Unearthing seven new diamond frogs!
Seven charming new frogs in the genus Rhombophryne, also known as Diamond Frogs!
Dr Mark D. Scherz
Herpetologist and Evolutionary Biologist
Latest posts
Three new live-bearing toads from Tanzania!
This week we have published an exciting new paper describing three new species of bumpy, bright-coloured, live-bearing, tree-dwelling toads from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania! You can read the full article free of charge here! One of the greatest strengths of the herpetological collection I curate at the Natural History Museum Denmark is amphibians [ ]
A Valentine’s Frog
Valentine s Day in 2025 is a special one: we introduce an Anilovely new species from the Tsingy de Bemaraha karst of western Madagascar: Anilany karsticola. The species description is published open access in the 14 February issue of the journal Salamandra, and you can read it here! In 2006, a team consisting of Frank Glaw, [ ]
2024 Expedition to Southeastern Madagascar
The ridge of mountains that runs parallel to Madagascar s east coast descend in short order into rolling hills, followed by sand dunes, and ultimately meet the Indian Ocean. These rolling hills and sand dunes were once cloaked in low-elevation humid forest and littoral forest. Today those habitats are some of the most heavily affected by [ ]
My 2024 in academic review
Unbelievably, I find myself once again at the end of another year. As is tradition here, I wanted to reflect on the achievements and outputs of the year. It has been one of the most interesting and full years of my career so far. Scientific Outputs I had just seven papers published in 2024 (eight [ ]
My experience applying for—and securing—an ERC Starting Grant
As I recently announced, I have recently secured an ERC Starting Grant for my project on the genomics of miniaturisation in vertebrates. One of the things that was really valuable in the application process was reading others experiences on their websites and blogs, so I think it appropriate that I also recount my own experience. [ ]
Seven new treefrog species named after iconic Star Trek captains!
Finding these frogs sometimes requires considerable trekking; pursuing strange new calls, to seek out new frogs in new forests; boldly going where no herpetologist has gone before. — Vences et al. 2024 At the right time of year along rushing streams in the humid rainforests that stretch the length of Madagascar s eastern and northern mountain [ ]
GEMINI: 1.5 million euros to uncover the genomics of miniaturisation!
I am overjoyed to announce that my European Research Commission (ERC) Starting Grant (StG) on the genomics of miniaturisation in vertebrates has been funded! This means 1.5 million euros for my lab over the next five years, to explore how the evolution of reduced body size is driven, shaped, and constrained at the genomic level. [ ]
My 2023 in academic review
2023 was an exceptionally challenging year, with a lot of interesting developments to reflect on. My year was unusual, in that it was dominated not by publications or travel, as is usual for me, but instead by grant writing and training. Scientific Outputs I had nine papers published in 2023, although one is technically still [ ]
On the fringes: a new leaf-tailed gecko from northern Madagascar!
In the 15th of August issue of the journal Salamandra, my colleagues and I published a new species of leaf-tailed gecko from northern Madagascar, Uroplatus garamaso! You can get the PDF of the description here. In 2009, I was on a voluntourism trip to northern Madagascar. I was there to study the fauna of the island, [ ]