We present data about sexual dimorphism of two amphisbaenian species, Leposternon microcephalum and Leposternon wuchereri. Specimens were collected during faunal rescues in the course of the flooding process of four different hydroelectric dams, Santa Clara, Funil, Candonga and Ponte Hydroelectrics, at the Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil. Both species exhibited sexual dimorphism for different morphometric variables. While males of L. microcephalum have wider heads than conspecific females, males of L. wuchereri have wider, longer and taller heads than females but are smaller in body size.

We performed a two-part experiment in 2007 and 2008 to investigate the effects of externally affixed radio transmitters on the locomotor performance and survival of green iguana (Iguana iguana) hatchlings. Using sprint and climb speeds as locomotor performance variables, we tested in the laboratory the initial speed, maximum burst speed, and overall speed of iguana hatchlings affixed with radio transmitters of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 15.0% transmitter-to-body-mass (BM) ratios. We then released iguana hatchlings into a Costa Rican lowland forest to record the survival of free-ranging iguanas affixed with transmitters of 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% transmitter to BM ratios. Sprint speeds were not reduced significantly with transmitters of up to 15.0% body mass. Climb speeds, however, were reduced for two of three performance variables at the 10% BM ratio. We found no differences in survival probabilities between telemetered treatment groups released into the forest. The probability of survival over two field seasons for telemetered iguanas ranged from 52.2–65.2% over a 24–30 day assessment period. For telemetered iguanas, percentage BM growth was significantly less for animals affixed with 10.0% BM transmitters than for control iguanas without transmitters. We suggest transmitter-to-body-mass ratios for cryptic arboreal lizard species should not exceed 7.5% based on lower climb performance in the laboratory and lower relative mass gain for free-ranging iguanas with ≥10.0% BM transmitters. Because lizard life histories vary substantially, researchers should be proactive in evaluating the energetic expenditures, foraging strategies, and escape responses of focal species to minimize effects of transmitter and attachment techniques.

We measured body size of individuals from two populations of the southern crested newt, Triturus karelinii, from two localities at different altitudes (7 m, Klaros and 1373 m, Reşadiye) in Turkey. Lines of arrested growth (LAGs) recorded in phalanges were used to estimate the age of juveniles and adults. Females were on average larger than males in Klaros, and males were on average larger than females in Reşadiye. Our results did not follow the Bergmann's rule and developmental temperature-size rule: for both sexes, the individuals of lowland population were larger than the individuals of highland population. Significant differences were found between the populations in terms of mean SVL (snout–vent length). The average age was calculated as 6.14 ± 1.51 and 6.16 ± 1.46 yr in Klaros and 5.30 ± 1.20 and 5.76 ± 1.26 yr in Reşadiye, for males and females respectively. No significant differences were found between the age distributions of the females in both populations. Both sexes from lowland population had age distributions that were similar to their counterparts from highland population. The growth curves for T. karelinii populations were well described in a Von Bertalanffy growth model. K was not significantly different between the sexes. However, SVL_max was significantly larger in females than males in both populations

The taxonomic status of Atractus occipitoalbus is revised on the basis of concordance between quantitative and qualitative analyses of morphological characters (meristic, morphometric, color pattern, and hemipenis). Atractus duboisi and A. orcesi are herein resurrected based on the number of ventral and subcaudal scales, number of postocular scales, head shape in lateral view, relative tail length, distinct color patterns, and hemipenial morphology. Additionally, a new species, closely related to A. occipitoalbus, is described from the Andean piedmont of Colombia. The new species, represented by a single female, is diagnosed from the A. occipitoalbus female populations on the basis of number of subcaudals, number postocular scales, and dorsal and ventral color patterns.

We describe a new species of colubrid snake of the genus Coniophanes from the Pacific coast of Michoacán, Mexico. This species is known from a single adult female collected near sea level in dry deciduous forests. The new species is most similar to C. piceivittis, C. schmidti and C. taylori. It shares with these three species 25 scale rows at midbody, a small sub-preocular scale, and a pattern of three dark brown stripes over a pale brown body. The new species differs most noticeably from the other three in possessing a narrower dark vertebral stripe. Coniophanes p. taylori is elevated to a species status, therefore the C. piceivittis group consists of four species.

