Based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, a new species of the genus Boulenophrys is described from Yezhong Nature Reserve, Shuicheng County, Guizhou Province, China. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA and COI indicate that this new species represents an independent species-level lineage, closely related to B. fanjingmontis, B. qianbeiensis, B. sangzhiensis, and B. spinata. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characteristics: (1) body size moderate (SVL 41.2–46.2 mm in adult males and 51.8–58.6 mm in adult females); (2) a single small horn-like tubercle at the edge of each upper eyelid; (3) vomerine teeth absent; (4) tongue not notched posteriorly; (5) tympanum distinctly visible, round; (6) toes with rudimentary webbing and narrow lateral fringes; (7) heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body; (8) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level of the middle of the eye when the leg is stretched forward; (9) a single internal subgular vocal sac in males; (10) in breeding males, the nuptial pads have black nuptial spines on the bases of the first and second fingers.

Thermal ecology plays a key role in shaping the behavior and distribution of reptiles, particularly under climate stress. Understanding how sympatric lizard species manage their thermal preferences is essential for predicting their responses to changing climate. We studied thermo-ecological parameters in two lizard species, Lacerta viridis and L. trilineata that occur under syntopy in SW Bulgaria. We recorded in situ body, air and substrate temperatures, humidity and UV radiation for 190 individuals. Both species maintained body temperatures higher than air and substrate temperature. Comparison of the two species showed statistically significant differences between them in terms of body and substrate temperature, with a trend towards higher values in L. viridis. For L. trilineata, statistically significant differences were found only between immatures and females in terms of substrate temperature (higher values in females). For L. viridis, there were significant differences between immatures and males in each of the temperature parameters (with a trend for higher values in males) as well as between immatures and females in air temperature (higher values in females). No significant differences were found in humidity or UV exposure among groups. Our findings reveal species- and sex-specific thermal strategies in two co-existing lacertids, likely reflecting different ecological or physiological demands. The results provide valuable baseline data for predicting species responses to increasing temperatures in hot and dry habitats.

This study presents the first genetically confirmed record of an introduced population of Podarcis muralis in Slovakia, specifically in the village of Imeľ (southwestern Slovakia, Komárno District), in the Danubian Lowland. The population was likely introduced via the horticultural trade from the western Balkans. It was identified at a horticultural site specializing in the sale of Mediterranean plants from Albania, with individuals of all age stages documented since its initial observation in 2020. Mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed distinct haplotypes that closely cluster with those from northern Albania, indicating clear genetic differentiation from native Slovak populations. This finding was further supported by a species distribution model, which suggested that the Danubian Lowland does not offer a suitable environment for the presence and reproduction of native Slovakian populations. In contrast, a spatial similarity model found environmental similarities between the Danubian Lowland and parts of the western Balkans (northern Albanian lowlands and southern Montenegro). This introduction highlights the role of international trade in facilitating the spread of non-native species, posing potential risks such as hybridization with local populations. With a warming climate, conditions may increasingly favour the establishment of such introduced populations. Thus, regular monitoring is essential to evaluate the implications of these findings for conservation and to safeguard native genetic diversity.

The Erhard’s wall lizard Podarcis erhardii (Bedriaga, 1886) was first recorded on the tiny rocky islet of Spanopoula, near Kea (Aegean Archipelago, Greece), in 1980. Since then, there has been no other published reference to confirm the species’ presence or to estimate its population status. Here, we report on a herpetological survey we carried out on Spanopoula 44 years later, which added a third species (Mediodactylus kotschyi) to the islet’s herpetofauna list. During our visit, we collected body-size measurements and tissue samples for the molecular identification of the Podarcis lizards inhabiting the islet. We found a thriving population of medium-sized wall lizards, belonging to the mainland form, P. erhardii livadiacus (Werner, 1902). As this subspecies is not present in adjacent Kea and nearby islands, our finding supports a human-mediated dispersal scenario.

Understanding the movement patterns and home range of a species is essential for developing effective conservation strategies. However, research on these aspects in the Asiatic toad (Bufo gargarizans) in South Korea remains limited, highlighting the need for further study. This study used radiotelemetry to examine the movement patterns and home range characteristics of B. gargarizans, aiming to enhance ecological understanding and inform conservation efforts. Our findings revealed that immobility (0 m) was the most frequently observed behavior among individuals. Excluding instances of immobility, individuals’ movement ability was 32.1 ± 51.0 m (N = 131, range: 0.1–360.9 m). Home range size, estimated using the minimum convex polygon (MCP) method, was 2,484.0 ± 4,461.0 m² (N = 24, range: 40.7–20,644.9 m²), representing the general movement area of B. gargarizans. The kernel density estimation (KDE) method estimates 55,004.9 ± 113,702.5 m² (N = 24, range: 425.9–491,232.2 m²), representing the potential buffer zone within which B. gargarizans may move. Regardless of the analysis method or sex, over 50% of habitats consisted of grass, while approximately 20% was used areas. Although no significant differences in movement patterns or home range size were observed between sexes, males were primarily distributed at lower altitudes near breeding sites, whereas females were distributed at higher altitudes around valley areas. These findings provide crucial baseline data for the conservation and management of B. gargarizans populations in South Korea.

