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Newtsletter4620101

WearetheMillwallsupportersofconservation.Noonelikesus,wedontcare.Iusedthesewords

tocelebratethelaunchofanewconservationcharitycalledAmphibianandReptileConservation

(ARC).Ihavethesomewhatunexpectedhonourtobeapatronofthisorganisationnotformy

expertiseinherpetology,butformynaturalsympathywiththeunderfrog.....

Thisstrange,diverseandfascinatinggroupofcreatureshavearighttolivelikeanyothers,andthey

enrichourlivesaswell.

Thenightsongofnatterjacktoads;themysteryofthelittleunderwaterdragonsofnewts;thegrace

ofaswimming6ftgrasssnake;themagicaldisappearanceofalizardonawallasyourshadowfalls;

thethrillingrevelationofanadderstirringinadderpatternedbracken;allthesethingsIhave

experienced,andIamricherbecauseofit.

SimonBarnesinTimesonline7November2009

BacteriallyProducedAntifungalonSkinofAmphibiansMayProtectAgainstLethalFungus

ScienceDaily(Nov.20,2009)Anewstudysuggeststhatnaturallyoccurringbacteriaontheskinofsalamanderscouldhelpprotectotheramphibians,includingsomespeciesofendangeredfrogs,from

alethalskindisease.TheresearchersfromJamesMadisonUniversity,Harrisonburg,Virginiaand

VanderbiltUniversity,Nashville,TennesseereporttheirfindingsintheNovember2009issueofthe

journalAppliedandEnvironmentalMicrobiology.

Pocketslowworms,toadsandtortoises

In1859,Frank[Buckland]foundedTheSocietyfortheAcclimatisationofAnimalstotheUnitedKingdom,whichimportedexoticspeciesasalternative,highproteinfoodsources.Weowethe

modernfashionforfarmingostrichandwaterbuffalotoBuckland'smanicenthusiasm.

Frankwaswildlyeccentricbutthoroughlylikeable:a4fttall,barrelchested,cigarsmoking,ginger

hairedballofenergy,theselfappointedcuratorofallthatwasodd,grotesqueorinexplicable.He

wasalsoawalkingzoo.Whereverheappeared,hemightbeexpectedtoproduceawrithingtangleofslowwormsfrominsidehiscoat,oramatchboxfullofbabytoads.Once,arrivingatSouthampton

docks,hewaschargedfiveshillingsfortryingtosmuggleamonkeyontoatrain.Theclerkinsistedon

treatingitasadogandissuingitwithadogticket.Bucklandralliedbyproducingatortoisefromhis

pocket."Perhapsyou'llcallthatadog,too?"heasked.

From:QI:TheBookoftheDeadbyJohnMitchinsonandJohnLloyd(2009)Oneisremindedofthe1869Punchcartoonoftheporter,who,consideringwhatheshoulddowith

thelivestockwhichhadappearedonhisrailway,said:Stationmastersay,mum,ascatsisdogs,

andrabbitsisdogs,andsosparrots;butthiseretortisisainsect,sothereaintnochargeforit!

Editor

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SeeAlso:

Plants&Animals

Fungus

Bacteria

NewSpecies

MicrobesandMore

FrogsandReptiles

Microbiology

Reference

Declineinamphibianpopulations

Salamander

Mudpuppy

Frogzoology

Batrachochytriumdendrobatidisisafungalpathogenthatcancausealethalskindiseaseinamphibians,however,somespeciesremainrelativelysymptomfreeduringinfection.Innateimmune

factors,antimicrobialpeptides,skinassociatedmicrobialspecies,andbehaviorareallbelievedto

attributetothesurvivalofsomespeciesoverothers.Researchershavefoundantifungalmicrobesto

beofparticularinterestbecausetheirpresencesuggeststheyaremutualisticassociatesof

amphibianspecies,meaningthatthereisamutuallybeneficialrelationshipbetweenthetwo

organisms.

