Curcumin as a Potential Natural Therapeutic for Mitigating Drug-Induced Metabolic Disturbances: Insights from a Rodent Model with Relevance to Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Medicine
Most of the species of amphibians and reptiles are facing a decline because of druginduced metabolic disturbances and exposure to environmental contaminants. Consequently, focus is being directed to identifying various natural products with an aim of alleviating drug-induced metabolic disequilibrium. The testicular damage is due to different metabolic disturbances that are observed such as oxidative stress, liver damage, and glucose level disturbances. The given research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of curcumin in the context of preventing the testicular damage caused by the influence of ketoconazole through the utilization of a rodent organism. The results of the present research are also a prospect of amphibian and reptile conservation (ARC) medicine. To accomplish this, a sample of 36 male rodents was chosen, and they were separated into 6 groups (Group A: control, Group B: ketoconazole, Group C: Ketoconazole and low dose of curcumin, Group D: Ketoconazole and high dose of curcumin, Group E: low dose of curcumin, and Group F: high dose of curcumin). Statistical analysis was done on blood tests and serum concentrations and weight of the body. The findings indicate that in Group B, the levels of serum testosterone and SOD were reduced to 2.0 ng/ mL and 6.0 U/ mg respectively. On the contrary, MDA and glucose levels rose by 3.1 nmol/ mg and 119.9 mg/ dL, respectively, in Group B. This demonstrates that ketoconazole affects the male reproductive system to a great extent. Conversely, group D, E, and F were statistically equal, with significant results (a). The article has a clinical impact in highlighting the use of curcumin in addressing drug-induced disruption of metabolism by inhibiting oxidative stress and enzymatic action. Thus, the current study has future implications on analyzing the role of curcumin in offsetting various drug-induced metabolic disturbances in different species of amphibians and reptiles by enhancing the veterinary protocols in that matter.
Curcumin antioxidant, amphibian and reptile conservation medicine, drug-induced metabolic disturbances, veterinary toxicology
Ecological parasitic infestation by Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Acari: Tombiculidae) in Tropidurus hygomi (Squamata: Tropiduridae) from a Restinga habitat, Brazil northeastern
In this study, we sought to investigate the parasitic relationship between chigger mites and Tropidurus, which, although close and frequent, still presents gaps in our knowledge of it, mainly regarding biotic (sex and life stage of the host) and abiotic (climate) factors. Every month over one year, we collected Tropidurus hygomi specimens in a conserved restinga area in northeastern Brazil. The hosts underwent biometric analysis, and their body surface was inspected for ectoparasites. We estimated the prevalence and mean infestation intensity, including for host life stage and sex. We applied a multiple response permutation procedure (MRPP) to assess statistical significance in infestation patterns for host life stage and sex, as well as seasonality. We estimated the body condition indices for each individual and used these values to infer their relationship with the respective parasitic load. We recorded a prevalence of 97.4% for E. alfreddugesi and a mean intensity of 49.40 ± 3.76 (range 1-313) mites, high rates consistent with those recorded for congeners of the host. Adult males were significantly more infested, and the mite pockets were the site with the highest infestation prevalence (96.89%) and intensity (45.02 ± 3.49). The patterns observed here can be explained mainly by morphological characteristics of mite pockets, due to T. hygomi sit-and-wait behavior and mite biology. Our findings provide greater understanding of the close evolutionary relationship between E. alfreddugesi and T. hygomi, without negative impacts for the host body.
Copyright (c) 2026 Amphibian & Reptile Conservation
Effects of habitat modification and environmental variables on the diversity of amphibians in western Mexico, along a gradient of environmental disturbance
The diversity of amphibians that occur in tropical dry forest of western Mexico was evaluated. The study was carried out within an anthropogenic disturbance gradient in which the structure and composition of the habitat in each of the sites analysed was characterised to determine the environmental and structural variables that influence the presence or absence of amphibians in the landscape matrix. Amphibians were recorded in three conserved sites, three rural, and three urban sites from 2015 to 2018. Each site was digitised using Google Earth and ArcGis geographic information systems. Nine sampling sites (buffers), each one km in diameter, were characterised, and within each site, these vertebrates were sampled monthly during the dry season and rainy season to determine the diversity and structure of the amphibian communities. For the entire landscape gradient, 18 species belonging to seven families were recorded. The greatest diversity of species was recorded in the conserved sites, followed by rural sites, and the least diversity in urban sites. The results showed that diversity is determined to a highest extent by the similarity of species among the more conserved sites and the variation in habitat structure determines the biggest diversity of species. The sites with the greatest similarity among species are conserved sites (tropical dry forest) and rural sites, which form a diverse system of crucial habitats for amphibians in this complex landscape. This implies that the participation of different sectors, such as academic, productive, and social is required for the monitoring and maintenance of the physical properties of patches of natural and rural vegetation that enable the permanence of amphibian communities in tropical ecosystems.