We describe a new species of the caecilian genus Microcaecilia (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from the Lely Mountains, Suriname and provide new information about the identification and distribution of species of Microcaecilia across the Guiana Shield. The new species, M. grandis, is large (318 mm total length), has many premaxillary-maxillary teeth (>20), and has bicuspid vomeropalatine teeth. We determined that specimens from Suriname previously assigned to M. unicolor (Duméril, 1864) were misidentified and that M. unicolor is currently known only from French Guiana.

The Geckolepis fish-scale geckos, which exhibit extreme skin and scale autotomy, and are endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros, have long been considered problematic concerning species recognition, with the last review of the group made by Angel (1942). Here we report the results of our morphological study, which examined 178 specimens representing most of the intact museum specimens that are currently available. We find a total of three valid species within the genus Geckolepis: G. typica Grandidier, 1867; G. maculata Peters, 1880; and G. polylepis Boettger, 1893. We consider three previously described taxa: G. petiti Angel, 1942; G. typica anomala Mocquard, 1909; and G. typica modesta Methuen and Hewitt, 1913, as junior synonyms of G. typica; and G. humbloti Vaillant, 1887, as a junior synonym of G. maculata. We designate MNHN 1994.1748 as the lectotype of Geckolepis typica. For each recognized species we provide a diagnosis and new description, summarize individual variation, and describe geographical distribution. We also present an identification key for the group and discuss systematic and biogeographic issues and the unusual scale fragility of Geckolepis.

We describe a new species of the formerly monotypic genus Mesobaena from the northern part of the State of Pará, Brazilian Guiana. This species is characterized by having a very pointed snout, two supralabials and two infralabials, of which second ones are elongate and enormous, small eye visible under ocular, ocular very elongate, autotomy annulus poorly marked or absent, absence of dorsal, lateral and ventral sulci, and presence of vertical flat, unsegmented band-like structure with concave lateral edges on tip of tail. Hemipenis without spines or distinct ridges on proximal third, sulcus spermaticus only on proximal third. We make comparisons with other South American amphisbaenids, and provide a key to the amphisbaenids of the Guianan Region. The species is fossorial and inhabits Amazonian tropical rainforest forest near creeks. This is the second species known of the genus, which seems to be restricted to the Guiana Shield and immediate surroundings.

We describe a new species of scincid lizard of the genus Brachymeles from montane forests (1400–1450 m) of Mt. Palali, Caraballo Mountain Range, in central Luzon Island, Philippines. The new species is the second known species of Brachymeles that has only three digits on both the forelimb and hindlimbs. Additional morphological characters include unique scale pigmentation and absence of a pineal eyespot and an auricular opening. The new species is the eighth known Brachymeles from Luzon Island and the twelfth non-pentadactyl species. With this new discovery, the Luzon Faunal Region holds the greatest diversity of species of the genus Brachymeles in the world.

I describe two distinctive new species of elapid snakes of the genus Toxicocalamus from the southeastern end of Papua New Guinea. The first species, T. mintoni sp. nov., is unique within the genus in having the frontal fused with the supraoculars. It is a fairly gracile species of uniformly light-brown coloration and is known from only a single specimen from central Sudest Island. The second species, T. pachysomus sp. nov., is unique in its combination of having a distinct preocular unfused with the prefrontal, the internasal in contact with the preocular, the second supralabial in contact with the nasal, and paired subcaudals. Its stout habitus is unique within the genus, and its small eye is also distinctive. This species too is known from only a single specimen from the Cloudy Mountains, the southeasternmost portion of the island of New Guinea. Milne Bay Province, which is comprised of the southeastern extremity of New Guinea and its adjacent offshore islands, is a center of diversity for the genus Toxicocalamus, with five of 11 species in that genus endemic to that province.

A new species of tree frog from the Scinax catharinae species group is described, discovered in the Municipality of Ouro Preto, southeastern Brazil. The new species is related to Scinax flavoguttatus, but differs from this species mainly by the light green color on its inguinal regions and hidden portions of flanks and thighs, by its subovoid snout, by its developed nuptial pad, and by its smaller males and females. Additionally, we describe the tadpole which is characterized by: dorsal position of nostril; dorsolateral eyes; gold spots between nostrils and eyes, short spiracle; spiracle opening on the midline of dorsal and ventral surface of body; absence of tail flagellum; oral disc with a short dorsal gap, surrounded by a uniseriate marginal papillae; M- shaped upper jaw sheath; tooth row formula 2(2)/3.