Herpetology and herpetologists have the potential for forward-thinking leadership in the science of the 21^st century. By examining old questions with new tools and by developing new, synthetic questions and approaches, the field continues to advance many areas of biological science and science more generally. At the same time, some paradigms need change, and herpetologists would benefit from greater activism in effecting those changes. Such areas include more integrative approaches to research and education, more effective collaboration in research and in effecting a more unified voice for the meaning and value of science, and more attention to the responsibility to the public that all scientists share.

Nest site selection occurs when females place eggs at sites that differ from random sites within a delimited area. Selection of components of the microhabitat that increase embryonic survival is expected. Female four-toed salamanders, Hemidactylium scutatum, at two montane study ponds in Virginia selected nesting locations that had more moss, grass, and other living vegetation than found in other locations around the pond. In addition, selected nest sites had steeper bank angles and average lower pH's than other sites and were more often found facing north than expected by chance. Of the variables selected by H. scutatum when choosing a nest site, bank angle, nest aspect, and pH were correlated with embryonic survival. We found that north-facing nests were cooler than south-facing nests. Embryonic survival was highest in nests on steep slopes that faced north with lower average temperatures and that had lower pH's. A third pond that historically had fewer nesting females and was characterized by low embryonic survival did not have nesting habitats that combined steep bank angles with a northerly aspect. When constructing ponds for wildlife in areas where H. scutatum is of special concern, we suggest that steep bank angles be situated so that they face north.

Although many field experiments have examined interactions among terrestrial salamanders or among semi-aquatic salamanders, virtually no research has examined potential interactions among salamander species across ecotones. Past research has indicated that numerous factors may influence salamander distributions, including competition, predation, and abiotic factors. We conducted a field removal experiment to investigate potential interactions among salamanders across the steam-woodland ecotone and to determine the effects of such interactions on community structure. We used removals of a terrestrial salamander, Plethodon cinereus, and/or several species of semi-aquatic salamanders of the genus Desmognathus to investigate potential interactions between these genera and the semi-aquatic salamander Eurycea cirrigera. Although removals did not significantly decrease numbers of P. cinereus or Desmognathus on plots, distribution of E. cirrigera shifted unexpectedly closer to streams in response to removals of P. cinereus. Eurycea cirrigera may have been responding to demographic shifts of P. cinereus, as average snout–vent length and mass of P. cinereus decreased significantly on removal plots. Our results indicate that interactions among salamander species across the stream-forest ecotone influenced intergeneric responses in a complex fashion.

Map turtles and sawbacks (Emydidae: Deirochelyinae: Graptemys) are a diverse group of turtles that are of ecological interest due to their diversity in trophic morphology, particularly in females, and their extreme sexual size dimorphism (with females larger). I used comparative analyses (independent contrasts in correlation analyses and GLM analyses) to examine hypotheses regarding the evolution of body size in the genus. Evolutionary changes in body size of both males and females were positively related to inferred shifts in latitude. Trophic morphology (relative head width, expressed either as a continuous or a discrete variable) was not an additive source of variation in male body size, but was for female body size, primarily due to the large body sizes exhibited by the megacephalic southern clade (G. pulchra, G. ernsti, G. gibbonsi, and G. barbouri). Status as allopatric or sympatric to other species of Graptemys was not an additive source of variation in female body size. These results argue against the hypothesis that character displacement of body size in females was important in the radiation of map turtle and sawback species and instead suggest a functional relationship whereby degree of molluscivory in females covaries with body size. Sexual size dimorphism was found to increase with body size of females, also due primarily to the large females of the megacephalic clade; this result means Graptemys is an exception to Rensch's Rule. In a latitude-corrected analysis of body size evolution in deirochelyine turtles, the exceptional degree of sexual size dimorphism in Graptemys appears to result more from reduction in male size than increase in female size. Decreased male size may indicate relaxed selection for large body size in Graptemys males as a consequence of the fact that they rarely leave the water for terrestrial excursions, because selection for larger male body size in other deirochelyines may be mediated by (a) predation pressure imposed by terrestrial predators, (b) enhancement of overland mobility for mate searching, and (c) the need for resistance to desiccation during overland excursions. Alternatively, male body size reduction in Graptemys may be explained by energetic requirements of searching for mates in the fluvial environment or unknown differences in social structure among deirochelyine turtles.

