The Herpetological Journal

pp. 99-109

Authors: V. Siammawii, F. Malsawmdawngliana, K. Lalchhandama, P.B. Lalthanpuii & H.T. Lalremsanga

Abstract: The structure of oral apparatus and the morphology of anuran tadpoles are important for species identification. The amount of data on different aspects of biodiversity, including life history traits, has been poorly studied. With the complexity in the life cycle of anurans, our understanding in this group has been mostly lopsided, with much emphasis given on the adult forms, further begging the need to study anuran larval characters. The present study shows that tadpoles of Polypedates braueri have an elongated broadly ovoid body, special oral characteristics where mouth positioned anteroventral and a small white patch visible on the tip of snout. They are nektonic, having high tail fin and the tail musculature accounting for 52% of height of tail. The keratodont jaw starts developing at stage 25. Labial papillae and beak disappearing by stage 42. The lower jaw sheath has ‘V’ shaped and upper jaw sheath has ‘M’ shaped arch with finely serrated edge, black in colour. Polypedates braueri show different labial tooth row formula (LTRF) at different Gosner stages of their development. The LTRF at Gosner stage 25 is 3(2–3)/3; between stage 26–34 are 4(2–4)/3 or 4(2–4)/3(1); and between 35 and 41 LTRF changes to 5(2–5)/3, 5(2–5)/3(1) or 4(2–4)/3.

Keywords: mouthparts, anura, LTRF, larvae, Rhacophoridae

pp. 110-115

Authors: Kimberley C. Carter, David J. Gower, Mark Wilkinson & Benjamin Tapley

Abstract: Photographic identification and pattern-matching techniques are increasingly used for minimally invasive identification of individual amphibians. However, many caecilian species lack obvious, distinctive patterns or colourations (as well as limbs) which makes visual identification challenging. We used photographic records and Wild-ID to investigate the use of cloacal discs and surrounding annular grooves for individual identification in a captive population of Herpele squalostoma at ZSL London Zoo and compare similarity with preserved specimens. We photographed seven captive H. squalostoma over a maximum period of 59 months and 43 preserved museum specimens. We found that Wild-ID analysis of photographs is not viable for individual identification of this species. However, our results showed that the software could distinguish between animals, scoring >0 (0 = no match, 1 = perfect match) for photographs of the same live animal. However, the software did not reliably recognise individuals over time; where photographs were matched against the same animal from different dates the mean scores fell below the threshold of 0.1 (mean score of photographs with annular grooves present = 0.00397825; mean score of photographs of cloacal disc only = 0.0213814). When comparing a subset of all museum specimen photographs the similarity score was very low (mean = 0.00039712), however preservation quality and size differences may have confounded our results and made the scores unreliable. A photograph-matching survey performed by zoological and biological research professionals proved that H. squalostoma can be identified by direct inspection of photographs of the cloacal disc region (n = 82, mean = 60% correct, SD = 34%, median = 71%). Although Wild-ID is not a valid method for long-term identification based on the cloacal disc region, distinctive differences are visible to the eye and suitable for photographic identification in small, captive populations and thus may be beneficial to ex-situ populations of caecilians.

Keywords: amphibian, identification, pattern, photographic, non-invasive

pp. 110-115

Authors: Kimberley C. Carter, David J. Gower, Mark Wilkinson & Benjamin Tapley

pp. 116-126

Authors: Mariana Baraquet, Favio E. Pollo, Pablo R. Grenat, Manuel A. Otero & Adolfo L. Martino

Abstract: We compare the acoustic, morphometric and life history traits of three species from the Boana pulchella group in central Argentina; B. pulchella, B. cordobae and B. riojana, with the aim of contributing to their taxonomic status and natural history. We provide information on the spectral and temporal features of the advertisement calls of each species. The three species showed significant differences in all acoustics variables: most of the call properties of B. pulchella exhibited lower values, except for frequencies, which had higher values. Morphometric variables and age were positively correlated in the three species, showing significant differences among them, with males of B. riojana being larger and B. pulchella being smaller in size. The minimum age at sexual maturity (2 years) was the same in the three species. The other life history variables (average age, longevity, potential reproductive lifespan, modal age) differed significantly: B. riojana showed lower values and B. cordobae the highest values. The growth coefficient was higher in B. cordobae and lower in B. pulchella. The maximum asymptotic size is higher in B. riojana and lower in B. pulchella, but the differences are not significant. Our results provide elements for the specific recognition of these three species and valuable information for taxonomic and phylogenetic approaches that help explain evolutionary and ecological phenomena.

