The Herpetological Journal最新文献

{"title":"Are fibrocement slabs a useful tool for monitoring reptiles? The case of Hierophis viridiflavus in its south-western limit of distribution","authors":"Iñaki Romero-Iraola, Xabier Rubio, Alberto Gosá, Ion Garin-Barrio","doi":"10.33256/34.2.100106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.2.100106","url":null,"abstract":"The established methodology in detection and long-term reptile monitoring programmes has so far focused on visual encounter surveys (VES), a method that can yield very high capture rates for snakes, but, even when carried out in favourable habitats, can also be very limited. Therefore, one passive sampling method was tested: fibrocement slabs. A total of 81 slabs were placed in nine sampling stations in the southern part of Irún (Basque Autonomous Community, Spain). During the two years of sampling (2020–2021) a total of 79 reptile records were obtained, of which 33 were records of the European whip snake corresponding to 28 individuals. There was at least one reptile record in each transect and 75% of the reptile species present in the study area were detected. However, we did not identify any trend over time that indicated an increase in the number of individuals captured during the second year. All in, the data obtained have provided positive results; therefore, it could prove to be a very useful methodology for reptile studies, in particular for ophidians. Keywords: European whip snake, conservation, methodology, artificial refuge, capture, detection, Basque Autonomous Community, Spain","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":"42 02","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140356256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nesting of Caretta caretta in Tuscany area (north-western Mediterranean Sea): insights of a recent colonisation phenomenon","authors":"C. Mancusi, Chiara Caruso, Giuliana Terracciano, Giovanni Raimondi, Lucia Venturi, Laura Tonelli, Alessandra Neri, I. Ceciarini, Enrica Franchi, Sergio Ventrella, Letizia Marsili, M. Zuffi","doi":"10.33256/34.2.6874","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.2.6874","url":null,"abstract":"From 2013 to 2021 twenty-three Caretta caretta (Loggerhead turtle) nests were found along the coast of Tuscany (Italy, north-western Mediterranean Sea). Loggerhead nesting is a new event for this part of the Mediterranean Sea, which occurred only recently. Laid eggs were 2081 with 943 hatchlings, for an average hatching success of 45.31%, ranging from 0.1 to 95%, depending on the year and the site. After hatching, nest inspection was carried out and, when possible, eggs and hatchlings (dead and alive) were measured (e.g. curved carapace length with calipers in mm, body mass, with an electronic balance in grams) and standard environmental parameters at the nests were registered (e.g. nest chamber depth and width, grain size, sand temperature). We strongly recommend accurate monitoring and observations of the beaches along these coastlines to establish other nesting occurrences of loggerhead turtles in this region. Keywords: loggerhead turtle, reproduction, clutch size, Tyrrhenian Sea","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":"3 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140354693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal variation of the relationship between body condition and fluctuating asymmetry in two sympatric ranid frogs","authors":"Enrique A. Cante-Bazán, Ricardo Luría-Manzano","doi":"10.33256/34.2.9299","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.2.9299","url":null,"abstract":"Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in organisms is an indicator of disturbances during development. This indicator has been associated with multiple causes, such as presence of metals, and organic and inorganic pollutants. However, the effect of FA on individual traits has been little explored. In this study, we examine the presence of FA in some morphological characters in two sympatric species of ranid frogs, Lithobates spectabilis and Lithobates zweifeli, predicting that L. zweifeli would exhibit more characters with FA and higher levels of FA. We also evaluated whether body condition in the two species differ between seasons and whether body condition is associated with FA of limb characters in two seasons. We predicted that this association would be more pronounced in the dry season. We found FA in tympanum and limb characters in both species, but L. zweifeli exhibited FA in one character more than L. spectabilis, as well as higher levels of FA in the horizontal length of the tympanum. Additionally, the characters exhibiting FA only in L. zweifeli are presumed to be more relevant for locomotor performance, fitness and survival than those exhibiting FA only in L. spectabilis. We did not find differences in body condition between seasons in either species, but we found a negative correlation between body condition and FA of the humerus in L. zweifeli. However, this correlation was detected in the rainy but not in the dry season, which could be related to depletion of energetic reserves associated with reproductive investment. This study highlights the importance of evaluating sensitivity of sympatric species through analyses of FA and its effects on individual traits, as well as the analysis of these effects in seasons with different environmental conditions. Keywords: Atoyac basin, limb asymmetry, Lithobates, Mexico, tympanum asymmetry","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":"6 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140354910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eastern Black Kingsnake Lampropeltis nigra dorsal scale colouration primarily adapted for thermoregulation","authors":"Caleb A. Aldridge, Scott A. Rush","doi":"10.33256/34.2.107115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.2.107115","url":null,"abstract":"The Eastern Black Kingsnake Lampropeltis nigra exhibits variation in colouration and pattern throughout its range. Drivers behind this colour variation remain largely unknown. To elucidate patterns in the percentage of light pigmentation in L. nigra dorsal scales (% light) we compared two primary hypotheses. Our first hypothesis posited that L. nigra colouration has been adapted for thermoregulation (thermoregulation). Alternatively, we hypothesised that L. nigra colouration has been adapted to avoid detection by predators and