Breeding Behavior

Interesting information on all-female species of whiptail lizard.

And, a certain Peruvian frog is the first known monogamous amphibian.

Just in Time for Valentine's Day

Love Songs of African Clawed Frogs (NPR)

Frog News

Some video and notes on how Tungara frogs whip up their frothy nests, here.

A PNG frog undergoes a significant ontogenetic color change. (News source.)

An endangered frog's eggs are being frozen for conservation purposes. (News source.)

Rattlesnakes vs Denim

A new study shows that denim clothing often reduces the amount of venom released by a rattlesnake during a bite. (Abstract; via Zach Barton)

Frog Embryos and Snakes

Embryos of a red-eyed tree frog can detect the motion of snakes, and hatch early accordingly. (News source.)

Jumping Gators

Gatorland is bringing in new blood for their Gator Jumparoo show, as the older alligators have gotten a bit lazy. (News source.)

Croc News

A 12-year old girl in Zambia was killed by a crocodile, while swimming in the Chambeshi River. (News source.)

Pics were taken of a croc being killed by a herd of hippos, here.

Sea Snake Behavior

Sea snakes use their tail to mimic their heads. (News source.)

Some Frog News

The first protein-based toxin in an amphibian has been discovered, in a treefrog. Most amphibian toxins are obtained from other sources like prey. (News source.)

An interesting photo gallery of treefrogs from Vietnam, here.

Mountain chicken frog tadpoles have some very strange cannibalistic behavior. (News source.)

A new Costa Rica treefrog shows distinctive coloration differences between adults and juveniles, and between genders. (News source.)

India: Crocodile Attacks

A 9-year old Indian girl was killed by a crocodile at Traj Lake in Matar Taluka of Kheda District. (News source.)

A 50-year old Indian woman was killed and several others injured in a series of croc attacks " in and around the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary." (News source.) Wildlife experts suggest that an error in choosing release sites under a crocodile conservation program makes human-croc encounters far too common. (News source.)

A 60-year old Indian man was killed by a crocodile while bathing in the Kharasrota river. (News source.)

Disease Leads to Behavioral Changes

Ranavirus in UK frogs may be leading to mating choice changes in the amphibians there. (Eurekalert.)

Lizard Locomotion

Researchers have now shown that neon blue tailed tree lizards (Holaspis guentheri) actually do glide when leaping from trees, because of their light weight, which makes their Mass to Surface Area ratio the same as that of the gliding gecko. (Eurekalert.)

Sandfish (a desert lizard) swim like snakes through the sand. (Eurekalert.)

Amphibian News

Frog deformations may be the result of dragonfly nymphs, according to some researchers. (News source.)

A pic here of a recently discovered transparent frog in Ecuador.

A fish-surfing frog photographed in the UK, here.

Axolotls are being studied for limb regeneration research. (News source.)

Gallery: Python vs Goanna

Interesting pics of a blackheaded python eating a goanna, here.

Herp Researchers

Biologists are mounting cameras on Galapagos tortoises to view their behavior. (News source.)

Biologists are studying the "jumping frogs of Calaveras County" to see why the leap so far. (News source.)

When Your Eyes are Too Big for Your Stomach

This is what happens... (otherwise titled, Python vs Ibis).

Hungry Snake

A python is photographed swallowing a lizard in Australia. (News source.)

Lizard Behavior

Female Lake Eyre dragon lizards have an interesting way of turning down amorous and persistent males. (News source.)

Ratsnake Likes Eggs

A mallard's nest is easy pickings for a ratsnake. Video here.

Lizard News

A new chameleon has been described from Tanzania. (News source.)

Lizards sunbathe for both warmth and vitamin D regulation. (News source.)

Tail Loss to Prevent Envenomation

Lizards lose their tails to predators primarily due to the potential for snakes to envenomate them. (News source.)

Snakes in a Crawlspace

A Colorado man found 41 brumating bullsnakes in the crawlspace under his friend's house. The snakes were relocated. (News source.)

Crocodile News

A young girl was killed by a crocodile during a "floating school" trip in the Philippines. (News source.)

An Indonesian man is missing after being attacked by a crocodile. (News source.)

A fisherman in Australia photographed a croc eating a small shark. (News source.)

A small crocodile suspected of biting a tourist snorkeler has been caught. (News source.)

Lizard Behavior

A new study shows that young male lizards in one Australian species pretends to be female to fool older males while they maneuver into position to court females.

Rattlesnake Behavior

Interesting "cannibalism" behavior in post-birthing Crotalus polystictus. (News source.)

Crocodilians

A female gator at Jungle Gardens (FL) may be mistaking the rumble of a garbage truck for the bellow male alligator's mating call... (News source.)

