NEWS & RESEARCH
Reptile News
Read about reptile research, conservation, and new discoveries, complete with links to original sources. We have compiled published news, organized by the latest date.
Latest Reptile News
None of the Nine Left the Archipelago — Satellite Tracking Data on Galapagos ‘Yellow-Morph’ Green Sea Turtles
A study tracking nine Galapagos yellow-morph green sea turtles via satellite for 45 to 418 days illustrates coastal residency, inter-island movement, and the scope of conclusions possible with a small sample size.
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An Orange-Throated Mountain Lizard from the Border Region — *Acanthosaura aurantiogularis* Identified from Just Three Specimens
This section outlines the characteristics and research limitations of *Acanthosaura aurantiogularis*, a new species identified through morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence from three specimens found in the forests of Yunnan Province along the China-Myanmar border.
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It Didn’t End with the Removal of 808 Individuals — Pitfalls in Florida Green Iguana Management
While 808 green iguanas were removed at night from a Florida canal, the population in the control site also declined due to seasonal factors. This study analyzes the distinction between short-term capture results and actual population control.
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From 10-Day Refrigeration to Liquid Nitrogen: A Second Path to Texas Horned Lizard Restoration Opens Up
Sperm collected from 20 wild males retained 19% motility after 10 days of refrigeration and an average of 13.9% motility after freezing and thawing. This study validates reptile biobanking, a crucial step preceding successful fertilization.
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Humans selectively hunted snakes 15,000 years ago — a 3,000-year record across 20 layers at Mount Carmel
Repeated cut marks were identified on 82 snake vertebrae across 20 cultural layers at the El-Wad Terrace on Mount Carmel. The study analyzes a 3,000-year record of the Natufian people's selective use of large reptiles.
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Are relocated sea turtle eggs really safer? — 'Variables beyond shade' revealed by 48 nests
A comparison of 48 green sea turtle nests showed that nests moved to shaded areas differed in hatching success and hatchling quality from original nests, even when temperatures were similar. This highlights variables beyond temperature in nest relocation.
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90 minutes that halted jaw cancer in a 50kg python—achievements and limitations of a 'snake-first' electrochemical therapy
A 23-year-old reticulated python at Chester Zoo has been eating normally for months following surgery and electrochemical therapy for recurrent jaw fibrosarcoma. We examine the procedure, outcomes, and limitations—regarding generalizability—of this case, which is believed to be the first of its kind in a snake.
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A cellular ‘antenna’ determining turtle sex? — The primary cilium hypothesis and 89 regulatory hubs
A 2026 *PLOS ONE* study comparing the painted turtle (temperature-dependent sex determination) and the spiny softshell turtle (genetic sex determination) proposed the primary cilium as a new candidate integration point. We examine the findings regarding 89 transcription factor hubs alongside the study's unverified limitations.
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127 Australian lizard and snake species at risk — a 'conservation gap' larger than official lists suggest
A nationwide review in Australia has revealed significant conservation gaps between the potential threat status of at least 127 species of terrestrial lizards and snakes and their listings under IUCN and federal frameworks.
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