In this episode we talk about how many people are getting bitten by venomous snakes in South Africa, and how reporting encounters like this can help to reduce morbidity and mortality from snakebite: all the topic of a new paper by co-host Hiral Naik!

Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod!

Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com

Episode Citations

Seneci, L., Hall, A.S., Glaw, F. & Scherz, M.D. (2025) Potential evolutionary convergence in trophic adaptations of two booidean snake lineages as evidenced by skull morphology. Journal of Morphology, 286(1):e70011. DOI: 10.1002/jmor.70011

Naik, H. & Alexander, G.J. (2025) The incidence of snakebite in South Africa and the challenges associated with lack of reporting. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene:trae109. DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trae109

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky

Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky

Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky

Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky

Hiral Naik: website • instagram • bluesky

The post SquaMates Ep. 30: Nolite te serpentes biteyouonyourbum first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we drop some HOT OFF THE PRESS news about seven new species of frogs from Madagascar that Mark has been involved in describing that are named after seven Star Trek captains. We also cover some exciting recent research on Gymmie phylogeography and diving anoles! Plus, Hiral is submitting her PhD thesis! Wow!

Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod!

Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com

Check out the new frogs named after Star Trek captains!

Episode Citations

Swierk, L. (2024) Novel rebreathing adaptation extends dive time in a semi-aquatic lizard. Biology Letters, 20(9):20240371. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0371

Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D., Ribeiro‑Júnior, M.A. & Sánchez-Pacheco, S.J. (2024) Once upon a time: exploring the biogeographic history of the largest endemic lizard family in the Neotropics (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 143(1):blae080. DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae080

Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D. & Diago-Toro, M.F. (2024) Alice in Lizardland: exploring the spatiotemporal speciation and morphological evolutionary rates in the highly diverse microteiid lizards (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 142(2):208-219. DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blad127

Vences, M., Köhler, J., Hutter, C.R., Preick, M., Petzold, A., Rakotoarison, A., Ratsoavina, F.M., Glaw, F. & Scherz, M.D. (in press) Communicator whistles: a Trek through the taxonomy of the Boophis marojezensis complex reveals seven new, morphologically cryptic treefrogs from Madagascar (Amphibia: Anura: Mantellidae). Vertebrate Zoology DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e121110

Shout-outs:

Hayley Crowell: instagram

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube

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Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky

The post SquaMates Ep. 29: Frog Trek first appeared on SquaMates.

An unexpected crossover is afoot! Hiral and Mark met up with Dr Tom Major and Benjamin M. Marshall of the Herpetological Hightlights Podcast while they were at the 10th World Congress of Herpetology in Kuching, Malaysia. We sat down together and talked about the amazing conference, podcasts, and the herpetological community at large. We had such a great time!

Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod!

Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com.

You can check out our buds from Herpetological Highlights wherever you get your podcasts, and at: https://herphighlights.podbean.com/, on instagram, and on twitter.

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube

Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky

Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky

Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky

Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky

The post SquaMates Ep. 28: All day and all of the night (feat. Herpetological Highlights!) first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we talk about everyone’s favourite frogs, rain frogs of the family Brevicipitidae! We go over their diversity, ecology, and anatomy, as well as their fun adhesive properties!

Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod!

Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com

Glued amplexus as exhibited by Breviceps spp. Illustration by Ethan Kocak.

Exciting updates

Check out Ethan’s new book, The Unfamiliars!

Hiral managed to secure a Rufford Small Grant

Gabriel illustrated Dave Hone’s new book, ‘Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know‘

Episode Citations

Feng, Y.-J., Blackburn, D.C., Liang, D., Hillis, D.M., Wake, D.B., Cannatella, D.C. & Zhang, P. (2017) Phylogenomics reveals rapid, simultaneous diversification of three major clades of Gondwanan frogs at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 114(29):E5864–E5870. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1704632114

Noble, G.K. & Parker, H.W. (1926) A synopsis of the brevicipitid toads of Madagascar. American Museum Novitates, 232:1–21.

Parker, H.W. (1934) Monograph of the frogs of the family Microhylidae. Trustees of the British Museum, London, UK.

Zaman, S., Lengerer, B., Van Lindt, J., Saenen, I., Russo, G., Bossaer, L., Carpentier, S., Tompa, P., Flammang, P. & Roelants, K. (2024) Recurrent evolution of adhesive defence systems in amphibians by parallel shifts in gene expression. Nature Communications, 15:5612. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49917-3

Shout-outs:

David Hone: homepage • twitter

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube

Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky

Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky

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Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky

The post SquaMates Ep. 27: I’m only hoppy when it rains first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we gently debate subspecies, and then dive into several snake papers, from their anomalously extensive and rapid diversification, to a recent taxonomic change. Regrettably the audio on this episode was affected by a technical error, so it is far less than our usual quality (Ethan and Hiral are a little quiet, sorry!). Hopefully it doesn’t affect the listening experience too badly!

Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod!

Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com

Check out Ethan’s new book, The Unfamiliars!

Episode Citations

Vences, M., Köhler, J., Scherz, M.D., Hutter, C.R., Rabe Maheritafika, H.M., Rafanoharana, J.M., Raherinjatovo, H., Rakotoarison, A., Andreone, F., Raselimanana, A.P. & Glaw, F. (2024) Four new species of forest-dwelling mantellid frogs from Madagascar allied to Gephyromantis moseri (Amphibia, Anura). Spixiana, 46(2):297–319.

Scherz, M.D., Rudolph, J., Rakotondratsima, M., Ratsoavina, F.M., Crottini, A., Andreone, F., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2024) Molecular systematics of the subgenus Gephyromantis (Phylacomantis) with description of a new subspecies. Zootaxa, 5446(2):205–220. DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5446.2.3

de Queiroz, K. (2020) An updated concept of subspecies resolves a dispute about the taxonomy of incompletely separated lineages. Herpetological Review, 51(3):459–461. [Mark incorrectly gave publication date as being 2021]

de Queiroz, K. (2007) Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology, 56(6):879–886. DOI: 10.1080/10635150701701083

Title, P.O., Singhal, S., Grundler, M.C., Costa, G.C., Pyron, R.A., Colston, T.J., Grundler, M.R., Prates, I., Stepanova, N., Jones, M.E.H., Cavalcanti, L.B.Q., Colli, G.R., Di-Poï, N., Donnellan, S.C., Moritz, C., Mesquita, D.O., Pianka, E.R., Smith, S.A., Vitt, L.J. & Rabosky, D.L. (2024) The macroevolutionary singularity of snakes. Science, 383(6685):918–923. DOI: 10.1126/science.adh2449

Strong, C., Scherz, M.D. & Caldwell, M.W. (2021) Deconstructing the Gestalt: New concepts and tests of homology, as exemplified by a re-conceptualization of “microstomy” in squamates. Anatomical Record, 304:2303–2351. DOI: 10.1002/ar.24630

Losos, J. B. (2017) Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution. Riverhead Books, New York City NY, USA. 384 pp.

Datta, D. & Bajpai, S. (2024) Largest known madtsoiid snake from warm Eocene period of India suggests intercontinental Gondwana dispersal. Scientific Reports, 14(1):8054. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58377-0

Zaher, H., Trusz, C., Koch, C., Entiauspe-Neto, O.M., Battilana, J. & Grazziotin, F.G. (2024) Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the dwarf boas of the family Tropidophiidae (Serpentes: Alethinophidia). Systematics and Biodiversity, 22(1):2319289. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2024.2319289

Vences, M., Guayasamin, J.M., Miralles, A. & de la Riva, I. (2013) To name or not to name: Criteria to promote economy of change in Linnaean classification schemes. Zootaxa, 3636(2):201–244. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3636.2.1

Scherz, M.D., Vences, M., Rakotoarison, A., Andreone, F., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Crottini, A. (2017) Lumping or splitting in the Cophylinae (Anura: Microhylidae) and the need for a parsimony of taxonomic changes: a response to Peloso et al. (2017). Salamandra, 53(3):479–483.

Shout-outs:

Common Descent Podcast

TetZoo Podcats

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube

Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky

Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky

Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky

Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky

The post SquaMates Ep. 26: Let’s talk about snakes, baby first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we talk about a really cool predation observation, the importance of publishing behavioural or observational notes, and some follow-up on the anaconda mess from Episode 24.

Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod!

Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com

Episode Citations

Bringsøe, H. & Dreyer, N.P. (2024) Kleptoparasitism in Micrurus mipartitus (Squamata, Elapidae) competing for the same Caecilia sp. (Gymnophiona, Caeciliidae) in western Colombia. Herpetozoa, 37:77–84. DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.37.e112716

Mancuso, M., Zaman, S., Maddock, S.T., Kamei, R.G., Salazar-Valenzuela, D., Wilkinson, M., Roelants, K. & Fry, B.G. (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(14) DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411353

Mailho-Fontana, Pedro L., Antoniazzi, M.M., Alexandre, C., Carvalho Pimenta, D., Mozer Sciani, J., Brodie, Edmund D., Jr. & Jared, C. (2020) Morphological Evidence for an Oral Venom System in Caecilian Amphibians. iScience, 23:101234. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101234

Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D., Alfonso-Rojas, A. & Palacios-Aguilar, R. (2024) On the validity of the recently described northern green anaconda Eunectes akayima (Squamata, Serpentes). Bionomia, 37(1):1–7. DOI: 10.11646/BIONOMINA.37.1.1

Dubois, A., Denzer, W., Entiauspe-Neto, O.M., Frétey, T., Ohler, A., Bauer, A.M. & Pyron, R.A. (2024) Nomenclatural problems raised by the recent description of a new anaconda species (Squamata, Serpentes, Boidae), with a nomenclatural review of the genus Eunectes. Bionomia, 37(1):8–58. DOI: 10.11646/BIONOMINA.37.1.2

Shout-outs:

Jodi Rowley: @jodirowley

Darren Naish/TetZoo: @tetzoo on twitter • @tetzoo on bluesky

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube

Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky

Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky

Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky

Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky

The post SquaMates Ep. 25: Micrurus brings all the boys to the yard first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we talk about the breaking news that caecilians produce milk‽, and get into some recent taxonomic works on anacondas and eyelash palm-pitvipers. Content warning: this episode contains several Hot Takes.

Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com

Episode Citations

Wake, M.H. (2024) Amphibian hatchlings find mother’s milk. Science, 383(6687):1060–1061. DOI: 10.1126/science.ado2094

Mailho-Fontana, P.L., Antoniazzi, M.M., Coelho, G.R., Pimenta, D.C., Fernandes, L.P., Kupfer, A., Brodie, E.D. & Jared, C. (2024) Milk provisioning in oviparous caecilian amphibians. Science, 383(6687):1092–1095. DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5379

Arteaga, A., Pyron, R.A., Batista, A., Vieira, J., Meneses Pelayo, E., Smith, E.N., Barrio Amorós, C.L., Koch, C., Agne, S., Valencia, J.H., Bustamante, L. & Harris, K.J. (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.

Rivas, J.A., De La Quintana, P., Mancuso, M., Pacheco, L.F., Rivas, G.A., Mariotto, S., Salazar-Valenzuela, D., Baihua, M.T., Baihua, P., Burghardt, G.M., Vonk, F.J., Hernandez, E., García-Pérez, J.E., Fry, B.G. & Corey-Rivas, S. (2024) Disentangling the Anacondas: Revealing a New Green Species and Rethinking Yellows. Diversity, 16(2) DOI: 10.3390/d16020127

Shout-outs:

Lingthusiasm Podcast

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube

Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky

Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky

Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky

Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky

The post SquaMates Ep. 24: Green Anaconda don’t want none first appeared on SquaMates.

The Mates are back after two and a half years of hiatus! They talk about all that’s happened in the intervening time, and where we are going from here!

Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com

Get yourself a copy of Ethan’s book, Moistly Harmless!

Hiral is featured in this phenomenal book on Women in Herpetology! Go check out the Global Women in Herpetology project, over at https://www.womeninherpetology.com/.

Mark wants you to check out itaxotools.org for your taxonomy needs!

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube

Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky

Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky

Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky

Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky

The post SquaMates Ep. 22: Neil Caiman and Crew first appeared on SquaMates.

The Mates get into the evolution of Ambystoma, whether or not to use subspecies, and the fantastically diverse and oft maligned gymnophthalmids (gymmies!).

Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com

Episode Citations

Boccia, C.K., Swierk, L., Ayala-Varela, F.P., Boccia, J., Borges, I.L., Estupiñán, C.A., Martin, A.M., Martínez-Grimaldo, R.E., Ovalle, S., Senthivasan, S., Toyama, K.S., del Rosario Castañeda, M., García, A., Glor, R.E. & Mahler, D.L. Repeated evolution of underwater rebreathing in diving Anolis lizards. Current Biology: DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.040

de Queiroz, K. (2007) Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology, 56(6):879–886. DOI: 10.1080/10635150701701083

de Queiroz, K. (2020) An updated concept of subspecies resolves a dispute about the taxonomy of incompletely separated lineages. Herpetological Review, 51(3):459–461.

