ABSTRACT: Using non-contact infrared thermometers, the surface temperatures of freshly laid eggs of sea turtles were measured as proxies of core body temperatures while they were nesting. Data were accumulated over seven consecutive nesting seasons for two species with contrasting lifestyles – leatherbacks Dermochelys coriacea, the largest, which are anatomically adapted to migrate between tropical breeding sites to cold temperate waters, and the smaller hawksbills Eretmochelys imbricata that are generally confined to the tropics and sub-tropics. Leatherbacks ranged between 28.7 °C and 32.5 °C (30.9 °C ± 0.6 °C; mean ± standard deviation) and hawksbills 26.3 °C to 32.0 °C (29.2 °C ± 0.8 °C), with year-to-year variations in temperatures in populations of both species (year mean 30.4 °C to 31.5 °C in leatherbacks), hawksbills the more so (28.1 °C to 30.3 °C). These differences will likely be modified by both natural seasonal variations, anthropogenic changes in ocean temperatures and variabilities in currents and water temperatures local to nesting beaches. Such diversities in body temperatures of nesting turtles are pertinent to predicting environmental tolerances, reproductive success and nest site selection, and could contribute to predicting which rookeries may remain viable or not as oceans warm.

Keywords: Dermochelys coriacea, Eretmochelys imbricata, core body temperatures, egg surface temperatures, oviposition

Abstract: Caudal pseudoautotomy, defined as intervertebral tail breakage without regeneration, has been reported in several snake taxa; however, its frequency and association with biological factors remain poorly documented in some arboreal species. We investigated the occurrence of caudal pseudoautotomy in the Neotropical colubrid Leptophis marginatus based on 151 museum specimens. We assessed sexual dimorphism using adult individuals with intact tails and tested for differences in the frequency of pseudoautotomy between males and females. Caudal pseudoautotomy affected 58 (38.4%) of the 151 L. marginatus specimens. We did not detect significant differences in pseudoautotomy frequency between males and females. We detected sexual dimorphism in snout-vent length and tail length in L. marginatus, with males attaining larger body and tail sizes. These results provide the first quantitative assessment of caudal pseudoautotomy in L. marginatus and suggest that tail breakage is a common defensive trait in this species.

Keywords: tail breakage, antipredator behaviour, museum specimens, sexual dimorphism, arboreal snake

Abstract: Dietary generalism promotes ecological flexibility, yet the consistency of prey use across nearby habitats remains poorly understood. We investigated fine-scale variation and repeatability of diet in the West African gecko Hemidactylus angulatus, an urban generalist, across six adjacent houses (four) and walls (two) on the University of Lomé campus, Togo. Faecal analysis from 97 individuals revealed a broad arthropod diet dominated by Diptera and Hymenoptera, with additional prey from Lepidoptera, Araneae and Isopoda. Levin’s standardised niche breadth indices (BA) revealed moderate to high dietary niche breadth across all sites, with BA values ranging from 0.55 to 0.60. Diversity indices showed moderate to high prey richness and evenness, while Bray-Curtis dissimilarity values (23–42%) indicated substantial dietary turnover among sites separated by only tens of metres. Detrended Correspondence Analysis linked dietary composition and diet variability to microhabitat variables, particularly structure height, vegetation cover and refuge availability. Geckos inhabiting taller, more structurally complex microhabitats exhibited broader diets, whereas those in simpler habitats consumed more specialised prey. These results reveal low consistency of prey use among nearby microhabitats by an urban generalist and highlight how microhabitat heterogeneity drives fine-scale trophic differentiation, emphasising the ecological significance of structural complexity in urban environments. By demonstrating that small-scale structural heterogeneity promotes trophic diversification even in urban generalists, our findings indirectly highlight the potential importance of maintaining microhabitat complexity in cities to support urban biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and the conservation value of human-dominated landscapes.

Keywords: dietary generalism, microhabitat heterogeneity, urban environments, Hemidactylus, trophic diversity, spatial dietary variation

Abstract: Leatherback sea turtles Dermochelys coriacea are oceanic animals ranging from the equator to sub-polar latitudes. In the Mediterranean Sea, leatherbacks are the third most encountered sea turtle species, albeit at a low frequency. Along the coasts of Greece, 14 records were reported until 1984. Combining these data with 43 additional records collected over the ensuing 40-year period 1985–2024, we infer that most records were reported from the Aegean Sea, north of 39 degrees latitude, in the warmer months of the year (May–November). The size range of measured specimens (123–180 cm curved carapace length) indicate that these were large juveniles and adults. The spatial and seasonal distribution of the recorded leatherbacks, as well as their sizes, suggest that these individuals enter the Mediterranean basin during a foraging migration from their nesting beaches in the western Atlantic. Most of the recorded leatherbacks were captured in fishing gears, primarily gillnets, with only few of them released. It is unknown how many of these animals that enter the Mediterranean return for breeding to their natal beaches.

