Herpetological Highlights

By Herpetological HighlightsScience Life Sciences Natural Sciences Nature

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Herpetological Highlights episodes

February 21, 2023 149 The Hidden Risk of Carrying Tadpoles
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
24 min
February 14, 2023 148 Snakes with Dangerous Diets
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
33 min
February 07, 2023 147 Crocodiles can feel with their face
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
29 min
January 31, 2023 146 Iguanas with a Sweet Tooth
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
26 min
January 24, 2023 145 Vipers On Ice
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

35 min
January 17, 2023 144 New Zealand’s Native Frogs
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
33 min
January 10, 2023 143 Can frogs stand the heat?
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
29 min
January 03, 2023 142 Alligators can regrow their tails
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
30 min
December 26, 2022 141 Mountain Dragons
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
26 min
December 26, 2022 140 Snake Diets Through the Ages
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
31 min