Herpetology is the branch of zoological science dedicated to the study of amphibians and reptiles, encompassing their systematics, taxonomy, evolution, anatomy, physiology, behavior, ecology, and conservation biology. Herpetologists investigate phylogenetic relationships using morphological and molecular data, analyze population dynamics and life-history strategies, and examine adaptations such as thermoregulation, reproductive modes, and specialized sensory systems. The field also addresses pathogen dynamics (e.g., chytrid fungi in amphibians), habitat fragmentation, and climate change impacts, informing evidence-based management and conservation strategies. Herpetology integrates field surveys, experimental approaches, and bioinformatic analyses to understand biodiversity patterns and functional roles of these vertebrates in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
In the late 1990s in the Ajimu region of Japan's Oita Prefecture, researchers discovered three fossilized vertebrae belonging to the Cryptobranchidae family of giant salamanders. These were embedded in the Tsubusugawa Formation, ...
Paleontology & Fossils
13 hours ago
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University of Newcastle researchers have documented one of the clearest examples of iridescence ever recorded in an amphibian, revealing that the endangered green and golden bell frog (Ranoidea aurea) possesses intricate ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 7, 2026
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New research from Monash University has provided the first comprehensive assessment of the Pilbara barking gecko (Underwoodisaurus seorsus) and revealed the species is facing a heightened risk of extinction under a rapidly ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 6, 2026
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The beaver and moose may be enduring symbols of Canadian wildlife, but neither is uniquely Canadian from a genetic perspective. But a team of researchers from the University of Ottawa has now discovered something rare: a ...
Ecology
Jul 2, 2026
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When the desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) is thirsty, it cannot just lap up water or scoop it up like a bird because it lives in environments where water is extremely scarce. Typically, it's found in damp soil ...
Tropical rainforest patches perched on isolated granite mountains in northern Mozambique have yielded four new species of sylvan chameleons, according to a new study by Prof. Krystal A. Tolley and Dr. Werner Conradie, recently ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 22, 2026
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Non-native wall lizards living in Cincinnati, Ohio, have thrived against the odds thanks to an ability to expand their population more quickly than any inbreeding-amplified harmful genes could weaken their chances for survival, ...
Ecology
May 30, 2026
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An international research team has discovered that the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is biofluorescent. A study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science shows that the salamander reflects turquoise light ...
Plants & Animals
May 27, 2026
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If the eastern red-backed salamander has an equivalent of Usain Bolt, Sophia Zaslow is determined to find it. Since her undergraduate years, the Binghamton University doctoral student in biological sciences has conducted ...
Plants & Animals
May 26, 2026
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The Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is famous because adults look like overgrown babies, or tadpoles, retaining juvenile features as adults and capable of remarkable regeneration of lost limbs or tails. New studies ...
