foraging for fruit. These frugivorous monitor lizards are are joined by a serpentine Species of the Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Bennett, D. 2014. “The Arboreal Foraging Behavior of the Frugivorous Monitor Lizard Varanus Olivaceus on Polillo Island.” Biawak 8 (1): 15–18.

Law, SJ, SR De Kort, D Bennett, and M Van Weerd. 2016. “Morphology, Activity Area, and Movement Patterns of the Frugivorous Monitor Lizard Varanus Bitatawa.” Herpetological Conservation and Biology 11 (3): 467–75.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Brown, RM, U Smart, AE Leviton, and EN Smith. 2018. “A New Species of Long-Glanded Coralsnake of the Genus Calliophis (Squamata: Elapidae) from Dinagat Island, with Notes on the Biogeography and Species Diversity of Philippine Calliophis and Hemibungarus.” Herpetologica 74 (1): 89–104.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Bennett, D. 2014. “A Dubious Account of Breeding Varanus Olivaceus in Captivity at the Paradise Reptile Zoo in Mindoro, Philippines.” Biawak 8 (1): 12–14.

Bennett, D, and T Clements. 2014. “The Use of Passive Infrared Camera Trapping Systems in the Study of Frugivorous Monitor Lizards.” Biawak 8 (1): 19–30.

Gunawardena, S. A. 2016. “Forensic Significance of Monitor Lizard Scavenging Activity on Human Corpses.” Biawak 10 (2): 45-47.

Koch, A., and E. Arida. 2017. “A coconut-eating monitor lizard? On an unusual case of frugivory in the melanistic Sulawesi water monitor (Varanus togianus).” Herpetological Bulletin 139: 41.

Sugiura, S, and T Sato. 2018. “Successful Escape of Bombardier Beetles from Predator Digestive Systems.” Biology Letters 14 (2): 20170647.

Sy, E. Y. 2012. “First record of Varanus bitatawa in the Philippine pet trade.” Biawak 6 (2): 73.

Other Links/Mentions:

Smallest monitor lizard article/video: http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/creatura-blog/2015/05/australian-lizard-the-worlds-smallest-monitor

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

020 The Magnificent Vipers

Tue, 06 Feb 2018 17:00:00 +0000

Vipers, vipers everywhere. In this episode we muddle our way through some venom research, and learn about the methods employed working out how widespread bushmasters are. Species of the bi-week is a frankly outstanding forest dweller from Costa Rica.

If you enjoy our podcast please vote for us for Reader's Radio Show of the Year on the Reptile Report! http://awards.thereptilereport.com/radio-show-of-the-year-2017/

FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

González-Maya, José F., Fernando Castañeda, Rufino González, Jesús Pacheco, and Gerardo Ceballos. 2014. “Distribution, Range Extension, and Conservation of the Endemic Black-Headed Bushmaster (Lachesis melanocephala) in Costa Rica and Panama.” Herpetological Conservation and Biology 9 (2):369–77.

Roodt, Adolfo Rafael de, Leslie Victoria Boyer, Laura Cecilia Lanari, Lucia Irazu, Rodrigo Daniel Laskowicz, Paula Leticia Sabattini, and Carlos Fabián Damin. 2016. “Venom Yield and Its Relationship with Body Size and Fang Separation of Pit Vipers from Argentina.” Toxicon 121 (October):22–29.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Doan, Tiffany M., Andrew J. Mason, Todd A. Castoe, Mahmood Sasa, and Christopher L. Parkinson. 2016. “A Cryptic Palm-Pitviper Species (Squamata: Viperidae: Bothriechis) from the Costa Rican Highlands, with Notes on the Variation within B. Nigroviridis.” Zootaxa 4138 (2):271.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Dias, Lourdes, Mariana A.P. Rodrigues, André L. Rennó, Alessandra Stroka, Bruna R. Inoue, Patrícia C. Panunto, Anibal R. Melgarejo, and Stephen Hyslop. 2016. “Hemodynamic Responses to Lachesis Muta (South American Bushmaster) Snake Venom in Anesthetized Rats.” Toxicon 123 (December):1–14.

Fenwick, A. M., Gutberlet, R. L., Evans, J. A., & Parkinson, C. L. (2009). Morphological and molecular evidence for phylogeny and classification of South American pitvipers, genera Bothrops, Bothriopsis, and Bothrocophias (Serpentes: Viperidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 156(3), 617-640.

Maritz, Bryan, Johannes Penner, Marcio Martins, Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailović, Stephen Spear, Laura R.V. Alencar, Jesús Sigala-Rodriguez, et al. 2016. “Identifying Global Priorities for the Conservation of Vipers.” Biological Conservation 204:94–102.

Quillfeldt, Petra, Jan O. Engler, Janet R.D. Silk, and Richard A. Phillips. 2017. “Influence of Device Accuracy and Choice of Algorithm for Species Distribution Modelling of Seabirds: A Case Study Using Black-Browed Albatrosses.” Journal of Avian Biology 48 (12):1549–55.

Rogalski, Aymeric, Christoffer Soerensen, Bianca op den Brouw, Callum Lister, Daniel Dashevsky, Kevin Arbuckle, Alexandra Gloria, et al. 2017. “Differential Procoagulant Effects of Saw-Scaled Viper (Serpentes: Viperidae: Echis ) Snake Venoms on Human Plasma and the Narrow Taxonomic Ranges of Antivenom Efficacies.” Toxicology Letters 280 (June):159–70.

Other Links/Mentions:

Birds deliberately spreading fire – Bonta, Mark, Robert Gosford, Dick Eussen, Nathan Ferguson, Erana Loveless, and Maxwell Witwer. 2017. “Intentional Fire-Spreading by ‘Firehawk’ Raptors in Northern Australia.” Journal of Ethnobiology 37 (4):700–718. https://doi.org/10.2993/0278-0771-37.4.700.

Orca talking, The Guardian – https://youtu.be/hqB1jRVw7Bw

Bushmaster video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hIERce2M30

King cobra vs reticulated python photo – https://www.facebook.com/TheReptileReport/posts/1469028556542349

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

019 Invertebrates Strike Back

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 17:00:00 +0000

We usually think of invertebrates as a frog’s favourite meal. But in this episode we explore the times when the tables turn and frogs fall victim to mighty invertebrates. Except for the Accra snake-necked frog, they have an ingenious way of avoiding invertebrate conflict. Species of the Bi-week features a double-bill of tree frogs. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Jablonski, Daniel. 2015. “Predation on Pristimantis ridens (Cope, 1866) by a Wandering Spider (Ctenidae Keyserling, 1877) in Mountain Cloud Forest of Costa Rica.” Herpetology Notes 8:1–3.

Luiz, Amom Mendes, Thiago Augusto Pires, Victor Dimitrov, and Ricardo Jannini Sawaya. 2013. “Predation on Tadpole of Itapotihyla langsdorffii (Anura: Hylidae) by the Semi-Aquatic Spider Thaumasia Sp. (Araneae: Pisauridae) in the Atlantic Forest, Southeastern Brazil.” Herpetology Notes 6 (1):451–52.

Rödel, Mark Oliver, Christian Brede, Mareike Hirschfeld, Thomas Schmitt, Philippe Favreau, Reto Stöcklin, Cora Wunder, and Dietrich Mebs. 2013. “Chemical Camouflage - A Frog’s Strategy to Co-Exist with Aggressive Ants.” PLoS ONE 8 (12).

Species of the Bi-Week:

Rivadeneira, C. Daniel, Pablo J. Venegas, and Santiago R. Ron. 2018. “Species Limits within the Widespread Amazonian Treefrog Dendropsophus Parviceps with Descriptions of Two New Species (Anura, Hylidae).” ZooKeys 726:25–77.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Menin, Marcelo, Domingos de Jesus Rodrigues, and Clarissa Salette de Azevedo. 2005. “Predation on Amphibians by Spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) in the Neotropical Region.” Phyllomedusa 4 (1):39–47.

Miranda, Everton B. P. de. 2017. “The Plight of Reptiles as Ecological Actors in the Tropics.” Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 5:159.

Rödel MO, Braun U (1999) Associations between anurans and ants in a West African savanna (Anura: Microhylidae, Hyperoliidae, and Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Biotropica 31: 178–183.

Toledo, L. F. (2005). Predation of juvenile and adult anurans by invertebrates: current knowledge and perspectives. Herpetological Review, 36(4), 395-399.

Vrcibradic, Davor, Rogério L. Teixeira, and Vitor N.T. Borges-Júnior. 2009. “Sexual Dimorphism, Reproduction and Diet of the Casque-Headed Treefrog Itapotihyla Langsdorffii (Hylidae: Lophiohylini).” Journal of Natural History 43 (35–36):2245–56.

Ward-Fear, Georgia, Gregory P. Brown, Matthew J. Greenlees, and Richard Shine. 2009. “Maladaptive Traits in Invasive Species: In Australia, Cane Toads Are More Vulnerable to Predatory Ants than Are Native Frogs.” Functional Ecology 23 (3):559–68.

Ward-Fear, Georgia, Gregory P. Brown, and Richard Shine. 2010. “Factors Affecting the Vulnerability of Cane Toads (Bufo Marinus) to Predation by Ants.” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 99 (4):738–51.

Other Links/Mentions:

Videos of Paltothyreus tarsatus ignoring Phrynomantis microps from Rödel et al. 2013 – http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0081950

EDGE of Existence programme – https://www.edgeofexistence.org

Music – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

018 Big Trouble in Little Chameleons

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 17:00:00 +0000

There is no denying that chameleons are fascinating lizards, but why should the tree-dwelling ones get all the credit? In this episode we unearth some recent discoveries concerning Brookesia and friends, as well as taking a look at the world's shortest lived tetrapod, Labord's chameleon. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Miller, C. 2017. “Morphological and Roosting Variation in the Dwarf Chameleon Brookesia Stumpffi Between Primary, Secondary, and Degraded Habitats in Nosy Be, Madagascar.” Herpetological Conservation and Biology 12 (3): 599–605.

Eckhardt, F, PM Kappeler, and C Kraus. 2017. “Highly Variable Lifespan in an Annual Reptile, Labord’s Chameleon (Furcifer Labordi).” Scientific Reports 7 (1): 11397.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Branch, WR, J Bayliss, and KA Tolley. 2014. “Pygmy Chameleons of the Rhampholeon Platyceps Compex (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae): Description of Four New Species from Isolated ‘sky Islands’ of Northern Mozambique.” Zootaxa 3814 (1): 1–36.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Andrews, R. M., & Donoghue, S. (2004). Effects of temperature and moisture on embryonic diapause of the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus). Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology, 301(8), 629-635.

Aubret, F, R Shine, and X Bonnet. 2004. “Adaptive Developmental Plasticity in Snakes.” Nature 431 (7006): 261–62.

Glaw, F., Köhler, J., Townsend, T. M., & Vences, M. (2012). Rivaling the world's smallest reptiles: discovery of miniaturized and microendemic new species of leaf chameleons (Brookesia) from northern Madagascar. PLoS One, 7(2), e31314.

