Latest research
Newly published papers on reptiles and amphibians from the HerpAtlas research library, updated automatically. Browse by animal on the species pages.
- The World of Steve Angeli: Living with Baby Dinosaurs
Angeli, Steven, Foster Reves · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-08 · open access
Steve Angeli’s journey is a powerful story of passion, recovery, and faith. From catching lizards in the hills of Oakland to becoming a global authority on the genus Heloderma, his dedication has shaped the modern herpetocultural landscape. In this conversation with Foster Reves, Angeli discusses…
- Puff-faced and proven – Masked Water Snake (Homalopsis buccata) in Captivity
Myke Clarkson · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-08 · open access
Herpetoculturists familiar with the family Homalopsidae will inevitably be acquainted with the puff-faced water snake (Homalopsis buccata Linnaeus, 1758). The author acquired an initial specimen of H. buccata in the summer of 2005; however, the broader herpetocultural potential of the species…
- Truly Cold Blooded: Year-round, Outdoor Keeping of Eastern Blue-Tongued Skinks (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) in The UK
Matt Norris · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-08 · open access
Blue-tongued skinks (genus Tiliqua) have always been a global ‘staple’ of the herpetological scene, due in no small part totheir size, docile nature, and relative ease of care. Here in the UK, the two captive-bred species most commonly encountered are Tiliqua gigas (Schneider, 1801) (various…
- Living in the Pyrocene: Assemblage-Wide Terrestrial Vertebrate Responses to Mega-Fires in the Pantanal Wetlands.
Loureiro NG, Viana DFP, Noble CD et al. · Ecology and evolution · 2026-08 · open access
Fire is a natural evolutionary force that shapes ecosystems and population dynamics. However, recent increases in the frequency and severity of anthropogenic fires have had catastrophic impacts on biodiversity, even in fire-prone environments. In Brazil's Pantanal Wetland biome, 3.9 million…
- Spatial and temporal patterns of trace metal distribution and ecological risk in a coal-mined central appalachian watershed, USA.
Torres E, Odhiambo BK, Frankel TE et al. · Environmental geochemistry and health · 2026-08
- High thermal plasticity, low heritability and constant directional selection on breeding phenology in a viviparous ectotherm.
Bodineau T, Rutschmann A, Le Galliard JF et al. · The Journal of animal ecology · 2026-08 · open access
Shifting breeding phenology is a widespread response to global warming in ectothermic species such as reptiles, with considerable impacts on reproductive success and population dynamics. Thus, understanding causes and consequences of plasticity and microevolution in breeding phenology is important…
- Long-term variation in frequency of non-lethal shell injuries in a population of eastern Hermann’s tortoise, Testudo hermanni boettgeri
Dragana Stojadinović, Marko Nikolić, Jelena Mijatović et al. · Herpetozoa · 2026-08 · open access
Variation in the frequency of non-lethal shell injuries was analyzed in an open population of the eastern Hermann’s tortoise ( Testudo hermanni boettgeri ) monitored in a complex habitat system between 2010 and 2024. Tortoises were surveyed twice per year, for six days in the last week of May and…
- A Lizard Predation Experiment Demonstrates Batesian Ant Mimicry in Camponotus lateralis .
Wagner HC, Kraker F, Römer H et al. · Ecology and evolution · 2026-08 · open access
The Mediterranean ant species Camponotus lateralis is often associated with the unpalatable Crematogaster scutellaris complex, and workers of both taxa commonly share trails. The recent discovery of three color morphs in Ca. lateralis , each resembling sympatric Crematogaster model species,…
- Common Exotic Pet Intoxications.
Willens S, Wismer T · The veterinary clinics of North America. Exotic animal practice · 2026-08
- Thermal drone detection of cryptic arboreal snakes across rainforest and sclerophyll canopies in eastern Australia
Avril H. Underwood, Chad T. Beranek, Stephen Mahony · Australian Zoologist · 2026-08 · open access
- Persistent illegal online trade in turtles and tortoises in Spain
Marta Canós-Burguete, Andrés Giménez, Maria Gauchia et al. · Scientific Reports · 2026-08 · open access
Leopard TortoiseAfrican Spurred TortoiseHermann's TortoiseRussian Tortoise
- Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae at the animal-human interface: ecology, pathogenicity, and genomic gaps in a changing climate.
