Welcome

Main cover image of a strawberry poison-dart frog

Alligators gain new tails

Featuring  stories about the way that some amphibians are

Why are some amphibians so noisy?

This month, Paul Donovan investigates the calls of amphibians, and explains why some species prove to be much noisier than others

Lighting advice for dart frogs

D O YOU NEED A HELPING HAND OR ADVICE?

INVERTEBRATE FOCUS

Photo courtesy Dr Morley Read/www.shutterstock.com There are a

The shamir and the stone worms

Ancient Judaic sources, medieval accounts, and most recently, a new species from the Philippines. Dr Karl Shuker investigates the links and considers an intriguing possibility regarding a strange invertebrate that is said to be capable of destroying and eating rock

YOU & YOUR Reptiles

I f you have a favourite photograph of

New turtle foraging area discovered

A green turtle returns to the sea after

On the edge of extinction

The island of Nihoa, a slice of jagged

The rise of iguanas

The discovery of the first known fossil iguana

Bees learn how to defend themselves

What’s the best way to ward off giant

How amphibians benefit from beavers

The recovery of beavers may have beneficial consequences

WHY INSECTS GAVE UP FLIGHT

Most insects can fly, yet scores of species

WHY AMPHIBIANS MATTER

The iconic red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) lies

New species of mosasaur found

A new species of an ancient marine reptile

Insights into the leopard gecko

In the third and concluding part of his series of articles on advances in the care of leopard geckos, John Courteney-Smith MRSB of Arcadia Reptile explains how using the latest knowledge and equipment enables you to see more of the natural behaviour of these popular and fascinating lizards

Snakes with unusua al dietary tastes

It is easy to assume that all snakes are relatively unfussy about food, with the vast majority being offered rodents or chicks in vivarium surroundings. But as Paul Donovan reveals, some species have developed very specific and even bizarre dietary tastes

Grow your own reptile food

Although it is possible to buy salad packs and other vegetables from supermarkets, it is much better to grow your own food for tortoises and other herbivorous reptiles, and you can do this easily, even if you don’t have a garden, as David Alderton explains

The fascinating world of Tarantulas

For many people, much of the appeal of keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets stems from a deep fascination with these animals and a genuine appreciation of all aspects of their natural biology, writes Hannah Salisbury, MSc BSc (Hons) AnSci. It’s no great surprise then that enthusiastic keepers who start out with just one type of exotic pet will often go on to develop a keen interest in other varieties -and particularly those that can be housed easily in the home

HOW TO GET AWAY The anti-predator behaviour of lizards

Lizards have developed surprisingly varied means of escaping from predators, even communicating directly with them in some cases. Dr Julia Mueller-Paul investigates how they survive, and explains the implications for those keeping lizards

The approach of winter

& My lizard has really slowed down over