Dr Mark D. Scherz
@markscherz.bsky.social
Curator of Herpetology & Associate Professor of Vertebrate Zoology at Natural History Museum of Denmark • ERC StG: GEMINI • Co-host of SquaMates Podcast and AnatomyInsights on Youtube • He/Him
Pinned
Dr Mark D. Scherz
@markscherz.bsky.social
· Aug 12
Thrilled to announce version 2.0 of my poster featuring some of Madagascar's endemic frog species, to scale! This version features 176 species—40 more than version 1.1 (now retired)! Check it out!
🐸🧪
www.redbubble.com/i/poster/Som...
🐸🧪
www.redbubble.com/i/poster/Som...
Reposted by Dr Mark D. Scherz
perfect metaphors don’t exis—
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
December 27, 2025 at 6:35 PM
perfect metaphors don’t exis—
@sarahmackattack.bsky.social I find the stats of iNat observations very useful indeed when trying to figure out how to find a specific creature
December 26, 2025 at 10:35 PM
@sarahmackattack.bsky.social I find the stats of iNat observations very useful indeed when trying to figure out how to find a specific creature
Please RT to share the word! 🧪
🚨PhD position available!🚨🧪
I am seeking a talented PhD student to join my ERC StG project GEMINI, to explore the exciting world of vertebrate genomics and comparative genomics, seeking to understand the genomics of miniaturisation! 🦇🦎🦜🐸🐟🦈 🤏🧬
Deadline: 4 Jan 2026!
employment.ku.dk/phd?show=153...
I am seeking a talented PhD student to join my ERC StG project GEMINI, to explore the exciting world of vertebrate genomics and comparative genomics, seeking to understand the genomics of miniaturisation! 🦇🦎🦜🐸🐟🦈 🤏🧬
Deadline: 4 Jan 2026!
employment.ku.dk/phd?show=153...
December 16, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Please RT to share the word! 🧪
Anyone out there have a copy of Don Broadley's 1983 book 'FitzSimons' Snakes of Southern Africa'? I need photos or scans of a few pages! 🧪🐍
December 13, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Anyone out there have a copy of Don Broadley's 1983 book 'FitzSimons' Snakes of Southern Africa'? I need photos or scans of a few pages! 🧪🐍
So warm again in Denmark right now that the newts are back out and hunting. Last snacks before winter I guess. 🦎🧪
December 10, 2025 at 8:31 PM
So warm again in Denmark right now that the newts are back out and hunting. Last snacks before winter I guess. 🦎🧪
Reposted by Dr Mark D. Scherz
The new Enabling Discovery through GEnomics (EDGE) Program page is posted. Please contact us at BIOEDGE@nsf.gov if you have questions. www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Enabling Discovery Through Genomics (EDGE)
www.nsf.gov
December 8, 2025 at 9:00 PM
The new Enabling Discovery through GEnomics (EDGE) Program page is posted. Please contact us at BIOEDGE@nsf.gov if you have questions. www.nsf.gov/funding/oppo...
Reposted by Dr Mark D. Scherz
New species 🚨, not one, not two, 13 new bush frogs from Northeast India!!!
One of the exciting revisions I've been involved in for a few years now is out today. It is led by @bitupan-herp.bsky.social, a PhD. student who will soon be a doctor.
One of the exciting revisions I've been involved in for a few years now is out today. It is led by @bitupan-herp.bsky.social, a PhD. student who will soon be a doctor.
November 20, 2025 at 9:13 AM
New species 🚨, not one, not two, 13 new bush frogs from Northeast India!!!
One of the exciting revisions I've been involved in for a few years now is out today. It is led by @bitupan-herp.bsky.social, a PhD. student who will soon be a doctor.
One of the exciting revisions I've been involved in for a few years now is out today. It is led by @bitupan-herp.bsky.social, a PhD. student who will soon be a doctor.
Who’s up for a game of Temnospondyl or Ghost?
December 6, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Who’s up for a game of Temnospondyl or Ghost?
Best first line to a peer review I have ever received:
"I found this ms. surprisingly pleasant and interesting to review despite its monstrous length." 🤣🧪
"I found this ms. surprisingly pleasant and interesting to review despite its monstrous length." 🤣🧪
December 2, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Best first line to a peer review I have ever received:
"I found this ms. surprisingly pleasant and interesting to review despite its monstrous length." 🤣🧪
"I found this ms. surprisingly pleasant and interesting to review despite its monstrous length." 🤣🧪
🚨PhD position available!🚨🧪
I am seeking a talented PhD student to join my ERC StG project GEMINI, to explore the exciting world of vertebrate genomics and comparative genomics, seeking to understand the genomics of miniaturisation! 🦇🦎🦜🐸🐟🦈 🤏🧬
Deadline: 4 Jan 2026!
employment.ku.dk/phd?show=153...
I am seeking a talented PhD student to join my ERC StG project GEMINI, to explore the exciting world of vertebrate genomics and comparative genomics, seeking to understand the genomics of miniaturisation! 🦇🦎🦜🐸🐟🦈 🤏🧬
Deadline: 4 Jan 2026!
employment.ku.dk/phd?show=153...