A Malawi teenager was killed by a crocodile. (News source.)

A Swaziland woman was saved from a crocodile attack by her dog. (News source.)

A crocodile that killed a young Australian boy has been captured and will live out its life in captivity. (News source.)

Leaping Lizards

Losing a tail to a predator means anoles are at a distinct disadvantage when dropping from a tree. (Eurekalert)

Snake vs Snake

It's not always easy for one snake to eat another. (News source.)

Cobra Spitting Explained

New research shows that spitting cobras rely on a two-part method for accuracy. (News source.)

Training Gators

An interesting behavioral training technique is used by the Fort Fisher Aquarium with their alligators, allowing safer upkeep of the cage. (News source.)

Crocs Fishing With Toes

Some Australian saltwater crocodiles have learned to fish with their webbed toes, luring fish close enough to grab. (News source.)

Turtle Tricks

Florida the three-toed box turtle helps kids face their fears... (News source.)

Gecko Pollination Problem

An invasive ant on the island of Mauritius is disrupting the nectar-feeding habits of a native Phelsuma gecko, which is integral to the pollination cycle of a rare plant. (News source.)

Croc vs Zebra

Photo essay here.

Turtles Adjust

Sea turtles are adjusting their nesting dates to warmer climate conditions. (News source.)

Sea Snakes Drink Freshwater

New research suggests that sea snakes don't drink saltwater, after all. (News source.)

Embryo Behavior

Red-eyed treefrog embryos rotate inside their eggs to get more oxygen. (New source.)

Snake Stories

A python in Australia was photographed swallowing a cockatoo. (News source.)

Australian beach-goers rescued a sea snake stranded on the sand. (News source.)

After his girlfriend made him a meal, a Kenya man took a nap, only to be woken by a large snake under the bed. His screams brought the neighbors, who killed the snake. The girlfriend's children asked why they killed their mother's pet. The neighbors complained to the landlord. The girlfriend says it wasn't her pet, it must have wandered in. The man went back to his wife. (News source.)

Sounds like a Killer Croc Movie

After a male croc in Queensland was shot and beheaded by trophy hunters, the body was left to float into a rival male crocodile's territory. This, apparently, has enraged the croc, which is now stalking and lunging at nearby bridge builders and construction workers. (News source.)

Sandfish Swimming

Interesting findings on how a sandfish actually "swims" through sand. (Eurekalert.)

New Herps from Zootaxa, September 2008

The papers aren't accessible (subscription required), but you can view the pdf abstracts.

1) A new frog, Adelophryne patamona, is described from Guyana.
2) A new skink, Oligosoma pikitanga, is described from New Zealand.
3) A new lizard, Bachia oxyrhina, is described from Brazil.
4) A new gecko, Cnemaspis biocellata, is described from Thailand/Malaysia.
5) A new lizard, Scriptosaura catimbau, is described from Brazil.
6) A new lizard, Leptodactylus cupreus, is described from Brazil.

Also, chromosomal analysis of some frogs (Pristimantis spp.) from Brazil suggests an undescribed species. And, there's a paper on foam-generating tadpoles.

Horned Lizard Tactics

Horned lizards that specialize on harvester ants (with strong mandibles and stings) have specialized mucus-producing tissue in their throat, which allows them to quickly coat and swallow the noxious insects. (News source.)

Lizard Sundials

Some Jamaican anoles mark dusk and dawn with visual displays to mark their territory. (Eurekalert.)

Rattlesnake News

Wisconsin biologists are trying to restore the massasauga. (News source.)

And, a California columnist came across two male rattlers in a dominance display. (News source.)

Leopard vs. Crocodile

Fascinating photos taken of a leopard taking down a small crocodile here.

Cane Toad Snake Snack

A cane toad was photographed chowing down on a keelback in Australia. (News source.)

Frog & Toad News

An orange-morph garden frog was found in the UK. (News source.)

Researchers are using a "robo-frog" to test mating call variations. (News source.)

Fewer than 1% of all cane toad hatchlings survive to adulthood in Australia, but that small number is still a threat, increasing the population. (News source.)

More Snake Bites

An 11-year old Texas girl was bitten by a copperhead. (News source.)

A 69-year old man (in or near New York) was bitten by a timber rattlesnake he kept as a pet. (News source.)

And, some details here on a California kingsnake found eating a rattlesnake.

Crocodilian News

A Texas man tries to find a new home for his 5-foot illegal alligator. (News source.)

China is reporting (for some reason) the sighting of some Chinese alligators in the wild. (News source.)