Karsten, K. B., Andriamandimbiarisoa, L. N., Fox, S. F., & Raxworthy, C. J. (2008). A unique life history among tetrapods: an annual chameleon living mostly as an egg. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(26), 8980-8984.

Losos, JB, KI Warheitt, and TW Schoener. 1997. “Adaptive Differentiation Following Experimental Island Colonization in Anolis Lizards.” Nature. 387.

Lucas, J, E Gora, and A Alonso. 2017. “A View of the Global Conservation Job Market and How to Succeed in It.” Conservation Biology 31 (6): 1223–31.

Raxworthy, CJ, MRJ Forstner, and RA Nussbaum. 2002. “Chameleon Radiation by Oceanic Dispersal.” Nature 415 (6873): 784–87.

Riedel, J., Boehme, W., Bleckmann, H., & Spinner, M. (2015). Microornamentation of leaf chameleons (Chamaeleonidae: Brookesia, Rhampholeon, and Rieppeleon)—with comments on the evolution of microstructures in the chamaeleonidae. Journal of morphology, 276(2), 167-184.

Tessa, G., Glaw, F., & Andreone, F. (2017). Longevity in Calumma parsonii, the World's largest chameleon. Experimental gerontology, 89, 41-44.

Music – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

017 ANACONDAS

Tue, 26 Dec 2017 17:00:00 +0000

This week’s episode is all about the bulkiest snake beast of them all – the ANACONDA. First we look into what neonate anacondas get up to. Then move onto a paper that investigates the human-anaconda conflict across South America (spoiler: people don’t like monster snakes). In lieu of a newly discovered anaconda we discuss a snake with a strange tail in Species of Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Rivas, Jesús A., Cesar R. Molina, Sarah J. Corey, and G. M. Burghardt. 2016. “Natural History of Neonatal Green Anacondas (Eunectes Murinus): A Chip Off the Old Block.” Copeia 104 (2): 402–10.

Miranda, Everton B P, Raimundo P Ribeiro-, and Christine Strüssmann. 2016. “The Ecology of Human-Anaconda Conflict: A Study Using Internet Videos.” Tropical Conservation Science 9 (1): 43–77.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Aengals, R., and S. R. Ganesh. 2013. "Rhinophis goweri-a new species of Shieldtail snake from the southern Eastern Ghats, India." Russian Journal of Herpetology 20 (1): 61-65.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

De la Quintana, Paola, Jesús A. Rivas, Federico Valdivia, and Luis F. Pacheco. 2017. "Home range and habitat use of Beni anacondas (Eunectes beniensis) in Bolivia." Amphibia-Reptilia 38 (4): 547-553.

Denny, MW, BL Lockwood, and GN Somero. 2009. “Can the Giant Snake Predict Palaeoclimate?” Nature 460 (7255): E3–4.

Gans, Carl, Herbert C. Dessauer, and Dusan Baic. 1978. "Axial differences in the musculature of uropeltid snakes: the freight-train approach to burrowing." Science 199 (4325): 189-192.

Head, JJ, JI Bloch, AK Hastings, JR Bourque, EA Cadena, FA Herrera, PD Polly, and CA Jaramillo. 2009. “Head et Al. Reply.” Nature 460 (7255): E4–5.

Head, JJ, JI Bloch, AK Hastings, JR Bourque, EA Cadena, FA Herrera, PD Polly, and CA Jaramillo. 2009. “Giant Boid Snake from the Palaeocene Neotropics Reveals Hotter Past Equatorial Temperatures.” Nature 457 (7230). Nature Publishing Group: 715–17.

Headland, TN, and HW Greene. 2011. “Hunter-Gatherers and Other Primates as Prey, Predators, and Competitors of Snakes.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108 (52): 1470–74.

Makarieva, AM, VG Gorshkov, and B-L Li. 2009. “Re-Calibrating the Snake Palaeothermometer.” Nature 460 (7255): E2–3.

Maritz, B, J Penner, M Martins, J Crnobrnja-Isailović, S Spear, LRV Alencar, J Sigala-Rodriguez, et al. 2016. “Identifying Global Priorities for the Conservation of Vipers.” Biological Conservation 204: 94–102.

Milanesi, P, FT Breiner, F Puopolo, and R Holderegger. 2017. “European Human-Dominated Landscapes Provide Ample Space for the Recolonization of Large Carnivore Populations under Future Land Change Scenarios.” Ecography 40: 1359–68.

Moleón, M, JA Sánchez-Zapata, JM Gil-Sánchez, JM Barea-Azcón, E Ballesteros-Duperón, and E Virgós. 2011. “Laying the Foundations for a Human-Predator Conflict Solution: Assessing the Impact of Bonelli’s Eagle on Rabbits and Partridges.” PLoS ONE 6 (7).

Natusch, D. J., and J. A. Lyons. 2012. "Relationships between ontogenetic changes in prey selection, head shape, sexual maturity, and colour in an Australasian python (Morelia viridis)." Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 107 (2): 269-276.

O'Shea, Mark, Steve Slater, Rebecca Scott, Sarah A. Smith, Katie McDonald, Bob Lawrence and Marie Kubiak. 2016. “Eunectes murinus (Green Anaconda) Reproduction / Facultative parthenogenesis.” Herpetological Review 47 (1): 73

Pike, DA, L Pizzatto, BA Pike, and R Shine. 2008. “Estimating Survival Rates of Uncatchable Animals: The Myth of High Juvenile Mortality in Reptiles.” Ecology 89 (3): 607–11.

Potts, JM, ST Buckland, L Thomas, and A Savage. 2012. “Estimating Abundance of Cryptic but Trappable Animals Using Trapping Point Transects: A Case Study for Key Largo Woodrats.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 3 (4): 695–703.

Sniderman, JMK. 2009. “Biased Reptilian Palaeothermometer?” Nature 460 (7255): E1–2.

Strimple, P. D. 1993. “Overview of the natural history of the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus).” Herpetological Natural History, 1(1): 25-35.

Waller T., Micucci P., Alvarenga E. 2007. Conservation biology of the yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) in northeastern Argentina. In: Biology of the boas and pythons. Henderson R.W. and Powell R. (Eds). Eagle Mountain Publishing, Utah

Other Links/Mentions:

Uropeltidae blog - http://snakesarelong.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/shield-tailed-snakes-uropeltidae.html

Harry Greene. Primates And Snakes, 75 Million Years Of Deadly Dialogue? - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/primates-and-snakes-75-million-years-of-deadly-dialogue-video/

Sami Asad’s. Frogs and deforestation, Science Slam Talk - https://youtu.be/7pvwtaZPicI

Music – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

016 Slimy Salamander Sociality

Tue, 12 Dec 2017 17:00:00 +0000

Salamanders feature in episode 16, especially North American ones. We chat about the unusual inheritance strategies of Ambystoma, and territorial behaviour and polymorphism (multiple colour patterns) of red-backed salamanders. There will of course be a slippery surprise in our Species of the Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Bogart, James P., Jessica E. Linton, and Al Sandilands. 2017. “A Population in Limbo: Unisexual Salamanders (Genus Ambystoma) Decline without Sperm-Donating Species.” Herpetological Conservation and Biology 12 (1): 41–55.

Reiter, M. K., Anthony, C. D., & Hickerson, C. A. M. (2014). Territorial behavior and ecological divergence in a polymorphic salamander. Copeia, 2014(3), 481-488.

Species of the Bi-week:

Mccranie, J. R., & Rovito, S. M. (2014). New species of salamander (Caudata: Plethodontidae: Cryptotriton) from Quebrada Cataguana, Francisco Morazán, Honduras, with comments on the taxonomic status of Cryptotriton wakei. Zootaxa, 3795(1), 61-70.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Bi, K, and JP Bogart. 2010. “Time and Time Again: Unisexual Salamanders (Genus Ambystoma) Are the Oldest Unisexual Vertebrates.” BMC Evolutionary Biology 10: 238. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-10-238.

Cleveland, WS, and R McGill. 1984. “Graphical Perceptions: Theory, Experimentation, and Application to the Development of Graphical Methods.” Journal of the American Statistical Association 79 (387): 531–54.

Petruzzi, EE, PH Niewiarowski, and FB-G Moore. 2006. “The Role of Thermal Niche Selection in Maintenance of a Colour Polymorphism in Redback Salamanders (Plethodon Cinereus).” Frontiers in Zoology 3: 10. doi:10.1186/1742-9994-3-10.

Verrell, P. A., & Krenz, J. D. (1998). Competition for mates in the mole salamander, Ambystoma talpoideum: tactics that may maximize male mating success. Behaviour, 135(2), 121-138.

Music: Treehouse by Ed Nelson

The Interviews 002 - Steve Allain

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 17:00:00 +0000

Tom caught up with renowned amphibian man and Imperial College master's student Steve Allain at Venom Day 2017 at Bangor University. Steve's midwife toad project features heavily, along with his upcoming master's research and general amphibian happenings.

Steve's twitter: https://twitter.com/stevoallain

Steve's blog: http://bioweb.ie/author/steven/

015 Serpents of the Sea

Tue, 28 Nov 2017 17:00:00 +0000

Snakes of the sea. Yellow, striped, you name it. We look into some factors changing their colours, and how has the yellow-bellied sea snake become so widespread? Another Species of the Bi-week that’s entirely yellow but not entirely a species. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Brischoux, François, Cédric Cotté, Harvey B. Lillywhite, Frédéric Bailleul, Maxime Lalire, and Philippe Gaspar. 2016. “Oceanic Circulation Models Help to Predict Global Biogeography of Pelagic Yellow- Bellied Sea Snake.” Biology Letters 12: 6–9.

Goiran, Claire, Paco Bustamante, and Richard Shine. 2017. “Industrial Melanism in the Seasnake Emydocephalus Annulatus.” Current Biology. 1–4.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Bessesen, Brooke L., and Gary J. Galbreath. 2017. “A New Subspecies of Sea Snake, Hydrophis Platurus Xanthos, from Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica.” ZooKeys 686: 109–23.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Bonnet, Xavier, Marine J. Briand, François Brischoux, Yves Letourneur, Thomas Fauvel, and Paco Bustamante. 2014. “Anguilliform Fish Reveal Large Scale Contamination by Mine Trace Elements in the Coral Reefs of New Caledonia.” Science of the Total Environment 470–471. Elsevier B.V.: 876–82.

Chatelain, M., J. Gasparini, L. Jacquin, and A. Frantz. 2014. “The Adaptive Function of Melanin-Based Plumage Coloration to Trace Metals.” Biology Letters 10 (3): 20140164.

Cook, Timothée R., Xavier Bonnet, T. Fauvel, Richard Shine, and François Brischoux. 2016. "Foraging behaviour and energy budgets of sea snakes: insights from implanted data loggers." Journal of Zoology 298(2): 82-93.

Lillywhite, Harvey B., Coleman M. Sheehy Iii, François Brischoux, and Joseph B. Pfaller. 2015 "On the abundance of a pelagic sea snake." Journal of Herpetology 49(2): 184-189.

Pickwell, George V. 1971. "Knotting and coiling behavior in the pelagic sea snake Pelamis platurus (L.)." Copeia 1971(2): 348-350.