Anurans, Environmental, Fragmentation, Diversity, Tropical dry forest, Communities
Evaluation of microtransponder tags on the threatened small-bodied San Marcos Salamander (Eurycea nana)
Organism tagging can be used to examine and track important life history data that informs conservation efforts, but mortality and tag loss can mislead management decisions if not properly understood. To conduct mark-recapture studies that benefit conservation of the San Marcos Salamander (Eurycea nana), a tagging method that provides individual identification is needed. The goal of this study was to examine survival and tag retention of San Marcos Salamanders injected with microtransponder tags in captivity to determine if this is an appropriate tagging method. We tagged 23 San Marcos Salamanders with microtransponders at the base of the tail on the left side and monitored the survival daily and tag retention weekly for six months. We compared tagged salamander survival to that of 16 control salamanders. San Marcos Salamander survival (87%) was not affected by tagging. Additionally, no tag loss occurred in this study. Microtransponder tags provided high survival and retention and allowed for individual identification. This is a suitable tagging method for San Marcos Salamanders in captivity and could be considered for field mark recapture studies to examine demographics through individual tracking.
Eurycea nana, retention, survival, tagging, microtransponders
Survival and degree of transience in the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) population, the eight-year study
We analyzed the survival, transience, and population dynamics of the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) in an eight-year capture-recapture study using the Cormack-Jolly-Seber model. This apparently healthy population from Central Bohemia does not currently face any serious anthropogenic threats, and our demographic results could therefore be used to assess the extent of negative effects for other populations facing more serious stressors. We focused on the following parameters: lifespan, survival, recapture estimate, population size and abundance trends, degree of transience and site fidelity vs. tendency to disperse. Depending on the year, mean population size estimates range from 146 to 176 for resident adult males and from 109 to 146 for resident adult females. Males are more likely to be on the surface than females. The mean annual apparent survival probability is 0.80 and 0.70 for males and females, respectively (adult residents and transients combined). The net survival probability is 0.91 and 0.90 for adult resident males and females, respectively. The mean life expectancy after reaching sexual maturity (at three years of age) is 10.6 years for resident males and 9.7 years for resident females in our lowland population. The mean level of transience is 0.13 for males and 0.19 for females. The transient behavior of females is a consequence of their spring migration to the breeding stream and the transient behavior of males reflects their autumn search for females. 89% of the males and 85% of the females moved less than 50 m in one year and 52% of the males and 42% of the females moved less than 15 m. There were many individuals of both sexes who remained in the same, or almost the same place, or returned to exactly the same place, even after 4 years.
