Research, Conservation, Education
https://ssarherps.org/herp-lab-recruiting/
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-g-GwAZ6o2E0KU1hsiz9KirYVQmRq8QqheutIGgWEjBjcDQ/viewform
Attending your first SSAR conference and want to meet fellow early career scientists and more experienced conference-goers? Or are you a conference veteran looking to encourage participation by new members? For several years, the SSAR mentorship program has helped new attendees get the most out of our annual conference and provided an impactful way for attendees of all career stages to support new members.
The program organizers use a questionnaire to determine participants career level as well as research and career interests, then they will use the responses to make meaningful mentor-mentee matches.
Folks who’d like to act as either a mentor or mentee for the program should use the same form. We expect the diversity of mentors to reflect the diversity of our new meeting attendees. Therefore, individuals from all career types and stages are invited to participate as mentors, from students to postdocs to established professionals.
Everyone in the program meets as a group near the beginning of the SSAR meeting. This meeting gives everyone the chance to get to know each other, and it provides an opportunity for program organizers to give suggestions for making the most out of the mentorship interactions.
After the initial meeting, mentor-mentee pairs can meet up when and how they choose. Interactions often include attending poster sessions together, checking in over coffee, and/or talking over a meal. Mentors can also help their mentees to meet other researchers and help grown their networks.
Please fill out the questionnaire by May 31, 2024: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_MhpB-PbdGOlSBMoF_Fx7fK_W89sMSKzNEwD1TChmwiLfMg/viewform
If there are any questions about this program or participation form, please contact Dr. Rob Denton (rdenton@marian.edu).
On Wednesday, May 22 at 3 pm Pacific / 6 pm Eastern, SSAR’s DEI Committee will host a 1.5-hour virtual info session on identifying potential graduate programs and preparing to apply. 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, and we will send you a Zoom link about a week before the info session. This event is ideal for people who are thinking about applying to either master’s or PhD programs, as well as for advisors/mentors who want information that they can use to help their mentees find graduate programs.
To access form, use the link or QR code below.
Morgan Thompson (Northern Arizona University), “Expanding the Use of External-Accelerometry to Understand Space Use and Hunting Behaviors of an Endangered Highly-Aquatic Colubrid: Narrow-headed Garter Snakes (Thamnophis rufipunctatus).”
Shanelle A. Wikramanayake (Colorado State University), “Integrating Genetics into Conservation Planning of Tropical Lizards in an Imperiled Ecosystem.”
Renoir J. Auguste (The University of the West Indies), “Using an Elevational Gradient to Investigate the Effects of Climate Change on the Calling Behaviour of an Island Endemic Frog (Pristimantis urichi) from the Southern Caribbean.”
Anastasios Limnios (University of Porto), “One Lizards’ Trash is Another Man’s Treasure: Using Biochemical Tools to Understand the Synergy between Climate Change and Pesticides in Ectotherms.”
Céline M. Carneiro (University of Texas at Austin), “Assessing the Evolutionary Potential of a Culturally Iconic Amphibian in Puerto Rico.”
Kira Gangbin (Texas Christian University), “Nest-Site Selection of Texas Horned Lizards: Key to Successful Reintroductions?”
Sage Babish (University of Nevada-Reno), “A Genomic Approach to Understanding an Ecological Adaptation in the Sierra Garter Snake (Thamnophis couchii).”
Christopher M. Zobek (University of Missouri), “Comparative Evolution and Mechanics of Muscle Architecture in the Jaw Muscles of Snakes.”
Jessica Dorantes-García (UNAM), “Diet Composition of a Population of Charadrahyla taeniopus in Cuetzalán del Progreso, Puebla, Mexico, and its Relationship with Sexual Dimorphism.”
Kyle Jesse Moxley (University of Texas at Austin), “Using Skeletal Features to Diagnose Metamorphic State in a Species of Mole Salamander (Ambystomatidae:Ambystoma).”
Max Roberts (California Polytechnic State University), “Utilizing a Live-Streaming Camera to Investigate the Basking Behavior of Pregnant Female and Neonate Prairie Rattlesnakes.”
Angelina D. Piette (California State University, Northridge), “Mutual Mate Choice and Courtship Duet Dynamics in a Neotropical Frog.”
Owen Bachhuber (California Polytechnic State University), “Window to the Wild: Using Livestreaming Cameras to Influence Zoo Visitor Perceptions of a Misunderstood Reptile.”
Satish Paudel (Institute of Forestry, Pokhara Campus, Pokhara), “Assessment of Status, Distribution and Identifying Threats to the Turtles of Rupandehi District, Nepal.”
Chair of the Roger Conant Grants-In-Herpetology, Roberto Brenes, would like to sincerely thank the SSAR-Roger Conant GIH Reviewers. He greatly appreciates their time and effort.
Amphibians constitute the highest number of threatened and data deficient vertebrate species. Despite a widespread recognition of the global amphibian decline problem and many serious efforts for the conservation of threatened populations and recovery programs for amphibian species and their habitat, the situation has not improved for several species. This book features work that describes how the scientific community has steered their effort in amphibian conservation lately which yielded positive outcomes. In this book, practical approaches for the conservation of species posing serious challenges due to synergy in the threats such as climate change, diseases and habitat loss are given. The section on legal actions and policy framework describes what works best and avenues where further improvements are required. Finally, the book presents scientific work which employed modern technological tools for the assessment and monitoring of amphibian populations, threat assessment, trade control, disease management and captive breeding initiatives. The book is expected to provide benefits to research students, wildlife managers and conservationists.
