Despite the filthy waters they often reside in, saltwater crocodiles don’t get sick that often. Perhaps we could one day harness the special proteins that help them.
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Articles on Reptiles
Displaying 1 - 20 of 80 articles
It had long been thought snakes can only feel vibrations through the ground. New research shows they can not only sense airborne sound, but can likely detect human voices.
From a ‘worm’ that shoots deadly slime from its head, to a blind marsupial mole that ‘swims’ underground, let’s take a look at three leading candidates (plus 13 special mentions).
The first description of the snake clitoris may change what we think we know about mating and courtship among the slithering reptiles.
The number of live animals seized by the Australian Government has tripled since 2017, with blue-tongue lizards and sulphur-crested cockatoos frequently captured.
In a warming world, a species’ ability to acclimatise to temperatures is crucial. But young ectotherms can struggle to handle the heat.
New research has found that since the mid-1980s, the economic impact of invasive reptiles and amphibians totals more than US$17 billion.
Our research is countering some previous ideas about what factors might slow down ageing. Further study could help us create targeted treatments in humans too.
Most people try their best to avoid snakes. This snake photographer couple spends their free time searching for them.
More than half of all crocodile species are a high priority for conservation according to the assessment.
A new study shows that when free-ranging cats are more than a few blocks from forested areas in cities, such as parks, they’re more likely to prey on rats than on native wildlife.
By quantifying an animal’s glucocorticoid levels, scientists can learn crucial information about physiological stress and chances of survival.
Spiny-tailed skinks, also known as meelyu, are culturally significant to the Badimia people in Western Australia. But habitat degradation and mining have put them at threat of extinction.
Reptiles get a bad rap, but this is because they’re misunderstood. Promoting healthy reptile pet ownership can contribute to conservation and education efforts.
While we know that most chameleons have such a prehensile tail, it’s not yet clear how it works and what makes it simultaneously so flexible and strong.
When the snake is ready to shed its skin, it rubs its body along rocks, plants and other rough things to peel the old layer of scales — often in a single, snaky piece.
Gunggamarandu maunala is the first Australian croc discovered from a group called the tomistomines. And its prehistoric presence in modern-day Queensland means there could be more discoveries to come.
There are too many little-understood species for scientists to study them all. A new approach helps decide which ones to tackle first.
The recent discovery of fragments of a jaw fossil show that at one point, herbivorous reptiles evolved highly complex and efficient teeth.
Madagascar stands out as an exceptionally interesting place in which to study the evolution of “mini” creatures. And we are only just starting to scratch the surface of this.
Top contributors
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Professor of Conservation Biology, Charles Darwin University
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Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
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Endeavour Research Fellow, Post-doctoral scholar, UNSW Sydney
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Professor in Zoology, James Cook University
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John Evans Memorial Fellow, Australian Museum
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Post-doctoral fellow, Australian Landscape Trust, Calperum Station, James Cook University
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Associate professor, Curtin University
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Research scientist, Technical University Braunschweig
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Senior Lecturer, Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape
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Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Venom Evolution Lab, The University of Queensland
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Professor in Evolutionary Biology, Macquarie University
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Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University
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PhD; Associate Professor, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland
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Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, University of Sydney
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Professor in Evolutionary Biology (jointly appointed with South Australian Museum), Flinders University