Two gharials were spotted 30km from the Tata Steel Zoological Park (in India ), where they escaped during flooding. (News source.)

An Australian man was fortunate enough to fight off an attack by a 15-foot saltwater crocodile. (News source.)

Baby Nile crocodiles synchronize their hatching by chattering to each other beforehand. (News source.)

Owls Keep Snakes

A columnist here notes the phenomenon of screech owls keeping live blind snakes in their nests...

Clawed Frog

"'Amphibian horror' isn't a movie genre, but on this evidence perhaps it should be. Harvard biologists have described a bizarre, hairy frog with cat-like extendable claws.
"Trichobatrachus robustus actively breaks its own bones to produce claws that puncture their way out of the frog's toe pads, probably when it is threatened."

Details at New Scientist.

Croc vs Shark

A 9-foot saltwater crocodile was photographed eating a smaller shark. (News source.)

Reproductive Plasticity

Here is a study on a neotropical treefrog that can lay its eggs in water or on land...

Manitoba Garter Gallery

Here is a photogallery of the annual garter snake mating groups up in Manitoba.

Tuatara Problem

Turns out older tuataras will eat hatchlings... (News source.)

Ultrasonic Frogs

The female concave-eared torrent frog, Odorrana tormota, uses ultrasonic chirps to attract males over the sounds of rushing water and waterfalls in central China. (Eurekalert.)

Gharials Nesting

Gharial nests have been found in Chambal's sanctuary, so there's (some) hope for the species... (News source.)

Cat in a Snake

An Australian family's pet cat was eaten by a 2-meter python. X-rays proved it. (News source.)

Komodo Research

Research on Komodo dragon skulls shows that while the bite force is low and the skull is comparatively lightweight, but sharp teeth and unique biting methods driven by strong neck musculature make for an effective predator. (Eurekalert.)

Smokin' Turtle

A Chinese man has taught his pet turtle to smoke cigarettes... (News source.)

Sand-Walking

Here is an article in Nature regarding sand-walking by zebra-tailed lizards.

Gecko Behavior

BBC's Life in Cold Blood series has been advertising various segments lately. The latest involves a day gecko "begging" for honeydew from a plant-hopper. It is an interesting behavioral partnership, though they don't know what the plant-hopper gets out of it. (Maybe the reassurance it won't get eaten...) (News source.)

Early Nesting Record

A leatherback nest in February at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is the earliest ever recorded in Florida. (News source.)

Nine Days of Labour

A lizard, the skink Egernia whitii, will, under warm light conditions, spread the births of its live young over a period of up to nine days. Under reduced light conditions, the births happen quicker, so that the offspring can take advantage of the light as soon as possible. (News source.)

PNG Croc Attacks

PNG officials have organized a crocodile cull after recent deaths involving humans who have intruded on crocodile territory during breeding season. (News source.)

The Church Turtle

A United Methodist church in Florida has a box turtle that lives in the atrium. It's a friendly turtle that comes when called and plays with visitors. From the news:

"Churchie's home, alongside a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi, consists of a large confined area with a palm tree, monkey grass, oyster plants, mulch and natural plant vegetation. Head Custodian Conan Gross observed Churchie hanging on the pants leg of a roofer working at the church after some damage in the 2004 hurricanes. The roofer was surprised at the extra weight on his leg as he went up the ladder, and more surprised to see Churchie hanging on affectionately.
"The turtle likes to grab Conan's shoe laces and will gently latch on to most anyone, but especially to Conan or Churchie's main caretaker, Kevin Oldebloom, who maintains the atrium."

Rubber Snakes to the Rescue

Crows have been swiping large white stones from an Australian government building's pebble garden, apparently thinking they're eggs (as they drop them in an attempt to smash them open). Rubber snakes are being employed, and seem to be keeping the birds at bay. (News source.)

Bully Crocs

A researcher at the Darwin Crocodile Farm is looking into farm-raised crocodile social-interaction. Bully crocs can create problems when they pick on runts, making the latter unprofitable for farming. (News source.)

Squirrels Scent with Rattlesnakes

California ground squirrels have another means of fooling their rattlesnake predators. They take rattlesnakes' shed skins, chew them and lick the scent on parts of their body. This helps fool any rattler who might investigate a sleeping squirrel's burrow. (News source.)

Cat & Snake

An Australian cat wandered home with a venomous copperhead (an Australian elapid) around its neck. Wildlife rescuers removed the snake. The cat had been bitten, and suffered some paralysis later, but was treated with antivenom and is expected to recover. (News source.)

