Reptile intro
Reptiles Research
Reptiles Research
Filter Total Items: 30
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Everglades
Invasive species are considered to be second only to habitat degradation in terms of negative impacts on the Earth’s ecosystems, and our scientists make up a significant proportion of the global expertise in the rapidly-growing problem of invasive reptiles.
Ecology and Control of Invasive Reptiles in Florida
This project involves development of tools for the detection and control of invasive reptiles in Florida, with an emphasis on pythons and tegu lizards. The goals are to reduce the risk of reptile invasions, investigate early detection methods, maintain rapid response capacity, and understand invasive reptile population biology and ecology to inform management options.
Post-Hurricane Florence Sea Turtle Nesting Habitat Nest Site Selection at Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores
WARC researchers will be surveying nesting beaches in Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores. They will record GPS locations for all crawls, nests, and turtles encountered/captured, and will be placing satellite tags on a subset of individuals to determine habitat use and delineate inter-nesting areas used by reproductive females.
Reptile and Amphibian Road Ecology
USGS is working with many partners to help reptiles, amphibians and other animals cross roads safely, improving access to essential habitat.
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Pacific
Research on Guam has led to development and validation of numerous effective control tools, including the advancement of reptile control to support native species recovery.
Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) Research in Louisiana in Support of the Species Status Assessment and Listing Decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WARC researchers are investigating individual movement, growth, and population dynamics of alligator snapping turtles in a southwest Louisiana creek.
Fine-Scale Dive Profiles and Activity Patterns of Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico
Researchers are developing acceleration data logger pop-off packages that can be affixed to sea turtles to collect behavioral patterns of diving, surfacing, and general activity levels.
Hotspot and Risk Analysis for Sea Turtles in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Researchers will collect location data that will be used to identify areas of high-use for resident sea turtles in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Informing Future Condition Scenario Planning for Habitat Specialists of the Imperiled Pine Rockland Ecosystem of South Florida
South Florida's pine rockland ecosystem represents less than 3% of its original extent. This project will evaluate habitat conditions for two pine rockland snake species to develop future habitat condition scenarios for Species Status Assessments.
A Structured Decision-Making Framework for Controlling, Monitoring, and Containment of Invasive Species through Trapping: An Application to the Argentine Black and White Tegu
USGS is applying decision analysis to identify cost-effective methods for controlling invasive species like the Argentine black and white tegu.
Sea Turtle Movement and Habitat Use in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) uses trawling to capture and relocate live sea turtles away from dredging locations to minimize the risk of turtle entrainment. These incidental turtle captures provide a unique opportunity to fill critical data gaps for difficult to capture life-stages of marine turtles.
Distribution and Density of Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM): Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS)
The over-arching goal of GoMMAPPS is to collect broad-scale survey data for seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles to determine distribution and abundance in the Gulf of Mexico.
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Alligator Production Probability Model
Because the American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ) is a keystone species of the Everglades ecosystem, managers need a way to quantitatively assess the effects of alternative restoration scenarios on alligators.
Sea turtle nesting on Eglin Air Force Base property, Cape San Blas, Florida
The Northwestern Atlantic population of loggerhead sea turtles is one of the largest in the world. Genetic studies have divided this population into 5 management units including a genetically distinct group that nests throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM).
Ecology and Conservation of Sensitive Herpetofauna Species
Many species of amphibians and reptiles are declining or facing population threats in the West related to habitat loss, habitat alteration, introduction of non-native species, and other factors. Our work focuses on the status and trends of resident herpetofauna and how to better manage their habitats. Much of the effort is undertaken with cooperators, particularly with other agencies in the...
Ecology and Conservation of Reptiles
This project improves our understanding of the ecology of reptiles in California and evaluates methods of managing landscapes and these imperiled species. In particular, Dr. Brian Halstead examines the distribution and demography of reptiles to understand factors that affect where they are found and how populations change. He further explores the relationships of reptiles with their abiotic and...
Desert Tortoise Ecology, Health, Habitat, and Conservation Biology
The desert tortoise is listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. USGS WERC scientists, along with project partners have been conducting long-term analyses on how changes in the southwestern deserts of the United States can affect desert tortoise populations. Dr. Todd Esque and his team are investigating how habitat disturbances and restoration projects influence tortoise populations...
Reptile Biodiversity in the Pacific Basin Islands
Dr. Robert Fisher and his colleagues have teamed up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy and multiple universities to conduct several types of studies that will address high priority issues related to reptiles in the Pacific Basin Islands. These studies will provide new information about species diversity, endemicity, biology and demography of reptile fauna and will lay the...
