Herps in the News: Florida Alligator

Herps in the News

Blog Post 5

Link: https://wsvn.com/news/local/11-foot-gator-captured-euthanized-after-being-spotted-by-firefighters-in-miami/

               This news story takes place in Miami, Florida. The Miami Fire Rescue crew were on their way driving back to the Fire Station, when they noticed something that resembled an unconscious person. Naturally when they went to investigate, they found an 11-foot alligator in instead. The crew contained the animal until a trapper was able to arrive on the scene. It was reported that containing the alligator was easy due to its sluggish movements throughout the neighborhood. When the trapper arrived, because of the dark wet conditions, they thought because to put the animal down due to safety concerns.

               When hearing this story, it was very interesting that an alligator was just moving through a neighborhood so late into the night. In reading more on their behaviors, they are typically active from dusk to dawn with variation. Apparently other alligator occurrences were happening the same time this news came about. The likely reason for such alligator activity is because this is their breeding season. Male alligators are commonly found roaming from ponds to ponds looking for a mate from the months of April to June. Unfortunately, the gator in this story was euthanized because of safety concerns. It makes sense why the trapper was concerned on the conditions of the night, because of the added difficulty to wrestle the animal.

               What gets me is that the alligator was to be put down rather than tranquilized like most situations. I truly doubt that this was a feed-gator situation, which gives a better reason to put them down. This simply was normal movements of an alligator lost on its way in my opinion. The fact that this was an alligator, is what I think was the big scare for the people that found it. In the video accompanying the story, the head line clearly showed the fear they had through the title “scaly scare”. As well in the video, after being provoked, the alligator showcased the power it had in its rolling. At the end of the story, they expressed the gratitude of the neighborhood to its first-responders for keeping them safe. It makes sense that what we don’t know can be scary, but the lack of education on such animals could make things worse or scarier in the future. This is a threatened species as it is, and we just lost another one.

-        Javier Polo Jr.

Natural History: American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis

Natural History

Blog Post 4

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

               During our trip to the Donnelley Wildlife Management park, we encountered a large number of young American Alligators. This individual was significant larger and girthier than the others. While the masses were in the water, coasting across the surface, this alligator remained on land basking in the sun. There was little to no movement and was separate from the others during the whole time or observing. The sex of the alligator could not be determined completely as there is a chance that this individual has yet to reach full size. Knowing of the sexual dimorphism on size, it still would not be enough to make such deduction. The dimorphism is that males are typically larger than females and broader snouts. Another way to determine sex is observing the sexual organism located inside vents(cloaca) on the ventral side of the animal. If a penis emerges after stimulation, then it’s a male, and if a clitoris emerges, then it is a female.

               This animal was located in a marshy environment where the water was not clear at all. The life history of this gator is pretty simple, it was born from an egg laid in the same marsh we found it today. Once hatched, the animal will grow and lose some of the yellow coloration that it would have as a juvenile. Typically, solidarity is a sign of a male alligator, but when it comes to basking, this is shared between both sexes.

               Growing up I would always hear and be taught about the power that these animals have. This was something that was to be avoided at all costs. Similar to the slogan “a good snake is a dead snake”, the same mentality is what I had with alligators. In this trip and other exposures, I can see that tall they do is live their lives and have no interest in endangering me. When giving enough space and acting accordingly, there is no harm that will occur. Seeing these animals in person and as close as I did was something definitely truly special.

-        Javier Polo Jr. 

Herps in Society and Culture: Loch Ness Monster

Herps in Society and Culture

Blog Post 3

               One of the most famous cryptids is the loch ness monster that is believed to reside in the lake “Loch Ness” in Scotland. This monster’s story has been around since the 1930’s and has made many disputes over its existence. Those that describe this monster, describe it as some sort of large sea monster, resembling a lot like a dinosaur. Assumptions were made that this monster most likely was either a plesiosaur or a descendent of some sort.

               The idea of the monster being a plesiosaur was something many scientists worked with. As many of people know, reptiles share many traits with dinosaurs, specifically the fact they are cold-blooded. Those organisms that are cold- blooded, are very affected by cold temperatures and have a need for an outside source of heat to regulate their body temperature. Since the waters of loch ness are very much cold, it would be almost impossible to sustain something so large of a body mass in such conditions. As something we learned in class, the larger the body mass, the longer it takes for it to heat up. Temperature is so important when their metabolism is so dependent on it.

               Other theories were that this monster could be warm blooded opposed to cold-blooded. The chance that this monster could be the first of its kind, is very unlikely and there is a lack of evidence to support it. The energy needed for this organism to be endothermic would require other means of energy besides the sun. The same way we depend on our food intake for energy, this Loch Ness monster would have to share that need. There simply is not a viable food source for the organism to sustain itself.

