Reptiles Definition

A member of the newly dubbed Brachycephalus rotenbergae , a pumpkin toadlet. Photo: Edelcio Muscat Scientists in Brazil say they've discovered a new species of poisonous toad—hidden in plain sight due to its close resemblance to another related species. Aside from their tiny size, the wee toads have brightly colored skin and bones that fluoresce under UV light, a feature that still isn't completely understood. Study author Ivan Sergio Nunes Silva Filho, a zoologist at São Paulo State University, and his colleagues have been studying the biodiversity of the Brazilian Amazon for some time. Part of this work has involved untangling the genus of amphibians known as Brachycephalus. Not all toads and frogs in the genus look alike, but they're all miniaturized, compared to the average frog we're familiar with, with the smallest species being no longer than 1 centimeter front to back. Many also have very similar and sometimes poisonous orang

PETA Germany has just released this shocking video footage showing two dogs attacking a chained brown bear at a baiting station near Moscow. The footage, obtained by animal advocates from the Russian organisation Helpni.ru, shows a dog biting into the bear's leg from behind. The eyewitnesses also saw a badger and a boar held captive in cages at the facility. Dog Hunting Training in Russia Continues Despite Ban Even though it is illegal in Russia to use wild-caught animals to train dogs for hunting, recent reports attest that authorities are not enforcing the law – which was passed in 2018 – and 18 similar baiting stations have been found in the Moscow region alone. Bears and other animals used for hunting training in Russia are often locked up in small cages, and those who don't die quickly as a result of injuries or stress are killed once they are no longer useful to the hunters. Dogs are also at risk of injury during the training, which is supposed to prep

Like the Dead Sea scrolls of nature, an extinct frog from Israel returns to life Considered extinct for about 50 years, the Hula painted frog was spotted last week in Israel by a nature parks warden out monitoring the birds. The Hula Valley was covered in DDT and drained decades ago to stop the spread of diseases like malaria. It was established that along with malaria species indigenous to specific regions in Israel like the Hula painted frog, were gone for good. But new conservation measures that has brought water back to the Hula Valley shows that nature can spring back. According to a Haaretz report, the warden Yoram Malka believed that the frog would return and had his eyes peeled when on his regular watch. He promised scientists that the painted frog would bounce back. It was classified as extinct in 1996 yet Israeli authorities maintained that it was endangered. "I saw something jump that didn't look familiar," said Malka. "I rushed over and caught a f

Lemon Frost leopard geckos are known for their distinctive coloring – and skin tumors. Scientists have now linked the tumors to a gene implicated in human skin cancer. Credit: L. Guo et al./ PLOS Genetics 2021/Steve Sykes The leopard gecko's name was Mr. Frosty, and he was hard to miss. Yellow bands striped his back, and uncommonly white skin peeked out from speckles on his head and tail. "It's this really striking coloration pattern," says Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Leonid Kruglyak, a geneticist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). A California reptile shop began breeding Mr. Frosty in 2016 and produced a colony of lemon-yellow lizards. The color variety was known as Lemon Frost. With their bold bands and snazzy spots, the rare animals could fetch upwards of $2,000. But the gaudy geckos had one problem. Roughly 80 percent develop bulbous white skin tumors within the first five years of life. In some in

A Scots dog owner was left with horrific injuries to both of her legs after being attacked by her new puppy - just hours after bringing him home. Dog rescue worker Julie Nevett shared images showing the owner's leg covered in huge bruises and bite marks just hours after picking up Thor on Tuesday, October 23. Thor's owner, who has not been identified, was devastated when the 17-week-old German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix pooch turned on her just hours after taking him home. Shocking images show purple and black bruises all the way up one leg and two puncture wounds in the flesh of the owner's left leg. Thor A SCOTS dog owner was left with horrific injuries to both of her legs after being attacked by her new puppy - just hours after bringing him home. Dog rescue worker Julie Nevett shared images showing the owner's leg covered in huge bruises and bite marks just hours after picking up Thor on Tuesday (OCT 23). Thor's owner, who has not

It is clear from this study that a large volume of non-CITES-listed amphibian species is traded across the globe, which could, in turn, have major ramifications for the survival of the species. CITES Parties should work together ahead of CoP19 to ensure amphibian species impacted by international trade are given essential protections through CITES regulation." Tomomi Kitade, TRAFFIC's Director of Japan Himalayan Crocodile Newt Tylototriton verrucosus To focus efforts, TRAFFIC proposes a list of high conservation priority amphibians, which would benefit from having trade regulated and carefully monitored to prevent further biodiversity loss. For species that meet the relevant criteria, TRAFFIC suggests that CITES Parties consider proposing these species for CITES listings at the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP19), planned for November 2022. The 2021 report Analysing Amphibians: A rapid assessment reveals that the international commercial trade of at

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Shoppers got more than they bargained for at a Thailand 7-Eleven store when a giant monitor lizard walked in and climbed store shelves. People can be heard screaming and laughing in the background as the lizard reaches the top of a shelf and sprawls out near an ice machine. Narumpa Tangsin recorded the now-viral video on his phone in Nakhon Pathom, a town just outside Bangkok, according to video news website Newsflare. A store employee called the police who then brought reptile handlers to catch the Godzilla-esque creature. The handlers dragged the lizard out of the store and lured it towards a nearby brush. Asian Monitor lizards tend to live in canals and ponds in considerably humid climates. It's unknown why the monitor wandered into the 7-Eleven but it could have been looking for food due to recent months of dry weather with little rain. Monitors can live up to 22 years in captivity and some can reach almost six feet in length. It's the second largest lizard in the world beh

What do you get the person who already has everything? Gifting season is hard enough without inspiration. Fortunately, we've taken the time to find some of the coolest gifts of the season that we know that person who has everything won't have. Check them out. DNA My Dog Breed Identification Test Discover your pooch's exact breed mix, learn unique personality traits, and even come to understand common health concerns with this DNA kit designed especially for canines. Just swab the inside of your pet's mouth, send the sample away, and you'll receive a wealth of information that could help you keep your faithful friend in good health for the long haul. Get the DNA My Dog Breed Identification Test for $47.99 (reg. $79) with code BFSAVE20.  DNA My Dog Breed Identification Test – $47.99 with code BFSAVE20 See Deal Toybox 3D Printer Deluxe Bundle The Toybox is

In various DLC for The Sims 4 , such as Cat and Dogs and the new Cottage Living expansion packs, your Sims can keep, and breed various animals, though they may need some encouragement from their owners to make the magic happen. RELATED: The Sims 4: Cottage Living - Everything You Need To Know About Animals Not all animals that appear in The Sims are able to procreate. Some are content to graze the land and receive all the affections they need from doting Sim owners. With that being the case, we've gone through and laid out which species can create babies and how to breed the ones that do. How To Breed Cats & Dogs Via gamertweak.com

A woman sexually abused by a "cult" leader when she was a girl has told an Adelaide court she was made to feel like "a piece of meat purely for his pleasure" and that she was required to serve the group's "god", or she would be punished. Key points: James Gino Salerno was found guilty of sexually abusing a girl nearly two decades ago The victim told the court Salerno had continued to "make me relive this horrible nightmare" Salerno will be sentenced next month James Gino Salerno, 76, was found guilty in the District Court of six counts of unlawful sexual intercourse against a girl nearly two decades ago at a property in the Adelaide Hills. Salerno, often referred to as Taipan, was the "revered leader" of a group called the Ideal Human Environment. During sentencing submissions, the victim – who cannot be identified – told the court it took her nine years to not be afraid of Salerno or the group to report the matter to polic

Andrei Marchenko/Getty Images Chinchill- awwwww Besides "adorable balls of fluff," what are chinchillas? Well, the name refers to two different species of rodents, Chinchilla chinchilla  and  Chinchilla lanigera . Native to South America, they have the densest fur of any land mammal—20,000 hairs per square centimeter, to be exact! Like an endearing combo of adorable bunnies, squirrels, and hamsters, chinchillas can totally steal your heart, which is why they've gained popularity as pets. Check out these super-cute chinchilla pictures to see more reasons why they're the epitome of adorable! You'll also love these cutest animals in the world and cute sloth pictures. If you think your pets would fit in with these adorable pics, we want to see them! Reader's Digest is on the prowl for the most touching, adorable, or hilarious friendships involving a pet. Submit your story and photos (and videos!) for consideration. We will hono

image: Marsupial frogs like Fritziana goeldii carry their eggs on their back and deposit tadpoles in bromeliad water cups or bamboo stalks view more  Credit: Edelcio Muscat A Brazilian study described in an article  published  in the journal  Salamandra  evidences the versatility of amphibians in terms of reproductive modes: their eggs and larvae can develop in at least 74 different ways. Signed by scientists at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil, the article compiles data available in the specialized literature and collected by the authors over decades of research. In addition, it proposes a novel system for classifying the repr

This article contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Contrary to popular belief, dogs are not obligatory carnivores, but they still need lots of protein to stay strong and lean. That being said, there are good sources of protein and there are... not so good sources of protein. The leaner your source of protein is, the less fat accompanies it. Beef is traditionally fattier, but you can still get lean beef options that contain high amounts of protein. In fact, our first pick for this list is one such source.  All that aside, the overall health of your dog truly does depend on the quality of the food you're giving him. With an influx of sub-par foods on the market, it's important as the consumer to make sure you're getting something that's both worth your money and healthy for your dog. Dogs of all breeds can suffer from a variety of health complications directly related to poor diets — the main one