Relocating and Augmenting Desert Tortoise Populations
As resource managers balance the needs of humans and wildlife, WERC’s Dr. Berry provides the necessary science to inform decisions on shared lands. Visit the “Science” tab to delve into specific projects.
Human Influence on Desert Tortoise Habitats
The deserts of the Southwest are under increasing pressure from growing human communities. The spread of cities, agricultural fields, grazing livestock, power plants, and other forms of human development in the past and present have affected the region’s natural resources, including its wildlife. WERC’s Dr. Kristin Berry is studying the response of threatened desert tortoises to changing habitats...
Ecology and Biology of Desert Tortoises
WERC wildlife biologist Dr. Kristin Berry has more than forty years of experience studying Agassiz’s desert tortoise. As the lead on several USGS projects, Dr. Berry continues to lend her expertise to investigating the status, genetics, and behavior of Agassiz’s tortoise populations in the Mojave Desert.
Explore our science using the data below.
Exogenous and endogenous factors influence invasive reptile movement at multiple scales, 2018 - 2019
These data reflect movement values for brown treesnakes from Guam that were translocated (moved by humans) to new locations or were resident (left in place) on Guam. The data are related to the specimen's treatment group, individual values, locations and other details affiliated with radio telemetry based acquisition and positional changes by the individual snakes across tracking events. The data
Species Observations from Pitfall Trap Arrays, Species Pool Matrices, and Patch Locations in Southern California from 1995-2015
Observations (reduced to detected/not detected) of 45 vertebrate species (seven mammals, seven amphibians, and 31 reptiles) across Southern California pitfall sampling projects conducted between 1995 through 2015. Habitat patch locations of every pitfall sampling project presented in a shapefile. Habitat patches were measured based on the size when pitfall sampling began within each. Sampling proj
Pre-restoration biological and physical assessment of the lower Rouge River, MI, 2018
Data are from biological and physical environmental assessments conducted during 2018 in the lower Rouge River, MI. Sites were located upstream, downstream, and within the concrete channel section of the lower Rouge River. Water quality parameters, riparian zone characteristics, reptiles and amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, and river channel characteristics (water depth, flow, velocity) were ass
Data from visual encounter and acoustic monitoring surveys targeting amphibians and reptiles in Big Thicket National Preserve in southeast Texas from August 2010 to September 2018
This dataset contains data from visual encounter and acoustic surveys in Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas from August 2010 to September 2018. This dataset also includes salinity measurements from nine salinity loggers deployed in the study area.
Reptile Richness in the Range of the Sage-grouse, Derived From Species Range Maps
These data depict reptile species richness within the range of the Greater Sage-grouse. Species boundaries were defined as the total extent of a species geographic limits. This raster largely used species range data from "U.S. Geological Survey - Gap Analysis Project Species Range Maps CONUS_2001", however in order for a more complete picture of species richness, additional sources were used for s
Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen from diamondback terrapins and resources within Southern Everglades and Key West National Wildlife Refuge, sampled 2012-2013
This study was initiated to provide baseline data and to determine the utility of stable isotope analysis to evaluate the foraging strategies of an opportunistic reptile predator. Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen were evaluated from multiple tissues from terrapin populations to determine spatial or temporal variations in resource use within mangrove habitats in Southern Florida. We sam
Occurrence locations and trait data for freshwater fishes, amphibians, and reptiles native to the state of Oregon
These datasets include occurrence points and trait data for freshwater fishes, amphibians, and reptiles native to Oregon State. Occurrence data were extracted from the VertNet database and include points within Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, as well as points found within ecoregions that overlap with Oregon state (U.S. EPA Level III EcoRegions). Occurrence points include records from years 1930-20
Landscape-scale wildlife species richness metrics
These raster data represent the results of a case study in Arizona on how vertebrate richness metrics can be used with existing state and federal guidance in wind and solar energy facility siting. Each of the four geodatabases (see Cross References) contain eight native terrestrial wildlife group models in Arizona: 1) all vertebrates, 2) amphibians, 3) reptiles, 4) birds, 5) mammals, 6) bats, 7) r