Keywords: Dermochelys coriacea, Mediterranean, fisheries interaction, jellyfish blooms

Abstract: Understanding the spatial distribution of fossorial snakes remains challenging due to their cryptic nature and low detectability, hindering conservation efforts for these threatened species. We used single-season occupancy models to identify fine-scale ecological drivers of distribution and detectability for Conopsis lineata, a fossorial snake endemic to central Mexico and threatened by urban expansion. Between May and October 2024, we surveyed 30 transects in the south of Mexico City, recording 36 individuals across 137 surveys. Our results revealed that detectability increased with the number of natural cover objects and decreased with maximum microhabitat temperatures above 30 °C, whilst occupancy was strongly associated with terrain slope, with snakes restricted to sites with slopes below 30 °. Contrary to expectations, snakes did not preferentially select microhabitats within their reported preferred temperature range (22–30 °C), with 61% of individuals found at cooler temperatures, suggesting that thermal selection may be constrained by predation risk or temporal availability of suitable temperatures under cover objects. Occupancy was better predicted by geomorphological features (maximum slope) than by vegetation characteristics or bioclimatic variables, supporting the scale domain hypothesis by empirical evaluation at fine-scale and supporting a previously reported association between fossorial snakes and flat terrain. This relationship is particularly concerning as low-slope areas in Mexico face intense pressure from urbanisation and agriculture. Our findings demonstrate that accounting for imperfect detection is crucial for understanding fossorial snake ecology and that terrain slope represents a key yet overlooked factor in their spatial distribution. These results provide actionable insights for conservation planning and sampling design for cryptic species, highlighting the urgent need for targeted environmental education campaigns in rural communities where human-snake encounters frequently result in snake mortality.

Keywords: occupancy, microhabitat use, imperfect detection, cryptic species, urbanisation, slope

Abstract: Coiba Island National Park (CNP) comprises an offshore archipelago of around 35 islands and islets off the coast of Pacific Panama, which separated from the mainland around 12,000–14,000 ya. Visual Encounter Surveys and pitfall traps were used in combination with occurrence data from Global Biodiversity Information Facility and published sources to assess the herpetological richness, and community assemblages between CNP and the mainland. Amphibian richness was lower in CNP (maximum 5 spp.) compared to the mainland (maximum 13 spp.), while reptile richness was similar between CNP (maximum 21 spp.) and the mainland (maximum 25 spp.). Based on the rarefaction curves the observed reptile species richness was underestimated. Therefore, it is plausible that more general biological surveys would yield more species in the future. The genus Oscaecilia and the Turniptail gecko Techadactylus rapicauda are new records for the herpetofauna of CNP. The amphibian and reptile communities were different between CNP and the mainland, but the pattern of data favours a positive relationship with heterogeneous vegetation, and a possible small-island effect on the herpetological assemblages. The actual herpetofauna of CNP may result not only from dispersion and vicariance but also from other elements and past anthropogenic factors that need to be investigated in more detail.

Keywords: Coiba Island National Park, biodiversity, herpetology, Panama

Abstract: Communication in anurans occurs mainly through acoustic and visual signals, both of which are essential for reproductive success and territorial defence. Despite their importance, many visual behaviours remain poorly understood, particularly those associated with signalling. In this study, we present the first record of toe-trembling behaviour in Boana caiapo, an endemic species of the Brazilian Cerrado, and provide a comprehensive review of the different types of visual communication reported in anurans. Field observations were conducted in October 2024 in a gallery forest area in the municipality of Itapirapuã, Goiás State, Brazil, using nocturnal active searches and acoustic playback stimulation. Four adult males in reproductive activity were documented, all of which displayed toe trembling, characterised by rapid, arrhythmic tremors of the digits on both fore and hind limbs, without lifting the feet from the substrate. This behaviour occurred at intervals of one to three seconds and was observed in approximately 70% of the advertisement calls, suggesting a role in multimodal communication during courtship, particularly in environments with high levels of acoustic interference. Our literature review identified 29 types of visual signalling behaviours reported worldwide in anurans, distributed across 98 species and two genera from 17 families. Hylidae exhibited the highest number of species with visual displays, most frequently involving limb lifting and toe trembling, often associated with agonistic interactions and courtship. The behaviour observed in B. caiapo differs from that reported in some congeners, in which toe trembling is primarily linked to male-male agonistic encounters. Instead, in B. caiapo, this behaviour appears to be more closely associated with advertisement calling and mate attraction. These findings highlight the importance of documenting novel signalling strategies, as they expand our understanding of the behavioural plasticity and multimodal communication strategies of anurans under diverse ecological pressures.

Keywords: multimodal communication, agonistic interactions, courtship behaviour, Cerrado biome, Hylidae