Latest Reptile Stories
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Yesterday Hearing number five on SB310 before the Senate Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources regarding exotic animal legislation went much as the three preceding hearings did. The controversial bill proposal that would ban many exotic animals in Ohio continued with emotionally charged testimony. The Committee hearing was very well attended, but not quite the overflowing, crowded atmosphere of the previous...
Burmese pythons, which have already been observed attacking birds in the Florida Everglades, have now been seen eating those birds' eggs directly from the nest, according to new research from the Smithsonian Institution. According to Jennifer Welsh of LiveScience, the study, which has been published in the March issue of the journal Reptiles & Amphibians: Conservation and Natural History, details three cases in which the Smithsonian researchers discovered eggs inside of the pythons,...
[ Watch the Video ] Researchers have discovered a new species of a 95 million year old prehistoric crocodile. The "Shieldcroc" was part of the Mesozoic Era, which some scientists are starting to call the "Age of the Crocs," University of Missouri researcher Casey Holliday said. "Aegisuchus witmeri or 'Shieldcroc' is the earliest ancestor of our modern crocodiles to be found in Africa," Holliday, co-researcher and assistant professor of anatomy in the MU School of Medicine, said in a...
Invasive Burmese python hatchlings from the Florida Everglades can withstand exposure to salt water long enough to potentially expand their range through ocean and estuarine environments, according to research in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. This recent study, based on lab experiments conducted by researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, provides initial evidence that pythons may be able to survive in marine and estuarine environments...
BigReptileNetwork.com has just launched its network of tools to the reptile industry, allowing them to connect reptile lovers for buying, selling, teaching, learning and more. San Diego, CA (PRWEB) December 02, 2011 Big Reptile Network launched its interactive website to connect the reptile industry by providing a free, comprehensive community for people to buy, sell, teach and learn about reptiles. The website was designed to integrate the latest social and online technologies, and its...
Extinct animals hide their secrets well, but an exceptionally well-preserved fossil of an aquatic reptile, with traces of soft tissue present, is providing scientists a new window into the behavior of these ancient swimmers. According to the study published in PLoS ONE's November 16th issue, the fossil, characterized by a team led by Johan Lindgren of Lund University in Sweden, is from the mosasaur family, a group of reptiles that lived between 65 and 98 million years ago. The fossil was...
MU, Westminster researchers find reduced bone density, stunted growth in turtles exposed to common chemical Manufactured until 1977, and banned by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1979, pentachlorobiphenyls (PCBs) are chemicals still commonly found in the environment because they break down slowly. Now, a husband and wife research team at the University of Missouri and Westminster College in Fulton, Mo., have found that exposure to one of the chemicals has effects on growth and bone...
Florida has the world’s worst invasive amphibian and reptile problem, and a new 20-year study led by a University of Florida researcher verifies the pet trade as the No. 1 cause of the species’ introductions. From 1863 through 2010, 137 non-native amphibian and reptile species were introduced to Florida, with about 25 percent of those traced to one animal importer. The findings appear online today in Zootaxa. “Most people in Florida don’t realize when they see an animal if...
Rare find alters origins and distribution of Terminonaris; first home was Texas and North America "” not EuropeBy Margaret Allen, SMUMaking its first appearance in Texas, a prehistoric crocodile thought to have originated in Europe now appears to have been a native of the Lone Star State.The switch in origins for the genus known as Terminonaris is based on the identification of a well-preserved, narrow fossil snout that was discovered along the shoreline of a lake near Dallas.The...
Anoles show they can solve novel problem, remember solutionsTropical lizards may be slow. But they aren't dumb. They can do problem-solving tasks just as well as birds and mammals, a new study shows.A Duke University experiment tested Puerto Rican anoles on several cognitive tasks and found they can learn and remember to solve a problem they've never faced before. The results challenge the scientific stereotype that reptiles have limited cognitive abilities and methods for finding food.The...
Latest Reptile Reference Libraries
The Brown Basilisk or Striped Basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus, is a species of lizard native to Central America, but have been introduced into the wild in the U.S. state of Florida. They are also called the common basilisk and, the "Jesus Lizard" because when it flees from predators it runs very fast and can even run on top of water. Basilisks actually have large hind feet with flaps of skin between each toe. The fact that they move quickly across the water, aided by their web-like feet,...
The Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin, is a species of turtle native to the brackish coastal swamps of the eastern and southern United States. They are found from as far north as Cape Cod, Massachusetts to as far south as Corpus Christi, Texas. The species is named for the diamond pattern on top of its shell, but the pattern and coloration varies greatly by species. The coloring of the shell can vary from browns to grays, and their body color can be gray, brown, yellow, or white....
The Spectacled Caiman, Caiman crocodilus, is a crocodilian reptile found in much of Central and South America. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and river habitat and can tolerate salt water as well as fresh. Due to this adaptable behavior, it is the most common species of caiman. Males of this species are between 6 and 8.2 feet long, while females are smaller, usually around 4 and a half feet long. The species' common name comes from the bony ridge between the eyes, which give the...
The Perentie is the largest monitor lizard native to Australia. They are found west of the Great Dividing Range in the arid regions of Australia. They are not a common sight and can usually escape detection before it has a chance to be seen. An adult Perentie can grow up to 8 feet long although its average size is 5.5 to 6.5 feet long. It is likely the third largest lizard on earth, after the Komodo Dragon, and the Water Monitor. Crocodile Monitors rival the Perentie in being the third...
The Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest lizard in the world, growing to a length of about 10 feet (3 meters) and weighing between 175 to 310 lb (80 and 140 kg). It is a member of the monitor lizard family, Varanidae. Dragons have keen senses and are considered among the most intelligent living reptiles. They are carnivorous, hunting live prey with a stealthy approach followed by a sudden short charge (they can run briefly at speeds up to 20 km/h). They have a strong bite...