               When you look at the geography, the “lake” appears to pinch off to nothing, but in reality, there is significant space for travel to the open ocean. Looking in history, the time the plesiosaur could have made such a trek, the water would have been covered by ice, making the water even colder than what it is. For the amount of time researches have been searching for this creature, they were unable to find any remains of ancestors or present. If this creature were to live in such an environment, evolution would most likely be the way it was able to adapt. Without remains of ancestors, then support for its existence looks mighty grim.

Links: https://www.vox.com/2015/4/21/8459353/loch-ness-monster

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Ness_Monster

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-44223259

-        Javier Polo Jr.

Article Review: Intense Bone Fluorescence Reveals Hidden Patterns in Pumpkin Toadlets

Article Review

Article Name:Intense Bone Fluorescence Reveals Hidden Patterns in Pumpkin Toadlets

Authors: Sandra Goutte, Matthew J. Mason, Marta M. Antoniazzi, Carlos Jared, Didier Merle, Lilian Cazes, Luís Felipe Toledo, Hanane el-Hafci, Stéphane Pallu, Hugues Portier, Stefan Schramm, Pierre Gueriau & Mathieu Thoury

Journal Name: Scientific Reports

Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41959-8

Citation: Goutte, Sandra, et al. "Intense bone fluorescence reveals hidden patterns in pumpkin toadlets." Scientific Reports 9.1 (2019): 5388.

Blog Post 2

               The article describes fluorescent patterns in two pumpkin toadlet species (Brachycephalus ephippium and B. pitanga). The researches were able to determine that the fluorescence originates from the dermal bond of the head and back. In order to characterize the fluorescent properties, they used a combination of histological fluorescence and X-ray imaging techniques.

                 These species of frogs reside in the Atlantic forest in Brazil, diurnal in all species, and toxic with bright colors as a majority. They found that florescence was present in both male and females, but not in younger individuals due to ossification not having taken place. With the Brachycephalus ephippium, they were dissected to check sexual organs and vocal slits for sexual majority. What they found was the dermal bone was more developed in those that were sexually mature compared to sub-adults. Fully-developed dorsal plates gave a yellow fluorescence, while those who were sub-adults and juveniles had a blue fluorescence. It was assumed that this fluorescence was influenced by different thicknesses of the epidermal layer over the dermis. For the Brachycephalus pitanga, none were dissected since everyone was identified as mature individuals and were assumed to have similar late-stage developed dermal ossification.

               This article is based on observations to describe characteristics of these species of frog. Researchers noticed a unique characteristic and took the time to document them and these writings help others understand better about this topic. The fact that these frogs give off a fluorescence from their bones, is fascinating to learn about on its own. Something added in their conclusions is that they found that this fluorescence could be the bridge that helps them identify each other. Reason for this assumption was due to that these frogs were deaf to their own advertisement calls. Instead, they were known to use visual communication with hand-waving and mouth-gaping.

- Javier Polo Jr.

Herps in the News: The Eastern Hellbender named Pennsylvania State Amphibian

On April 23^rd it was signed into state legislature that the Pennsylvania state amphibian would be the Eastern Hellbender.  This nomination was heavily supported by a local Pennsylvania high school environmental group and other herpetology enthusiasts. The Pennsylvania state senator states that “it is an ugly creature that serves a beautiful purpose.”  He recognizes that this signifies a new push for cleaner water for all that reside along the waterways, human and animal alike.   The author states that this species is an excellent indicator species for the water condition and states that the hellbenders have been nearly erased from the lower ranges of the Appalachians due to human pollution of the waterways. He notes that it is hopeful that the states recognition of this species paves the way for increased conservation efforts for all aquatic life. 

This article offers hope on the conservation front within the US.  More and more articles like this are popping up, almost as a call to action to all its readers. This article seemed to be intended for most ages from high schoolers and above.   They mentioned the large support group coming from a high school group which is amazing and may give hope to the impact that even young readers can have during this time.  It was also very nice to see that the state senator was also in support and this change and the conservation efforts this change sheds light on.  It is too often that we see conservation efforts meeting tough opposition when it reaches the government. With conservation efforts gaining more and more legislative ground, this small victory in just one more step to a better protected natural world!

Check out the article at: https://www.bayjournal.com/article/easter_hellbender_named_pennsylvania_state_amphibian

Class Mascot: Kermit the Frog

April 27th, 2019

Class Mascot: Kermit the Frog

What better mascot could represent the knowledge and adventures of Herpetology better than Kermit the Frog? Within the past 3 or 4 years, Researchers have found Kermit's look-a-like, the Hyalinobatrachium dianae. In my opinion, Kermit should be the class mascot, because he is known for being a symbol of happiness and fun, but he can also be used to exhibit a variety of emotions and feelings  through different Memes.