prey (crypsis). To test our hypotheses, we modeled L. nigra % light from 46 counties within Mississippi as a function of average temperature, average maximum temperature (thermoregulation) and soil value (darkness of soil colour; crypsis). We included percentage forest cover as a modifying variable in the thermoregulation hypothesis and an interacting variable in the crypsis hypothesis. The best competing model included average temperature and percent forest cover as explanatory variables (LOOIC = -291.3, weight = 0.84, Bayesian R2 = 0.37 [fixed] and 0.55 [total]). There was a positive relationship between % light and average temperature (β = 0.23, 95% CIs = 0.13, 0.34) and average maximum temperature (β = 0.11, 95% CIs = -0.00, 0.21), and a negative relationship with percent forest cover (β = -0.14, 95% CIs = -0.23, -0.04). These results support the thermoregulation hypothesis. The climate in Mississippi, as in most of the world, is expected to experience shifts over the next century. If ambient temperatures experienced through these changes are outside of L. nigra’s thermal optima, as based on colour patterns and relationships observed in our study, then behavioural adaptations may result in some individuals experiencing thermal advantages that influence this species’ distribution. The patterns observed in our study, and expected changes in L. nigra behaviour and distribution, are likely to occur among other ectothermic species with relatively static colouration. Keywords: Colour adaptation, homeostasis, Mississippi","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":"6 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140353327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are plasticine models efficient to test defensive colouration of snakes?","authors":"E. Muscat, Matheus de Toledo Moroti, Ivan Sazima, Luís Felipe Toledo, R. Rebouças","doi":"10.33256/34.2.7583","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.2.7583","url":null,"abstract":"Plasticine models are often used to test hypotheses related to defensive colourations. However, the behaviour of natural predators is hardly ever examined in these experiments, which can lead to imperfect conclusions about the interactions. Accordingly, we ran an experiment to test whether plasticine models are an efficient tool to test Batesian mimicry, aposematism and camouflage hypotheses, using Atlantic forest snakes as a model group. We made 150 non-toxic simulacra of four snake species and two generic plasticine models. We placed cameras traps at the study sites to record the behaviour of potential predators towards the models. We classified the predator-simulacrum relations as physically interactive, interactive with no contact, or not visualised, and we examined whether mammals behaved differently from birds towards the plasticine models. We recorded 110 instances of birds or mammals approaching the plasticine models, most of them with models. Most birds presented an interaction with no contact during the day, and mammals presented physical interaction during the night. None of the model types influenced the interaction with predators, but we observed that mammals interacted significantly more with models than birds. While mammals clearly did not behave protectively when interacting with the models, some birds did behave with caution when approaching them. Our results showed that the use of plasticine models may not always result in reliable data to test predator-prey hypotheses. Keywords: Mimicry, predation, Atlantic forest, aposematic colouration, Serpentes","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":"11 21","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140353124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"One gecko’s pain is another gecko’s gain: is the Moorish gecko Tarentola mauritanica becoming invasive in France?","authors":"J. Renet, Théo Dokhelar, Nicolas Dubos","doi":"10.33256/34.2.8491","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.2.8491","url":null,"abstract":"The Moorish gecko Tarentola mauritanica is currently expanding around the Mediterranean basin as a result of natural dispersal and anthropogenic spread. The species is observed at several sites in sympatry with other gecko species. To date, no impact has been observed on the native species and T. mauritanica is not considered invasive. We present an eight-year survey in southern France, where it lives in sympatry with the European leaf-toed gecko Euleptes europaea. The survey started when the Moorish gecko was rare which enabled us to observe an important increase in abundance. This increase was strongly correlated with a notable decline of E. europaea, explaining 49% of transect-specific temporal variation in abundance. We suspect that the increase in T. mauritanica density is causally related to this decline and recommend intensive monitoring of the species throughout the Mediterranean basin to determine whether or not the species should be classified as invasive. Keywords: Euleptes europaea, Tarentola mauritanica, temporal trends, biotic interaction, competition, invasive alien species","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":"50 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140357467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial ecology of the Turks and Caicos Boa Chilabothrus c. chrysogaster Cope, 1871 (Serpentes: Boidae)","authors":"R. G. Reynolds, Molly E. Reger, Keeley J. Peek, Bonnie L. Raphael, G. Colosimo, Aryeh H. Miller, Alyssa A. Vanerelli, Glenn P. Gerber","doi":"10.33256/34.1.2234","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.1.2234","url":null,"abstract":"Obtaining ecological and natural history data from cryptic squamates can be challenging, but is crucial to understanding species’ biology, particularly in the context of conservation. In the Greater Antilles, this challenge is especially apparent, particularly among the West Indian boas (genus Chilabothrus). Most species have had only minimal natural history study, with a few exceptions. The Turks and Caicos boa (C. chrysogaster) has been studied intensively for over 16 years on the small privately owned island of Big Ambergris Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands. We conducted a multi-year radio-tracking study on the species to generate information relevant to spatial habitat use and movement that will inform conservation decision-making in the face of increasing development pressure. We tracked a