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Happy World Lizard Day! Today we talk about the biggest lizards that ever roamed the Earth: mosasaurs! These giant aquatic lizards are often forgotten when we talk about shape diversity in squamates, but they were some of the most specialised and remarkable lizards ever. We dive into their diversity, history, origins, and extinction in this special episode. We also talk about the incredible Mirasaurus, the weird new reptile with bizarre integument structures that recently made the cover of Nature with an illustration by co-host Gabriel! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Links, Citations, and Other Resources Spiekman, S.N.F., Foth, C., Rossi, V., Gascó Martín, C., Slater, T.S., Bath Enright, O.G., Dollman, K.N., Serafini, G., Seegis, D., Grauvogel-Stamm, L., McNamara, M.E., Sues, H.-D. & Schoch, R.R. (2025) Triassic diapsid shows early diversification of skin appendages in reptiles. Nature, 643(8074):1297–1303. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09167-9 Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 36: Is this a mosasaur? first appeared on SquaMates.

Happy World Snake Day! Today, we talk about snake ecosystem services, human-snake conflicts, and opine on various snake-related outreach personalities you probably know from television or youtube. Be prepared for some hot takes as we finally address the elephant trunk snake in the room! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Links, Citations, and Other Resources Check out other things going on this week for Snake Week: http://snakeweek.org/ Quah, E. S. H., Grismer, L. L., & Anuar, M. S. S. (2023). Observations and description of a rare escape mechanism in a snake: Cartwheeling in Pseudorabdion longiceps (Cantor, 1847) (Squamata, Colubridea). Biotropica, 55, 568–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13213 Footage of a cartwheeling snake is available here: https://youtu.be/sMoHNVCXHG8?si=8Awzzgb9-RTAHnse&t=1256 A call to action: Drop us a comment and let us know How do you reach people in your community, to educate them about snakes? Episode shout-outs: Mark O’Shea Jeff Corwin Madagascar Life on the Edge, a documentary feat. Mark Earyn McGee Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 35: The Elephant Trunk Snake in the Room first appeared on SquaMates.

We dive into one of the most popular pet reptiles in the trade: Pogona vitticeps, the bearded dragon—its relatives, origins in the trade, and popularity. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Citations ExoTerra website on Pogona vitticeps, including discussion of their origins in the trade Episode shout-outs: Bill Strand – Chameleon Academy Podcast Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 34: M-m-m-my Pogona! first appeared on SquaMates.

What is this‽ Two episodes in one week‽ That’s right! It’s May 9th, International Chameleon Day! In this episode, we give a deep dive into chameleon diversity, ecology, and evolution, and chameleon analogues across the world! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Works in Frogress: Get Ethan’s Skink Zine! Also in physical format! See more awesome illustrations like this one: Vences, M., Miralles, A., Ineich, I., Rakotoarison, A., Glasenapp, C., Scherz, M.D., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Raselimanana, A.P. (2025) An updated survey of molecular diversity in Madagascar’s velvet geckos, genus Blaesodactylus, with description of a new species from the island’s arid West. Zootaxa, 5620(2):230–254. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5620.2.2 Correction Mark forgot to mention the chameleon genus Nadzikambia! This is a genus that formerly belonged to Chamaeleo and then Bradypodion. There are only two species. They look much like other arboreal chamaeleonine chameleons. Episode Citaitons Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2007) A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Vences & Glaw Verlags GbR, Cologne, Germany, 496 pp. Third Edition. Nečas, P. & Schmidt, W. (2004) Stummelschwanzchamäleons: Miniaturdrachen [!] des Regenwaldes: die Gattungen Brookesia und Rhampholeon. Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 255 pp. Tilbury, C.R. (2018) Chameleons of Africa: An Atlas, Including the Chameleons of Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Chimaira Buchhandelsgesellschaft mbH, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 643 pp. Tolley, K.A. & Herrel, A. (2013) The Biology of Chameleons. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California USA, University of California Press, 288 pp. Tolley, K.A., Townsend, T.M. & Vences, M. (2013) Large-scale phylogeny of chameleons suggests African origins and Eocene diversification. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 280(1759):20130184 (8 pp.). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.0184 Episode shout-outs: Chris Anderson Bill Strand – Chameleon Academy Podcast Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 33: Chameleon Day Bonanza! first appeared on SquaMates.

