New genus of tiny, iridescent snake from Philippines found in collection
To be fair, the newly described Waray dwarf burrowing snake is pretty great at hiding. In its native habitat on…
Earliest example of a rapid-fire tongue found in ‘weird and wonderful’ extinct amphibians
Fossils of bizarre, armored amphibians known as albanerpetontids provide the oldest evidence of a slingshot-style tongue, a new Science study…
How to get the upper body of a burrowing frog
You might think the buffest frogs would be high jumpers, but if you want shredded pecs, you should train like…
Florida lizard’s bad case of constipation makes history
Feasting at a Cocoa Beach pizza parlor grease bin gave one northern curly-tailed lizard a record-breaking case of constipation. Mouthfuls…
Coquí fossil from Puerto Rico takes title of oldest Caribbean frog
The bright chirp of the coquí frog, the national symbol of Puerto Rico, has likely resounded through Caribbean forests for…
Here be dragons: Analysis reveals new species in Smaug lizard group
Smaug, the deadly dragon in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” has a few living relatives. With dense, alligator-like armor, these small,…
Skulls gone wild: How and why some frogs evolved extreme heads
Many frogs look like a water balloon with legs, but don’t be fooled. Beneath slick skin, some species sport spines,…
Honoring lifelong reptile and amphibian expert Joseph Mitchell
Valued herpetologist and Florida Museum of Natural History research associate Joseph Mitchell died on July 2. Widely known for his…
Even Stranger Things: What’s next for the Demogorgon? Scientists weigh in
In the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” the Demogorgon – a humanlike predatory creature whose face opens like a flower to…
In Gabon with a professional frog-catcher
University of Florida Ph.D. student Gregory Jongsma has been obsessed with Africa’s wildlife since his childhood. Not the animals you…