total of 19 female snakes using surgically implanted transmitters, enabling us to obtain between 16 and 40 location observations per boa over the lifetime of each transmitter. We found that females have an average home range of 1.83 ha and a core space use area of 0.39 ha. We also estimated occurrence distributions, the use of space between specific time intervals, finding an average occurrence area of 0.76 ha. Several females overlapped in their spatial habitat use, with an average overlap proportion of 28 %. During this study we observed female boas using two novel habitats for the species (iron shore wrack and red mangrove). This study provides valuable information on the spatial ecology of an endangered boa and will serve to inform conservation work that is currently underway. Keywords: conservation, movement, home range, snake, spatial ecology","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":" 24","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139393124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The tadpole of Telmatobius fronteriensis (Anura, Telmatobiidae), from Puquios, western of the Andes Range, northern Chile","authors":"C.C. Cuevas, J. Formas, C. Azat-Soto","doi":"10.33256/34.1.4854","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.1.4854","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":" 35","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139392286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global and regional patterns in distribution and threat status of zoo collections of turtles and tortoises","authors":"Khalid Ahmed, B. Tapley, C. Michaels","doi":"10.33256/34.1.110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.1.110","url":null,"abstract":"Turtles are a globally threatened group of reptiles. Zoo populations may contribute to the conservation of species, including turtles, but collection composition may not align with conservation needs. We combined data from the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS), EDGE of Existence, the IUCN Red List and the Reptile Database to investigate zoo turtle holdings on global and regional scales. Globally, zoo collections were representative of turtle diversity, regional species distributions and threat statuses, indicating no bias towards threatened species and no taxonomic or distribution blind spots. Species kept in zoos had significantly lower EDGE scores than those not represented, and threatened species were no more likely to have been bred in the year prior to data collection (before March 2022) or have non-viable populations, but were more likely to have a larger population size. Although Africa, Asia and South America have the smallest turtle holdings in terms of species, allowing for regional capacity, these regions hold more, while Europe holds fewer than expected turtle species – North American and Asian holdings do not differ from expected. African, Asian, North and South American regions significantly bias their collections towards native species. We found evidence for significant increases in turtle populations at the genus level following the EAZA Shellshock campaign in Europe. ZIMS data are limited by taxonomy, membership and accuracy of records but provide the best window into patterns of zoo turtle collections. While holding a species in a zoo does not equate to conservation value, based on these data, we recommend that conservation prioritisation exercises are developed for all turtle species, holding institutions or regional taxonomic advisory address population viability and support for institutions working with significant turtle populations in captivity to join ZIMS is provided. Keywords: chelonia, ex-situ, zoos, conservation, ZIMS","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":"91 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139395693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dark future for a black salamander: effects of climate change and conservation implications for an endemic alpine amphibian","authors":"Davide Giuliano, Daniele Seglie, P. E. Bergó, Riccardo Cavalcante, Marco Favelli, Bruno Aimone Gigio, Alain Bloc, Anna Gaggino, Matteo Massara, Alessandra Pucci, Marco Rastelli, Claude Miaud, Barbara Rizzioli","doi":"10.33256/34.1.3547","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33256/34.1.3547","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change is threatening several montane species across the world, including a large number of endemics, needing the development of forward-looking conservation strategies to foster their future survival. In this context, Species Distribution Models (SDMs) represent a useful method to forecast changes in species’ habitat suitability under different scenarios of global warming, often advising conservation frameworks with credible, defensible and repeatable information. In this paper, we estimate the environmental and bioclimatic suitability for an endemic mountain amphibian (Salamandra lanzai) in the western European Alps through an SDM approach, considering both current and future scenarios, to address short- and long-term management and conservation actions, and to update the current IUCN extinction risk assessment. The ensemble model forecasts predict a dramatic decline of the climatically suitable area for the Lanza’s alpine salamander in the next 20–40 years, even considering an optimistic CO2 emissions scenario, leading to a theoretical extinction of this species in 2100 in case the worst global warming prediction will be actualised. This underlines the urgent need for up-to-date conservation and management strategies to ensure the successful mitigation of climate change effects on S. lanzai, especially by adapting and improving the network of protected areas, immediately removing additional threats and identifying possible management actions able to increase fine-scale habitat suitability and connectivity among populations. In addition, a significant range contraction in the future has to be considered when assessing the extinction risk for this species, possibly exacerbating the effect of other threatening factors, such as the spread of lethal pathogens. Keywords: Salamandra lanzai, ensemble models, environmental suitability, bioclimatic suitability, future projections","PeriodicalId":512110,"journal":{"name":"The Herpetological Journal","volume":"12 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139394778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}