SquaMates

Happy World Lizard Day! Today we talk about the biggest lizards that ever roamed the Earth: mosasaurs! These giant aquatic lizards are often forgotten when we talk about shape diversity in squamates, but they were some of the most specialised and remarkable lizards ever. We dive into their diversity, history, origins, and extinction in this special episode. We also talk about the incredible Mirasa...

Happy World Snake Day! Today, we talk about snake ecosystem services, human-snake conflicts, and opine on various snake-related outreach personalities you probably know from television or youtube. Be prepared for some hot takes as we finally address the elephant trunk snake in the room! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod ! Episode notes sometimes g...

We dive into one of the most popular pet reptiles in the trade: Pogona vitticeps , the bearded dragon—its relatives, origins in the trade, and popularity. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod ! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamatespod.com Episode Citations ExoTer...

What is this‽ Two episodes in one week‽ That’s right! It’s May 9th, International Chameleon Day! In this episode, we give a deep dive into chameleon diversity, ecology, and evolution, and chameleon analogues across the world! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod ! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provi...

Hiral is a Doctor of Science now, Mark is about to become an Associate Professor, and the art world continues to be mad and heavily affected by changes to the social media landscape! In this episode, we talk about art and scientific illustration, hemipenes, ectothermy, snake and salamander courtship and reproduction, and what you can do to help your local amphibians. Remember that you can watch th...

Happy World Frog Day! In this episode we answer a couple questions from listeners: why are there no neotenic frogs, and what books we recommend for people interested in herpetology (fair warning: it’s a lot!) Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod ! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and...

In this episode we talk about how many people are getting bitten by venomous snakes in South Africa, and how reporting encounters like this can help to reduce morbidity and mortality from snakebite: all the topic of a new paper by co-host Hiral Naik! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod ! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your...

In this episode we drop some HOT OFF THE PRESS news about seven new species of frogs from Madagascar that Mark has been involved in describing that are named after seven Star Trek captains. We also cover some exciting recent research on Gymmie phylogeography and diving anoles! Plus, Hiral is submitting her PhD thesis! Wow! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squ...

An unexpected crossover is afoot! Hiral and Mark met up with Dr Tom Major and Benjamin M. Marshall of the Herpetological Hightlights Podcast while they were at the 10th World Congress of Herpetology in Kuching, Malaysia. We sat down together and talked about the amazing conference, podcasts, and the herpetological community at large. We had such a great time! Remember that you can watch the full e...

In this episode we talk about everyone’s favourite frogs, rain frogs of the family Brevicipitidae! We go over their diversity, ecology, and anatomy, as well as their fun adhesive properties! Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod ! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to...

In this episode we gently debate subspecies, and then dive into several snake papers, from their anomalously extensive and rapid diversification, to a recent taxonomic change. Regrettably the audio on this episode was affected by a technical error, so it is far less than our usual quality (Ethan and Hiral are a little quiet, sorry!). Hopefully it doesn’t affect the listening experience too b...

In this episode we talk about a really cool predation observation, the importance of publishing behavioural or observational notes, and some follow-up on the anaconda mess from Episode 24. Remember that you can watch the full episode with video at youtube.com/@squamatespod ! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full notes and references, go to squamat...

In this episode we talk about the breaking news that caecilians produce milk‽, and get into some recent taxonomic works on anacondas and eyelash palm-pitvipers. Content warning: this episode contains several Hot Takes . Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Wak...

The Mates are back after two and a half years of hiatus! They talk about all that’s happened in the intervening time, and where we are going from here! Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Get yourself a copy of Ethan’s book, Moistly Harmless! Hiral...

The Mates get into the evolution of  Ambystoma , whether or not to use subspecies, and the fantastically diverse and oft maligned gymnophthalmids (gymmies!). Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Boccia, C.K., Swierk, L., Ayala-Varela, F.P., Bo...

The Mates are joined this month by Hiral Naik, a snake ecologist from South Africa! We talk turtles, skinks, crocodiles, neocolonialism in science, and Lamprophiidae! Episode notes can get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Episode Citations Thomson, R.C., Spinks, P.Q. & Shaff...

After a corona-induced hiatus, the Mates are back with a looser format and some deep dives on tiny chameleons, glowing geckos, and the much debated Lacey act! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (extensive) notes (and references and beautiful pictures), go to http://www.squamatespod.com Works in Froggress National Geographic Article featuring Ga...

Here’s episode 18, a Works in Froggress episode, featuring the Mates, Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, talking about what’s going on in their new lives stuck inside—Ethan’s setting off on a freelancing lifestyle, Gabriel has been tweaking the same illustration forever, and Mark is working on FIIIIIIIIIISH! The Mates then dive into a discussion about Uroplatus g...

We’re back with Episode 17! In this Breaking Newts episode, the Mates, Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, talk about the coolest new research in herpetology and Gabriel’s extremely squeaky chair! Featuring a few controversial new bits of science, some amazing turtles, diverse salamanders, and glowing, bony amphibians! Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device...

Episode 16 is here, in this episode we—Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak—feature an interview with Professor Emily Taylor of Cal Poly , and two of her students, Isabelle Barnes and Katie Rock, talking about their amazing dataset about sex biases in publishing in herpetology, recorded at the 9th World Congress of Herpetology in Dunedin, New Zealand. Episode notes sometimes get clip...

We’re back with Episode 15! In this Works in Froggress and Discussion episode, the Mates, Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, talk about what they’ve been up to since October 2019, and discuss the event of the year, the 9th World Congress of Herpetology in Dunedin, New Zealand. Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by your podcast provider; for full (ext...

Dr Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak are back for a new start in 2020 and a small change to our episode format! In this Breaking Newts episode, we highlight important herpetological papers published since October 2019! Episode Citations Post, Y., Puschhof, J., Beumer, J., Kerkkamp, H.M., de Bakker, M.A.G., Slagboom, J., de Barbanson, B., Wevers, N.R., Spijkers, X.M., Olivier, T., Kaz...

We are the worst, but at least we  have an Episode 13, unlike a certain podcast we know. In this long-delayed episode, it’s just two of your normal co-hosts, Dr Mark D. Scherz and Gabriel Ugueto, in a more laid-back, chatty format than the usual! In this thirteenth episode, the structure of the show is a bit different, but we do talk about biogeography and conservation of some geckos and fro...

Here it is, Episode 12! In this episode, the Mates, Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, have some hot takes on wasp taxonomy (wtf?) and lizard functional groups! In this twelfth episode, we talk sailing frogs, how fast you have to walk to find the most snakes, lizard skulls, and flying geckos, and have a somewhat impassioned discussion of wasp taxonomy and a reductionist approach to l...

We’re back for our belated anniversary episode, episode 11! In this episode, the Mates, Mark D. Scherz, Gabriel Ugueto, and Ethan Kocak, talk about the hottest new research in herpetology since April 2019! In this eleventh episode, we talk about salamander feet, burrowing lizard eyes, and the incredible gecko family Sphaerodactylidae. Episode notes sometimes get clipped on your device or by...