Latest research
Newly published papers on reptiles and amphibians from the HerpAtlas research library, updated automatically. Browse by animal on the species pages.
- Habitat Heterogeneity Drives Niche Partitioning and Morphological Divergence in Two Parapatric Diploderma Lizard Species.
Wen Y, Tan S, Xiang Y et al. · Ecology and evolution · 2026-07 · open access
Understanding how closely related taxa diverge and persist in spatial contact zones is central to explaining biodiversity dynamics. Habitat heterogeneity can promote lineage divergence through disruptive ecological pressures that favor differentiation in morphology, behavior, and ecological traits.…
- Conserved and lineage-specific mechanisms drive chromatophore differentiation in reptiles.
Helleboid PY, Tzika AC · Nature communications · 2026-07 · open access
The mechanisms by which novel differentiation pathways evolve to produce new cell types are still not fully understood. Chromatophores, the pigmented cells in the skin, offer an ideal paradigm because each type independently develops from neural crest cells to produce a distinct colour using…
- Hirudins and ornatins in five species of the genus Placobdella (Annelida: Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae).
Ahmed RB, Wolf R, Jedlitschky G et al. · Protoplasma · 2026-07 · open access
Leeches of the genus Placobdella Blanchard, 1893 (Annelida: Rhynchobdellida: Glossiphoniidae) are mainly distributed across North and Central America, but at least two species are also present in the palearctic region: the European turtle leech Placobdella costata Müller, 1846, and the North…
- Exploring the Role of Prey Availability as a Driver of Seasonal Shifts in Local Distribution of Vipers ( Trimeresurus spp).
Murray AH, Pandelis GG, Page MA et al. · Ecology and evolution · 2026-07 · open access
Predator-prey interactions play a central role in shaping ecological communities, yet how these dynamics shift seasonally in tropical systems remains poorly understood. In this study, we examine how seasonal variation in precipitation and prey availability influence the distribution and abundance…
- Too cool, low, and slow: Camera traps used to determine leopard tortoise occupancy in arid areas of South Africa
Attie Van Niekerk, Mark Keith, Jan A. Venter et al. · African Journal of Herpetology · 2026-07 · open access
- Occurrence of Spirometra mansoni in Domestic Dogs from Rural Ecuador and Its Public Health Relevance.
Coello Peralta RD, Baquerizo Orrala Z, Andrada AR et al. · Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026-07 · open access
Spirometra mansoni causes sparganosis in humans and spirometrosis in domestic dogs. It is transmitted through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat from fish, frogs or paratenic animals, producing subcutaneous and tissue infections in humans, whereas dogs or cats develop gastrointestinal…
- Plastral Patterns Serve an Anti-Predator Function in Freshwater Turtle Hatchlings.
Clark MA, Crowther C, Reinke BA · Ecology and evolution · 2026-07 · open access
Color and pattern serve as a range of anti-predator defense mechanisms across taxa, from crypsis to warning coloration, and these phenomena are well described across invertebrate and vertebrate systems. Coloration is often assumed to have a consistent anti-predator function across life stages, but…
- Sarcocystosis from a One Health perspective: Revisiting zoonotic potential, transmission dynamics, clinical features, and control strategies.
Sarkhel SP, Kundu K, Banerjee T et al. · Advances in parasitology · 2026-07
- A new Varanus species (Reptilia: Squamata: Varanidae) from the Early Pliocene of Langebaanweg, South Africa
Domenico Marchitelli, Andrea Villa, Marco Pavia et al. · Journal of Systematic Palaeontology · 2026-07 · open access
Varanid material from the Varswater Formation (Early Pliocene, 5.1 Ma) of Langebaanweg (LBW), Western Cape Province, South Africa, is described. The presence of Varanus in the LBW fauna was first reported by Hendey in 1981, but no further study has been conducted. The abundant material (consisting…
- Sunlight Sonata: Contrasting the Roles of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation and Temperature on the Calling Behavior of a Diurnal Forest-specialist Frog.
Mainardi ÁA, Caldart VM, Dos Santos MB et al. · Zoological studies · 2026-07
- Experimental evidence for behavioural cooling as a response to virus infection in an ectothermic vertebrate.
