Herpetological Highlights

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. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop 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

Anoles are adaptable creatures, but can they make the most of artificial light? Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Taylor LA, Thawley CJ, Pertuit OR, Dennis AJ, Carson IR, Tang C, Johnson MA. 2022. Artificial light at night alters diurnal and nocturnal behavior and physiology in green anole lizards. Physiology & Behavior 257:113992. DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113992. 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

Hibernation is a pretty extreme biological process that shouldn’t be undertaken lightly. Bearded dragons are one of many beasts that have it perfected, and in this episode we look at how. Species of the Bi-week is back with a new strange skinned snake. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Capraro A, O’Meally D, Waters SA, Patel HR, Georges A, Waters PD. 2019. Waking the sleeping dragon: gene expression profiling reveals adaptive strategies of the hibernating reptile Pogona vitticeps. BMC Genomics 20:460. DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5750-x. Species of the Bi-Week: Li H, Zhu L-Q, Xiao B, Huang J, Wu S-W, Yang L-X, Zhang Z-Q, Mo X-Y. 2024. A new species of the genus Achalinus (Squamata, Xenodermatidae) from southwest Hunan Province, China. ZooKeys 1189:257–273. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1189.112784. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Natusch D, Lyons J, Mears L, Shine R. 2021. Biting off more than you can chew: Attempted predation on a human by a giant snake (Simalia amethistina). Austral Ecology 46:159–162. DOI: 10.1111/aec.12956. 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

Tortoises return to an island in the Galapagos and prove themselves to be solid ecosystem engineers. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Tapia Aguilera W, Gibbs JP. 2023. Rewilding giant tortoises engineers plant communities at local to landscape scales. Conservation Letters 16:e12968. DOI: 10.1111/conl.12968. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Loconsole M, Stancher G, Versace E. 2023. Crossmodal association between visual and acoustic cues in a tortoise (Testudo hermanni). Biology Letters 19:20230265. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0265. Starck, J. M., Schrenk, F., Schröder, S., & Pees, M. (2022). Malformations of the sacculus and the semicircular canals in spider morph pythons. Plos one, 17(8), e0262788. Other Links/Mentions: Scinax crospedospilus by Mario Sacramento from https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Scinax&where-species=crospedospilus Charles Darwin Foundation. Studying the ecology and distribution of the invasive treefrog Scinax quinquefasciatus https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/research/projects/invasive-treefrog Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Caecilians, the strange underground amphibians, are known to let their babies eat their skin. But the full benefits of this practice are only now becoming clear. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Kouete MT, Bletz MC, LaBumbard BC, Woodhams DC, Blackburn DC. 2023. Parental care contributes to vertical transmission of microbes in a skin-feeding and direct-developing caecilian. Animal Microbiome 5:28. DOI: 10.1186/s42523-023-00243-x. Species of the Bi-Week: Li S-Z, Liu J, Ke X-C, Cheng G, Wang B. 2024. A new species of Amolops (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from Guizhou Province, China. ZooKeys 1189:33–54. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1189.115621. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Starck, J. M., Schrenk, F., Schröder, S., & Pees, M. (2022). Malformations of the sacculus and the semicircular canals in spider morph pythons. Plos one, 17(8), e0262788. Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

A wildly ambitious study which fundamentally alters the ecology of islands? Count us in. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Lapiedra O, Morales N, Yang LH, Fernández‐Bellon D, Michaelides SN, Giery ST, Piovia‐Scott J, Schoener TW, Kolbe JJ, Losos JB. 2023. Predator‐driven behavioural shifts in a common lizard shape resource‐flow from marine to terrestrial ecosystems. Ecology Letters:ele.14335. DOI: 10.1111/ele.14335. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Kim KS, Lockley MG, Lim JD, Bae SM, Romilio A. 2020. Trackway evidence for large bipedal crocodylomorphs from the Cretaceous of Korea. Scientific Reports 10:8680. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66008-7. Other Links/Mentions: Amos J. 2020. Fossil tracks left by an ancient crocodile that “ran like an ostrich.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53011567 Barbados frogs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LdK6JQUNyw Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

