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The article informs that the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR) has started the Weinkle Family Endowment for Pre-College Scholars that provides funding for an academic year on-line program for high school students. The scholarship is an example of SSAR's commitment to the field of herpetology and the next generation of herpetologists.

The article in Herpetological Review discusses various natural history notes related to different gecko species. It includes observations on Phelsuma grandis with spinal abnormalities, Phelsuma lineata feeding behavior, and Phrynosoma mcallii mortality risks. The research was conducted in different locations, including Florida, Reunion Island, and Madagascar, highlighting the diverse habitats and behaviors of these geckos. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the ecological dynamics and conservation challenges faced by these gecko species. [Extracted from the article]

Although most of the unique ways that frogs reproduce were described in the 1800s and 1900s, additional modes are still being discovered in the 21st Century. The concept of reproductive mode has evolved from descriptive natural history to an integration of developmental biology, genetics, systematics, evolution, ecology, behavior, and physiology that frames our thinking about the transition of vertebrates from water to land and about anuran reproductive adaptations to diverse environments today. We have classified reproductive modes, examined quantitative parameters, searched for geographical and ecological patterns, and described variability. We have speculated about selective pressures guiding the evolution of terrestrial reproduction and argued about the usefulness of reproductive mode as a character to construct phylogenies. In the past, researchers assumed that the reproductive modes exhibited by living frogs represented stages in an incomplete, linear sequence of steps toward greater independence from open water, with direct development at the end of the spectrum. Newly proposed phylogenies based on molecular data allow us to re-think the evolution of anuran reproductive modes. On another level, we are increasingly realizing the value of incorporating life history information (aquatic larvae or terrestrial development) in setting priorities to formulate more effective and ecologically relevant conservation strategies. The next decade is certain to witness significant advances in our understanding of anuran reproductive modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on conservation of Telamatobufo bullocki also known as Calyptocephalellidae in Gondwana, Continent. Topics discussed include species listed by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered species, conservational threat faced by the species which includes Habitat loss, declining in quality and quantity of forest Nothofagus and use of heavy machinery in native forests, and fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) found in toads.