Keywords: advertisement call, age, Boana, body size, growth

pp. 127-135

Authors: Thaysa G. Oliveira, Laurie Araspin, Carlos A. Navas & Anthony Herrel

Abstract: Activities such as locomotion and reproduction, as well as immune responses, require energy and metabolites, which can lead to conflicts in the allocation of these resources. Consequently, the allocation of energy and metabolites can limit immune response or activity patterns, resulting in trade-offs. In most sick animals immune responses include behavioural depression and consequently reduced activity, perhaps enhancing resource conservation and promoting activation of the immune system. These trade-offs mediated by reduction in activity may differ between males and females due to differences in energy expenditure primarily linked to reproduction. Therefore, we investigated the effect of a simulated infection on the locomotor performance and voluntary movement of males and females of the species Xenopus laevis. We analysed locomotor endurance, jump force and voluntary activity before and after a simulated infection through injections of LPS (endotoxins from the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria). Our results showed that locomotor performance and jump force decreased after simulated infection in both sexes. Furthermore, the magnitude of the responses differed between the sexes. Females of X. laevis exhibited greater reductions in performance and jump force, which may be related to differential energy allocation, including a greater investment in gamete production by females, leading individuals to be more immunocompetent than males. Unexpectedly, and independently of sex, the simulated infection had no impact on most variables pertaining to voluntary movement, suggesting that behavioural depression did not occur. Only the number of breaths increased after the infection, with this increase being more pronounced in females, suggesting a greater energy requirement in females in the face of an immune challenge.

Keywords: amphibians, behavioural depression, energetic resources, immune system, locomotion

pp. 127-135

Authors: Thaysa G. Oliveira, Laurie Araspin, Carlos A. Navas & Anthony Herrel

pp. 136-145

Authors: María Soledad Gastón & Mauricio Sebastián Akmentins

Abstract: Warming climate is one of the main threats affecting the fitness and survival of amphibians, the most threatened vertebrate class. Proxies such as the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) and the thermal safety margin, which can change during the ontogeny, have been developed to know the vulnerability to warming. Telmatobius rubigo is a fully aquatic frog of high-altitude lotic freshwater ecosystems and is an endemic species from the Central Andean Puna ecoregion of north-western Argentina. The species lives and reproduces in shallow permanent streams, which could represent a challenge in a warming climate because the water's high heat capacity and thermal diffusivity allow an amphibian to exchange heat with its environment rapidly. Here, we study thermal biology traits—field-body temperature, operative range of environmental temperatures and upper thermal limits—of T. rubigo during the warmer months of the year to estimate the species’ tolerance to a warming climate. Telmatobius rubigo has field-body temperatures positively related to water temperatures. A positive association between the daily means of air and water temperatures was observed for the warmer months in the microhabitat occupied by T. rubigo. A similar association was observed for daily maximum air and water temperatures in warmer months. Despite the wide variability of air temperatures in the highlands where T. rubigo lives, the species' refuges have a narrow water temperature range during the day. An intraspecific variation in upper thermal limits—CTmax and thermal safety margin—due to ontogenetic stages was observed, with tadpoles more tolerant to heating than adults. This study presents the most comprehensive data on the thermal biology of one species of the Telmatobiidae family providing suggestions to guide further studies on high-altitude aquatic amphibians.

Keywords: amphibian, climate crisis, high-altitude stream, thermal biology, CTmax

pp. 146-154

Author: Richard Digirolamo

Abstract: The global trade in pet reptiles is substantial, with Japan being a major importer. Understanding pet reptile preferences is crucial for conservation, as over-exploitation of wild populations can occur. This study aimed to determine Japan's most popular pet reptiles, including traded and endemic species, using the largest question-answering website in Japan, Yahoo! Chiebukuro, and Google Trends as data sources. We analysed data from 2004 to 2023, focusing on recent periods (2020–2023) for a comprehensive assessment of public interest in 20 different pet reptile species. Data revealed a significant overlap between the two tools in identifying popular species. Leopard geckos were consistently the most popular, aligning with trade data. Surprisingly, the endemic Japanese grass lizard surpassed the popularity of traditionally favoured species like central bearded dragons. A concerning preference for invasive turtles (Chinese pond turtles, red-eared sliders) was also noted. These findings highlight the popularity of both traded and readily available endemic species within Japan's pet market. This emphasises the need to monitor domestic trends alongside the traditional trade focus to ensure the sustainability of wild reptile populations. Yahoo! Chiebukuro and Google Trends offer valuable tools for such monitoring. Google Trends' regional data pinpointed Okinawa prefecture's high interest in leopard geckos, raising concerns about potential invasiveness. This study demonstrates the importance of a comprehensive approach to understanding pet reptile popularity. The combined use of these tools and the adaptable methodology provide a template for monitoring trends in Japan and other countries, contributing to proactive conservation efforts within the global pet trade.