population dynamics, population demography, urodele amphibians, lifespan, site fidelity, capture-mark recapture, Cormack-Jolly-Seber model
Modeling the Impact of Climate Change on the Distribution of the Cilician Water Frog Lineage (Pelophylax cf. bedriagae 1) in the Çukurova Plain in Southeastern Türkiye and Implications for Its Future Projections
Climate change presents a considerable challenge to biodiversity, with amphibians being particularly susceptible due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. One of these amphibian groups is the Anatolian water frog complex (genus: Pelophylax), a distinct, genetically and phylogenetically differentiated cryptic species whose members are morphologically indistinguishable. In this group, the Cilician water frog lineage (Pelophylax cf. bedriagae 1) is of particular interest as it is only found in the biodiversity-rich Çukurova Plain in southeastern Türkiye; it faces dual threats from historical overharvesting and impending climate change. In this study, we utilized Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modeling to map the Cilician lineage’s current habitat suitability and distribution, identify key environmental drivers, and project future range shifts under various climate change scenarios. We compiled 167 georeferenced occurrence records and initially assembled 17 environmental predictors (climatic, topographic, and hydrological). Through a rigorous optimization process, including variable selection (varSel and reduceVar functions) and hyperparameter tuning, the model was refined to utilize the seven most influential predictors, substantially improving its predictive accuracy. Permutation and jackknife tests identified temperature seasonality, minimum temperature of the cold quarter, annual precipitation, ruggedness, slope, and distance to lake as the most important variables influencing the frog’s distribution. Response curves further elucidated the specific ecological niche characteristics shaped by these factors. Projections for 2050, 2080, and 2100 under low (GCM-245) and high (GCM-585) carbon emission scenarios consistently predict a pronounced northward shift in the suitable habitat of the Cilician water frog lineage. This shift is accompanied by increased habitat fragmentation and a notable decline in suitability within the lineage’s current core range, particularly under the high-emission pathway. Whereas the total climatically suitable area may increase in newly favourable northern regions, the lineage’s ability to colonize these areas depends on landscape connectivity and dispersal capabilities. This raises concerns about its potential invasiveness in new ecosystems. Our findings emphasize the need for targeted, adaptive conservation strategies that mitigate the impact of climate change and account for human-induced habitat alterations to ensure the long-term persistence of this narrowly distributed water frog lineage.
species distribution modeling, MaxEnt, climate change, water frog, Pelophylax, the Cilician lineage, Türkiye
Needle in a haystack: towards the use of machine learning to detect Texas tortoises in large datasets
Texas tortoises (Gopherus berlandieri) are an elusive reptile native to south-central Texas and northern Mexico. Unlike their congenerics in North America, the Texas tortoise does not create a conspicuous burrow that can be monitored. Instead, they create a shallow depression (known as a pallet) often in thick vegetation that obscures the tortoise from a surveyor’s view. Camera traps provide an alternative to visual encounter surveys that allows for a greater number of survey hours without disturbing the environment. Because Texas tortoises are ectothermic, time-lapse mode must be used, which generates massive datasets. Machine learning provides an opportunity to streamline the identification of tortoises in these datasets. Our goal was to train machine learning models in the identification of Texas tortoises across key representatives of their habitat types and make the model available for use. We have established grids of camera traps across the range of the Texas tortoise. In Python, we developed a deep-learning model for image segmentation. Given an input image, the trained model detects tortoises and draws a polygon. We used CVAT.ai to annotate the images by drawing bounding polygons around tortoises in each image. The annotated training images were used for transfer learning with a pre-existing computer vision model which can enable skillful detecting without requiring a massive set of annotated training examples. We used precision-recall curves to evaluate performance. We then tested the models using a test dataset that had been excluded from the training process. The top performing model had a precision score of 0.93, recall of 0.83, and accuracy of 0.86 on the test dataset. This machine learning model, which has been made available online, could make trail cameras a viable option to detect Texas tortoises. This model provides a valuable resource to streamline post trail camera data-collection which can allow for greater monitoring efforts of the Texas tortoise and support conservation efforts.
Trail camera, instance segmentation, Gopherus berlandieri, Testudinidae, image recognition, R-CNN
Mass mortality of the endangered Purple Frog, Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis Biju and Bossuyt, 2003, in the Nelliyampathy Hills, Southern Western Ghats, India
The Purple Frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis) is a globally endangered, ancient relic-tual frog endemic to the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot of India. Here, we present observations on mass mortality of this species at the Nelliyampathy Hills, a Reserved Forest interspersed by private coffee, rubber, and tea plantations. During 25 person-hours of surveying during January to May 2024 at three sites with various land uses, including Chernalli (a rubber plantation), Nooradi (a tea plantation + village), and Kaikatty (a forest), 185 sightings of Purple frog were obtained. Direct sightings included live tadpoles (N=100; Chernalli; January) and dead tadpoles (N=75; Nooradi; March), with indirect detection of adult males based on their breeding calls emanating from underground (N=10; Kaikatty; May). Our surveys documented the persistence of a breeding population of Purple frog and recorded a mass mortality event in the adjoining plantations. Mass mortality is a cause of concern and calls for better protective measures. Histopathological studies on tadpoles that are found dead without any traumatic injury are recommended to determine the cause of the mortality and to identify measures for preventing a reoccurrence.