Reading, C. J., L. M. Luiselli, G. C. Akani, X. Bonnet, G. Amori, J. M. Ballouard, E. Filippi, G. Naulleau, D. Pearson, and L. Rugiero. 2010. “Are Snake Populations in Widespread Decline?” Biology Letters 6: 777–80.

Sanders, Kate L., Michael SY Lee, Terry Bertozzi, and Arne R. Rasmussen. 2013. "Multilocus phylogeny and recent rapid radiation of the viviparous sea snakes (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae)." Molecular phylogenetics and evolution 66(3): 575-591.

Shine, R., R. Reed, S. Shetty, and H. Cogger. 2002. "Relationships between sexual dimorphism and niche partitioning within a clade of sea-snakes (Laticaudinae)." Oecologia 133(1): 45-53.

Shine, Richard, Terri Shine, James M. Shine, and Benjamin G. Shine. 2005. “Synchrony in Capture Dates Suggests Cryptic Social Organization in Sea Snakes (Emydocephalus Annulatus, Hydrophiidae).” Austral Ecology 30 (7): 805–11.

Other Links/Mentions:

Yellow bellied sea snakes ‘knotting’ and feeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meGFcJ03bg0

iHerp Magazine Issue 3: https://view.joomag.com/iherp-australia-issue-3/0682664001501470952

Music – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

014 Crocs

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 20:08:27 +0000

Crocodylians have been around for a while and they know what they’re doing. In this episode we discuss what they do when they’re ticked off, and how the massive, fascinating, and largely unknown Tomistoma is getting on in SE Asia. As always, we end on a new species, and this time it’s a fractious new species of something crocodile-like. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Brien, Matthew L., Jeffrey W. Lang, Grahame J. Webb, Colin Stevenson, and Keith A. Christian. 2013. “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Agonistic Behaviour in Juvenile Crocodilians.” PLoS ONE 8 (12).

Stuebing, R., R. Sommerlad, and A. Staniewicz. 2015. “Conservation of the Sunda Gharial Tomistoma Schlegelii in Lake Mesangat, Indonesia.” International Zoo Yearbook 49 (1): 137–49.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Foffa, Davide, Mark T. Young, Stephen L. Brusatte, Mark R. Graham, and Lorna Steel. 2017. “A New Metriorhynchid Crocodylomorph from the Oxford Clay Formation (Middle Jurassic) of England, with Implications for the Origin and Diversification of Geosaurini.” Journal of Systematic Palaeontology: 1–21.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Brochu, Christopher A. 2001. “Crocodylian Snouts in Space and Time: Phylogenetic Approaches Toward Adaptive Radiation.” American Zoologist 41 (November): 564–85.

Brown, Gregory, Richard Shine, Ruchira Somaweera, and Jonathan Webb. 2011. “Hatchling Australian Freshwater Crocodiles Rapidly Learn to Avoid Toxic Invasive Cane Toads.” Behaviour 148: 501–17.

Courchamp, Franck, and Corey J A Bradshaw. 2017. “100 Articles Every Ecologist Should Read.” Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Galdikas, B. M. 1985. "Crocodile predation on a proboscis monkey in Borneo." Primates, 26(4), 495-496.

Letnic, Mike, Jonathan K. Webb, and Richard Shine. 2008. “Invasive Cane Toads (Bufo Marinus) Cause Mass Mortality of Freshwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus Johnstoni) in Tropical Australia.” Biological Conservation 141 (7): 1773–82.

Milinkovitch, M. C., L. Manukyan, A. Debry, N. Di-Poi, S. Martin, D. Singh, D. Lambert, and M. Zwicker. 2013. “Crocodile Head Scales Are Not Developmental Units But Emerge from Physical Cracking.” Science 339 (6115): 78–81.

Smith, James G., and Ben L. Phillips. 2006. “Toxic Tucker: The Potential Impact of Cane Toads on Australian Reptiles.” Pacific Conservation Biology 12 (1): 40–49.

Yeager, C. P. 1991. "Possible antipredator behavior associated with river crossings by proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus)." American Journal of Primatology, 24(1), 61-66.

Other Links/Mentions:

Tomistoma captive breeding success https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDkpwV2vRyM

Music – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

013 Frog Fungus

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 17:00:00 +0000

Everyone's favourite fungus is the topic of this week’s episode – Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, otherwise known as Bd or Chytrid. We discuss some of the ways it spreads and a little about the frogs it affects. Species of the Bi-week is back and this time coming out of Amazonia. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Kolby, Jonathan E., Sara D. Ramirez, Lee Berger, Kathryn L. Richards-Hrdlicka, Merlijn Jocque, and Lee F. Skerratt. 2015. “Terrestrial Dispersal and Potential Environmental Transmission of the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis).” PLoS ONE 10 (4): 1–13.

Barrio-Amorós, César L., Christoph I. Grünwald, Héctor Franz-Chávez, Ángela María Mendoza, and Brandon Thomas La Forest. 2016. “Notes on Natural History and Call Description of the Critically Endangered Plectrohyla Avia (Anura: Hylidae) from Chiapas , Mexico.” Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 10 (2): 11–17.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Peloso, Pedro L.V., Victor G.D. Orrico, Célio F.B. Haddad, Geraldo R. Lima-Filho, and Marcelo J. Sturaro. 2016. “A New Species of Clown Tree Frog, Dendropsophus Leucophyllatus Species Group, from Amazonia (Anura, Hylidae).” South American Journal of Herpetology 11 (1): 66–80.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Arnold, S.J., 1976. "Sexual behavior, sexual interference and sexual defense in the salamanders Ambystoma maculatum, Ambystoma tigrinum and Plethodon jordani." Ethology, 42(3): 247-300.

Blooi, Mark, An Martel, Francis Vercammen, and Frank Pasmans. 2013. “Combining Ethidium Monoazide Treatment with Real-Time PCR Selectively Quantifies Viable Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis Cells.” Fungal Biology 117 (2): 156–62.

Gower, D.J., Doherty-Bone, T., Loader, S.P., Wilkinson, M., Kouete, M.T., Tapley, B., Orton, F., Daniel, O.Z., Wynne, F., Flach, E. and Müller, H., 2013. "Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection and lethal chytridiomycosis in caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona)." EcoHealth, 10(2):173-183.

Iwai, N., 2013. "Morphology, function and evolution of the pseudothumb in the Otton frog." Journal of Zoology, 289(2): 127-133.

Kolby, Jonathan E., Sara D. Ramirez, Lee Berger, Dale W. Griffin, Merlijn Jocque, and Lee F. Skerratt. 2015. “Presence of Amphibian Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis) in Rainwater Suggests Aerial Dispersal Is Possible.” Aerobiologia 31 (3): 411–19. doi:10.1007/s10453-015-9374-6.

Liew, Nicole, Maria J. Mazon Moya, Claudia J. Wierzbicki, Michael Hollinshead, Michael J. Dillon, Christopher R. Thornton, Amy Ellison, Jo Cable, Matthew C. Fisher, and Serge Mostowy. 2017. “Chytrid Fungus Infection in Zebrafish Demonstrates That the Pathogen Can Parasitize Non-Amphibian Vertebrate Hosts.” Nature Communications 8 (April). Nature Publishing Group: 15048.

Lips, Karen R. 2016. “Overview of Chytrid Emergence and Impacts on Amphibians.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 371 (1709): 20150465.

Longcore, J.E., Pessier, A.P. and Nichols, D.K., 1999. "Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis gen. et sp. nov., a chytrid pathogenic to amphibians." Mycologia: 219-227.

Olson, Deanna H., David M. Aanensen, Kathryn L. Ronnenberg, Christopher I. Powell, Susan F. Walker, Jon Bielby, Trenton W.J. Garner, George Weaver, and Matthew C. Fisher. 2013. “Mapping the Global Emergence of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis, the Amphibian Chytrid Fungus.” PLoS ONE 8 (2).

Van Rooij, Pascale, Frank Pasmans, Yanaika Coen, and An Martel. 2017. “Efficacy of Chemical Disinfectants for the Containment of the Salamander Chytrid Fungus Batrachochytrium Salamandrivorans.” PloS One 12 (10): e0186269.

Other Links/Mentions:

Video of Plectrohyla Avia from Barrio-Amorós et al. (2016) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa2O-BguqOY&feature=youtu.be

Salamander courtship with pheromone transmission - http://plethodon.science.oregonstate.edu/video/shermani%20slapping.avi

HARCC are mid fundraiser - go to frogrescue.com

Music – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

012 Geckos Down Under

Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:00:00 +0100

Following on from our interview with John McGrath, Australian geckos are our focus for episode 12. We talk about the influences on starred knob tail gecko habitat and why velvet geckos are important food for an elapid snake. Of course there is an Australian gecko for the Species of the Bi-Week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Driscoll, Don A., Catherine A. Whitehead, and Juliana Lazzari. 2012. “Spatial Dynamics of the Knob-Tailed Gecko Nephrurus Stellatus in a Fragmented Agricultural Landscape.” Landscape Ecology 27 (6): 829–41.

Webb, Jonathan K., David A. Pike, and Richard Shine. 2008. “Population Ecology of the Velvet Gecko, Oedura Lesueurii in South Eastern Australia: Implications for the Persistence of an Endangered Snake.” Austral Ecology 33 (7): 839–47.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Hoskin, Conrad J., and Patrick Couper. 2013. “A Spectacular New Leaf-Tailed Gecko (Carphodactylidae: Saltuarius) from the Melville Range, North-East Australia.” Zootaxa 3717 (4): 543–58.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Blay, Nicola, and Isabelle M Côté. 2001. “Optimal Conditions for Breeding of Captive Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus Humboldti): A Survey of British Zoos.” Zoo Biology 20: 545–55.

Brown, G. P., and Shine, R. 2007. "Like mother, like daughter: inheritance of nest-site location in snakes." Biology letters, 3(2): 131-133.

Croak BM, Pike DA, Webb JK, Shine R, 2010. "Using artificial rocks to restore nonrenewable shelter sites in human-degraded systems: colonization by fauna." Rest Ecol 18:428–438.

Gamble, T. 2010. "A review of sex determining mechanisms in geckos (Gekkota: Squamata)". Sexual Development, 4(1-2): 88-103.

James, Alexander N., Kevin J. Gaston, and Andrew Balmford. 1999. “Balancing the Earth’s Accounts.” Nature 401 (6751): 323–24.

Llewelyn, John, Ben L. Phillips, Greg P. Brown, Lin Schwarzkopf, Ross A. Alford, and Richard Shine. 2011. “Adaptation or Preadaptation: Why Are Keelback Snakes (Tropidonophis Mairii) Less Vulnerable to Invasive Cane Toads (Bufo Marinus) than Are Other Australian Snakes?” Evolutionary Ecology 25 (1): 13–24.

Oliver, P. M., Bauer, A. M., Greenbaum, E., Jackman, T., and Hobbie, T. 2012. "Molecular phylogenetics of the arboreal Australian gecko genus Oedura Gray 1842 (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae): Another plesiomorphic grade?." Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 63(2): 255-264.

Shine R., Webb J. K., Fitzgerald M. and Sumner J. 1998. "The impact of bush-rock removal on an endangered snake species, Hoplocephalus bungaroides (Serpentes: Elapidae)." Wildl. Res. 25: 285–95.

