To authors planning to submit to Herpetological Review, please be aware that there are two different submission procedures depending on the type of submission:

1. All standard-length manuscripts, including Articles, Techniques, Herpetological Nomenclature, Herpetological History, Points of View, and Letters to the Editor should be submitted via Scholastica rather than via email. Submitting through Scholastica ensures your manuscript is immediately logged into our tracking system, allows for efficient peer-review routing, and enables you to monitor the status of your submission in real time. Directing your submission through Scholastica helps us avoid delays and ensures a prompt review process.
2. All shorter manuscripts should be emailed directly to the appropriate section editor and not through Scholastica. See https://ssarherps.org/publications/herpetological-review/ for where to submit; contact information for section editors are available at the bottom of this page. Submitting your manuscript the correct way will ensure your article is processed in a timely fashion.

We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to seeing your work published in future issues of Herp Review!

Pioneering herpetologist and zoo leader Dr. Roger Conant has been officially inducted into the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Robert W. Crawford Hall of Fame as one of only two inductees for 2026. The honor was formally presented on September 30th, during NRPA’s Annual Conference in Philadelphia—a fitting location, as Conant spent the majority of his career serving the City of Brotherly Love.

Colleague Ray Novotny, Associate Editor for Herpetological Review (In Memory section), accepted the induction on stage alongside Brint Spencer, Director of the Brandywine Zoo, with Philadelphia Zoo Chief of Staff Kristen Lewis-Waldron attending among hundreds in the audience.

Read more about Conant’s legacy and induction to the Hall of Fame here: https://aapra-goldmedal.secure-platform.com/a/page/HallofFame/Inductees/Roger-Conant.

Brint Spencer, Ray Novotny, and Kristen Lewis-Waldron at the NRPA induction.

   The Ohio/Pennsylvania Herpetology Symposium started as the OU/JCU Herpetology Symposium in 2011 as a way to bring together herpetologists from Ohio University (OU) and John Carroll University (JCU). Current SSAR Secretary and Associate Professor at The University of Scranton (then Ph.D. student), Vincent (Vinny) Farallo, helped start the symposium along with friends and colleagues at both OU and JCU. Vinny completed his undergraduate degree at JCU and was working on his Ph.D. at OU when the first symposium was planned. The symposium has always included at least one invited speaker who gives an hour-long plenary, as well as other participants giving 15-minute talks. Poster sessions were added as the symposium grew. The first symposium was held at OU, and the invited speaker was Dan Portik, who at the time was a Ph.D. student at the University of California-Berkeley and a former undergraduate of JCU. After the initial symposium, it became an annual tradition, rotating between being held at JCU and OU. Invited speakers included amazing herpetologists including Maureen Donnelly, Aaron Bauer, Christopher Beachy, David Weisrock, Joe Mendelson III, and many others! After 9 years, the symposium was put on hold in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the symposium was revived. At this time, many of the initial graduate students who helped plan and organize the symposium over the years had moved on to faculty positions, so the symposium was rebranded as the Ohio/Pennsylvania Herpetology Symposium.

   The first OH/PA Herpetology symposium was held at the University of Scranton with Aaron Griffing as the invited speaker. The symposium now rotates between John Carroll University, The University of Scranton, and the University of Dayton. As the symposium has progressed, participation from other universities has increased tremendously with attendees from 11 universities/organizations at our most recent symposium. The 2026 symposium was held at John Carroll University with generous support from the SSAR and EnviroScience. This extra financial support allowed the symposium to be free for all students and include food and refreshments during the meeting, as well as a closing social. The invited plenary speaker, Walter Tapondjou, recently joined the Cleveland Museum of Natural History as the Curator of Biodiversity. This latest meeting was a great success with 56 attendees, most of which were students (22 graduate; 14 undergraduate), 16 talks, and 6 posters. We look forward to next year’s symposium that will be held in Pennsylvania!

Invited plenary speaker Walter Tapondjou (Cleveland Museum of Natural History Curator of Biodiversity)

Symposium attendees (not all pictured) at John Carroll University Dolan Science Center

Check out the SSAR Bookstore to get a bound print copy of the 2026 4-issue volume (60) of the Journal of Herpetology. If you are an active SSAR Member, use coupon code SSARMEM to receive 10% off your purchase. The deadline to order is December 31, 2026, and copies will be mailed in late February 2027.

Place your order here: https://store10270226.company.site/Journal-of-Herpetology-2026-Volume-60-1-4-p864944493.