Hiral is a Doctor of Science now, Mark is about to become an Associate Professor, and the art world continues to be mad and heavily affected by changes to the social media landscape! In this episode, we talk about art and scientific illustration, hemipenes, ectothermy, snake and salamander courtship and reproduction, and what you can do to help your local amphibians. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Questions in this episode came from: @SaurianCYH.bsky.social @Biscotto_al_latte on Instagram @eyesonthedirt on Instagram @loquaciousky.bsky.social‬ loch-ness-connoisseur.tumblr.com Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 32: It was only a (cloacal) kiss, how did it end up like this? first appeared on SquaMates.

Happy World Frog Day! In this episode we answer a couple questions from listeners: why are there no neotenic frogs, and what books we recommend for people interested in herpetology (fair warning: it’s a lot!) Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Shout-outs Earyn McGee — Bluesky (and also Goliath) Books we mention in the episode: Pough, F.H. et al. Herpetology. 4th Edition. ISBN: 9781605352336 [Amazon.com] Vitt, L.J. & Caldwell, J.P. Herpetology. 4th Edition. ISBN 9780123869197 [Amazon.com] (2nd edition was by Zug et al., shown by Mark on the episode) McDiarmid, R.W. et al. Reptile Biodiversity: Standard methods for inventory and monitoring. ISBN 9780520266711 [publisher website] Duellman, W.E. & Trueb, L. 1994. Biology of Amphibians. 2nd edition. ISBN: 9780801847806 [Amazon.com] Frost, D.R. et al. 1985. Amphibian Species of the World. [Amazon.com] (superseded by https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/) Powell, R. et al. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern & Central North America. [Amazon.com] Glaw, F. & Vences, M. 2007.Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar.  3rd Edition. [Amazon.com] Glaw, F. & Vences, M. 1994. Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar.  2nd Edition. [Amazon.com] Leenders, T. 2016. Amphibians of Costa Rica. ISBN: 978-1501700620 [Amazon.com] Leenders, T. 2019. Reptiles of Costa Rica. ISBN: 978-1501739538 [Amazon.com] Arteaga, A. et al. 2024. Reptiles of Ecuador. ISBN: 9783899731408 [NHBS.com] Tilbury, C. 2018. Chameleons of Africa. 2nd Edition. [NHBS.com] Savage, J.M. 2005. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica. ISBN: 978-0226735382 [Amazon.com] Fahrbach, M. & Gerlach, U. 2018. The Genus Triturus. ISBN: 978389973527 [publisher website] O’Shea, M. 2011. Venomous Snakes of the World. ISBN: 978-0691150239 [Amazon.com] Gans. 1969–2010. Biology of the Reptilia. Full Books available online at: https://carlgans.org/biology-reptilia-online/ Darwin, C. 1859. On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. [Amazon.com] Mayr, E. 1942. Systematics and the Origin of Species from the Viewpoint of a Zoologist. [Amazon.com] Losos, J. 2011. Lizards in an Evolutionary Tree: Ecology and Adaptive Radiation of Anoles. ISBN: 978-0520269842. [Amazon.com] Kocak, E. 2023. Moistly Harmless: How to Appreciate Newts and Salamanders. [publisher website] de Vosjoli, P. et al. 2003. Rhacodactylus: The Complete Guide to their Selection and Care. [Amazon.com, but good luck] Greene, H. Tracks and Shadows: Field Biology as Art. [Amazon.com] Losos, J.B. Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution. [Amazon.com] Obst, F.J. et al. The Completely Illustrated Atlas of Reptiles and Amphibians for the Terrarium. [Amazon.com] Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: mossy underlog blog • personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 31: I do it for the gills first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we talk about how many people are getting bitten by venomous snakes in South Africa, and how reporting encounters like this can help to reduce morbidity and mortality from snakebite: all the topic of a new paper by co-host Hiral Naik! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Citations Seneci, L., Hall, A.S., Glaw, F. & Scherz, M.D. (2025) Potential evolutionary convergence in trophic adaptations of two booidean snake lineages as evidenced by skull morphology. Journal of Morphology, 286(1):e70011. DOI: 10.1002/jmor.70011 Naik, H. & Alexander, G.J. (2025) The incidence of snakebite in South Africa and the challenges associated with lack of reporting. Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene:trae109. DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trae109 Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • instagram • facebook • youtube • bluesky Mark D. Scherz: website • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 30: Nolite te serpentes biteyouonyourbum first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we drop some HOT OFF THE PRESS news about seven new species of frogs from Madagascar that Mark has been involved in describing that are named after seven Star Trek captains. We also cover some exciting recent research on Gymmie phylogeography and diving anoles! Plus, Hiral is submitting her PhD thesis! Wow! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Check out the new frogs named after Star Trek captains!   Episode Citations Swierk, L. (2024) Novel rebreathing adaptation extends dive time in a semi-aquatic lizard. Biology Letters, 20(9):20240371. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2024.0371 Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D., Ribeiro‑Júnior, M.A. & Sánchez-Pacheco, S.J. (2024) Once upon a time: exploring the biogeographic history of the largest endemic lizard family in the Neotropics (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 143(1):blae080. DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae080 Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D. & Diago-Toro, M.F. (2024) Alice in Lizardland: exploring the spatiotemporal speciation and morphological evolutionary rates in the highly diverse microteiid lizards (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 142(2):208-219. DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blad127 Vences, M., Köhler, J., Hutter, C.R., Preick, M., Petzold, A., Rakotoarison, A., Ratsoavina, F.M., Glaw, F. & Scherz, M.D. (in press) Communicator whistles: a Trek through the taxonomy of the Boophis marojezensis complex reveals seven new, morphologically cryptic treefrogs from Madagascar (Amphibia: Anura: Mantellidae). Vertebrate Zoology DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e121110 Shout-outs: Hayley Crowell: instagram Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 29: Frog Trek first appeared on SquaMates.

