Herpetological Highlights

In this Patreon-selected double bill we investigate the tricky task of sexing blue-tongued skinks and the strange underworld of olms. 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: McKenzie A, Li T, Doneley B. 2022. A comparison of two techniques to identify the sex of the eastern blue‐tongue skink (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides). Australian Veterinary Journal 100:407–413. DOI: 10.1111/avj.13170. Recknagel H, Zakšek V, Delić T, Gorički Š, Trontelj P. 2024. Multiple transitions between realms shape relict lineages of Proteus cave salamanders. Molecular Ecology 33:e16868. DOI: 10.1111/mec.16868. Editing and Music: Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com Intro visuals – Paul Snelling  

We chat about vipers hissing before hitting on some massive news with multiple new species of king cobra being described. 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 Zele N, Nicot T, Lengagne T, Ksas R, Lourdais O. 2024. Physiological costs of warning: Defensive hissing increases metabolic rate and evaporative water loss in a venomous snake. Physiology & Behavior 287:114708. DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114708. Species of the Bi-Week: Das I, Gowri Shankar P, Swamy P, Williams RC, Lalremsanga HT, Prashanth P, Sahoo G, Vijayakumar SP, Höglund J, Shanker K, Dutta SK, Ganesh SR, Wüster W. 2024. Taxonomic revision of the king cobra Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836) species complex (Reptilia: Serpentes: Elapidae), with the description of two new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 961. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2024.961.2681. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Shankar PG, Swamy P, Williams RC, Ganesh SR, Moss M, Höglund J, Das I, Sahoo G, Vijayakumar SP, Shanker K, Wüster W, Dutta SK. 2021. King or royal family? Testing for species boundaries in the King Cobra, Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836), using morphology and multilocus DNA analyses. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution:107300. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107300. Other Links/Mentions: Viper hissing sound from Vipera Ammodytes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YgJRa9675Y&t=33s Editing and Music: Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com Intro visuals – Paul Snelling

Crocodiles and apes have a long history together, and they might have been dining on our young... 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: Thévenet J, Papet L, Coureaud G, Boyer N, Levréro F, Grimault N, Mathevon N. 2023. Crocodile perception of distress in hominid baby cries. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 290:20230201. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0201. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Seilern-Macpherson K, Lawson B, Macadam CR, West P, Reed N, Gibson L, Świątek P, Gajda Ł, Cunningham AA, Heaver J, Julian AM. 2024. Predation of anurans in southern England by Batracobdella algira, a leech previously unknown in the UK. The Herpetological Journal 34:221–227. DOI: 10.33256/34.4.221227. King RB, Ray JM, Stanford KM. 2006. Gorging on gobies: beneficial effects of alien prey on a threatened vertebrate. Canadian Journal of Zoology 84:108–115. DOI: 10.1139/z05-182. Massenet M, Anikin A, Pisanski K, Reynaud K, Mathevon N,  Reby D. 2022. Nonlinear vocal phenomena affect human perceptions of distress, size and dominance in puppy whines. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1973), 20220429. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0429 Other Links/Mentions: Alligator sounds from AGKrokodile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkW7-KpOQLA

Turtles have personalities and these can be influenced by the environments they live in, with urban environments seemingly changing the way turtle populations behave. Plus we talk about a chunky new toad species. 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: Carlson BE, Carter SE, Hulbert AC, Hyslop NL, Free Kashon EA, Kimble SJA, Lisk J, McElroy C, Mook JL, Refsnider JM, Roe JH, Tetzlaff SJ, Windmiller B. 2024. Intrapopulation variation in boldness differs while average boldness is similar across populations of a widespread turtle. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 78:64. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-024-03480-5. Species of the Bi-Week: Caicedo-Martínez LS, Henao-Osorio JJ, Arias-Monsalve HF, Rojas-Morales JA, Ossa-López PA, Rivera-Páez FA, Ramírez-Chaves HE. 2024. A new species of terrestrial toad of the Rhinella festae group (Anura, Bufonidae) from the highlands of the Central Cordillera of the Andes of Colombia. ZooKeys 1196:149–175. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1196.114861. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Marr MM, Hopkins K, Tapley B, Borzée A, Liang Z, Cunningham AA, Yan F, Wang J, Turvey ST. 2024. What’s in a name? Using species delimitation to inform conservation practice for Chinese giant salamanders (Andrias spp.). Evolutionary Journal of the Linnean Society 3:kzae007. DOI: 10.1093/evolinnean/kzae007. Editing and Music: Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com Intro visuals – Paul Snelling