Reptiles Magazine
type: channel
description: Reptiles Magazine, your source for reptile and herp care, breeding, and enthusiast articles
date: 2026-05-15T21:06:43Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
generator agent: https://wordpress.org/
items: Louisiana Man Charged With Trafficking Turtles Ordered Held In Custody
items: New Species Of Reed Snake From China Described
items: New Leopard Gecko Species From India Described
items: More Than 1 Million Houston Toad Tadpoles Released in Texas
items: Hyundai Alabama Announces Support for Interactive Gopher Tortoise Exhibit
items: Ibiza Wall Lizards Decline Due To Invasive Horseshoe Whip Snake Predation
items: New Goniurosaurus Cave Gecko Species Discovered in China
items: Formosan Legless Lizard Dopasia formosensis Is Distinct Species
items: Desert Iguana Natural History And Care
items: New Species of Glass Frog From Ecuador Named After Olympic Champion Neisi Dajomes

Louisiana Man Charged With Trafficking Turtles Ordered Held In Custody
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-05-15T21:06:43Z
subject: Turtles & Tortoises Information & News
description: The DOJ says the turtles are worth more than $550,000 in the Asian pet trade. The post Louisiana Man Charged With Trafficking Turtles Ordered Held In Custody appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: A man who has been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice in relation to trafficking turtle has been ordered held in custody after he was arrested. Albert Bazaar, formerly of Angie, Louisiana was charged with conspiracy and Lacey Act violations. The government alleges between January 2022 and December 2023, Bazaar poached and sold more than 1,700 loggerhead musk turtles (Sternotherus minor), 100 stripe-neck musk turtles (Sternotherus minor peltifer), and 15 striped mud turtles (Kinosternon baurii) from the state of Florida. In the state of Florida, the law protects fresh and marine turtle species from unregulated harvest. The government alleges that Bazaar aided and abetted an unnamed co-conspirator who is alleged to have exported the turtles from San Francisco, CA to Taiwan under the guise the reptiles were captive bred to obtain export permits. Bazaar is alleged to have conducted eight transactions and illegally collecting the turtles from the wild and selling them to the exporter in San Francisco. It is alleged that the exporter funded Bazaar’s poaching trips to Louisiana and Florida, providing money that enabled Bazaar to purchase a boat and a van. Bazaar is charged with “creating a declaration of captive bred wildlife that falsely stated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that the turtles were lawfully bred in Alabama and Georgia,” the U.S. Department of Justice wrote in a press release announcing the arrest. Striped Mud Turtle Care And Breeding Bazaar faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted of the conspiracy and Lacey Act charges and a $250,000 fine. he was under investigation and charged under the USFWS Operation Southern Hot Herps, “a joint federal and state law enforcement operation to detect and deter turtle poachers in the southeastern United States.” <a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Freptilesmagazine.com%2Flouisiana-man-charged-with-trafficking-tu…

New Species Of Reed Snake From China Described
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-05-14T20:00:34Z
subject: New Species
subject: Snake Information & News
subject: China
subject: Guangxi reed snake
subject: new species
description: According to the researchers, the snake uses its tail as a form of mimicry to confuse predators that the tail is a head. The post New Species Of Reed Snake From China Described appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Researchers in China have discovered a new species of reed snake in the Calamaria genus. The snake, the Guangxi reed snake (Calamaria incredibilis) was found in Chongzuo and Guilin Cities in Guangxi, China. According to the researchers, the snake uses its tail as a form of mimicry to confuse predators that the tail is actually a head and there are two snakes in the area versus a single snake. The snake goes into a figure 8 position and then raises its blunt and rounded tail to mimic a second head. The Guangxi reed snake differs from all its congeners based on the following morphological characteristics, including “nine enlarged maxillary teeth; rostral higher than wide; prefrontal shorter than frontal and contacting the first two supralabials; mental not in contact with anterior chin shields; dorsal scales in 13–13–13 rows, smooth throughout; a single preocular and postocular; four supralabials, with the 2nd and 3rd ones contacting the eye; five infralabials; six scales surrounding the paraparietal; 170–182 ventrals in males; 21–23 paired subcaudals in males; a relatively short tail (8.2–8.4% of total length in males), thick and nearly cylindrical, gradually tapering to an obtuse point; dorsal coloration brown, seven longitudinal series of interrupted dark brown stripes are visible along the body, extending from behind the collar to the tip of the tail; the margins of the dorsal scales are heavily suffused with black pigment, forming an almost reticulate pattern; the ventral surface yellowish white, with dark brown blotches along the outermost lateral margins; absence of light spots on the dorsal tail.” Calamaria incredibilis is about 8 inches in length and is brown in coloration with seven dark stripes down its back. The head’s ventral surface is yellowish white with irregular dark brown blotches. The dorsal surface of the body is brown in coloration. Mostly nocturnal in nature, the snake eats invertebrates such as earthworms and insect larvae. It lives in leaf lit…