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS reptile research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS reptile publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 23
Potential effects of energy development on environmental resources of the Williston Basin in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota—Species of conservation concern
The ecosystems of the Williston Basin provide direct and indirect benefits to society. These benefits include carbon sequestration, flood control, nutrient rich soils for agricultural productivity, and habitat for wildlife. This chapter’s main focus is on the effects of energy development on species that occupy the ecosystems in the Williston Basin. We compiled a list of documented species of cons
Authors
Max Post van der Burg, Amy J. Symstad, Lawrence D. Igl, David M. Mushet, Diane L. Larson, Glen A. Sargeant, David D. Harper, Aïda M. Farag, Brian A. Tangen, Michael J. Anteau
Research to inform passage spacing for migratory amphibians and to evaluate efficacy and designs for open elevated road segment (ERS) passages
This is a multifaceted project that includes three main areas of research targeted to inform effective crossing systems for migratory amphibians, a large group of species which are at very high risk from negative impacts from roads within their habitats (Glista et al. 2008, Hamer and McDonnell 2008, Semlitsch 2008, Brehme et al. 2018). The three projects presented in this report are:1) Movement di
Authors
Cheryl S. Brehme, Stephanie Barnes, Brittany Ewing, Cassie Vaughan, Michael Hobbs, Charles Tornaci, Philip Robert Gould, Sarah Holm, Hanna Sheldon, Robert N. Fisher
Egg retention in wild-caught Python bivittatus in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA
Retention of eggs in oviducts beyond the normal oviposition period is a common problem for captive reptiles, but the occurrence of egg retention in wild populations is largely unknown. The Burmese python (Python [molurus] bivittatus; Kühl 1820) is an oviparous snake native to south-eastern Asia that is now established in southern Florida. From 2011–2019, invasive Burmese pythons were opportunistic
Authors
Gretchen Erika Anderson, Frank N. Ridgley, Jillian Maureen Josimovich, Robert Reed, Bryan G. Falk, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Andrea Faye Currylow
By land, air, and water — U.S. Geological Survey science supporting fish and wildlife migrations throughout North America
Countless species of animals—big game, birds, bats, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and fish—migrate to reach suitable habitats to feed, reproduce, and raise their young. Animal migrations developed over millennia commonly follow migration corridors—unique routes for each species—to move among seasonal habitats. Changes along those corridors, whether from human development (buildings, roads, dams)
Authors
Mona Khalil, Mark Wimer, David H. Hu, Michael J. Adams, Melanie J. Steinkamp, Suzanna C. Soileau
Elevating human dimensions of amphibian and reptile conservation, a USA perspective
Increasing threats to amphibian and reptile species raise the urgency of their conservation. However, relative to other vertebrate groups at risk, amphibians and reptiles have low and more variable social capital; they are not generally high-priority natural goods and services valued by people. Consequently, relative to other groups such as birds, mammals, and economically important fish, they gar
Authors
Deanna H. Olson, David Pilliod
Turtles of the World: A guide to every family
Turtles of the World reveals the extraordinary diversity of these amazing reptiles. Characterized by the bony shell that acts as a shield to protect the softer body within, turtles are survivors from the time of the dinosaurs and are even more ancient in evolutionary terms than snakes and crocodilians. Of more than 350 species known today, some are highly endangered. In this beautiful guide, turtl
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, Whit Gibbons
New amphibian and reptile parish records from Louisiana, USA
Dundee and Rossman (1989) published distribution maps of Louisiana herpetofaunal species in The Amphibians and Reptiles of Louisiana over 30 years ago. Since then many records have been published, mostly in Herpetological Review, documenting additions to these original maps. Though many are single species additions, several compilations of new Louisiana records have been published (Boundy 1994, 19
Authors
Brad Glorioso
Reptile and amphibian diversity and abundance in an urban landscape: Impacts of fragmentation and the conservation value of small patches