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. Students can also apply for the Roger Conant Grants in Herpetology, but will only receive one award.

Submit proposals or questions regarding application procedures to the Co-Chairs of the Metter Award Committee, Dr. Brian Miller (Brian.Miller@mtsu.edu) and Dr. Dustin Siegel (dsiegel2@gmail.com). Applications are due December 15, 2026.

To learn more about the Dean Metter Memorial Award, visit: https://ssarherps.org/ssar-awards/dean-metter-memorial-award/.

The SSAR is now accepting applications for this year’s Roger Conant Grants in Herpetology! We will be awarding numerous grants (up to $500 each) 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. Students can also apply for the Dean Metter Memorial Award, but successful applicants will only receive one award. Applications are due December 15, 2026, with awards typically announced in March.

For more information about eligibility and applications guidelines, please visit the grant webpage.

Proposals can be submitted via Dropbox:
https://www.dropbox.com/request/vgt26mrvltkz26qauesr

SSAR publications are on sale from October 15 until December 1^st, or while supplies last. The sale is open to members and non-members alike, so tell your friends and colleagues!

• All Herpetological Circulars for the cost of shipping
• 25% off the following 4 titles:
  • Historiae Amphibiorum. Herpetology at the Dawn of the 19th Century, by JG Schneider. 2022.
  • Monograph of Japanese Tailed Amphibians, by Ikio Satp. 2023.
  • The Dutch Indies Commission and the Herpetological Legacy of Heinrich Boie. (1794-1827), by Jay M. Savage, Marcus Sparreboom, and Greg K. Pregill. 2025.
  • Strategies for Conservation Success in Herpetology, by Susan C. Walls and Katherine M. O’Donnell (eds.). 2024.
• 50% off all other titles in these series: Contributions to Herpetology, Herpetological Conservation titles, Facsimiles, Plates, and Posters.

Get your holiday shopping done early this year! Visit the bookstore to order: https://store10270226.company.site/.

The cover of Herpetological Review 56(4) features a Red River Krait (Bungarus slowinskii), a rarely seen, highly venomous elapid snake that was photographed by Rupert Grassby-Lewis, a British-born researcher who has spent much of his life working with the snakes in southeast Asia. This striking black-and-white banded krait is known from parts of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, where it occurs in evergreen rainforest habitats from around 400 to 1,800 meters above sea level. Like other kraits, B. slowinskii is secretive and nocturnal, and its ecology, behavior, and natural history remain poorly documented. Although its conservation status is not well established, continued habitat loss and the species’ apparent rarity highlight the importance of documenting populations, habitat associations, and natural history throughout its range. Read the full description “About Our Cover” at the link below.

Full contents are available online to SSAR members at https://ssarherps.org/herpetological-review-pdfs/. Herpetoculture Notes, 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/.

Results of the 2026 SSAR election are as follows:

President-Elect: David Blackburn
Secretary: Vincent (Vinny) Farallo
Board of Directors (Regular):
Jessica Tingle
Rob Denton
Jennifer Dever
Board of Directors (Conservation):
John Maerz

Thank you to all of the nominees who agreed to stand for positions, Marion Preest (Chair) and the other members of the Nominations Committee (Lauren Chan, Rafael de Sá, Michelle Koo, Chris Parkinson) and Marina Gerson (Election Officer).
—
Vinny Farallo
Secretary, SSAR

The Dutch Indies Commission and the Herpetological Legacy of Heinrich Boie (1794–1827) Vol. 35., by Jay M. Savage, Marcus Sparreboom and Gregory K. Pregill is on sale now! The history of Heinrich Boie’s never published, but hugely influential Erpétologie de Java. Boie’s manuscript served as the basis for many descriptions of amphibians and reptiles published between the 1820s and1850s. The book explores the relationship between Boie and those who came both before and after him and resolves the many nomenclatural issues relating to species of the southeast Asian herpetofauna. A must have volume for systematists, herpetological historians, and anyone interested in tropical snakes, lizards, turtles or frogs. 376 pp., 60 color plates and 18 figures in text.

ON SALE FOR $45 + shipping (50% off regular price)

Reminder: SSAR members can receive a 10% discount with coupon code “SSARMEM”

Buy online at SSAR Bookstore:
https://store10270226.company.site/%E2%80%8BVol-35-The-Dutch-Indies-Commission-and-the-Herpetological-Legacy-of-Heinrich-Boie-1794-1827-p758144933