Target taxon #1: Chihuahuan lyre snake, Trimorphodon vilkinsonii.As you read this blog, Jake and I are driving westward; destination Texas’ Big Bend…the Chihuahuan Desert. My mind’s eye is already visualizing the desolate roadways, some paved, many dirt and rock, edged with spine studded plants and crossed by packs of feisty javelina (peccaries), lizard-hunting roadrunners, four species of rattlesnakes, horned lizards and lyre snakes. The mountains, the Davis’, the Chisos, the Christmas’s, the Rosillo’s, and if you travel a bit further west, the Guadalupes, islands of boulders and talus, sere and windworn in some spots, lush and green in others. Lajitas, where the elected mayor is a goat! Terlingua that bills itself as a ghost town. Study Butte that fortunately has a 24- hour gas station. There’s Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park nestled tightly against the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo to many) that are, except during tourist season, bastions of solitude. Despite having been to this remarkably beautiful area on a dozen occasions, I still anticipate each visit with excitement. Will the old windmill still be standing? What herps will we see? What birds? Will we see a panther, a badger, bannertail kangaroo rats, Border Patrol? We’ll soon know. We’re almost there.

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Speedy and agile, this species occurs only near Presidio, TX and in southwestern New Mexico.Finding the gray-checkered whiptail, Aspidoscelis dixoni, out near Presidio (TX) wasn’t too difficult. Kenny and I located the (now contested) species in an old roadside dumping ground where amidst the sun-baked boards, house hold unwanteds and bullet riddled car skeletons several gray checkered whiptails had found home. But finding them and photographing them proved to be two very different projects. Photographing a lizard that moves only in instantaneously applied bursts of jet propulsion amidst piles of trash and building debris rife with protruding nails and broken glass was another matter entirely. For our own safety we elected to employ capture and release techniques, Lizard nooses to the rescue!

Like many whiptails, this is a hybrid, parthenogenetic (unisexual) species. It is named in honor of the late Dr. James R. Dixon. The species, a member of the confusing Aspidoscelis tesselatus complex, is not recognized by all researchers.
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By Herp News

Biologists have reported the discovery of a new lizard in the Dominican Republic, strengthening a long-held theory that communities of lizards can evolve almost identically on separate islands. The chameleon-like lizard — a Greater Antillean anole dubbed Anolis landestoyi for the naturalist who first spotted and photographed it — is one of the first new anole species found in the Dominican Republic in decades.

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! To end the week, an adorable baby Prairie Rattlesnake for our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user LJs Herps ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

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By Herp News

Although red-eyed tree frog embryos appear helpless within their jelly-coated eggs, they can hatch up to two days ahead of schedule, reacting within seconds to attacks by egg thieves.

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This clawed frog is bobbing along in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Tadpoleo! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Through all the years, cornsnakes remain our favorite for a great beginner snake! After seeing this one in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cochran, it is pretty obvious why! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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By Herp News

A new study into pythons and boas has for the first time found the two groups of snakes evolved independently to share similar traits, shedding new light on how the reptiles evolved.

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#TongueOutTuesday isn’t only for mammals! This shingleback skink displays it’s tongue beautifully in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user frilly ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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After a weekend of relaxing, like the Water Dragon in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user arkherps , it’s time to get back to the grind! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! Love this beautiful green Vogel’s Pit Viper in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Vittorio_K ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

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By Herp News

Scientists have found that the ancestors of garter snakes gained toxin-resistant nerves almost 40 million years ago.

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Check out that amazing camoflague that this Satanic Leaf Tail Gecko has in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user kellih i! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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By Herp News

Decades of unregulated industrial waste dumping in areas of the Great Lakes have created a host of environmental and wildlife problems. Now it appears that Lake Michigan painted and snapping turtles could be a useful source for measuring the resulting pollution, according to researchers.

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By Herp News

New research shows that bearded dragons are able to partition color change to specific body parts, depending on whether they are responding to temperature or communicating with other lizards.

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By Herp News

The move from life on land to life in the sea has led to the evolution of a new sense for sea snakes, an Australian study suggests.

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Hang in there, just like the Tree Frog in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user gerrygi! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Is this a great shot or what? The bearded dragon in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Alesha_Rae is ready to hop in the fast lane! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Start your week off right with this hatching Eastern Box Turtle in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user terrapene ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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By Herp News

Inaccessibility and mysticism surrounding the mist-veiled mountains of the central Andes make this region promising to hide treasures. Among other surprises, fieldwork resulted in the discovery of two new species of rain frogs characterized by the spiny appearance typical of several species inhabiting montane forests.