Urbanization is a major contributor to habitat loss and fragmentation and is considered a global threat to biodiversity. We studied reptile and amphibian species diversity and abundance in a highly fragmented landscape adjacent to the second largest metropolitan area in the United States. Habitat patches in our study area were made up of remnant native vegetation surrounded by roads, housing, and
Authors
Kathleen Semple Delaney, Gary Busteed, Robert N. Fisher, Seth P D Riley
Research to inform Caltrans best management practices for reptile and amphibian road crossings
In October of 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a 5-year project to conduct research to inform Best Management Practices (BMPs) for amphibian and reptile crossing and barrier systems in California. To inform future conservation and transportation planning, this project involved identification of species at highest risk of negative road impacts, creation of geodatabase and spatial mapp
Authors
Cheryl S. Brehme, Robert N. Fisher, Tom E. S. Langton, Anthony P. Clevenger, Esther Adelsheim, Stephanie Barnes, Tristan Edgarian, Brittany Ewing, Stacie A. Hathaway, Michael Hobbs, Jennifer Kingston, A. Launer, Tritia A. Matsuda, Jeremy B. Sebes, C. Vaughn, Elise Watson
Conservation status of the world’s skinks (Scincidae): Taxonomic and geographic patterns in extinction risk
Our knowledge of the conservation status of reptiles, the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrates, has improved dramatically over the past decade, but still lags behind that of the other tetrapod groups. Here, we conduct the first comprehensive assessment (~92% of the world’s ~1,714 described species) of the conservation status of skinks (Scincidae), the most speciose reptile family worldwid
Authors
David G. Chapple, Uri Roll, Monika Böhm, Rocío Aguilar, Andrew P. Amey, Chris C. Austin, Maureen Baling, Anthony J. Barley, Michael F. Bates, Aaron M. Bauer, Daniel G. Blackburn, Phil Bowles, Rafe M. Brown, S. R. Chandramouli, Laurent Chirio, Hal Cogger, Guarino R. Colli, Werner Conradie, Patrick J. Couper, Mark A. Cowan, Michael D. Craig, Indraneil Das, Aniruddha Datta-Roy, Chris R. Dickman, Ryan J. Ellis, Aaron L. Fenner, Stewart Ford, S. R. Ganesh, Michael G. Gardner, Peter Geissler, Graeme R. Gillespie, Frank Glaw, Matthew J. Greenlees, Oliver W. Griffith, L. Lee Grismer, Margaret L. Haines, D. James Harris, S. Blair Hedges, Rod A. Hitchmough, Conrad J. Hoskin, Mark N. Hutchinson, Ivan Ineich, Jordi Janssen, Gregory R. Johnston, Benjamin R. Karin, J. Scott Keogh, Frederick Kraus, Matthew LeBreton, Petros Lymberakis, Rafaqat Masroor, Peter J. McDonald, Sven Mecke, Jane Melville, Sabine Melzer, Damian R. Michael, Aurélien Miralles, Nicola J. Mitchell, Nicola J. Nelson, Truong Q. Nguyen, Cristiano de Campos Nogueira, Hidetoshi Ota, Panayiotis Pafilis, Olivier S. G. Pauwels, Ana Perera, Daniel Pincheira-Donoso, Robert Reed, Marco A. Ribeiro-Júnior, Julia L. Riley, Sara Rocha, Pamela L. Rutherford, Ross A. Sadlier, Boaz Shacham, Glenn M. Shea, Richard Shine, Alex Slavenko, Adam Stow, Joanna Sumner, Oliver J. S. Tallowin, Roy Teale, Omar Torres-Carvajal, Jean-Francois Trape, Peter Uetz, Kanishka D. B. Ukuwela, Leonie E. Valentine, James U. Van Dyke, Dylan van Winkel, Raquel Vasconcelos, Miguel Vences, Philipp Wagner, Erik Wapstra, Geoffrey M. While, Martin J. Whiting, Camilla M. Whittington, Steve Wilson, Thomas Ziegler, Reid Tingley, Shai Meiri
Using enclosed Y-mazes to assess chemosensory behavior in reptiles
Reptiles utilize a variety of environmental cues to inform and drive animal behavior such as chemical scent trails produced by food or conspecifics. Decrypting the scent-trailing behavior of vertebrates, particularly invasive species, enables the discovery of cues that induce exploratory behavior and can aid in the development of valuable basic and applied biological tools. However, pinpointing be
Authors
M. Rockwell Parker, Andrea Faye Currylow, Eric A. Tillman, Charlotte J. Robinson, Jillian Maureen Josimovich, Isabella M.G. Bukovich, Lauren A. Nazarian, Melia G. Nafus, Bryan M. Kluever, Amy A. Yackel Adams
Trophic ecology
The trophic ecology of lake charr Salvelinus namaycush morphotypes from small and large lakes within their native and introduced ranges is reviewed over the past 50 years. The lake charr is an apex predator in most habitats it occupies, where it plays a significant role in defining food webs. While often considered piscivores, lake charr feed on a range of aquatic prey throughout their life histor
Authors
Mark Vinson, Louise Chavarie, Caroline Lynn Rosinski, Heidi K. Swanson
Reptile intro
Reptiles Research
Reptiles Research
Filter Total Items: 30
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Everglades
Invasive species are considered to be second only to habitat degradation in terms of negative impacts on the Earth’s ecosystems, and our scientists make up a significant proportion of the global expertise in the rapidly-growing problem of invasive reptiles.