More evidence of social behaviour in snakes, this time from snakes that live underwater. Then we chat about a new species of alligator-looking lizard. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Somaweera R, Udyawer V, Amarasinghe AAT, De Fresnes J, Catherall J, Molchanova G. 2023. Apparent coordinated and communal hunting behaviours by Erabu sea krait Laticauda semifactiata. Scientific Reports 13:21471. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48684-3. Species of the Bi-Week: Clause AG, Luna-Reyes R, Mendoza-Velázquez OM, Nieto-Montes De Oca A, Solano-Zavaleta I. 2024. Bridging the gap: A new species of arboreal Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. PLOS ONE 19:e0295230. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295230. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Shine, R., Shine, T., Shine, J. M. & Shine, B. G. Synchrony in capture dates suggests cryptic social organization in sea snakes (Emy docephalus annulatus, Hydrophiidae). Austral Ecol. 30, 805–811 (2005). Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Royal pythons, ball pythons, regardless of their name the colour morphs can be stunning. But have folk found which gene is responsible? And can that gene create the same patterns in other reptiles? Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Garcia-Elfring A, Sabin CE, Iouchmanov AL, Roffey HL, Samudra SP, Alcala AJ, Osman RS, Lauderdale JD, Hendry AP, Menke DB, Barrett RDH. 2023. Piebaldism and chromatophore development in reptiles are linked to the tfec gene. Current Biology 33:755-763.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.004. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Chavan UM, Borkar MR. 2023. Observations on cooperative fishing, use of bait for hunting, propensity for marigold flowers and sentient behaviour in Mugger Crocodiles Crocodylus palustris (Lesson, 1831) of river Savitri at Mahad, Maharashtra, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 15:23750–23762. DOI: 10.11609/jott.8551.15.8.23750-23762. Other Links/Mentions: Theloderma corticale call by Peter Janzen from AmphibiaWeb - https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Theloderma&where-species=corticale Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Urban environments can be dramatically different from natural ones. New challenges face any animal finding themselves in the big city. This episode we look at some tiny chameleons adapting to urban life, and now differ from their country relatives. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Petford MA, Herrel A, Alexander GJ, Tolley KA. 2023. Differences between urban and natural populations of dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion damaranum): a case of urban warfare? Urban Ecosystems. DOI: 10.1007/s11252-023-01474-1. Species of the Bi-Week: Sitthivong S, Brakels P, Xayyasith S, Maury N, Idiiatullina S, Pawangkhanant P, Wang K, Van Nguyen T, A. Poyarkov N. 2023. Hiding on jagged karst pinnacles: A new microendemic genus and species of a limestone-dwelling agamid lizard (Squamata: Agamidae: Draconinae) from Khammouan Province, Laos. Zoological Research 44:1039–1051. DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2023.062. Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

An arms race between newts and snakes means biological warfare. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Gilbert AL, Cabrera S, Hague MTJ, Stokes AN, Feldman CR, Hanifin CT, Brodie ED, Brodie ED. 2023. Phenotypic outcomes of predator–prey coevolution are predicted by landscape variation in climate and community composition. Functional Ecology 37:2170–2180. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14360. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Calhoun, D. M., Bucciarelli, G. M., Kats, L. B., Zimmer, R. K., & Johnson, P. T. (2017). Noxious newts and their natural enemies: Experimental effects of tetrodotoxin exposure on trematode parasites and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Toxicon, 137, 120-127. Williams, B. L., Hanifin, C. T., Brodie, E. D., & Brodie III, E. D. (2010). Tetrodotoxin affects survival probability of rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) faced with TTX-resistant garter snake predators (Thamnophis sirtalis). Chemoecology, 20, 285-290. Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

New research sets out to work out what the meadow vipers like. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Mizsei E, Budai M, Móré A, Rák G, Radovics D, Bancsik B, Wenner B, Márton S, Korsós Z, Lengyel S, Vadász C. 2023. Management impacts on three reptile species ( Vipera ursinii , Lacerta agilis , Lacerta viridis ) in sandy grasslands in Hungary: Mowing should be avoided. Conservation Science and Practice:e13048. DOI: 10.1111/csp2.13048. Species of the Bi-Week: Jablonski D, Ribeiro-Júnior MA, Simonov E, Šoltys K, Meiri S. 2023. A new, rare, small-ranged, and endangered mountain snake of the genus Elaphe from the Southern Levant. Scientific Reports 13:4839. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30878-4. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Gould E, et al. 2023. Same data, different analysts: variation in effect sizes due to analytical decisions in ecology and evolutionary biology. EcoEvoRxiv. DOI: 10.32942/X2GG62. Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Gopher tortoises build wonderful and important burrows, but what happens when an invasive species decides to move in. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Durso A, Rivero J. 2023. Black spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis) use of gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows in Buckingham, Florida. Florida Field Naturalist 51:58–73. DOI: 10.6084/M9.FIGSHARE.24021423. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Lopes RJ, Pinho CJ, Santos B, Seguro M, Mata VA, Egeter B, Vasconcelos R. 2019. Intricate trophic links between threatened vertebrates confined to a small island in the Atlantic Ocean. Ecology and Evolution 9:4994–5002. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5105. Other Links/Mentions: Cuban Treefrog sound from Ariel Rodríguez & Roberto Alonso via: AmphibiaWeb 2009 Osteopilus septentrionalis: Cuban Treefrog <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/1019> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Nov 26, 2023. Also https://www.fonozoo.com/fnz_detalles_registro_amphibia.php?id=98045&tipo_registro=1 Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

