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June 2013
NCHS General Meeting Topic : BBQ and Question Nite When : Friday, July 12th Time : 7:00 pm Where : Arden Manor Community Center 1415 Rushden Drive Sacramento Want to have fun with reptiles and reptile people? Have questions about reptiles? Want to be somewhere where having reptiles is normal? Want to show off your reptile and play with others? Want to adopt a new lizard? Want to play Reptile Bingo? Want to win some cool raffle prizes? If the answer is yes, come by! NCHS is bringing the meat, and please bring a dish and RSVP Roxanne at 916-806-0615 or email roxannehatfield@ymail.com. The barbeque will be outside but we also have the building if it gets too hot. Please make sure critters are safely restrained.
Society News We adopted out Glide, last month's pet of the month, as well as a ball python that came in. I have had a delight full time with people calling for advice. I got to help; get a non-eating rescued, ball python to eat; set-up a habitat for indigenous lizards; get care for a non-thriving chameleon; give resources to somebody who wanted to collect indigenous herps; gentle a food aggressive snake; and baby sit some crested geckos.. I love helping out and having the critter stay in its home!
Lizard On Mars? Blogger Claims Stunning Find In Rover Picture Of Red Planet (PICTURES) A blogger claims to have spotted a lizard in a photograph of Mars. While studying a picture of the Red Planet taken by the Curiosity rover, an alien-hunter in Japan found something unusual between the rocks. And while it might look like just another rock at first, squint your eyes and something very different seems to emerge - the shape of a lizard. Or, if you have a good imagination, an actual one. The picture (which is at least based on a real Nasa image) was first brought to conspiracy theorists' attention in March, but after it was recently published on a popular Englishlanguage blog its fame has exploded. Needless to say, it is essentially
impossible that any lifeform of that size (especially one that looks so similar to lizards on Earth) could survive on the freezing, toxic surface of Mars. Nasa's spacecraft on the planet have recently found conditions that suggest ancient microbial life was once possible - but that's not quite the same thing, unfortunately. Undeterred, UFO Sightings speculates that Nasa might be involved right from the start: "With water existing on Mars in small amounts, its possible to find such desert animals wandering around... although very rare mind you. Then again, is Nasa placing animals from tiny cyogenic chambers inside the rover onto the surface of Mars to conduct tests?"
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v How Did the Turtle Get Its Shell? Boston.com It's a question so obvious a schoolchild can ask it, but for more than a century, consensus has eluded the paleontologists and evolutionary biologists who study the reptiles and their bony carapaces. Now, a group of scientists at Yale University and the Smithsonian Institution argue that a reptile fossil that's been gathering dust in museum collections is actually a turtle ancestor, and that its reduced number of ribs, distribution of muscles, and T-shaped ribs could help settle the question once and for all. In a new paper published Thursday in the journal Current Biology, they unveil the argument that a 260 millionyear-old creature called Eunotosaurus africanus was a turtle ancestor, hoping to help resolve a debate that has split the scientific community for decades. "It was very contentious," said Tyler Lyson, a paleontologist who recently received his doctoral degree at Yale and is now a fellow at the Smithsonian. "For the past 200 years, there's been a lot of ink spilled on the question/' The ink spilled so far has roughly divided the scientific community in two camps. On one side are those who believe that the turtle shell came about as external bony scales, similar to the ones found on armadillos or certain lizards, fused together with the reptile's internal rib cage. On the other side are those who believe that reptiles' ribs instead began to broaden until they eventually formed the bony protrusion that is the shellâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;mirroring the way that turtles develop in the egg. The 260-million-year-old Eunotosaurus supports the second interpretation, showing that an animal without external scales had broadened ribs. The new paper won't, by itself, settle the question, outside scientists said. Kenneth Angielczyk, a paleobiologist from the Field Museum in Chicago, said that the paper provides a "useful working hypothesis" and is a valuable synthesis of data from two different fields. "I think his results are pretty convincing; previously I was skeptical as to whether Eunotosaurus was a tDUCAT I
likely relative of turtles," Angielczyk wrote in an e-mail. "But Tyler's results make me think it is a plausible idea." The new paper revives an old idea. In the late 19th century, Angielczyk said, scientists first speculated that Eunotosuarus might have been an early turtle. The idea never caught on, floundering in the face of the limited evidence from the fossil record. For a long time, the oldest known turtle was a 210 millionyear-old specimen that had a fully developed shell and had bony plates on its neck and tail, Lyson said. It wasn't much of a leap for paleontologists to think that early turtles must have developed through a two-pronged process, in which external scales had fused with its internal bone structure. Meanwhile, however, developmental biologists studying how turtles grow saw the opposite occurringâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the ribs broadening out and fusing together to create the shell. For years, the field was at an impasse, Lyson said. Then, five years ago, a new early turtle species was discovered in China, called Odontochelys semitestacea. That species had a belly shell just like a turtle. It had no external scales on its body. But it did have distinctively broadened ribs. "It released us from this self-imposed constraint," Lyson said, where paleontologists were all looking for
turtle ancestors with hard external plates called osteoderms. That suggested to scientists that they should take more seriously the idea that the turtle got its shell as its ribcage and spine broadened. But even so, that new species left a 40 to 50 million gap in the fossil record, during which scientists still knew little about the development of turtles. "What could help fill this gap?" Lyson said. He traveled to South Africa to study fossils of Euntosaurus in museum collections and began to realize that this creature might help fill in the blanks. It had a backbone and ribs that seemed potentially transitional between a reptile and turtle. It had broadened, T-shaped ribs and a shorter torso, with one fewer set of ribs than an older reptile. He began to craft his argument, doing studies that included close study of the bones to see where muscles would have been attached and examining in cellular detail the fossils. Angielczyk said that big questions remain. Genome studies have suggested that turtles are closely related to lizards, he said, whereas the current data support another persuasive idea, that turtles are the only extant members of a group called Parareptilia. "Obviously only one of these scenarios can be right, so a next step will be to try to figure out which one it is," Angielczyk said.