Ecology and Control of Invasive Reptiles in Florida
This project involves development of tools for the detection and control of invasive reptiles in Florida, with an emphasis on pythons and tegu lizards. The goals are to reduce the risk of reptile invasions, investigate early detection methods, maintain rapid response capacity, and understand invasive reptile population biology and ecology to inform management options.
Post-Hurricane Florence Sea Turtle Nesting Habitat Nest Site Selection at Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores
WARC researchers will be surveying nesting beaches in Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores. They will record GPS locations for all crawls, nests, and turtles encountered/captured, and will be placing satellite tags on a subset of individuals to determine habitat use and delineate inter-nesting areas used by reproductive females.
Reptile and Amphibian Road Ecology
USGS is working with many partners to help reptiles, amphibians and other animals cross roads safely, improving access to essential habitat.
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Pacific
Research on Guam has led to development and validation of numerous effective control tools, including the advancement of reptile control to support native species recovery.
Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) Research in Louisiana in Support of the Species Status Assessment and Listing Decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WARC researchers are investigating individual movement, growth, and population dynamics of alligator snapping turtles in a southwest Louisiana creek.
Fine-Scale Dive Profiles and Activity Patterns of Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico
Researchers are developing acceleration data logger pop-off packages that can be affixed to sea turtles to collect behavioral patterns of diving, surfacing, and general activity levels.
Hotspot and Risk Analysis for Sea Turtles in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Researchers will collect location data that will be used to identify areas of high-use for resident sea turtles in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Informing Future Condition Scenario Planning for Habitat Specialists of the Imperiled Pine Rockland Ecosystem of South Florida
South Florida's pine rockland ecosystem represents less than 3% of its original extent. This project will evaluate habitat conditions for two pine rockland snake species to develop future habitat condition scenarios for Species Status Assessments.
A Structured Decision-Making Framework for Controlling, Monitoring, and Containment of Invasive Species through Trapping: An Application to the Argentine Black and White Tegu
USGS is applying decision analysis to identify cost-effective methods for controlling invasive species like the Argentine black and white tegu.
Sea Turtle Movement and Habitat Use in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) uses trawling to capture and relocate live sea turtles away from dredging locations to minimize the risk of turtle entrainment. These incidental turtle captures provide a unique opportunity to fill critical data gaps for difficult to capture life-stages of marine turtles.
Distribution and Density of Sea Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM): Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS)
The over-arching goal of GoMMAPPS is to collect broad-scale survey data for seabirds, marine mammals and sea turtles to determine distribution and abundance in the Gulf of Mexico.
Joint Ecosystem Modeling: Alligator Production Probability Model
Because the American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ) is a keystone species of the Everglades ecosystem, managers need a way to quantitatively assess the effects of alternative restoration scenarios on alligators.
Sea turtle nesting on Eglin Air Force Base property, Cape San Blas, Florida
The Northwestern Atlantic population of loggerhead sea turtles is one of the largest in the world. Genetic studies have divided this population into 5 management units including a genetically distinct group that nests throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM).
Ecology and Conservation of Sensitive Herpetofauna Species
Many species of amphibians and reptiles are declining or facing population threats in the West related to habitat loss, habitat alteration, introduction of non-native species, and other factors. Our work focuses on the status and trends of resident herpetofauna and how to better manage their habitats. Much of the effort is undertaken with cooperators, particularly with other agencies in the...
Ecology and Conservation of Reptiles
This project improves our understanding of the ecology of reptiles in California and evaluates methods of managing landscapes and these imperiled species. In particular, Dr. Brian Halstead examines the distribution and demography of reptiles to understand factors that affect where they are found and how populations change. He further explores the relationships of reptiles with their abiotic and...
Desert Tortoise Ecology, Health, Habitat, and Conservation Biology
The desert tortoise is listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. USGS WERC scientists, along with project partners have been conducting long-term analyses on how changes in the southwestern deserts of the United States can affect desert tortoise populations. Dr. Todd Esque and his team are investigating how habitat disturbances and restoration projects influence tortoise populations...
Reptile Biodiversity in the Pacific Basin Islands
Dr. Robert Fisher and his colleagues have teamed up with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy and multiple universities to conduct several types of studies that will address high priority issues related to reptiles in the Pacific Basin Islands. These studies will provide new information about species diversity, endemicity, biology and demography of reptile fauna and will lay the...
