Herps in the News: Bururi long-fingered frog (Cardioglossa cyaneospila) found after 62 years

                                                             Picture by David Blackburn



Burundi is located at geographic hotspot; it borders the Congo River Basin, the Great Rift Valley, and the world's second largest freshwater lake, Lake Tanganyika. Despite the recent unrest and population growth in this country, the Bururi Forest Reserve in the southwest part of the country still maintains numerous habitats. 


A single specimen of the long-fingered frog (Cardioglossa cyaneospila) was found in December 2011 in Burundi, Africa. This species has not been seen by scientists since 1949, over 60 years ago. Due to political turmoil and habitat destruction in Burundi since the mid-1900s, extinction was a definite possibility. 


David Blackburn, curator of the California Academy of Sciences, and Eli Greenbaum, professor at the University of Texas at El Paso, traveled to Burundi with the goal of find the long-fingered frog and other herp species described over 60 years ago. The duo spent four nights in the Bururi Forest Reserve without finding a single specimen, but on the fifth night things changed:


"I thought I heard the call and walked toward it, then waited," said Blackburn. "In a tremendous stroke of luck, I casually moved aside some grass and the frog was just sitting there on a log. I heard multiple calls over the next few nights, indicating a healthy population of the species, but I was only able to find this one specimen."


As you can see from the picture, this frog is small (1-2") and grayish-blue and black. It is aptly named because males have an extra long finger on their forefeet with an unknown purpose. Like many species in Burundi, its closest relative inhabits the mountains of Cameroon (> 1400 miles away). 


The explorers intend to use the collected specimen to shed light on the genetic isolation and evolutionary history in Africa. Because they also found dozens of other species, they also hope to update IUCN conservation statuses in Burundi. Still, Burundi is largely unexplored and further investigation and coordination with local government is required to preserve what habitat remains.


...


This is a newsworthy topic because this type of discovery/research is a perfect example of why wildlife preserves are important and why everyone needs to be aware of endangered species. Even though this finding was largely based on luck, the investigators knew  there was a possibility that frog remained because of the preserved habitat. While the human population of the country was growing and bickering, the Bururi Forest Reserve stoically safeguarded its inhabitants. People love to hear about new species being discovered  (like the leopard frog in New York); it is a major talking point. Since this species was maintained for the past 60+ years by a wildlife refuge, people may begin to consider the value of such places. I would not be surprised if this expedition yields more newsworthy results regarding evolution in Africa or new, endemic species.


Source: http://esciencenews.com/articles/2012/03/27/elusive.long.fingered.frog.found.after.62.years

Three small Texas snakes

We've had some exciting field outings these last few weeks.  Lately some small snakes have been turning up, which has been very exciting. 

Herps in Society and Culture: Snake Charmers

Herps in Society and Culture:  Snake Charmers

    One of the most familiar and longest standing icons of Indian culture is that of the enchanting snake charmer.  The idea of an ordinary man mastering the will of a highly venomous reptile with only the use of a haunting flute tune seems an act of magic.  Many of us now know that this is not the case, and that without ears the snakes cannot even hear the charmers tune.  Instead, the snakes follow the swaying movement of the flute end warily guarding against an attack while displaying a hood as a visual threat.  Even so, watching the cobra’s gentle dance is still an amazing an beautiful thing.
    Snakes, and particularly cobras, have always been an important part of Indian culture and are very promenint in the Hindi religion.  The god Vishnu is said to manifest as 1,000 headed snake in order to cleanse the world at the end of an aeon. Another god, Shiva, is often seen wearing a protective cobra around his head or chest.  Snakes are also seen as being able to bring wealth, respect and power to those who treat them well and bringing sickness and death to those who do not.  As such, many of the earliest snake charmers were seen almost as holy men because of their close interaction with their serpentine counter parts.
    However, this ancient and long standing Indian profession is slowly disappearing, which may not be all bad.  In order to ensure the safety of the charmers many of these snakes have been “surgically” altered by having their fangs removed or even having their entire mouth sewn shut.  After such practices the snakes can no longer eat and eventually starve to death.  Luckily, pressures from animal rights’s groups and from the Indian government to protect these beautiful snakes are helping to deter people from continuing these cruel practices.  But then what about the charmers?  
    Many snake charmers are from large families who have specialized in snake charming for generations and who know no other profession or means of making a living.  Fortunately, a number of groups have found some very creative solutions for keeping these iconic men and women employed.  Recognizing the skills and talent that these individuals possess for working with the potentially deadly snakes, many snake charmers are being retrained as snake handlers.  Some of these men and women may work as “animal control” by helping to remove venomous snakes from densely populated areas where they may pose a threat to the people who live there.  Other ex-charmers now act as snake milkers, harvesting the venom from cobras, kraits and Russel’s vipers in order to make antivenin that may be used in hospitals to treat those who have been bitten and envenomated.  Still others may act as speakers and educators, teaching the public to respect and appreciate these snakes instead of fearing them. 
    In this way, an ancient and iconic tradition is continuing on in a modern world and where once these men and women exploited and hurt the snakes that provide them with a means of living, they now are an important force in protecting and preserving these beautiful animals.

