This article presents a survey of phenotypic variation in the limbs of two species of Lerista, a diverse clade of Australian scincid lizards widely considered to provide the best available model for studying squamate limb reduction and loss. Abnormalities were observed in 4.1% of forelimbs and 5.4% of hind limbs in the tetradactyl species L. dorsalis, and 4.5% of forelimbs and 2.4% of hind limbs in the tridactyl species L. timida. Substantial malformation of the manus or pes, involving the complete absence or severe reduction of all digits, accounts for a considerable proportion of anomalies in both species. Almost all remaining anomalies involve the absence or severe reduction of one or two digits. Despite the moderate frequency of limb abnormalities recorded, no cases of supernumerary digits were observed. Patterns of phenotypic variation in both species are consistent with the conventional perspective that substantial limb reduction is effectively irreversible, and provide support for the conclusion that structurally reduced limbs have not been re-elaborated in Lerista.

Food habit of the Malagasy spiny tailed iguana, Oplurus cuvieri, was investigated based on its fecal samples. This lizard belongs to the endemic Malagasy family Opluridae, for which natural diet had been poorly studied. We focused on the extent of ant-eating and herbivory because these traits are dietary characters often evolved in iguanian lizards. Among 65 fecal samples examined, 73.8% and 40.0% contained ants and plant matter, respectively. The plant matter included small twigs, leaves, flower buds, and fruit seeds. Ants tended to be found more frequently in the dry season than in the rainy season. There was a significant negative correlation between snout-vent length of the lizard and the proportion of ants in its feces. Our results, coupled with the previous direct observations on foraging behavior of the lizard, suggest that O. cuvieri is primarily a sit-and-wait predator largely depending on ants, but also occasionally exploits plant matter by active foraging.

Karyological characteristics in two species of Indian indotyphliid caecilian genus Gegeneophis reveal chromosome variations in morphology of chromosome arms but not in diploid number. In this case, pericentric inversions seem to predominate in karyotype reorganization. This change in chromosome morphology (pairs no. 2, 10 and 13) distinguishes each species karyotype.

A new species of the salamandrid genus Pachytriton is described based on two individuals purchased from pet shops in Japan. The original locality of these specimens is known only as “China”, and further details are not known. Morphologically, this species differs from all other congeners in the combination of coloration, body size, snout length, head width, tail length and width, and length of upper jaw tooth series and vomerine tooth series. Genetically, this species is separated from all other congeners by substantial genetic distances in mitochondrial DNA sequences.

A new striped Ichthyophis is described on the basis of three specimens collected from Kon Tum Plateau in central Vietnam. The new species is distinguished from all other striped congeners by a combination of characters that includes moderate body size and number of annuli, robust body and tail, broad and uninterrupted lateral stripe, tentacle far from eye, and small number of scale rows. The mitochondrial DNA sequence of the new species greatly differs from those of the other striped Ichthyophis from Indochina and its adjacent areas.

A ranid frog of the genus Hylarana from eastern Sumatra is sufficiently divergent morphologically from other congeners as to be recognized as a distinct species. In addition, the frog is also much divergent from the other members of the species group genetically, we hereby describe it as a new species, H. rawa. It is closest to H. baramica, H. laterimaculata, and H. glandulosa among members of Hylarana.

Several Asian natricine snakes are known to possess special organs called nuchal glands. Extensive studies on the nuchal glands of Rhabdophis tigrinus have shown that the glands contain cardiac steroidal toxins known as bufadienolides, which are sequestered from its toad prey and are stored in the nuchal glands as defensive substances. In addition, several species of snakes with nuchal glands exhibit unique behaviors to enhance the effects of the glands (nuchal gland-related behaviors). Macropisthodon rudis is the only species that does not have the nuchal glands in the genus. We investigated its antipredator displays and chemical preference for toads to gain insight into the evolution of the nuchal glands. The results showed that M. rudis does not exhibit the nuchal gland-related behaviors such as neck arching, neck butting, and dorsal-facing posture. Additionally, this species showed high preference for toad chemicals. These results support a previous hypothesis that preference for toads predates the evolution of the nuchal glands and that the unique antipredator behaviors have evolved to enhance the defensive efficiency of the glands.

Males of a Japanese colubrid snake, Elaphe quadrivirgata, have been reported to exhibit ritual combat during the mating season between April and May to gain access to females. I observed ritual combat by wild E. quadrivirgata in mid-June, which is considered outside the normal mating season. This observation suggests that the mating period of E. quadrivirgata extends beyond May, at least to late June, or that E. quadrivirgata exhibits ritual combat not only in competition for mating but also for food or other things. In addition, by the analysis of the video recording, I confirmed that E. quadrivirgata exhibited topping behavior, which is a characteristic of combat in viperids.

The reproductive cycle of Lipinia noctua was studied from a histological examination of museum specimens from the Pacific islands. The smallest reproductively active males (spermiogenesis underway) measured 33 mm in snoutvent length (SVL). All males collected in the 11 examined months exhibited spermiogenesis. Mean litter size for 25 females was 1.5±0.51 SD, range 1–2. The smallest reproductively active female (one oviductal embryo) measured 34 mm SVL. Anatomical and histological evidence is presented indicating L. noctua can produce multiple litters in the same year.