Science

Herpetological Highlights

by Herpetological Highlights

Is this your show? Claim it

Listen on Apple Podcasts RSS feed

Recently ranked · United States

Last recorded placements from this show’s chart history. These are not current rankings.

Not on the United States charts we track today.

If you like Herpetological Highlights, try…

Josh's Frogs Podcast

Latest episodes

248 Eat Lead Lizards!

October 23, 2026 · 30 min

Anoles aren't known for being tolerant, but when it comes to lead they seem to be able to tolerate monumental amounts that would spell disaster for a puny human. We delve into how they survive being so lead-laden, as well as where that…
247 Big Brains Ain't Free

May 12, 2026 · 37 min

Big brains are very useful, but they cost ENERGY and RESOURCES, at least for mammals and birds. Now a new study has shed light on what determines whether reptiles and amphibian species have evolved to be clever, or nice but dim. We also…
246 Salamanders vs Volcanoes

May 6, 2026 · 39 min

This week we delve into the evolutionary history of a fascinating little salamander from North America: the cascade torrent salamander. Volcanoes and flooding have shaped this species' history over the last 15 million years, but they…
245 A Vegetation Investigation

April 14, 2026 · 33 min

This week we're diving into two reptile papers: the first is about desert lizards being secret nutritional strategists, timing what they eat across the year to nail mating season and prep for hibernation. Then we stumble into the chaotic…
244 Frogs Bringing the Pain

April 10, 2026 · 41 min

Bradykinin is a hormone that is released naturally in response to tissue damage, so if you hurt yourself, it makes it hurt. Quite a few animals from wildly different evolutionary histories have defensive toxins which are fake copies of…

Show 7 more episodesShow fewer episodes

243 Pythons are Seed Pipelines

March 10, 2026 · 25 min

Invasive species are well known to damage ecosystems by directly eating other animals and disrupting the food chain. But their impacts can go much deeper, as a new study about seed dispersal by pythons and tegus in the Everglades has shown…
242 Spot the Viper to Survive

March 3, 2026 · 37 min

Pitvipers of the genus Bothrops are famed for their camouflage and for being deadly ambush predators. New insights from snake CCTV have revealed that these snakes can only really catch and eat animals who can't spot them hiding in the leaf…
241 Poison Frog Parents

February 17, 2026 · 36 min

Mimic poison frogs are utterly amazing, famous for mimicking multiple different frog species, and like other dart frogs they demonstrate bi-parental care where both male and female frogs team up to look after the young. What we didn't know…
240 Small Homes for Small Gators

February 14, 2026 · 40 min

Chinese conservationists have worked hard to protect the critically endangered Chinese alligator, creating new habitats for them after significant alterations made most of their Yangtze River home unsuitable. Thanks to the power of GPS…
239 Side Effects of Albinism

December 23, 2025 · 32 min

Common knowledge suggests that albino animals are rare in the wild because they stick out like a sore thumb and get eaten by predators, but studies supporting this are relatively scarce. Now, researchers from Australia have discovered that…
238 Antivenom Breakthrough

December 17, 2025 · 30 min

New methods in antivenom technology may yield a treatment that works on most of the cobras in Africa, thanks to the blood of alpacas and some very clever scientists. Then we follow up with two new species of sleepyhead snake from…
237 City Slickin' Wall Lizards

November 25, 2025 · 34 min

Urban areas represent both opportunities and risks for animals, and they adapt their behaviour in many ways to cope with this fast-paced lifestyle. Now, a new study has detailed how urban wall lizards in Croatia have richer social lives…