Everson, K.M., Gray, L.N., Jones, A.G., Lawrence, N.M., Foley, M.E., Sovacool, K.L., Kratovil, J.D., Hotaling, S., Hime, P.M., Storfer, A., Parra-Olea, G., Percino-Daniel, R., Aguilar-Miguel, X., O’Neill, E.M., Zambrano, L., Shaffer, H.B. & Weisrock, D.W. (2021) Geography is more important than life history in the recent diversification of the tiger salamander complex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 118(17):e2014719118. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014719118

Gymnophthalmids

Assorted gymnophthalmids illustrated by our very own Gabriel Ugueto

Assorted gymnophthalmine gymnophthalmids illustrated by our very own Gabriel Ugueto

Bachia species illustrated by Gabriel: above, B. trinitatis; below, B. lineata

Comparison of Gymnophthalmus (above) and Tretioscincus (below). Note the brille of Gymnophthalmus versus the movable eyelid with a semi-transparent window ind Tretioscincus

Reduction of limbs and digits in various Gymnophthalmids: a Bachia, b Gymnophthalmus (4 fingers), c Tretioscincus (5 fingers but 1st one very rudimentary), d Riolama (1st reduced and clawless) e Anadia (five digits presented and clawed)

Reduction of limbs and digits in various Bachia species

One of Gabriel’s favourite gymmies: Anadia marmorata

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook

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Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble

Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon

The post SquaMates Ep. 21: Bachia to the Future first appeared on SquaMates.

The Mates are joined this month by Hiral Naik, a snake ecologist from South Africa! We talk turtles, skinks, crocodiles, neocolonialism in science, and Lamprophiidae!

Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com

Episode Citations

Thomson, R.C., Spinks, P.Q. & Shaffer, H.B. (2021) A global phylogeny of turtles reveals a burst of climate-associated diversification on continental margins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(7):e2012215118. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2012215118

Chapple, D.G., Roll, U., Böhm, M., Aguilar, R., Amey, A.P., Austin, C.C., Baling, M., Barley, A.J., Bates, M.F., Bauer, A.M., Blackburn, D.G., Bowles, P., Brown, R.M., Chandramouli, S.R., Chirio, L., Cogger, H., Colli, G.R., Conradie, W., Couper, P.J., Cowan, M.A., Craig, M.D., Das, I., Datta-Roy, A., Dickman, C.R., Ellis, R.J., Fenner, A.L., Ford, S., Ganesh, S.R., Gardner, M.G., Geissler, P., Gillespie, G.R., Glaw, F., Greenlees, M.J., Griffith, O.W., Grismer, L.L., Haines, M.L., Harris, D.J., Hedges, S.B., Hitchmough, R.A., Hoskin, C.J., Hutchinson, M.N., Ineich, I., Janssen, J., Johnston, G.R., Karin, B.R., Keogh, J.S., Kraus, F., LeBreton, M., Lymberakis, P., Masroor, R., McDonald, P.J., Mecke, S., Melville, J., Melzer, S., Michael, D.R., Miralles, A., Mitchell, N.J., Nelson, N.J., Nguyen, T.Q., de Campos Nogueira, C., Ota, H., Pafilis, P., Pauwels, O.S.G., Perera, A., Pincheira-Donoso, D., Reed, R.N., Ribeiro-Júnior, M.A., Riley, J.L., Rocha, S., Rutherford, P.L., Sadlier, R.A., Shacham, B., Shea, G.M., Shine, R., Slavenko, A., Stow, A., Sumner, J., Tallowin, O.J.S., Teale, R., Torres-Carvajal, O., Trape, J.-F., Uetz, P., Ukuwela, K.D.B., Valentine, L., Van Dyke, J.U., van Winkel, D., Vasconcelos, R., Vences, M., Wagner, P., Wapstra, E., While, G.M., Whiting, M.J., Whittington, C.M., Wilson, S., Ziegler, T., Tingley, R. & Meiri, S. (2021) Conservation status of the world’s skinks (Scincidae): Taxonomic and geographic patterns in extinction risk. Biological Conservation, 257:109101. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109101

Hekkala, E., Gatesy, J., Narechania, A., Meredith, R., Russello, M., Aardema, M.L., Jensen, E., Montanari, S., Brochu, C., Norell, M. & Amato, G. (2021) Paleogenomics illuminates the evolutionary history of the extinct Holocene “horned” crocodile of Madagascar, Voay robustus. Communications Biology, 4(1):505. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02017-0

Naik, H., Kgaditse, M. M. & Alexander, G. J. (2021) Ancestral Reconstruction of Diet and Fang Condition in the Lamprophiidae: Implications for the Evolution of Venom Systems in Snakes. Journal of Herpetology, 55(1):1–10. DOI: 10.1670/19-071 [x]

Shout-outs

Liam Revell’s PhyTools blog

Follow the show and the hosts on social media!

SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook

Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble

Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble

Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon

Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • save the snakes

The post SquaMates Ep. 20: Lerista Explains It All first appeared on SquaMates.