Relocating and Augmenting Desert Tortoise Populations
As resource managers balance the needs of humans and wildlife, WERC’s Dr. Berry provides the necessary science to inform decisions on shared lands. Visit the “Science” tab to delve into specific projects.
Human Influence on Desert Tortoise Habitats
The deserts of the Southwest are under increasing pressure from growing human communities. The spread of cities, agricultural fields, grazing livestock, power plants, and other forms of human development in the past and present have affected the region’s natural resources, including its wildlife. WERC’s Dr. Kristin Berry is studying the response of threatened desert tortoises to changing habitats...
Ecology and Biology of Desert Tortoises
WERC wildlife biologist Dr. Kristin Berry has more than forty years of experience studying Agassiz’s desert tortoise. As the lead on several USGS projects, Dr. Berry continues to lend her expertise to investigating the status, genetics, and behavior of Agassiz’s tortoise populations in the Mojave Desert.
Explore our science using the data below.
Exogenous and endogenous factors influence invasive reptile movement at multiple scales, 2018 - 2019
These data reflect movement values for brown treesnakes from Guam that were translocated (moved by humans) to new locations or were resident (left in place) on Guam. The data are related to the specimen's treatment group, individual values, locations and other details affiliated with radio telemetry based acquisition and positional changes by the individual snakes across tracking events. The data
Species Observations from Pitfall Trap Arrays, Species Pool Matrices, and Patch Locations in Southern California from 1995-2015
Observations (reduced to detected/not detected) of 45 vertebrate species (seven mammals, seven amphibians, and 31 reptiles) across Southern California pitfall sampling projects conducted between 1995 through 2015. Habitat patch locations of every pitfall sampling project presented in a shapefile. Habitat patches were measured based on the size when pitfall sampling began within each. Sampling proj
Pre-restoration biological and physical assessment of the lower Rouge River, MI, 2018
Data are from biological and physical environmental assessments conducted during 2018 in the lower Rouge River, MI. Sites were located upstream, downstream, and within the concrete channel section of the lower Rouge River. Water quality parameters, riparian zone characteristics, reptiles and amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, and river channel characteristics (water depth, flow, velocity) were ass
Data from visual encounter and acoustic monitoring surveys targeting amphibians and reptiles in Big Thicket National Preserve in southeast Texas from August 2010 to September 2018
This dataset contains data from visual encounter and acoustic surveys in Big Thicket National Preserve in Texas from August 2010 to September 2018. This dataset also includes salinity measurements from nine salinity loggers deployed in the study area.
Reptile Richness in the Range of the Sage-grouse, Derived From Species Range Maps
These data depict reptile species richness within the range of the Greater Sage-grouse. Species boundaries were defined as the total extent of a species geographic limits. This raster largely used species range data from "U.S. Geological Survey - Gap Analysis Project Species Range Maps CONUS_2001", however in order for a more complete picture of species richness, additional sources were used for s
Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen from diamondback terrapins and resources within Southern Everglades and Key West National Wildlife Refuge, sampled 2012-2013
This study was initiated to provide baseline data and to determine the utility of stable isotope analysis to evaluate the foraging strategies of an opportunistic reptile predator. Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen were evaluated from multiple tissues from terrapin populations to determine spatial or temporal variations in resource use within mangrove habitats in Southern Florida. We sam
Occurrence locations and trait data for freshwater fishes, amphibians, and reptiles native to the state of Oregon
These datasets include occurrence points and trait data for freshwater fishes, amphibians, and reptiles native to Oregon State. Occurrence data were extracted from the VertNet database and include points within Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, as well as points found within ecoregions that overlap with Oregon state (U.S. EPA Level III EcoRegions). Occurrence points include records from years 1930-20
Landscape-scale wildlife species richness metrics
These raster data represent the results of a case study in Arizona on how vertebrate richness metrics can be used with existing state and federal guidance in wind and solar energy facility siting. Each of the four geodatabases (see Cross References) contain eight native terrestrial wildlife group models in Arizona: 1) all vertebrates, 2) amphibians, 3) reptiles, 4) birds, 5) mammals, 6) bats, 7) r
Recent publications (2020-2022) related to USGS reptile research are listed below. A complete listing of USGS reptile publications is available from the button below.