December 1, 2025 at 12:58 PM
🚨PhD position available!🚨🧪
I am seeking a talented PhD student to join my ERC StG project GEMINI, to explore the exciting world of vertebrate genomics and comparative genomics, seeking to understand the genomics of miniaturisation! 🦇🦎🦜🐸🐟🦈 🤏🧬
Deadline: 4 Jan 2026!
employment.ku.dk/phd?show=153...
I am seeking a talented PhD student to join my ERC StG project GEMINI, to explore the exciting world of vertebrate genomics and comparative genomics, seeking to understand the genomics of miniaturisation! 🦇🦎🦜🐸🐟🦈 🤏🧬
Deadline: 4 Jan 2026!
employment.ku.dk/phd?show=153...
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve seen:
Salif Keita
Backstreet Boys
Celtic Woman
Pentatonix
Guitar Masters (Andy McKee, Preston Reed and Jon Gomm)
Turns out my music taste is all over the place. And I almost never go to concerts; I had a very hard time coming up with five!
Salif Keita
Backstreet Boys
Celtic Woman
Pentatonix
Guitar Masters (Andy McKee, Preston Reed and Jon Gomm)
Turns out my music taste is all over the place. And I almost never go to concerts; I had a very hard time coming up with five!
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you've seen:
Weird Al (x16)
Berlin
Seether
Grateful Dead
Cake (x5)
Weird Al (x16)
Berlin
Seether
Grateful Dead
Cake (x5)
November 28, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve seen:
Salif Keita
Backstreet Boys
Celtic Woman
Pentatonix
Guitar Masters (Andy McKee, Preston Reed and Jon Gomm)
Turns out my music taste is all over the place. And I almost never go to concerts; I had a very hard time coming up with five!
Salif Keita
Backstreet Boys
Celtic Woman
Pentatonix
Guitar Masters (Andy McKee, Preston Reed and Jon Gomm)
Turns out my music taste is all over the place. And I almost never go to concerts; I had a very hard time coming up with five!
PSA: Anyone living close to the coast in the northeast Atlantic should keep their eyes out for beached sea turtles as we head into the coldest months of the year. Countries across northwest Europe have quietly been documenting greatly elevated stranding rates for the last couple of years. 🧪🐢
November 25, 2025 at 1:51 PM
PSA: Anyone living close to the coast in the northeast Atlantic should keep their eyes out for beached sea turtles as we head into the coldest months of the year. Countries across northwest Europe have quietly been documenting greatly elevated stranding rates for the last couple of years. 🧪🐢
Reposted by Dr Mark D. Scherz
Read the full research paper published in 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑍𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦, a Senckenberg journal hosted on the ARPHA Platform:
doi.org/10.3897/vz.7...
doi.org/10.3897/vz.7...
Museomics and integrative taxonomy reveal three new species of glandular viviparous tree toads (Nectophrynoides) in Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains (Anura: Bufonidae)
Abstract For the last century, herpetologists have referred to any Nectophrynoides Noble, 1926 toad characterized by a large, robust body, with large, distinct parotoid glands, as Nectophryno...
doi.org
November 17, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Read the full research paper published in 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑍𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦, a Senckenberg journal hosted on the ARPHA Platform:
doi.org/10.3897/vz.7...
doi.org/10.3897/vz.7...
Reposted by Dr Mark D. Scherz
Three newly discovered toad species skip the tadpole phase entirely and give birth to live toadlets! 🐸
Learn more about these rare amphibians on our blog: blog.pensoft.net/2025/11/17/t...
Learn more about these rare amphibians on our blog: blog.pensoft.net/2025/11/17/t...
Three new toad species skip the tadpole phase and give birth to live toadlets
Researchers have identified three new species of tree-dwelling toads from Africa, all of which skip the tadpole phase and give birth to live toadlets.
blog.pensoft.net
November 17, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Three newly discovered toad species skip the tadpole phase entirely and give birth to live toadlets! 🐸
Learn more about these rare amphibians on our blog: blog.pensoft.net/2025/11/17/t...
Learn more about these rare amphibians on our blog: blog.pensoft.net/2025/11/17/t...
Does anyone know where NCBI stands with the backlog of sequence submissions? I guess so many days of unprocessed submissions are not exactly going to resolve quickly, but I really need some GenBank numbers! 🧪
November 17, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Does anyone know where NCBI stands with the backlog of sequence submissions? I guess so many days of unprocessed submissions are not exactly going to resolve quickly, but I really need some GenBank numbers! 🧪
The Natural History Museum Denmark is seeking a new Head of Conservation Unit! The conservation team here works on a wide array of incredible specimens, and are hard at work preparing for the new museum opening in spring 2027! candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationI...
Talentech - Head of Conservation Unit at the Natural History Museum Denmark // Leder af Konserveringsenheden ved Statens Naturhistoriske Museum
candidate.hr-manager.net
November 17, 2025 at 8:02 AM
The Natural History Museum Denmark is seeking a new Head of Conservation Unit! The conservation team here works on a wide array of incredible specimens, and are hard at work preparing for the new museum opening in spring 2027! candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationI...
