Latest research
Newly published papers on reptiles and amphibians from the HerpAtlas research library, updated automatically. Browse by animal on the species pages.
- Construction of the fecal armor of larvae of Podontia quatuordecimpunctata (L.) (Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini) and its role against insecticides in pest management.
Calcetas OA, Adorada JL, Schmitt M et al. · ZooKeys · 2025-09 · open access
Five subfamilies within Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles) have larvae that retain their feces as a coat or armor which serves for thermoregulation, camouflage, or barrier to enemies. The construction, retention and repair of these fecal structures are associated with specialized larval morphologies in…
- Comparative microfluidic and enzymatic analyses reveal multifaceted snake venom resistance and novel VWF behavior in the opossum Monodelphis domestica.
Holding ML, Disharoon D, Haynes LM et al. · PloS one · 2025-09 · open access
Interactions between predators and prey are often characterized by strong selection pressures that shape extreme physiological adaptations. Venom resistance in large-bodied South American opossums (Clade Didelphini) is a striking example, as these marsupials prey on venomous snakes and exhibit…
- From anecdote to evidence: experimental validation of fire-cue recognition in Australian sleepy lizards.
Jolly CJ, Nimmo DG, Carthey AJR et al. · Biology letters · 2025-09 · open access
Fire has shaped the evolution of both plants and animals. Animals exposed to fire throughout their evolutionary history are predicted to exhibit behavioural adaptations that enhance survival during fire. Here, we investigated whether Australian sleepy lizards ( Tiliqua rugosa ), a large skink from…
- The Role of Ecological Niche Divergence in Shaping Hybridization Patterns in Testudo graeca
Neda Ranjbar, Mansoureh Malekian, Mohammad Reza Ashrafzadeh et al. · Diversity · 2025-09 · open access
Determining evolutionary significant units (ESUs) is essential for the purpose of biological conservation. Recent definitions of ESUs stress the importance of using ecological data with molecular analysis. The present work aimed to study the genetic structure and ecological niche of the…
- Exploring Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) Population Dynamics and Phenotypic Plasticity in Comal Springs, Texas
Ethan Owen · YorkSpace (York University) · 2025-09
- A multi-index approach to assessing foraging mode: a case study using chameleons.
Stanton-Jones WK, Tolley KA, Barends JM et al. · Current zoology · 2025-09 · open access
Classifying the foraging mode of a species is challenging and is usually assessed through movement-based indices. Without considering what motivates movement, these indices may result in a biased interpretation of foraging mode-overlooking the fact that movement is influenced by multiple biological…
- Seasonal Plasticity in Tryptophan Metabolism Provides New Insights Into Physiological Adaptation in Snake Hibernation.
Wei Y, Zhang Z, Lin X et al. · Ecology and evolution · 2025-09 · open access
Introduction Hibernation is a remarkable physiological adaptation observed in snakes, various other ectotherms, and some mammals (Staples ). It involves a significant reduction in metabolic rate and body temperature to survive the harsh conditions of winter (Geiser ; Secor and Carey ). During this…
- Advancing quinoa(Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) quality assessment using hyperspectral imaging.
Wang X, Han J, Liu C et al. · Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy · 2025-09
- Crossmodal Pitch-Luminance Association in Tortoises.
Loconsole M, Malaman B, Stancher G et al. · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 2025-09 · open access
Crossmodal associations-spontaneous links between sensory modalities-are widely observed in humans. Similar associations have also been found in chimpanzees, monkeys, dogs, chickens, and tortoises, suggesting a shared cognitive strategy based on environmental correlations or a similar nervous…
- Phenotypic variability in the western grass snake Natrix astreptophora, with description of a new subspecies from Morocco.
Mrmol GMD, Geniez P, Neumann A et al. · Zootaxa · 2025-09
- Turtles for Sale: Species Prevalence in the Pet Trade in Poland and Potential Introduction Risks.
Badziukiewicz J, Bors M, Maciaszek R et al. · Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025-09 · open access
The popularity of exotic animals, including turtles, kept as pets, has grown steadily in recent decades. Limited awareness of the biological and ecological requirements of these species, combined with insufficient regulation in the pet trade, has contributed to frequent cases of release into the…
- An Ocular Manifestation of a Systemic Disease With Encephalitozoon Pogonae in a Juvenile Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps).
Raphtis V, Roeder M, Jimenez-Romero A et al. · Veterinary ophthalmology · 2025-09 · open access
- ECR Spotlight – Nadine Schmidbauer
Journal of Experimental Biology · 2025-09
- Taxonomic reassessment of the Lycodon rufozonatus species complex (Serpentes, Colubridae), with re-evaluation of Dinodon rufozonatum walli , and description of a new species from north-central Vietnam.