Resources :
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/08/139086119/in-india-snake-charmers-are-losing-their-sway
http://www.indiancultureonline.com/details/Snake-Worship.html
http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/legendary-and-mysterious-art-of-snake-charming-revealed/weird-science

Herps in the News: Leatherbacks Break Nesting Records

image from First Coast News

The St Augustine Record and First Coast News, both published March 27, 2012.

Both of these articles were published by smaller news companies, with the general population of Florida coasts as their intended audience. The St Augustine Record's article quoted some biologists and conservationists, and the First Coast News has a short video of interviews.

Leatherback sea turtles have begun nesting in the St Augustine, Florida region, but they normally do not begin until May, thus breaking the record of the earliest nesting season (record keeping in Florida began in 1987). According to a conservationist in the article, the "normal early" nesting is in April.

Although the temperatures in Florida have been 10 degrees above normal, a wildlife biologist said that their local temperatures are not the reason for the early nesting. He said that the determining factor for the leatherbacks was the water temperature wherever they were foraging before they migrated to Florida for nesting. It would have been that temperature that cued them to move on to Florida. Also, leatherbacks are the only sea turtles that have begun this early nesting; time will reveal if other sea turtles follow this pattern this year.

As it is still early in the season, I think it will be interesting if the warmer temperatures will drastically affect the migrating pattern of other species. Furthermore, turtles have temperature dependent sex determination, and there is speculation that a long trend of warmer weather will alter the male:female ratio of turtles.

Image here

Herps in the News: New Gecko Discovery

     While scanning the internet for herps in the news, I noticed an article on the BBC's website.  The article is titled: "Tiny Lizards Found in Madagascar."  Madagascar in general is such as interesting place to me, and I hope to visit someday, but "Tiny Lizards" is what caught my eye.  There are not very many lizards or geckos, or chameleons for that matter, in Ohio, which means we hardly get a chance to study them in our herpetology class here at Miami U, so I jumped at the chance to know more about these "Tiny Lizards." 

     This "Tiny Lizard" is a tiny chameleon that reaches a maximum length of about 29mm; it can fit on the tip of a match!  The chameleon is found in leaf litter during the day and climbs "up into the branches," a mere 4 inches, at night.   The researchers, led by Dr. Frank Glaw, found this tiny species at night, since it was easier to spot on the trees.  Its location is determined to be restricted to the small remote limestone islet around Madagascar it was found on, called Nosy Hara. 

     The surrounding islands of Madagascar are home to a variety of dwarf chameleons, but this specific species, Brookesia micra, was found to be genetically different from each of the other species.  As a result, it is believed to represent an extreme case of island dwarfism. Since, the small island allows for only a very restricted habitat for the tiny chameleon; just a single square kilometer, the amount of resources available is also limited.  So, this case of dwarfism has been thought to occur from many adaptations over an evolutionary time period due to this restricted habitat on the island.
     As being one of the world's smallest lizards, it is unique to the world, and should be protected.  The small habitat, however, makes it really sensitive to disturbances. Unfortunately, this sensitivity makes it very hard to avoid all the negative hits to the population, regardless of conservation efforts.  Luckily, the researchers understood the issues these species face, and decided that there needed to be more attention driven to these small endemic, or "micro-endemic," species.   Therefore, the researchers named the species with names that were designed to be thought-provoking for the future of the island's species.

Check out these tiny chameleons:




  

Brookesia micra is from Nosy Hara in northern Madagascar. (top) adult male on black background, showing orange tail coloration; (middle, D) habitat along a small creek on western flank of Nosy Hara, where part of the type series was collected; (middle) juvenile on finger tip; (bottom) map showing location of Nosy Hara, where Brookesia micra can be found, and the other islands and close relatives of Brookesia micra.