Amphibian Breeding Strategies

A researcher is suggesting that alternative breeding strategies by amphibians are an attempt to avoid parasites, etc. From the Eurekalert:

"Brian Todd, a researcher at the UGA Odum School of Ecology Savannah River Ecology Lab, explains that most amphibians start their lives in water (tadpoles are a good example), and then make their way onto land as adults and return to the water to breed. But there are other breeding strategies as well. Take, for instance, the Darwin’s frog, the species that swallows its eggs and, a few weeks later, regurgitates its young. Or the marsupial frog, a species that carries its eggs on its back until they hatch. Several species lay eggs in small puddles on land or high up in trees where they hatch as miniature versions of adults, bypassing the larval stage entirely.
"Researchers have hypothesized that natural selection favored these non-traditional breeding strategies as a way to avoid predatory fish or the risk of a breeding pond or stream drying up. In a review article published in the November issue of The American Naturalist, Todd argues that the diversity of reproductive strategies that amphibians employ might also be influenced by the benefits that come from avoiding viruses, fungi and other parasites."

Amphibian Research

First, an article on research into frogs in Sri Lanka.

Also, some research into the occasional cross-breeding of spadefoot toad species.

Australian Croc Jailed

An aggressive crocodile was put behind bars by police after lunging at fishermen. It will be moved to a croc farm. (News source.)

Turtles Tip

Some researchers have been looking into how turtles are able to right themselves after being tipped. (Nature article.)

Beetle vs Snake

A Connecticut professor has discovered that a burying beetle, Nicrophorus pustulatus, specifically parasitizes snake eggs. There are concerns because ratsnakes are declining in parts of the northeast. (News source.)

Tortoise Snack

Here's a news site, with video showing a leopard tortoise eating hyena dung to aid in digestion. (News source.)

Lizards Listen to Birds

Galapagos iguanas keep an ear out for alarm calls by the islands' mockingbirds, warning of predatory hawks. (News source.)

Dwarf Croc Fathers Clutch

A 67-year-old (at least) dwarf croc at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo fathered a small clutch of babies. (News source.)

Crocodile Tears

Turns out that, rather than being a myth, many crocodilians do "tear up" while eating their food, possibly due to air moving into their sinuses while "huffing" as they tear into a meal, stimulating the tear glands. (News source.)

Lizards Play Rock-Paper-Scissors

The "rock-paper-scissors" competition of mating strategies known among side-blotched lizards in North America has also been found in the European common lizard (Lacerta vivipara). From the Eurekalert:

"A quick look at their undersides reveals the strategy: males who sport orange bellies are brutes who invade other lizards' territories to mate with any female they can catch. But while they're gone, drab yellow-bellied males slink onto the vacant territory and mate with unguarded females. White-bellied males guard their mates closely, and cooperate with other white-bellied lizards to keep the yellows at bay. Hence the analogy to rock-paper-scissors: force (orange) defeats cooperation (white), cooperation defeats deception (yellow), and deception defeats force." ...

"The cycle goes like this: one color type--orange, for example--is common in a patch of habitat for a year or two. During that time, the orange bullies spend their time attacking white-bellied lizards on nearby territories. The effort leaves females on their own territories unguarded, allowing yellow-bellied lizards to sneak in and sire offspring. So yellow males become prevalent for the next year or two. After that, white-bellied lizards proliferate as they team up to protect their mates from yellows' intrusions. But once the white-bellied males become numerous, they're easy pickings for the remaining orange-bellied males, who regain superior numbers as the cycle starts again."

Cane Toads

When trapping cane toads, use soft mating calls rather than loud ones, research suggests. (News source.)

Home-Loving Crocodiles

Three saltwater crocodiles that were tagged with satellite trasmitters and relocated from 52 to 130 km from their home, managed to find their way back. (News source.)

Sea Turtles

Over 100 million eggs are laid by sea turtles in five days at Ostional Beach in Santa Cruz. Photos at news source.

Crows Eat Cane Toads

Folks in Darwin, Australia, have observed that crows have figured out how to safely eat the invasive noxious cane toad. (News source.)

Snakes vs Frogs

A few Australian frogs have toxins that will kill predatory snakes; those toxins break down a short time after the frog is dead, though, and some venomous snakes have learned to bite, kill, then sit back and wait until the frog is edible. (News source.)

Legless Lizard Prey Capture

Interesting discussion on a recent paper published on Burton's legless lizards, and their prey capture mechanism (which includes retracting their eyes to prevent damage from struggling prey).

Shark vs Crocodile

Fascinating photo here, showing an Australian salwater croc eating a bull shark it caught in the Daly river.

Squirrels vs Rattlesnakes

California ground squirrels have learned to heat up their tails and shake them at approaching rattlesnakes as a defense mechanism. (News source.)