Latest research
Newly published papers on reptiles and amphibians from the HerpAtlas research library, updated automatically. Browse by animal on the species pages.
- Morphotype Bias, Morph Specific Recruitment and No Elevation-Life History Relation in High Altitude Mesquite Lizard Populations.
Canales-Gordillo B, Cuandón-Hernández WL, Jaramillo-Alba JL et al. · Integrative zoology · 2026-08
- Seasonal body composition remodeling reveals tissue maintenance during dormancy and selective reserve mobilization during reproduction in tegu lizards Salvator merianae.
Bars-Closel M, Carabolante TF, Fernandes MHMR et al. · Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology · 2026-08 · open access
Understanding how organisms allocate energy across competing physiological demands is central to predicting responses to environmental variation. In seasonal environments, shifts in resource availability and activity impose dynamic constraints on energy storage, maintenance and reproduction. Here,…
- Using Probabilistic Cellular Automata to Model the Transmission of an Emerging Infectious Disease of Amphibians-A Preliminary Model.
Duffus ALJ, Standridge JP, Bartlett PL et al. · Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026-08 · open access
1. Introduction Emerging infectious diseases have the potential to devastate biodiversity by causing both local extirpations and extinction. Amphibians have been particularly hard hit by emerging infectious diseases around the globe. One fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, is thought…
- Geographic variation and allometry shape head morphology more than diet in the Mexican black-bellied garter snake ( Thamnophis melanogaster ).
Manjarrez J, Sunny A, Rodríguez-Romero FJ · PeerJ · 2026-08 · open access
In snakes, head morphology is closely linked to feeding ecology, particularly in aquatic systems where prey capture imposes strong functional constraints. Here, we examined head shape variation in the Mexican black-bellied garter snake ( Thamnophis melanogaster ) across four populations with…
- Spillover dynamics and asynchronous temporal fluctuations in host density and competence drive fungal parasite persistence in multi-host, seasonal communities.
Schrock SAR, DeMarchi JA, Gardner BJ et al. · The Journal of animal ecology · 2026-08 · open access
- Macrophages orchestrate tail regeneration in lizards Scincella tsinlingensis through spatiotemporal control of immunity, oxidative stress, and myogenesis.
Li Q, Zhang Y, Shi T et al. · Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026-08 · open access
Background Macrophages facilitate blastema and wound epithelium formation by clearing debris and remodeling the immune and extracellular matrix. The M1-to-M2 transition is well documented in amphibians, but its occurrence and timing in diverse lizards remain unclear. This study examined macrophage…
- Curiouser and curiouser: understanding the intersection of inter- and intra-specific diversity during the Borrelia burgdorferi enzootic cycle and Lyme disease.
Winter MS, Adams KD, Bourgeois JS · Infection and immunity · 2026-08 · open access
A consequence of the Borrelia ( Borreliella ) burgdorferi lifecycle is that a "standard" host-pathogen interaction involving the spirochete is challenging to define. The bacteria continuously cycle between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, each inflicting substantially different selective…
- Differential skin-bacteriome-mediated defense against chytridiomycosis in two neotropical frog species.
Schuck LK, Ernetti JR, Buttimer S et al. · Animal microbiome · 2026-08 · open access
- Chytridiomycosis infection and heat compromise sperm quality in a threatened frog.
Upton R, Ibbotson A, Klop-Toker K et al. · The Journal of experimental biology · 2026-08 · open access
INTRODUCTION Environmental change is reshaping wildlife health and reproduction through shifts in temperature and altered precipitation, leading to the spread of emerging diseases. These stressors disrupt endocrine and immune systems, leading to reduced fertility, abnormal development and increased…
- Gharial ( Gavialis gangeticus , Gmelin 1789) Beyond Protected Areas of Nepal: Population, Reproduction, and Seasonal Migration of Gharial in the Karnali River and Its Tributaries.
Bashyal A, Shrestha N, Thapa R et al. · Ecology and evolution · 2026-08 · open access
Habitats beyond protected areas are essential for crocodilian conservation, as many species utilize these extended habitats for basking, nesting, foraging, and seasonal movements. Gharial ( Gavialis gangeticus ) is a Critically Endangered apex predator in freshwater ecosystems whose populations in…
- Occurrence, antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic diversity of Devriesea agamarum strains isolated from captive lizard collections
Jarosław Król, Magdalena Florek, Gabriela Motyka et al. · BMC Veterinary Research · 2026-08 · open access
- Residual yolk depletion matches the establishment of functional oral-intestinal microbiota in hatchling Siamese crocodiles.
