Herpetological Highlights

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

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

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

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

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

Other Links:

Feeding videos of crustacean eating snakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtMR7I38s1U 

Music:

Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson

Species Bi-week theme – Mike Mooney

Other Music – The Passion HiFi, www.thepassionhifi.com

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

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

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

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

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