An unexpected crossover is afoot! Hiral and Mark met up with Dr Tom Major and Benjamin M. Marshall of the Herpetological Hightlights Podcast while they were at the 10th World Congress of Herpetology in Kuching, Malaysia. We sat down together and talked about the amazing conference, podcasts, and the herpetological community at large. We had such a great time! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com. You can check out our buds from Herpetological Highlights wherever you get your podcasts, and at: https://herphighlights.podbean.com/, on instagram, and on twitter. Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 28: All day and all of the night (feat. Herpetological Highlights!) first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we talk about everyone’s favourite frogs, rain frogs of the family Brevicipitidae! We go over their diversity, ecology, and anatomy, as well as their fun adhesive properties! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Glued amplexus as exhibited by Breviceps spp. Illustration by Ethan Kocak. Exciting updates Check out Ethan’s new book, The Unfamiliars! Hiral managed to secure a Rufford Small Grant Gabriel illustrated Dave Hone’s new book, ‘Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know‘ Episode Citations Feng, Y.-J., Blackburn, D.C., Liang, D., Hillis, D.M., Wake, D.B., Cannatella, D.C. & Zhang, P. (2017) Phylogenomics reveals rapid, simultaneous diversification of three major clades of Gondwanan frogs at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 114(29):E5864–E5870. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1704632114 Noble, G.K. & Parker, H.W. (1926) A synopsis of the brevicipitid toads of Madagascar. American Museum Novitates, 232:1–21. Parker, H.W. (1934) Monograph of the frogs of the family Microhylidae. Trustees of the British Museum, London, UK. Zaman, S., Lengerer, B., Van Lindt, J., Saenen, I., Russo, G., Bossaer, L., Carpentier, S., Tompa, P., Flammang, P. & Roelants, K. (2024) Recurrent evolution of adhesive defence systems in amphibians by parallel shifts in gene expression. Nature Communications, 15:5612. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49917-3 Shout-outs: David Hone: homepage • twitter Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 27: I’m only hoppy when it rains first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we gently debate subspecies, and then dive into several snake papers, from their anomalously extensive and rapid diversification, to a recent taxonomic change. Regrettably the audio on this episode was affected by a technical error, so it is far less than our usual quality (Ethan and Hiral are a little quiet, sorry!). Hopefully it doesn’t affect the listening experience too badly! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Check out Ethan’s new book, The Unfamiliars! Episode Citations Vences, M., Köhler, J., Scherz, M.D., Hutter, C.R., Rabe Maheritafika, H.M., Rafanoharana, J.M., Raherinjatovo, H., Rakotoarison, A., Andreone, F., Raselimanana, A.P. & Glaw, F. (2024) Four new species of forest-dwelling mantellid frogs from Madagascar allied to Gephyromantis moseri (Amphibia, Anura). Spixiana, 46(2):297–319. Scherz, M.D., Rudolph, J., Rakotondratsima, M., Ratsoavina, F.M., Crottini, A., Andreone, F., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2024) Molecular systematics of the subgenus Gephyromantis (Phylacomantis) with description of a new subspecies. Zootaxa, 5446(2):205–220. DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5446.2.3 de Queiroz, K. (2020) An updated concept of subspecies resolves a dispute about the taxonomy of incompletely separated lineages. Herpetological Review, 51(3):459–461. [Mark incorrectly gave publication date as being 2021] de Queiroz, K. (2007) Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology, 56(6):879–886. DOI: 10.1080/10635150701701083 Title, P.O., Singhal, S., Grundler, M.C., Costa, G.C., Pyron, R.A., Colston, T.J., Grundler, M.R., Prates, I., Stepanova, N., Jones, M.E.H., Cavalcanti, L.B.Q., Colli, G.R., Di-Poï, N., Donnellan, S.C., Moritz, C., Mesquita, D.O., Pianka, E.R., Smith, S.A., Vitt, L.J. & Rabosky, D.L. (2024) The macroevolutionary singularity of snakes. Science, 383(6685):918–923. DOI: 10.1126/science.adh2449 Strong, C., Scherz, M.D. & Caldwell, M.W. (2021) Deconstructing the Gestalt: New concepts and tests of homology, as exemplified by a re-conceptualization of “microstomy” in squamates. Anatomical Record, 304:2303–2351. DOI: 10.1002/ar.24630 Losos, J. B. (2017) Improbable Destinies: Fate, Chance, and the Future of Evolution. Riverhead Books, New York City NY, USA. 384 pp. Datta, D. & Bajpai, S. (2024) Largest known madtsoiid snake from warm Eocene period of India suggests intercontinental Gondwana dispersal. Scientific Reports, 14(1):8054. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58377-0 Zaher, H., Trusz, C., Koch, C., Entiauspe-Neto, O.M., Battilana, J. & Grazziotin, F.G. (2024) Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the dwarf boas of the family Tropidophiidae (Serpentes: Alethinophidia). Systematics and Biodiversity, 22(1):2319289. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2024.2319289 Vences, M., Guayasamin, J.M., Miralles, A. & de la Riva, I. (2013) To name or not to name: Criteria to promote economy of change in Linnaean classification schemes. Zootaxa, 3636(2):201–244. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3636.2.1 Scherz, M.D., Vences, M., Rakotoarison, A., Andreone, F., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Crottini, A. (2017) Lumping or splitting in the Cophylinae (Anura: Microhylidae) and the need for a parsimony of taxonomic changes: a response to Peloso et al. (2017). Salamandra, 53(3):479–483. Shout-outs: Common Descent Podcast TetZoo Podcats Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 26: Let’s talk about snakes, baby first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we talk about a really cool predation observation, the importance of publishing behavioural or observational notes, and some follow-up on the anaconda mess from Episode 24. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Citations Bringsøe, H. & Dreyer, N.P. (2024) Kleptoparasitism in Micrurus mipartitus (Squamata, Elapidae) competing for the same Caecilia sp. (Gymnophiona, Caeciliidae) in western Colombia. Herpetozoa, 37:77–84. DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.37.e112716 Mancuso, M., Zaman, S., Maddock, S.T., Kamei, R.G., Salazar-Valenzuela, D., Wilkinson, M., Roelants, K. & Fry, B.G. (2023) Resistance Is Not Futile: Widespread Convergent Evolution of Resistance to Alpha-Neurotoxic Snake Venoms in Caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(14) DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411353 Mailho-Fontana, Pedro L., Antoniazzi, M.M., Alexandre, C., Carvalho Pimenta, D., Mozer Sciani, J., Brodie, Edmund D., Jr. & Jared, C. (2020) Morphological Evidence for an Oral Venom System in Caecilian Amphibians. iScience, 23:101234. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101234 Vásquez-Restrepo, J.D., Alfonso-Rojas, A. & Palacios-Aguilar, R. (2024) On the validity of the recently described northern green anaconda Eunectes akayima (Squamata, Serpentes). Bionomia, 37(1):1–7. DOI: 10.11646/BIONOMINA.37.1.1 Dubois, A., Denzer, W., Entiauspe-Neto, O.M., Frétey, T., Ohler, A., Bauer, A.M. & Pyron, R.A. (2024) Nomenclatural problems raised by the recent description of a new anaconda species (Squamata, Serpentes, Boidae), with a nomenclatural review of the genus Eunectes. Bionomia, 37(1):8–58. DOI: 10.11646/BIONOMINA.37.1.2 Shout-outs: Jodi Rowley: @jodirowley Darren Naish/TetZoo: @tetzoo on twitter • @tetzoo on bluesky Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 25: Micrurus brings all the boys to the yard first appeared on SquaMates.