New Leopard Gecko Species From India Described
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-05-12T19:52:24Z
subject: Lizard Information & News
subject: New Species
subject: Eublepharis
subject: India
subject: leopard gecko
subject: new species
description: Jhuma’s leopard gecko was first encountered during a herpetofaunal survey in 2021, with three specimens from Parari, which sits outside the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary. The post New Leopard Gecko Species From India Described appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Researchers in India have described a new species of gecko in the Eublepharis genus. The gecko, Jhuma’s leopard gecko (Eublepharis jhuma sp. nov.) has been described based on three specimens that are morphologically and phylogenetically distinct from its congeners. It is also 6.9 to 7.8% distinct from its closest sister species, E. satpuraensis. It was discovered in the Chota Nagpur Plateau in India. The species was first encountered during a herpetofaunal survey in 2021, with three specimens from Parari, which sits outside the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary. The three specimens were then added to the collection of the Reptilia section of the Zoological Survey of India in Kolkata. The scientists say that there are no confirmed prior records of the genus Eublepharis from Bihar and this is the first documented occurrence of the Eublepharis genus in the state. <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126216" class="wp-image-126216 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Eublepharis_jhuma-Mohapatra_Ray_Das__Mahapatra1000.jpg" alt="Eublepharis jhuma" width="1000" height="1000" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Eublepharis_jhuma-Mohapatra_Ray_Das__Mahapatra1000.jpg 1000w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Eublepharis_jhuma-Mohapatra_Ray_Das__Mahapatra1000-400x400.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Eublepharis_jhuma-Mohapatra_Ray_Das__Mahapatra1000-650x650.jpg 650w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Eublepharis_jhuma-Mohapatra_Ray_Das__Mahapatra1000-250x250.jpg 250w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Eublepharis_jhuma-Mohapatra_Ray_Das__Mahapatra1000-768x768.jpg 768w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Eublepharis_jhuma-Mohapatra_Ray_Das__Mahapatra1000-150x150.jpg 150w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Eublepharis_jhuma-Mohapatra_Ray_Das__M…

More Than 1 Million Houston Toad Tadpoles Released in Texas
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-05-11T20:13:29Z
subject: Amphibians
subject: Frog & Amphibians Information & News
subject: Frog Amphibian Information & News
subject: amphibians
subject: captive breeding
subject: Houston Toad
description: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department released more than 1 million Houston toad eggs into Bastrop State Park southeast of Austin. The post More Than 1 Million Houston Toad Tadpoles Released in Texas appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) announced last week that it has released more than 1 million Houston toad (Anaxyrus houstonensis) tadpoles into Bastrop State Park southeast of Austin. The release, in conjunction with the Houston Zoo, Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy (ARC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) took place this spring and is the first year in a renewed push to restore the amphibians into Bastrop State Park. According to the department, the endangered species has been missing from Bastrop State Park for 10 years. They disappeared five years after the 2011 Bastrop County Complex Wildfire. The effort to recover the amphibians reached a milestone this year with the one million eggs released into the park. Previous reintroductions into the park occurred in 2015 and 2019 but were ultimately unsuccessful. “This year, the overall program pivoted to releasing eggs in three sites – two in Bastrop County and one in Milam County,” Matt Lammers, Houston Zoo’s Houston Toad Recovery Coordinator said in a statement announcing the release “Each of these sites is managed a little bit differently. Going forward, we can measure the varying success of these populations to determine what environmental factors are helping them along. Then we can try to replicate the most important of these factors in our other sites and across the state.” Houston Toad Information The Houston toad is 2 to 3.5 inches in length and is light brown to purplish gray to sometimes green and red patched skin. Males have a dark throat. They live primarily on land and aestivate during hot and dry conditions. It was listed as an endangered species in 1970, one of the first animals listed under the Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1969. This act led to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. It was listed due to landscape fragmentation and urban development. Feral hogs, invasive red fire ants and drought in Texas further led to the population decline of the species. They can be…

