Happy World Frog Day! In this episode we answer a couple questions from listeners: why are there no neotenic frogs, and what books we recommend for people interested in herpetology (fair warning: it’s a lot!) Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device… Read more The post SquaMates Ep. 31: I do it for the gills first appeared on SquaMates ..read more

In this episode we talk about how many people are getting bitten by venomous snakes in South Africa, and how reporting encounters like this can help to reduce morbidity and mortality from snakebite: all the topic of a new paper by co-host Hiral Naik! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at… Read more The post SquaMates Ep. 30: Nolite te serpentes biteyouonyourbum first appeared on SquaMates ..read more

In this episode we drop some HOT OFF THE PRESS news about seven new species of frogs from Madagascar that Mark has been involved in describing that are named after seven Star Trek captains. We also cover some exciting recent research on Gymmie phylogeography and diving anoles! Plus, Hiral is submitting her PhD thesis! Wow!… Read more The post SquaMates Ep. 29: Frog Trek first appeared on SquaMates ..read more

In this episode we talk about everyone’s favourite frogs, rain frogs of the family Brevicipitidae! We go over their diversity, ecology, and anatomy, as well as their fun adhesive properties! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider;… Read more The post SquaMates Ep. 27: I’m only hoppy when it rains first appeared on SquaMates ..read more

In this episode we gently debate subspecies, and then dive into several snake papers, from their anomalously extensive and rapid diversification, to a recent taxonomic change. Regrettably the audio on this episode was affected by a technical error, so it is far less than our usual quality (Ethan and Hiral are a little quiet, sorry!).… Read more The post SquaMates Ep. 26: Let’s talk about snakes, baby first appeared on SquaMates ..read more

In this episode we talk about a really cool predation observation, the importance of publishing behavioural or observational notes, and some follow-up on the anaconda mess from Episode 24. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Citations Bringsøe, H. & Dreyer, N.P. (2024) Kleptoparasitism in Micrurus mipartitus (Squamata, Elapidae) competing for the same Caecilia sp. (Gymnophiona, Caeciliidae) in western ..read more

In this episode we talk about the breaking news that caecilians produce milk‽, and get into some recent taxonomic works on anacondas and eyelash palm-pitvipers. Content warning: this episode contains several Hot Takes. Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Wake, M.H. (2024) Amphibian hatchlings find mother’s milk. Science, 383(6687):1060–1061. DOI: 10.1126/science.ado2094 Mailho-Fontana, P.L., Antoniazzi, M.M., Coelho, G.R., Pimenta, D.C., Fernandes, L.P ..read more

The Mates are back after two and a half years of hiatus! They talk about all that’s happened in the intervening time, and where we are going from here! Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Get yourself a copy of Ethan’s book, Moistly Harmless! Hiral is featured in this phenomenal book on Women in Herpetology! Go check out the Global Women in Herpetology project, over at https://www.womeninherpetology.com/. Mark wants you to check out itaxotools.org for yo ..read more

The Mates get into the evolution of Ambystoma, whether or not to use subspecies, and the fantastically diverse and oft maligned gymnophthalmids (gymmies!). Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Boccia, C.K., Swierk, L., Ayala-Varela, F.P., Boccia, J., Borges, I.L., Estupiñán, C.A., Martin, A.M., Martínez-Grimaldo, R.E., Ovalle, S., Senthivasan, S., Toyama, K.S., del Rosario Castañeda, M., García, A., Glor, R.E. & Mahler, D.L. Repea ..read more

The Mates are joined this month by Hiral Naik, a snake ecologist from South Africa! We talk turtles, skinks, crocodiles, neocolonialism in science, and Lamprophiidae! Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Thomson, R.C., Spinks, P.Q. & Shaffer, H.B. (2021) A global phylogeny of turtles reveals a burst of climate-associated diversification on continental margins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(7):e2012215118. DOI: 10 ..read more