..If someone's having a bad day, Kermit can be used to show that. 

..If someone is having a great day, Kermit can show that as well.

..Didn't really study for a Lab Quiz? Guess what, there's a meme for that too.

There's just so much variety and emotion that Kermit shows and he's perfect for a diverse class that loves to laugh. 

Halting Herps - Herps in the News

With much news these days, especially those dealing with herps, tending to be of a depressing nature, I was overjoyed to find this news story!

Just yesterday in Brazil, a 10-foot green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) was documented attempting to cross a 4-lane interstate, complete with a median wall. Instead of continuing their commutes and injuring/killing the snake in the process, several of the motorists stopped, exited their vehicles, and proceeded to get all of the other motorists in all four lanes to do the same. One of these anaconda defenders stated that he was tired of always seeing dead snakes and wildlife in general on and along the interstate, feeling that such actions of roadkilling should be a crime.

Upon review of the video documentation, a biologist applauded the efforts made by the anaconda defenders but also warned against too closely documenting such creatures. Despite being non-venomous, with their large size and aggressively defensive behaviours, anacondas can pose a risk to those who are not cautious.

In terms of reporting, the article linked at the end, "Ten-foot Snake Stops Traffic in Brazil before Drivers Help It Cross Road" appears to be intended for a general audience. The bias is towards having allowances for animals to cross and disrupt the flow of traffic. A bias which, in my opinion, is a validated one and which is sadly not popularly shared.

This first link is the majority of the video documentation (the article, linked at the bottom, only shows the last portion of the snake crossing).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d0uqXQnIj0

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/112278660/tenfoot-snake-stops-traffic-in-brazil-before-drivers-help-it-cross-road

This Is The Most Unique Little Turtle In The World

A couple of months ago I came across a video of a turtle, "Hope", on Facebook. This video stood out to me because I have never seen anything like this. The second I started watching I knew I had to share it with you guys! The commentary of the turtle's owner is a bit distracting but overall crazy that Hope was able to survive with this birth defect. The video is of what appears to be a juvenile albino pink bellied sideneck turtle that was born with a hole in it's plastron. Upon further investigating, I assumed this birth defect was a result of selective albino breeding. Thought you guys would want to check it out!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=449679532237518

Naturally, Hope's video has gone viral so if you're interested in following Hope's journey, follow her owners instagram: aquamike23

Man finds, kills giant snake on Gaston County property

On Easter weekend a man in Lowell, North Carolina killed a 12-14 foot snake. The man lives on 3.5 acres in a relatively rural part of town. He was unable to give an accurate identification on the snake but it was confirmed that it was non-venomous. When describing his initial reaction to finding the snake near a brush nearby an old barn on the property, he stated “I have no idea if it’s poisonous or not. I was assuming it’s poisonous because in my mind snakes equal poisonous”. Unfortunately in this case, the snake looks most similar to a rat snake which is harmless. Given that there is only one blurry picture of the species, I inferred it was a pine snake, Pituphis melanoleucus. This is because the shape of the body, the color variation on its back and belly, and the location that it was found. In the field guide it states that record for this species is 105 inches, almost 9 feet, indicating that this snake could be a new record. Later in the article the man who killed the snake stated, “Now hearing that they kill poisonous snakes and also eat the food of poisonous snakes. Once I posted the picture, I had people telling me that, so I do feel a little bad”. This happens all too often when individuals who are uneducated in snake identification decide to kill a snake because they assume its venomous because "snakes equal poisonous". In this case, the article states that out of 37 local species of snakes in North Carolina, only six of them are venomous. If this man was informed on the identification of local snake species, this snake could’ve lived to grow even more and continue to protect his property from rodents and other pests. It is impossible to inform every individual about every snake species in their area, but I think it is crucial for rural communities to educate citizens on how to identify the venomous species. 

Interested to hear other's thoughts on what species this could be and why! 

 https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/weird/man-finds-kills-giant-snake-on-gaston-county-property/275-c746a1fb-b43a-4146-882a-a7a3a2b365ab

Article Review: Factors that can influence the survival rates of coral snakes (Micrurus corallinus) for antivenom production

In Brazil, nearly 20,000 people are envenomated by a venomous snake each year, 1% of those being bitten by a coral snake (Mendes, 2019).  The push for increased conservation efforts over the last few decades (however vital to the maintenance of natural biodiversity) has drastically decreased the number of coral snakes that are donated/ discovered by the Laboratory of Herpetology at Instituto Butantan. Here, they have been focusing on improved methods for maintaining the captive population present at the lab.  This has proved very difficult since Micrurus corallinus has been found to be particularly susceptible to diseases and often have a difficult time adjusting to captive life.  The article sites information from personal interviews stating that the number of snakes obtained by the lab has dropped from approximately 250 snakes a year in 1995 to only approximately 35 snakes over the past few years.  The author focused on the utilization of several different substratum used as a habitat for the individual snakes as well as their diet/ food preparation.