Keywords: reptile trade, invasive species, conservation, leopard geckos, bearded dragons

pp. 146-154

Author: Richard Digirolamo

pp. 155-161

Authors: Jazmín Hernández-Luria, Geoffrey R. Smith & Julio A. Lemos-Espinal

Abstract: Intrinsic and extrinsic factors can influence growth rates in salamanders, including sex, age/size, food availability and environmental temperature. We used a capture-mark-recapture study of a population of the endangered salamander Ambystoma altamirani in a stream in the mountains near Mexico City to examine whether individual growth rates differed between males and females or between the wet and dry seasons. We also compared mean snout-vent length (SVL) in this population between two time periods: 2018–2019 and 2022–2023. Ambystoma altamirani grew faster during the wet season than the dry season, and the difference in growth rate between seasons tended to be greater in males than females. Male A. altamirani grew faster than females. Ambystoma altamirani captured in 2018–2019 were smaller than those captured in 2022–2023. Male A. altamirani were longer than females. Our results suggest that individual growth rates in A. altamirani vary as a function of sex and season. We have also shown that the mean body size of A. altamirani can vary among years and between sexes. Such knowledge may contribute to a better understanding of how stream conditions can influence individual growth rates and population dynamics of these endangered salamanders.

Keywords: Ambystomatidae, amphibia, annual variation, snout-vent length, stream

pp. 162-166

Authors: Renato C. Nali, Marília M. Borges, Gabriela da S. Leandro, Lucas A. Zena, Kênia C. Bícego & Cynthia P. A. Prado

Abstract: The colonisation of land by tetrapods marked a critical event in animal evolution, introducing desiccation risk as a pivotal selective pressure that influenced physiological, behavioural and morphological adaptations. Leaf-frogs (Phyllomedusinae) exhibit adaptations to mitigate water loss, but limited observations hinder our understanding of these behaviours' prevalence and consequently their evolutionary history. Here, we present novel observations of wiping and bladder-filling behaviours in the leaf-frog Pithecopus ayeaye. Wiping behaviour was recorded in both natural and captive settings, when frogs used their fore and hindlimbs to spread lipidic substances across the skin. Furthermore, we observed bladder-filling behaviour for the first time in this derived Phyllomedusinae genus. Our findings challenge existing paradigms regarding the evolution of these traits and emphasise the need for comprehensive studies across phyllomedusine genera to elucidate their phylogenetic distribution and adaptive significance.

Keywords: arboreal reproduction, Hylidae, monkey frogs, Neotropics, water loss mitigation

pp. 167-175

Authors: Ana N. Tomba, Javier Nori, Pablo J. Venegas, Juan C. Chaparro & Paola A. Carrasco

Abstract: Most pit viper species present in South America belong to the genus Bothrops. This genus of pit vipers has been the focus of numerous systematic, ecological and biomedical studies. However, there are many knowledge gaps for the species, including the Peruvian endemic: Bothrops barnetti, B. chloromelas and B. pictus. This study aims to improve the understanding of the geographic distribution of these species and to assess their conservation status. We assembled a set of geographical records of these three species and used ecological niche models under the Biotic-Abiotic-Movement (BAM) theory to estimate their potential geographic distributions. We also used landcover/land use information and a GIS protocol to assess the most important human-mediated threats to these species. Our results suggest an expansion in the known distribution of B. chloromelas which needs to be corroborated in the field. In addition, our results show that the human-mediated threats were low over the distribution of the three species. However, to accurately evaluate the conservation status of the species, it would be necessary to address other causes of threats to biodiversity in Peru, such as hydroelectric dams and mining activities. Given the geographic context in which they are immersed, the construction of hydroelectric dams, mining, and the effect of global climate change, could be especially problematic for these species.

Keywords: Bothrops, conservation, endemism, niche modeling, venomous snakes

pp. 167-175

Authors: Ana N. Tomba, Javier Nori, Pablo J. Venegas, Juan C. Chaparro & Paola A. Carrasco