Biologists from Southern and Baja California have published the first major account of the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis in the Mediterranean region of Baja California. Their results indicate that the disease is more prevalent on the peninsula than in similar areas of Southern California. Leer más.
The phenotypic variation of some species at the geographic level makes them excellent models to evaluate different evolutionary attributes and answer questions related to their diversity. In addition, the constant effort of sampling in high Andean ecosystems that include the type localities of the species, and the integration of a novel data set can lead to unsuspected taxonomic findings. Leer más.
A new species of Diasporus is described from the lowlands of southwestern Colombia. The new species exhibits a yellowish coloration in life, a character that it shares with other three species in the genus—Diasporus citrinobapheus, D. gularis, and D. tigrillo. Leer más.
The taxonomic status of the São Tomé and Príncipe islands ‘Cobras Jitas’, genus Boaedon, has been a subject of confusion. Historically, these island populations have been referred to as part of either the Boaedon fuliginosus species complex or Boaedon capensis species complex, two of the most taxonomically challenging groups of African snakes, or considered a distinct taxonomic entity, Leer más.
Two types of pathogens cause highly contagious upper respiratory tract diseases (URTD) in Chelonians: testudinid herpesviruses (TeHV) and a mycoplasma (Mycoplasma agassizii). In captivity, these infections are frequent and can provoke outbreaks. Pet trade generates an international ow of tortoises, often without sanitary checking; individuals intentionally or accidentally released in the wild may spread pathogens.. Leer más.