Breeding calls, dead tadpoles, EDGE species, forests, live tadpoles, rubber and tea plantations
Description of the movement of the Endangered ChacoTortoise Chelonoidis chilensis
The Chaco Tortoise Chelonoidis chilensis is the southernmost species of land tortoise in the world. This species is currently listed as Endangered not only due to habitat reduction and destruction, but also because of its value in the illegal pet trade. As both a grazer and a seed disperser, it serves as a keystone species in the dry ecosystems it inhabits. Despite its endangered status and important ecological role, there is currently limited information on the movement patterns of C. chilensis. In this work, we investigated the movement characteristics of this species over two seasons and in both sexes, using three complementary tracking techniques of spool-and-line, radiotelemetry, and GPS-based tracking, including the use of a device designed and developed by our team. To capture the most comprehensive view of movement patterns, each of the techniques used provides distinct strengths in characterizing spatial or temporal aspects of movement. We studied the movements of the tortoises over two seasons (spring 2020 and summer 2021), in their natural habitat near the city of San Antonio Oeste, Río Negro, Argentina. We tracked seven individuals (four males and three females) with the spool-and-line technique, 12 (six males and six females) with radiotelemetry, and 10 (four males and six females) with the GPS-based system. We estimated their daily home range (DHR) and speed of movement, measured the tortuosity of the walks and characterized their mean square displacement. The results indicated that C. chilensis remains within a DHR of 864 ± 283 m² in the spring season and 1034 ± 298 m² in the summer season. The most probable value of their velocity is 0.4 ± 0.1 m/min, with a median value of 0.6 ± 0.1 m/min, and the walks are characterized by bouts of foraging during movement, with periods of time spent exploring new spaces while also maintaining activity within their home ranges. Notably, we observed that C. chilensis can travel as much as 400 m in one day. The complementarity of our monitoring techniques allowed us to study and characterize the movement of this species at different scales. For example, the high spatial resolution of the spool-and-line technique can describe tortuosity, while the GPS-based and radiotelemetry techniques can describe trajectories with fine temporal resolution. To better understand how these animals move, the distances they can travel daily, and how these results depend on the season are relevant for making conservation decisions, while considering the significant impact that habitat fragmentation and other factors can have on their environment.
GPS positioning, habitat use, radiotelemetry technique, spool-and-line technique, terrestrial tortoises
Copyright (c) 2025 Amphibian & Reptile Conservation
Ecology of the Plateau Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma velasci) in the Biosphere Reserve Sierra Gorda-Guanajuato, Mexico
Ambystoma velasci, an endemic axolotl species of Mexico, faces significant conservation challenges. Classified under Special Protection by Mexican regulations, this species is among the 18 endemic axolotl taxa at risk. Unfortunately, there are only a few ecological studies for this species, and aspects of their populations are generally unknown hindering effective conservation strategies. The present study addresses this gap by providing demographic insights on a population of A. velasci within a temperate environment of the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, Guanajuato (SGBR-G). The population exhibits facultative paedomorphosis and it comprises four age classes: hatchlings, juveniles, subadults, and metamorphosed adults, subadults were the most abundant class. Significant differences were observed in the occupation of the microhabitat and activity patterns across these age classes. Key threats to this population include the extraction of specimens, water contamination, and siltation of the primary pool, which is a critical refuge, breeding site, and foraging area. Given its symbolic importance to the SGBR-G and its ecological role, A. velasci warrants priority status in regional conservation programs. Long-term monitoring initiatives are essential to track population dynamics and inform effective management strategies for this species.
Ambystomatidae, ecology, PNA, conservation, Xichú
Biological connections: The uncertain future of the threatened U.S.–Mexico border region herpetofauna
In light of critical environmental crises, this study emphasizes the urgent need for the U.S. and Mexico to protect 231 shared herpetofaunal species (amphibians and reptiles) distributed along their border. Key findings indicate that Texas and Chihuahua have the highest number of these cross-border species, with the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion being particularly rich in diversity. Alarmingly, 62 species (26.8%) are classified as highly vulnerable, predominantly reptiles, and 90 species are narrowly distributed across just a few states and ecoregions, primarily in the California Baja California, Texas-Tamaulipas, and Arizona-Sonora border areas. This study highlights how the border wall severely harms wildlife by sidestepping environmental laws, destroying habitats, and undermining crucial conservation and research efforts. Consequently, our research strongly advocates for increased binational cooperation between both nations, urging governmental bodies to base their policies on sound scientific knowledge and adopt a biocentric approach to ensure the continued survival of these vulnerable species and their habitats.
