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32K to 114K🎙 Weekly cadence·30 episodes·Last published 10mo ago - Monthly Reach
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46K to 163K🇺🇸61%🇨🇦18%🇵🇭18%+1 more - Active Followers
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14K to 49K
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Recent episodes
SquaMates Ep. 36: Is this a mosasaur?
Aug 14, 2025
Unknown duration
SquaMates Ep. 35: The Elephant Trunk Snake in the Room
Jul 16, 2025
Unknown duration
SquaMates Ep. 34: M-m-m-my Pogona!
Jul 8, 2025
Unknown duration
SquaMates Ep. 33: Chameleon Day Bonanza!
May 9, 2025
Unknown duration
SquaMates Ep. 32: It was only a (cloacal) kiss, how did it end up like this?
May 7, 2025
Unknown duration
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/14/25 | SquaMates Ep. 36: Is this a mosasaur? | Happy World Lizard Day! Today we talk about the biggest lizards that ever roamed the Earth: mosasaurs! These giant aquatic lizards are often forgotten when we talk about shape diversity in squamates, but they were some of the most specialised and remarkable lizards ever. We dive into their diversity, history, origins, and extinction in this special episode. We also talk about the incredible Mirasaurus, the weird new reptile with bizarre integument structures that recently made the cover of Nature with an illustration by co-host Gabriel! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Links, Citations, and Other Resources Spiekman, S.N.F., Foth, C., Rossi, V., Gascó Martín, C., Slater, T.S., Bath Enright, O.G., Dollman, K.N., Serafini, G., Seegis, D., Grauvogel-Stamm, L., McNamara, M.E., Sues, H.-D. & Schoch, R.R. (2025) Triassic diapsid shows early diversification of skin appendages in reptiles. Nature, 643(8074):1297–1303. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09167-9 Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 36: Is this a mosasaur? first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 7/16/25 |  SquaMates Ep. 35: The Elephant Trunk Snake in the Room | Happy World Snake Day! Today, we talk about snake ecosystem services, human-snake conflicts, and opine on various snake-related outreach personalities you probably know from television or youtube. Be prepared for some hot takes as we finally address the elephant trunk snake in the room! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Links, Citations, and Other Resources Check out other things going on this week for Snake Week: http://snakeweek.org/ Quah, E. S. H., Grismer, L. L., & Anuar, M. S. S. (2023). Observations and description of a rare escape mechanism in a snake: Cartwheeling in Pseudorabdion longiceps (Cantor, 1847) (Squamata, Colubridea). Biotropica, 55, 568–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13213 Footage of a cartwheeling snake is available here: https://youtu.be/sMoHNVCXHG8?si=8Awzzgb9-RTAHnse&t=1256 A call to action: Drop us a comment and let us know How do you reach people in your community, to educate them about snakes? Episode shout-outs: Mark O’Shea Jeff Corwin Madagascar Life on the Edge, a documentary feat. Mark Earyn McGee Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 35: The Elephant Trunk Snake in the Room first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 7/8/25 |  SquaMates Ep. 34: M-m-m-my Pogona! | We dive into one of the most popular pet reptiles in the trade: Pogona vitticeps, the bearded dragon—its relatives, origins in the trade, and popularity. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Citations ExoTerra website on Pogona vitticeps, including discussion of their origins in the trade Episode shout-outs: Bill Strand – Chameleon Academy Podcast Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 34: M-m-m-my Pogona! first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 5/9/25 |  SquaMates Ep. 33: Chameleon Day Bonanza! | What is this‽ Two episodes in one week‽ That’s right! It’s May 9th, International Chameleon Day! In this episode, we give a deep dive into chameleon diversity, ecology, and evolution, and chameleon analogues across the world! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Works in Frogress: Get Ethan’s Skink Zine! Also in physical format! See more awesome illustrations like this one: Vences, M., Miralles, A., Ineich, I., Rakotoarison, A., Glasenapp, C., Scherz, M.D., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Raselimanana, A.P. (2025) An updated survey of molecular diversity in Madagascar’s velvet geckos, genus Blaesodactylus, with description of a new species from the island’s arid West. Zootaxa, 5620(2):230–254. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5620.2.2 Correction Mark forgot to mention the chameleon genus Nadzikambia! This is a genus that formerly belonged to Chamaeleo and then Bradypodion. There are only two species. They look much like other arboreal chamaeleonine chameleons. Episode Citaitons Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2007) A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Vences & Glaw Verlags GbR, Cologne, Germany, 496 pp. Third Edition. Nečas, P. & Schmidt, W. (2004) Stummelschwanzchamäleons: Miniaturdrachen [!] des Regenwaldes: die Gattungen Brookesia und Rhampholeon. Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 255 pp. Tilbury, C.R. (2018) Chameleons of Africa: An Atlas, Including the Chameleons of Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Chimaira Buchhandelsgesellschaft mbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 643 pp. Tolley, K.A. & Herrel, A. (2013) The Biology of Chameleons. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California USA, University of California Press, 288 pp. Tolley, K.A., Townsend, T.M. & Vences, M. (2013) Large-scale phylogeny of chameleons suggests African origins and Eocene diversification. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 280(1759):20130184 (8 pp.). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0184 Episode shout-outs: Chris Anderson Bill Strand – Chameleon Academy Podcast Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 33: Chameleon Day Bonanza! first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 5/7/25 |  SquaMates Ep. 32: It was only a (cloacal) kiss, how did it end up like this? | Hiral is a Doctor of Science now, Mark is about to become an Associate Professor, and the art world continues to be mad and heavily affected by changes to the social media landscape! In this episode, we talk about art and scientific illustration, hemipenes, ectothermy, snake and salamander courtship and reproduction, and what you can do to help your local amphibians. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Questions in this episode came from: @SaurianCYH.bsky.social @Biscotto_al_latte on Instagram @eyesonthedirt on Instagram @loquaciousky.bsky.social loch-ness-connoisseur.tumblr.com Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 32: It was only a (cloacal) kiss, how did it end up like this? first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 3/20/25 |  SquaMates Ep. 31: I do it for the gills | Happy World Frog Day! In this episode we answer a couple questions from listeners: why are there no neotenic frogs, and what books we recommend for people interested in herpetology (fair warning: it’s a lot!) Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Shout-outs Earyn McGee — Bluesky (and also Goliath) Books we mention in the episode: Pough, F.H. et al. Herpetology. 4th Edition. ISBN: 9781605352336 [Amazon.com] Vitt, L.J. & Caldwell, J.P. Herpetology. 4th Edition. ISBN 9780123869197 [Amazon.com] (2nd edition was by Zug et al., shown by Mark on the episode) McDiarmid, R.W. et al. Reptile Biodiversity: Standard methods for inventory and monitoring. ISBN 9780520266711 [publisher website] Duellman, W.E. & Trueb, L. 1994. Biology of Amphibians. 2nd edition. ISBN: 9780801847806 [Amazon.com] Frost, D.R. et al. 1985. Amphibian Species of the World. [Amazon.com] (superseded by https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/) Powell, R. et al. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern & Central North America. [Amazon.com] Glaw, F. & Vences, M. 2007.Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. 3rd Edition. [Amazon.com] Glaw, F. & Vences, M. 1994. Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. 2nd Edition. [Amazon.com] Leenders, T. 2016. Amphibians of Costa Rica. ISBN: 978-1501700620 [Amazon.com] Leenders, T. 2019. Reptiles of Costa Rica. ISBN: 978-1501739538 [Amazon.com] Arteaga, A. et al. 2024. Reptiles of Ecuador. ISBN: 9783899731408 [NHBS.com] Tilbury, C. 2018. Chameleons of Africa. 2nd Edition. [NHBS.com] Savage, J.M. 2005. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica. ISBN: 978-0226735382 [Amazon.com] Fahrbach, M. & Gerlach, U. 2018. The Genus Triturus. ISBN: 978389973527 [publisher website] O’Shea, M. 2011. Venomous Snakes of the World. ISBN: 978-0691150239 [Amazon.com] Gans. 1969–2010. Biology of the Reptilia. Full Books available online at: https://carlgans.org/biology-reptilia-online/ Darwin, C. 1859. On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. [Amazon.com] Mayr, E. 1942. Systematics and the Origin of Species from the Viewpoint of a Zoologist. [Amazon.com] Losos, J. 2011. Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree: Ecology and Adaptive Radiation of Anoles. ISBN: 978-0520269842. [Amazon.com] Kocak, E. 2023. Moistly Harmless: How to Appreciate Newts and Salamanders. [publisher website] de Vosjoli, P. et al. 2003. Rhacodactylus: The Complete Guide to their Selection and Care. [Amazon.com, but good luck] Greene, H. Tracks and Shadows: Field Biology as Art. [Amazon.com] Losos, J.B. Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution. [Amazon.com] Obst, F.J. et al. The Completely Illustrated Atlas of Reptiles and Amphibians for the Terrarium. [Amazon.com] Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 31: I do it for the gills first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 2/10/25 | SquaMates Ep. 30: Nolite te serpentes biteyouonyourbum | In this episode we talk about how many people are getting bitten by venomous snakes in South Africa, and how reporting encounters like this can help to reduce morbidity and mortality from snakebite: all the topic of a new paper by co-host Hiral Naik! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Citations Seneci, L., Hall, A.S., Glaw, F. & Scherz, M.D. (2025) Potential evolutionary convergence in trophic adaptations of two booidean snake lineages as evidenced by skull morphology. Journal of Morphology, 286(1):e70011. DOI: 10.1002/jmor.70011 Naik, H. & Alexander, G.J. (2025) The incidence of snakebite in South Africa and the challenges associated with lack of reporting. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene:trae109. DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trae109 Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 30: Nolite te serpentes biteyouonyourbum first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 10/15/24 | SquaMates Ep. 29: Frog Trek | In this episode we drop some HOT OFF THE PRESS news about seven new species of frogs from Madagascar that Mark has been involved in describing that are named after seven Star Trek captains. We also cover some exciting recent research on Gymmie phylogeography and diving anoles! Plus, Hiral is submitting her PhD thesis! Wow! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Check out the new frogs named after Star Trek captains! Episode Citations Swierk, L. (2024) Novel rebreathing adaptation extends dive time in a semi-aquatic lizard. Biology Letters, 20(9):20240371. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0371 Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D., Ribeiro‑Júnior, M.A. & Sánchez-Pacheco, S.J. (2024) Once upon a time: exploring the biogeographic history of the largest endemic lizard family in the Neotropics (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 143(1):blae080. DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae080 Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D. & Diago-Toro, M.F. (2024) Alice in Lizardland: exploring the spatiotemporal speciation and morphological evolutionary rates in the highly diverse microteiid lizards (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 142(2):208-219. DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blad127 Vences, M., Köhler, J., Hutter, C.R., Preick, M., Petzold, A., Rakotoarison, A., Ratsoavina, F.M., Glaw, F. & Scherz, M.D. (in press) Communicator whistles: a Trek through the taxonomy of the Boophis marojezensis complex reveals seven new, morphologically cryptic treefrogs from Madagascar (Amphibia: Anura: Mantellidae). Vertebrate Zoology DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e121110 Shout-outs: Hayley Crowell: instagram Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 29: Frog Trek first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 9/11/24 | SquaMates Ep. 28: All day and all of the night (feat. Herpetological Highlights!) | An unexpected crossover is afoot! Hiral and Mark met up with Dr Tom Major and Benjamin M. Marshall of the Herpetological Hightlights Podcast while they were at the 10th World Congress of Herpetology in Kuching, Malaysia. We sat down together and talked about the amazing conference, podcasts, and the herpetological community at large. We had such a great time! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com. You can check out our buds from Herpetological Highlights wherever you get your podcasts, and at: https://herphighlights.podbean.com/, on instagram, and on twitter. Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 28: All day and all of the night (feat. Herpetological Highlights!) first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 8/19/24 | SquaMates Ep. 27: I’m only hoppy when it rains | In this episode we talk about everyone’s favourite frogs, rain frogs of the family Brevicipitidae! We go over their diversity, ecology, and anatomy, as well as their fun adhesive properties! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Glued amplexus as exhibited by Breviceps spp. Illustration by Ethan Kocak. Exciting updates Check out Ethan’s new book, The Unfamiliars! Hiral managed to secure a Rufford Small Grant Gabriel illustrated Dave Hone’s new book, ‘Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know‘ Episode Citations Feng, Y.-J., Blackburn, D.C., Liang, D., Hillis, D.M., Wake, D.B., Cannatella, D.C. & Zhang, P. (2017) Phylogenomics reveals rapid, simultaneous diversification of three major clades of Gondwanan frogs at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 114(29):E5864–E5870. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1704632114 Noble, G.K. & Parker, H.W. (1926) A synopsis of the brevicipitid toads of Madagascar. American Museum Novitates, 232:1–21. Parker, H.W. (1934) Monograph of the frogs of the family Microhylidae. Trustees of the British Museum, London, UK. Zaman, S., Lengerer, B., Van Lindt, J., Saenen, I., Russo, G., Bossaer, L., Carpentier, S., Tompa, P., Flammang, P. & Roelants, K. (2024) Recurrent evolution of adhesive defence systems in amphibians by parallel shifts in gene expression. Nature Communications, 15:5612. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49917-3 Shout-outs: David Hone: homepage • twitter Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 27: I’m only hoppy when it rains first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
