Bringing you the recent scientific advancements in the field of Herpetology.
Episodes
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
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?
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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
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
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.
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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
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
An arms race between newts and snakes means biological warfare.
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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
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
Wednesday Dec 13, 2023
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
Tuesday Dec 05, 2023
Tuesday Dec 05, 2023
Gopher tortoises build wonderful and important burrows, but what happens when an invasive species decides to move 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:
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
Monday Dec 04, 2023
Monday Dec 04, 2023
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
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
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
Saturday Oct 28, 2023
Saturday Oct 28, 2023
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.
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:
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:
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
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
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. <https://amphibiaweb.org> 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
Friday Oct 06, 2023
Friday Oct 06, 2023
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