News article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17028940

Herps in the News: Snake Import Ban Takes Effect Soon

News Link:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/17/us/florida-python-ban/index.html

In January, 2012, the United States Department of the Interior banned the importation of four exotic species of snakes and their eggs to the country. These species were the Burmese python Python molurus, northern African python Python sebae sebae, southern African python Python sebae natalensis and yellow anaconda Eunectes notaeus. These four species of snakes were deemed harmful to the United States due to their negative ecological effects on native fauna. These snakes were targeted due to their large size, propensity for being kept in captivity, and frequency of being released or escaped into the environment. Additionally, these snakes have been shown to do well in the native ecosystems of the United States, especially in the warmer, subtropical parts of the country. In particular, the Burmese python is of concern in the Florida Everglades. This large species of python has set up a large population in the Everglades after many years of pets either escaping of being released there by unprepared or negligent owners. According to the news report, the population may be in the tens of thousands, with breeding evidenced by egg clutches containing as many as 83 eggs. In addition to taking away resources from other large, native predators, the snakes are wreaking havoc on native prey items, several of whom are endangered or threatened.

It is important to note that this importation ban will not have any applications to those individuals who already own any of these snake species. The ban will, however, restrict the movement of these snakes between state lines. In other words, the snakes currently owned now must stay in the state they are being held in. It is hoped that this transportation ban will also help to limit the release of these snakes into new areas.

This story is currently relevant because this ban, while passed in January, does not take effect until late March. It is being enforced under the Lacey Act, which was designed to stop illegal animal trafficking. Penalties under the Lacey Act are severe, and it is hoped these consequences will be harsh enough to deter those individuals who might otherwise continue to trade these exotic species illegally.

In my opinion, I support this legislation very much, as I believe this is an excellent first step to controlling the exotic pet trade that has been demonstrated to have negative impacts on native fauna and on the species itself, especially when unregulated. While an unpopular view among many herpetologists and those interested in exotic animal care, I support legislation that maintains wild population in their own native habitats and limits global movement of pets. It has always been a belief of mine that humans should not transport animal species around the globe. Instead, we should work to conserve wild population of these charismatic species in their native habitats. It is important to note that many of the places and habitats that these animals are being harvested from are under peril, and the conservation efforts in these places are typically underfunded, understaffed, and ineffective. If all the money in the pet trade was applied instead to native conservation efforts, the health of innumerable animal and plant populations would be much better and ready to take on the perils of the future for others to enjoy.

LIFE HISTORY: Ambystoma Opacum (Marbled Salamander)

    On Thursday March 22, we found the most beautiful salamander yet, Ambystoma opacum, or the Marbled Salamander.
    It was a hot, humid, and biting bug filled day at the Dixie Plantation. I was waist deep in mucky water collecting traps. I rarely find anything that, in my mind, is worth noting. Trap after trap I came up empty handed, and then I hear someone call in the distance, "Salamander!" Of course, it could not have been me to find it, but I was just as excited to witness someone else's finding of this beautiful creature. Salamanders are by far my most favorite herp, but the marbled salamander takes takes the cake. Though I'm sure he put up a fight when being caught, this adult salamander was actually pretty calm when being handled, which only made me fall for it even more! This stocky, boldly banded salamander appears to be a male. Males have more white bands, while a female's bands are more gray.
                                                

   RANGE AND HABITAT-  Marbled salamanders are found in the eastern United States, from New England to Florida, and west all the way to IL. I am from southern IL, and I have never seen one of these magnificent creatures, nor did I know they existed there. Had I known I would have been a herp hunter LONG before now!!

   Their habitat includes damp woodlands, forests, and places where the soil is soft and wet. Ambystoma opacum, like most mole salamanders, spends most of its time under logs, in burrows, or deep within leaf litter.

LIFE CYCLE-   Adults, usually growing to about 4in which is considered small compared to the rest of the genus, tend to come out for breeding in the fall-December rainy seasons and eggs hatch in the spring. Females dig a small depression in the dirt and lay their eggs (up to 150) in a low area likely to flood during winter rainy seasons. Marbled salamander larvae have a size advantage over neighboring salamander species that don't begin breeding until the spring season.  
    In the spring, growth accelerates for all larvae as temperatures increase and food items become more abundant. . The schedule of larval metamorphosis is largely dependent on vernal pool water levels or hydroperiod during summer. In years of high water, larvae will remain in the pool longer, sometimes until fall, before transforming; the recently-metamorphosed juveniles will be leaving the pond, as the adults begin arriving to breed. Juveniles take 15-18 months to reach breeding size.

DIET- Adults eat small invertebrates such as snails, spiders, insects, and millipedes. Larvae are voracious eaters, preying on copepods, aquatic insects and their larvae, other amphibian larvae, and even each other.