Anurans, conservation status, environment, global crises, national boundaries, salamanders, squamates, turtles
Patterns of Pseudacris sierra Abundances within a Commercial Rice Ecosystem: Advancing Sustainable Rice Solutions
Ecosystem services (ES) are the natural services provided by organisms and ecosystems that benefit humanity and have been proposed as a strategy to more sustainably produce agricultural goods by reducing the externalized environmental costs of agricultural production. Identifying how specific cultivation practices affect species that inhabit agricultural ecosystems has the potential to establish modified agricultural practices that promote ES. Rice fields are dynamic agricultural ecosystems that can support a high degree of biodiversity and can serve as critical wetland habitats for a diversity of species, including anuran amphibians. We sought to determine how conventional and organic rice cultivation practices within the Central Valley of California influence anuran populations among commercially operating farms. In addition, we tested whether behavioral mechanisms could possibly be shaping abundance patterns between types of rice cultivation. The Sierran treefrog (Pseudacris sierra) was the most common anuran detected among surveyed California rice fields, and there were significantly more P. sierra detected in organic relative to conventional rice fields. Interestingly, P. sierra abundances varied across individual fields, possibly because of adjacent field effects, vegetation heterogeneity, or behavioral factors. In a dichotomous choice test, we observed that male frogs spent more time on substrate soaked with water sourced from organic fields, while females were indifferent, suggesting that male P. sierra may be actively seeking organic rice fields for reproduction. These findings may be used as the initial steps to develop strategies that promote anurans and their intrinsic ES within rice agricultural ecosystems, advancing sustainable rice cultivation.
Sustainability, ecosystem service, agriculture, rice, amphibian, organic
A new species of Dendrelaphis Boulenger, 1890 (Reptilia: Colubridae) from an isolated misty mountain in the South Eastern intermediate zone of Sri Lanka
We describe a new species of Dendrelaphis that is morphologically close to D. caudolineolatus, however the new species is readily distinguished from it by having an undivided anal plate, as well as other characters. This species is only known from a single female collected from Maragala Mountain in Monaragala District, Uva Province of Sri Lanka. The new species is likely adapted to an arboreal lifestyle and its color is similar to that of the tree branches it inhabits. Currently, eight species of Dendrelaphis inhabit Sri Lanka (including the new species), six of which are endemic, and most of them are threatened. The Maragala Mountain is a biodiversity rich area in Sri Lanka because of its habitat heterogeneity and favorable climatic conditions. Currently, 67 species of reptiles (30 endemics), and 18 amphibians (five endemics) are known to inhabit this mountain. Various habitats on Maragala Mountain have been heavily influenced and modified by humans. Therefore, urgent conservation measures are needed to conserve this isolated forest and its resident species.
Asia, Isolated hill forest, reptile hotspot, snake diversity, speciation, systematics
The long-term impact of the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis on a neotropical salamander community in Mexico
Mexico ranks first in salamander diversity in the Neotropical region, and most species are threatened by habitat loss and emerging diseases. The pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is associated with severe amphibian population declines worldwide, particularly in the Neotropics, but the extent of the declines at the amphibian community level is not completely understood. In central Veracruz, Mexico, the fungal pathogen Bd has been detected in the salamander hotspot on the Cofre de Perote volcano. In this study, we evaluated the presence of Bd and its potential link to population declines and changes in the salamander community in this region. First, we characterized the current salamander community along the elevational gradient of Cofre de Perote through fieldwork. Then, we assessed shifts in the salamander community in historical and contemporary frameworks covering a time window of more than 40 years. In addition, we investigated the presence of Bd over time in this region in both formalin-preserved and recently collected specimens. Finally, we analyzed the associations between habitat and host species traits with current Bd prevalence and infection load. The results indicated that the salamander community of Cofre de Perote experienced significant reductions in abundance, species richness, and diversity over the past ~40 years. The declines in two species distributed at 2,400 m asl are potentially related to Bd. Meanwhile, population fluctuations recorded before the first appearance of Bd in the region or in recent sampling were probably related to habitat loss and stochastic factors. The prevalence of Bd was mainly influenced by host species, while infection load was associated with tree density. The results suggest that Bd is likely one of several factors affecting these species and that its presence in this area of high salamander diversity remains a threat.
