Known for its distinctive “ribbit” call, the noisy Pacific chorus frog is a potent carrier of a deadly amphibian disease, according to new research. Just how this common North American frog survives chytridiomycosis may hold clues to protect more vulnerable species from the disease.

The majestic leatherback turtle is the largest sea turtle in the world, growing to more than 6 feet in length. It is also one of the most threatened. A major new study of migration patterns has identified high-use areas — potential danger zones — in the Pacific Ocean for this critically endangered species. This new understanding could help inform decisions about fishing practices to help reduce further deaths of this fragile species.

Sea turtles have long and complex lives; they can live into their 70s or 80s and they famously return to their birthplace to nest. But new research suggests this isn’t the only big migration in a sea turtle’s life.

An invasive plant may have saved an iconic Australian lizard species from death at the hands of toxic cane toads, according to new research. It’s an interesting case of one invasive species preparing local predators for the arrival of another, says a biologist involved in the research.

A small population of rattlesnakes that already is in decline in southern Illinois faces a new and unexpected threat in the form of a fungus rarely seen in the wild, researchers report. The finding matches reports of rattlesnake deaths in the northeast United States.

There were believed to be just two Rabbs’ fringe-limbed tree frogs left on Earth after a fungus killed off their species in the wild. [read more…]

Researchers in Peru have discovered a new species of a beautifully-colored lizard, living in the mountainous regions of the country. The new species was named Potamites montanicola, or “mountain dweller” for its exclusive mountain distribution.

FIFTEEN tadpoles hatched since Christmas might not sound exciting. But for those who know about the plight of the Baw Baw frog, it is a big deal. [read more…]

Four new species of miniaturized lizards have been identified in Madagascar. These lizards, just tens of millimeters from head to tail and in some cases small enough to stand on the head of a match, rank among the smallest reptiles in the world.

Now, I usually don’t feature reptiles on iFrog. But this had to be talked about. His species is renowned for its ability to blend in, but this tiny critter is even better than most as the world’s smallest chameleon. [read more…]

A new study has shown that boosting the estrogen levels of male garter snakes causes them to secrete the same pheromones that females use to attract suitors, and turned the males into just about the sexiest snake in the neighborhood — attracting dozens of other males eager to mate.

In the first experimental study of the founder effect in a natural setting, researchers found that natural selection does not overwhelm the founder effect.

A biologist who released lizards on tiny uninhabited islands in the Bahamas has shed light on the interaction between evolutionary processes that are seldom observed. He found that the lizards’ genetic and morphological traits were determined by both natural selection and a phenomenon called founder effects, which occur when species colonize new territory.