- Ancient giant turtle fossil was size of Smart car
Picture a turtle the size of a Smart car, with a shell large enough to double as a kiddie pool. Paleontologists have found just such a specimen -- the fossilized remains of a 60-million-year-old South American giant that lived in what is now Colombia.
- Let's get moving: Unraveling how locomotion starts
Scientists have shed new light on one of the great unanswered questions of neuroscience: How the brain initiates rhythmic movements like walking, running and swimming.
- Drugs from gila monster lizard saliva reduces cravings for chocolate and ordinary food
A drug made from the saliva of the Gila monster lizard is effective in reducing the craving for food. Researchers have tested the drug on rats, who after treatment ceased their cravings for both food and chocolate.
- Big-mouthed babies drove the evolution of giant island snakes
The need to have big-mouthed babies drove the evolution of giant tiger snakes on Australian islands, new research shows. The findings offer a new dimension to the study of island gigantism and dwarfism.
- New species of lizard discovered in Central African minefield
Scientists have announced the discovery of a new species of lizard from remote, war-torn mountains in Central Africa. The new species is described from the Marungu Plateau, a montane area west of Lake Tanganyika in south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Taking America's rarest snake back to the woods
Biologists have released seven young Louisiana pine snakes on a restored longleaf pine stand in the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana. The release is the fourth in two years, part of a plan to restore a very rare snake to its range in Louisiana.
- Twenty-four new species of lizards discovered on Caribbean islands are close to extinction
Twenty-four new species of lizards known as skinks have been discovered on Caribbean islands, half of which already may be extinct or close to extinction. The loss of many skink species can be attributed primarily to predation by the mongoose -- a predatory mammal that was introduced by farmers. Other types of human activity, especially the removal of forests, also are to blame, according to the researchers.
- Deadly frog fungus at work in the wild
The fungal infection that has killed a record number of amphibians worldwide leads to deadly dehydration in frogs in the wild, according to a new study. High levels of an aquatic fungus called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) disrupt fluid and electrolyte balance in wild frogs, the scientists say, severely depleting the frogs' sodium and potassium levels and causing cardiac arrest and death.
- Did bone ease acid for early land crawlers?
Scientists have proposed that the bony structures in the skin of many early four-legged creatures might have been there to relieve acid buildup in bodily fluids. Analysis of their anatomy suggests that as they ventured out of water, the animals would have had trouble getting rid of enough CO2 to prevent acid buildup.
- Freeing loggerhead turtles comes at a price
Scientists have studied loggerhead turtles? re-adaptation to the environment. The results show that after a lengthy recovery in rehabilitation centers these animals display changes in behavior and may not adapt well to being free.
- Lizard moms may prepare their babies for a stressful world
Stressed out lizard moms tend to give their developing embryos short shrift, but the hardship may ultimately be a good thing for the babies once they're born, according to a new study.
- Venomous snakebites can be painful and expensive, says expert
Coming to an area near you: snakes, and plenty of them. With unusually warm temperatures and plenty of rainfall this spring, experts say this could be a bumper crop year for snakes. While Texas has never been short on the snake commodities list, people and pets should be aware that they are out and about, says an expert.
- Athletic frogs have faster-changing genomes
Physically fit frogs have faster-changing genomes, says a new study of poison frogs. Stretches of DNA accumulate changes over time, but the rate at which those changes build up varies considerably between species, researchers say.
- Traffic harms Asturian amphibians
Midwife toads and palmate newts are run over and their habitats are fragmented by roads in the Trubia valley (Asturias). According to a Spanish study, alleviating traffic is not enough to minimize the impact on midwife toad populations. The roads are the main cause of fragmenting the habitats of many species, especially amphibians. The toads get run over and the species loses genetic diversity as a result.
- Global effort launched to save turtles from extinction
A global effort to take direct responsibility for the continued survival of some of the world?s most endangered tortoises and freshwater turtles has just been launched.
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Years of selective inbreeding and experimentation has resulted in a cornucopia of ball python color morphs and designer patterns. All equally impressive in their own rights, new patterns and color morphs within these captive bred pet snakes are being produced every day--the rarity of which typically dictates the price tag. Be careful when purchasing any pastel variations, as good deals may not always be what they seem when dealing with live snakes. Buying from a reputable reptile dealer is extremely important, especially when purchasing your next baby ball python. {mos_fb_discuss:21} |
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 In this 6-part interactive tutorial, we’ll be showing you the required supplies and techniques for setting up a low cost Bearded Dragon Enclosure. Not only will we go over the essentials such as temperature gradients, lighting requirements, and substrate. We’ll learn inexpensive customization techniques for an aesthetically pleasing design capable of accommodating hatchlings to adults. |
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