Herczeg D, Bókony V, Herczeg G et al. · BMC biology · 2026-07 · open access
Background Behavioural plasticity may contribute to the ability of wild animals to survive disease outbreaks. In absence of endogen heat control, ectothermic animals adjust their body temperature behaviourally. While many studies reported behavioural fever, its opposite, behavioural cooling-when…
- When repair mechanisms fail to keep up: high UVB irradiance causes disproportionate accumulation of DNA lesions.
Lundsgaard NU, Franklin CE, Cramp RL · The Journal of experimental biology · 2026-07
- Hybrid Strategy Improved Horned Lizard Optimization Algorithm for Advanced Global Optimization and Engineering Applications.
Lu Z, Tang M, Li M et al. · Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026-07 · open access
The Horned Lizard Optimization Algorithm (HLOA) is a newly proposed swarm intelligence optimizer mimicking the defensive and survival behaviors of horned lizards. The original HLOA suffers evident drawbacks when tackling high-dimensional, multimodal and heavily constrained complicated optimization…
- A Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) preying on a Central American Boa Constrictor (Boa imperator) in Belize
Maria Ojeda, Melissa A. Miller, Eric Suarez et al. · Reptiles & Amphibians · 2026-07 · open access
- Surface protrusions of the microstructured lizard skin may reduce evaporation intensity: Numerical modelling approach.
Filippov AE, Kovalev A, Gorb EV et al. · Biointerphases · 2026-07
- Differential Immune Responses Correlate With Chytridiomycosis Severity in Italian Crested Newts.
Fieschi-Méric L, Mulder KP, Fernández Meléndez E et al. · Molecular ecology · 2026-07 · open access
- The faecal microbiome and carriage of Salmonella in Australian captive pythons.
Sarjit A, Hall AM, Sellapperumage N et al. · FEMS microbiology ecology · 2026-07 · open access
There is a growing interest in keeping exotic pets such as pythons in Australia. Reptiles are known asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella in their digestive tract. This study investigated the microbiome and carriage of Salmonella in faeces from captive Australian pythons (n = 28). This study also…
- Performance Enhancement of Recessed T-Gated Fe-Doped GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor Using an Attributed Multi-Order Graph Convolutional Network Integrated with Frilled Lizard Optimization
G. Dhivyasri, J. Ajayan, Ribu Mathew et al. · Semiconductors · 2026-07
- Elaboration of a Movement-Based Signal in the Presence of a Predator.
Khanna S, Peters RA · Ecology and evolution · 2026-07 · open access
Animals balance the need to avoid predators with the requirement to undertake other functional tasks. Animal communication strategies are inherently risky, as they provide information that can be used by eavesdropping predators to detect and localise prey. Given the risks of signalling, most…
- Ocular Findings in A Captive Population of African Clawed Frogs (Xenopus laevis) and Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum).
Hall SM, Liu CC, Nevarez J et al. · Veterinary ophthalmology · 2026-07
- 3D CT Anatomy and Morphology of the Appendicular Skeleton of European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis).
Zehtabvar O, Vajhi AR, Davudypoor S et al. · Veterinary medicine and science · 2026-07 · open access
Background Turtles have special anatomical features due to their shell and the enclosure of their internal organs. One of the important differences between the anatomy of this group of reptiles and others is the skeletal structure. The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is a species within the…
- Survival and Behavior of Amphibians in a Seasonally Flooded Tropical Forest
Lewis TR, Grant PBC, Griffin RK et al. · Biotropica. · 2026-07
- A global assessment of reptiles in the skin trade.
Colston TJ, Marsh SME, Ross JP et al. · Scientific reports · 2026-07 · open access
- Inconsistent Strategies to Mitigate the Effects of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, Europe.
Böning P, Lötters S, Baláž V et al. · Emerging infectious diseases · 2026-07 · open access
Emerging infectious diseases are one of the biggest challenges in a globalized world. To date, resources have been allocated to prevent and control the spread of zoonotic and livestock pathogens. We argue that, in line with the One Health approach, equitable efforts, financial resources, attention,…
- Forest proximity shapes host-feeding patterns of Culex erraticus, a potential vector of eastern equine encephalitis virus, in Illinois.
Yan J, Mackay AJ, Kim CH et al. · Journal of medical entomology · 2026-07
Put the research to work
Log weights, feedings and sheds for your own animals, chart their growth, and see how they compare with other keepers' animals of the same species.
Create a free accountFree. Takes about a minute.