Submit Abstract (Due May 1)

View abstract guidelines: https://docs.google.com/document/u/3/d/e/2PACX-1vQQ4k8u3hHJj982K-40DhsxC9KUB7EBKg_WGATB1tTs38Jt5l5kfsq3xLdRpaEfpQ/pub

To present in St. Paul, all presenters, including symposium presenters, must register and pay for the meeting. Meeting registration is done through a separate online system accessed from the Registration Information webpage. Presenters must register by May 22, 2025.

You can edit your submission and information up to the end of abstract submission (May 1). If you need to withdraw an abstract, request a specific date for your presentation, or make other changes on or before May 1, please contact the JMIH program officer, David M. Green (david.m.green@mcgill.ca).

View the JMIH website!

Check out this story about some toad-ally awesome volunteers protecting local toad populations in Philadelphia!

Philadelphia, PA, April 14, 2025 — For 16 years, a dedicated community of volunteers has rallied to protect migrating toads at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. Toad Detour, which recently started its 2025 season, safeguards toads and other amphibians as they make their perilous journey from the 365-acre forest at the Schuylkill Center to their mating grounds in the Roxborough Reservoir. Since toads cross at night, this migration is a dangerous one, as they must evade oncoming traffic at Hagy’s Mill and Port Royal roads. Toad crossings only occur when the ground is over 50 degrees and the conditions are wet. This means that volunteers often stand outside in the rain, balancing umbrellas and flashlights looking for toads and explaining the program to approaching motorists.

Toad Detour protects wildlife and serves as an educational opportunity. The data collection from volunteer citizen scientists has tracked 22,000 toads which were saved in the 16 years that Toad Detour has operated. In addition to toads, volunteers have observed pickerel frogs, green frogs, bullfrogs, and grey tree frogs. The 2025 season has already tracked 304 toads and 36 frogs, with many more anticipated through the season.

“Toad Detour is a testament to the power of community action,” said Erin Mooney, Executive Director of the Schuylkill Center. “We are inspired by the dedication of our volunteers who are helping even the smallest animals in our community.”

The Schuylkill Center holds a training each February to teach volunteers the “Toad Road Code” to help make these crossings safe for volunteers, drivers, and amphibians alike. Volunteers who missed the training can watch a video on the Schuylkill Center website before attending a crossing.

Susan Slawinski, the Volunteer and Community Outreach Manager at the Schuylkill Center, who trains and organizes volunteers for Toad Detour, said. “I am so grateful to have such a fun group of volunteers to work with. Truly a dream job.”

How can you get involved in Toad Detour?

Volunteer: Toad Detour volunteer nights only happen when the conditions are just right. Announcements about expected Toad Crossings are posted on the Toad Detour page on the Schuylkill Center website. Learn more about volunteering for Toad Detour and view the volunteer training video: https://schuylkillcenter.org/volunteer/toad-detour/

Donate: Support the Schuylkill Center’s conservation efforts and educational programs by making a donation: https://schuylkillcenter.org

To see the original post, visit: https://schuylkillcenter.org/pressreleasetoaddetour/

Photos by Susan Slawinski.

Share your stories in celebration of Earth Day!

Contact Us!

The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles will hold Live and Silent Auctions at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in St. Paul, Minnesota, July 9–13, 2025. 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 St. Paul area services/events during the week of the meeting. 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 makes 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 and enables 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 Griffin Nicholson (gnicholson@tamu.edu) or Jennifer Deitloff (jmd240@lockhaven.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 (Kassandra Ford; ford0411@umn.edu). Please e-mail Kassandra Ford, Griffin Nicholson, and Jennifer Deitloff before sending any items to the address below. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting this summer!

JMIH 2025 Conference
c/o Dr. Kassandra Ford
135 Skok Hall
2003 Upper Buford Circle
St. Paul, MN 55108

Bolitoglossa striatula at Laguna de Lagarto Lodge, July 25, 2024 by Alberth H. Rojas Carranza.

SSAR Press Release:  The 9th edition of the Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico has launched!

The Standard Names for North American Amphibians and Reptiles Committee is proud to announce the launch of the 9th edition of this list which can now be found as a freely available PDF version here, as well as a new online database found at CNAH.ORG and sponsored by the Center for North American Herpetology and Sternberg Museum of Natural History. This committee has worked very hard on this edition, and we have continued to garner the support of several herpetological societies. We recognize that differences of opinion on names exist, and we have endeavored to present the status of each name and summarize disagreements where they exist so that everyone can decide the most appropriate name to use. We encourage you to read the introduction for changes made by the committee regarding this edition. We welcome feedback and any comments may be directed towards the committee chair, Kirsten E. Nicholson (nicho2ke@cmich.edu).  

Navigate to webpage: https://ssarherps.org/publications/north-american-checklist/

Cover illustration: Mid stage Taricha spp. larvae by Jackson D. Shedd. From top to bottom: Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa), Red-bellied Newt (Taricha rivularis), Sierra Newt (Taricha sierrae), and California Newt (Taricha torosa). Hansen, Robert W. and Jackson D. Shedd. 2025. California Amphibians and Reptiles. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 528 pp.

SSAR congratulates the following recipients of the Roger Conant Grants-in-Herpetology. Each receives an award of $500.

Conservation:

Cara Giordano (Florida International University), “Investigating skin secretions in Typhlonectes natans, a nonnative and potentially invasive amphibian of South Florida.”

Eva E. Greco (California State University), “Have Island Fence Lizards adjusted their thermal biology to compensate for the cooler climates of the Northern Channel Islands?”

International:

Sandra Rafika Devi (Universitas Gadjah Mada), “Taxonomic Status of Cyrtodactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in West Nusa Tenggara”

Rambinintsoa Miora Mikoja (University of Antananarivo), “Studying movement behavior and thermoregulation to understand climate risk of an endangered tortoise, Astrochelys radiata.”

Travel:

Cole J. Ivie (California Polytechnic State University), “Phylogeography of the Common Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana) on the California Channel Islands.”

Jensyn Scott (John Carroll University), “Salamanders from the Blue Ridge Mountains provide greater insight into Plethodon biofluorescence.”

Laboratory research:

Tushar Sharma (University of Texas at Austin), “Biofluorescence in Frogs: A visual cue for sexual selection?”

Jon Hoffman (American Museum of Natural History), “Phylogenetic reticulation in toothy skinks”

Undergraduate research:

Sudip Adhikari (Institute of Forestry, Hetauda), “An assessment of status, distribution and threats of herpetofauna in the Ghandruk region of Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), Nepal”

Briyith Daniela Durand Masias (National University of San Antonio Abad Del Cusco), “Habitat preference of the Andean Harlequin Frog, Atelopus andinus (Bufonidae) in a Cloud Forest of San Martin – Perú, 2025”

Field Research in Herpetology:

Anna F. Tipton (University of Texas at El Paso), “Evaluating the impacts of natural and artificial light at night on the foraging behavior of Eastern Black-tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus ornatus).”

Danielle Bartlett (Georgia College & State University), “Effects of winter shelter characteristics on brumation duration, body mass loss, and Ophiodiomyces ophidiicola infection load in a Southeastern population of Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus)”

Education:

Bivek Gautam (Biodiversity Research and Conservation Society), “Addressing overharvesting of Torrent Frogs through education and sustainable practices in Nepal.”

Mirna Grisel García-Castillo (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), “Amphibians Day Festival”

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.

• Nicole Angeli (US Virgin Islands, Department of Planning and Natural Resources)
• Claire Clark (Nevada, Department of Wildlife)
• Delia Basanta (University of Nevada at Reno)
• Allison Julien (Fort Worth Zoo, Texas)
• Olivia Brooks (Virginia Tech)
• Eddy Myers (California Academy of Science)
• Kevin Mulder (California Academy of Science)

Learn more about the grant: https://ssarherps.org/ssar-awards/grants-in-herpetology/

Congratulations to Tucker Heptinstall & Tayci Sullivan, the 2025 recipients of the Dean E. Metter Award!

Tucker is a Ph.D. candidate working in the lab of Kinsey M. Brock at San Diego State University, California. Tucker’s research is novel– he is examining communities of snakes that inhabit urban environments. Because he is studying snakes in well-established cities (“ancient cities”) he plans on using his data to better understand the influence of urban environments on the evolution of community structure and life history traits. Because of the rampant urbanization occurring worldwide, Tucker suggests his work will be useful to city planners and conservationists as they design cities to preserve local biodiversity and maintain healthy ecosystems.

Tayci is a M.S. student in the lab of Thomas L. Anderson at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Tayci’s research involves a demographic study of Ringed Salamanders near the northern periphery of their range, which included the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri. Her study will allow for a better understanding of factors, at the local and landscape level, that affect the occurrence and distribution of this species. Her data will contribute to that from studies conducted near the center of the distribution of the species. Thus, she hopes her data will allow for conservation of the species in a area subject to urbanization.

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. This award honors Doc’s legacy and dedication to his students. Applications for this award are due annually on December 15. Follow the link to learn more: https://ssarherps.org/ssar-awards/dean-metter-memorial-award/

Dean Metter (right) holding a hellbender salamander from Southern Missouri, USA.

View the JMIH website!

Submit Abstract (Due May 1)

*Abstract submission deadline extended from March 25 to May 1!

The four JMIH societies are happy to offer deeply discounted registration rates for students and several grants to support student research and/or travel to the annual conference, as well as awards for best student presentations. See details about awards that you can still apply for:

• The American Elasmobranch Society (AES) sponsors the Jeffrey C. & Carol A. Carrier Poster Award and the Samuel H. Gruber Presentation Award for student members. https://elasmo.org/awards-and-funding/student-awards/

• The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) awards include the Gaige Fund for Herpetology, the Raney Fund for Ichthyology, the Robins Award for Marine Ichthyology, the Cashner Award, Stoye Awards, and the Storer Awards for the best poster presentation in Ichthyology and Herpetology. https://www.asih.org/awards

• The Neotropical Ichthyological Association (NIA) sponsors Best Student Oral presentation & Best Poster Awards, if there are enough entrants. https://www.nia-net.org/student-awards
• The Herpetologists League sponsors the Graduate Research Award for student presentations at JMIH. https://herpetologistsleague.org/students/
• The SSAR sponsors the J.P. Kennedy Student Award, the Victor Hutchison Student Poster Award for graduate students, the Henri Seibert Award for best student oral presentation, the George B. Rabb Undergraduate Poster Award for undergraduate or high school students, the Student Travel Award, and the Metallinou Postdoctoral Travel Award. https://ssarherps.org/ssar-awards

To learn more about awards and meeting announcements, view the full invitation to JMIH 2025 from the presidents of the societies: click here.

The cover features an image of a Water Monitor, Varanus salvator, that was photographed by Chan Kin Onn in Perlis, Malaysia. Highly intelligent and opportunistic, this species is both a predator and scavenger, feeding on fish, amphibians, birds, small mammals, and carrion. While populations remain stable in many areas, the species faces pressures from habitat loss and illegal trade for its skin, meat, and use in traditional medicine in some regions. Their adaptability, high reproductive rate, and generalist diet have allowed them to become one of the most successful monitor lizard species in the wild.

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. Follow the “Join SSAR” link on the home page or click here.

Carl Gans Traveling Fellowship Endowment

Call for Applications for Student and Post-Doc Travel Awards

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 researchers from across the globe.  To that end, the SSAR is soliciting applications to attend the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH) in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, July 9-13, 2025 as Carl Gans Fellows.  Students and post-docs should be members of a herpetological JMIH society (SSAR, ASHI, HL) working on any type of herpetological research.  Up to 24 awards will be granted in this cycle ($800 per fellow for U.S./Canadian researchers and $1500 for fellows from other countries).  Priority will be given to those in greatest need (i.e. those 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.

Eligibility Criteria – Applicants must:

1. Be a current student or post-doc engaging in herpetological research
2. Be a member of SSAR, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH), or Herpetologists’ League (HL)
3. Be a presenter at the JMIH in St Paul in 2025
4. Not have won this award in the past

Application Instructions:

Applicants should complete the Google Form (Application Form) by 7 March 2025.  Decisions will be made, and recipients notified, in advance of the due date for JMIH abstracts (March 28, 2025).  Required information includes:

1. Academic rank (undergraduate, graduate, post-doc).
2. Institution and city/state/country of institution.
3. Membership of which herpetological society/societies.
4. Signed statement of advisor (template provided in Google Form).
5. Abstract of the research you will present. In the spirit of the herpetological research of Carl Gans, which was both diverse and synthetic, and which he disseminated to a wide range of audiences, from the general public to professional academics, the abstract should include a brief statement that places the research in the broader context of the discipline. (500 word maximum)
6. Statement of need for funds to attend the meeting.
7. Optional statement of whether the applicant is a member of an historically underrepresented group based on gender, race, country of origin, or another factor.

Questions?  Please contact Marion Preest, committee chair, mpreest@natsci.claremont.edu

Download Call for Applications: Carl Gans Traveling Fellowship Endowment Call for Applications 2025

Photo of Carl Gans from the 2010 obituary in Herpetological Review by Kraig Adler