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.
On a cool December afternoon at the Fort Worth Zoo, Lady Bird splashes her tiny trunk in a watering hole while her mother, Bluebonnet, and honorary aunt Angel flank her like bodyguards. To zoogoers watching the fuzzy, 3-foot-tall ...
Ecology
Dec 15, 2025
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177
Researchers at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum recently uncovered a slipup from decades ago: the misidentification of a poison frog specimen from Peru used as a holotype. A holotype ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 15, 2025
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91
How do intermittent events like hurricanes impact natural selection? How do animals adapt to challenging weather? A University of Rhode Island professor has set out to track natural selection in the Anolis lizard over time ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 12, 2025
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34
Mosasaurs, giant marine reptiles that existed more than 66 million years ago, lived not only in the sea but also in rivers. This is shown by new research based on analyses of a mosasaur tooth found in North Dakota and believed ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Dec 12, 2025
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319
Reptiles get a bad rap. As symbols of evil or villainy in Western culture, they are often linked to sin and betrayal, an association that dates all the way back to the origins of Judeochristian theology. This is not the case ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 10, 2025
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23
A remarkable resistance to venom has been discovered in a frog that feasts on hornets despite their deadly stingers. This frog could potentially serve as a model organism for studies on mechanisms underlying venom tolerance.
Plants & Animals
Dec 4, 2025
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356
We know—and love—the Turtle Rescue Team here at The Abstract. But their work isn't just limited to our shelled friends: snakes are sometimes visitors to the TRT as well. In a recent study published in the Journal of Zoo and ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 18, 2025
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27
Genetic and morphological studies revealed two new chameleon species. One of them with a very long nose finally receives the scientific name that suits it—Calumma pinocchio. An international research team led by SNSB zoologist ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 17, 2025
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89
An international team of researchers has discovered three new, bizarre, and wart-covered species of tree toads from Tanzania that give birth to fully developed toadlets. A key element of the study was the examination of specimens ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 6, 2025
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82
A new study led by the University of Oxford has revealed that reptiles confined to islands are facing a double jeopardy. Despite being more likely to go extinct than mainland species, they remain largely ignored by researchers ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 5, 2025
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