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| 7/29/24 | SquaMates Ep. 26: Let’s talk about snakes, baby | In this episode we gently debate subspecies, and then dive into several snake papers, from their anomalously extensive and rapid diversification, to a recent taxonomic change. Regrettably the audio on this episode was affected by a technical error, so it is far less than our usual quality (Ethan and Hiral are a little quiet, sorry!). Hopefully it doesn’t affect the listening experience too badly! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Check out Ethan’s new book, The Unfamiliars! Episode Citations Vences, M., Köhler, J., Scherz, M.D., Hutter, C.R., Rabe Maheritafika, H.M., Rafanoharana, J.M., Raherinjatovo, H., Rakotoarison, A., Andreone, F., Raselimanana, A.P. & Glaw, F. (2024) Four new species of forest-dwelling mantellid frogs from Madagascar allied to Gephyromantis moseri (Amphibia, Anura). Spixiana, 46(2):297–319. Scherz, M.D., Rudolph, J., Rakotondratsima, M., Ratsoavina, F.M., Crottini, A., Andreone, F., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2024) Molecular systematics of the subgenus Gephyromantis (Phylacomantis) with description of a new subspecies. Zootaxa, 5446(2):205–220. DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5446.2.3 de Queiroz, K. (2020) An updated concept of subspecies resolves a dispute about the taxonomy of incompletely separated lineages. Herpetological Review, 51(3):459–461. [Mark incorrectly gave publication date as being 2021] de Queiroz, K. (2007) Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology, 56(6):879–886. DOI: 10.1080/10635150701701083 Title, P.O., Singhal, S., Grundler, M.C., Costa, G.C., Pyron, R.A., Colston, T.J., Grundler, M.R., Prates, I., Stepanova, N., Jones, M.E.H., Cavalcanti, L.B.Q., Colli, G.R., Di-Poï, N., Donnellan, S.C., Moritz, C., Mesquita, D.O., Pianka, E.R., Smith, S.A., Vitt, L.J. & Rabosky, D.L. (2024) The macroevolutionary singularity of snakes. Science, 383(6685):918–923. DOI: 10.1126/science.adh2449 Strong, C., Scherz, M.D. & Caldwell, M.W. (2021) Deconstructing the Gestalt: New concepts and tests of homology, as exemplified by a re-conceptualization of “microstomy” in squamates. Anatomical Record, 304:2303–2351. DOI: 10.1002/ar.24630 Losos, J. B. (2017) Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution. Riverhead Books, New York City NY, USA. 384 pp. Datta, D. & Bajpai, S. (2024) Largest known madtsoiid snake from warm Eocene period of India suggests intercontinental Gondwana dispersal. Scientific Reports, 14(1):8054. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58377-0 Zaher, H., Trusz, C., Koch, C., Entiauspe-Neto, O.M., Battilana, J. & Grazziotin, F.G. (2024) Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the dwarf boas of the family Tropidophiidae (Serpentes: Alethinophidia). Systematics and Biodiversity, 22(1):2319289. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2024.2319289 Vences, M., Guayasamin, J.M., Miralles, A. & de la Riva, I. (2013) To name or not to name: Criteria to promote economy of change in Linnaean classification schemes. Zootaxa, 3636(2):201–244. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3636.2.1 Scherz, M.D., Vences, M., Rakotoarison, A., Andreone, F., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Crottini, A. (2017) Lumping or splitting in the Cophylinae (Anura: Microhylidae) and the need for a parsimony of taxonomic changes: a response to Peloso et al. (2017). Salamandra, 53(3):479–483. Shout-outs: Common Descent Podcast TetZoo Podcats Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 26: Let’s talk about snakes, baby first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 5/9/24 | SquaMates Ep. 25: Micrurus brings all the boys to the yard | In this episode we talk about a really cool predation observation, the importance of publishing behavioural or observational notes, and some follow-up on the anaconda mess from Episode 24. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Citations Bringsøe, H. & Dreyer, N.P. (2024) Kleptoparasitism in Micrurus mipartitus (Squamata, Elapidae) competing for the same Caecilia sp. (Gymnophiona, Caeciliidae) in western Colombia. Herpetozoa, 37:77–84. DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.37.e112716 Mancuso, M., Zaman, S., Maddock, S.T., Kamei, R.G., Salazar-Valenzuela, D., Wilkinson, M., Roelants, K. & Fry, B.G. (2023) Resistance Is Not Futile: Widespread Convergent Evolution of Resistance to Alpha-Neurotoxic Snake Venoms in Caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(14) DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411353 Mailho-Fontana, Pedro L., Antoniazzi, M.M., Alexandre, C., Carvalho Pimenta, D., Mozer Sciani, J., Brodie, Edmund D., Jr. & Jared, C. (2020) Morphological Evidence for an Oral Venom System in Caecilian Amphibians. iScience, 23:101234. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101234 Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D., Alfonso-Rojas, A. & Palacios-Aguilar, R. (2024) On the validity of the recently described northern green anaconda Eunectes akayima (Squamata, Serpentes). Bionomia, 37(1):1–7. DOI: 10.11646/BIONOMINA.37.1.1 Dubois, A., Denzer, W., Entiauspe-Neto, O.M., Frétey, T., Ohler, A., Bauer, A.M. & Pyron, R.A. (2024) Nomenclatural problems raised by the recent description of a new anaconda species (Squamata, Serpentes, Boidae), with a nomenclatural review of the genus Eunectes. Bionomia, 37(1):8–58. DOI: 10.11646/BIONOMINA.37.1.2 Shout-outs: Jodi Rowley: @jodirowley Darren Naish/TetZoo: @tetzoo on twitter • @tetzoo on bluesky Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 25: Micrurus brings all the boys to the yard first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 4/18/24 | SquaMates Ep. 24: Green Anaconda don’t want none | In this episode we talk about the breaking news that caecilians produce milk‽, and get into some recent taxonomic works on anacondas and eyelash palm-pitvipers. Content warning: this episode contains several Hot Takes. Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Wake, M.H. (2024) Amphibian hatchlings find mother’s milk. Science, 383(6687):1060–1061. DOI: 10.1126/science.ado2094 Mailho-Fontana, P.L., Antoniazzi, M.M., Coelho, G.R., Pimenta, D.C., Fernandes, L.P., Kupfer, A., Brodie, E.D. & Jared, C. (2024) Milk provisioning in oviparous caecilian amphibians. Science, 383(6687):1092–1095. DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5379 Arteaga, A., Pyron, R.A., Batista, A., Vieira, J., Meneses Pelayo, E., Smith, E.N., Barrio Amorós, C.L., Koch, C., Agne, S., Valencia, J.H., Bustamante, L. & Harris, K.J. (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. Rivas, J.A., De La Quintana, P., Mancuso, M., Pacheco, L.F., Rivas, G.A., Mariotto, S., Salazar-Valenzuela, D., Baihua, M.T., Baihua, P., Burghardt, G.M., Vonk, F.J., Hernandez, E., García-Pérez, J.E., Fry, B.G. & Corey-Rivas, S. (2024) Disentangling the Anacondas: Revealing a New Green Species and Rethinking Yellows. Diversity, 16(2) DOI: 10.3390/d16020127 Shout-outs: Lingthusiasm Podcast Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 24: Green Anaconda don’t want none first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 2/12/24 |  SquaMates Ep. 22: Neil Caiman and Crew | The Mates are back after two and a half years of hiatus! They talk about all that’s happened in the intervening time, and where we are going from here! Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Get yourself a copy of Ethan’s book, Moistly Harmless! Hiral is featured in this phenomenal book on Women in Herpetology! Go check out the Global Women in Herpetology project, over at https://www.womeninherpetology.com/. Mark wants you to check out itaxotools.org for your taxonomy needs! Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • blueskyThe post SquaMates Ep. 22: Neil Caiman and Crew first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 6/7/21 | SquaMates Ep. 21: Bachia to the Future | The Mates get into the evolution of Ambystoma, whether or not to use subspecies, and the fantastically diverse and oft maligned gymnophthalmids (gymmies!). Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Boccia, C.K., Swierk, L., Ayala-Varela, F.P., Boccia, J., Borges, I.L., Estupiñán, C.A., Martin, A.M., Martínez-Grimaldo, R.E., Ovalle, S., Senthivasan, S., Toyama, K.S., del Rosario Castañeda, M., García, A., Glor, R.E. & Mahler, D.L. Repeated evolution of underwater rebreathing in diving Anolis lizards. Current Biology: DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.040 de Queiroz, K. (2007) Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology, 56(6):879–886. DOI: 10.1080/10635150701701083 de Queiroz, K. (2020) An updated concept of subspecies resolves a dispute about the taxonomy of incompletely separated lineages. Herpetological Review, 51(3):459–461. Everson, K.M., Gray, L.N., Jones, A.G., Lawrence, N.M., Foley, M.E., Sovacool, K.L., Kratovil, J.D., Hotaling, S., Hime, P.M., Storfer, A., Parra-Olea, G., Percino-Daniel, R., Aguilar-Miguel, X., O’Neill, E.M., Zambrano, L., Shaffer, H.B. & Weisrock, D.W. (2021) Geography is more important than life history in the recent diversification of the tiger salamander complex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 118(17):e2014719118. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014719118 Gymnophthalmids Assorted gymnophthalmids illustrated by our very own Gabriel Ugueto Assorted gymnophthalmine gymnophthalmids illustrated by our very own Gabriel Ugueto Bachia species illustrated by Gabriel: above, B. trinitatis; below, B. lineata Comparison of Gymnophthalmus (above) and Tretioscincus (below). Note the brille of Gymnophthalmus versus the movable eyelid with a semi-transparent window ind Tretioscincus Reduction of limbs and digits in various Gymnophthalmids: a Bachia, b Gymnophthalmus (4 fingers), c Tretioscincus (5 fingers but 1st one very rudimentary), d Riolama (1st reduced and clawless) e Anadia (five digits presented and clawed) Reduction of limbs and digits in various Bachia species One of Gabriel’s favourite gymmies: Anadia marmorata Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreonThe post SquaMates Ep. 21: Bachia to the Future first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 5/12/21 | SquaMates Ep. 20: Lerista Explains It All | The Mates are joined this month by Hiral Naik, a snake ecologist from South Africa! We talk turtles, skinks, crocodiles, neocolonialism in science, and Lamprophiidae! Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Thomson, R.C., Spinks, P.Q. & Shaffer, H.B. (2021) A global phylogeny of turtles reveals a burst of climate-associated diversification on continental margins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(7):e2012215118. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2012215118 Chapple, D.G., Roll, U., Böhm, M., Aguilar, R., Amey, A.P., Austin, C.C., Baling, M., Barley, A.J., Bates, M.F., Bauer, A.M., Blackburn, D.G., Bowles, P., Brown, R.M., Chandramouli, S.R., Chirio, L., Cogger, H., Colli, G.R., Conradie, W., Couper, P.J., Cowan, M.A., Craig, M.D., Das, I., Datta-Roy, A., Dickman, C.R., Ellis, R.J., Fenner, A.L., Ford, S., Ganesh, S.R., Gardner, M.G., Geissler, P., Gillespie, G.R., Glaw, F., Greenlees, M.J., Griffith, O.W., Grismer, L.L., Haines, M.L., Harris, D.J., Hedges, S.B., Hitchmough, R.A., Hoskin, C.J., Hutchinson, M.N., Ineich, I., Janssen, J., Johnston, G.R., Karin, B.R., Keogh, J.S., Kraus, F., LeBreton, M., Lymberakis, P., Masroor, R., McDonald, P.J., Mecke, S., Melville, J., Melzer, S., Michael, D.R., Miralles, A., Mitchell, N.J., Nelson, N.J., Nguyen, T.Q., de Campos Nogueira, C., Ota, H., Pafilis, P., Pauwels, O.S.G., Perera, A., Pincheira-Donoso, D., Reed, R.N., Ribeiro-Júnior, M.A., Riley, J.L., Rocha, S., Rutherford, P.L., Sadlier, R.A., Shacham, B., Shea, G.M., Shine, R., Slavenko, A., Stow, A., Sumner, J., Tallowin, O.J.S., Teale, R., Torres-Carvajal, O., Trape, J.-F., Uetz, P., Ukuwela, K.D.B., Valentine, L., Van Dyke, J.U., van Winkel, D., Vasconcelos, R., Vences, M., Wagner, P., Wapstra, E., While, G.M., Whiting, M.J., Whittington, C.M., Wilson, S., Ziegler, T., Tingley, R. & Meiri, S. (2021) Conservation status of the world’s skinks (Scincidae): Taxonomic and geographic patterns in extinction risk. Biological Conservation, 257:109101. DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109101 Hekkala, E., Gatesy, J., Narechania, A., Meredith, R., Russello, M., Aardema, M.L., Jensen, E., Montanari, S., Brochu, C., Norell, M. & Amato, G. (2021) Paleogenomics illuminates the evolutionary history of the extinct Holocene “horned” crocodile of Madagascar, Voay robustus. Communications Biology, 4(1):505. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02017-0 Naik, H., Kgaditse, M. M. & Alexander, G. J. (2021) Ancestral Reconstruction of Diet and Fang Condition in the Lamprophiidae: Implications for the Evolution of Venom Systems in Snakes. Journal of Herpetology, 55(1):1–10. DOI: 10.1670/19-071 [x] Shout-outs Liam Revell’s PhyTools blog Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • save the snakesThe post SquaMates Ep. 20: Lerista Explains It All first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 4/12/21 |  SquaMates Ep. 19: Nobody Expects the Lacey Imposition | After a corona-induced hiatus, the Mates are back with a looser format and some deep dives on tiny chameleons, glowing geckos, and the much debated Lacey act! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Works in Froggress National Geographic Article featuring Gabriel’s illustrations Get ready for the superstars of the story of life The first three books in @Ben_garrod‘s #Extinct series are out on 13th May! Fantastically illustrated by @SerpenIllus. Pre-order here & support independent bookshops: https://t.co/SSIy6oxgwM pic.twitter.com/jN1hJWZWb7 — Zephyr Books (@_ZephyrBooks) April 10, 2021 Mark and Ella at their wedding! Episode Citations Scherz, M.D., Schmidt, L., Crottini, A., Miralles, A., Rakotoarison, A., Raselimanana, A.P., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2021) Into the Chamber of Horrors: A proposal for the resolution of nomenclatural chaos in the Scaphiophryne calcarata complex (Anura: Microhylidae), with a new species-level phylogenetic hypothesis for Scaphiophryninae. Zootaxa, 4938(1):392–420. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4938.4.2 Glaw, F., Köhler, J., Hawlitschek, O., Ratsoavina, F.M., Rakotoarison, A., Scherz, M.D. & Vences, M. (2021) Extreme miniaturization of a new amniote vertebrate and insights into the evolution of genital size in chameleons. Scientific Reports, 11:2522. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80955-1 Prötzel, D., Heß, M., Schwager, M., Glaw, F. & Scherz, M.D. (2021) Neon-green fluorescence in the desert gecko Pachydactylus rangei caused by iridophores. Scientific Reports, 11:297. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79706-z Jowers, M.J., Othman, S.N., Borzée, A., Rivas, G.A., Sánchez-Ramírez, S., Auguste, J., Downie, J.R., Read, M. & Murphy, J.C. (2021) Unraveling unique island colonization events in Elachistocleis frogs: phylogeography, cryptic divergence, and taxonomical implications. Organisms Diversity & Evolution 21:189–206. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13127-021-00487-y Dal Vechio, F., Prates, I., Grazziotin, F.G., Graboski, R. & Rodrigues, M.T. (2021) Molecular and phenotypic data reveal a new Amazonian species of pit vipers (Serpentes: Viperidae: Bothrops). Journal of Natural History 54(37–38):2415–2437. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222933.2020.1845835 Marshall, B.M., Strine, C. & Hughes, A.C. (2020) Thousands of reptile species threatened by under-regulated global trade. Nature Communications 11:4738. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-18523-4 Shout-outs The Chameleon Academy Podcast Darren Naish: @tetzoo • The Tetzoo Blog Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreonThe post SquaMates Ep. 19: Nobody Expects the Lacey Imposition first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 6/20/20 |  SquaMates Ep. 18: Amici manere domi! | Here’s episode 18, a Works in Froggress episode, featuring the Mates, Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, talking about what’s going on in their new lives stuck inside—Ethan’s setting off on a freelancing lifestyle, Gabriel has been tweaking the same illustration forever, and Mark is working on FIIIIIIIIIISH! The Mates then dive into a discussion about Uroplatus geckos! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com A note: this episode was recorded on the 24th of April 2020, a time when most of humanity seemed united in their fight against a common enemy, the coronavirus COVID-19. In the meantime, another enemy of humanity has been brought into the limelight that, by its very nature, divides. That enemy is racism. The experiences of Christian Cooper highlight how people of colour may be treated when engaging in field sciences like ornithology or herpetology, and similar stories are being heard from people of colour across social media (e.g. see the #BlackInNature tag on twitter). We must strive to make field-based sciences like herpetology inclusive of people of colour, and to fight racism wherever we encounter it in order to disassemble the systematic discrimination that plagues our fields and our societies. We at the SquaMates podcast stand firmly behind the BlackLivesMatter movement. Check out Ethan’s new professional website, www.ethankocak.com! Episode Citations Glaw, F., Scherz, M.D., Rakotoarison, A., Crottini, A., Raselimanana, A.P., Andreone, F., Köhler, J. & Vences, M. (2020) Genetic variability and partial integrative revision of Platypelis frogs (Microhylidae) with red flash marks from eastern Madagascar. Vertebrate Zoology, 70(2):141–156. DOI: 10.26049/VZ70-2-2020-04 [pdf] Miralles, A., Bruy, T., Wolcott, K., Scherz, M.D., Begerow, D., Beszteri, B., Bonkowski, M., Felden, J., Gemeinholzer, B., Glaw, F., Glöckner, F.O., Hawlitschek, O., Kostadinov, I., Nattkemper, T.W., Printzen, C., Renz, J., Rybalka, N., Stadler, M., Weibulat, T., Wilke, T., Renner, S.S. & Vences, M. (2020) Repositories for taxonomic data: where we are and what is missing. Systematic Biology, syaa026. DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syaa026 (online ahead of print) Mantidactylus radaka, one of the recently described frogs. Rancilhac, L., Bruy, T., Scherz, M.D., Pereira, E.A., Preick, M., Straube, N., Lyra, M., Ohler, A., Streicher, J.W., Andreone, F., Crottini, A., Hutter, C.R., Randrianantoandro, J.C., Rakotoarison, A., Glaw, F., Hofreiter, M. & Vences, M. (in press) Target-enriched DNA sequencing from historical type material enables a partial revision of the Madagascar giant stream frogs (genus Mantidactylus). Journal of Natural History. DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2020.1748243 (online ahead of print) [Request PDF] Rakotoarison, A., Scherz, M.D., Köhler, J., Ratsoavina, F.M., Hawlitschek, O., Megson, S., Vences, M. & Glaw, F. (2020) Frogs of the genus Platypelis from the Sorata massif in northern Madagascar: description of a new species and reports of range extensions. Zoosystematics and Evolution, 96(1):263–274. DOI: 10.3897/zse.96.47088 [pdf] Curious Kids: can chameleons change colour when they sleep? Main discussion: Uroplatus Here are some of Mark’s photos of some Uroplatus species. Also check out www.uroplatus.info for information about Uroplatus geckos! Gamble, T., Greenbaum, E., Jackman, T.R. & Bauer, A.M. (2015) Into the light: diurnality has evolved multiple times in geckos. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 115(4):896–910. DOI: 10.1111/bij.12536 Ratsoavina, F.M., Raminosoa, N.R., Louis Jr., E.E., Raselimanana, A.P., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2013) An overview of Madagascar’s leaf tailed geckos (genus Uroplatus): species boundaries, candidate species and review of geographical distribution based on molecular data. Salamandra, 49(3):115–148. Available here, and strongly recommended reading for those interested in Uroplatus! Ratsoavina, F.M., Scherz, M.D., Tolley, K.A., Raselimanana, A.P., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2019) A new species of Uroplatus (Gekkonidae) from Ankarana National Park, Madagascar, of remarkably high genetic divergence. Zootaxa, 4683(1):84–96. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4683.1.4 Ratsoavina, F.M., Raselimanana, A.P., Scherz, M.D., Rakotoarison, A., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2019) Finaritra! A new leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus) species from Marojejy National Park in north-eastern Madagascar. Zootaxa, 4545(4):563–577. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4545.4.7 Ratsoavina, F.M., Gehring, P.-S., Scherz, M.D., Vieites, D.R., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2017) Two new species of leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus) from the Tsaratanana mountain massif in northern Madagascar. Zootaxa, 4347(3):446–464. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4347.3.2 Russell, A.P., Hood, H.A. & Bauer, A.M. (2014) Laryngotracheal and cervical muscular anatomy in the genus Uroplatus (Gekkota: Gekkonidae) in relation to distress call emission. African Journal of Herpetology, 63(2):127–151. DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2014.940065 Crottini, A., Madsen, O., Poux, C., Strauß, A., Vieites, D.R. & Vences, M. (2012) Vertebrate time–tree elucidates the biogeographic pattern of a major biotic change around the K–T boundary in Madagascar. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 109(14):5358–5363. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1112487109 Shout-outs The Chameleon Academy Podcast Dave Hone: @Dave_Hone Darren Naish: @tetzoo • The Tetzoo Blog Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble Ethan Kocak: hire Ethan • website • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreonThe post SquaMates Ep. 18: Amici manere domi! first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 6/1/20 |  SquaMates Ep. 17: Malayopython and the Glowing Tail | We’re back with Episode 17! In this Breaking Newts episode, the Mates, Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, talk about the coolest new research in herpetology and Gabriel’s extremely squeaky chair! Featuring a few controversial new bits of science, some amazing turtles, diverse salamanders, and glowing, bony amphibians! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com A note: this episode was recorded on the 24th of April 2020, a time when most of humanity seemed united in their fight against a common enemy, the coronavirus COVID-19. In the meantime, another enemy of humanity has been brought into the limelight that, by its very nature, divides. That enemy is racism. The experiences of Christian Cooper highlight how people of colour may be treated when engaging in field sciences like ornithology or herpetology, and similar stories are being heard from people of colour across social media (e.g. see the #BlackInNature tag on twitter). We must strive to make field-based sciences like herpetology inclusive of people of colour, and to fight racism wherever we encounter it in order to disassemble the systematic discrimination that plagues our fields and our societies. We at the SquaMates podcast stand firmly behind the BlackLivesMatter movement. Episode Citations Anole Online Learning Resources Xing, L., O’Connor, J.K., Schmitz, L., Chiappe, L.M., McKellar, R.C., Yi, Q. & Li, G. (2020) Hummingbird-sized dinosaur from the Cretaceous period of Myanmar. Nature, 579:245–249. 10.1038/s41586-020-2068-4 — Darren Naish has done a great job of first writing about this in its original interpretation, and then updating his article to explain the ethical and phylogenetic problems associated with the paper. On the 29th of May, 2020, an editor’s note was added to the paper, that reads ‘Readers are alerted that doubts have been expressed about the phylogenetic placement of the fossil described in this paper. We are investigating and appropriate editorial action will be taken once this matter is resolved.’ Breuil M, Schikorski D, Vuillaume B, Krauss U, Morton MN, Corry E, Bech N, Jelić M, Grandjean F (2020) Painted black: Iguana melanoderma (Reptilia, Squamata, Iguanidae) a new melanistic endemic species from Saba and Montserrat islands (Lesser Antilles). ZooKeys, 926:95-131. 10.3897/zookeys.926.48679 Vargas-Ramírez, M., Caballero, S., Morales-Betancourt, M.A., Lasso, C.A., Amaya, L., Gregorio Martínez, J., das Neves Silva Viana, M., Vogt, R.C., Pires Farias, I., Hrbek, T., Campbell, P.D. & Fritz, U. (2020) Genomic analyses reveal two species of the matamata (Testudines: Chelidae: Chelus spp.) and clarify their phylogeography. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 106823. 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106823 Sánchez-Villagra, M.R., Pritchard, P.C.H., Paolillo, A. & Linares, O.J. (1995) Geographic variation in the matamata turtle, Chelus fimbriatus, with observations on its shell morphology and morphometry. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 1(4):293–300. Here is the Tetrapod Zoology blog by Darren Naish about Matamata mentioned in the episode, which was the basis of this comic by Ethan! Lamb, J.Y. & Davis, M.P. (2020) Salamanders and other amphibians are aglow with biofluorescence. Scientific Reports, 10:2821. 10.1038/s41598-020-59528-9 Jaramillo, A.F., De La Riva, I., Guayasamin, J.M., Chaparro, J.C., Gagliardi-Urrutia, G., Gutiérrez, R.C., Brcko, I., Vilà, C. & Castroviejo-Fisher, S. (2020) Vastly underestimated species richness of Amazonian salamanders (Plethodontidae: Bolitoglossa) and implications about plethodontid diversification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 149:106841. 