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15% of predator mass, is typical for a colubrid (Greene 1997.Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in Nature. University of CaliforniaPress, Berkeley. 351 pp.). This is the first description of E.elegans as prey of A. stolatum.Submitted by GERRUT NORVAL, Applied Behavioural Ecology& Ecosystem Research Unit, Department of Nature Conservation,UNISA, Private Bag X6, Florida, 1710, Republic of SouthAfrica (e-mail: gerrutnorval507@yahoo.com); JEAN-JAY MAO,Department of Natural Resources, National Ilan University. No.1, Sec. 1, Shen-Lung Rd., Ilan, Taiwan 260, R.O.C.; and HSIEN-PIN CHU, Taitung Animal Propagation Station. No. 30, Community27, Binlang Village, Beinan, Taitung County 954, Taiwan,R.O.C.FURCIFER LABORDI (Labord’s Chameleon). REPRODUC-TION. Though nesting behavior in Chamaeleo chamaeleon is relativelywell-studied in Spain (Blázquez et al. 2000. Herpetol. J.10:91–94), nest excavation behavior in chameleons of Madagascarremains undescribed. Additionally, such behavior in nature maydiffer from that described for captives or under semi-natural environments(e.g., Bourgat 1968. Bull. Soc. Zool. France 93:355–356.; Ferguson et al. 2004. The Panther Chameleon: Color Variation,Natural History, Conservation, and Captive Management.Krieger Publishing Co., Malabar, Florida. 118 pp.). Here, we describeclutch size and nest excavation behavior in a chameleonfrom Madagascar, Furcifer labordi. To our knowledge, no otherpublished field observations of nesting in this species exist.On 03 February 2004, we observed nest excavation and eggdeposition by an adult female F. labordi (77.2 mm SVL) at Ranobeforest (23.0250°S, 43.6100°E, datum: WGS84; elev. 17 m), ca. 30km N of the provincial capital of Toliara (Tuléar), southwesternMadagascar. We located this female ca. 2 h before dusk at 1654 h,after she had already excavated a burrow deep enough to havesubmerged ca. 10 cm of her total body length below the substrate.The female dug the entrance burrow in the sand substrate at aroughly 45° angle. For the next 4 h and 18 min, she remainedunderground. In Chamaeleo chamaeleon, and in captive chameleonsfrom Madagascar, females use only one burrow during nestexcavation (Blázquez et al., op. cit.; KBK, pers. obs.). However,the female of this species deposited eggs without exiting the sameburrow, and instead, excavated upwards at an angle almost perpendicularto the entry burrow. She emerged from the oppositeend at 2112 h, filling in the burrow as she exited. By 2137 h, shehad completely exited and remained motionless for the next 18min. By 2155 h, she began to crawl toward the burrow entrance,and began covering the partially collapsed entrance. She completedfilling the entrance by 2230 h, after which she climbed nearbyvegetation to roost. We estimate that nesting behavior in this individuallasted at least 6 h given that she had begun excavation beforewe arrived, much shorter than that described in C. chamaeleon(Blázquez et al., op. cit.).The next day, we recorded egg and nest dimensions. The entranceburrow measured 175 mm in length and the exit angle wasacute, resulting in the exit burrow being only about 150 mm. Nestdepth, measured from the substrate to the top of the egg mass, was138 mm. On 30 January 2004, the female weighed 12 g, but only6.4 g after egg deposition on 04 February. The 11-egg clutch had atotal mass of 4.4 g. Egg length averaged 11.7 ± 0.37 mm SD (N =11). After data collection, we replaced all eggs to their originalorientation and re-covered the nest. We recorded nest temperatureat the same level as egg depth over the next several days between0800–2200 h. Mean nest temperature was 27.2 ± 0.92°C (N = 9)during this early period of incubation. We were unable to recordnest temperatures beyond 11 February. Hatching occurs in earlyNovember in this species (KBK, unpubl. data).Submitted by KRISTOPHER B. KARSTEN, Department ofZoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078,USA (e-mail: kris.karsten@okstate.edu); and LAZA N.ANDRIAMANDIMBIARISOA, Département du BiologieAnimale, Université d’Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo 101,Madagascar.HELODERMA SUSPECTUM (Gila Monster). PREY. Gila Monstersare specialized nest predators; their diet includes eggs ofground-nesting birds and reptiles, and juvenile mammals (e.g.,Ammospermophilus leucurus, Neotoma albigula, and Sylvilagusaudubonii; Beck 2005. Biology of Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards.University of California Press, Berkeley. 247 pp.). Here, wereport prey not previously known for H. suspectum, Desert KangarooRats (Dipodomys deserti). We describe predation episodeson juvenile kangaroo rats in the field, and we document adult kangaroorat rescue of nestlings from H. suspectum predation.We radio-tracked H. suspectum from March 2000 to August 2004at a Mojave Desert site near Lake Mead, Nevada (36.5°N, 114.5°W;elev. 600 m; Gienger 2003. Natural History of the Gila Monster inNevada. Unpubl. MSc Thesis. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 55 pp.).We located each lizard 2–4 times per day during the active season(March–October). When we found H. suspectum surface active,we followed each lizard from a distance of 5–10 m to record successfulforaging bouts and specific prey.At 0710 h on 30 May 2003, we observed an adult female H.suspectum excavating an entrance to a rodent burrow complex atthe base of a sandy mound (Fig. 1a). After 2 min of excavation,the H. suspectum disappeared into the burrow and an adult kangaroorat ran out of a hole on the other side of the sand mound.Immediately, two altricial (eyes still closed) kangaroo rat pupswere observed trying to crawl out of the burrow. The H. suspectumthen emerged from the burrow behind the pups (Fig. 1b) and seizedone pup by the mid-body. After consuming the first pup, alongwith considerable sand, the Gila Monster then exited the burrow,seized the second pup by the head (Fig. 1c), and consumed it aswell.At 0758 h on 19 June 2003, we observed the same female H.suspectum excavating a rodent burrow. After digging for ca. 1 min,the burrow collapsed on itself and the lizard disappeared inside.An adult Desert Kangaroo Rat then sprinted out of a second burrowentrance 70 cm from the collapsed entrance. Three juvenileDesert Kangaroo Rats (pre-weening age; eyes still closed) becamevisible at the second entrance of the collapsed burrow, with onepup attempting to crawl out of the burrow. The adult Desert KangarooRat (presumably the mother) returned to the opening of thesecond burrow (Fig. 2a), grabbed the pup that was outside of theburrow (Fig. 2b) and carried it to a third burrow opening located3.5 m away from the second (Fig. 2c). The mother then stood out-224 Herpetological Review 39(2), 2008
FIG. 1. Excavation and consumption of a nest of kangaroo rats(Dipodomys sp.) by a foraging Gila Monster.FIG. 2 (opposite). Sequence showing adult female Desert KangarooRat (Dipodomys deserti) attempting to rescue her pups from predation bya Gila Monster. The Gila Monster is inside the burrow and the motherremoves one of the pups before it can be eaten.Herpetological Review 39(2), 2008 225
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HerpetologicalReviewVolume 39, Numb
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About Our Cover: Zonosaurus maramai
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Prey-specific Predatory Behavior in
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acid water treatment than in the co
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TABLE 1. Time-line history of croco
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The Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo
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FIG. 6. A 3.9 m (12' 11 1 / 2") Ame
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One of the earliest studies of croc
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TABLE 2. Dimensions and water depth
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we call it, is in flux.Forty years
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Feb. 20-25. abstract.------. 1979.
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yond current practices (Clarke 1972
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poles (Pond 1 > 10,000, Pond 2 4,87
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------, R. MATHEWS, AND R. KINGSING
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Herpetological Review, 2008, 39(2),
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TABLE 2. Summary of running (includ
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FIG. 2. Responses of adult Regal Ho
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PIANKA, E. R., AND W. S. PARKER. 19
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BUSTAMANTE, M. R. 2005. La cecilia
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Fig. 3. Mean clutch size (number of
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facilitated work in Thailand. I tha
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preocular are not fused. The specim
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FIG. 2A) Side view photo of Aechmea
Page 48 and 49: 364.DUELLMAN, W. E. 1978. The biolo
Page 50 and 51: incision, and placed one drop of Ba
Page 52 and 53: 13 cm deep (e.g., Spea hammondii; M
Page 54 and 55: FIG. 1. Medicine dropper (60 ml) wi
Page 56 and 57: esearchers and Hellbenders, especia
Page 58 and 59: FIG. 3. Relative success of traps p
Page 60 and 61: data on Hellbender population struc
Page 62 and 63: aits sometimes resulted in differen
Page 64 and 65: trapping system seems to be a relat
Page 66 and 67: AMPHIBIAN CHYTRIDIOMYCOSISGEOGRAPHI
Page 68 and 69: TABLE 1. Prevalence of B. dendrobat
Page 70 and 71: Conservation Status of United State
Page 72 and 73: TABLE 1. Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica)
Page 74 and 75: TABLE 1. Anurans that tested positi
Page 76 and 77: is, on average, exposed to slightly
Page 78 and 79: (10%) were dead but not obviously m
Page 80 and 81: Submitted by CHRIS T. McALLISTER, D
Page 82 and 83: FIG. 1. Oscillogram, spectrogram, a
Page 84 and 85: FIG. 1. Adult Physalaemus cuvieri r
Page 86 and 87: Répteis, Instituto Nacional de Pes
Page 88 and 89: discovered 145 live hatchlings and
Page 90 and 91: GRAPTEMYS GIBBONSI (Pascagoula Map
Page 92 and 93: College, and the Joseph Moore Museu
Page 94 and 95: FIG. 1. Common Ground Lizard (Ameiv
Page 96 and 97: havior unavailable elsewhere. Here
Page 100 and 101: side the third burrow and began a f
Page 102 and 103: We thank Arlington James and the st
Page 104 and 105: mm) S. viridicornis in its mouth in
Page 106 and 107: NECTURUS MACULOSUS (Common Mudpuppy
Page 108 and 109: LITHOBATES CATESBEIANUS (American B
Page 110 and 111: Research and Collections Center, 13
Page 112 and 113: BRONCHOCELA VIETNAMENSIS (Vietnam L
Page 114 and 115: Oficina Regional Guaymas, Guaymas,
Page 116 and 117: MICRURUS TENER (Texas Coralsnake).
Page 118 and 119: declining in this recently discover
Page 120 and 121: 80.7372°W). 02 November 2005. Stev
Page 122 and 123: this effort, 7% of the 10 × 10 km
Page 124 and 125: the knowledge of the group. The aut
Page 126 and 127: which is listed under “Rhodin, A.
Page 128 and 129: noting that Sphenomorphus bignelli
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Page 132: ISSN 0018-084XThe Official News-Jou
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