Hyundai Alabama Announces Support for Interactive Gopher Tortoise Exhibit
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-05-07T20:55:57Z
subject: Turtles & Tortoises Information & News
subject: Alabama Nature Center
subject: gopher tortoise
subject: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama
description: To be built in conjunction with the Alabama Wildlife Federation, the exhibit will be located at the Alabama Nature Center. The post Hyundai Alabama Announces Support for Interactive Gopher Tortoise Exhibit appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama announced its support for an interactive gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) exhibit with a $50,000 donation to help construct the exhibit. To be built in conjunction with the Alabama Wildlife Federation, the exhibit will be located at the Alabama Nature Center and with enable thousands of students and visitors to learn about the role the gopher tortoise, a keystone species, plays in its local ecosystem. “This investment strengthens our long-standing partnership with AWF and will fund a hands-on, crawl-through exhibit inside the Discovery Hall, giving students and families a unique way to explore Alabama’s longleaf pine ecosystem and learn about the importance of conservation,” HMMA wrote on social media. ﻿ “Since 2009, HMMA has invested annually in our conservation education work at Alabama Nature Center. Cannot thank them enough for that great history of support. This new investment is a game-changer that will yield a great new addition to our Discovery Hall. It’s a big, big deal!!! Thank you HMMA – proud to call you our friends,” the Alabama Nature Center wrote on social media. Gopher Tortoise Information The gopher tortoise is an endangered species in western Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. It is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is considered a keystone species by scientists, due to its burrowing nature, which then helps an estimated 360 other animal species who take advantage of those networks of tunnels. The reptile averages about a foot long and can be found in along the coastal plains of the Southeastern United States, including South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, southern Alabama, Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana. Gopher tortoises dine primarily on grasses in the wild and can eat beans, corn and most fruit. It is protected throughout its range and requires a permit to keep. Gopher Tortoise Painted Pink, Florida FWC Seeking Culprit <iframe loading="lazy" class…

Ibiza Wall Lizards Decline Due To Invasive Horseshoe Whip Snake Predation
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-05-05T19:03:38Z
subject: Lizard Information & News
subject: horseshoe whip snake
subject: Ibiza wall lizard
subject: introduced species
subject: invasive species
description: According to researchers, the wall lizard represents more than half the diet of the snake, and due to this, the lizard has been reclassified as Endangered by the IUCN. The post Ibiza Wall Lizards Decline Due To Invasive Horseshoe Whip Snake Predation appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: The Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis), one of the most colorful lizard species in the world, has been negatively impacted on its island homes of Ibiza and Formentera in the Mediterranean Sea. This is due to the horseshoe whip snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis), an introduced species (likely via imported olive trees) that is preying on the wall lizard. According to researchers, the Ibiza wall lizard represents more than half the diet of the snake, and due to this, the lizard has been reclassified as Endangered by the IUCN. Culling of more than 12,000 of these invasive snakes since 2016 hasn’t stopped the spread of the species across the main island of Ibiza, and in fact, the population of the snake has accelerated, leading to a more rapid decline of the iconic lizard. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126203" class="wp-image-126203 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Horseshoe-whip-snake.jpg" alt="Horseshoe whip snake Ibiza wall lizard" width="507" height="666" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Horseshoe-whip-snake.jpg 507w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Horseshoe-whip-snake-400x525.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Horseshoe-whip-snake-250x328.jpg 250w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Horseshoe-whip-snake-150x197.jpg 150w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 507px) 100vw, 507px" /> Horseshoe whip snake swimming in open water off the coast of Ibiza, displaying the same behavior observed during the colonization of Santa Eulària islet. (C) A close-up of the invasive snake. (D) An individual from the now-extirpated Ibiza wall lizard population on Santa Eulària islet. This image might be the last picture taken of an individual belonging to this evolutionary significant unit. Photo credits: A, B—Rubén Casas; C—Guillem Casbas; D—Roberto García-Roa. Scientists initially had thought that small popu…