InapriorstudyJanthinobacteriumlividumwasidentifiedasabacteriumthatproducestheantiB.dendrobatidismetaboliteviolacein.Violacienwasfoundonthreeofsevenwildcollectedredbacked

salamanders(Plethodoncinereus)atconcentrationlevelscapableofinhibitingB.dendrobatidis,indicatingamutualisticcommunityofviolaceinproducingbacteria.Inthisstudyresearchersadded

J.lividumtothesamespeciesofredbackedsalamandersandthenexposedthemtoB.dendrobatidis.ResultsshowedthataddingJ.lividumtotheskinofthesalamanderincreasedthe

concentrationlevelsofviolaceinalreadypresentandcontributedtosurvivalfollowingexperimental

exposuretothefungus.

"Ourstudysuggeststhatathresholdviolaceinconcentrationofabout18 Monasalamander'sskin

preventsmortalityandmorbiditycausedbyB.dendrobatidis,"saytheresearchers."Weshowthatoveronehalfofindividualsinnaturesupportantifungalbacteriathatproduceviolacein,which

suggeststhatthereisamutualismbetweenviolaceinproducingbacteriaandP.cinereusandthat

addingJ.lividumiseffectiveforprotectingindividualsthatlackviolaceinproducingskinbacteria.

2

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/

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VERMILLION,S.D.,Nov.17(UPI) AcoalitionofscientistsfromthreeU.S.universitiesisquestioning

thetheorythatamphibiansarealeadingindicatorofenvironmentaldegradation.

ResearchersfromYaleUniversity,theUniversityofSouthDakotaandWashingtonStateUniversitysaidtheyreviewedmorethan28,000toxicologicaltestsbeforechallengingtheprevailingviewthat

amphibians,withtheirpermeableskinandaquaticenvironment,areparticularlysensitiveto

environmentalthreats.

"Theverysimplemessageisthatformostoftheclassesofchemicalcompoundswelookedat,frogs

rangefrombeingmoderatelysusceptibletobeingbulletproof,"saidYaleProfessorDavidSkelly,a

memberoftheresearchteam."Therearelotsofotherkindsofenvironmentalthreatsthathaveled

totheirdecline,includinghabitatconversion,harvestingforfoodandtheglobalspreadofthe

Chytridfungus,whichismowingdownthesespeciesinitspath."

Theteam,ledbyUniversityofSouthDakotaAssistantProfessorJacobKerby,saiditbasedits

analysisoninformationgleanedfromtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency'sAquaticToxicity

InformationRetrievaldatabase,examining1,279species,amongthemsegmentedworms,fish,

bivalvessuchasclams,insectsandsnails.

"Whatourresultssuggestisthatallanimalsaresusceptibletochemicalstressorsandthat

amphibiansarepotentiallygoodindicators,"saidKerby.But,headded,"Thereisn'tanyevidence

thatthey'reauniquelyleadingindicator."

TheresearchistoappearinthejournalEcologyLetters.

Inthelasttwoweeks,sectionsofthesouthboundcarriagewayoftheA338havebeenreducedto

onelane,causinglongdelaysforcommutersandshoppers,aspreparationsaremadefora26

millionrefurbishmentnextyear.Theworkincludesremovingwildlifefromtheverges,whichare

hometoallsixspeciesofnativereptilesintheUK,includingslowworms.

JeremyClarksonlambastedroadchiefsinhisSuncolumnattheweekend,accusingthemofclosing

alaneoftheA338forsevenmilessosomewormscouldberehoused.

Headded:Closingaroadshouldbealastresort.Gettingitopenassoonaspossibleshouldbethe

numberonepriority.Andwormsdonotmatter.(Oddly,thepiecewasaccompaniedbyapictureof

anearthworm.)