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N O R T H E R N C A L I F O R I N A HE.RPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY Kenya Getting Tough on Poachers, Set to Increase Fines and Jail Time The Kenyan parliament has approved emergency measures to tackle the on-going poaching crisis: last week Kenyan MPs approved legislation that should lead to higher penalties for paochers. The emergency measure passed just as Kenya Wildlife Service's (KWS) is pursuing a gang of poachers that slaughtered four rhinos over the weekend. Both rhinos and elephants have suffered heavily as poaching has escalated in Kenya and beyond.
"Kenya's elephants declined from 160,000 in 1960s to 16,000 in 1989 due to poaching. Today Kenya is home to only 38,500 elephants and 1,025 rhinos. These animals are a major tourism attraction and anyone who threatens them is committing economic sabotage and should be treated as such," Chachu Ganya, MP for North Horr, told fellow legislatures during deliberation. Since January 1st, Kenya has already lost 117 elephants and 21 rhinos to wildlife poachers. Ganya has asked for penalties to be raised to $120,000 fines and up to 15 years in jail. Kenya has been known for years as having light penalties for poachers, including a fine of around $480 and up to two years in jail, though this prison time was rarely applied. If the new penalties are approved it would raise possible fines by 25 times and jail time by 7 times. "The passing of this bill is a huge victory, it is the strongest message from the Government of Kenya on the commitment to preserve our national heritage. MPs today voted for Kenya to restore her position as a global leader I: D U C A T I O N - C O N
in wildlife conservation," says Paula Kahumbu, the Executive Director of Kenya-based NGO, WildlifeDirect, which is campaigning to protect elephants in Kenya. Rising demand for ivory and rhino horn in East Asia has caused a poaching crisis in recent years across Africa. Over 1,000 rhinos have been killed on the continent in the last 18 months. Their horns are sawn off and ground into a powder which is taken as a curative in East Asia, despite no scientific evidence of medicinal properties. Elephants have also seen numbers shrink in many countries as demand for illegal ivory grows. Forest elephants, which are found largely in the Congo Basin, have been decimated by this demand: a recent study found that over 60 percent of the world's forest elephants have been slaughtered in the last decade. Some scientists believe forest elephants should be designated as a distinct species from their larger, savannah cousins.
Up-Coming Eventings July 12 NCHS barbeque and get together
July 13 Mikes Birthday Party We are bringng reptiles to show
July 20-21 San Jose Reptile Show www.herpworldexpo.com August xxxxx General meeting, Davis is coming to speak about reptile health! August 24-25 Repticon Reno http://www.repticon.com/reno. html
September 28-29 Sacramento Reptile Show http://upscalereptiles.com
Reptile of the Month! Species : Bearded Dragon Diet: Greens and Insects Sex: Male Level: Beginning Age : Two years Has been with us : three month Health : appears healthy Status : Adoptable Fred came with his girl friend Ginger who also needs a new home. He is nperfectly healthy. He has been to the vet, deparasited and given a clear bill of healthy. He is your typical bearded dragon, sweet, curious and loves to be held and petted. He loves his bugs, but is very welling to eat his greens and salads. He is a very adventurous dud and you need to have a lid on his cage or he will go exploring. He is on the small size for a dragon, barely reaching 17 inches. Remember bearded dragons are omnivorous and need both greens and insects. Fruit, legumes and other vegetation can be given also, see NCHS's web page to learn more. They do require UVB light and heat. Insects should be calcium dusted. Do not feed mealworms, but super worms are fine.
