Occidozyga martensii is widely distributed from southern China to Malaysia. However, there is a lack of data on the dietary ecology of this species. In this study, we investigated the diet of O. martensii from Ba Den Mountain Cultural and Historical Complex, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam. The stomach-flushing method was employed to obtain stomach contents of 112 individuals (including 48 males and 64 females) at three sites. We identified 26 prey categories from 308 food items, including 307 items of invertebrates and one amphibian. The food spectrum of O. martensii consists of 11 insect orders (Blattodea, Dermaptera, Isoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Thysanura, Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Trichoptera, Hymenoptera), other invertebrate groups (Gastropoda, Araneae, Decapoda, Scolopendromorpha), and a small frog. The frequency of prey occurrence for these categories ranges from 1.16% to 20.93%. Coleoptera (20.93%), Hymenoptera (17.44%), Araneae (15.12%), Lepidoptera (13.95%), and Isoptera (11.63%) are the important prey categories in terms of occurrence.

The introduced Japanese weasel, Mustela itatsi, has had a significant negative impact on indigenous terrestrial vertebrates across several islands in the Miyako Group. The present study aimed to assess the current population status of squamate reptiles by investigating the distributions and abundances of three endangered lizards, Plestiodon kishinouyei, Takydromus toyamai, and Emoia atrocostata atrocostata, on Shimojijima Island and Irabujima Island. Route censuses for these species were conducted in the periods from 30 July to 4 August and 8–13 October 2022. Additionally, opportunistic sightings of lizards outside of the designated censuses were recorded. Eight P. kishinouyei, 20 T. toyamai, and seven E. a. atrocostata were recorded along four out of 101 survey routes, six out of 76, and two out of 39, respectively, with one additional E. a. atrocostata sighting at a non-census site. Plestiodon kishinouyei and E. a. atrocostata exhibited highly restricted distribution: the former was exclusively found in the northwestern part of Shimojijima Island, whereas the latter was confined to the southwestern part, with no presence on Irabujima Island. Takydromus toyamai was observed on both Shimojijima Island and Irabujima Island. The frequency of occurrence was low for the two skink populations on Shimojijima Island and T. toyamai on Irabujima Island, suggesting a potential population decline. These findings provide baseline data on the population status of these three lizard species. Such data will be crucial for evaluating their prospects for recovery, particularly considering the ongoing extensive eradication project targeting the introduced Japanese weasel on these islands.

The spatial ecology of animals is influenced by the structure of their physical habitat, which affects the availability of refuges and microclimate, as well as the spatial positioning of resources. The use of space by the lizard Liolaemus tandiliensis was investigated in the Tandilia mountains of the Pampas region. We radio-tracked 19 adult lizards and found that home range size and distance moved were significantly affected by sex, with males having a home range 34% larger and moving longer distances than females. These parameters were also influenced by structural and thermal features of specific microhabitat types. The habitat structure inside the home range showed relatively high coverage of rocks and low coverage of vegetation. The thermal properties of the microhabitats were strongly associated with their occupancy; individuals used microhabitats of high thermal quality that exhibited environmental temperatures deviating the least from the preferred body temperature range of L. tandiliensis. Small-scale structural heterogeneity and thermal gradients were available in the Tandilia mountains, so L. tandiliensis individuals may not need to move large distances and may sustain themselves within a relatively small home range (mean=74.52 m²). Our findings suggest that L. tandiliensis occurs in a delicate balance with its specific habitat. This study provides information that must be taken into account for conservation planning, especially in light of the increasing anthropogenic degradation of the Tandilia mountains.

When determining the most effective conservation measures for endangered species, it is critical to understand their population dynamics, the primary drivers influencing their populations, and their life history strategies. Long-term monitoring is essential to obtain this information, and a lack of adequate data exists for numerous native species experiencing substantial population declines in recent years due to various anthropogenic factors. In the present study, we investigated the population dynamics and demographic characteristics of the Japanese pond turtle, Mauremys japonica, an endemic species native to Japan. Accordingly, we conducted an eight-year mark-recapture study in a Ramsar wetland that has remained relatively unaffected by numerous primary anthropogenic disturbances in Japan. The population size estimation of this study demonstrated that the wetland was inhabited by approximately 200 individuals, comprising both males and females. Both sexes exhibited a high annual survival rate (0.87), indicating that the wetland population was stable or slightly increasing. These findings provide baseline data regarding M. japonica, a species for which information on demographic parameters and population dynamics in healthy populations is lacking.

By selecting appropriate microhabitats, animals gain various benefits. For amphibians, which are ectothermic, appropriate microhabitat selection is directly related to their survival. This study aims to characterize the microhabitat type selected by Bufo gargarizans in South Korea, which has not yet been examined, using radiotelemetry. We analyzed the percent cover of different microhabitat features at sites where B. gargarizans was found. The microhabitat was categorized into eight types: stacked dry leaves litter or hay, grass, naked field, stones/pebbles, fallen branches, alive or dead trees/shrubs, wetland, and other. We collected a total of 60 location data, all of which had closed cover. From these, nine hibernation sites and six post-breeding dormancy sites were identified. Dry leaf litter was found to be the most frequently selected microhabitat type. We also found significant differences in microhabitat type between the hibernation period and the post-breeding dormancy period. We considered that these differences can be explained by the ecological characteristics of B. gargarizans.

Wildlife–vehicle collisions (roadkill) have a direct effect on survivorship of wildlife and are a serious problem for conservation in the protected areas. Amphibians and reptiles (herpetofauna) are characterized by their seasonal activity, slow movements, and use of roads as habitat, making them especially vulnerable to roadkill. With the aim of assessing the road-related herpetofauna mortality in a protected area boundary, I performed systematic sampling from June 2015 to February 2016 along a 94-km section of Provincial Route (RP) No. 17 in Cordoba Province, Argentina. I analyzed the species composition, roadkill frequency per km, and spatial and seasonal roadkill patterns. Thirty-six herpetofauna roadkills (belonging to six species) were recorded on RP No. 17, with a roadkill frequency per km of 0.0106. Reptiles were more affected than amphibians, with Philodryas patagoniensis and Tupinambis merianae being the most commonly killed species. A stretch of 23.7 km of the sampled road was identified as a roadkill hotspot. Number of roadkills increased with monthly mean temperature, with a snake roadkill peak in spring and a lizard roadkill peak in early summer. Here, I consider which factors could be related to the identified spatial and seasonal patterns of roadkill in this region.

A group of fanged frogs from Southeast and East Asia has long been considered a single widespread species Limnonectes kuhlii, but occurrence in this group of many cryptic species has recently been demonstrated mainly in the continent through molecular phylogenetic analyses. This led to similar analyses of populations from other parts of the known range, and phylogenetic relationships inferred for frogs from the island of Borneo through mitochondrial and nuclear DNA resulted in the presence of nearly 20 distinct lineages. We studied morphological variation in 13 of these lineages from the Malaysian part and confirmed their taxonomically distinct statuses. We applied existing names to three of them, L. conspicillatus, L. kong, and L. mocquardi, and described 10 remaining ones as new species.

The type specimens of Scincella boettgeri (Van Denburgh, 1912) are mainly registered at the California Academy of Sciences, with a few of them now being registered at other institutions. Herein, we report a paratype specimen, previously exchanged with Kyoto University, now held at the National Science Museum, Tokyo. We compared the morphology of the specimen to the original description and here provide data on its morphological characteristics as well as photographs of the specimen.