Fromthenewsletterofthe UKPhenologyNetwork(NaturesCalendar)December2009:

AlbertPhillimore,atImperialCollegeLondon,isanalysingallofourfrogspawndatawithcolleagues

atotheracademicinstitutions.Heishopingtodeterminewhetherfrogsarelikelytobeabletoalter

thetimingofspawningsufficientlytocopewithclimatechange.Theimplicationsarethatiftheirlife

cycleistooadaptedtotheirlocalenvironment,thentheywilleitherneedtoevolveormove.Both

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http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/11/17/Amphibians-as-environmental-omens-disputed/UPI-14961258489366/

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strategiesmaypresentaconsiderablechallenge,givenhowfastscientiststhinktheclimatemaynow

change. TheWoodlandTrustbelievesthatthereisanurgentneedtodoublenativetreecoverand

therebyrestorelandscapesacrosswhichmanyspeciescanmove1. Supplementingknowledgeof

speciesdistributionsJohnBakerisworkingwiththeSuffolkBiologicalRecordsCentreandtheSuffolk

AmphibianandReptileGrouponanatlasofamphibiansandreptilesinSuffolk.Perhapssurprisingly,

therearesomeareasofthecountywithfewrecentcommonfrogrecords.Yourobservationshave

usefullyupdatedwhatisknownoftheircurrentdistribution.Theremaybescopeforyourfrog

recordstobeusedinthissamewaybytheHerpetologicalConservationTrust,whichcoordinatesa

nationalrecordingandreportingschemeonthestatusofamphibiansandreptiles.Believeitornot,

thereisarequirementundertheEUHabitatsDirectiveformemberstatestoreportonthestatusof

thecommonfrog. Thismaybebecausefrogsareharvestedforhumanconsumptiononthe

continent.

TheliteraryherpetileThesecondwitchinShakespearesMacbethfamouslycameoutwiththefollowingingredientsfor

themagicbroth:

"Eyeofnewt,andtoeoffrog,

Woolofbat,andtongueofdog,

Adder'sfork,andblindworm'ssting,

Lizard'sleg,andhowlet'swing,

Foracharmofpowerfultrouble,Likeahellbrothboilandbubble."

IamsureShakespearewouldbeastonishedtolearnthatthesearenowalllegallyprotectedanimals

inonewayoranother. Therecouldbeasmuchas40,000inpenaltiesthere,oralongspellin

prison. Eventhepoorolddogwouldbeprotectedunderthepreventionofcrueltytoanimalslaws.

TheremustbesomemessageinthefactthattheBardofAvonchosecreaturesforhiswitchsbrew

thatnearly400yearsonwouldgaintheprotectionofthelaw.

Christmastreefrogs

ANCHORAGE,AlaskaForgettheplasticicicles,brightlycoloredballsandtinsel.SomeChristmas

treesforsaleintheAnchorageareaareadornedwithsomethingtrulydifferentthisholidayseason:

Pacificchorusfrogs.

Whilethesmallfrogsareverycute,measuringaninchortwowithlovelymoss coloredgreensides

andblackspots,Alaskastateofficialsareaskingresidentstopracticesometoughlove.Iftheyfinda

Christmastreefrog,theyretold,killit.

1Maybethefrogswillevolvetoclimbtrees. Ed.

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Sofar,theAlaskaDepartmentofFishandGame,hasreceivedreportsoftwoamphibious

hitchhikers.OnewashidingoutonaholidaytreefromWashingtonstatethatwassoldthisweekat

anAnchoragenursery.ThefrogendedupinthebiologydepartmentattheUniversityof

AlaskaAnchorage.

TheyidentifieditasaPacificchorusfrog,saidTraceyGotthardt,azoologistwiththeuniversitys

AlaskaNaturalHeritageProgram.ThefrogsarefoundfromBritishColumbiatosouthernBaja

California,butarenotnativetoAlaska.

InWashington,thePacificchorusfrogisakeystonespeciesbecauseofitslargepopulation,ishasa

bigeffectonitsenvironment.Manyotherspecies,suchasgartersnakes,dependuponthefrogsas

food.In2007,thePacificchorusfrogwasnamedWashingtonsofficialstatefrog.

InAlaska,itsnotwelcome.

Nooneisinpanicmodeoverthis,butwearetakingitseriously,saidJenniferYuhas,

spokeswomanfortheAlaskaDepartmentofFishandGame.