In this episode we talk about the breaking news that caecilians produce milk‽, and get into some recent taxonomic works on anacondas and eyelash palm-pitvipers. Content warning: this episode contains several Hot Takes. Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Wake, M.H. (2024) Amphibian hatchlings find mother’s milk. Science, 383(6687):1060–1061. DOI: 10.1126/science.ado2094 Mailho-Fontana, P.L., Antoniazzi, M.M., Coelho, G.R., Pimenta, D.C., Fernandes, L.P., Kupfer, A., Brodie, E.D. & Jared, C. (2024) Milk provisioning in oviparous caecilian amphibians. Science, 383(6687):1092–1095. DOI: 10.1126/science.adi5379 Arteaga, A., Pyron, R.A., Batista, A., Vieira, J., Meneses Pelayo, E., Smith, E.N., Barrio Amorós, C.L., Koch, C., Agne, S., Valencia, J.H., Bustamante, L. & Harris, K.J. (2024) Systematic revision of the Eyelash Palm-Pitviper Bothriechis schlegelii (Serpentes, Viperidae), with the description of five new species and revalidation of three. Evolutionary Systematics, 8:15–64. Rivas, J.A., De La Quintana, P., Mancuso, M., Pacheco, L.F., Rivas, G.A., Mariotto, S., Salazar-Valenzuela, D., Baihua, M.T., Baihua, P., Burghardt, G.M., Vonk, F.J., Hernandez, E., García-Pérez, J.E., Fry, B.G. & Corey-Rivas, S. (2024) Disentangling the Anacondas: Revealing a New Green Species and Rethinking Yellows. Diversity, 16(2) DOI: 10.3390/d16020127 Shout-outs: Lingthusiasm Podcast Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 24: Green Anaconda don’t want none first appeared on SquaMates.

