Herpetological Highlights

• 237 City Slickin' Wall Lizards

  Urban areas represent both opportunities and risks for animals, and they adapt their behaviour in many ways to cope with this fast-paced lifestyle. Now, a new study has detailed how urban wall lizards in Croatia have richer social lives than their rural counterparts. Then we chat about a listener-submitted story detailing wild lizards eating pizza. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Maune AL, Wittenbreder T, Lisičić D, Caspers BA, Camerlenghi E, Damas-Moreira I. 2025. City lizards are more social. Biology Letters 21:20250326. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2025.0326. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Dendi, D., Segniagbeto, G. H., Meek, R., & Luiselli, L. (2023). Opportunistic foraging strategy of rainbow lizards at a seaside resort in Togo. African Journal of Ecology, 61(1), 226-227. Editing and Music: Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com  

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• 236 Grippy Australian Geckos

  Research from Asian geckos generally suggests that sticky pads are used for smooth surfaces, while claws help grip onto rougher surfaces like wood and rocks. But a new study using Australian geckos is has turned that paradigm upside-down. Then we talk about a brand new species of frog described from the mountains of central China. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Pillai RR, Riedel J, Wirth W, Allen-Ankins S, Nordberg E, Edwards W, Schwarzkopf L. 2025. What’s the point? The functional role of claws in pad-bearing taxa (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292:20251362. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.1362. Species of the Bi-Week: Li S, Shi S, Liu J, Zhao J, Gao S, Wang B. 2025. A new species of the Boulenophrys (Anura, Megophryidae) from Hubei, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution 101:1213–1226. DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.155859. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: GEORGALIS, G. L., & JONES, M. E. (2025). A new peculiar early diverging caenophidian snake (Serpentes) from the late Eocene of Hordle Cliff, England. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 24(25), 505-530. Editing and Music: Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

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• 235 Magnetoad Goes Home

  Toads continue to amaze us - this time they are using their sense of the Earth's magnetic field to find their way home. But how important this sense is for cane toads as they travel home from long journeys, and how much are they relying on their sense of smell, was a mystery, until a clever new study tested the toads. Then we briefly touch on how pythons digest bones so successfully. Main Paper References: Fernandez RC, Sotelo MI. 2025. A toad’s journey home: towards elucidating the neural and sensory basis of amphibian navigation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.0525. Shaykevich DA, Pareja-Mejía D, Golde C, Pašukonis A, O’Connell LA. 2025. Neural and sensory basis of homing behaviour in the invasive cane toad, Rhinella marina. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 292:20250045. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.0045. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Lignot J-H, Pope RK, Secor SM. 2025. Diet-dependent production of calcium- and phosphorus-rich ‘spheroids’ along the intestine of Burmese pythons: identification of a new cell type? Journal of Experimental Biology 228:jeb249620. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.249620. Other Links/Mentions: Starr M. 2025.New Cell Discovered in Pythons Allows Them to Completely Digest Bones. Available at https://www.sciencealert.com/new-cell-discovered-in-pythons-allows-them-to-completely-digest-bones (accessed August 25, 2025). Editing and Music: Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

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• 234 Hot Dragons, Cold Dragons

  We recap some of our recent travels, and then chat about bearded dragons. A new study shows that these lizards are making decisions about how they maintain their body temperature, and this has a knock-on effect on how well they perform during their daily lives. Being cold-blooded is complicated. Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Wild KH, Roe JH, Curran J, Pearson PR, Schwanz L, Georges A, Sarre SD. 2025. Thermal performance curves, activity and survival in a free‐ranging ectotherm. Journal of Animal Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.70091. Species of the Bi-Week: Petzold A, Glaw F, Mullin KE, Rakotoarison A, Raselimanana AP, Cottini A, Orozco-terWengel P, Kohler J, Protzel D, Vences M, Hofreiter M, Scherz MD. 2025. A preliminary assessment of the diversity in the frog genus Anilany (Microhylidae: Cophylinae) with description of a new species from western Madagascar. Salamandra. Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Marshall BM, Strine CT, Gore ML, Eskew EA, Stringham OC, Cardoso P, Chekunov S, Watters F, Fukushima C, García-Díaz P, Sinclair JS, Tlusty MF, Almeida RJ, Valdez JW, Hughes AC. 2025. Mapping the global dimensions of US wildlife imports. Current Biology:S0960982225008784. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.07.012. Editing and Music: Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com

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• 233 Colour-matching chameleons

  In this episode we are talking chameleons, one of nature's most famous colour changers. But despite their famous status, very few studies have actually demonstrated that they can change colour under controlled conditions. Research led by our very own Tom Major has shown that flap-necked chameleons from Tanzania are capable of changing their colour, and brightness, to match their surroundings and escape predation.  Become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/herphighlights Merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/herphighlights/shop Full reference list available here: http://www.herphighlights.podbean.com Main Paper References: Major T, Hesten ACM, Stipala J, Cant MA, Stevens M, Troscianko J. 2025 Flap-necked chameleons change colour to match their background. Biology Letters 21: 20250134 Other Mentioned Papers/Studies: Drown, R. M., Liebl, A. L., & Anderson, C. V. (2022). The functional basis for variable antipredatory behavioral strategies in the chameleon Chamaeleo calyptratus. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(10), jeb242955. Stuart-Fox, D., Whiting, M. J., & Moussalli, A. (2006). Camouflage and colour change: antipredator responses to bird and snake predators across multiple populations in a dwarf chameleon. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 88(3), 437-446. Editing and Music: Intro/outro – Treehouse by Ed Nelson Species Bi-week theme – Michael Timothy Other Music – The Passion HiFi, https://www.thepassionhifi.com  

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