Editors: Dr. Muhammad Rais (Incharge Herpetology lab, Assistant Professor in Wildlife Management, Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan) and Dr. Amael Borzee (Lab of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, Nanjing University China; Co-Chair, IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group). Senior Editor: Dr. Lars Koerner
If you need more time or have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Muhammad Rais (sahil@uaar.edu.pk).
The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR), together with Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) and the International Society for the History and Bibliography of Herpetology (ISHBH), will hold a meeting at the main Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan from June 27-30, 2024.
Registration is open and abstract submissions are due April 22, 2024. Registration closes May 15, 2024. Click here for registration!
Symposia are important components of SSAR at the Annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH). They allow researchers in a given subfield to come together and present the latest research in that area; can result in proceedings and books based on the outcomes of these symposia; benefit society members through interactions with the symposium participants; and they can form the theme of an annual meeting, often referenced historically. At the JMIH, symposia are often sponsored by each society with some co-sponsored by multiple societies.
SSAR invites proposal submissions by March 15 of the year prior to the JMIH when the symposium would take place (i.e., submission by March 15, 2024 would be evaluated for the 2025 JMIH). Proposals are short (3 page max), and the criteria can be found on the SSAR website (https://ssarherps.org/meetings/symposium-proposals/). This coming year SSAR can support funding requests (with a short budget) for up to $2000 for a sponsored symposium. If you have been thinking about a symposium topic that would be of interest within SSAR at the 2025 JMIH, please consider submitting a symposium proposal. Again, the deadline is March 15.
Richard Durtsche
SSAR Symposium Coordinator
We are very pleased to announce formation of two membership agreements between the SSAR and the Sociedad Herpetológica Mexicana (SHM) and between SSAR and the Asociacíon para la Investigacíon y Conservación de los Anfibios y Reptiles A.C. (AICAR).
The presidents of SSAR, SHM, and AICAR worked to establish inter-society membership agreements with approvals from their respective boards of directors. In doing so, we aim to foster broader participation in our societies. The negotiated membership fees are reciprocal and mutually beneficial. These agreements make all the services of SSAR, SHM, and AICAR available to more herpetologists.
Any member of SHM or AICAR who is based in Mexico may join SSAR as a professional or student member for $50 or $29 per year. Members of SSAR may join SHM for the discounted fee of $40 ($29 for students) per year. Likewise, SSAR members may join AICAR at the discounted rate of $25 ($20 student) for a two-year membership.
We urge you to take advantage of these opportunities to expand your engagement in Herpetology and support societies that promote the study and conservation of amphibians and reptiles.
The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles will hold Live and Silent Auctions at the stand alone meeting in Ann Arbor, Michigan June 27th – 30th, 2024. We are glad to accept any herp-related donations, including but not limited to, frameable art (photographs, paintings, and line illustrations), books, music, glassware, jewelry, clothing, and gift certificates for Ann Arbor area services/events during the meeting week. No live animals or products made from herps (e.g., books bound in snakeskin). The SSAR Student Travel Committee organizes the Annual Silent Auction to raise money to fund the student travel awards to attend the annual meeting. Increasing travel costs each year make it more difficult for students to attend meetings and become involved in societies. However, your continued support through donations to the silent auction helps offset these costs enabling students to attend, network, and present their research. The SSAR Live Auction Committee organizes the live auction which also helps support student travel and provides additional support to the organization. If you have any question about donating items to either auction (tax deductible for U.S. residents), please contact Vincent Farallo (vincent.farallo@scranton.edu) for more information. Ideally donated items will be brought to the meeting directly. However, if transporting the item(s) is not possible, they may be shipped to a local host (Greg Schneider; ges@umich.edu). Please e-mail both Greg Schneider and Vincent Farallo before sending any items to the address below.
Greg Schneider (SSAR)
Division of Reptiles and Amphibians
Museum of Zoology
Research Museums Center
3600 Varsity Drive
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
In 2022, the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR) was endowed with a large gift from the Gans Collections and Charitable Fund to provide funding for travel to herpetological meetings for graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and exceptional undergraduates. The Gans Fund continues its extraordinary work promoting meeting attendance and is particularly interested in supporting international student researchers from across the globe. To that end, the SSAR is soliciting applications to attend one of two meetings in 2024 as Carl Gans Fellows: the SSAR meeting in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in June 2024 and the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in July 2024. Students and post-docs should be members of a herpetological JMIH society working on any type of herpetological research. Twenty awards will be granted in this cycle ($800 per fellow for U.S./Canadian researchers and $1500 for researchers from other countries). Priority will be given to those in greatest need (for whom the award makes the difference between attendance or lack of attendance) and those from historically underrepresented groups based on gender, race, country of origin, or other factors.
Students and post-docs should fill out the Google Form (https://forms.gle/6Bkm8bsT2dDXEZnv7) with all information completed by 20 February 2024. Required information includes: