Paleontologists uncover chemical traces of pigmentation for prehistoric bird, fish and squid fossils. Leer más.
Every Monday morning we enjoy sharing with you a particularly adorable amphibian photo, complete with fun facts through our popular Cute Frog of the Week feature. Now, thanks to ARKive–a website containing an extensive collection of photos, videos, facts and updates about endangered species from all over the world–we’ll have even more diverse library of captivating images to share with you. We love that ARKive is helping educate individuals globally through images and wanted to share a Q&A we conducted with Dr. Verity Pitts, one of ARKive’s research managers a senior team member. Leer más.
Studies of speciation and taxon delimitation are usually decoupled. Combining these methods provides a stronger theoretical ground for recognizing new taxa and understanding processes of speciation. Using coalescent methods, we examine speciation, post-speciation population demographics, and taxon delimitation in the Arizona Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana), a species restricted to high elevations in southwestern United States and northern Mexico (SW). These methods provide a solid foundation for understanding how biogeographic barriers operate at the regional scale in the SW. Bayesian species delimitation methods, using three loci from samples of L. pyromelana taken throughout their range, show strong support for the existence of two species that are separated by low elevation habitats found between the Colorado Plateau/ Mogollon Rim and the Sierra Madre Occidental. Leer más.
A crocodile conservation programme initiated by the Sabah Wildlife Department should help reduce attacks on humans working in plantations. Leer más.
Luke Yeomans, 47, kept a collection of 20 adult and four juvenile cobras in a compound behind his house in the village of Eastwood, in Nottinghamshire, and had been planning to open it to the public this weekend to educate people about what he called an amazing species. Leer más.