Smith, A. L., Bull, C. M., and Driscoll, D. A. 2012. "Post-fire succession affects abundance and survival but not detectability in a knob-tailed gecko." Biological Conservation, 145(1): 139-147.

Werner, Y. L., Frankenberg, E., Volokita, M., and Harari, R. 1993. "Longevity of geckos (Reptilia: Lacertilia: Gekkonoidea) in captivity: an analytical review incorporating new data." Israel Journal of Zoology, 39(2): 105-124.

Music – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

The Interviews 001 - John 'Gecko Wrangler' McGrath

Tue, 10 Oct 2017 18:00:00 +0100

In our first ever interview episode we talk to John McGrath, publisher of digital magazine iHerp Australia. We chat about his experiences in the magazine and publishing industry, and his history with reptiles and amphibians.

Read iHerp Magazine FREE here: https://iherpaustralia.com.au/magazine/#id-bookcase

iHerp facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iherpaustralia/

iHerp twitter: https://twitter.com/iHerpAustralia

Music: Treehouse by Ed Nelson

011 Survival of the Vipers

Tue, 03 Oct 2017 18:00:00 +0100

Vipers are found in numerous corners of the globe, and in this episode we explore a little about how they’ve managed it. Starting with pit viper’s use of their heat sensing abilities, moving on to viper reactions to climatic shifts, and finishing up with how they are doing now. Naturally our Species of the Bi-week is a new viper, this time from Africa. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Martínez-Freiría, F, P.-A. Crochet, S. Fahd, P. Geniez, J.C. Brito, and G. Velo-Antón. 2017. “Integrative Phylogeographic and Ecological Analyses Reveal Multiple Pleistocene Refugia for Mediterranean Daboia Vipers in North-West Africa.” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 122 (2): 366–384.

Safer, Adam B., and Michael S. Grace. 2004. “Infrared Imaging in Vipers: Differential Responses of Crotaline and Viperine Snakes to Paired Thermal Targets.” Behavioural Brain Research 154 (1): 55–61.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Gower, David J., Edward O.Z. Wade, Stephen Spawls, Wolfgang Böhme, Evan R. Buechley, Daniel Sykes, and Timothy J. Colston. 2016. “A New Large Species of Bitis Gray, 1842 (Serpentes: Viperidae) from the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia.” Zootaxa 4093 (1): 41–63.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Alencar, Laura R.V., Tiago B. Quental, Felipe G. Grazziotin, Michael L. Alfaro, Marcio Martins, Mericien Venzon, and Hussam Zaher. 2016. “Diversification in Vipers: Phylogenetic Relationships, Time of Divergence and Shifts in Speciation Rates.” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 105: 50–62.

Böhm, Monika, Ben Collen, Jonathan E M Baillie, Philip Bowles, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox, Geoffrey Hammerson, et al. 2013. “The Conservation Status of the World’s Reptiles.” Biological Conservation 157: 372–85.

Breidenbach, Carla Harvey. 1990. “Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Thermal Cues Influence Strikes in Pitless Vipers.” Journal of Herpetology 24 (4): 448–50.

Gracheva, E.O., Ingolia, N.T., Kelly, Y.M., Cordero-Morales, J.F., Hollopeter, G., Chesler, A.T., Sánchez, E.E., Perez, J.C., Weissman, J.S. and Julius, D., 2010. “Molecular basis of infrared detection by snakes.” Nature, 464 (7291): 1006.

Krochmal, A.R. and Bakken, G.S., 2003. “Thermoregulation is the pits: use of thermal radiation for retreat site selection by rattlesnakes.” Journal of Experimental Biology, 206(15): 2539-2545. OPEN ACCESS

Lourdais, O., Shine, R., Bonnet, X., Guillon, M. and Naulleau, G., 2004. “Climate affects embryonic development in a viviparous snake, Vipera aspis.” Oikos, 104 (3): 551-560.

Madsen, Thomas, Bo Stille, and Richard Shine. 1996. “Inbreeding Depression in an Isolated Population of Adders Vipera Berus.” Biological Conservation 75: 113–18.

Madsen, Thomas, Beata Ujvari, and Mats Olsson. 2004. “Novel Genes Continue to Enhance Population Growth in Adders (Vipera Berus).” Biological Conservation 120 (1): 145–47.

Madsen, Thomas, and Beata Ujvari. 2011. “The Potential Demise of a Population of Adders (Vipera Berus) in Smygehuk, Sweden.” Herpetological Conservation and Biology 6 (1): 72–74. OPEN ACCESS

Paulo, O. S., J. Pinheiro, A. Miraldo, M. W. Bruford, W. C. Jordan, and R. A. Nichols. 2008. “The Role of Vicariance vs. Dispersal in Shaping Genetic Patterns in Ocellated Lizard Species in the Western Mediterranean.” Molecular Ecology 17 (6): 1535–51.

Van Dyke, J.U. and Grace, M.S., 2010. “The role of thermal contrast in infrared-based defensive targeting by the copperhead, Agkistrodon contortrix.” Animal Behaviour, 79 (5): 993-999.

Williams, David, Wolfgang Wüster, and Bryan Grieg Fry. 2006. “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Australian Snake Taxonomists and a History of the Taxonomy of Australia’s Venomous Snakes.” Toxicon 48 (7): 919–30.

Music – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

010 Armoured Lizards

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 22:12:53 +0100

Episode 10 is all about Southern African armoured lizards of the family Cordylidae. Some live in groups - why? Why are they so damn spikey? These and other mysteries at least partially revealed. Plus, a brand new species of cordylid lizard from Angola and an aside about the tokay gecko trade. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Broeckhoven, Chris, Genevieve Diedericks, Cang Hui, Buyisile G. Makhubo, and P. le Fras N. Mouton. 2016. “Enemy at the Gates: Rapid Defensive Trait Diversification in an Adaptive Radiation of Lizards.” Evolution 70 (11): 2647–56.

Broeckhoven, Chris, and Pieter Le Fras Nortier Mouton. 2015. “Some like It Hot: Camera Traps Unravel the Effects of Weather Conditions and Predator Presence on the Activity Levels of Two Lizards.” PLoS ONE 10 (9): 1–15. OPEN ACCESS

Mouton, P le Fras N, Janine L Glover, and Alexander F Flemming. 2014. “Solitary Individuals in Populations of the Group-Living Lizard Ouroborus Cataphractus: Voluntary or Forced?” African Zoology 49 (2): 307–10.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Stanley, Edward L., Luis MP Ceriaco, Suzana Bandeira, Hilaria Valerio, Michael F. Bates, and William R. Branch. 2016. "A review of Cordylus machadoi (Squamata: Cordylidae) in southwestern Angola, with the description of a new species from the Pro-Namib desert." Zootaxa 4061(3): 201-226.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Ariefiandy, Achmad, Deni Purwandana, Aganto Seno, Claudio Ciofi, and Tim S. Jessop. 2013. “Can Camera Traps Monitor Komodo Dragons a Large Ectothermic Predator?” PLoS ONE 8 (3): 1–8. OPEN ACCESS

Brodie III, E.D., and E.D. Brodie Jr. 1999. “Costs of Exploiting Poisonous Prey: Evolutionary Trade-Offs in a Predator-Prey Arms Race.” Evolution 2 (53): 626–31. OPEN ACCESS

Buchanan, S. W., Timm, B. C., Cook, R. P., Couse, R., & Hazard, L. C. (2016). Surface Activity and Body Temperature of Eastern Hognose Snakes (Heterodon platirhinos) at Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts USA. Journal of Herpetology.

Ivany, L C, W P Patterson, and K C Lohmann. 2000. “Cooler Winters as a Possible Cause of Mass Extinctions at the Eocene/Oligocene Boundary.” Nature 407 (6806): 887–90.

Lima, S. L. (1995). Back to the basics of anti-predatory vigilance: the group-size effect. Animal Behaviour, 49(1), 11-20.

Losos, Jonathan B., P.Le Fras N. Mouton, Ryan Bickel, Ian Cornelius, and Lanral Ruddock. 2002. “The Effect of Body Armature on Escape Behaviour in Cordylid Lizards.” Animal Behaviour 64 (2): 313–21.

Mouton, P., Flemming, A. F., & Kanga, E. M. (1999). Grouping behaviour, tail-biting behaviour and sexual dimorphism in the armadillo lizard (Cordylus cataphractus) from South Africa. Journal of Zoology, 249(1), 1-10.

Nijman, Vincent, and Chris R Shepherd. 2015. “TRAFFIC Report: Adding up the Numbers : An Investigation into Commercial Breeding of Tokay Gecko in Indonesia.” Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. OPEN ACCESS

Stanley, Edward L.; Aaron M. Bauer; Todd R. Jackman, William R. Branch, P. Le Fras N. Mouton 2011. Between a rock and a hard polytomy: rapid radiation in the rupicolous girdled lizard (Squamata: Cordylidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 58(1): 53-70.

Truter, Johannes Christoff, Johannes Hendrik VanWyk, and Pieter le Fras Nortier Mouton. 2014. “An Evaluation of Daily, Seasonal and Population-Level Variation in the Thermal Preference of a Group-Living Lizard, Ouroborus Cataphractus (Sauria: Cordylidae).” Amphibia-Reptilia 35 (4): 391–403.

Zachos, J., Mark Pagani, Lisa Sloan, Ellen Thomas, and Katharina Billups. 2001. “Trends, Rhythms, and Aberrations in Global Climate 65 Ma to Present.” Science 292 (5517): 686–93.

009 The Golden Mantella

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 18:00:00 +0100

The Golden Mantella frog is the subject of this fortnights episode. Starting with a little bit about how they live in the wilds of Madagascar; followed by the larger portion of the podcast looking at a couple of the studies that have come out of the captive breeding initiatives. Species of the Bi-week returns, and features a couple of newly described frogs from Papua New Guinea. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Passos, Luiza Figueiredo, Gerardo Garcia, and Robert John Young. 2017. “The Tonic Immobility Test: Do Wild and Captive Golden Mantella Frogs (Mantella Aurantiaca) Have the Same Response ?” PLoS ONE 12 (7): e0181972. OPEN ACCESS

Passos, Luiza Figueiredo, Gerardo Garcia, and Robert John Young. 2017. “Neglecting the Call of the Wild : Captive Frogs like the Sound of Their Own Voice.” PLoS ONE 12 (7): 1–11. OPEN ACCESS

Woodhead, C., Vences, M., Vieites, D.R., Gamboni, I., Fisher, B.L. and Griffiths, R.A., 2007. “Specialist or generalist? Feeding ecology of the Malagasy poison frog Mantella aurantiaca.” The Herpetological Journal 17 (4): 225-236.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Günther, Rainer, and Stephen Richards. 2016. “Description of Two New Species of the Microhylid Frog Genus Oreophryne (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from Southern Papua New Guinea.” Vertebrate Zoology 66 (2): 157–68. OPEN ACCESS

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Bee, M.A., Perrill, S.A. and Owen, P.C. 1999. “Size assessment in simulated territorial encounters between male green frogs (Rana clamitans).” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 45 (3-4): 177-184.

