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
Re-counting Reptiles Across 200 Islands — First Comprehensive Checklist of 11 Species in Turks and Caicos
The first comprehensive checklist, compiling 20 years of field data, has revealed 11 native reptile species—including eight endemics—in the Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as urgent gaps in conservation.
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The Real ‘Syrax’ of Thailand’s Highland Forests — Eight Specimens and Two Genes Define a New Species, *Acanthosaura syrax*
A new species, *Acanthosaura syrax*, has been described from high-altitude forests (above 1,300 m) in Mae Wong National Park, Thailand. The original study verified the species based on eight type specimens, morphological diagnosis, ND2 and COI genetic analysis, and conservation status.
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Can the Vanished ‘Horned Toad’ Be Brought Back? — Restoration Study for Texas Horned Lizards Launches on 6,000 Acres
"Texas Tech University has launched a $150,000 restoration study to track Texas horned lizard populations, harvester ants, habitats, and land use on a 6,000-acre private ranch over a two-year period."}
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Optimistic tortoises are bolder — Long-term mood states identified in red-footed tortoises
At a glancePaper published: July 8, 2025 · Animal Cognition 28(1):52Research institutions: University of Lincoln, UKSubject: 15 red-footed tortoises ( Chelonoidis carbonaria)Researchers: Tom Hoehfurtner, Anna Wilkinson, Sophie A. Moszuti, Oliver H. P. BurmanKey findings: Individuals kept in better housing conditions…
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New Himalayan keelback species *Herpetoreas yadongensis* — a snake hidden within a well-known group
At a glancePaper published: February 15, 2026 · Asian Herpetological ResearchResearch institutions: Yibin University, Xizang UniversitySubject: Official common name pending · Herpetoreas yadongensis sp. nov. (new species of the genus *Herpetoreas*)Discovery site: Yadong County, Xizang (Tibet), ChinaKey findings: Mitochondrial gene…
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New species of New Guinea ground snake, *Lielaphis slashi*, identified — named after guitarist Slash
A new species of ground snake, *Lielaphis slashi*, was described in New Guinea in August 2026. The process of identifying this cryptic species—which combined genetic analysis of 12 species, scale morphology, and ecological modeling—along with its limitations and conservation implications, was verified against the original research paper and the official announcement by the Field Museum.
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Bearded Dragons Learned Routes Without Human Presence — ReptiLearn Automated Behavioral Experiment
This article explains the ReptiLearn study—covering its methodology, data, and limitations—in which four Bearded dragons learned to associate locations with food rewards and relearned new locations without human intervention.
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Climate Change Alters Reptile Conservation Maps in Korea — Distribution Modeling and SPI Research on 18 Species
"We examine research on species distribution models and the Species Protection Index for 18 domestic reptile species, accompanied by six photographs. The analysis focuses on the 'numerical trap' where the overlap ratio with protected areas can actually increase even as potential habitats shrink due to climate change."}
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