Chen JQ, Liu D, Meng QY et al. · iScience · 2026-08 · open access
Newborn reptiles rely on residual yolk as their sole energy source before feeding, yet it is unknown whether functionally competent oral and intestinal microbial communities fully develop before yolk depletion. Using hatchling Siamese crocodiles ( Crocodylus siamensis ), we tested the hypothesis…
- The ketogenic diet ameliorates behavioral abnormalities in a PTZ-induced zebrafish larvae model via modulating neurotransmitter balance.
Yang X, Lin J, Zhang Q et al. · IBRO neuroscience reports · 2026-08 · open access
Purpose The ketogenic diet (KD) is a well-established therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy, reducing seizure burden in children and improving cognition in epileptic encephalopathy patients, but its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to establish a translational…
- Case Reports of Citrobacter freundii Infections in Captive Freshwater Species in South Korea.
Jeong SB, Kim BS, Sohn MY et al. · Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026-08 · open access
Citrobacter freundii , an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family, is emerging as a significant pathogen in diverse aquatic species, often associated with environmental stress and poor husbandry conditions. This study describes four distinct cases of fatal…
- Protocol for non-invasive genotyping of axolotls using skin swabbing.
Arbanas LI, Rodrigo Albors A · STAR protocols · 2026-08 · open access
Fin clipping is the standard method for sampling axolotl DNA for genotyping, but it requires anesthesia and removing a piece of tissue. Here, we present a non-invasive protocol for axolotl DNA sampling and genotyping using skin swabbing. We describe the steps for extracting DNA from skin cells…
- Performance of a Veterinary Portable Glucose Meter for Blood Glucose Concentration Measurement in Red-Eared Slider Turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans).
Cabble A, Liles M, Bonas M et al. · Veterinary clinical pathology · 2026-08
- Reduced Food Availability Amplifies Behavioral Depression and Impairs Locomotor Performance After Immune Challenge in Xenopus laevis.
Oliveira TG, Araspin L, Olarte LCC et al. · Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological and integrative physiology · 2026-08 · open access
Mounting an immune response and locomotor activity are energetically costly processes that can generate trade-offs affecting energy allocation, muscle performance, and activity patterns. The balance between these demands can be modulated by factors such as food availability and ecological…
- From Genes to Greens: How Diet, Climate and Phylogeny Shape Freshwater Turtle Microbiotas.
Scheelings TF, Van TTH, Santoro A et al. · Environmental microbiology · 2026-08 · open access
Reptile microbiotas remain poorly understood despite their importance for host ecology and evolution. This study investigated how diet, climate and evolutionary history shape the gut microbiota of 234 Australian freshwater turtles spanning 10 species, four climatic zones and contrasting trophic…
- Fences, Ferals and Fire: Compounding and Interacting Influences on a Variable Reptile Assemblage in North Australia
Gillespie GR, Stokeld D, Fisher A et al. · Austral Ecology · 2026-08
- Effects of Different Vegetables Supplement on the Growth and Development of Superworm (Zophobas Morio F.) in Bangladesh
Chowdhury FA, Koirala M, Tisham MEH et al. · Journal of Applied Entomology · 2026-08
- Exploring the Development of Wild Microbiomes in the Eastern Fence Lizard.
Grapin MS, Wright J, See JC et al. · Environmental microbiology reports · 2026-08 · open access
This study examines the gut microbiome from faecal samples of a reptilian model (Sceloporus undulatus). The dynamic host-symbiote interactions between gut microbiota are essential in metabolic processes and overall health of the host organism. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to profile the…
- Captive lizards (Squamata: Sauria) as reservoirs of medically important and antifungal-resistant yeasts.
Samarelli R, Pugliese N, Mendoza-Roldan JA et al. · Medical mycology · 2026-08 · open access
Zoological collections represent unique environments in which captivity-related alterations of host microbiota may increase susceptibility to infectious diseases. While reptiles are recognized reservoirs of microorganisms, data on quantitative yeast colonization and antifungal susceptibility in…
- Kyphoscoliosis as a skeletal malformation in a domestic corn snake ( Pantherophis guttatus )
Milena Tegelkamp, Eva Dervas, Katarzyna Walczak et al. · Veterinary Record Case Reports · 2026-08 · open access
Abstract Skeletal malformations in snakes represent an intriguing yet challenging aspect of veterinary medicine, as they can lead to significant impairment of patients’ mobility and therefore to poor quality of life. Reported skeletal malformations include proliferative osteoarthritis,…
- Historical Biogeography and Climate‐Driven Vulnerability of Torrent Frogs (Ranidae: Amolops): Insights Into Long‐Term Climate Refugia
Wu N, Xiao Q, Shi X et al. · Journal of Biogeography · 2026-08
- Exploring the ecological drivers of bacteriophage diversity and functional viral potential in the skin of the axolotl Ambystoma altamirani.
Cisneros-Martínez AM, Flores Varela MÁ, González-Serrano F et al. · FEMS microbiology ecology · 2026-08 · open access
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