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106841 Vieites, D.R., Wollenberg, K.C., Andreone, F., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2009) Vast underestimation of Madagascar’s biodiversity evidenced by an integrative amphibian inventory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 106(20):8267–8272. 10.1073/pnas.0810821106 Rovito, S.M., Parra-Olea, G., Hanken, J., Bonett, R.M. & Wake, D.B. (2013) Adaptive radiation in miniature: the minute salamanders of the Mexican highlands (Amphibia: Plethodontidae: Thorius). Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society, 109:622–643. Yoshida, T., Ujiie, R., Savitzky, A.H., Jono, T., Inoue, T., Yoshinaga, N., Aburaya, S., Aoki, W., Takeuchi, H., Ding, L., Chen, Q., Cao, C., Tsai, T.-S., Silva, A.d., Mahaulpatha, D., Nguyen, T.T., Tang, Y., Mori, N. & Mori, A. (2020) Dramatic dietary shift maintains sequestered toxins in chemically defended snakes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 117:5964. 10.1073/pnas.1919065117 Paluh, D.J., Stanley, E.L. & Blackburn, D.C. (2020) Evolution of hyperossification expands skull diversity in frogs. Proceedings of the national Academy of Sciences of the USA, 117:8554. 10.1073/pnas.2000872117 Jared, C., Mailho-Fontana, Pedro L., Antoniazzi, Marta M., Mendes, Vanessa A., Barbaro, Katia C., Rodrigues, Miguel T. & Brodie, Edmund D., Jr. (2015) Venomous Frogs Use Heads as Weapons. Current Biology, 25(16):2166–2170. 10.1016/j.cub.2015.06.061 Interestingly, there is probably a third species we did not know about: Cajade, R., Hermida, G., Piñeiro, J.M., Regueira, E., Alcalde, L., Fusco, L.S. & Marangoni, F. (2017) Multiple anti-predator mechanisms in the red-spotted Argentina Frog (Amphibia: Hylidae). Journal of Zoology, 302(2):94–107. 10.1111/jzo.12439 — thanks to Dan Paluh (@danpaluh) for bringing that to our attention on twitter! Esquerré, D., Donnellan, S., Brennan, I.G., Lemmon, A.R., Lemmon, E.M., Zaher, H., Grazziotin, F.G. & Keogh, J.S. (in press) Phylogenomics, biogeography and morphometrics reveal rapid phenotypic evolution in pythons after crossing Wallace’s line. Systematic Biology. 10.1093/sysbio/syaa024 Sandoval, M.T., Ruiz García, J.A. & Álvarez, B.B. (2020) Intrauterine and post-ovipositional embryonic development of Amerotyphlops brongersmianus (Vanzolini, 1976) (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) from northeastern Argentina. Journal of Morphology, 281:523–535. 10.1002/jmor.21119 Simison, W.B., Parham, J.F., Papenfuss, T.J., Lam, A.W. & Henderson, J.B. (in press) An annotated chromosome-level reference genome of the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans). Genome Biology and Evolution. 10.1093/gbe/evaa063 Grundler, M.C. (2020) SquamataBase: a natural history database and R package for comparative biology of snake feeding habits. Biodiversity Data Journal, 8:e49943. 10.3897/BDJ.8.e49943 Shout-outs Yara Haridy: @yara_haridy Darren Naish: @tetzoo • The Tetzoo Blog Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble Ethan Kocak: website • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreonThe post SquaMates Ep. 17: Malayopython and the Glowing Tail first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 4/12/20 | SquaMates Ep. 16: Sex-bias in herpetology | Episode 16 is here, in this episode we—Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak—feature an interview with Professor Emily Taylor of Cal Poly, and two of her students, Isabelle Barnes and Katie Rock, talking about their amazing dataset about sex biases in publishing in herpetology, recorded at the 9th World Congress of Herpetology in Dunedin, New Zealand. Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com For more information about the dataset we talk about, check out Professor Taylor’s tweet about it here, but most importantly, read the detailed blog post about it here. We were thrilled to be able to interview this team, and will update this post when the data are published. More shoutouts: Rachunliu G. Kamei: @chungkamei Helen Bond Plylar: @SssnakeySci Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble Ethan Kocak: website • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreonThe post SquaMates Ep. 16: Sex-bias in herpetology first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 3/8/20 |  SquaMates Ep. 15: And now for something completely different | We’re back with Episode 15! In this Works in Froggress and Discussion episode, the Mates, Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, talk about what they’ve been up to since October 2019, and discuss the event of the year, the 9th World Congress of Herpetology in Dunedin, New Zealand. Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Ratsoavina, F.M., Scherz, M.D., Tolley, K.A., Raselimanana, A.P., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2019) A new species of Uroplatus (Gekkonidae) from Ankarana National Park, Madagascar, of remarkably high genetic divergence. Zootaxa, 4683(1):84–96. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4683.1.4 Rasolonjatovo, S.M., Scherz, M.D., Hutter, C.R., Glaw, F., Rakotoarison, A., Razafindraibe, J.H., Goodman, S.M., Raselimanana, A.P. & Vences, M. (2020) Sympatric lineages in the Mantidactylus ambreensis complex of Malagasy frogs originated allopatrically rather than by in-situ speciation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 144:106700. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106700 Prötzel, D., Scherz, M.D., Ratsoavina, F.M., Vences, M. & Glaw, F. (2020) Untangling the trees: Revision of the Calumma nasutum complex (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae). Vertebrate Zoology, 70(1):23–59. DOI: 10.26049/VZ70-1-2020-3 Get the book about Joan Procter mentioned by Mark here! Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble Ethan Kocak: website • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreonThe post SquaMates Ep. 15: And now for something completely different first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 2/20/20 |  SquaMates Ep. 14: And Another Thing… | Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak are back for a new start in 2020 and a small change to our episode format! In this Breaking Newts episode, we highlight important herpetological papers published since October 2019! Episode Citations Post, Y., Puschhof, J., Beumer, J., Kerkkamp, H.M., de Bakker, M.A.G., Slagboom, J., de Barbanson, B., Wevers, N.R., Spijkers, X.M., Olivier, T., Kazandjian, T.D., Ainsworth, S., Iglesias, C.L., van de Wetering, W.J., Heinz, M.C., van Ineveld, R.L., van Kleef, R.G.D.M., Begthel, H., Korving, J., Bar-Ephraim, Y.E., Getreuer, W., Rios, A.C., Westerink, R.H.S., Snippert, H.J.G., van Oudenaarden, A., Peters, P.J., Vonk, F.J., Kool, J., Richardson, M.K., Casewell, N.R. & Clevers, H. (2020) Snake Venom Gland Organoids. Cell, 180, 233–247.e21. 10.1016/j.cell.2019.11.038 Garberoglio, F.F., Apesteguía, S., Simões, T.R., Palci, A., Gómez, R.O., Nydam, R.L., Larsson, H.C.E., Lee, M.S.Y. & Caldwell, M.W. (2019) New skulls and skeletons of the Cretaceous legged snake Najash, and the evolution of the modern snake body plan. Science Advances, 5, eaax5833. 10.1126/sciadv.aax5833 Macrì, S., Savriama, Y., Khan, I. & Di-Poï, N. (2019) Comparative analysis of squamate brains unveils multi-level variation in cerebellar architecture associated with locomotor specialization. Nature Communications, 10, 5560. 10.1038/s41467-019-13405-w Čerňanský, A., Herrel, A., Kibii, J.M., Anderson, C.V., Boistel, R. & Lehmann, T. (2020) The only complete articulated early Miocene chameleon skull (Rusinga Island, Kenya) suggests an African origin for Madagascar’s endemic chameleons. Scientific Reports, 10, 109. 10.1038/s41598-019-57014-5 Burbrink, F.T., Grazziotin, F.G., Pyron, R.A., Cundall, D., Donnellan, S., Irish, F., Keogh, J.S., Kraus, F., Murphy, R.W., Noonan, B., Raxworthy, C.J., Ruane, S., Lemmon, A.R., Lemmon, E.M. & Zaher, H. (2019) Interrogating genomic-scale data for Squamata (Lizards, Snakes, and Amphisbaenians) shows no support for key traditional morphological relationships. Systematic Biology, 10.1093/sysbio/syz062 Fischer, E.K., Roland, A.B., Moskowitz, N.A., Vidoudez, C., Ranaivorazo, N., Tapia, E.E., Trauger, S.A., Vences, M., Coloma, L.A. & O’Connell, L.A. (2019) Mechanisms of convergent egg provisioning in poison frogs. Current Biology, 29, 4145–4151.e3. 