New Goniurosaurus Cave Gecko Species Discovered in China
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-05-04T18:48:54Z
subject: Lizard Information & News
subject: New Species
subject: Wild Lizards
description: Goniurosaurus wuzhengjuni sp. nov. is from the karst region of northern Guanxi, China. The post New Goniurosaurus Cave Gecko Species Discovered in China appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Researchers in China have discovered a new species of gecko from the Goniurosaurus genus. The lizard, Goniurosaurus wuzhengjuni was collected during field surveys in 2025 in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China. The rock-dwelling lizard is known to feed on a diverse selection of small invertebrate prey items that come out at night. The gecko features a head, body and limbs that are orange and brown in coloration on its dorsum with dense and irregular black blotches. Its tail has white and black striped patterns and its irises are orange. It is a unique species in the G. lichtenfelderi group in that it has a more slender body and limbs and a larger number of sub digital lamellae under its first fingers. It also features a broader black band anterior or posterior and three pale-yellow body bands. It has a snout to vent length of 9.2 to 10.9 cm, or 3.6 yo 4.2 inches in length. With the tail, the lizard measures between 14-19cm or 5.5 to 7.5 inches in length. This puts it into similar size ranges as other cave geckos. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126199" class="wp-image-126199 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Goniurosaurus_wuzhengjuni.jpg" alt="Goniurosaurus wuzhengjuni" width="1000" height="654" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Goniurosaurus_wuzhengjuni.jpg 1000w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Goniurosaurus_wuzhengjuni-400x262.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Goniurosaurus_wuzhengjuni-650x425.jpg 650w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Goniurosaurus_wuzhengjuni-250x164.jpg 250w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Goniurosaurus_wuzhengjuni-768x502.jpg 768w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Goniurosaurus_wuzhengjuni-150x98.jpg 150w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Goniurosaurus_wuzhengjuni-800x523.jpg 8…

Formosan Legless Lizard Dopasia formosensis Is Distinct Species
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-04-28T01:42:58Z
subject: Lizard Information & News
subject: Wild Lizards
subject: Dopasia formosensis
subject: legless lizard
subject: Taiwan
description: For many years, science has described a single legless lizard living on the island nation of Taiwan. Classified as Dopasia harti, the reptile was considered a single species due to the loss of the original Dopasia formosensis type specimen after World War II. The post Formosan Legless Lizard Dopasia formosensis Is Distinct Species appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: And then there were two. For many years, science has described a single legless lizard living on the island nation of Taiwan. Classified as Dopasia harti, the reptile was considered a single species due to the loss of the original Dopasia formosensis type specimen after World War II. The scientists from National Taiwan Normal University stabilized the identity of the species to re-establish it as distinct from D. harti by designating it a neotype, or a new type specimen that is selected to replace the original type specimen that was lost or destroyed. First There Were Two The two legless lizards were described as two species until 2003, when scientists synonymized the two species because they couldn’t define any consistent molecular or scalation differences. They also interpreted the presence or absence of the bluish blotches as sexual dichromatism. Due to the fact that D. harti from its original location (Fujian province) where it was first described was not studied in the research, and the original data of D. formosensis was lost, the use of these names in Taiwanese populations remained uncertain, until now. The researchers designated a neotype of D. formosensis and published a detailed rediscription based on the vouchered specimens from Taiwan. The updated data includes “standardized morphometric and meristic datasets, including X-ray–based vertebral counts, and generate new mitochondrial sequences to document genetic variation.” <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126193" class="wp-image-126193 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/formoson-legless-lizard.jpg" alt="Dopasia formosensis" width="1000" height="1462" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/formoson-legless-lizard.jpg 1000w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/formoson-legless-lizard-400x585.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/formoson-legless-lizard-650x950…

