The Sonoran Desert toad excretes a substance that can provide a vivid psychedelic experience, dubbed the “God molecule” by some. However, the largest native toad in the United States is not immortal. Conservationists are now warning that the toad’s hallucinogenic toxin may be in high demand, putting the species at risk. “There’s a perception of […]
Tag: Herpetologica
Two new iguanid lizard species from the Laja Lagoon, Chile
A team of Chilean scientists discover two new species of iguanid lizards from the Laja Lagoon, Chile. The two new species are believed to have been long confused with other representatives of the elongatus-kriegi lizard complex, until recent morphological analysis diagnosed them as separate. The study was published in the 500th issue of the open […]
Yellow spots, orange stripes: vivid new frog species discovered in Malaysia
Scientists have identified a new species of frog on the Malay Peninsula. The newly named Hylarana centropeninsularis was discovered in a peat swamp and genetic analyses revealed that it is evolutionarily distinct from its stream-dwelling cousins. After publishing the discovery in the online journal Herpetologica, Kin Onn Chan, a doctoral candidate at the University of […]
Frogs radio-tracked for first time in Madagascar
Researchers have radio-tracked frogs for the first time in Madagascar. The effort, undertaken by a group of European scientists, is detailed in the current issue of Herpetologica. Attaching tiny radio transmitters weighing 0.3-0.35 grams (1/100 of an ounce) to 36 rainbow frogs (Scaphiophryne gottlebei), the research team tracked the movement of the colorful frogs through […]