Thatsbecausethefrogswhosejoyfulchorusisoftenusedformoviesoundtrackscouldbe

carryingsomeuglyvirusesandfungi,includingchytridfungusthatisdevastatingamphibiansaround

theworld.

Ourimmediateconcernisthatifafrogdoeshopoutofatreeandtheydecidetokeepitasapet

overthewinter,theymustkeepitforever.Wedontwantthembeingreleasedintothewild,

Gotthardtsaid.

YuhassaiditsnotthatAlaskansareheartless,butthattheymustprotecttheirown.

Iknowtheyareawfulcute,butpetsorsmallchildrenareknowntoputthingsintheirmouths,

shesaid.

TheAlaskaDepartmentofFishandGameissuggestingtwomethodsofdispatch:deathbyadabof

Orajelappliedtothehead(thetoothdesensitizerapparentlyknocksthemoutforgood),orputting

thelittlecritterinaplasticbagandplacingitinthefreezer.

WithtemperatureshoveringaroundzeroFridaymorning,DougWarner,aspokesmanforthestate

DivisionofAgriculture,hadanothersuggestionfordisposingofthefrogs.

Putitinajarandputitoutonthefrontporch,andthatwayyouwonthavetoputitinwithyour

Christmascookies,hesaid.

TammyDavis,leaderofFishandGamesInvasiveSpeciesProgram,saidtheAlaskaNaturalHeritage

Programwillacceptlivefrogsaswell.

TheimportantthingisthatAlaskansdontkeeptheChristmasfrogs,shesaid.

Thatisthewholethingaboutinvasivespecies,Davissaid.Wedidntthinkzebramusselswould

liveintheGreatLakes.

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Look out! Abandoned terrapins about

Discarded pet turtles are turning up in urban ponds across the country w ith devastating consequences forindigenous wildlife

By Cahal Milmo

Monday, 11 January 2010

TheIndependentNormally,itbeginswiththeunexplainedabsenceoffrogspawn.Thencomestheslowbutsteady

disappearanceofdragonflylarvae,fishandducklings.Inextremecases,thereareviciousattackson

smalldogs.

AroundBritain,theplacidcalmofurbanpondsandwatercoursesisbeingdisturbedbyarapacious

newmenacelegionsofabandonedpetterrapins.

Conservationistshaveissuedawarningthathundredsofboatinglakes,canalsandwaterwaysin

townsandcitiesareinfestedwithterrapinsandsmallturtleswhichwereboughtaspetswhilebrightlycolouredbabiesbarelybiggerthana50pcoinbutdumpedbyownersunabletocopeasthey

grewtomaturecarnivorousadultsthesizeofadinnerplate.

Thetrendbeganintheearly1990swhenthousandsofredearedterrapins,eachcapableoflivingup

to30years,wereboughtbyyoungfansoftheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtlecartoon.Butecologists

havewarnedofamorerecentsecondwaveofreleaseswhichisseeingadditionalspecies,including

theaggressivesnappingturtle,dumpedinthewild.

AlthoughnativetowarmerclimessuchasAmerica'sMississippivalley,theterrapinsandturtles

readilytakeupresidenceinBritain'sparksandwetlandswheretheyhaveareadyfoodsupply,

includingyoungwaterfowl.

Expertshaveseenexamplesofpondsstrippedofwildlifebyapopulationofjusttwoorthree

terrapins.

Suchisthescaleoftheproblemthat51terrapinsandturtles,fromfivedifferentspecies,were

recentlyremovedfromasinglepondinanorthLondonparkafterthelocalauthoritycalledina

specialisttrapper.Twoyearsago,acolonyof150ofthecreatureswasremovedfromthe25ponds

onHampsteadHeathandrehomedatasanctuaryinTuscany.

Theresultisadoubleheadacheforconservationgroupsastheytrytocontroltheproblembytrappingandremovingtheunwantedinvadersbutstruggletofindnewhomesforthecaptives

becauseoftheirlongevity(somespeciescanliveforupto50years)andthecostsofrunninga

dedicatedaquarium.Onesanctuaryreceivesunwantedanimalatarateofsixaweek.