Three species of aquatic frogs of the genus Telmatobius (T. ceiorum, T. laticeps and T. pisanoi) were historically present in montane streams of Tucumán Province (Argentina). We conducted exhaustive surveys between 2001 and 2005 in three types of environments: (1) streams in mountain forests (Yungas) from 1300 to 1900 m above sea level, (2) streams in montane grasslands 2000 to 4000 m, and (3) streams in Prepuna shrublands from 2000 to 3500 m. Small numbers of T. pisanoi were found at the edge of its original distribution area, but were absent from the sites where the species was originally abundant. The other two species were absent from the surveyed streams, including historic localities, and are presumably extinct. Several factors are suggested as possible causes of this decline, including (a) an unusual dry and warm period that preceded the last record for T. laticeps and T. pisanoi, (b) the presence of exotic salmonids in the forest streams where T. ceiorum historically lived, (c) the expansion of the trout stockings in the historical distribution area of T. laticeps, (d) an increase in erosive processes and debris flowing events in montane streams, and (e) the presence of chytrid fungus.

The species diversity of Taiwan Hynobius salamanders has long been debated. In this study, we analyzed morphological and molecular data from these taxonomically problematic salamanders. Our results show that, based on mitochondrial sequence data, there are five distinct clades of Taiwanese Hynobius. This result is consistent with morphologically-based analyses. Three of the clades have been described as distinct species, and our results corroborate their recognition, while the other two are described as new species in this paper. The first new species described is a moderately large, five-toed species. Coloration of dorsum is yellowish brown with irregular, black, short stripes and a gray ventral surface. This species is found in the northern Central and Syueshan Mountain Range at elevations above 3000 m, and has an average cytochrome b sequence divergence from other Taiwanese species ranging from 5.2% to 10.1%. The second new species described is small but robust, has a short tail and limbs, and has four-toes on each foot. Its dorsal color is dark brown with white spots and it has 11 costal grooves. This species is distributed in the northern and central part of the Syueshan Mountain Range. The average cytochrome b sequence divergence between this new species and other Taiwan species ranges from 9.8% to 11.1%.

Liolaemus gracilis was cited in the categorization of the reptile habitat associations of Buenos Aires province in Argentina as the only Liolaemus lizard inhabiting the rocky grounds of the Tandilia System. We describe a new species of the genus Liolaemus which was previously confused with the widely ranging L. gracilis from the population of this mountain range. We examined samples of populations from coastal sand dunes and from the mountain range of Tandilia. Morphological characters and measurements were taken from specimens of both populations. We recorded ecological and life history notes of the saxicolous form in the field. The new species is an endemic and saxicolous form from Tandilia that can be distinguished from L. gracilis by indistinct or absent light dorsolateral stripes, small and segmental paravertebral spots, and by a throat with a denser, fine and diffuse spotted pattern. The ventral coloration is grayish plumb. Temporal scales are keeled or slightly keeled and the auricular scale is less differentiated. Morphometrically, the new species is larger in snout–vent length and head width but smaller in maximum body width and tail length than L. gracilis. The new species is oviparous and insectivorous.

We describe two new species of anoles (genus Anolis) from Panama formerly referred to as Anolis (or Norops) limifrons. Both new species differ from A. limifrons by having a large bilobed hemipenis (small and unilobed in A. limifrons). The new species differ from each other in male dewlap size and coloration. We provide an identification key and standardized descriptions of A. limifrons and the two new species described herein.

A new species of Cyrtodactylus is described from Sulawesi and the adjacent island of Kabaena, Indonesia. This new species is the largest Cyrtodactylus known from Sulawesi and differs from all other congeners by the absence of precloacal and femoral pores, enlarged femoral scales or pubic groove; medium to large size (up to 113.6 mm snout–vent length) and dark purple dorsum with irregular dark bands and yellow spots. Only two other species of Cyrtodactylus are currently described from Sulawesi and surrounding islands. Current taxonomy of the genus does not accurately reflect the diversity of Cyrtodactylus in Sulawesi. This species is one of several taxa new to science currently being described from the region.

The Santiago poison frog, Adelphobates captivus, a species not seen in life since 1929, was recently rediscovered on an expedition to its type locality in northwestern Peru. The colors of this species, previously unknown, consist of a black dorsum with bright red-orange spots and yellow spots ventrally. We provide amendments to the original description as well as the first accounts of tadpole morphology, vocalization, and natural history. A Bayesian phylogenetic analysis suggests Adelphobates captivus and a species originally described as Dendrobates mysteriosus are sister species that form a monophyletic clade sister to Ranitomeya. We propose to clarify the taxonomic status of D. mysteriosus incertae sedis by erecting a new genus, Excidobates, to include mysteriosus and its sister taxon captivus. Members of this genus are distinguished from Ranitomeya by 11 site substitutions in their rrnS and rrnL sequences, well-developed first fingers, and pale spots on the ventral surfaces of the thighs.