Filter Total Items: 23
Potential effects of energy development on environmental resources of the Williston Basin in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota—Species of conservation concern
The ecosystems of the Williston Basin provide direct and indirect benefits to society. These benefits include carbon sequestration, flood control, nutrient rich soils for agricultural productivity, and habitat for wildlife. This chapter’s main focus is on the effects of energy development on species that occupy the ecosystems in the Williston Basin. We compiled a list of documented species of cons
Authors
Max Post van der Burg, Amy J. Symstad, Lawrence D. Igl, David M. Mushet, Diane L. Larson, Glen A. Sargeant, David D. Harper, Aïda M. Farag, Brian A. Tangen, Michael J. Anteau
Research to inform passage spacing for migratory amphibians and to evaluate efficacy and designs for open elevated road segment (ERS) passages
This is a multifaceted project that includes three main areas of research targeted to inform effective crossing systems for migratory amphibians, a large group of species which are at very high risk from negative impacts from roads within their habitats (Glista et al. 2008, Hamer and McDonnell 2008, Semlitsch 2008, Brehme et al. 2018). The three projects presented in this report are:1) Movement di
Authors
Cheryl S. Brehme, Stephanie Barnes, Brittany Ewing, Cassie Vaughan, Michael Hobbs, Charles Tornaci, Philip Robert Gould, Sarah Holm, Hanna Sheldon, Robert N. Fisher
Egg retention in wild-caught Python bivittatus in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA
Retention of eggs in oviducts beyond the normal oviposition period is a common problem for captive reptiles, but the occurrence of egg retention in wild populations is largely unknown. The Burmese python (Python [molurus] bivittatus; Kühl 1820) is an oviparous snake native to south-eastern Asia that is now established in southern Florida. From 2011–2019, invasive Burmese pythons were opportunistic
Authors
Gretchen Erika Anderson, Frank N. Ridgley, Jillian Maureen Josimovich, Robert Reed, Bryan G. Falk, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Andrea Faye Currylow
By land, air, and water — U.S. Geological Survey science supporting fish and wildlife migrations throughout North America
Countless species of animals—big game, birds, bats, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and fish—migrate to reach suitable habitats to feed, reproduce, and raise their young. Animal migrations developed over millennia commonly follow migration corridors—unique routes for each species—to move among seasonal habitats. Changes along those corridors, whether from human development (buildings, roads, dams)
Authors
Mona Khalil, Mark Wimer, David H. Hu, Michael J. Adams, Melanie J. Steinkamp, Suzanna C. Soileau
Elevating human dimensions of amphibian and reptile conservation, a USA perspective
Increasing threats to amphibian and reptile species raise the urgency of their conservation. However, relative to other vertebrate groups at risk, amphibians and reptiles have low and more variable social capital; they are not generally high-priority natural goods and services valued by people. Consequently, relative to other groups such as birds, mammals, and economically important fish, they gar
Authors
Deanna H. Olson, David Pilliod
Turtles of the World: A guide to every family
Turtles of the World reveals the extraordinary diversity of these amazing reptiles. Characterized by the bony shell that acts as a shield to protect the softer body within, turtles are survivors from the time of the dinosaurs and are even more ancient in evolutionary terms than snakes and crocodilians. Of more than 350 species known today, some are highly endangered. In this beautiful guide, turtl
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, Whit Gibbons
New amphibian and reptile parish records from Louisiana, USA
Dundee and Rossman (1989) published distribution maps of Louisiana herpetofaunal species in The Amphibians and Reptiles of Louisiana over 30 years ago. Since then many records have been published, mostly in Herpetological Review, documenting additions to these original maps. Though many are single species additions, several compilations of new Louisiana records have been published (Boundy 1994, 19
Authors
Brad Glorioso
Reptile and amphibian diversity and abundance in an urban landscape: Impacts of fragmentation and the conservation value of small patches
