173 Never Smile at a Crocodile

Crocodiles leave their mouths open for long periods of time, and we don’t really know why. We also take a long tangent on the swiftlet nest business and what wee reptiles are cashing in themselves.</p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Price C, Ezat MA, Hanzen C, Downs CT. 2022. Never smile at a crocodile: Gaping behaviour in the Nile crocodile at Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa. <em>Behavioural Processes </em>203:104772. DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104772.</p> Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:</p> Quah ESH, Chong JL. 2022. Reptile predators of swiftlets (genus Aerodramus) with a focus on their impact on the swiftlet farming industry. <em>Herpetology Notes.</em></p> Wüster, W., & Tillack, F. 2023. On the importance of types and the perils of “en passant” taxonomy: a brief history of the typification of Coluber naja Linnaeus, 1758 (Serpentes: Elapidae) and its implications, with the designation of a lectotype. Zootaxa, 5346(4), 403-419.</p> Other Links/Mentions:</p> AmphibiaWeb. 2023. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 28 Sep 2023. <a href="https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-scientific_name=Hyperolius+tuberilinguis&rel-scientific_name=contains&include_synonymies=Yes">https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-scientific_name=Hyperolius+tuberilinguis&rel-scientific_name=contains&include_synonymies=Yes</a></p> Audio from flamelily via iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152630015</p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:28:48

172 Super Hybrid Salamanders

Tracking and understanding invasive species is difficult, but even more so when the invasive can interbreed with the endangered native species creating a more powerful hybrid. This episode we look at a hybridising salamander. We also have a very special <em>Species of the Bi-week.</em></p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> <br /> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Cooper RD, Shaffer HB. 2023. Managing invasive hybrids with pond hydroperiod manipulation in an endangered salamander system. <em>Conservation Biology</em>:cobi.14167. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14167.</p> Species of the Bi-Week:</p> Major T, Renk P, Reissig J, Paijmans JLA, Morris E, Hofreiter M, Barlow A, Broadley DG, Wüster W. 2023. Museum DNA reveals a new, potentially extinct species of rinkhals (Serpentes: Elapidae: <em>Hemachatus</em>) from the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. <em>PLOS ONE</em> 18:e0291432. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291432.</p> Other Links/Mentions:</p> Conversation article about the Nyanga rinkhals: <a href="https://shorturl.at/ouvyL">https://shorturl.at/ouvyL</a></p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:31:12

171 Weaponised Chameleons

Chameleons have evolved a diversity of weaponry. New research determines what these weapons are, and which chameleon groups are the most heavily-armed.</p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Van Kleeck-Hann M, Wiens JJ. 2023. Macroevolution of sexually selected weapons: weapon evolution in chameleons. Evolution:qpad138. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad138.</p> Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:</p> Kang, C., Kim, Y. E., & Jang, Y. 2016. Colour and pattern change against visually heterogeneous backgrounds in the tree frog Hyla japonica. Scientific reports, 6(1), 22601.</p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:28:38

170 Meals for Mamushi

They call them mamushi, or the Japanese pitviper. New research determines whether these snakes operate in chilly weather, or if their prey are safe to relax. </p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Kodama T, Mori A. 2023. How important is temperature for strike success of ectotherms? Thermal effects on predator–prey interactions of free‐ranging pit vipers (<em>Gloydius blomhoffii</em>). Ethology:eth.13400. DOI: 10.1111/eth.13400.</p> Species of the Bi-Week:</p> Lawson LP, Loader SP, Lyakurwa JV, Liedtke HC. 2023. Diversification of spiny-throated reed frogs (Anura: Hyperoliidae) with the description of a new, range-restricted species from the Ukaguru Mountains, Tanzania. PLOS ONE 18:e0277535. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277535.</p> Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:</p> Kimbrough L. 2023.No croak: New silent frog species described from Tanzania’s ‘sky island’ forests. Available at https://news.mongabay.com/2023/02/no-croak-new-silent-frog-species-described-from-tanzanias-sky-island-forests/ (accessed April 12, 2023).</p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:26:02

169 Gecko Screams in the Night

Vocal plasticity is the topic for this episode. Can tokay geckos modify their call? Do young turtle vocalisations help them coordinate their movements?</p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> <br /> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Brumm H, Zollinger SA. 2017. Vocal plasticity in a reptile. <em>Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</em> 284:20170451. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0451.</p> Lacroix C, Davy CM, Rollinson N. 2022. Hatchling vocalizations and beneficial social interactions in subterranean nests of a widespread reptile.<em> Animal Behaviour</em> 187:233–244. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.006.</p> Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:</p> Goutte S, Mason MJ, Antoniazzi MM, Jared C, Merle D, Cazes L, Toledo LF, el-Hafci H, Pallu S, Portier H, Schramm S, Gueriau P, Thoury M. 2019. Intense bone fluorescence reveals hidden patterns in pumpkin toadlets. <em>Scientific Reports</em> 9:5388. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41959-8.</p> Goutte S, Mason MJ, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Montealegre-Z F, Chivers BD, Sarria-S FA, Antoniazzi MM, Jared C, Almeida Sato L, Felipe Toledo L. 2017. Evidence of auditory insensitivity to vocalization frequencies in two frogs. <em>Scientific Reports</em> 7:12121. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12145-5.</p> Bornschein MR, Jr MMR, Pie MR, Confetti AE, Ribeiro LF. 2018. Redescription of the advertisement call of <em>Brachycephalus tridactylus</em> (Anura: Brachycephalidae). PeerJ Inc. DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.27243v1.</p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:25:54