Desert Iguana Natural History And Care
type: item
creator: Andrew Cohen
date: 2026-04-20T18:00:54Z
subject: Care Sheets
subject: Lizard Care
subject: Lizard Information & News
subject: Lizards Care Sheets
subject: desert iguana
subject: Dipsosaurus dorsalis
subject: lizard care
description: The desert iguana is a medium-sized, well-proportioned reptile with developed legs, expressive eyes, and large ear openings. The post Desert Iguana Natural History And Care appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: Desert iguanas (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) are medium-sized, long-tailed lizards in the Iguanidae family. As their name implies, they thrive in the desert climates of the southwest United States and northwest Mexico. Despite an ideal temperament and size for captivity, desert iguanas are uncommon pets and can be difficult to find at pet shops or other reptile dealers. Plus, certain jurisdictions restrict collection of this animal, so seek out captive breeders of the species. Care requirements are slightly more intensive than more common lizards: they require very high temperatures in excess of 33º C (90º F) and a deep, sandy substrate, as well as a varied vegetable diet to both hydrate and provide proper nutrients. They make wonderful, long-lived pets given proper care. As of this article, my desert iguana, Zak, is about to celebrate his 18th birthday. Desert Iguana Natural History The desert iguana is a medium-sized, well-proportioned reptile with developed legs, expressive eyes, and large ear openings. Their legs and bellies are naturally cream colored but often dirtied tan by incessant burrowing, and their backs and sides are covered with a distinct brown pattern. This dorsum coloring will become darker in shade and lighten during prolonged basking. They reach an average 40 cm (16 in) in length, but can grow up to two feet including a long tail which is more than half their length. Hatchlings measure 4.5 to 5.5 inches in total. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126185" class="wp-image-126185 size-full" src="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/desert-iguana.jpg" alt="Desert iguana" width="1000" height="984" srcset="https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/desert-iguana.jpg 1000w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/desert-iguana-400x394.jpg 400w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/desert-iguana-650x640.jpg 650w, https://reptilesmagazine.com/wp-content/upl…

New Species of Glass Frog From Ecuador Named After Olympic Champion Neisi Dajomes
type: item
creator: John Virata
date: 2026-04-15T05:00:55Z
subject: Amphibians
subject: Frog & Amphibians Information & News
subject: Frog Amphibian Information & News
subject: New Species
subject: Ecuador
subject: glass frog
subject: new species
description: A unique aspect of this particular frog is the fact that it hides several of its organs with bright white tissue. The post New Species of Glass Frog From Ecuador Named After Olympic Champion Neisi Dajomes appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.
encoded: A new species of glass frog that was newly identified by researchers has been named after Ecuadorian Olympic champion Neisi Dajomes. Dajomes an Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the 76kg weightlifting event. The glass frog, Nymphargus dajomesae, was found in the El Quimi reserve about three miles from farmland and four miles from a large mine. More active at night, the glassfrogs were found to be perched on leaves that were two to six feet above streams. A unique aspect of this particular frog is the fact that it hides several of its organs with bright white tissue. Most glass frog species have transparent undersides, with the organs in wide display. The bright tissues are reflective and are known scientifically as iridophores. These are tiny, light bouncing structures that hide the frog’s heart, esophagus, stomach and kidneys. Contrast this with the plain green coloration on its dorsum, complete with a pebbly like skin structure and yellow fingers. This separates it from its relatives. The complete paper, A secret from a hidden world: A new glassfrog of the genus Nymphargus (Anura: Centrolenidae) from Cordillera del Cóndor, Ecuador” can be read in the PLOS One Journal. <a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Freptilesmagazine.com%2Fnew-species-of-glass-frog-from-ecuador-named-after-olympic-champion-neisi-dajomes%2F&title=New%20Species%20of%20Glass%20Frog%20From%20Ecuador%20Named%20After%20Olympic%20Champion%20Neisi%20Dajomes" data-a2a-url="https://reptilesmagazine.com/new-species-of-glass-frog-from-ecuador-named-after-olympic-champion-neisi-dajomes/" data-a2a-title="New Species of Glass Frog From Ecuador Named After Olympic Champion Neisi Dajomes"> The post New Species of Glass Frog From Ecuador Named After Olympic Champion Neisi Dajomes appeared first on Reptiles Magazine.