Tabla de contenidos para January 2024 en Practical Reptile Keeping

In a remarkable finding, it has emerged that an ant can manage to disrupt the life of a lion! A team of scientists has discovered that a tiny and seemingly innocuous invasive ant species is changing tree cover in an East African wildlife area, making it harder for lions, the world's most iconic predator, to hunt its preferred prey — zebras. “These tiny invaders are cryptically pulling on the ties that bind an African ecosystem together, determining who is eaten and where,” explains Todd Palmer, an ecologist and professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Florida. The study, which spans research over three decades, comprised a combination of hidden camera traps, collared lions tracked by satellites and statistical modelling. It illustrates the complex web of interactions among…

Between the 1950s and the 1970s, a Colombian priest named Padre Gustavo Huertas collected rocks and fossils near a town called Villa de Levya. Two of the specimens he found were small, round rocks patterned with lines that looked like leaves; he classified them as a type of fossil plant. But now in a new study, researchers have re-examined these supposed “plant” fossils and found that they weren't plants at all: they were the fossilised remains of baby turtles! “It was truly surprising to find these fossils,” admits Héctor Palma-Castro, a palaeobotany student at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Out of place The plants in question had been described by Huertas in 2003 as Sphenophyllum colombianum. The fossils come from Early Cretaceous rocks, dating back between 132 and 113 million…

Hobbyists often wonder how a vibrant colouration can be beneficial for survival in the wild. Shouldn't camouflage help an animal stay hidden and out of sight? In a way, bright oranges and reds do help some snakes hide…in plain sight. Most predators with colour vision have varying configurations of cone-placement in their eyes. Cones are colour-sensing elements in the eyes that help predators locate prey, and the vibrant colouration of some species, such as the Okeetee corn snake and the Everglades ratsnake capitalise on the placement of cones in the eyes of predators. Bright oranges and reds are most clearly discerned when looked upon in a straightforward fashion. If a red snake appears directly in front of a predator, it will easily be spotted. When bright reds and oranges are…

Q&A I keep a group of giant prickly stick insects in a large glass vivarium and have spoken to a friend who recommends UV lighting for them, but why and how would it be of use to them? The thinking and science behind lighting exposure for many species of animal is moving ahead at a very rapid rate. Scientific research is revealing more and more information about reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates and their relationship with the sun. It is true to say that we are far more knowledgeable about reptiles and amphibians than ever before, while at present, research into the impact of lighting for invertebrates is very much in its infancy. But the sun is the world's best source of free energy. It provides light and heat, and the wavelengths…

The range of this species spans no less than three continents, extending far beyond the shores of the Mediterranean westwards into Asia. It has a restricted range in western Europe, centred in southern Spain, but it can also be found more widely along the opposite North African coast. This has given rise to considerable confusion, to the extent that although some herpetologists recognise distinct subspecies over this huge area, where populations can be isolated, others suggest that T. graeca is actually a conglomerate of several distinctive species that should be recognised independently. As many as 20 separate subspecies have been proposed, but these are generally not that clearly defined. The accepted view at present is that just four valid subspecies exist. Arguments of this type will only be settled with…

Scientists have called for simple, effective steps to cut the number of people bitten by venomous snakes. About 140,000 people die each year from snakebites worldwide, and another 400,000 are left with permanent disability. As a result, the World Health Organisation now recognises snakebites as a “neglected tropical disease”, and has committed to halving snakebite deaths and disabilities by 2030. A new study – by an international team led by the University of Exeter surveyed people in Tamil Nadu, a snakebite hotspot in India. The findings show that most people (69%) take steps to prevent snakebites, but the measures taken don't always reflect evidence-based advice. Promoting locally practical methods – with the support and understanding of local people – could save many lives. Addressing the issue “We need to get…

Researchers have mapped the family tree of crocodiles and their extinct relatives to shed new light on why there are so few species of these giant reptiles alive today. Around 250 million years ago, 700 species of reptiles closely related to the modern-day crocodile roamed the earth. This new research reveals how a complex interplay between climate change, species competition and habitat can help explain why just 23 species of crocodile survive today. The research team, led by scientists from the University of York, mapped the family tree of the ferocious ambush-predators and their extinct relatives known as Pseudosuchia. They then compared this with data from the fossil record to understand why crocodiles have so few living species, while there are 11,000 species of their closest living relatives, in the…