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By Herp News

A new rain frog species from southern Peru is reported by a team of herpetologists. Although the amphibian may look similar to other species at first sight, it is distinguished by its morphology, call, and genetic sequences. Found near the border of Manu National Park, this discovery shows that even in well studied regions there are still things to learn.

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By Herp News

A new rain frog species from southern Peru is reported by a team of herpetologists. Although the amphibian may look similar to other species at first sight, it is distinguished by its morphology, call, and genetic sequences. Found near the border of Manu National Park, this discovery shows that even in well studied regions there are still things to learn.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

Happy Rattlesnake Friday! This baby Cobra is getting it’s first breath in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user SouthernHerp! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

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Take a few moments today to follow the lead of this Giant Day Gecko in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user crazyrhacos and give yourself some time to relax! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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We hope you enjoy this hatching Chuckwalla in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user BJ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Take on your day like this sassy Snapping Turtle in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user phantoms! Take no prisoners! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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By Herp News

The fate of the world’s richest biodiversity of salamanders and newts is in the hands of pet owners across North America, warns a researcher, due to the threat of salamander chytrid disease that infects both salamanders and newts with near total lethality.

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By Herp News

In July of 2015 a team of scientists discovered a new species of boa during an expedition to a remote corner of the Bahamian Archipelago. They have named the new species the Silver Boa, Chilabothrus argentum. Significantly, this is the first new species of boa discovered in situ in the Caribbean since the 1940s. This new boa species is considered Critically Endangered, and is one of the most endangered boa species globally.

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This Emerald Tree Boa shows it is a master of camouflage in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Mike H. ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Happy Rattlesnake Friday! This prairie rattlesnake in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user DanL shows us exactly what a rattlesnake does in the wild if they feel threatened! First they warn and then they try to run away! Rattlesnakes are so very important to our ecosystem and it is so very important to understand that it is important to watch for them, respect them and give them their space for freedom. Despite the urban legends, they run away! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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What a beautiful Cuban Knight Anole in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user StPierre68 simply could not be any cuter! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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By Herp News

A female Blanding’s turtle believed to be at least 83 years old was captured at a forest reserve this week. Researchers say it is the oldest well-documented Blanding’s turtle and one of the oldest-known freshwater turtles.

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This hatching Radiated Tortoise in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user marcp simply could not be any cuter! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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So simple and so beautiful. That is the black racer in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user ReptileProducts ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Hi,

I recently purchased a baby alligator snapping turtle, who has been acting strangley. Although it has only been 3 days since I bought him it seems he basks all the time and he doesnt eat. The previous owner only fed it pellets and it wont even eat those. I threw some goldfish in with it and he seems to be afraid of them. the water is 78 degrees farenheit and is about 4 inches deep. Also his wimming is rather weak, do gator snappers tend to be poor swimmers. BTW this is not my first turtle, but it is my first alligator snapping turtle.

Any advice?

P.S. I do not curently have a name for it yet, any suggestions?

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Hi,

Over the weekend I decided to purchase myself a baby Alligator Snapping turtle. I am adequately experienced with turtles, but I don’t know a thing about how to take care of a gator snapper.

I have had him for two days now, and I know new turtles tend to not eat right away, but he doesn’t swim, or even try to bite at me. He has been basking for a day straight now and wont look at any food I give he is more afraid of it than interested. The previous owner said he only fed it turtle pellets, but he won’t eat those even. The water is about 4 inches deep and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Alsoit appears he cannot swim correctly, he does not have the buoyancy mechanisms otheraquatic turtles.

Thanks,
Alex

P.S. I do not have a name for him yet, any suggestions?

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What a great shot of a Map Tree Frog in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Toucan ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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By Herp News

Spotting native alligators and crocodiles in Florida is common, but anyone who sees a large reptile may want to take a second look — human-eaters that can grow to 18 feet long and weigh as much as a small car have been found in the Sunshine State.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com

Happy Rattlesnake friday! Today the classic Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake takes over our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user Canes05 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! On Rattlesnake Friday, we celebrate all forms of venomous reptiles to promote conservation of them world wide!

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By Herp News

If you’re a rattlesnake, you want to bring the right weapon to a squirrel fight. And that venomous weapon varies from place to place, evolutionarily calibrated to overpower the local squirrels’ defenses, according to new research.

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Read more here: herpetofauna.com