Herpetological Conservation & Biology

09/16/2025

The herpetofauna of the Kukrail Urban Forest, Lucknow, India.

Learn more about how herpetofauna inventories can inform conservation practices here:

https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_20/Issue_2/Hakim_Ashar_2025.pdf

09/15/2025

The Miyako Grass Lizard is found on the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. It’s also frequently found in close proximity to other Miyako Grass Lizards. Why do you often see these lizards in groups? Limited habitat? Site fidelity? Breeding behavior?

None of these seem to be the primary cause of this behavior. In addition, the dynamic nature of group membership and instability of group locations suggest that these groups are transient. Perhaps they are just social creatures?

Learn more at:

https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_20/Issue_2/Asato_Toda_2025.pdf

09/11/2025

Virgin Islands Boa

Learn more about this endangered species here:

https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_20/Issue_2/Smith_etal_2025.pdf

09/09/2025

Salamanders in the city! Is the Talladega Seal Salamander thriving in Atlanta? A recent study looked at 11 metro-Atlanta headwater streams to identify micro habitat usage and community interactions. Can you name all 5 species of salamander that researchers found at these streams?

Find out more here:

https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_20/Issue_2/Chang_etal_2025.pdf

09/02/2025

How's it hanging? Pretty great since Volume 20, issue 2 was published on August 31! Check out this paper on canopy amphibians in Ecuador!
http://www.herpconbio.org

08/13/2025

How do scientists track wildlife through dense rainforest? Thread bobbins! Even with all the advanced technology available today, sometimes you just have to keep things simple. Learn more about research done on thread bobbins and other tracking methods here:

https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_11/Issue_1/Waddell_etal_2016.pdf

08/06/2025

Discover the unique world of the endangered Maximillian’s Snake-necked Turtle 🐢

A new study tracked these rare turtles in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, revealing their surprising home range, distinct habitat needs, and how they rely on hidden stream bank burrows for survival. With shrinking habitats this study offers vital insights for their conservation.

Find out how protecting clear mountain streams can help save this fascinating species!

Learn more here:

https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_20/Issue_1/Famelli_etal_2025.pdf

06/18/2025

How do frogs cope with all that salt that goes on the roads in winter? The good news is that at least one frog species doesn’t mind if things get a little salty. Experiments on Green Frogs (Rana clamitans) found that survival of the species in salty environments similar to breeding habitat close to roads, were >93% for embryos and >83% for larvae. This isn’t true for all frogs as Wood Frogs do experience decrease in survival. Interestingly, Green Frogs have a much longer time period to reach maturity than other frogs species. Bonus points if can guess the average time to maturity for Green Frogs.

You can read the full study in Volume 2 of H**p Con Bio. https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_2/Issue_1/Karraker_2007.pdf

06/12/2025

It's . Did you know that green algae can help toads to survive at higher temperatures? Experiments by Tumlison and Trauth (2006) showed that toads with green algae attached to the surface of their skin can survive at 3 degree higher temps than those without algae. They hypothesize that algae produce oxygen that benefits the toads and tadpoles produce carbon dioxide which benefits the algae. Especially important in water with higher temps where the available oxygen is decreased! Learn more about this study at H**petological Conservation and Biology Volume 1.


https://www.herpconbio.org/volume_1/issue_1/Tumlison_Trauth_2006.pdfhttps://www.herpconbio.org/volume_1/issue_1/Tumlison_Trauth_2006.pdfhttps://www.herpconbio.org/volume_1/issue_1/Tumlison_Trauth_2006.pdf

04/30/2025

The first of three 20th Anniversary issues has been published!

Papers from Brazil, Iran, Mexico, and the USA on lizards, salamanders, snakes, turtles, and tortoises!

Check out the video of aggression during ritual combat in male Tiger Rat Snakes! It's pretty cool!

Go check it out at http://www.herpconbio.org

12/29/2024

The last issue of H**pConBio Volume 19 was publish on December 16th! Check it out if you haven't already! That's a wrap! We are officially entering our 20th year of publication!

09/01/2024

I'm pleased to announce that H**pConBio Volume 19 issue 2 has been published. Although the majority of the papers are from the USA in this issue, there are also some really cool papers from Belgium, Brazil, France, Mexico, and West Africa (Benin Republic). Check it out! All papers are free to access/download.

Aaron M. Ambos, Raymond A. Saumure, Audrey R. Bennett, Signa L. Gundlach, Nancy A. Beecher, and Zane L. Marshall [Supplemental Information]