- Obesity Clues From Research On How Burrowing Frogs Survive Years Without Food
Burrowing frogs can survive buried for several years without food or water. Scientists have discovered that the metabolism of their cells changes radically during the dormancy period allowing the frogs to maximize the use of their limited energy resources. This discovery could prove to have important applications in the long term for treating energy-related disorders such as obesity.
- Boy Or Girl? In Lizards, Egg Size Matters
Whether baby lizards will turn out to be male or female is a more complicated question than scientists would have ever guessed, according to a new report. The study shows that for at least one lizard species, egg size matters.
- Water Snake Startles Fish So They Flee Into Its Jaws
Forget the old folk tales about snakes hypnotizing their prey. The tentacled snake from South East Asia has developed a more effective technique. The small water snake has found a way to startle its prey so that the fish turn toward the snake's head to flee instead of turning away.
- Illegal Trade In Vietnam's Marine Turtles Continues Despite National Ban
Marine turtles are vanishing from Viet Nam's waters and illegal trade is largely to blame says a new study.
- New Species Of Phallus-shaped Mushroom Named After California Academy Of Sciences Scientist
As part of ongoing research on Sao Tome and Principe, a new Phallus mushroom has been discovered and described. Phallus drewesii belongs to a group of mushrooms known as stinkhorns which give off a foul, rotting meat odor. There are 28 other species of Phallus fungi worldwide, but this particular species is notable for its small size, white net-like stem, and brown spore-covered head. It is also the only Phallus species to curve downward instead of upward.
- Newly Discovered Chemical Weapon In Poison Frogs' Arsenal
New research documents a surprising chemical weapon used by some Amazonian poison frogs. The study identified for the first time a family of poisons never before known to exist in these brightly colored creatures or elsewhere in nature: the N-methyldecahydroquinolines. The authors then speculated on its origin in the frogs' diet, most likely ants.
- Snakes Use Friction And Redistribution Of Their Weight To Slither On Flat Terrain
Snakes use both friction generated by their scales and redistribution of their weight to slither along flat surfaces, researchers have found. Their findings run counter to previous studies that have shown snakes move by pushing laterally against rocks and branches.
- For Different Species, Different Functions For Embryonic MicroRNAs
When evolution has lucked into efficient solutions for life's most fundamental problems, it adopts them as invaluable family heirlooms, passing them down as one species evolves into another. So it was reasonable to expect that a key regulator of embryonic development -- a strand of RNA that shepherds stem cells through the process of differentiation -- might play the same role in all vertebrates, from fish to people. New research, however, has shown that when it comes to microRNAs, what works for one animal may not work the same way in another.
- Komodo Dragons Even More Deadly Than Thought: Combined Tooth-venom Arsenal Key To Hunting Strategy
The effectiveness of the Komodo dragon bite is a combination of highly specialized serrated teeth and venom, a new study shows. The authors also dismiss the widely accepted theory that prey die from septicemia caused by toxic bacteria living in the dragon's mouth.
- World's Largest Leatherback Turtle Population Found
Scientists have identified a nesting population of leatherback sea turtles in Gabon, West Africa as the world's largest. The research involved country-wide land and aerial surveys that estimated a population of between 15,730 and 41,373 female turtles using the nesting beaches. The study highlights the importance of conservation work to manage key sites and protected areas in Gabon.
- Ultrasonic Communication Among Frogs
Scientists report on the only known frog species that can communicate using purely ultrasonic calls, whose frequencies are too high to be heard by humans. Known as Huia cavitympanum, the frog lives only on the Southeast Asian island of Borneo.
- About 200 New Species Of Amphibians In Madagascar Discovered
Between 129 and 221 new species of frogs have been identified in Madagascar, practically doubling the currently known amphibian fauna. The finding suggests that the number of amphibian species in Madagascar, one of the world?s biodiversity hotspots, has been significantly underestimated. According to the researchers, if these results are extrapolated at a global scale, the number of amphibian species worldwide could double.
- Researchers Fire The Starting Gun For The Great Turtle Race
Leatherbacks are the largest turtles on Earth with evolutionary roots that go back more than 100 million years. But their numbers, particularly in the Pacific, are declining at an alarming rate due to egg harvest, fishery bycatch, coastal development, and highly variable food availability. Researchers have attached satellite transmitters to track them in the Great Turtle Race.
- Prehistoric Turtle Goes To Hospital For CT Scan In Search For Skull, Eggs, Embryos
Researchers recently took a 75-million-year-old turtle for a CT scan to look for its skull, additional eggs and possible embryos.
- New Parasite Found In Black Green Lizards In Spain, Portugal
An international team of scientists has discovered a new acarine species (Ophionyssus schreibericolus) that lives off black green lizards from the Iberian Peninsula. This involves the first recording of the Ophionyssus genus that feeds off and lives on animals endemic to the peninsula. The researchers now think that these parasites could be found in other reptiles in the region.
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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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