Amphibian declines, chytridiomycosis, elevational gradient, historic comparison, Plethodontidae, Veracruz
A Model Study on Promoting the Integration of Animal Habitat Conservation and Cultural and Ecological Development in Zibo Region through a Digital Platform
As a key area of ecological protection in Shandong Province, Zibo area has rich animal resources and profound Qi cultural heritage. This paper examines the current state of animal habitats and their cultural and ecological characteristics in the Zibo area, revealing conflicts between animal habitats and both nature reserves and surrounding scenic spots and forest parks. These conflicts lead to resource management issues and ecosystem endangerment. The study proposes to build a digital platform to integrate the biodiversity database, infrared camera monitoring network and cultural resources mapping to realize intelligent planning and public participatory conservation of animal migration corridors. In addition, the “government-led + multi-party synergy” mechanism is used to emphasize the combination of policy support and community participation, and to promote the ecological compensation system and benefit-sharing model. Finally, the multilevel protection system can reduce the impact of human activities and improve the smooth progress of animal habitat protection, providing a practical framework for biodiversity conservation and cultural and ecological integration in industrial transition cities.
Zibo area; animal habitat; cultural and ecological characteristics; digital platform; biodiversity
Research Progress on the Structure and Function of Antioxidant Peptides Derived from Amphibians: A Review
The amphibian skin is not only a coating; it consists of a system of activities related to respiration, osmosis, and thermoregulation and, because of that, enables the creature to survive on land. Besides that, the skin synthesises a broad array of bioactive compounds that act as defences against the environment and pathogenic agents. Still, they also play a wide range of other biological roles. Antioxidant peptides in the amphibian system can hinder lipid peroxidation and defend the body against free radical attacks. Thus, when the normal balance of oxidative stress is broken by excessive production of free radicals, the intake of sufficient amounts of antioxidant peptides may reinstate the imbalance, and, therefore, minimise the risk of developing a disease. However, this is the least developed field and the research on antioxidant amphibian peptides is particularly underrepresented in the literature. The current paper provides an overview of the structure and function of antioxidant peptides in amphibian skin, aiding in a better understanding of how particular species have evolved defences against environmental assault and the future development and utilisation of amphibian antioxidant peptides.
Amphibians; Antioxidant peptides; Structure and function
Coloration and Crypsis in a Pelagic Sea Snake
The Yellow-bellied Sea Snake ranges across the tropical Indo-Pacific and is the most widely distributed squamate reptile. The bicolored form, Hydrophis platurus platurus, has a black dorsum and is cryptic while floating among wavelets that produce dark streaks resembling the snake. When flotsam is present on slicks that are its favored foraging sites, the snakes also resemble sticks or debris, while the mottled coloration of the tail resembles the froth that is a common component of flotsam. A second color morph is the all-yellow xanthic subspecies, H. p. xanthos, which has a discrete population restricted to an inner basin of Golfo Dulce. These yellow snakes are conspicuous, and floating specimens are highly visible. Predation pressures from birds, fishes, and marine mammals are potentially great on this species. Whereas the bicolored snakes are diurnal, the highly conspicuous xanthic snakes tend to be nocturnal. In both forms, brilliant yellow coloration is a presumptive aposematic signal that is reinforced by chemical detection of noxious skin. Scarring of snakes is indicative of predatory strikes, but overall predation appears to be less than expected and conceivably mitigated by crypsis and aposematic signals. Understanding features of coloration is important to the conservation of this species, which may serve as an important bioindicator of changes in climate and habitat
Aposematism, bioindicator, camouflage, climate change, diurnal, Hydrophis platurus, Indo-Pacific, marine, nocturnal, predation
A well-known tool based on unstable rock: systematic review of design, effectiveness and costs of various artificial refuges for reptile conservation
With the loss and homogenization of natural habitats, artificial wildlife refuges are important tools. Since one of the main obstacles is the cost of construction and subsequent monitoring of their effectiveness, it is essential to optimize procedures. Preferably, the technical specifications of the refuges and an assessment of their effectiveness should be available, as well as an estimate of the total cost. Using the PRISMA method and a Google Scholar search, we reviewed publications on the construction of various types of refuges (e.g. burrows, walls) for squamate reptiles, a speciose but highly endangered zoological group. Our results show that despite the successes associated with the construction of refuges, precise technical information is often lacking. The experimental approach needed to isolate key factors (e.g. refuge size versus ability to buffer climatic variation), to guide technical improvements and to assess overall costs, is generally lacking. While the empirical and expert-based approaches are essential, the construction of refuges could be improved by following some rules, in particular by providing the technical characteristics of the refuge, the construction and labour costs, the assessment of effectiveness (including failures) and, where possible, an experimental approach.