The Greek frog (Rana graeca) is a European species, endemic to the Balkan Peninsula. This brown frog inhabits hilly/mountain areas where it almost exclusively spawns in fast-running streams and rivers. The northern border of the species distribution range spreads from northwestern Bosnia & Herzegovina to northwestern Serbia and then shifts towards the southeastern Balkans. The new records noticed in the central part of Serbia (Šumadija) suggest that the presence of the Greek frog could be easily overlooked if a locality is not inspected at the right time of the year. Possible suitable habitats positioned more to the north from the present northern contours of the species area should be thoroughly explored.

The Aegean Islands are a known hotspot for herpetofauna and have been extensively studied in this area. However, there are still numerous islands that lack this research. This includes the uninhabited islet of Despotiko found in the Paros Archipelago, Cyclades. It is known for its importance in archaeology, which, in turn, attracts tourism. However, there is not yet a complete understanding of the presence of herpetofauna there, with the last published records written in 1977. In an effort to address this, a combination of past ad-hoc sightings and visual surveys was carried out during the summer of 2024. These yielded two new records of reptile species, Eryx jaculus and Lacerta citrovittata. Furthermore, the enclosed archaeological site had greater reptile diversity and richness than outside the site. This highlights the potential importance of the archaeological site as a key reptile habitat. Our findings help to improve our understanding of reptilian diversity in the archipelago, providing avenues for further research into the potential interactions between archaeological sites and reptile diversity.

Dolichophis caspius is frequently affected by road mortality, with many victims recorded also in Romania. Although some regions in the country have a presumptive high risk of road mortality, there is no certain data from all regions. In 2021 and 2024, we analyzed this species’ road mortality at its northern distribution range limit (lower Olt River valley, southern Romania). We identified 66 road-killed D. caspius over the course of eight days. Most victims (62.12%) were juveniles. The high number of road-killed juveniles is a consequence of the road`s features, which crosses many small human settlements (villages) and has numerous curves and speed enforcement cameras; therefore, the speed is reduced to 50 km/h. Consequently, the small-sized road-killed juveniles were easier to observe, as compared to roads of higher speeds, where they can be easily missed. The high number of juveniles indicates that in the region there are large populations that reproduce, as they are probably favored by climate warming. Although the absolute number of road-killed juveniles was higher at the end of summer and autumn, the ratio of juveniles and adults was the same in spring. The differences in road mortality on different days, even of the same month, indicate the importance of local microclimate conditions for the activity and road mortality of D. caspius. The lower Olt River valley region has a high risk of road mortality for this species, as it shows the scale of this phenomenon by highlighting the impact on juveniles.

We describe a new species of lance-headed pit viper from north-western Laos, based on morphological and molecular (6092 bp from cyt b, ND4, COI, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA mitochondrial DNA genes and c-mos and RAG1 nuclear DNA genes) lines of evidence. Protobothrops flavirostrissp. nov. is easily distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of morphological characters: dorsal scales in 23–21–17 rows, all keeled; ventral scales 215; subcaudal scales 79, all paired; supralabials 7–8; infralabials 10; horn-like projections on supraoculars absent; head triangular with a typical lance-shaped pattern on its dorsal surface; three faint dark vertical stripes on the snout; head blackish-brown with rostral, nasals, preoculars, loreals and the two anterior supralabials, as well as the anterior parts of supraoculars yellow-orange; dorsal surfaces of body and tail brown or greyish-brown, dorsum with large dark reddish-brown cross-shaped blotches, edged in black, somewhat fused together forming an interrupted zigzag line and a row of large brown ventrolateral blotches on each side. The new species differs from the morphologically similar species Protobothrops kelomohy by a significant divergence in cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA gene sequences (p = 7.8%). The new species is currently known only from tropical limestone forest of Vientiane Province, north-western Laos (elevation 362 m a.s.l.). We suggest the new species be considered as Endangered (EN) following the IUCN’s Red List categories.

Proper taxonomic and phylogeographic frameworks are a prerequisite in evolutionary, ecological, and conservation research, but many species still lack adequate assessments. Earlier studies on the northeast Asian treefrog, Dryophytes japonicus, identified a deep Mio-Pliocene diversification; however, phenotypic assessments were lacking, and the taxonomic identity of the identified clades is under debate. In this study, we assessed the genetic, genomic, morphological, and acoustic diversity and differentiation within the D. japonicus complex to propose taxonomic arrangements and assess taxon-specific threats for each defined clade. Analyses of four mtDNA genes and 42.8 kb nuclear loci obtained by RAD-sequencing (RAD-seq) confirmed two distinct species-level clades that diverged ~6 Mya, one provisionally assigned to D. japonicus in southern Japan and mainland Asia and the other unnamed (D. cf. japonicus) in northern Japan and adjacent Russian islands. According to the mitochondrial data, each species is further divided into two subclades of Pleistocene age that display differences in morphological and call properties that may represent candidate subspecies: D. j. japonicus in southwestern Japan and D. j. stepheni on the Asian mainland and two unnamed lineages in Central and Northern Japan for D. cf. japonicus. Phenotypic differentiation between populations was only partly linked to their phylogenetic relationships. Finally, despite the relatively narrow ranges of many lineages, none crosses the threshold to be currently listed as threatened. The conservation of the diversity of the D. japonicus complex will necessarily require proper population monitoring and additional investigations to evaluate whether the unnamed delimited lineages merit taxonomic descriptions.