JohnBaker,oftheAmphibianandReptileConservation(ARC)Trust,said:"Whentheseanimalsare

boughtasbabiestheyseemattractivepets.Buttheygrowtoasignificantsizeandpeoplethinkitis

OKtotakethemtotheirnearestbodyofwaterandreleasethemintoplaceswheretheypreyon

nativespeciesandcanspreaddisease.

"Theadditionalproblemiswhattodowiththemoncewefindthem.Thelawsaystheycannotbe

returnedtothewaterandsanctuariesareoftenreluctanttotakethem.Caringforaterrapinisa

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OzierMuhammad/TheNewYorkTimes

RIBBITINGLongIslandchildrenlastweekattheunveilingofBeelzebufoampinga,orarmoreddeviltoad,atStonyBrookUniversityMedicalCenter.

Theimmensefrogispartofapermanentexhibitionthatalsofeaturesreconstructionsof

avegetarianpugnosedcrocodileandasmallmeateatingdinosaur.

Thiswasundoubtedlytheheaviestfrogever,weestimateabout10pounds,saidDavidKrause,

theStonyBrookUniversitypaleontologistwhounearthedthefossilsofthefrogandtheother

creaturesinMadagascar.Itprobablyateanyavailablepreylizardsandsnakesandmammals.It

waslargeenoughtomaybeeveneathatchlingdinosaurs.

ThefrogsscientificnameisBeelzebufoampinga,whichmeansarmoreddeviltoad.

About150schoolchildrenfrompublicschoolshereonLongIslandattendedtheunveilingofthe

exhibitionlastweeknoneofthemassmallashatchlings,butsmallenoughtofindthefrog

impressive.

Lookslikeheateahuman,saidone,pointingatthefrogsstomach.

Thereconstructionofthecreature,describedasthefrogfromhellbythescientistswhodugitup

inMadagascar,portraysBeelzebufoasagrimlookingamphibian,withalargepinktongueandsand

coloredskintomatchitsdesertenvironment.Ittook15yearsand75fossilstoputtogetheran

accuratereconstruction.

Thefroglivedabout65millionyearsago,inasemiaridenvironmentthatexperiencedsporadic

heavyrains,saidDr.Krause,whoanalyzedsedimentstodeconstructthefrogslivingconditions.Dr.

KrauseandhiscolleaguesbelievethatthefrogisrelatedtothePacManfrog,amoderndayspecies

inSouthAmericathatisnamedforthevideogamecharacter.

LikethePacMan,Beelzebufowasprobablyanambushpredator,meaningitwriggleditsrearend

intotheground,stickingitsheadout,inanticipationoftheobliviouslizardorsnake.

Larkinstoads

Acouncilistospend200,000on65giantfibreglasstoadstocommemoratethe25thanniversaryof

thedeathofpoetPhilipLarkin. TheoversizedamphibianswillbedisplayedatlocationsaroundHull

for10weekslaterthisyear,reportstheDailyTelegraph. "Thisprojectisdesignedtosparkinterest

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http://pop_me_up2%28%27http//www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/02/16/science/16frog01.html',%20'16frog01',%20'width=720,height=567,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,resizable=yes')http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/v/vegetarianism/index.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/state_university_of_new_york_at_stony_brook/index.html?inline=nyt-orghttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/state_university_of_new_york_at_stony_brook/index.html?inline=nyt-orghttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/state_university_of_new_york_at_stony_brook/index.html?inline=nyt-orghttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/state_university_of_new_york_at_stony_brook/index.html?inline=nyt-orghttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/state_university_of_new_york_at_stony_brook/index.html?inline=nyt-orghttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/s/state_university_of_new_york_at_stony_brook/index.html?inline=nyt-orghttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/v/vegetarianism/index.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://pop_me_up2%28%27http//www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/02/16/science/16frog01.html',%20'16frog01',%20'width=720,height=567,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,resizable=yes')

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inLarkin'spoetryamongpeoplewhoaremadecuriousbytheunexpectedpresenceoftheirlocal

toad,"saysaHullCityCouncilreport. ThemoveisintendedtohonourLarkin'stwopoems,Toads

andToadsRevisited.Thepoetcompletedmanyofhismostimportantworkswhileworkingasa

librarianatHullUniversity.TheLibDemcontrolledcouncilhopeitwillcreateinterestinLarkin's

poetryandboosttheprofileofthecitywherehelivedfor30years.

ButDianaJohnson,LabourMPforNorthHull,said:"Youcouldn'tmakethisup.Thisisascandalous

misuseoftaxpayers'money,especiallyintheseharsheconomictimes."

Whenthelightscomeonatfour

Attheendofanotheryear?

Givemeyourarm,oldtoad;

HelpmedownCemeteryRoad.

TOADintheHoleisbeingservedupattheAliceLislenearRingwoodinsupportoftoadsthatcross

thenearbyGorleyRoadtoreachbreedingsites,andtheeffortsmadebypeopletoensuretheyget

theresafely.

BetweenFebruaryandApriltheToadintheHolewillbedishedupwhilethetoadscrosstheroadto

reachandreturnfromtheBlashfordLakes.

Andforeverydishserved,pubmanagerDarrenKentwilldonate20ptotheRingwoodAmphibian

Society.

InternetnewtTheInternetwasoneofthegreatestthreatstorarespecies,fuellingtheillegalwildlifetradeand

makingiteasiertobuyeverythingfromlivebabylionstowinemadefromtigerbones,

conservationistssaidinDoha,Qatar,inMarch2010.

TheWeb'simpactwasmadeclearatthemeetingofthe175memberConventiononInternational

TradeinEndangeredSpecies(CITES). DelegatesvotedoverwhelminglytobanthetradeinKaiser's

spottednewts,whichtheWorldWildlifeFundsayshavebeendevastatedbyInternetsales.

KaisersspottednewtisacriticallyendangeredIraniansalamanderofwhichonlyabout1000aresaid

toleftinthewild. IdidanInternetsearchtoseeifanywerestillbeingofferedforsale,but

apparentlytheyarenotsotheCITESstrategyseemstohavebeensuccessful. Editor.

FROMTHEFRONTLINEOFEVOLUTIONARYSTUDIESPartlyasaresultofDarwinYear2009,partlyduetoadvancesingeneticsandforotherreasons,the

traditionalpostDarwinviewofevolutionisbeingchallenged. Bycreationists,ofcourse,butmore

interestinglybymanyestablished,decidedlynonreligious,scientistsandphilosophers. Although

participantsinthisdebatetendtoarguethattheirpositionisperfectlyobvious,muchofwhatthey

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saywould,Ibelieve,remainunintelligibletothereasonablywelleducatedreader(whichDarwins

worksdonot). IwillattachafewexamplesrelatingtoherpsinforthcomingNewtsletters. Ed.

AnevolutionaryconundrumFromNaturalselectioninrelationtocomplexitybyStanleyA.Salthe(2008)Larvae(incomplexlifehistories)comeintothisstoryaswell.Forexample,howcouldselectionscan

theelaboratepropertiesoffrogtadpolelips?Nothingintheadult(asfarasweknow)istemplated

uponthese,whichcompletelydisappearatmetamorphosis,andyetthesecomplicatedspecies

specificcharacteristicscontinuetobepreservedinthepopulationsofeachspecies. Ithasbeen

notedseveraltimesthatlarvalevolutionoftendoesnotfollowimagoevolution,thetwoseemingto

runonparalleltracks.Wraynotedthatthissuggestedthatnaturalselectionmustbeoperatingon

larvalformsdirectly.But,sincetheydontreproduce,how?

(Abottleofwineforthebestanswer. Ed.)

MakingsnakesFromFrenchbiologistVincentFleuryinconversationwithSuzanMazur.Ifyoustarttomakemoreelongatedanimals,theywilllooklikeanguidsorlikesnakes.Inevolution,

snakesresultfromaprolongedhyperbolicflow. Itsautomatic. Thatsthefirstorder.