Reposted by Dr Mark D. Scherz
The first digital anatomical atlases of the chameleon skull, nervous system & cranial & hyolingual muscles are published, including lesson plans to bridge a gap between theoretical knowledge & hands-on analysis in comparative anatomy
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
November 17, 2025 at 4:53 AM
The first digital anatomical atlases of the chameleon skull, nervous system & cranial & hyolingual muscles are published, including lesson plans to bridge a gap between theoretical knowledge & hands-on analysis in comparative anatomy
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Our newly described live-bearing toads from Tanzania have now been covered in at least 20 languages, have made it to Danish national news, and will also be on several radio shows this week in Danish and German! 🐸🧪
www.markscherz.com/media
www.markscherz.com/media
November 12, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Our newly described live-bearing toads from Tanzania have now been covered in at least 20 languages, have made it to Danish national news, and will also be on several radio shows this week in Danish and German! 🐸🧪
www.markscherz.com/media
www.markscherz.com/media
Former lab member @njorisfleck.bsky.social and colleagues just showed that some carnivorous plants do CAM photosynthesis! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
🌱☀️🧪
🌱☀️🧪
Yes, we CAM! First evidence of CAM photosynthesis in a carnivorous plant
Evidence for weak, facultative CAM is reported for the first time in a carnivorous plant, i.e., in Mexican representatives of Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae).
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Former lab member @njorisfleck.bsky.social and colleagues just showed that some carnivorous plants do CAM photosynthesis! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
🌱☀️🧪
🌱☀️🧪
A new post about the three #newspecies of toad we have just described from Tanzania, feat @christianthrane.bsky.social, Simon Loader, @alicepetzold.bsky.social, John Lyakurwa, and Michele Menegon! 🧪🐸🇹🇿
www.markscherz.com/archives/6208
www.markscherz.com/archives/6208
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 …
www.markscherz.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:34 PM
A new post about the three #newspecies of toad we have just described from Tanzania, feat @christianthrane.bsky.social, Simon Loader, @alicepetzold.bsky.social, John Lyakurwa, and Michele Menegon! 🧪🐸🇹🇿
www.markscherz.com/archives/6208
www.markscherz.com/archives/6208
Today we described three new toad species that give birth to fully formed toadlets, from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania! 🇹🇿🧪🐸
vertebrate-zoology.arphahub.com/article/1670...
vertebrate-zoology.arphahub.com/article/1670...
November 6, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Today we described three new toad species that give birth to fully formed toadlets, from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania! 🇹🇿🧪🐸
vertebrate-zoology.arphahub.com/article/1670...
vertebrate-zoology.arphahub.com/article/1670...
Reposted by Dr Mark D. Scherz
Three new species of tree toads from Tanzania have been discovered. 🐸
These amphibians don’t lay frogspawn or have a tadpole phase like most other toads, but instead give birth to live young!
Find out how museum specimens helped scientists to discover these species. 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
These amphibians don’t lay frogspawn or have a tadpole phase like most other toads, but instead give birth to live young!
Find out how museum specimens helped scientists to discover these species. 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
New species of toads that give birth to live young discovered in Tanzania | Natural History Museum
Museum specimens have helped scientists discover three new species of tree-dwelling toads.
www.nhm.ac.uk
November 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Three new species of tree toads from Tanzania have been discovered. 🐸
These amphibians don’t lay frogspawn or have a tadpole phase like most other toads, but instead give birth to live young!
Find out how museum specimens helped scientists to discover these species. 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
These amphibians don’t lay frogspawn or have a tadpole phase like most other toads, but instead give birth to live young!
Find out how museum specimens helped scientists to discover these species. 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
Watch this space for some news at 12:00 GMT tomorrow! Something new for me, and a really awesome collaboration. 🐸🧪
November 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Watch this space for some news at 12:00 GMT tomorrow! Something new for me, and a really awesome collaboration. 🐸🧪
Seems obvious to me that having a gut that be longer than your body is clearly advantageous. This is a great way to overcome one of the limits imposed by diminutive body size itself!
Crazy-looking larval cusk eel with an impressive external gut. We’re still not sure why having the intestines on the outside is advantageous, but there must be a good reason 🤔
TL ~2.5cm
#cuskeel #larvalfish #deepseafish #deepseacreatures #blackwaterdiving #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug
TL ~2.5cm
#cuskeel #larvalfish #deepseafish #deepseacreatures #blackwaterdiving #chrisgug #gugunderwater #gug
October 29, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Seems obvious to me that having a gut that be longer than your body is clearly advantageous. This is a great way to overcome one of the limits imposed by diminutive body size itself!
It has been an extremely dry year for me in terms of publications so far, but a flurry of activity in the last few weeks has left me with eight papers submitted and two in press due to drop in the next couple of weeks! A total turnaround. Huge push by many coauthors. Next year may be a bumper! 🧪
October 27, 2025 at 10:46 PM
It has been an extremely dry year for me in terms of publications so far, but a flurry of activity in the last few weeks has left me with eight papers submitted and two in press due to drop in the next couple of weeks! A total turnaround. Huge push by many coauthors. Next year may be a bumper! 🧪