Herpetological Review Volume 55, Number 1, is now available! The cover features an image of Ensatina eschscholtzii, a common plethodontid that is widespread throughout the coastal southern half of California in the United States of America. This individual was photographed by Ryan Singer. This species possess highly active granular glands in their tails that can produce a milky white noxious secretion. Along with these secretions, the Ensatina complex benefits from mimicry of the aposematic coloration of toxic Pacific Newts in the genus Taricha.

Select sections are available open access. To view online, visit: https://ssarherps.org/herpetological-review-pdfs/. If you are not a member of SSAR, please consider joining the leading international herpetological society.

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If you receive Herpetological Review in print, issue 55(1) has mailed. Issue 55(2) is close to being finalized and 55(3) is being assembled. We apologize for these delays in publication and are diligently working to get caught up on the normal publication schedule.

The SSAR is currently looking for two individuals to become volunteer co-chairs for the Live Auction Committee. This is a great opportunity for students or other interested individuals to serve SSAR and see the inner workings of the Society. Live Auction Committee Co-chairs would run the annual live auction that takes place at JMIH or SSAR stand-alone meetings to raise funds for student travel. Below are the responsibilities of the positions, which would be divided between the two co-chairs and other committee members. If you have any questions about the responsibilities, please contact SSAR Secretary-Elect Vinny Farallo at vincent.farallo@scranton.edu. If you are interested in the position, contact SSAR President-Elect Tiffany Doan at tiffperu@yahoo.com.

Prior to the annual meeting:

• Solicit donations several months prior to the meeting (typically in Herpetological Review and through SSAR social media)
• Coordinate with the local meeting host to have auction items delivered
• Answer e-mails from would be donors
• Solicit auctioneers prior to the meeting (e.g., fellow herpetologists who will be attending the meeting)
• Coordinate with the meeting planners to ensure we have appropriate space for auction items
• Coordinate with the Student Travel committee to ensure student travel volunteers are able to watch auction items being displayed (some travel winners can be used to help with live auction as well)

At the annual meeting:

• Oversee and organize the items as they are donated (some people ship items early, others drop off at the meeting)
• Determine what items will be used for the silent and live auctions
• Set up items for display (or solicit student volunteers) including filling out bidding sheets
• Coordinate with the SSAR treasurer to receive payments from auction items for the silent and live auction
• Move live auction items to the Live Auction event room, organize and setup all items and designate bidding lots to ensure we finish on time
• Solicit and coordinate student volunteers to show off items during the auction

The Herpetology Education Committee (HEC) seeks nominations for the Meritorious Teaching Award in Herpetology (MTAH)! Complete nomination packets must include several documents, including letters from 3-5 people, so please begin working on your nomination early (due March 31).

For more information on the MTAH and its nomination process, please see https://ssarherps.org/ssar-awards/meritorious-teaching-award/.

In recent months, SSAR has had the incredible fortune to receive commitments for three funds that will be used for varied purposes in support of SSAR’s programs.  These funds demonstrate the commitment of the herpetological community to the diverse activities of SSAR.  Full announcements describing these funds will appear in Herpetological Review.

1. Former SSAR President Linda Maxson provides major funding for SSAR students by enlarging the Henri C. Seibert/Ernest A. Liner Endowment.
2. The George and Mary Rabb Foundation provides permanent funding for the undergraduate poster award.
3. SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) supports SSAR in the form an annual financial sponsorship for the President’s Travelogue held during our annual conference.

For more information on funds and donations, visit our Donations page.

Dean (Doc) Metter was a faculty member in the Department of Zoology at the University of Missouri—Columbia and then the Division of Biological Sciences at that institution for approximately 30 years.  A believer in putting knowledge to the test in the field, Doc provided frequent opportunities for students to engage in fieldwork.

In honoring Doc’s memory, the SSAR annually awards $300 to $1,000 to undergraduate and graduate students conducting field-based research in herpetology. Applications are due December 15. To learn more about this award, visit our website: https://ssarherps.org/ssar-awards/dean-metter-memorial-award/

Dean Metter holding a hellbender salamander from Southern Missouri.

SSAR is now accepting applications for this year’s Roger Conant Grants in Herpetology! We will be awarding numerous grants in several categories. This program is intended to provide financial support for deserving individuals (with a primary emphasis on student researchers) or organizations involved in herpetological research, education, or conservation. Applications are due December 15, 2024.

For more information, please see the website or download the guidelines.

Proposals can be submitted via Dropbox:
https://www.dropbox.com/request/ebCoVWhNSNCNQpa4eoNm

The SSAR is pleased to announce that it will continue its expanded and more accessible Pre-College Scholars Program (link)! The 2025 program will run from January through May with monthly virtual meetings with peers and professional herpetologists from around the world. The program will culminate with the opportunity for some selected participants to be Founders’ Fellows who receive partial scholarships to attend the 2025 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in St. Paul, Minnesota.

For more information, please see this year’s flyer:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e30gozg4r6g4al8qrnfg5/2025-Pre-College-Scholars-Program.pdf?rlkey=k11uc064zfymtp476eozwxkkw&st=70b6g9w3&dl=0

We encourage SSAR members to share this information with any budding herpetologists they know, especially those who could use some extra support in pursuing their interests!

Herpetological Review Volume 54, Number 4, is now available! The cover features an image of Asaccus montanus, a species of gecko endemic to the Hajar Mountains in Oman. This individual was photographed by Johannes Els. Asaccus montanus inhabits wadis with stony substrates and large boulders at elevations ranging from 1800–2400 m and can remain active at relatively low temperatures (ca. 12°C).

Full contents are available online to SSAR members at https://ssarherps.org/herpetological-review-pdfs/. Natural History Notes, Geographic Distribution Notes, and Book Reviews are Open Access and are available for download at the same link. If you are not a member of SSAR, please consider joining the leading international herpetological society. Student and online-only rates are available. Please visit the membership page for more information: https://ssarherps.org/about-ssar/membership/

On Friday, September 20 at 12 pm Pacific / 3 pm Eastern, SSAR’s DEI Committee will host a 1.5-hour virtual event on preparing graduate school application materials. DEIC members will give short presentations on several relevant topics. We will include time for questions and breakout room discussions.

If you are interested in joining, please mark your calendar, fill out the form below, and we will send you a Zoom link about a week before the workshop. If you fill out the form less than a week before the workshop, we will send a Zoom link shortly before the workshop (probably on the day of).

We plan to record the presentations, and we will send the recording and application materials to everyone who registers.

Registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSduxZIY24REJuZxM3r7sl0xYQdDafwWbIp5NwFRgKnxI-_ulA/viewform?usp=sf_link