168 Similar Snacks for Sympatric Snakes

Snake diets are difficult to study, but are deeply interesting. This episode we look at a paper that has gathered together records (paper and digital) to examine whether rat snakes and cobras compete for food. We also have a tiny hopping <em>Species of the Bi-week.</em></p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> <br /> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Weiss M, Kalki Y. 2023. Trophic Niche Partitioning between Sympatric <em>Naja naja</em> and <em>Ptyas mucosa</em>: Crowdsourced Data in Application to Community Ecology. <em>Journal of Herpetology</em> 57. DOI: 10.1670/22-013.</p> Species of the Bi-Week:</p> Mângia S, Santana DJ, De Oliveira Drummond L, Sabagh LT, Ugioni L, Costa PN, Wachlevski M. 2023. A new species of <em>Brachycephalus </em>(Anura: Brachycephali­dae) from Serra do Tabuleiro, Southern Brazil. <em>Vertebrate Zoology</em> 73:575–597. DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e102098.</p> Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:</p> Essner RL, Pereira REE, Blackburn DC, Singh AL, Stanley EL, Moura MO, Confetti AE, Pie MR. 2022. Semicircular canal size constrains vestibular function in miniaturized frogs. <em>Science Advances</em> 8:eabn1104. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn1104.</p> Other Links/Mentions:</p> Davey M. 2023. ‘Oh my god’: live worm found in Australian woman’s brain in world-first discovery. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/28/live-worm-living-womans-brain-australia-depression-forgetfulness</p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:29:59

167 Resistant Caecilians

Caecilians are well adapted to a life underground, but a serious threat lives under there with them. All over the world, they have evolved the same means to fight this subterranean threat.</p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Mancuso M, Zaman S, Maddock ST, Kamei RG, Salazar-Valenzuela D, Wilkinson M, Roelants K, Fry BG. 2023. Resistance Is Not Futile: Widespread Convergent Evolution of Resistance to Alpha-Neurotoxic Snake Venoms in Caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24:11353. DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411353.</p> Other Links/Mentions:</p> <a href="https://www.threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/8336/9359">https://www.threatenedtaxa.org/index.php/JoTT/article/view/8336/9359</a> </p> <a href="https://asianturtleprogram.org/healthy-big-headed-turtles-found-in-the-wild-four-years-after-release-into-the-wild-highlights-the-importance-of-conservation-activities/?fbclid=IwAR1lTt0zpuf8n5VardZeXQHaVWJ4iCtxI9fe6Elm78ZxOFiZHNuW2lp07Ps">https://asianturtleprogram.org/healthy-big-headed-turtles-found-in-the-wild-four-years-after-release-into-the-wild-highlights-the-importance-of-conservation-activities/?fbclid=IwAR1lTt0zpuf8n5VardZeXQHaVWJ4iCtxI9fe6Elm78ZxOFiZHNuW2lp07Ps</a></p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:26:59

166 Emotional Support Rattlesnakes

We chat about some new research on the social behaviour of rattlesnakes. Plus a brand new snake species just described from Australia.</p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Martin CE, Fox GA, Putman BJ, Hayes WK. 2023. Social security: can rattlesnakes reduce acute stress through social buffering? Frontiers in Ethology 2:1181774. DOI: 10.3389/fetho.2023.1181774.</p> Species of the Bi-Week:</p> Nankivell JH, Maryan B, Bush BG, Hutchinson MN. 2023. Whip it into shape: Revision of the Demansia psammophis (Schlegel, 1837) complex (Squamata: Elapidae), with a description of a new species from central Australia. Zootaxa 5311:301–339. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5311.3.1.</p> Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:</p> Tian, L., Preisser, E. L., Haynes, K. F., & Zhou, X. 2017. Social buffering in a eusocial invertebrate: termite soldiers reduce the lethal impact of competitor cues on workers. Ecology, 98(4), 952-960.</p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:25:36

165 Toad vs Toad

Two toad species are wreaking havoc as invaders, but which is worse - and why?</p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Kelly, C. L., Schwarzkopf, L., Christy, T. M., & Kennedy, M. S. (2023). The toad less travelled: Comparing life histories, ecological niches, and potential habitat of Asian black-spined toads and cane toads. <em>Wildlife Research</em>. doi: 10.1071/WR22111</p> Other Links/Mentions:</p> <em>Ingerophrynus parvus</em> call by Zaharil Dzulkafly from: <a href="http://bitly.ws/LcAv">http://bitly.ws/LcAv</a> <br /> </p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:31:42

164 Isolated Indigo Snakes

Humans get in the way of snakes finding love over long distances, and then we talk about a cool new gecko that glides, or does it paraglide?</p> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights">Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights</a></p> <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop">Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop</a></p> <a href="http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com">Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com</a></p> </p> Main Paper References:</p> Bauder, J. M., Peterman, W. E., Spear, S. F., Jenkins, C. L., Whiteley, A. R., & McGarigal, K. (2021). Multiscale assessment of functional connectivity: Landscape genetics of eastern indigo snakes in an anthropogenically fragmented landscape in central Florida. <em>Molecular Ecology, </em>30(14), 3422–3438. doi: 10.1111/mec.15979</p> Species of the Bi-Week:</p> Lalremsanga, H. T., Muansanga, L., Vabeiryureilai, M., & Mirza, Z. A. (2023). A new species of Parachute Gecko of the subgenus <em>Ptychozoon </em>(Sauria: Gekkonidae: Gekko) from the Indo-Burma region. <em>Salamandra</em>, 59(2).</p> Editing and Music:</p> Podcast edited by Emmy – <a href="https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10">https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10</a> </p> Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson</p> Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy</p> Other Music – The Passion HiFi, <a href="http://www.thepassionhifi.com">https://www.thepassionhifi.com</a></p>

00:26:26