Biju, S.D., and Franky Bossuyt. 2003. “New Frog Family from India Reveals an Ancient Biogeographical Link with the Seychelles.” Nature 425 (2001): 711–14.

Bossuyt, Franky, and Kim Roelants. 2009. “Frogs and Toads (Anura).” In The Timetree of Life, edited by S. Blair Hedges and Sudhir Kumar, 357–64. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Burghardt, Gordon M. 2013. “Environmental Enrichment and Cognitive Complexity in Reptiles and Amphibians: Concepts, Review, and Implications for Captive Populations.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science 147 (3–4): 286–98.

Gerhardt, H. C., and J. Rheinlaender. 1980. “Accuracy of Sound Localization in a Miniature Dendrobatid Frog.” Naturwissenschaften 67 (7): 362–63.

Günther, Rainer, Stephen J. Richards, David Bickford, and Gregory R. Johnston. 2012. “A New Egg-Guarding Species of Oreophryne (Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae) from Southern Papua New Guinea.” Zoosystematics and Evolution 88 (2): 223–30.

Heying, Heather. 2001. “Mantella Laevigata (Climbing Mantella). Aborted Predation.” Herpetological Review 32 (1): 34–34. OPEN ACCESS

Janani, S. Jegath, Karthikeyan Vasudevan, Elizabeth Prendini, Sushil Kumar Dutta, and Ramesh K. Aggarwal. 2017. “A New Species of the Genus Nasikabatrachus (Anura, Nasikabatrachidae) from the Eastern Slopes of the Western Ghats, India.” Alytes 34 (1–4): 1–19. OPEN ACCESS

Johnson, J.A. and Brodie Jr, E.D. 1975. “The selective advantage of the defensive posture of the newt, Taricha granulosa.” American Midland Naturalist:.139-148. OPEN ACCESS

Jovanovic, Olga, Miguel Vences, Goran Safarek, Falitiana C E Rabemananjara, and Rainer Dolch. 2009. “Predation upon Mantella Aurantiaca in the Torotorofotsy Wetlands, Central-Eastern Madagascar.” Herpetology Notes 2 (1): 95–97.

Ligon, R.A. and McGraw, K.J. 2013. “Chameleons communicate with complex colour changes during contests: different body regions convey different information.” Biology Letters 9 (6): 20130892. OPEN ACCESS

Mayer, Michael, Lisa M. Schulte, Evan Twomey, and Stefan Lötters. 2014. “Do Male Poison Frogs Respond to Modified Calls of a Müllerian Mimic?” Animal Behaviour 89: 45–51.

Narins, Peter M, Walter Hödl, and Daniela S Grabul. 2003. “Bimodal Signal Requisite for Agonistic Behavior in a Dart-Poison Frog, Epipedobates Femoralis.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 100 (2): 577–80. OPEN ACCESS

Rabemananjara, Falitiana C E, Noromalala Rasoamampionona Raminosoa, Olga Ramilijaona Ravoahangimalala, D. Rakotondravony, Franco Andreone, P. Bora, Angus I Carpenter, et al. 2008. “Malagasy Poison Frogs in the Pet Trade: A Survey of Levels of Exploitation of Species in the Genus Mantella.” Monografie Del Museo Regionale Di Scienze Naturali Di Torino XLV: 277–300. OPEN ACCESS

Rodríguez, Ariel, Dennis Poth, Stefan Schulz, and Miguel Vences. 2011. “Discovery of Skin Alkaloids in a Miniaturized Eleutherodactylid Frog from Cuba.” Biology Letters 7: 414–18. OPEN ACCESS

Saporito, Ralph A., Maureen A. Donnelly, Thomas F. Spande, and H. Martin Garraffo. 2012. “A Review of Chemical Ecology in Poison Frogs.” Chemoecology 22 (3): 159–68.

Vences, Miguel, Frank Glaw, and Wolfgang Böhme. 1998. “Evolutionary Correlates of Microphagy in Alkaloid-Containing Frogs (Amphibia : Anura).” Zoologischer Anzeiger 236: 217–30.

Woodhead, Cindy, Miguel Vences, David R. Vieites, Ilona Gamboni, Brian L. Fisher, and Richard A. Griffiths. 2007. “Specialist or Generalist? Feeding Ecology of the Malagasy Poison Frog Mantella Aurantiaca.” Herpetological Journal 17 (4): 225–36.

Other Links/Mentions:

Association Mitsinjo Madagascar – https://associationmitsinjo.wordpress.com/

Donate to – http://www.amphibianark.org/donation-for-mitsinjo-project/

Music – http://www.purple-planet.com

008 Deceptive Snakes

Tue, 22 Aug 2017 18:00:00 +0100

Snakes! Episode eight is all about snakes, specifically those snakes that employ mimicry to fool other animals. We talk about spider tailed vipers, chunky puff adders and variety of sneaky coral snakes. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Fathinia, B, N Rastegar-Pouyani, E Rastegar-Pouyani, F Todehdehghan, and F Amiri. 2015. “Avian Deception Using an Elaborate Caudal Lure in Pseudocerastes Urarachnoides (Serpentes: Viperidae).” Amphibia-Reptilia 36 (3): 223–31.

Glaudas, X., and G. J. Alexander. 2017. “A Lure at Both Ends: Aggressive Visual Mimicry Signals and Prey-Specific Luring Behaviour in an Ambush-Foraging Snake.” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 71 (1).

Raveendran, Dileep Kumar, V. Deepak, Eric Nelson Smith, and Utpal Smart. 2017. “A New Colour Morph of Calliophis Bibroni (Squamata: Elapidae) and Evidence for Müllerian Mimicry in Tropical Indian Coralsnakes.” Herpetology Notes 10: 209–17. OPEN ACCESS

Species of the Bi-Week:

Koch, Claudia, and Pablo J Venegas. 2016. “A Large and Unusually Colored New Snake Species of the Genus Tantilla (Squamata; Colubridae) from the Peruvian Andes.” PeerJ 4: e2767. OPEN ACCESS

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Chen, Tianbao, Cherith N. Reid, Brian Walker, Mei Zhou, and Chris Shaw. 2005. “Kassinakinin S: A Novel Histamine-Releasing Heptadecapeptide from Frog (Kassina Senegalensis) Skin Secretion.” Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 337 (2): 474–80.

Farrell, Terence M., Peter G. May, and Paul T. Andreadis. 2011. “Experimental Manipulation of Tail Color Does Not Affect Foraging Success in a Caudal Luring Rattlesnake.” Journal of Herpetology 45 (3)

Fathinia, Behzad, Steven C Anderson, Nasrullah Rastegar-pouyani, Hasan Jahani, and Hosien Mohamadi. 2009. “Notes on the Natural History of Pseudocerastes Urarachnoides (Squamata: Viperidae).” Russian Journal of Herpetology 16 (2): 134–38. OPEN ACCESS

Flower, Tom. 2011. “Fork-Tailed Drongos Use Deceptive Mimicked Alarm Calls to Steal Food.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 278: 1548–55. OPEN ACCESS

Hagman, M., B. L. Phillips, and R. Shine. 2008. “Tails of Enticement: Caudal Luring by an Ambush-Foraging Snake (Acanthophis Praelongus, Elapidae).” Functional Ecology 22 (6): 1134–39. OPEN ACCESS

Hagman, M., Phillips, B.L. and Shine, R., 2009. "Fatal attraction: adaptations to prey on native frogs imperil snakes after invasion of toxic toads." Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 276 (1668): 2813-2818.

Marques, O.A., Martins, M., Develey, P.F., Macarrao, A. and Sazima, I., 2012. "The golden lancehead Bothrops insularis (Serpentes: Viperidae) relies on two seasonally plentiful bird species visiting its island habitat." Journal of Natural History, 46 (13-14): 885-895.

Mattute, B, F C Knoop, and J M Conlon. 2000. “Kassinatuerin-1: A Peptide with Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity Isolated from the Skin of the Hyperoliid Frog, Kassina Senegalensis.” Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 268 (2): 433–36.

Nelson, X.J., Garnett, D.T. and Evans, C.S., 2010. "Receiver psychology and the design of the deceptive caudal luring signal of the death adder." Animal Behaviour 79 (3): 555-561.

Pantanowitz, L, T W Naudé, and A Leisewitz. 1998. “Noxious Toads and Frogs of South Africa.” South African Medical Journal 88 (11): 1408–14. OPEN ACCESS

Pfennig, David W, and Sean P Mullen. 2010. “Mimics without Models: Causes and Consequences of Allopatry in Batesian Mimicry Complexes.” Proceedings. Biological Sciences / The Royal Society 277 (1694): 2577–85. OPEN ACCESS

Rastegar-Pouyani, Nasrullah, Haji Gholi Kami, Mehdi Rajabzadeh, Soheila Shafiei, and Steven Clement Anderson. 2008. “Annotated Checklist of Amphibians and Reptiles of Iran.” Iranian Journal of Animal Biosystematics 4 (1): 7–30. OPEN ACCESS

Silva, Inês, Matt Crane, Taksin Artchawakom, Pongthep Suwanwaree, and Colin T Strine. 2016. “More than Meets the Eye: Change in Pupil Shape by a Mock Viper.” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 14 (8): 453–54. doi:10.1002/FEE.1420. OPEN ACCESS

Other Links/Mentions:

Xavier Glaudas describes his research on puff adders (Bitis arietans) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3umGcQw-JWA

Puff Adder Strike Slow-Mo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPfG4OdGEyI

Death adder caudal luring - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSizvBwFL-A

Iranian spider-tailed viper tricks bird, SciNews - https://figshare.com/articles/Avian_deception_using_an_elaborate_caudal_lure_in_Pseudocerastes_urarachnoides_Serpentes_Viperidae_/1454446

Link to Supplementary Material of Glaudas et al. 2017 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-016-2244-6#SupplementaryMaterial

Music – http://www.purple-planet.com

007 Fossorial Frogs

Tue, 08 Aug 2017 18:00:00 +0100

This week is a fully frog podcast, dedicated to those frogs who dig. We touch on how the climate can induce fossorial adaptations and limit frog’s activity periods. Along with how some frogs manage to sustain populations despite their sedentary and subterranean lives. And look at perhaps the most bizarre looking frog ever to have graced the earth. To round off we have a newly described burrow-utilising frog for our Species of the Bi-week. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Andreone, Franco, Paolo Eusebio Bergò, Vincenzo Mercurio, and Gonçalo M. Rosa. 2013. “Spatial Ecology of Scaphiophryne Gottlebei in the Canyons of the Isalo Massif, Madagascar.” Herpetologica 69 (1): 11–21.