Nguyen TV, Poyarkov NA, Vogel G · ZooKeys · 2025-09 · open access
The Red-banded Wolf Snake, Lycodon rufozonatus Cantor, 1842 has a complex taxonomic history. In this study, an integrative taxonomic approach is applied, incorporating morphological analyses, cytochrome b mitochondrial gene sequencing, and a re-examination of available type material to clarify the…
- Maternal glucocorticoids have persistent effects on offspring social phenotype irrespective of opportunity for social buffering.
MacLeod KJ, Bouffet-Halle A, Wapstra E et al. · The Journal of animal ecology · 2025-09 · open access
INTRODUCTION Maternal effects, the influence of the mother's phenotype on the development of her offspring, can determine as much phenotypic variance within animal populations as do additive genetic effects (Moore et al., ). An important source of maternal effects is stressors experienced by…
- Nannizziopsis arthrosporioides infection mimicking ophidiomycosis in ball pythons ( Python regius ).
Keller KA, Adamovicz L, Johnson-Delaney C et al. · Medical mycology case reports · 2025-09 · open access
A wild caught snake presented with progressive dermatopathy and was euthanized due to a clinical suspicion for ophiomycosis. Over the next 7 days, six additional ball pythons, maintained in the same room but in separate cages from the index case developed similar progressive dermatomycoses and were…
- A New Green Pitviper of the Genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 (Squamata: Viperidae) from Xizang, China.
Xu Y, Nguyen TV, Wang Z et al. · Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025-09 · open access
Species diversity within the green pit vipers of the genus Trimeresurus is likely underestimated. In this study, we describe a new species of Trimeresurus from the Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on both morphological and molecular evidence. The new species, Trimeresurus pretiosus sp. nov.,…
- Metabolic plasticity and gut microbiome synergy underlie high-altitude adaptation in the plateau frog Rana kukunoris: A multi-omics perspective.
Niu Y, Zhang X, Jiao M et al. · Ecotoxicology and environmental safety · 2025-09 · open access
Life on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is exposed to extreme abiotic stressors, yet endemic frog species such as Rana kukunoris thrive due to specialized adaptations. However, the metabolic and gut microbial mechanisms that enable survival at high altitude remain unclear. Here, we used metabolomic…
- Evolution of research on global amphibian declines.
Crawford-Ash J, Evans MJ, Carvalho T et al. · Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology · 2025-09 · open access
INTRODUCTION Amphibians are among the most imperiled vertebrate class globally; 41% of species are classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (Luedtke et al.,; Re:wild et al., ). Before 1980, long‐term amphibian population monitoring and understanding of…
- Living near humans: new diet items for the Big-headed Treefrog Polypedates megacephalus (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) and its tadpoles in Vietnam
Tsukerman GIa · Natural History Sciences · 2025-09 · open access
- Thermal Ecology of Hermann’s Tortoise, Testudo hermanni and Glass Lizard Pseudopus apodus in a Seasonal Environment
Ana Vujović, VLADIMIR M. PESIC, Roger Meek · Diversity · 2025-09 · open access
The importance of temperature for the biology and ecology of reptiles is well known. In temperate regions where temperatures fluctuate on a daily and seasonal basis, reptiles must respond appropriately to maintain body temperatures that enable activity. In this study, we describe temporal changes…
- Is a warmer environment better for a high-mountain lizard?
Vera-Chávez MC, Miles DB, Arenas-Moreno DM et al. · Journal of thermal biology · 2025-09
- Rudimentära tänder hos fjällbärande reptiler (Squamata): fördelning, genuttryck och utvecklingsmässiga insikter
Linn Björk · Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja · 2025-09
- Boreal Toad Survival Varies by Degree of Attenuation and Adaptation of a Fungal Pathogen.
Hardy BM, Korpita T, Muths E et al. · EcoHealth · 2025-09 · open access
- The oldest known lepidosaur and origins of lepidosaur feeding adaptations.
Marke D, Whiteside DI, Sethapanichsakul T et al. · Nature · 2025-09 · open access
The Lepidosauria is the most species-rich group of land-dwelling vertebrates. The group includes around 12,000 species of lizards and snakes (Squamata) and one species of Rhynchocephalia, the tuatara Sphenodon punctatus from New Zealand 1 . Squamates owe their success to their generally small size,…
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