Amphibian and Reptile Biology

Pygopods are an exceptional radiation of snake-like geckos

This study shows that pygopods, limbless geckos, have undergone similar evolutionary adaptations to snakes, with exceptional morphological and dietary evolution despite limited species diversity.

Viewing geometry and pattern type shape the detectability of snakes

This study evaluates how viewing distance and angle affect the detectability of different snake dorsal patterns, finding zigzag patterns offer better long-range camouflage but are more detectable at close range.

Bringing the Lab to the Field: Exploring Water-Borne Corticosterone as a Physiological Indicator in Captive and Wild Common Frog Larvae (Rana temporaria)

This study evaluates water-borne corticosterone as a physiological indicator in common frog larvae, finding it reflects internal corticosterone but does not detect nitrate stress responses.

Range-wide validation of reduced locomotor endurance in unisexual Ambystoma salamanders

This study validates reduced locomotor endurance in unisexual Ambystoma salamanders through treadmill trials, showing sexual species outperform unisexuals regardless of subgenome composition.

MUTALISM BETWEEN Ambystoma maculatum AND Oophila amblystomatis IS DEPENDENT ON LIGHT INTENISTY DURING PHOTOSYNTHETIC GROWTH

This study shows that light intensity affects photosynthetic growth of algae in a mutualistic relationship with salamander embryos, with higher algal growth leading to faster embryo development.

Microbiome Dynamics During Translocation of the Critically-Endangered Frog Craugastor ranoides

This study examines how translocation affects the skin microbiome of the critically endangered frog Craugastor ranoides and finds individual-specific microbiome responses and body mass changes.

How do body size and habitat fragmentation influence extinction in lizards? A long-term case study on artificial islands in the Brazilian Cerrado

This study examines how body size and habitat fragmentation affect lizard extinction in artificial islands created by reservoir flooding in the Brazilian Cerrado, finding that larger lizards are more vulnerable to extinction.

Why they move: breeding-site availability drives partial migration in a large terrestrial reptile

The study investigates the drivers of partial migration in Galapagos pink land iguanas, finding that breeding-site availability, not trophic resources or temperature, primarily drives their seasonal altitudinal movements.

Breaking Boundaries: New locality records and a reassessment of the conservation status of the Khasi Hill Toad (Bufoides meghalayanus) endemic to Meghalaya, Northeast India

The paper reports three new populations of the Critically Endangered Khasi Hill Toad, expands its known geographic range, and provides molecular data on genetic and morphometric variation.

Stage-Specific Threats Reveal the Inadequacy of Adult-Centered Conservation

The paper assesses extinction risk in Chinese frogs by analyzing traits from both adult and tadpole stages, finding that stage-specific traits significantly influence vulnerability.

Epizootic tipping points: Environmental viral feedbacks predict amphibian die-offs

The paper tracks ranavirus epizootics in wood frog breeding ponds to show that viral accumulation rates, not static host or environmental factors, predict die-offs.

Social Distance and Fungal Disease in an Australian Wild Lizard Population

The paper examines social distancing in wild lizards infected with a fungal disease, finding that healthy individuals avoid others with the disease, but infected individuals do not adjust their spacing.

Patterns and environmental drivers of amphibian alpha and beta diversity in the Huangshan Mountains, southern Anhui, China

The paper assesses amphibian diversity patterns and environmental drivers in the Huangshan Mountains, finding precipitation and vegetation strongly influence diversity, while human impact reduces species richness.

From protection to amplification: Imperfect chytridiomycosis prophylaxis increases infections in wild amphibians

This study evaluates an imperfect prophylactic treatment for chytridiomycosis in amphibians, finding that it unexpectedly increased infection intensity in treated ponds.

Retro-orbital blood sampling elicits short-term reductions in feeding behavior in western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis)

This study shows retro-orbital blood sampling temporarily reduces feeding efficiency in western fence lizards.

Sampling bias and uneven data coverage shape observed biodiversity patterns in a megadiverse island archipelago hotspot

The paper analyzes biodiversity patterns in the Philippines, showing that sampling bias and uneven data coverage influence observed species richness and conservation planning.

Body Size Variation And Sexual Dimorphism In Eleven Species Of Venezuelan Anurans

This study examines body size variation and sexual dimorphism in 11 Venezuelan anuran species, finding patterns linked to ecology, behavior, and geographic factors.

Chytridiomycosis infection and heat compromises sperm quality in a threatened frog

This study shows that chytridiomycosis infection and heat treatment affect sperm quality in frogs, with severe infection and thermal stress causing lasting reproductive impairments.

Phylogenomic assessment of microhylid frogs reveals widespread taxonomic confusion in the Asterophryinae and establishes the timing of diversification in Australia

This study uses phylogenomic data to clarify the evolutionary history of microhylid frogs, revealing taxonomic issues in the Asterophryinae subfamily and timing of diversification in Australia.

When and where to find the tiny creatures: environmental predictors of the abundance of a miniaturized frog species from Northeast Brazil

The paper investigates environmental predictors of abundance for a miniaturized frog species in Brazil, finding that precipitation, temperature, leaf litter depth, and canopy cover significantly influence calling male numbers.

Fish presence alters amphibian and zooplankton communities in kettle lakes, but not hydrological connectivity

This study examines how fish presence and hydrological connectivity affect amphibian and zooplankton communities in kettle lakes, finding fish presence alters communities more than connectivity.

Female oviposition site selection influences hatching success and embryonic development in a Neotropical glass frog

This study shows that female Emerald glass frogs select oviposition substrates that enhance embryo survival and development, with spike moss providing better outcomes than leaves.

Ingestion of the potent neurotoxin epibatidine does not compromise locomotion or behavior in the poison frog Epipedobates tricolor

This study shows that Epipedobates tricolor frogs resist the physiological effects of epibatidine, a potent neurotoxin, but are affected by ethanol and handling stress.

A new species of Rana from Anhui, China (Anura, Ranidae)

The paper describes a new frog species, Rana tianmaensis, based on morphological and genetic analyses from Anhui, China, and highlights its implications for biodiversity and conservation.

Habitat transformation reshapes diversity and community structure of amphibians and reptiles in the Eastern Andes

The paper assesses how habitat transformation affects amphibian and reptile diversity and community structure in the Eastern Andes, finding reduced richness and simplified assemblages in disturbed habitats.

Decline of Common Toad populations in Flanders is not linked to surrounding landscape

The paper analyzes Common Toad population trends in Flanders over four decades and finds no significant link between population decline and surrounding landscape characteristics.

Complex trait responses to complex environments: how do larval amphibians navigate co-occurring ecological demands that influence the same traits?

This study examines how larval amphibians respond to combined ecological stressors by exposing them to varying resource levels, predation risk, and thermal regimes, finding that temperature and resource availability significantly influence metamorphosis completion and post-metamorphic traits.

A shared pathogen reservoir can tip widespread infection into mass mortality

The paper develops a compartmental model showing that waterborne viral concentration, not individual host susceptibility, drives mass mortality in infected wood frog populations.

Signal Versus Noise: Evaluating iNaturalist Photos as a Source of Quantitative Phenotypic Data in Plethodon Salamanders using Autoresearch and Agentic AI

This study evaluates the reliability of iNaturalist photos for phenotyping Plethodon salamanders, finding weak geographic signals in continuous traits but stronger results for discrete traits using classifiers.

Glutathione impacts both Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis virulence and amphibian cellular defence in a chytridiomycosis model

This study investigates how glutathione affects the virulence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and amphibian host resistance in chytridiomycosis, finding that it influences both pathogen growth and host defense mechanisms.