Encarnación-Luévano, Alondra, Octavio R. Rojas-Soto, and J. Jesús Sigala-Rodríguez. 2013. “Activity Response to Climate Seasonality in Species with Fossorial Habits: A Niche Modeling Approach Using the Lowland Burrowing Treefrog (Smilisca Fodiens).” PLoS ONE 8 (11): 1–7. OPEN ACCESS

Thomas, Ashish, Robin Suyesh, S. D. Biju, and Mark A. Bee. 2014. “Vocal Behavior of the Elusive Purple Frog of India (Nasikabatrachus Sahyadrensis), a Fossorial Species Endemic to the Western Ghats.” PLoS ONE 9 (2). OPEN ACCESS

Species of the Bi-Week:

Matsui, Masafumi, Kanto Nishikawa, and Koshiro Eto. 2014. “A New Burrow-Utilising Fanged Frog from Sarawak, East Malaysia (Anura: Dicroglossidae).” Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 62: 679–87. OPEN ACCESS

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Andreone, Franco, Fabio Mattioli, and Vincenzo Mercurio. 2005a. “The Call of Scaphiophryne Gottlebei, a Microhylid Frog from the Isalo Massif, Southcentral Madagascar.” Current Herpetology 24 (1): 33–35.

Andreone, Franco, V. Mercurio, F. Mattioli, and T. J. Razafindrabe. 2005b. “Good News for Three Critically Endangered and Traded Frogs from Madagascar.” FrogLog 72: 2–3.

Biju, S. D., and Franky Bossuyt. 2003. "New frog family from India reveals an ancient biogeographical link with the Seychelles." Nature 425 (6959): 711-714.

Boistel, Renaud, Thierry Aubin, Peter Cloetens, Françoise Peyrin, Thierry Scotti, Philippe Herzog, Justin Gerlach, Nicolas Pollet, and Jean-François Aubry. 2013. “How Minute Sooglossid Frogs Hear without a Middle Ear.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110 (38): 15360–64. OPEN ACCESS

Crottini, Angelica, Ylenia Chiari, Vincenzo Mercurio, Axel Meyer, Miguel Vences, and Franco Andreone. 2008. “Into the Canyons: The Phylogeography of the Malagasy Frogs Mantella Expectata and Scaphiophryne Gottlebei in the Arid Isalo Massif, and Its Significance for Conservation (Amphibia: Mantellidae and Microhylidae).” Organisms Diversity and Evolution 8 (5): 368–77. OPEN ACCESS

Filippi, Piera, Jenna V. Congdon, John Hoang, Daniel L. Bowling, Stephan A. Reber, Andrius Pašukonis, Marisa Hoeschele et al. 2017. "Humans recognize emotional arousal in vocalizations across all classes of terrestrial vertebrates: evidence for acoustic universals." Proceeding of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences 284 (1859): 20170990

Iskandar, Djoko T., Ben J. Evans, and Jimmy A. McGuire. 2014. "A novel reproductive mode in frogs: a new species of fanged frog with internal fertilization and birth of tadpoles." PLoS One 9 (12): e115884. OPEN ACCESS

IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2016. “Scaphiophryne Gottlebei, Malagasy Rainbow Frog.” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T57998A84182454. OPEN ACCESS

Nomura, Fausto, Denise C. Rossa-Feres, and Francisco Langeani. 2009. “Burrowing Behavior of Dermatonotus Muelleri (Anura, Microhylidae) with Reference to the Origin of the Burrowing Behavior of Anura.” Journal of Ethology 27 (1): 195–201.

Rosa, Gonçalo M., Vincenzo Mercurio, Angelica Crottini, and Franco Andreone. 2010. “Predation of the Snake Leioheterodon Modestus (Günther, 1863) upon the Rainbow Frog Scaphiophryne Gottlebei Busse & Böhme, 1992 at Isalo, Southern Madagascar.” Herpetology Notes 3 (1): 259–61.

Wake, Marvalee H. 1978. "The reproductive biology of Eleutherodactylus jasperi (Amphibia, Anura, Leptodactylidae), with comments on the evolution of live-bearing systems." Journal of Herpetology: 121-133.

Zachariah, Anil, Robin Kurian Abraham, Sandeep Das, K. C. Jayan, and Ronald Altig. 2012. "A detailed account of the reproductive strategy and developmental stages of Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis (Anura: Nasikabatrachidae), the only extant member of an archaic frog lineage." Zootaxa 3510 (1): 53-64.

Other Links/Mentions:

Audio S1 from Thomas et al. 2014 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084809.s001

Audio S2 from Thomas et al. 2014 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084809.s002

Audio S3 from Thomas et al. 2014 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0084809.s003

Video S1 from Thomas et al. 2014 - http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0084809.s005&type=supplementary

Audio S1 from Boistel et al. 2013 - http://www.pnas.org/content/suppl/2013/08/28/1302218110.DCSupplemental/ad01.wav

Audio of Scaphiophryne gottlebei from The calls of the frogs of Madagascar by Miguel Vences, Frank Glaw and Rafael Márquez, recorded by Franco Andreone - http://www.fonozoo.com/fnz_detalles_registro_amphibia.php?id=93943&tipo_registro=1

BBC’s Life in Cold Blood, Amazing Rain Frogs - https://youtu.be/mISMwN-0ggE

Music – http://www.purple-planet.com

006 Turtle Tides

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 18:00:00 +0100

In episode six of our herpetology podcast we investigate the majestic sea turtles. To begin with we dive into the dispersal capabilities of Leatherback Turtles. Following on from that we discuss some of the threats that wild turtles face - plastics and oil. Finally, for our Species of the Bi-week we lighten the mood with a species which, incidentally, also possesses a hard exterior. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Lauritsen, Ann Marie, Philip M. Dixon, Dave Cacela, Beth Brost, Robert Hardy, Sandra L. MacPherson, Anne Meylan, Bryan P. Wallace, and Blair Witherington. 2017. “Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Loggerhead Turtle Caretta Caretta Nest Densities in Northwest Florida.” Endangered Species Research 33 (1): 83–93. OPEN ACCESS

Pham, Christopher K., Yasmina Rodríguez, Axelle Dauphin, Rita Carriço, João P.G.L. Frias, Frederic Vandeperre, Vanessa Otero, et al. 2017. “Plastic Ingestion in Oceanic-Stage Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta Caretta) off the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre.” Marine Pollution Bulletin, in press.

Scott, Rebecca, Arne Biastoch, Pierre D. Agamboue, Till Bayer, Francois L. Boussamba, Angela Formia, Brendan J. Godley, et al. 2017. “Spatio-Temporal Variation in Ocean Current-Driven Hatchling Dispersion: Implications for the World’s Largest Leatherback Sea Turtle Nesting Region.” Diversity and Distributions, 23: 604–614. OPEN ACCESS

Species of the Bi-Week:

Thomson, Scott, and Arthur Georges. 2016. “A New Species of Freshwater Turtle of the Genus Elseya (Testudinata: Pleurodira: Chelidae) from the Northern Territory of Australia.” Zootaxa 4061 (1): 18–28.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Benson, Scott R., Tomoharu Eguchi, Dave G. Foley, Karin A. Forney, Helen Bailey, Creusa Hitipeuw, Betuel P. Samber, et al. 2011. “Large-Scale Movements and High-Use Areas of Western Pacific Leatherback Turtles, Dermochelys Coriacea.” Ecosphere 2 (7): art84. OPEN ACCESS

Boyle, M. C., N. N. FitzSimmons, C. J. Limpus, S. Kelez, X. Velez-Zuazo, and M. Waycott. 2009. "Evidence for transoceanic migrations by loggerhead sea turtles in the southern Pacific Ocean." Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences: rspb-2008.

Bombelli, Paolo, Christopher J. Howe, and Federica Bertocchini. 2017. “Polyethylene Bio-Degradation by Caterpillars of the Wax Moth Galleria Mellonella.” Current Biology 27 (8). Elsevier: R292–93.

Cedervall, Tommy, Lars-Anders Hansson, Mercy Lard, Birgitta Frohm, and Sara Linse. 2012. "Food chain transport of nanoparticles affects behaviour and fat metabolism in fish." PloS one 7 (2): e32254. OPEN ACCESS

Eckert, S. 2002. “Distribution of Juvenile Leatherback Sea Turtle Dermochelys Coriacea Sightings.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 230: 289–93. OPEN ACCESS

Geyer, Roland, Jenna R. Jambeck, and Kara Lavender Law. 2017. “Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made.” Science Advances 3 (7): 25–29. OPEN ACCESS

Jambeck, Jenna R, Roland Geyer, Chris Wilcox, Theodore R Siegler, Miriam Perryman, Anthony Andrady, Ramani Narayan, and Kara Lavender Law. 2015. “Plastic Waste Inputs from Land into the Ocean.” Science Magazine 347 (6223): 768–71.

Rossi, Giulia, Jonathan Barnoud, and Luca Monticelli. 2013. "Polystyrene nanoparticles perturb lipid membranes." The journal of physical chemistry letters 5 (1): 241-246.

Schuyler, Qamar, Britta Denise Hardesty, Chris Wilcox, and Kathy Townsend. 2014. “Global Analysis of Anthropogenic Debris Ingestion by Sea Turtles.” Conservation Biology 28 (1): 129–39. OPEN ACCESS

Other Links/Mentions:

Special edition of Endangered Species Research - OPEN ACCESS http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v33/

Photos from NOAA of Deepwater Horizon - https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/apr17/dwh-protected-species.html

Turtle in trouble after eating a straw (video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw

Music – http://www.purple-planet.com

005 Monsters and Dragons

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 18:42:50 +0100

This episode is focused on venomous lizards. The first half is all about the desert specialist and ultra-efficient Gila Monster. With the latter portion covering possibly the most charismatic lizard still roaming the earth – the iconic Komodo Dragon. We explore how these lizards interact with their environments and discuss the existence of their venoms. At the end we have the usual Species of the Bi-week who also harbours a dangerous toxin. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

French, Robert, Daniel Brooks, Anne-Michelle Ruha, Farshad Shirazi, Peter Chase, Keith Boesen, and Frank Walter. 2015. “Gila Monster (Heloderma Suspectum) Envenomation: Descriptive Analysis of Calls to United States Poison Centers with Focus on Arizona Cases.” Clinical Toxicology 53 (1): 60–70.

Fry, Bryan G, Stephen Wroe, Wouter Teeuwisse, Matthias J P van Osch, Karen Moreno, Janette Ingle, Colin McHenry, et al. 2009. “A Central Role for Venom in Predation by Varanus Komodoensis (Komodo Dragon) and the Extinct Giant Varanus (Megalania) Priscus.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106 (22): 8969–74. OPEN ACCESS

Gienger, C. M., C. Richard Tracy, and Kenneth A. Nagy. 2014. “Life in the Lizard Slow Lane: Gila Monsters Have Low Rates of Energy Use and Water Flux.” Copeia 2: 279–87.

Purwandana, Deni, Achmad Ariefiandy, M. Jeri Imansyah, Aganto Seno, Claudio Ciofi, Mike Letnic, and Tim S. Jessop. 2016. “Ecological Allometries and Niche Use Dynamics across Komodo Dragon Ontogeny.” Science of Nature 103 (27): 26–37.