Sapio M, Mellace M, Matanza XM et al. · Frontiers in microbiology · 2026-08 · open access
Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae ( Pdd ) is a Gram-negative bacillus with zoonotic potential and wide global distribution. Found primarily in marine ecosystems, Pdd has been reported in diverse hosts, including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, marine mammals, sea turtles, birds, and humans.…
- Acinetobacter bereziniae co-producing NDM-1 and OXA-58 causing pneumonia and stomatitis in a Burmese python (Python bivittatus).
Dos Santos GS, Pausa JMM, Abrahão CDC et al. · Journal of global antimicrobial resistance · 2026-08 · open access
Carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter are multidrug-resistant pathogens mainly associated with healthcare infections but are increasingly detected in wildlife exposed to human environments. In this study, we report and characterize a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter bereziniae strain related to…
- Male production in green sea turtles under a feminizing climate: A validated model of sex ratios with temperature-dependent sex determination.
Girondot M, Turla E, Scott K et al. · The Journal of animal ecology · 2026-08 · open access
Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are globally distributed and use tropical and subtropical beaches for nesting. Green turtles exhibit temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), a mechanism by which incubation temperature during a critical developmental window determines offspring sex. As…
- Thermal fluctuations affect embryonic physiology in a tropical agamid lizard.
Ben A, Das D, Bm N et al. · The Journal of experimental biology · 2026-08 · open access
Climate change is increasing both mean temperatures and thermal fluctuations, posing novel challenges for ectotherms. Reptilian embryos are vulnerable because of their limited thermoregulation and lack of parental care. Tropical reptiles often face high nest temperatures and fluctuations in the…
- Methods: External temperature loggers provide an accurate estimate of core body temperature in the lizard Pogona vitticeps.
Halck ML, Martin LF, Wang T et al. · Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology · 2026-08
- Petals in the diet of savanna lizards.
Magnusson WE, Souza FCA, Lima AP et al. · Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias · 2026-08
- An open-hardware platform for conservation of amphibian genetic resources based on gelatin capsules.
Rodrigues de Freitas T, Streit DP Jr, Harmon E et al. · iScience · 2026-08 · open access
Amphibian biodiversity is declining worldwide, and accessible cryopreservation tools are needed to support germplasm repositories, especially in low-resource settings. We developed a platform that integrates 3D-printed open-hardware components with gelatin capsules as containers for amphibian sperm…
- Gross, microscopic, and imaging findings of congenital malformations in farmed caimans ( Caiman yacare ).
Gorza LL, Oliveira EC, Marcelino SAC et al. · Veterinary pathology · 2026-08
- An Enclosed Nest Can Increase the Risk of Predation on Adults.
Zhang Y, Jiang H, Li Y et al. · Ecology and evolution · 2026-08 · open access
Even though enclosed nests provide a physical barrier for cavity-nesting birds, nest predation is the primary cause of breeding failure and a major driver of avian population dynamics. Previous studies have largely focused on the loss of eggs and nestlings, whereas the predation risk faced by adult…
- The Sind krait (Bungarus sindanus): Insights into natural history, venom toxicology, neurotoxic mechanisms, and future directions.
Talukdar A, Devi A, Basumatary M · Chemico-biological interactions · 2026-08
- Enrichment of bile salt hydrolase-producing bacteria mediated by tetracycline resistance genes is associated with intestinal barrier damage in Rana chensinensis tadpoles.
Pei Y, Xu Z, Xie L et al. · Ecotoxicology and environmental safety · 2026-08 · open access
- Social isolation, rather than kinship, influences association behavior in toad tadpoles (Bufo formosus).
Hase K · Animal cognition · 2026-08 · open access
Experiences of social isolation alter the developing social behavior of animals. Association preference is an important behavioral tendency for amphibian larvae (tadpoles) that exhibit social aggregation as a means of predator avoidance. For tadpoles that exhibit social aggregation, the learning…
- Detection of zoonotic bacteria in wild Australian freshwater turtles.
Scheelings TF, Van T, Moore RJ et al. · Australian veterinary journal · 2026-08 · open access
Freshwater turtles are long-lived, abundant components of Australian aquatic ecosystems, yet little is known about the diversity and prevalence of zoonotic bacteria they may carry. In this study, we conducted one of the most comprehensive surveys to date of zoonotic microorganisms associated with…
- Epidemiological Characteristics of Leptospirosis and Animal Surveillance in a High-Risk Rural Area of Eastern China.
Yang S, Cheng Z, Zheng B et al. · Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) · 2026-08
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.