Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter

NEWS ABOUT: reptiles

reptiles stories: 12 news summaries
PALEONTOLOGISTS SAY

 100M Years Ago, Africa 
 Was Crocodile Central 

3 new species unearthed from Sahara include DogCroc

Nov 20, 09 1:12 PM CST
(Newser) - The universe of diverse prehistoric crocodile species keeps expanding, suggesting crocs were one of the dominant forms of life 100 million years ago. Paleontologists have just unearthed three new species in the Sahara desert: the 20-foot BoarCroc, which likely fed on dinosaurs; the 20-foot PancakeCroc, a flat-bodied fish-gobbler; and the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Africa • paleontology • dinosaur • crocodile • Sahara • National Geographic • Cretaceous Period • scientific research • reptiles • new species

Scientists Unearth Fossils of 'Missing Link' Flying Reptiles

Researchers believe Darwinopterus is proof of modular evolution

Oct 14, 09 2:04 AM CDT
(Newser) - Scientists have discovered the remains of a flying reptile in China that they believe represents the "missing link" in a controversial theory of evolution. The reptile—named Darwinopterus in honor of Charles Darwin—lived some 160 million years ago and has features from both early, short-tailed pterodactyls and their... More »

MORE ABOUT:
evolution • fossil • Charles Darwin • pterodactyl • reptiles

 Floridians Gang Up on New 
 Neighbor: 8-Foot Gator 

Said to have come from local canal

Jul 8, 09 12:18 PM CDT
(Newser) - Residents of a South Florida town found a surprise visitor in their pool last night: an 8-foot alligator. Someone—nobody owned up—tied the creature to a tree with an extension cord before calling for help, the Miami Herald reports. When deputies arrived, a crowd of 30 was ogling the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Florida • wildlife • alligator • animal • reptiles

 Fossil of Giant 
 Flying Reptile 
 Found 

Newly discovered species had car-sized wingspan

Dec 4, 08 5:31 AM CST
(Newser) - Scientists have uncovered a new species of gigantic reptile that flew the skies over Brazil 115 million years ago, the BBC reports. The reptile, by far the largest of its kind ever found, had a wing span of over 16 feet. Lacusovagus—meaning lake wanderer—had a huge jaw, suggesting... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Brazil • paleontology • fossil • dinosaur • reptiles

Australian Boy Fed Zoo Animals to Crocodile

Rare turtle, lizards among 13 reptiles killed by 7-year-old

Oct 3, 08 11:07 AM CDT
(Newser) - A 7-year-old boy snuck into an Australian zoo on Wednesday and killed 13 animals, the BBC reports. The child jumped a fence and evaded security cameras to gain access to the Alice Springs Reptile Center, where he bashed three lizards with rocks and fed 10 other animals, some of them... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Australia • animal cruelty • zoo • crocodile • reptiles • juvenile crime

South Jersey Man Finds
Gator on Side the Road

No explantion where 4-foot, 60-to-80-pound beast in cage came from

Aug 8, 08 4:28 PM CDT
(Newser) - A South Jersey man spotted something unusual on his way to work yesterday, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports: a caged alligator on the side of a road. Fred Schubert decided to help out the 4-foot, 60-to-80-pound beast, loading the cage into his pickup. After calling several wildlife agencies, an official came... More »

MORE ABOUT:
New Jersey • construction • wildlife • alligator • animal rescue groups • animal • reptiles

 At Age 111, Finally a Dad

New Zealand's Harry the tuatara regains libido after 40 years

Aug 6, 08 2:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - A New Zealand reptile is about to become a father at the ripe old age of 111, reports the Guardian. Henry the tuatara displayed no interest in reproducing during 40 years of captivity but regained his sex drive earlier this year after removal of a cancerous growth from his genitals.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
New Zealand • reptiles • tuatara

 8 Signs the Animal
 Kingdom Is in Trouble 

On land, at sea, and in sky, planet's woes threaten inhabitants

Jul 21, 08 3:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - Biologists have mounting evidence that human activity is causing real damage to the natural world. LiveScience lists overlooked indications that things are seriously out of whack.
  1. Earlier migration: Several bird species are getting their timing wrong.
  2. Jellyfish rule: The creatures are hitching rides on ships.
More »

MORE ABOUT:
pollution • global warming • migration • penguin • scientist • jellyfish • animal • reptiles

 Gator Caught—in Chicago?  

Five-foot reptile apprehended in the Chicago River; probably a discarded pet

Jun 21, 08 5:32 AM CDT
(Newser) - Alligator wranglers may not be the busiest of folks in metro Chicago, but they came through yesterday by yanking a 5-foot unwelcome visitor out of the Chicago River, the Tribune reports. The healthy female, probably a discarded pet, is on her way to a sanctuary in the Southeast. More »

MORE ABOUT:
Chicago • alligator • animal • reptiles • Chicago River • Animal Control

Here's Why Platypus Look So Goofy

Scientist decode
its DNA, see part mammal, part reptile

May 7, 08 7:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - Scientists have decoded the genome of the duck-billed platypus, National Geographic reports, with their findings as interesting as they expected. Research, published in Nature, confirms that the platypus is the earliest living offshoot of mammalian evolution, yet retains many genetic throwbacks to reptilian ancestors thought to have lived 300 million... More »

MORE ABOUT:
evolution • mammals • genome • reptiles • platypus

Tyrannosaurus Rex: Tastes
Like Chicken?

Study says birds are dinosaurs' closest living descendants

Apr 24, 08 8:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - Dinosaurs are more closely related to birds than reptiles, protein extracted from a Tyrannosaurus rex bone suggests. T. rex collagen, the main protein in bones, is similar to chicken and ostrich collagen but much different than material from alligators and lizards, scientists say. The findings could remap the evolutionary tree... More »

MORE ABOUT:
birds • fossil • dinosaur • bones • DNA evidence • reptiles • Tyrannosaurus rex • collagen

 For Infections, Try Gator-cillin 

Scientists probe reptile's impressive immune system

Apr 7, 08 3:28 PM CDT
(Newser) - Scientists are trying to harness the power of alligator blood to fight disease, bacterial infections, and even HIV, Cox News reports. Proteins in the reptiles' blood have antibiotic properties thanks to the animals' long evolution and frequent exposure to bacteria; their exceptionally effective immune systems can fight off invaders without... More »

MORE ABOUT:
HIV • antibiotics • medical research • immune system • alligator • pharmaceutical • MRSA • yeast infection • reptiles

12 Stories


from our news partners