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Stunning new pit-viper discovered in Honduras Mongabay.com - A stunning new species of pit-viper has been discovered in the cloud forest of Honduras. The venomous snake is described in the journal ZooKeys. The species is named Bothriechis guifarroi in honor of Mario Guifarro of Olancho, a conservationist who was gunned down in 2007 as he was working to set up a reserve for the indigenous Tawahka. A former hunter and gold miner, Guifarro had turned to conservation when he witnessed biologically-rich rainforests of Eastern Honduras being torn down for cattle ranches. The newly described species lives in Texiguat Wildlife Refuge, a protected area that was established in 1987 to safeguard endangered wildlife like jaguars and tapirs. The snake, which is highly toxic, was collected during two expeditions in 2010. Initially it was confused with a more widely distributed Honduran palm pit-viper, but genetic analysis revealed it to be a
distinct species, a status that warrants its protection, according to the scientists who discovered it. The habitat of the green palm pitviper, Bothriechis guifarroi, in Refugio de Vida Silvestre Texiguat, northern Honduras. The snake's closest relative is found hundreds of miles south in the mountains of Costa Rica. Photo credit: Josiah H. Townsend "The description of Bothriechis guifarroi has important implications
for Central American biogeography as well as conservation," said study lead author Josiah Townsend, a biologist at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. "We recommend that B. guifarroi be immediately classified as Critically Endangered due to its limited known area of occurrence and the potential for anthropogenic damage to its habitat." "We also consider that this species warrants immediate consideration for protection under CITES, given its striking appearance and high potential for exploitation in the pet trade." There are some 150 pit-vipers found worldwide, including roughly 100 species in the Americas. Rattlesnakes are among the best-known of Neotropical pit-vipers. Palm pit-vipers range from southern Mexico to northern South America. There are now eight known species.
Turning up the temperature might save frogs1 lives Mongabay.com -Over the past 30 years, amphibians worldwide have been infected with a lethal skin disease known as the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). "The disease can cause rapid mortality, with infected frogs of susceptible species dying within weeks of infection in the laboratory." Jodi Rowley, a herpetologist with the Australian Museum told mongabay. com. "This disease has now been associated with declines and extinctions in hundreds of species of amphibians worldwide, and is a serious threat to global amphibian biodiversity." But Rowley, along with Ross Alford from James Cook University, have just published a study that might provide a clue as to how individual frogs may fight the disease. For the first time, individual frog body temperatures have been connected to the effects of the amphibian chytrid infection in the wild. "[T]he likelihood of a frog being - I IO
infected declines rapidly with the time they spend above the pathogen's upper optimal temperature," explains Rowley, "by basking in the sun, or sitting on warm rocks, frogs may actually be ridding themselves of infection." As part of the study, Rowley, Prof. Alford, and a small team of volunteers tracked 3 amphibian species in the rainforests of northeast Queensland, monitoring each subject's temperature both daily and nightly for 16 days. "The study involved tracking over 100 [individual] amphibians in rainforest streams," Rowley says. "We used radiotransmitters weighing less than 0.6g [0.02 oz] in weight, or diodes that were even smaller, fitted by a tiny waist-belt and tracked these frogs." After two weeks of "intensive frogstalking," the research results showed a remarkable pattern: the warmer the frogs were, the less likely they were to be infected with amphibian chytrid. To be exact, frogs were "very unlikely" -***
to be infected if at least 75% of their body was over 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius). Although the exact reason for the pattern is unknown, Rowley theorizes that the frogs' immune systems operate more efficiently at warmer temperatures. As when humans get fevers, a high temperature may help the frog fight off the infection. Or, the fungus may simply start dying at high temperatures. Rowley happily stated, "Whatever the cause, frogs that spend more time at hotter temperatures were less likely to be infected!"
ociety usmess Want to Adopt a Reptile? Please go to www.norcalherp.com or www.petfinder.com
Looking for a Reptile Vet in your Area? Check out www.herpvetconnection.com or www.anapsid.org
Where to Shop Remember when out shopping for your reptiles needs, please shop with one of these stores that offer a discount to NCHS members. Just show them your I.D. card.
Board Members President Linda Boyko Email: crotalusoreganusl@gmail.com
Vice President
Pets To Go (15% discount to members) 9098 Laguna Main St. Suite 5 Elk Grove, Ca 95758 (916) 691-7387 www.petstogo.net
Open
Secretary & Treasurer Anna Marie Madrigal
Need Answers? Get any and all your General Fish and Game Law Questions answered by Phil Nelms at Dept of Fish & Game E-mail: pnelms@dfg.ca.gov
Our Sponsors We would like to thank all our sponsors who have sent donations of their reptile products for our fundraising efforts
DOCTORS
FQSTER^SMITH â&#x20AC;˘
East Bay Vivarium (10% discount to members) 1827 5th Street Suite c Berkely, Ca 94710 (510) 841-1400 www.eastbayvivarium.com
Email: butikil3@hotmail.com
Publications Eciitor Roxanne Hatfield E-mail: roxannehatfield@ymail.com Phone # (916) 806-0615
Rons Reptiles (10% discount to members) 44 Rock Creek Rd. Chico, CA 95973 (530) 893-2095 www.ronsreptiles.com
sacramento
Event & Program Director Lynee Tolman Email: sidesaddlegal@aol.com Phone #(530) 306-8027
Adoptions/Rescue Program Coordinator
BECAUSE WE'RE VETS; WE LOVE PETS"
Kathy Pierce Email: Dragonfire.kp@gmail.com Phone # (916) 718-7927
Members at Large Open Jurassic Park
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NCHS P.O. Box 661738 Sacramento, CA 957866-1738
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Editor: Minnesota Herp. Society Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church St. SE Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104
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