We are relatively familiar with modern snake bite advice, but what snakes did the ancient Egyptians deal with? Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: McBride E, Winder IC, Wüster W. 2023. What Bit the Ancient Egyptians? Niche Modelling to Identify the Snakes Described in the Brooklyn Medical Papyrus. Environmental Archaeology:1–14. DOI: 10.1080/14614103.2023.2266631. Species of the Bi-Week: Liedtke HC, Malonza PK, Wasonga DV, Müller H, Loader SP. 2023. A new genus and species of toad from Mount Kenya illuminates East African montane biogeography. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society:zlad160. DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad160. Other Links/Mentions: Ross Mcgibbon calendars https://rmrphotography.com.au/2024-fundraising-calendar/ Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

An exciting new study suggests turtles might be social creatures. Main Paper References: McKnight DT, Serano JC, Thompson DM, Ligon DB. 2023. They really do move in herds: evidence of group living in an aquatic turtle. Animal Behaviour:S0003347223002142. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.08.015. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Fernandes IY, Koch ED, Mônico AT. 2023. First record of a snake call in South America: the unusual sound of an ornate snail-eater Dipsas catesbyi. Acta Amazonica 53:243–245. DOI: 10.1590/1809-4392202300431. Other Links/Mentions: Code review preprint: https://ecoevorxiv.org/repository/view/5393/ Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Fire salamanders are the focus of this episode. Like humans, they have been facing a pandemic recently, and new research delves into how populations have been coping. We top it off with a brand new snake species from Vietnam. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Erens J, Preissler K, Speybroeck J, Beukema W, Spitzen-van Der Sluijs A, Stark T, Laudelout A, Kinet T, Schmidt BR, Martel A, Steinfartz S, Pasmans F. 2023. Divergent population responses following salamander mass mortalities and declines driven by the emerging pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 290:20230510. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0510. Species of the Bi-Week: Kane D, Tapley B, La TV, Nguyen LT. 2023. A new species of the genus Rhabdophis Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Colubridae) from the Hoang Lien range, northwest Vietnam. Zootaxa 5343:101–125. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5343.2.1. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Ivimey‐Cook ER, Pick JL, Bairos‐Novak KR, Culina A, Gould E, Grainger M, Marshall BM, Moreau D, Paquet M, Royauté R, Sánchez‐Tójar A, Silva I, Windecker SM. 2023. Implementing code review in the scientific workflow: Insights from ecology and evolutionary biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 36:1347–1356. DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14230. Other Links/Mentions: Adder conservation genetics preprint: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.19.557540v1.full Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

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. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: 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. Behavioural Processes 203:104772. DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104772. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Quah ESH, Chong JL. 2022. Reptile predators of swiftlets (genus Aerodramus) with a focus on their impact on the swiftlet farming industry. Herpetology Notes. 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. Other Links/Mentions: AmphibiaWeb. 2023. https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-scientific_name=Hyperolius+tuberilinguis&rel-scientific_name=contains&include_synonymies=Yes Audio from flamelily via iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152630015 Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

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 Species of the Bi-week. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Cooper RD, Shaffer HB. 2023. Managing invasive hybrids with pond hydroperiod manipulation in an endangered salamander system. Conservation Biology:cobi.14167. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14167. Species of the Bi-Week: 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: Hemachatus) from the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. PLOS ONE 18:e0291432. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291432. Other Links/Mentions: Conversation article about the Nyanga rinkhals: https://shorturl.at/ouvyL Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Chameleons have evolved a diversity of weaponry. New research determines what these weapons are, and which chameleon groups are the most heavily-armed. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Van Kleeck-Hann M, Wiens JJ. 2023. Macroevolution of sexually selected weapons: weapon evolution in chameleons. Evolution:qpad138. DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad138. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: 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. Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

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. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: 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 (Gloydius blomhoffii). Ethology:eth.13400. DOI: 10.1111/eth.13400. Species of the Bi-Week: 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. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: 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). Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

Vocal plasticity is the topic for this episode. Can tokay geckos modify their call? Do young turtle vocalisations help them coordinate their movements? Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Brumm H, Zollinger SA. 2017. Vocal plasticity in a reptile. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284:20170451. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0451. Lacroix C, Davy CM, Rollinson N. 2022. Hatchling vocalizations and beneficial social interactions in subterranean nests of a widespread reptile. Animal Behaviour 187:233–244. DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.006. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: 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. Scientific Reports 9:5388. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41959-8. 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. Scientific Reports 7:12121. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12145-5. Bornschein MR, Jr MMR, Pie MR, Confetti AE, Ribeiro LF. 2018. Redescription of the advertisement call of Brachycephalus tridactylus (Anura: Brachycephalidae). PeerJ Inc. DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.27243v1. Editing and Music: Podcast edited by Emmy – https://www.fiverr.com/emmyk10 Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com