Species of the Bi-Week:

Serrano-Rojas, Shirley J., Andrew Whitworth, Jaime Villacampa, Rudolf Von May, Roberto C. Gutiérrez, José M. Padial, and Juan C. Chaparro. 2017. “A New Species of Poison-Dart Frog (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from Manu Province, Amazon Region of Southeastern Peru, with Notes on Its Natural History, Bioacoustics, Phylogenetics, and Recommended Conservation Status.” Zootaxa 4221 (1): 71–94.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Auffenberg W. 1981. “Behavioral ecology of the Komodo monitor. University Presses of Florida, Gainesville.” as cited in Fry et al. 2006 and Purwandana et al. 2016

Ariefiandy, Achmad, Deni Purwandana, Sanggar Abdil Nasu, Maman Surahman, Claudio Ciofi, and Tim Jessop. 2015. “First Record of Komodo Dragon Nesting Activity and Hatchling Emergence from North Flores , Eastern Indonesia.” Biawak 9 (1): 33–35. OPEN ACCESS

Ashurst, John, and Robert Cannon. 2013. “Gila Monster Envenomation: A Review for the Emergency Medicine Physician.” JMED Research 2013: 1–4. OPEN ACCESS

Daly, J. W., and C. W. Myers. 1967. “Toxicity of Panamanian Poison Frogs (Dendrobates): Some Biological and Chemical Aspects.” Science 156 (3777): 970–73.

Davis, J. R., and D. F. DeNardo. 2007. “The urinary bladder as a physiological reservoir that moderates dehydration in a large desert lizard, the Gila monster Heloderma suspectum.” Journal of Experimental Biology 210 (8): 1472-1480. OPEN ACCESS

Flannery, Tim 2002. The future eaters: an ecological history of the Australasian lands and people. New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3943-4.

Fry, Bryan G., Nicolas Vidal, Janette A. Norman, Freek J. Vonk, Holger Scheib, S. F. Ryan Ramjan, Sanjaya Kuruppu, et al. 2006. “Early Evolution of the Venom System in Lizards and Snakes.” Nature 439 (7076): 584–88.

Hargreaves, A. D., M. T. Swain, D. W. Logan, and J. F. Mulley. 2014. “Testing the Toxicofera: comparative transcriptomics casts doubt on the single, early evolution of the reptile venom system.” Toxicon 92: 140-156. OPEN ACCESS

Hawlitschek, Oliver, Mark D. Scherz, Nicolas Straube, and Frank Glaw. 2016. “Resurrection of the Comoran Fish Scale Gecko Geckolepis Humbloti Vaillant, 1887 Reveals a Disjunct Distribution Caused by Natural Overseas Dispersal.” Organisms Diversity and Evolution 16 (1): 289–98.

Köhler, Gunther, Hans-Helmut Diethert, Ronald A. Nussbaum, and Christopher J. Raxworthy. 2009. “A Revision of the Fish Scale Geckos, Genus Geckolepis Grandidier (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Madagascar and the Comoros.” Herpetologica 65 (4): 419–35.

Laver, Rebecca J., Deni Purwandana, Achmad Ariefiandy, Jeri Imansyah, David Forsyth, Claudio Ciofi, and Tim S. Jessop. 2012. “Life-History and Spatial Determinants of Somatic Growth Dynamics in Komodo Dragon Populations.” PLoS ONE 7 (9): 1–10. OPEN ACCESS

Sims, David W., Emily J. Southall, Nicolas E. Humphries, Graeme C. Hays, Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Jonathan W. Pitchford, Alex James, et al. 2008. “Scaling Laws of Marine Predator Search Behaviour.” Nature 451 (7182): 1098–1102.

Other Links/Mentions:

BBC Planet Earth II - Islands Clip on Komodo Dragons (Varanus komodoensis) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q05CSZAa8U

BBC Zoo Quest for a Dragon 6 http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/attenborough/7005.shtml

Music – http://www.purple-planet.com

004 Day Gecko Invasion

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 18:00:00 +0100

Episode four is all about day geckos. We get into the lifestyles of these handsome creatures – first exploring Mauritian lowland forest day gecko’s choice of home. Following on from that, we chat about some cheeky Malagasy geckos with some peculiar dietary requirements, and then discuss the startling spread of giant day geckos on Reunion Island. Our Species of the Bi-Week is a gecko with a bizarre adaption to help it evade its foes. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Buckland, Steeves, Nik C. Cole, Ben Godsall, Javier Rodríguez-Pérez, Laura E. Gallagher, Sion M. Henshaw, and Stephen Harris. 2014. “Habitat Selection of the Mauritian Lowland Forest Day Gecko at Multiple Spatial Scales: A Baseline for Translocation.” Global Ecology and Conservation 1: 71–79. OPEN ACCESS

Taylor, Benjamin, and Charlie Gardner. 2014. “Nectar Feeding by the Day Gecko Phelsuma Mutabilis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) on the Mangrove Tree Sonneratia Alba (Lythraceae) in Southwest Madagascar.” Herpetology Notes 7: 85–87. OPEN ACCESS

Gardner, Charlie, and Louise Jasper. 2015. “Diet of the Endemic Malagasy Day Gecko Phelsuma Modesta Leiogaster Mertens, 1970 in an Urban Environment.” Herpetology Notes 8: 489–92. OPEN ACCESS

Sanchez, Mickaël, and Jean-michel Probst. 2014. “Distribution and Habitat of the Invasive Giant Day Gecko Phelsuma Grandis Gray 1870 (Sauria : Gekkonidae ) in Reunion Island, and Conservation Implication.” Phelsuma 22: 13–28. OPEN ACCESS

Species of the Bi-Week:

Scherz, Mark D., Juan D. Daza, Jörn Köhler, Miguel Vences, and Frank Glaw. 2017. “Off the Scale: A New Species of Fish-Scale Gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Geckolepis) with Exceptionally Large Scales.” PeerJ 5: e2955. OPEN ACCESS

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Buckland, Steeves, Nik C. Cole, Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez, Laura E. Gallagher, Sion M. Henshaw, Aurélien Besnard, Rachel M. Tucker, Vishnu Bachraz, Kevin Ruhomaun, and Stephen Harris. 2014. “Ecological Effects of the Invasive Giant Madagascar Day Gecko on Endemic Mauritian Geckos: Applications of Binomial-Mixture and Species Distribution Models.” PLoS ONE 9 (4). OPEN ACCESS

Clémencet, Johanna, Cyril Aubert, Doriane Blottière, and Mickaël Sanchez. 2013. “Kleptoparasitism in the Endemic Gecko Phelsuma Inexpectata: Pollen Theft from Foraging Honeybees on Réunion.” Journal of Tropical Ecology 29: 251–54.

Glaw, Frank, and Miguel Vences. 2007. A field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of Madagascar.

Grassi, Christina. 2006. “Variability in Habitat, Diet, and Social Structure of Hapalemur Griseus in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology 131 (1): 50–63.

Long, Emma, and Paul a. Racey. 2007. “An Exotic Plantation Crop as a Keystone Resource for an Endemic Megachiropteran, Pteropus Rufus, in Madagascar.” Journal of Tropical Ecology 23 (July 2007): 397.

Rocha, S, H Rosler, P S Gehring, F Glaw, D Posada, D. James Harris, and M Vences. 2010. “Phylogenetic Systematics of Day Geckos, Genus Phelsuma, Based on Molecular and Morphological Data (Squamata: Gekkonidae).” Zootaxa 2429: 1–28. Isi:000276751900001. OPEN ACCESS

Thomas, Dana L., and Eric J. Taylor. 1990. “Study Designs and Tests for Comparing Resource Use and Availability.” Journal of Wildlife Management 54 (2): 322–30. OPEN ACCESS

Other Links/Mentions:

Video from Clémencet et al. 2013 – https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-tropical-ecology/article/kleptoparasitism-in-the-endemic-gecko-phelsuma-inexpectata-pollen-theft-from-foraging-honeybees-on-reunion/EAC9B645C3240BAA31B9E6B198B360E0#fndtn-supplementary-materials

Music – http://www.purple-planet.com

003 Bodacious Boas

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 19:34:24 +0100

This fortnight’s episode is dedicated to boas. The first portion looks into how boas hunt; their ability to subdue prey and potentially hunt in a “coordinated” fashion. After, we dig into some landscape genetics and see how the success of cave dwelling boas could boost their conservation chances. Staying on message, our Species of the Bi-week is another ghostly snake from a tropical island. To round the episode off we slide into a lengthy tangent concerning the “dual purpose” of locality data and how it can feed into poaching activity. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Boback, S. M., K. J. McCann, K. A. Wood, P. M. McNeal, E. L. Blankenship, and C. F. Zwemer. 2015. “Snake Constriction Rapidly Induces Circulatory Arrest in Rats.” Journal of Experimental Biology 218 (14): 2279–88. doi:10.1242/jeb.121384. OPEN ACCESS

Dinets, Vladimir. 2017. “Coordinated Hunting by Cuban Boas.” Animal Behaviour and Cognition 4 (1): 24–29. OPEN ACCESS

Puente-Rolón, Alberto R., R. Graham Reynolds, and Liam J. Revell. 2013. “Preliminary Genetic Analysis Supports Cave Populations as Targets for Conservation in the Endemic Endangered Puerto Rican Boa (Boidae: Epicrates Inornatus).” PLoS ONE 8 (5). OPEN ACCESS

Species of the Bi-Week:

Reynolds, R Graham, Alberto R. Puente-Rolón, Anthony J. Geneva, Kevin J. Aviles-Rodriguez, and Nicholas C Herrmann. 2016. “Discovery of a Remarkable New Boa from the Conception Island Bank, Bahamas.” Breviora 549 (1): 1–19.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Boback, S. M., A. E. Hall, K. J. McCann, A. W. Hayes, J. S. Forrester, and C. F. Zwemer. 2012. “Snake Modulates Constriction in Response to Prey’s Heartbeat.” Biology Letters 8 (3): 473–76. OPEN ACCESS

Chiszar, David, Donal Boyer, Robert Lee, James B. Murphy, and Charles W. Radcliffe. "Caudal luring in the southern death adder, Acanthophis antarcticus." Journal of Herpetology (1990): 253-260.

Day, M. and P. Tolson. 1996. “Chilabothrus angulifer.” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996: e.T7815A12852846. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T7815A12852846.en

Dinets, V., J.C. Brueggen, and J.D. Brueggen. 2015. “Crocodilians Use Tools for Hunting.” Ethology Ecology & Evolution 27 (1). Taylor & Francis: 74–78. .

Dinets, Vladimir. 2014. “Apparent Coordination and Collaboration in Cooperatively Hunting Crocodilians.” Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 27 (2): 1–7.

Hardy, D. L. 1994. ”A re-evaluation of suffocation as the cause of death during constriction by snakes.” Herpetological Review: 25, 45-47

James, M., and T. Fox. 2007. “The Largest of Lizards.” The Newsletter of the Gippsland Plains Conservation Management Network 1 (XII): 9. OPEN ACCESS

Lindenmayer, David and Ben Scheele. 2017. “Do Not Publish.” Science Magazine. 356 (6340) : 800-801.

Madsen, Thomas, Bo Stille, and Richard Shine. 1996. "Inbreeding depression in an isolated population of adders Vipera berus." Biological conservation 75 (2): 113-118.

Murphy, James B., Charles C. Carpenter, and James C. Gillingham. 1978. "Caudal luring in the green tree python, Chondropython viridis (Reptilia, Serpentes, Boidae)." Journal of Herpetology 12 (1): 117-119.

