Reptiles
Reptile urine crystals may inform future approaches to gout and kidney stones
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Scientists reporting in the Journal of the American Chemical Society examined solid urine from more than 20 reptile species and found tiny uric‑acid spheres that package waste while conserving water. The study, highlighted by the American Chemical Society and ScienceDaily, also suggests uric acid helps convert toxic ammonia into a less harmful solid, a mechanism that could guide future strategies against gout and kidney stones.
Researchers have discovered that aggressive green wall lizards, dubbed 'Hulk' lizards, are rapidly outcompeting and eliminating yellow and orange color morphs that coexisted for millions of years. The common wall lizard, Podarcis muralis, across the Mediterranean now shows only white-throated individuals in many populations. A study analyzing over 10,000 lizards revealed this shift in evolutionary dynamics.
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A newly described crocodile relative from the Late Triassic period began life walking on four legs before adopting a bipedal stance in adulthood, scientists say. The poodle-sized Sonselasuchus cedrus, unearthed in Arizona, reveals unusual growth patterns in ancient reptiles. Researchers detailed the findings in a study published this year.
Unusual impressions on a rock face in Italy could represent tracks left by sea turtles fleeing an earthquake 83 million years ago. Free climbers discovered over 1,000 prints on limestone from the Cretaceous period. While researchers propose a biological origin, one expert questions their authenticity.
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Researchers in China have identified a previously unknown species of mountain lizard in the upper Dadu River Valley within the Hengduan Mountains of Sichuan Province. Named Diploderma bifluviale, the lizard features a distinctive wheat-colored tongue and thrives in semi-arid shrublands at high elevations. This finding highlights the region's understudied biodiversity.