What does a herpetologist do on their summer vacation?

For Dr. Sara Ruane, summer 2018 was a whirlwind of travel and science! Here’s her account of what being a professor specializing in herpetology is like.

April/May-Lamanai, Belize

The first big trip I did for 2018 was in April/May to Belize for two weeks, accompanying my former PhD adviser Frank Burbrink from the American Museum of Natural History, and a bunch of bat biologists, to collect DNA samples from reptiles and amphibians in the Lamanai region of Belize. This trip yielded 100+ DNA samples from a wide variety of frogs, snakes, and lizards.

Multiple parrot snakes! (Leptophis mexicanus)

The nocturnal blunt-headed tree snake (Imantodes cenchoa)

One of Sara’s favorite snakes! A tropical milksnake (Lampropeltis abnorma)

A microhylid called a sheep frog (Hypopachus) from the forest floor near Mayan ruins

Sometimes you need two people to catch a 9 foot long chicken snake (Spilotes pullatus)

A coffee snake, named due to it being frequently found on coffee plantations (Ninia sebae)

One of the most common snakes in the Neotropics, this fer-de-lance is much feared but like most venomous snakes, just wants to be left alone! (Bothrops asper)

Perhaps the snake most associated with the tropics, this juvenile boa constrictor was found right near the lodge we were staying at (Boa constrictor)

May-A brief trip to Xuzhou, China

After getting back from Belize, I was on my way to China two weeks later. This trip was to present some of my work at a conference, but I managed to see a few frogs and do a little birding (there were a plethora of world-renowned ornithologists with me, and so why not!).

Despite being out with birders, managed a few frogs in China!

June-Teaching herpetology in Baja, Mexico

I had a three week respite from travel and then up next was 10 days in Baja at the Islands and Seas field station. This is the third time I’ve gone there to teach field herpetology to students of all ages. It was an excellent trip for herping, as shown in the photos below!

A leaf-toed gecko, showing off its little leaf toes (Phyllodactylus xanti)

By: Sara Ruane, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University-Newark and Lisa Rothenburger, Somerset County 4-H Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

A Project of New Jersey 4-H Youth Development

New Jersey 4-H provides educational outreach programming for youth in grades K-13 (one year out of high school) through 4-H clubs, special interest programs, school enrichment, afterschool programs, and overnight camping.

Regardless of the subject matter – whether it be science, healthy living or citizenship, 4-H uses a learn-by-doing approach to help youth learn responsibility, community awareness and character development.

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