O'Shea, M. 2007. Boas and Pythons of the World. New Holland Publishers.

Puente-Rolón, Alberto R., and Fernando J. Bird-Picó. 2004. “Foraging Behavior, Home Range, Movements and Activity Patterns of Epicrates Inornatus (Boidae) at Mata de Plátano Reserve in Arecibo, Puerto Rico.” Caribbean Journal of Science 40 (3): 343–52. OPEN ACCESS

Pyron, R. Alexander, R. Graham Reynolds, and Frank T. Burbrink. 2014. “A Taxonomic Revision of Boas (Serpentes: Boidae).” Zootaxa 3846 (2): 249–60.

Radcliffe, Charles W., D. Chiszar, and H. B. Smith. 1980. "Prey-induced caudal movements in Boa constrictor with comments on the evolution of caudal luring." Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society 16: 19-22.

Reynolds, R. Graham, Glenn P. Gerber, and Benjamin M. Fitzpatrick. 2011. "Unexpected shallow genetic divergence in Turks Island Boas (Epicrates c. chrysogaster) reveals single evolutionarily significant unit for conservation." Herpetologica 67 (4): 477-486.

Reynolds, R. Graham, Matthew L. Niemiller, S. Blair Hedges, Alex Dornburg, Alberto R. Puente-Rolón, and Liam J. Revell. 2013. “Molecular Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of West Indian Boid Snakes (Chilabothrus).” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 68 (3). Elsevier Inc.: 461–70. OPEN ACCESS

Rocha-Santos, Gilson da, Eder Barbier, and Marcelo Oscar Bordignon. 2014. “Sweet Trap: Boa Constrictor (Serpentes: Boidae) Preying on Passerines on Cecropia Pachystachya (Urticales: Cecropiaceae) in Fruiting Period.” Biota Neotropica 14 (2): e20140003. OPEN ACCESS

Tzika, Athanasia C., Susan Koenig, Ricardo Miller, Gerardo Garcia, Christophe Remy, and Michel C. Milinkovitch. 2008. "Population structure of an endemic vulnerable species, the Jamaican boa (Epicrates subflavus)." Molecular ecology 17 (2): 533-544.

Wilson, Byron S., Susan E. Koenig, Rick van Veen, Erika Miersma, and D. Craig Rudolph. 2010. “Cane Toads a Threat to West Indian Wildlife: Mortality of Jamaican Boas Attributable to Toad Ingestion.” Biological Invasions 13 (1): 55–60. OPEN ACCESS

Yang, Jian-Huan, and Bosco Pui-Lok Chan. 2015. "Two new species of the genus Goniurosaurus (Squamata: Sauria: Eublepharidae) from southern China." Zootaxa 3980 (1): 067-080.

Other Links/Mentions:

BBC Planet Earth II - Islands Clip on Galapagos Racers (Philodryas biserialis) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3OjfK0t1XM

BBC Planet Earth - Shallow Seas Clip on Banded Sea Kraits (Laticauda colubrina) - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0038t09

Music – http://www.purple-planet.com

002 Frog Noise and Snake Space

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 14:24:03 +0100

In episode two of Herpetological Highlights we delve into the world of frogs and how they deal with noisy environments. Followed up by a pair of radiotelemetry studies giving us a glimpse into the lives of two North American snakes. We have two Species of the Bi-week, a ghostly snake from Madagascar and a rediscovered Monitor Lizard from the distant Bismarck Archipelago. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Bauder, Javan M., David R. Breininger, M. Rebecca Bolt, Michael L. Legare, Christopher L. Jenkins, Betsie B. Rothermel, and Kevin McGarigal. 2016. “The Influence of Sex and Season on Conspecific Spatial Overlap in a Large, Actively-Foraging Colubrid Snake.” PLoS ONE 11 (8): 1–19. OPEN ACCESS

Fill, Jennifer M., Jayme L. Waldron, Shane M. Welch, J. Whitfield Gibbons, Stephen H. Bennett, and Timothy A. Mousseau. 2015. “Using Multiscale Spatial Models to Assess Potential Surrogate Habitat for an Imperiled Reptile.” PLoS ONE 10 (4): 1–13. OPEN ACCESS

Goutte, Sandra, Alain Dubois, and Frédéric Legendre. 2013. “The Importance of Ambient Sound Level to Characterise Anuran Habitat.” PLoS ONE 8 (10): 1–11. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0078020. OPEN ACCESS

Species of the Bi-Week:

Ruane, S., F.T. Burbrink, B. Randriamahtantsoa, and Raxworthy. C.J. 2016. “The Cat-Eyed Snakes of Madagascar: Phylogeny and Description of a New Species of Madagascarophis (Serpentes: Lamprophiidae) from the Tsingy of Ankarana.” Copeia 104 (3): 712–21.

Weijola, Valter, Fred Kraus, Varpu Vahtera, Christer Lindqvist, and Stephen C Donnellan. 2017. “Reinstatement of Varanus Douarrha Lesson, 1830 as a Valid Species with Comments on the Zoogeography of Monitor Lizards (Squamata: Varanidae) in the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea.” Australian Journal of Zoology.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Durso, Andrew M, and Richard A Seigel. 2015. “A Snake in the Hand Is Worth 10,000 in the Bush.” Journal of Herpetology 49 (4): 503–6. doi:10.1670/15-49-04.1.

Jones, Julia P G, Mijasoa M. Andriamarovololona, and Neal Hockley. 2008. “The Importance of Taboos and Social Norms to Conservation in Madagascar.” Conservation Biology 22 (4): 976–86.

Picciulin, M., Sebastianutto, L., Codarin, A., Calcagno, G., & Ferrero, E. A. 2012. “Brown meagre vocalization rate increases during repetitive boat noise exposures: A possible case of vocal compensation.” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 132(5), 3118-3124.

Scott, Mitchell L., Martin J. Whiting, Jonathan K. Webb, and Richard Shine. 2013. “Chemosensory Discrimination of Social Cues Mediates Space Use in Snakes, Cryptophis Nigrescens (Elapidae).” Animal Behaviour 85: 1493–1500.

Strine, Colin, Curt Barnes, Matthew Crane, Inês Silva, Pongthep Suwanwaree, Bartosz Nadolski, Taksin Artchawakom, and Jacques Hill. 2015. “Sexual Dimorphism of Tropical Green Pit Viper Trimeresurus (Cryptelytrops) macrops in Northeast Thailand.” Amphibia-Reptilia 36 (4): 327–38.

York, Daniel S. "The combat ritual of the Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma)." Copeia 1984.3 (1984): 770-772.

001 Cool Colours and Cryptic Camo

Sat, 27 May 2017 12:49:02 +0100

On this inaugural episode of Herpetological Highlights we discuss colour changing Bearded Dragons, the temperature efficiency of Bluetongue Skinks, and how snake camouflage may have driven primate evolution. Our Species of the Bi-week is a sexually dichromatic snake from India. FULL REFERENCE LIST AVAILABLE AT: herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:

Fan, Marie, Devi Stuart-Fox, and Viviana Cadena. 2014. “Cyclic Colour Change in the Bearded Dragon Pogona Vitticeps under Different Photoperiods.” PLoS ONE 9 (10). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0111504. OPEN ACCESS

Geen, Michael R S, and Gregory R. Johnston. 2014. “Coloration Affects Heating and Cooling in Three Color Morphs of the Australian Bluetongue Lizard, Tiliqua Scincoides.” Journal of Thermal Biology 43 (1). Elsevier: 54–60. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.04.004.

Kawai, Nobuyuki, and Hongshen He. 2016. “Breaking Snake Camouflage: Humans Detect Snakes More Accurately than Other Animals under Less Discernible Visual Conditions.” PLoS ONE 11 (10): 1–10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164342. OPEN ACCESS

Species of the Bi-week:

Mohapatra, Pratyush P., S. K. Dutta, Niladri B. Kar, Abhijit Das, B. H. C.K Murthy, and V. Deepak. 2017. “Ahaetulla Nasuta Anomala (Annandale, 1906) (Squamata: Colubridae), Resurrected as a Valid Species with Marked Sexual Dichromatism.” Zootaxa 4263 (2): 318–32. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4263.2.6.

Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:

Cook, Edwin W., Robert L. Hodes, and Peter J. Lang. 1986. "Preparedness and phobia: Effects of stimulus content on human visceral conditioning." Journal of abnormal psychology 95 (3): 195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.95.3.195

Forsman, Anders. 1995. “Heating Rates and Body Temperature Variation in Melanistic and Zigzag Vipera Berus, Does Colour Make a Difference?” Annales Zoologici Fennici 32 (4): 365–74. http://www.sekj.org/PDF/anzf32/anz32-365-374.pdf. OPEN ACCESS

Garcia, Tiffany S, Jodi Stacy, and Andrew Sih. 2014. “Larval Salamander Response to UV Radiation and Predation Risk : Color Change and Microhabitat Use.” Ecological Applications 14 (4): 1055–64. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1890/02-5288/full.

Price-Rees, Samantha J., Gregory P. Brown, and Richard Shine. 2010. “Predation on Toxic Cane Toads (Bufo Marinus) May Imperil Bluetongue Lizards (Tiliqua Scincoides Intermedia, Scincidae) in Tropical Australia.” Wildlife Research 37 (2): 166. doi:10.1071/WR09170.

Price-Rees, Samantha J., Jonathan K. Webb, and Richard Shine. 2011. “School for Skinks: Can Conditioned Taste Aversion Enable Bluetongue Lizards (Tiliqua Scincoides) to Avoid Toxic Cane Toads (Rhinella Marina) as Prey?” Ethology 117 (9): 749–57. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01935.x.

Rasmussen, J.B., 1990. The retina of Psammodynastes pulverulentus (Boie, 1827) and Telescopus fallax (Fleischmann, 1831) with a discussion of their phylogenetic significance (Colubroidea, Serpentes). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 28 (4): 269-276. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0469.1990.tb00381.x

Soares, Sandra C., Björn Lindström, Francisco Esteves, and Arne Öhman. 2014. “The Hidden Snake in the Grass: Superior Detection of Snakes in Challenging Attentional Conditions.” PLoS ONE 9 (12): 1–26. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0114724. OPEN ACCESS

Tanaka, Koji. 2007. “Thermal Biology of a Colour-Dimorphic Snake, Elaphe Quadrivirgata, in a Montane Forest: Do Melanistic Snakes Enjoy Thermal Advantages?” Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 92 (2): 309–22. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2007.00849.x.

Vences, Miguel, Pedro Galán, David R Vieites, Marta Puente, Kerstin Oetter, and Stefan Wanke. 2002. “Field Body Temperatures and Heating Rates in a Montane Frog Population: The Importance of Black Dorsal Pattern for Thermoregulation.” Annales Zoologici Fennici 39: 209–20. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23736709 OPEN ACCESS

Vidal, Nicolas. 2002. “Colubroid Systematics: Evidence for an Early Appearance of the Venom Apparatus Followed By Extensive Evolutionary Tinkering.” Journal of Toxicology: Toxin Reviews 21 (1–2): 21–41. doi:10.1081/TXR-120004740.

Music – http://www.purple-planet.com