Herpetological Highlights

Spraying salt while chilling next to the shoreline –the M.O. of marine iguanas. But how do they cope with the harsh reality of life in 2021, like dramatic climate fluctuations and the increased press…

Hognose snakes - famous for their funny expressions and death-feigning, but why do Eastern hognoses come in different colours, and are some populations smaller than others? We find out, followed up b…

How social are tortoises? This episode we look at a paper investigating tortoises’ preference for faces, and a second on whether they stick together. While neither provide definitive answers, they bo…

In this episode we are talking about the life and times of one of the world’s largest snakes - the Burmese python. We compare their movements in their native and introduced range, and talk a bit abou…

In the forests of the night, What immortal pit or eye, Could frame thy venomous symmetry? This episode we look at the biting behaviour, and glowing tails of vipers. Species of the Bi-week is a green …

Urban snakes - are they more hip than their rural cousins, or do they suffer worse from parasites? We delve into some unexpected outcomes of urban life, followed by a brand new species of amphibian f…

Fluorescing frogs (toadlets) and glowing geckos are topics of discussion this episode. We dig into the whys and ecological context of glowing, but really there remains a lot to learn. Carrying over f…

Kraits! These banded and venomous beasts are still shrouded in mystery, but we cover some of the things we DO know about them in this Patreon special.

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Frogs: invasive menace, and victim. We look at two papers showing how frogs are faring in the face of human-caused species invasions. One where the frog is the invader, another where the frogs are fa…

In this instalment we are talking tortoises - how clever are they, and how well do they get on with ravens? We follow up the tortoise double header with a miniature Species of the Bi-Week. 

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Lizards live in a world of colour. But how do they react to different colours, and what role does colour play in creating new species of lizard? We dip into papers covering Anoles and Geckos, with a …

This episode we delve into the problem solving capabilities of some large lizards, and uncover the lifestyle of Guatemalan beaded lizards. We also discuss the mysterious black beasts that inhabit the…

Humans and snakes share a long and storied past. In this episode we examine one paper that looks at the prehistoric relationship between humans and cobras (namely their spitting), and a second that l…

Who doesn't love blue tongue skinks? In this episode we discuss their ability to learn complex tasks, and finally discover why that tongue is so blue. Our Species of the Bi-Week is beautiful in more …

Frogs come in all shapes and sizes, but some frogs are particularly odd. Rain frogs with their globus bodies are the topic for this episode. Why are they living with mole-rats? And what do people liv…

Hello 2021! We are back and this time discussing genetic rescue - can isolated, dwindling populations be assisted by adding individuals from elsewhere? After that, our Species of the Bi-Week has a de…

This week’s episode is a bit jumbled as we focus on whether birds are using alligators to help protect nests. For the Species of the Bi-week we have a tiny tiny toad.

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Greater earless lizards use their tail for all manner of things - but how has this shaped its evolution? We delve into this mystery and find out how horny toads (the lizards) cope with life at hot an…

A rainy night in a tropical forest; the sound of frog battle calls ring out –but who will be victorious? This episode we dive into the details of frog battles for supremacy, where tiny strawberry fro…

They don't come greener than this - but what are they up to? We discuss the behaviour of some (mostly green) pit vipers, and we even have a brand new green species. 

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