Shelter, technical recommendation, habitat management, habitat restoration, squamates reptiles, PRISMA
Factors affecting the growth of a moss species necessary for nesting habitat restoration of the four-toed salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum, Temminck and Schlegel 1838)
Habitat loss and degradation is threatening amphibian populations worldwide. The four-toed salamander, Hemidactylium scutatum, is a small plethodontid salamander that deposits eggs terrestrially in moss clumps overhanging vernal pools. Hemidactylium scutatum has declined across its range, largely due to the loss of wetland habitat necessary for breeding. Constructed ponds and wetlands are common tools used to combat amphibian declines, but they often require several years for natural vegetation communities to establish. As a result, there have been calls to better understand the factors that promote the growth of critical habitat components to refine ex situ cultivation methods and expedite restoration effort. Here we evaluate the factors that influence the growth of Climacium americanum moss, a preferred nesting substrate of H. scutatum, in a greenhouse setting. We examined the impacts of plant density, soil type, and soil moisture on changes in biomass. Our analysis determined that density has little impact on growth rates while two of the three soil types had a significantly higher change in mass. We determined soil moisture-as a result of soil type–is the most critical component in greenhouse-grown moss, with plants in the 75th quartile of moisture seeing the largest positive change in biomass. Our results show that growing moss in greenhouses for use in constructed wetlands is achievable when proper soil moisture is maintained. Ultimately, this work aids restoration efforts for H. scutatum by providing a simple methodology to produce high volumes of nesting habitat and promote population recovery.
amphibian, Climacium americanum, conservation, constructed wetlands, greenhouse, soil moisture, vernal pool
The herpetofauna of Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Vietnam
Based on our field surveys between 2016 and 2024, we herein provide a herpetofaunal list of the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Vietnam, comprising 40 species of amphibians and 63 species of reptiles. Four species, Occidozyga lingnanica, Vietnamophryne orlovi, Zhangixalus dennysi, and Pseudocalotes brevipes are newly recorded in Thanh Hoa Province, and 30 species are recorded for the first time from Pu Luong Nature Reserve, comprising 12 species of amphibians (Leptobrachella minima, L. namdongensis, Ophryphryne hansi, O. microstoma, Limnonectes limborgi, Hylarana annamitica, H. maosonensis, Rana johnsi, Polypedates megacephalus, Theloderma corticale, T. gordoni, Tylototriton pasmansi), four species of lizards (Cyrtodactylus bobrovi, Draco maculatus, Sphenomorphus cryptotis, and Tropidophorus hainanus), 11 species of snakes (Python bivittatus, Xenopeltis unicolor, Boiga guangxiensis, Dendrelaphis pictus, Gonyosoma coeruleum, Lycodon futsingensis, L. meridionalis, Pareas margaritophorus, Ptyas korros, Bungarus fasciatus, and Ophiophagus hannah), and three species of turtles (Geoemyda spengleri, Manouria impressa, and Platysternon megacephalum). This study also highlighted the conservation value of the hereptofauna of Pu Luong Nature Reserve with nine species listed in the CITES Appendices (2023), 20 species listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book (2024), 13 species listed in the IUCN Red List (2024), and nine species listed in the Governmental Decree No. 84/2021/NĐ-CP. Additional data on the natural history of amphibian and reptile species was also provided.
Amphibians, reptiles, natural history, species composition, Thanh Hoa Province