10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.032 Lind, A.L., Lai, Y.Y.Y., Mostovoy, Y., Holloway, A.K., Iannucci, A., Mak, A.C.Y., Fondi, M., Orlandini, V., Eckalbar, W.L., Milan, M., Rovatsos, M., Kichigin, I.G., Makunin, A.I., Johnson Pokorná, M., Altmanová, M., Trifonov, V.A., Schijlen, E., Kratochvíl, L., Fani, R., Velenský, P., Rehák, I., Patarnello, T., Jessop, T.S., Hicks, J.W., Ryder, O.A., Mendelson, J.R., Ciofi, C., Kwok, P.-Y., Pollard, K.S. & Bruneau, B.G. (2019) Genome of the Komodo dragon reveals adaptations in the cardiovascular and chemosensory systems of monitor lizards. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3, 1241–1252. 10.1038/s41559-019-0945-8 Suryamohan, K., Krishnankutty, S.P., Guillory, J., Jevit, M., Schröder, M.S., Wu, M., Kuriakose, B., Mathew, O.K., Perumal, R.C., Koludarov, I., Goldstein, L.D., Senger, K., Dixon, M.D., Velayutham, D., Vargas, D., Chaudhuri, S., Muraleedharan, M., Goel, R., Chen, Y.-J.J., Ratan, A., Liu, P., Faherty, B., de la Rosa, G., Shibata, H., Baca, M., Sagolla, M., Ziai, J., Wright, G.A., Vucic, D., Mohan, S., Antony, A., Stinson, J., Kirkpatrick, D.S., Hannoush, R.N., Durinck, S., Modrusan, Z., Stawiski, E.W., Wiley, K., Raudsepp, T., Kini, R.M., Zachariah, A. & Seshagiri, S. (2020) The Indian cobra reference genome and transcriptome enables comprehensive identification of venom toxins. Nature Genetics, 52, 106-117. 10.1038/s41588-019-0559-8 Li, J., Yu, H., Wang, W., Fu, C., Zhang, W., Han, F. & Wu, H. (2019) Genomic and transcriptomic insights into molecular basis of sexually dimorphic nuptial spines in Leptobrachium leishanense. Nature Communications, 10, 5551. 10.1038/s41467-019-13531-5 Furness, A.I. & Capellini, I. (2019) The evolution of parental care diversity in amphibians. Nature Communications, 10, 4709. 10.1038/s41467-019-12608-5 Perkins, R.D., Gamboa, J.R., Jonika, M.M. Lo, J., Shum, A., Adams, R. H. & Blackmon, H. (2019) A database of amphibian karyotypes. Chromosome Research 27:313. 10.1007/s10577-019-09613-1 Shout-outs Eva Fischer: @evakfischer • Fischer lab website • Personal Website Lauren O’Connell: @alaurenoconnell • Stanford Laboratory of Organismal Biology Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • artwork prints Ethan Kocak: website • twitter • tumblr • facebookThe post SquaMates Ep. 14: And Another Thing… first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 11/15/19 | Squamates Ep. 13: Mostly Humbugs | We are the worst, but at least we have an Episode 13, unlike a certain podcast we know. In this long-delayed episode, it’s just two of your normal co-hosts, Dr Mark D. Scherz and Gabriel Ugueto, in a more laid-back, chatty format than the usual! In this thirteenth episode, the structure of the show is a bit different, but we do talk about biogeography and conservation of some geckos and frogs from Madagascar, how exciting we find turtles, and some really cool new science. Works in Frogress Mohan, A.V., Gehring, P.-S., Scherz, M.D., Glaw, F., Ratsoavina, F.M. & Vences, M. (2019) Comparative phylogeography and patterns of deep genetic differentiation of two gecko species, Paroedura gracilis and Phelsuma guttata, across north-eastern Madagascar. Salamandra, 55(3):211–220. Scherz, M.D., Glaw, F., Hutter, C.R., Bletz, M.C., Rakotoarison, A., Köhler, J. & Vences, M. (2019) Species complexes and the importance of Data Deficient classification in Red List assessments: the case of Hylobatrachus frogs. PLoS One, 14(8):e0219437. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219437 — for more information about this paper, see Mark’s article in The Conversation (short) and on his blog (long) about it Mark mentions this paper as well when talking about the former: Gehring, P.-S., Siarabi, S., Scherz, M.D., Ratsoavina, F.M., Rakotoarison, A., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2018) Genetic differentiation and species status of the large-bodied leaf-tailed geckos Uroplatus fimbriatus and U. giganteus. Salamandra, 54(2):132–146. and this paper when talking about the latter: Gehara, M., Crawford, A.J., Orrico, V.G.D., Rodríguez, A., Lötters, S., Fouquet, A., Barrientos, L.S., Brusquetti, F., De la Riva, I., Ernst, R., Urrutia, G.G., Glaw, F., Guayasamin, J.M., Hölting, M., Jansen, M., Kok, P.J.R., Kwet, A., Lingnau, R., Lyra, M., Moravec, J., Pombal, J.P., Jr., Rojas-Runjaic, F.J.M., Schulze, A., Señaris, J.C., Solé, M., Rodrigues, M.T., Twomey, E., Haddad, C.F.B., Vences, M. & Köhler, J. (2014) High levels of diversity uncovered in a widespread nominal taxon: continental phylogeography of the Neotropical tree frog Dendropsophus minutus. PLoS ONE, 9(9):e103958. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103958 Some showcases of what Gabriel talked about: His ‘cheat-sheets’ to some American lizards: Jurassic taxa for his upcoming book: Follow-up Wollenberg Valero, C.K., Marshall, C.J., Bastiaans, E., Caccone, A., Camargo, A., Morando, M., Niemiller, L.M., Pabijan, M., Russello, A.M., Sinervo, B., Werneck, P.F., Sites, W.J., Wiens, J.J. & Steinfartz, S. (2019) Patterns, mechanisms and genetics of speciation in reptiles and amphibians. Genes, 10(9): DOI: 10.3390/genes10090646 Rasys, A.M., Park, S., Ball, R.E., Alcala, A.J., Lauderdale, J.D. & Menke, D.B. (2019) CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing in Lizards Through Microinjection of Unfertilized Oocytes. Cell Reports, 28(9):2288–2292.e3. DOI: 10.1101/591446 Breuil, M., Vuillaume, B., Schikorski, D., Krauss, U., Morton, M.N., Haynes, P., Daltry, J.C., Corry, E., Gaymes, G., Gaymes, J., Bech, N., Jelić, M. & Grandjean, F. (2019) A story of nasal horns: two new subspecies of Iguana Laurenti, 1768 (Squamata, Iguanidae) in Saint Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, and Grenada (southern Lesser Antilles). Zootaxa, 4608(2):201–232. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4608.2.1 Breaking Newts Women Researching and Talking Herpetology The September 2019 issue of MDPI Diversity is packed with herpetology! Fischer, E.K., Roland, A.B., Moskowitz, N.A., Tapia, E.E., Summers, K., Coloma, L.A. & O’Connell, L.A. (2019) The neural basis of tadpole transport in poison frogs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 286(1907):20191084. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1084 — Mark said this was in Open Science but it was not Rovatsos, M., Farkačová, K., Altmanová, M., Johnson Pokorná, M. & Kratochvíl, L. (2019) The rise and fall of differentiated sex chromosomes in geckos. Molecular Ecology, 28(12):3042-3052. DOI: 10.1111/mec.15126 Feiner, N. (2019) Evolutionary lability in Hox cluster structure and gene expression in Anolis lizards. Evolution Letters, 3(5):474–484. DOI: 10.1002/evl3.131 — check out the post on this article on Anole Annals! Skipwith, P.L., Bi, K. & Oliver, P.M. (2019) Relicts and radiations: Phylogenomics of an Australasian lizard clade with east Gondwanan origins (Gekkota: Diplodactyloidea). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 140:106589. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106589 Watanabe, A., Fabre, A.-C., Felice, R.N., Maisano, J.A., Müller, J., Herrel, A. & Goswami, A. (2019) Ecomorphological diversification in squamates from conserved pattern of cranial integration. Proceedings of the national Academy of Sciences of the USA, 116(29):14688. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1820967116 Chaplin, K., Sumner, J., Hipsley, C.A. & Melville, J. (2019) An integrative approach using phylogenomics and high-resolution x-ray computed tomography for species delimitation in cryptic taxa. Systematic Biology: DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syz048 Shout-outs Common Descent Podcast: PodBean • Apple Podcasts • @CommDescentPC Eva Fischer: @evakfischer • Fischer lab website • Personal Website Lauren O’Connell: @alaurenoconnell • Stanford Laboratory of Organismal Biology Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • artwork prints Ethan Kocak: website • twitter • tumblr • facebookThe post Squamates Ep. 13: Mostly Humbugs first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 8/8/19 | SquaMates Ep. 12: So Long, and Tanks for all our Frogs | Here it is, Episode 12! In this episode, the Mates, Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, have some hot takes on wasp taxonomy (wtf?) and lizard functional groups! In this twelfth episode, we talk sailing frogs, how fast you have to walk to find the most snakes, lizard skulls, and flying geckos, and have a somewhat impassioned discussion of wasp taxonomy and a reductionist approach to lizard functional grouping! Our #HERper is Dr. Meg Stewart, and our main discussion is about squamate cognition! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Works in Froggress Rakotoarison, A., Scherz, M.D., Bletz, M.C., Razafindraibe, J.H., Glaw, F., Vences, M. (2019) Description of the lucky Cophyla (Microhylidae, Cophylinae), a new arboreal frog from Marojejy National Park in north-eastern Madagascar. Zootaxa, 4651(2):271–288. 10.11646/zootaxa.4651.2.4 The British cover of Believe it or Snot, the third book in the Does it Fart? trilogy Breaking Newts Glaw, F., Hawlitschek, O., Glaw, K. & Vences, M. (2019) Integrative evidence confirms new endemic island frogs and transmarine dispersal of amphibians between Madagascar and Mayotte (Comoros archipelago). The Science of Nature, 106, 19. 10.1007/s00114-019-1618-9 — Mark’s blog post Meierotto, S., Sharkey, M.J., Janzen, D.H., Hallwachs, W., Hebert, P.D.N., Chapman, E.G. & Smith, M.A. (2019) A revolutionary protocol to describe understudied hyperdiverse taxa and overcome the taxonomic impediment. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, 66, 119–145. 10.3897/dez.66.34683 Mark fucked up: he says in the episode that Alex Hall (@allopatry) said funding would be the taxonomic revolution, but it was actually said by Derek Hennen (@derekhennen)! Lardner, B., Yackel Adams, A. A., Savidge, J. A. & Reed, R. N. (in press) Optimizing walking pace to maximize snake detection rate: A visual encounter survey Experiment. Herpetologica. 10.1655/Herpetologica-D-18-00020.1 Grismer, L.L., Wood, P.L.J., Grismer, J.L., Quah, E.S.H., Thy, N., Phimmachak, S., Sivongxay, N., Seateun, S., Stuart, B.L., Siler, C.B., Mulcahy, D.G., Anamza, T. & Brown, R.M. (2019) Geographic structure of genetic variation in the Parachute Gecko Ptychozoon lionotum Annandale, 1905 across Indochina and Sundaland with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa, 4638, 151–198. 10.11646/zootaxa.4638.2.1 Villa, A. & Delfino, M. (in press) A comparative atlas of the skull osteology of European lizards (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz035 Feiner, N. & Wood, N.J. (2019) Lizards possess the most complete tetrapod Hox gene repertoire despite pervasive structural changes in Hox clusters. Evolution & Development, 21, e12300. 10.1111/ede.12300 Vidan, E., Novosolov, M., Bauer, A.M., Herrera, F.C., Chirio, L., de Campos Nogueira, C., Doan, T.M., Lewin, A., Meirte, D., Nagy, Z.T., Pincheira-Donoso, D., Tallowin, O.J.S., Torres Carvajal, O., Uetz, P., Wagner, P., Wang, Y., Belmaker, J. & Meiri, S. (in press) The global biogeography of lizard functional groups. Journal of Biogeography, 10.1111/jbi.13667 This paper is based heavily on Meiri (2018) Global Ecology and Biogeography 27:1168 10.1111/geb.12773 #HERper: Dr. Margaret ‘Meg’ Dickerson Obituary on Legacy.com ASIH Stewart Award Publications (via ResearchGate) Main Discussion: Szabo, B., Noble, D.W.A., Byrne, R.W., Tait, D.S. & Whiting, M.J. (2019) Precocial juvenile lizards show adult level learning and behavioural flexibility. Animal Behaviour, 154, 75–84. 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.06.003 Matsubara, S., Deeming, D.C. & Wilkinson, A. (2017) Cold-blooded cognition: new directions in reptile cognition. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 16, 126–130. 10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.06.006 Wilkinson, A. & Huber, L. (2014) Cold-Blooded Cognition: Reptilian Cognitive Abilities in Vonk, J. & Shackelford, T. K. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Evolutionary Psychology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. pp. 129–143. URL Shout-outs: Common Descent Podcast: PodBean • Apple Podcasts • @CommDescentPC Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • artwork prints Ethan Kocak: website • twitter • tumblr • facebookThe post SquaMates Ep. 12: So Long, and Tanks for all our Frogs first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
| 7/9/19 | SquaMates Ep. 11: Life, the Sphaerodactylidae, and Everything | We’re back for our belated anniversary episode, episode 11! In this episode, the Mates, Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, talk about the hottest new research in herpetology since April 2019! In this eleventh episode, we talk about salamander feet, burrowing lizard eyes, and the incredible gecko family Sphaerodactylidae. Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Works in Froggress Mark’s three new papers: Scherz, M.D., Köhler, J., Vences, M., Glaw, F. (2019) A new yellow-toed Platypelis species (Anura, Microhylidae, Cophylinae) from the Maroantsetra region, northeastern Madagascar. Evolutionary Systematics, 3(1):75–83. DOI:10.3897/evolsyst.3.33417 [pdf] — this is the paper Mark mentioned that was soon to be published! Rakotoarison, A.*, Scherz, M.D.*, Bletz, M.C., Razafindraibe, J.H., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2019) Diversity, elevational variation, and phylogenetic origin of stump-toed frogs (Microhylidae: Cophylinae: Stumpffia) on the Marojejy massif, northern Madagascar. Salamandra, 55(2):115–123. [pdf] Köhler, J., Vences, M., Scherz, M.D. & Glaw, F. (2019) A new species of nocturnal gecko, genus Paroedura, from the karstic Tsingy de Bemaraha formation in western Madagascar. Salamandra, 55(2):73–81. [pdf] Dinosaurs commissioned of Gabriel by the Australian National Marine Museum Gabriel’s artwork in the BBC Science Focus Magazine The British cover of Believe it or Snot, the third book in the Does it Fart? trilogy Breaking Newts Baken EK, Adams DC (2019) Macroevolution of arboreality in salamanders. Ecology and Evolution 9(12): 7005–7016. doi:10.1002/ece3.5267 Portik DM, Bell RC, Blackburn DC, Bauer AM, Barratt CD, Branch WR, Burger M, Channing A, Colston TJ, Conradie W, Dehling JM, Drewes RC, Ernst R, Greenbaum E, Gvoždík V, Harvey J, Hillers A, Hirschfeld M, Jongsma GFM, Kielgast J, Kouete MT, Lawson LP, Leaché AD, Loader SP, Lötters S, Meijden AVD, Menegon M, Müller S, Nagy ZT, Ofori-Boateng C, Ohler A, Papenfuss TJ, Rößler D, Sinsch U, Rödel M-O, Veith M, Vindum J, Zassi-Boulou A-G, McGuire JA (2019) Sexual dichromatism drives diversification within a major radiation of African amphibians. Systematic Biology doi:10.1093/sysbio/syz023 Krohn AR, Diepeveen ET, Bi K, Rosenblum EB (2019) Local adaptation does not lead to genome-wide differentiation in lava flow lizards. Ecology and Evolution 9(12): 6810–6820. doi:10.1002/ece3.5231 Shine R, Shine T, Goiran C (2019) Morphology, reproduction and diet of the greater sea snake, Hydrophis major (Elapidae, Hydrophiinae). Coral Reefs doi:10.1007/s00338-019-01833-5 Yovanovich CAM, Pierotti MER, Rodrigues MT, Grant T (2019) A dune with a view: the eyes of a neotropical fossorial lizard. Frontiers in Zoology 16(1): 17. doi:10.1186/s12983-019-0320-2 Liu Y, Day LB, Summers K, Burmeister SS (2019) A cognitive map in a poison frog. The Journal of Experimental Biology 222(11): jeb197467. doi:10.1242/jeb.197467 Hu J, Askary AM, Thurman TJ, Spiller DA, Palmer TM, Pringle RM, Barrett RDH (2019) The epigenetic signature of colonizing new environments in Anolis lizards. Molecular Biology and Evolution doi:10.1093/molbev/msz133 Baeckens S, Llusia D, García-Roa R, Martín J (2019) Lizard calls convey honest information on body size and bite performance: a role in predator deterrence? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 73: 87. doi:10.1007/s00265-019-2695-7 #HERper: Mary Cynthia Dickerson — 1866–1923 Main Discussion: Gamble T, Bauer AM, Greenbaum E, Jackman TR (2007) Evidence for Gondwanan vicariance in an ancient clade of gecko lizards. Journal of Biogeography 35: 88–104. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01770.x Shout-outs: Tony Gamble: twitter • lab website Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • artwork prints Ethan Kocak: website • twitter • tumblr • facebookThe post SquaMates Ep. 11: Life, the Sphaerodactylidae, and Everything first appeared on SquaMates. | — | ||||||
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