Reptile Rooms

Turtles Alter Nesting Dates Due To Temperature Change
Researchers say turtles nesting along the Mississippi River and other areas are altering their nesting dates in response to rising temperatures.

Jurassic Turtles Could Swim
Around 164 million years ago the earliest aquatic turtles lived in lakes and lagoons on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, according to new research.

Low Concentrations Of Pesticides Can Become Toxic Mixture For Amphibians
Ten of the world's most popular pesticides can decimate amphibian populations when mixed together even if the concentration of the individual chemicals are within limits considered safe, according to new research. Such "cocktails of contaminants" are frequently detected in nature, a new article notes.

Global Warming Link To Amphibian Declines In Doubt
Evidence that global warming is causing the worldwide declines of amphibians may not be as conclusive as previously thought, according to biologists. The findings, which contradict two widely held views, could help reveal what is killing the frogs and toads and aid in their conservation.

Loggerhead Turtle Release To Provide Vital Information To Scientific Community
Biologists will release two juvenile loggerhead sea turtles raised in captivity into the Indian River Lagoon near Sebastian Inlet. Dubbed Milton and FeeBee, the turtles were part of a sex ratio study.

Limb Loss In Lizards: Evidence For Rapid Evolution
Small skink lizards, Lerista, demonstrate extensive changes in body shape over geologically brief periods. New research shows that several species of these skinks have rapidly evolved an elongate, limbless body form.

Red-eyed Treefrog Embryos Actively Avoid Asphyxiation Inside Their Eggs
Red-eyed treefrog embryos react to environmental oxygen concentration before they have blood or muscular movement. These initial responses to the environment may be critical to the frogs' long-term survival.

Sea Snakes Seek Out Freshwater To Slake Thirst
Sea snakes may slither in saltwater, but they sip the sweet stuff. It has been the "long-standing dogma" that the roughly 60 species of venomous sea snakes worldwide satisfy their drinking needs by drinking seawater, with internal salt glands filtering and excreting the salt. Experiments with three species of captive sea kraits captured near Taiwan, however, found that the snakes refused to drink saltwater even if thirsty -- and then would drink only freshwater or heavily diluted saltwater.

Study Rules Out Inbreeding As Cause Of Amphibian Deformities
Although research has linked inbreeding with elevated rates of deformity in a wide variety of animals, a new study finds it plays no part in the high incidence of malformation among salamanders.

Soft Rubber Harness Enables Researchers To Study Leatherback Turtles In Captivity For Years
A Canadian researcher has pioneered a soft rubber harness and a recipe that enabled him to raise and study leatherback turtles in captivity for more than two years -- a feat only one other team of scientists have achieved.