Wednesday, January 15

Tag: Reptiles

Cantor’s huge softshell turtle: The frog-faced predator that invests 95% of its time entirely still

Cantor’s huge softshell turtle: The frog-faced predator that invests 95% of its time entirely still

Science and Nature
Call: Cantor's huge softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantoriiWhere it lives: Rivers in South and Southeast AsiaWhat it consumes: Fish, shellfishes, mollusks, frogs, bugs, birds, little mammalsWhy it's remarkable: Cantor's huge softshell turtles-- called in honor of Danish zoologist Theodore Edward Cantor-- invest 95% of their lives totally motionless, buried under mud or sand in shallow rivers with just their eyes and snorkel-like snouts extending out. When these unusual-looking reptiles area something to consume, they can move at lightning-quick speeds.When they identify fish, frogs or shellfishes, they quickly extend their necks to strike their victim. They have long claws and effective jaws that are strong enough to squash bone.Unlike their hard-shelled cousins, these turtles have tough, fl...
An Evolutionary ‘Big Bang’ Explains Why Snakes Come in So Many Strange Varieties

An Evolutionary ‘Big Bang’ Explains Why Snakes Come in So Many Strange Varieties

Science and Nature
February 23, 20244 minutes checked outSnakes saw a burst of adjustment about 128 million years ago that caused them blowing up in variety and developing as much as 3 times faster than lizardsBy Jack Tamisieahttps://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/B959336D-2A0C-42FF-8755CC63FD2C518B_source.jpg?w=600" alt="Close-up view of a coiled, dark pink-colored snake" fetchpriority="high"/> < img src="https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/B959336D-2A0C-42FF-8755CC63FD2C518B_source.jpg?w=600"alt ="Close-up view of a coiled, dark pink-colored snake "fetchpriority ="high"/ >An eyelash pit viper from the New Wold tropics. Credit: Alejandro Arteaga/Khamai FoundationWhen they initially developed from lizards more than 100 million years earlier, snakes were eco-friendly bit gam...