Herpetological Highlights Herpetological Highlights

The mirror test is often used to try and determine if animals have self recognition. If they recognise it is them in the mirror, they will react to a change in their appearance. But for snakes, sight is not the primary sense, so scientists have had to get a bit more creative.
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Main Paper References:
Freiburger T, Miller N, Skinner M. 2024. Olfactory self-recognition in two species of snake. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 291:20240125. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0125.
Other Links/Mentions:
Maggie Koerth-Baker. 2010. Kids (and Animals) Who Fail Classic Mirror Tests May Still Have Sense of Self. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/kids-and-animals-who-fail-classic-mirror/
Fejervarya cancrivora call by Zaharil Dzulkafly from: AmphibiaWeb - Fejervarya cancrivora
Crocodile sister hero: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-69002147.amp 
Editing and Music:
Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses
Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson
Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy
Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Common grass snakes are a widespread European species that are often spotted by people and recorded using apps. To the surprise of scientists, they have an interesting nightlife.
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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:
Spaseni P, Sahlean TC, Gherghel I, Zamfirescu  Ștefan R, Petreanu IC, Melenciuc R, Alistar CF, Gavril VD, Strugariu A. 2024. Natrix natrix after dark: citizen science sheds light on the common grass snake’s nightlife. PeerJ 12:e17168. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17168.
Species of the Bi-Week:
Gabriel H, Rothe L-D, Köhler J, Rakotomanga S, Edmonds D, Galán P, Glaw F, Lehtinen RM, Rakotoarison A, Vences M. 2024. Unexpected diversity and co-occurrence of phytotelmic frogs (Guibemantis) around Andasibe, one of the most intensively surveyed amphibian hotspots of Madagascar, and descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa 5397:451–485. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5397.4.1.
Other Links/Mentions:
Vences, M. (2023). Dataset from the paper: Unexpected diversity and co-occurrence of phytotelmic frogs (Guibemantis) around Andasibe, one of the most intensively surveyed amphibian hotspots of Madagascar, and descriptions of three new species [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10028230
Editing and Music:
Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses
Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson
Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy
Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

This episode we chat about the thousands of frog ancestors whose stories can still be heard in the DNA of modern frogs. How did these frogs from the past deal with dramatic changes, and is modern urbanisation having a sizable effect today?
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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:
Moran PA, Bosse M, Mariën J, Halfwerk W. 2024. Genomic footprints of (pre) colonialism: Population declines in urban and forest túngara frogs coincident with historical human activity. Molecular Ecology 33:e17258. DOI: 10.1111/mec.17258.
Editing and Music:
Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses
Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson
Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy
Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

This episode is all about questioning the assumption that snake male-male combat is driven by competition for mates. We look at a paper that presents evidence showing that food might be behind the combat. Species of the Bi-week returns for a variable and vibrant viper.
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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:
Farrell TM, Gull HC, Boyce FS, Richter SC. 2024. Ritualized male–male combat resulting from intraspecific food competition in three Agkistrodon species. Journal of Ethology 42:83–88. DOI: 10.1007/s10164-024-00806-8.
Species of the Bi-Week:
Arteaga A, Pyron RA, Batista A, Vieira J, Meneses Pelayo E, Smith EN, Barrio Amorós CL, Koch C, Agne S, Valencia JH, Bustamante L, Harris KJ. 2024. Systematic revision of the Eyelash Palm-Pitviper Bothriechis schlegelii (Serpentes, Viperidae), with the description of five new species and revalidation of three. Evolutionary Systematics 8:15–64. DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.8.114527.
Editing and Music:
Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses
Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson
Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy
Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Killing snakes is bad karma, but it might also be bad for business.
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Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop
Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:
Shine R, Dunstan N, Abraham J, Mirtschin P. 2023. Why Australian farmers should not kill venomous snakes. Animal Conservation:acv.12925. DOI: 10.1111/acv.12925.
Other Links/Mentions:
Pseudothecadactylus australis Gecko call courtesy of Jari Cornelis
Editing and Music:
Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses
Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson
Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy
Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Giant garter snakes are big beasts that like wetland areas - we chat about how they get on when faced with the challenge of moving to a new wetland. Then, a brand new species of banded venomous snake has been discovered in Thailand.
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Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com

Main Paper References:
Nguyen AM, Halstead BJ, Todd BD. 2024. Effect of translocation on home range and movements of giant gartersnakes. Global Ecology and Conservation 49:e02789. DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02789.
Species of the Bi-Week:
Aksornneam A, Rujirawan A, Yodthong S, Sung Y-H, Aowphol A. 2024. A new species of krait of the genus Bungarus (Squamata, Elapidae) from Ratchaburi Province, western Thailand. Zoosystematics and Evolution 100:141–154. DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.116601
Other Mentioned Papers/Studies:
Booth, C. L. (1990). Evolutionary significance of ontogenetic colour change in animals. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 40(2), 125-163.
Editing and Music:
Podcast edited by Alex – https://www.fiverr.com/alexanderroses
Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson
Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy
Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com