Out of Africa FROGS OF ZAMBIA Moving to a new locality in Africa is invariably exciting, particularly when you have a passion for wildlife. Zambia is the third African country where I have lived. I spent a brief time in South Africa, and then, of course, 16 years in Botswana. Having now moved to Zambia, it has been a stimulating time settling in, and doing some local exploration. One of the interesting things I have noticed about this country in the short time that I have been here is the wealth of amphibian life. While I was living in Botswana, it took me a long time to find anything of interest in the way of amphibians. But during the first two months that I have been in Zambia, I have found…

Also known under a variety of other names, including the Usumbara peacock tree frog and the Amani forest tree frog, it is the large eyes of this species that attract attention. Two very distinctive colour forms can be found in the Tanzanian rainforests where it occurs. This is an example of the brown phase, but there is also a very distinct green phase (see inset), with the underparts being creamy white in both cases. Males have quite a loud call, and are smaller than females, which can reach 8.5cm (3in) in size. Their care is reasonably straightforward, being similar to that of other rainforest tree frogs. They should be kept at a daytime temperature of around 25°C (77°F), dropping back slightly at night, with a humidity reading of 70-75% in…

Good hygiene is vital for all pets, especially those that are living in an enclosure, like most reptiles and amphibians. Even invertebrates can fall ill if infective agents are allowed to multiply in their quarters, thanks to dirty conditions here. What happens is that ultimately, disease-causing (pathogenic) bacteria, for example, build up to such numbers that they will overwhelm the body's natural defences, causing infection. Maintaining a healthy environment is good not just for the animal but for its keeper too. This reduces the risk of potential illness, which could be caught from the environment, other animals or from the owner, and as far as keepers are concerned, it minimises the possibility of acquiring so-called ‘zoonotic'infections, notably salmonellosis. What do you need t's start with some really simple and to…

Winged reptiles which could glide lived amongst the ancient crocodile residents of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, in the south-west of England, according to studies carried out by researchers at the University of Bristol. Although kuehneosaurs looked like lizards, they were more closely related to the ancestors of crocodilians and dinosaurs. They were small animals, which could have fitted neatly on to the palm of a hand. Two species have been identified: one had extensive wings, while the other had shorter wings, formed by a layer of skin stretched over their elongated side ribs, which allowed them to swoop from tree to tree. Like the modern flying lizard (Draco) from southeast Asia, they most likely wandered about on the ground and climbed trees in search of insect prey. When startled,…

FEATURE | COLOURFUL COLUBRIDS When I was nine years old, I eagerly awaited the arrival of my next birthday. Mum and Dad had hinted that I might be getting a very special book for a present that year, and I was really excited. The book was one which I had checked out from the local library many times, and which I always read with real enthusiasm. Entitled Living Snakes of the World: In Colour and written by herpetological author John M. Mehrtens, this book was a very informative and thoughtprovoking read. It caused my young mind to wander to exotic, far-away places and envision palm vipers hanging from the canopy and maneating pythons patrolling the jungle floor. It was absolutely filled with breath-taking photographs of all my favourite snake species,…

FEATURE | ANOLES Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in anoles. During the early days of the reptile-keeping hobby, they were seen as an ideal ‘starter’ lizard, particularly as they are relatively cheap to purchase. At the time, we didn't understand much about their needs nor did we have the equipment to replicate their habitats as we do now, which sadly meant they didn't always thrive as a result. Times have changed significantly though, and anoles can be maintained and bred quite easily in vivarium surroundings today. It is worth emphasising that as our knowledge has grown, so it is clear that these lizards, despite being cheap to purchase, can often be expensive to keep. But I don't say this to put you off, but just to forewarn…

The West African country of Liberia, still plentifully supplied with coastal mangrove swamps and large tracts of rainforests in its interior, has long been regarded as a biodiversity hotspot by zoologists. Since 1900, it has been the scene of at least four major zoological discoveries of species new to science or rediscoveries of others believed extinct. Namely, the giant forest hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni), the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsisliberiensis), Jentink's duiker (Cephalophus jentinki), and the Liberian mongoose (Liberiictis kuhni). All of these are mammals, of course, but there is also some thought-provoking evidence to suggest that a fifth major zoological find is still waiting to be made there – and this time of the reptilian type. Four species of crocodilian are known to exist in Liberia. These are the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus…