Telmatobius chusmisensis was described from the Tarapacá Region, in the Puna of northern Chile. The lack of information on the species led to its classification as Data Deficient. There has been no information published on its biology or ecology since its original description in 2006. Here, we provide information on its habitat, density, diet, and threats. The habitat of the species is restricted to streams with low electrical conductivity. In our study site, the observed density suggests that T. chusmisensis has a small population, with diet mainly composed of microcrustaceans. Mining, agriculture, and natural disasters in the context of climate change are serious threats for this species.

Because marine environments present potentially stressful hyperosmotic and hypersaline situations for reptiles, those species that live in or near seawater are of special interest regarding their feeding and drinking behavior and their osmotic and ionic regulatory physiology. We determined diets, field metabolic rates (FMRs), rates of water influx and efflux, and aspects of osmoregulation in intertidally foraging populations of two congeneric species of tropidurid lizards: Microlophus albemarlensis in the Galápagos Islands and M. atacamensis in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. Male M. albemarlensis ate only crabs, specializing on the legs of small Sally Lightfoot crabs, while the much smaller females favored insects but ate whole small crabs as well. In contrast, M. atacamensis males and (the also smaller) females both ate mainly seaweed, along with some crabs and insects. Adults of both species were maintaining constant body masses on these hyperosmotic diets, although subadult M. atacamensis lost mass during our study. FMRs of both species, which were hypothesized to be high due to presumed extra energy costs of osmoregulation, were actually comparatively low, averaging 65% (M. albemarlensis) and 78% (M. atacamensis) of expected FMRs for lizards of their body mass. However, water flux rates were typical of free-living reptiles, averaging 79 and 116%, respectively, of predicted rates. Osmotic concentrations in blood plasma and urine of M. albemarlensis were typical of lizards in general, but plasma of M. atacamensis was about 50% higher (498 ± 42 mOsm), perhaps reflecting an unavoidable consequence of, or even an adaptation to, their higher dietary osmolyte content (1,680 mOsm in “sap” of dietary seaweed). Other possible adaptations that facilitate exploitation of unusual diet items and ingestion of seawater are discussed. In particular, the roles of nasal salt glands and urinary precipitates in osmoregulation and ion homeostasis of both species are likely important but are currently unknown and should be studied.

We provide data on the advertisement call and karyotype of the enigmatic anuran Xenohyla eugenioi from the municipality of Ipirá, State of Bahia, Brazil. The advertisement call is formed by a single multi-pulsed note of 0.111 ± 0.015 s of duration and with dominant frequency of 1033.6–2873.6 Hz along two bands. The species presents 2n = 24 chromosomes and fundamental number = 48. DAPI staining revealed positive labeling on centromeric position in all chromosomes, while FISH using telomeric probe labeled all chromosomal ends. These data shed light on the evolutionary history of the genus and contribute to understanding evolutionary aspects of its sister genus Dendropsophus.

Although the original description of Batrachyla antartandica categorically states that the species should not be considered as arboreal, our field observations show that it has excellent climbing abilities. Associated with this fact, B. antartandica shows an alternative mode of reproduction that involves the use of tree-trunk cavities filled with water as a site for calling, reproduction, development, and metamorphosis. As far as we know, B. antartandica is the only anuran species in the Valdivian temperate rainforests of Chile and Argentina with a completely arboreal life cycle.

Anthropogenic-derived stressors represent an ever-increasing risk to organisms worldwide. To understand the effects of stressors on organisms, many studies measure an organism's oxidative status. American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) are long-lived, top trophic carnivores that have been suggested to serve as an indicator of environmental quality. Raised tail scutes on crocodilians are often marked to enable easy subsequent identifications. Recent studies have illustrated scutes can also serve as indicators of stress or toxicant exposure. In this study, we investigated another role of scutes: as potential non-destructive (i.e., not requiring euthanasia to obtain) indicators of oxidative status. Three antioxidant enzymes, superoxide-dismutase (SOD)-1, SOD2, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), were measured in non-destructible (i.e., tail scutes) and destructible tissues using Western blot. Enzyme levels were then compared with body condition and health using principal component analysis (PCA). Linear mixed models revealed that tissue had a significant effect on relative enzyme level (all P < 0.05). PCAs revealed significant groupings (eigenvalues > 1) of both tail scutes and destructible tissues. Levels of GPX1 in tail scutes were positively related with body condition and organ mass. Our results suggest antioxidant enzyme levels in alligator tail scutes may serve as important, non-destructive indicators of internal organ and whole-body oxidative status. In addition, tail scute antioxidants may also provide insight into alligator body condition and health. Future studies involving captive or wild individuals should incorporate measuring tail scute antioxidant enzyme levels, along with more traditional stress parameters, to better understand how stressors affect crocodilians.

The Phymaturus payuniae clade is an endemic group of lizards inhabiting rocky outcrops of central western Argentina. All recognized species are found in an area of endemism called “Payunia.” Recent studies using morphological data and DNA markers found that the payuniae clade comprises at least 10 terminal taxa. In the present study, we revisited the morphology of all previously considered terminals and analyzed two new populations discovered in Neuquén province in 2005 and 2016. The revised character list allowed us to score morphological characters for several taxa whose morphologies were unknown prior to this study. In the present study, we sequenced ND4 for three terminals (completing other sequences available for these taxa), and Cytb, COI, 12S, and C-mos for one terminal (for which no DNA data had been reported). We then added these sequences to the pre-existing DNA databases for the genus. We estimated genetic distances for three mitochondrial markers among all members of the clade and calculated the evolutionary lability of morphological characters for the whole patagonicus group. Variation of 26 continuous characters was analyzed with Principal Component Analysis for all members of the payuniae clade and species of other clades of the patagonicus and palluma group. Additionally, we revised genital characters for all members of the group and included a description of the new taxa's hemipenial morphology. Considering the distribution of morphological characters among species, their genetic distances, different genital morphology, and the phylogenetic structure inferred, we are able to support the taxonomic status of all species of the group and add the formal description of two new species.

The peak of activity of Bothrops jararaca is in the rainy season. This pitviper feeds mainly on small mammals and is preyed upon by several avian and mammal predators. However, the association between jararaca's seasonal activity with that of their prey and predators remains unknown. The present study tested the hypothesis that the peak activity of B. jararaca coincides with that of their prey and predators, mainly due to favorable climatic conditions during this period. Snake activity was inferred from standardized searches and animals deposited in herpetological collections. Seasonal activity of prey was inferred from monthly sampling carried out over one year using pitfall and Sherman traps. Plasticine models were used to infer predation risk. Analyses of predator and prey abundance were performed, taking into account climatic variables, and models explaining this relationship were proposed. Activity of both B. jararaca and its prey was higher in the rainy season. Activity of the latter was positively correlated with temperature and rainfall. Predator activity, however, was higher in the dry season and negatively correlated with temperature and rainfall but positively correlated with humidity. The peak activity of B. jararaca in the rainy season might favor foraging activities, since this period coincides with greater prey abundance and decreased predation risk. During the dry season when resource availability is low, predators feed opportunistically, encountering dangerous prey such as B. jararaca. In summary, the activity pattern showed by the snake clearly increases its survival.

Amphibians are threatened with extinction worldwide, and one of the global causes is environmental pollution. Several toxicants can interfere with their immune system, making them more susceptible to disease, which also contributes to their decline. The contaminants 4-nonylphenol (NP), a detergent with estrogenic properties, and cyproterone acetate (CPA), an anti-androgenic medicine, are known to impair the immune system of some vertebrates, but the effects are understudied in anurans. In this study, we evaluated the effects of NP (at 1, 10, and 100 µg/L) and CPA (at 0.025, 0.25, and 2.5 ng/L) on leukocyte count in tadpoles and juveniles of Lithobates catesbeianus. We analyzed lymphocytes, neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and thrombocytes in a proportional count and made comparisons between the groups. The experiments lasted 28 d, and the conditions were almost identical for both stages (varying only the volume of water). The tadpoles showed decreased lymphocytes and increased neutrophils at 1 µg/L NP and increased eosinophils at the two highest doses of CPA. The juveniles showed reduced neutrophils in all treatments with both compounds and increased thrombocytes (except at 2.5 ng/L CPA). Also, all dosages of CPA increased basophils. Although the life-stages had different response patterns, our study showed that NP and CPA altered the proportion of leukocytes on blood stream in both stages, probably as a response against the negative effects of the compounds, which might make the animals more susceptible to diseases and contribute to their decline.

Competition and facilitation are opposite sides of the species-interaction continuum. However, competitive interactions between species could result in facilitation for a third species. We evaluated the patterns of infestation and competitive exclusion between crazy-ants (Nylanderia sp.1) and fire-ants (Solenopsis geminata) and their effect on yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) nests in central Amazonia. We found that Nylanderia sp.1 colonizes P. unifilis nests at the start of their incubation period, whereas S. geminata was more abundant in nests during the final third of the incubation period. After colonization, the ant colonies remained in the nest through the breeding season. We did not observe differences in hatching success between nests with or without Nylanderia sp.1; however, in all nests colonized by S. geminata the entire P. unifilis clutch was lost. Our results suggest that during the incubation period, P. unifilis clutches benefit from Nylanderia sp.1 colonization, which prevents nest colonization by S. geminata. During the most defenseless stage in the life history of turtles, indirect facilitation by Nylanderia sp.1 appears to support the coexistence between prey, P. unifilis clutches, and their main predator, S. geminata, during the incubation period.

We quantified nesting activity and incidence of nest flooding in a population of the Magdalena River turtle (Podocnemis lewyana), which inhabits the climatic equator in northern Colombia, during two dry seasons when beaches formed (“verano”—December to March—and “veranillo”—July and August). Nesting activity was concentrated in the verano period, despite the presence of suitable nesting habitat in both dry season periods. More than half of all nests were harvested by local people, and 42.5% of the nests in both dry seasons that survived harvest were subsequently lost to flooding due to rises in the river to approximately a 4.15 m level. We used this value as a threshold value for the appearance of beaches and inspected a 44-year data base on river levels in this area. The verano and veranillo nesting periods did not differ in terms of opportunities for successful nesting, but there was evidence that the veranillo nesting season has increased significantly in duration in recent years, as well as experienced fewer flooding events. It is not clear why nesting each year is principally concentrated in the verano nesting season, but the evidence that this section of the Magdalena River is drying more in recent years during veranillo may entail a new threat to this population if it implies that non-nesting habitat (adjacent wetlands and channels) might eventually disappear.

We investigated daily activity, microhabitat use, and feeding habits of the anuran Adenomera marmorata in two Brazilian Atlantic forest remnants: Estação Ecológica Estadual Paraíso (EEEP) and Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (REGUA). Most individuals were active at dusk (EEEP: n = 5 or 62.5%; REGUA: n = 16 or 45.7%; populations pooled: n = 21 or 48.8%) and nocturnally (EEEP: n = 3 or 37.5%; REGUA: n = 17 or 48.6%; populations pooled: n = 20 or 46.5%); however, individuals were encountered during the day (EEEP: n = 0; REGUA: n = 2 or 5.7%; populations pooled: n = 2 or 4.7%). The microhabitat used most by the anurans was the leaf litter of forest floor (EEEP: n = 8 or 80.0%; REGUA: n = 33 or 94.3%; populations pooled: n = 41 or 91.1%). In EEEP, in numerical terms, mainly isopods (33.33%) and ants (22.22%) composed the diet of A. marmorata. Volumetrically, Isopoda (77.37%) was the most important item. In terms of frequency of occurrence, isopods, and ants, both consumed by 30% of the individuals, were the most relevant food items. In REGUA, numerically, individuals mainly consumed ants (23.26%) and isopods (20.93%). In volumetric terms, individuals predominantly ingested isopods (56.57%). The food items most commonly consumed by individuals in REGUA were isopods (40.63%) and ants (37.50%). Adenomera marmorata ingested 8 different types of food in EEEP and 14 in REGUA, feeding on a significantly higher number of food items in REGUA than in EEEP. The populations also differed in diet composition in volumetric terms, showing that food consumption can vary between populations, which might result from differences in local food availability and individual morphological characteristics. Adenomera marmorata might be able to forage opportunistically or selectively depending on the prey.