Urbanization is a major contributor to habitat loss and fragmentation and is considered a global threat to biodiversity. We studied reptile and amphibian species diversity and abundance in a highly fragmented landscape adjacent to the second largest metropolitan area in the United States. Habitat patches in our study area were made up of remnant native vegetation surrounded by roads, housing, and
Authors
Kathleen Semple Delaney, Gary Busteed, Robert N. Fisher, Seth P D Riley
Research to inform Caltrans best management practices for reptile and amphibian road crossings
In October of 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a 5-year project to conduct research to inform Best Management Practices (BMPs) for amphibian and reptile crossing and barrier systems in California. To inform future conservation and transportation planning, this project involved identification of species at highest risk of negative road impacts, creation of geodatabase and spatial mapp
Authors
Cheryl S. Brehme, Robert N. Fisher, Tom E. S. Langton, Anthony P. Clevenger, Esther Adelsheim, Stephanie Barnes, Tristan Edgarian, Brittany Ewing, Stacie A. Hathaway, Michael Hobbs, Jennifer Kingston, A. Launer, Tritia A. Matsuda, Jeremy B. Sebes, C. Vaughn, Elise Watson
Conservation status of the world’s skinks (Scincidae): Taxonomic and geographic patterns in extinction risk
Our knowledge of the conservation status of reptiles, the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrates, has improved dramatically over the past decade, but still lags behind that of the other tetrapod groups. Here, we conduct the first comprehensive assessment (~92% of the world’s ~1,714 described species) of the conservation status of skinks (Scincidae), the most speciose reptile family worldwid
Authors
David G. Chapple, Uri Roll, Monika Böhm, Rocío Aguilar, Andrew P. Amey, Chris C. Austin, Maureen Baling, Anthony J. Barley, Michael F. Bates, Aaron M. Bauer, Daniel G. Blackburn, Phil Bowles, Rafe M. Brown, S. R. Chandramouli, Laurent Chirio, Hal Cogger, Guarino R. Colli, Werner Conradie, Patrick J. Couper, Mark A. Cowan, Michael D. Craig, Indraneil Das, Aniruddha Datta-Roy, Chris R. Dickman, Ryan J. Ellis, Aaron L. Fenner, Stewart Ford, S. R. Ganesh, Michael G. Gardner, Peter Geissler, Graeme R. Gillespie, Frank Glaw, Matthew J. Greenlees, Oliver W. Griffith, L. Lee Grismer, Margaret L. Haines, D. James Harris, S. Blair Hedges, Rod A. Hitchmough, Conrad J. Hoskin, Mark N. Hutchinson, Ivan Ineich, Jordi Janssen, Gregory R. Johnston, Benjamin R. Karin, J. Scott Keogh, Frederick Kraus, Matthew LeBreton, Petros Lymberakis, Rafaqat Masroor, Peter J. McDonald, Sven Mecke, Jane Melville, Sabine Melzer, Damian R. Michael, Aurélien Miralles, Nicola J. Mitchell, Nicola J. Nelson, Truong Q. Nguyen, Cristiano de Campos Nogueira, Hidetoshi Ota, Panayiotis Pafilis, Olivier S. G. Pauwels, Ana Perera, Daniel Pincheira-Donoso, Robert Reed, Marco A. Ribeiro-Júnior, Julia L. Riley, Sara Rocha, Pamela L. Rutherford, Ross A. Sadlier, Boaz Shacham, Glenn M. Shea, Richard Shine, Alex Slavenko, Adam Stow, Joanna Sumner, Oliver J. S. Tallowin, Roy Teale, Omar Torres-Carvajal, Jean-Francois Trape, Peter Uetz, Kanishka D. B. Ukuwela, Leonie E. Valentine, James U. Van Dyke, Dylan van Winkel, Raquel Vasconcelos, Miguel Vences, Philipp Wagner, Erik Wapstra, Geoffrey M. While, Martin J. Whiting, Camilla M. Whittington, Steve Wilson, Thomas Ziegler, Reid Tingley, Shai Meiri
Using enclosed Y-mazes to assess chemosensory behavior in reptiles
Reptiles utilize a variety of environmental cues to inform and drive animal behavior such as chemical scent trails produced by food or conspecifics. Decrypting the scent-trailing behavior of vertebrates, particularly invasive species, enables the discovery of cues that induce exploratory behavior and can aid in the development of valuable basic and applied biological tools. However, pinpointing be
Authors
M. Rockwell Parker, Andrea Faye Currylow, Eric A. Tillman, Charlotte J. Robinson, Jillian Maureen Josimovich, Isabella M.G. Bukovich, Lauren A. Nazarian, Melia G. Nafus, Bryan M. Kluever, Amy A. Yackel Adams
Trophic ecology
The trophic ecology of lake charr Salvelinus namaycush morphotypes from small and large lakes within their native and introduced ranges is reviewed over the past 50 years. The lake charr is an apex predator in most habitats it occupies, where it plays a significant role in defining food webs. While often considered piscivores, lake charr feed on a range of aquatic prey throughout their life histor
Authors
Mark Vinson, Louise Chavarie, Caroline Lynn Rosinski, Heidi K. Swanson