Reptile & Amphibian News Blog
Keep up with news and features of interest to the reptile and amphibian community on the kingsnake.com blog. We cover breaking stories from the mainstream and scientific media, user-submitted photos and videos, and feature articles and photos by Jeff Barringer, Richard Bartlett, and other herpetologists and herpetoculturists.
Wednesday, May 12 2021
Gotta love the smile from this Monkey Tail Skink in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user sreps ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Tuesday, May 11 2021
 In an attempt to ban the keeping on non-native venomous animals in South Carolina, two bills had late stage amendments pushed through. These two bills were almost through the process to make them law with very little notice to owners.
A breakdown of what the amendments will do from USARK:
The bills vary slightly but both will:
ban all non-native venomous reptiles of the class Reptilia belonging to the families Elapidae, Crotalidae, Viperidae, and Hydrophiidae;
ban all non-native venomous reptiles in the genus Heloderma;
ban all non-native venomous reptiles in the family Colubridae belonging to the genera: Rhabdophis, Boiga, Dispholidus, Thelatornis, and Atractapsi;
make it unlawful for a person to import into, possess, keep, purchase, have custody or control of, reproduce, or sell a non-native venomous reptile, including transactions conducted via the Internet;
find that a person who possesses non-native venomous reptiles may be guilty of a felony and may be fined up to five thousand dollars or imprisoned up to five years.
There is an urgent phone campaign happening now and we need YOU to help! Please visit USARK here and make your calls today. The action alert has all the information needed!
This curious little wild Rat snake is checking out the camera in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user cmac107 ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Monday, May 10 2021
It is hard to not see beauty when you look at the Asian Vine Snake ( Ahaetulla prasina) our Herp Photo of the Day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user 13lackcat! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Friday, May 7 2021
Happy Rattlesnake Friday! This Black-Tailed Rattlesnake ( C. molossus) in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user erindonaldson is certainly full of sass! ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here! As always on Friday, we celebrate all of our venomous reptiles for their contribution to the world.

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Thursday, May 6 2021
The gentle anaconda takes center stage in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user flboy21283! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!
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Wednesday, May 5 2021
"You're kingsnake.com, where are all the kingsnakes?" Right here in our herp photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user trevid ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Tuesday, May 4 2021
Let's go Hog Wild for this Eddy County New Mexico Locality Hognose in our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user nearhoofm ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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Monday, May 3 2021
A stunning Asian Forest Tortoise (Manouria emys phayrei,) takes over as our Herp Photo of the day, uploaded by kingsnake.com user emysbreeder ! Be sure to tell them you liked it here!

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 The brassy and white markings and range of the Tellico Salamander renders it a rather easily identified member of the Slimy Salamander group.
By Dick and Patti Bartlett
This group of salamanders, all of the genus Plethodon, is very aptly named, for not a single one out of the ~47 described species is tied to an aquatic habitat in any manner. To a species they are woodland dwellers that live their lives in woodland settings. Moisture is, of course, as necessary for these salamander’s survival as it is for any and all amphibians, but the moisture is accessed by rainfall, fog, and mists, and for some species, in streamedge situations (but not immersion). These salamanders are small and slender, varying from 3 ½”, (Red-backed, Peaks of Otter, and many others) to the nearly 9” of Yonahlossee and Bat Cave Salamanders).
All are oviparous, their egg clutches being laid in decaying logs, beneath rocks, or other such moisture holding situations including burrows. There is no aquatic larval stage, the young emerging from the egg- capsules as miniatures of the adults.
While some Woodland Salamanders are easy to identify, others are difficult. This is especially so of the 13 species that comprise the Slimy Salamander group. Some of these latter are identifiable only by locale or genetic studies.
And now, enjoy the photos.
Continue reading "Woodland Salamanders"
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