The Mates are back after two and a half years of hiatus! They talk about all that’s happened in the intervening time, and where we are going from here! Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Get yourself a copy of Ethan’s book, Moistly Harmless! Hiral is featured in this phenomenal book on Women in Herpetology! Go check out the Global Women in Herpetology project, over at https://www.womeninherpetology.com/. Mark wants you to check out itaxotools.org for your taxonomy needs! Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • youtube Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble • bluesky Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble • bluesky Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon • bluesky Hiral Naik: website • twitter • instagram • bluesky The post SquaMates Ep. 22: Neil Caiman and Crew first appeared on SquaMates.

The Mates get into the evolution of Ambystoma, whether or not to use subspecies, and the fantastically diverse and oft maligned gymnophthalmids (gymmies!). Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Boccia, C.K., Swierk, L., Ayala-Varela, F.P., Boccia, J., Borges, I.L., Estupiñán, C.A., Martin, A.M., Martínez-Grimaldo, R.E., Ovalle, S., Senthivasan, S., Toyama, K.S., del Rosario Castañeda, M., García, A., Glor, R.E. & Mahler, D.L. Repeated evolution of underwater rebreathing in diving Anolis lizards. Current Biology: DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.040 de Queiroz, K. (2007) Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology, 56(6):879–886. DOI: 10.1080/10635150701701083 de Queiroz, K. (2020) An updated concept of subspecies resolves a dispute about the taxonomy of incompletely separated lineages. Herpetological Review, 51(3):459–461. Everson, K.M., Gray, L.N., Jones, A.G., Lawrence, N.M., Foley, M.E., Sovacool, K.L., Kratovil, J.D., Hotaling, S., Hime, P.M., Storfer, A., Parra-Olea, G., Percino-Daniel, R., Aguilar-Miguel, X., O’Neill, E.M., Zambrano, L., Shaffer, H.B. & Weisrock, D.W. (2021) Geography is more important than life history in the recent diversification of the tiger salamander complex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 118(17):e2014719118. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2014719118 Gymnophthalmids Assorted gymnophthalmids illustrated by our very own Gabriel Ugueto Assorted gymnophthalmine gymnophthalmids illustrated by our very own Gabriel Ugueto Bachia species illustrated by Gabriel: above, B. trinitatis; below, B. lineata Comparison of Gymnophthalmus (above) and Tretioscincus (below). Note the brille of Gymnophthalmus versus the movable eyelid with a semi-transparent window ind Tretioscincus Reduction of limbs and digits in various Gymnophthalmids: a Bachia, b Gymnophthalmus (4 fingers), c Tretioscincus (5 fingers but 1st one very rudimentary), d Riolama (1st reduced and clawless) e Anadia (five digits presented and clawed) Reduction of limbs and digits in various Bachia species One of Gabriel’s favourite gymmies: Anadia marmorata Follow the show and the hosts on social media! SquaMates: website • twitter • instagram • facebook Mark D. Scherz: website • twitter • instagram • tumblr • facebook • researchgate • redbubble Gabriel Ugueto: website • twitter • instagram • facebook • redbubble Ethan Kocak: personal website • comic • twitter • tumblr • facebook • patreon The post SquaMates Ep. 21: Bachia to the Future first appeared on SquaMates.