The author collective data obtained over the last 20 or so years to narrow down the method changes that have brought about the biggest improvement to the longevity of the captive snakes.  The first substratum used was sphagnum moss (Group I & II).  This material was found to be harmful to the snakes since it retained to much humidity and lead to bacterial infections and high mortality rates among the colony.  The author noted a large increase in longevity when they switched to bark as a substratum (Group III), since it retained a lower, more optimal humidity. 

The second point that the author studies was the diet of the snake.  Originally, the snakes were fed live animals caught in the wild (Group I).  This presented challenges since the animals were vectors for many parasites and diseases that heavily impacted the first group of snakes.  There was a switch to euthanizing the prey and freezing it to reduce the number of parasites and this helped drastically improve the longevity of the snakes.  Finally, the lab began to feed the snakes captive bred corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) since they are easily bred and maintained and also increased the predatory behavior of the snakes (since the were live food) (Group II & III). This further improved the survival rates of the snakes.

The author states that the first group of snakes had the highest mortality rate out of the three groups, stating that only 10% of the snakes survived after the first 150 days in captivity.  Group II was calculated at 40% survival after 150d, and Group III had the highest at 75% survival after 150d.  This is dependent most of the control of disease through the captive bred food and use of bark as a substratum (Mendes, 2019).

This research is important as society is trying to find a balance between the demands of human survival and the survival of natural resources that surround us.  Many people is underdeveloped areas are largely affected by the number of snake bites they endure so it is critical to maintain enough antivenom to counteract this number.  That being said, it is vital to maintain the natural population and environment of snakes in the wild.  That is why improved methods of maintating a captive population of coral snakes for antivenom production is so vital, so that there can be a better balance between humans and nature.

Article Review: Profiling a possible rapid extinction event in a long-lived species

It is no secret that there are detrimental effects on wildlife and ecosystems as a result of climate change; however, we are just beginning to understand just how expansive these consequences are. A study was conducted by Spencer et al. to examine the cause of rapid extinction rates of the Belligner River snapping turtle, Myuchelys georgesi in the summers of 2014 and 2015 in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. It was concluded that the population was rapidly reduced because of disease caused by unknown pathogens. In February 2015 it was reported that around 432 turtles were found either dead or possessed symptoms of the disease on the banks of the Bellinger River. Symptoms of the disease included slow movement, lethargic behavior, or potential blindness due to the inflammation of the eyes and surrounding area. This “mystery disease” decreased this native population at an alarming rate. 

In this study, researchers compiled any evidence of this species-specific disease from scientific and public reports, used historical data to evaluate the overall health of the species population and in individuals, and overall analyzed the changes of environmental factors: temperature, rainfall, and river levels. Scientist were able to compare size structure of the historical population, using data from a systematic survey conducted in 2007, with the affected population and the population one year after the out-break in 2016 using histograms. From the data collected in 2007 they were able to identify 18 individuals that were affected in the 2015 out-break. The analyses showed that overall grown adult population of the Myuchelys georgesi were severely impacted from 2007 vs. 2015 by the disease, but not juveniles. The turtles that were rescued and relocated did not display any symptoms of disease the following year. It was suspected that a pathogen may have infected an area of their diet that is inaccessible to juveniles. The environmental data collected showed that from 2012 to 2015 water levels in the area dropped 30% in 2014. Examining the data also showed that there was an increase in overall temperature showing that in 2014 was almost doubled since 2010.

This raises future concerns for bigger potential impacts of pathogens and diseases on freshwater ecosystems that so many turtle species call home. As carbon dioxide atmospheric levels rapidly increase we are just beginning to scratch the surface of the effects of warmer climates. Pathogens thrive in warm climates and as water evaporation rates increase, leaving less water in aquatic ponds, it leaves more of an opportunity for pathogens, diseases, viruses, and parasites to thrive resulting in rapid extinction. It is important to monitor populations and implement back-up management strategies to save native turtle population’s if/when an event like this would to reoccur.

Spencer, R.-J., Van Dyke, J., Petrov, K., Ferronato, B., McDougall, F., Austin, M., Keitel, C., Georges, A. (2018). Profiling a possible rapid extinction event in a long-lived species. Biological Conservation, 221, 190–197. https://doi-org.nuncio.cofc.edu/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.03.009

https://www-sciencedirect-com.nuncio.cofc.edu/science/article/pii/S0006320717305335