Dr. Kenneth L. Krysko's Current Research

Senior Biological Scientist
Division of Herpetology
Florida Museum of Natural History
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-7800, USA
Telephone: 352 273-1945, Fax: 352 846-0287

Although my research has involved systematic biology, evolution, ecology, reproduction, and conservation biology, I now have numerous other projects taking place throughout the world. Please visit this site in the near future to see updated information.

Madagascar Leaf-nose Snakes

I have completed two studies on the reproduction and feeding behavior of Langaha madagascariensis, which were published in the African Journal of Herpetology (2003, 2005) below. It would be nice to study this species again one day!

Indigo Snake Genetics

I recently received two grants (FWC and current Project Orianne: The Indigo Snake Initiative) to conduct phylogenetic analyses on the Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi). We have identified two genetic lineages of Eastern Indigo Snakes, which likely diverged from each other ca. 500,000 years ago during the Pleistocene.

Kingnake Genetics

I received one grant (FWC) to conduct phylogenetic analyses on the Kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula complex, in the eastern United States. Using five entire or partial mitochondrial DNA genes I have revealed three genetic lineages of Kingsnakes east of the Appalachian Mountains. These lineages correspond to historical biogeography (i.e., sea level changes) during the Pleistocene, as well as currently recognized subspecific taxa.

Florida Exotics

Since I was a graduate student in Miami in 1992, one of my main studies concerns introduced herpetofaunal species in Florida. This is a large project in conjunction with Kevin M. Enge and Paul E. Moler (FWC), Ellen Donlan (South Florida Water Management District), Skip Snow (Everglades National Park), and so many other colleagues. Most of our research is conducted throughout southern peninsular Florida and the Florida Keys. Our once pristine state has become home to at least 48 established herpetofaunal species (documented with vouchers), and people continue to illegally release their former pets into the wild.

Georeferencing Specimen Localities

We recently received two grants (NSF [HerpNet] and current FWC) to georeference specimen localities for inclusion in the most up to date "Altas of Amphibians and Reptiles from Florida."

Through 1 January 2010, Paul Moler, Kevin Enge, myself and OPS workers have completed for georeferencing 59,379 (97.6%) of the 60,829 Florida specimens curated within the UF (including Everglades National Park [EVER]) collection and an overall of 68.5% of all Florida specimens. Therefore, a total of 27,255 Florida specimens remain to be georeferenced, including 1,450 at UF, 11,531 from other HerpNet institutions, and 14,274 from non-HerpNet institutions. The remainder of Florida specimens are being georeferenced on a daily basis.

Amphibian and reptile specimens (n = 59,379) georeferenced from the Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida (UF) collection. Note that the Everglades National Park (EVER) collection is housed at UF and combined in above figure.

Pakistan Geckos

Kurt Auffenberg and I are working on a book of the Geckos of Pakistan

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Selected Publications:

Krysko, K.L., K.M. Enge, E.M. Donlan, E.A. Golden, J.P. Burgess, and K.W. Larson. 2009. The non-marine herpetofauna of Key Biscayne, Florida. Herpetological Conservation and Biology in press.

Krysko, K.L., K.W. Larson, D. Diep, E. Abellana, and E.R. McKercher. 2009. Diet of the nonindigenous Black Spiny-tailed Iguana, Ctenosaura similis (Gray 1831)(Sauria: Iguanidae) in southern Florida. Florida Scientist 68:247-249.

Camposano, B.J., K.L. Krysko, K.M. Enge, E.M. Donlan, and M. Granatosky. 2008. The Knight Anole (Anolis equestris) in Florida. Iguana 15:212-219.

Krysko, K.L., J.C. Nifong, R.W. Snow, and K.M. Enge. 2008. Reproduction of the Burmese Python (Python molurus bivittatus) in southern Florida. Applied Herpetology 5:93-95.

Krysko, K.L., K.M. Enge, E.M. Donlan, J.C. Seitz, and E.A. Golden. 2007. Distribution, natural history, and impacts of the introduced green iguana (Iguana iguana) in Florida. Iguana 14:142-151.

Krysko, K.L., and A.N. Hooper. 2007. Potential pollination of non-native coconut palms, Cocos nucifera (Arecales: Arecaceae), by non-native Madagascar giant day geckos, Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis (Sauria: Gekkonidae), in the Florida Keys. Gekko 5:33-38.

Owens, A.K., and K.L. Krysko. 2007. Distribution and ecological status of the introduced Texas horned toad, Phrynosoma cornutum (Harlan 1825) (Sauria: Iguanidae: Phrynosomatinae), in Florida. Florida Scientist 70:62-70.

Smith, C.A., and K.L. Krysko. 2007. Distributional Comments on the Teiid Lizards (Squamata: Teiidae) of Florida with a Key to Species. Caribbean Journal of Science 43:260-265.

Snow, R.W., K.L. Krysko, K.M. Enge, L. Oberhofer, A. Warren-Bradley, and L. Wilkins. 2007. Introduced Populations of Boa constrictor (Boidae) and Python molurus bivitattus (Pythonidae) in Southern Florida. Pp. 417-438 In: Henderson, R.W. and R. Powell (eds.). The Biology of Boas and Pythons. Eagle Mountain Publ., Eagle Mountain, Utah.

Krysko, K.L., K. Auffenberg, and W. Auffenberg. 2006. A new species of Cyrtopodion (Gekkonidae: Gekkoninae) from Pakistan. Herpetologica 63:100-113.

Krysko, K.L., and A.N. Hooper. 2006. Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis (Madagascar Giant Day Gecko). Nectarivory; Potential Pollination. Herpetological Review 37:226.

Krysko, K.L., and W.S. Judd. 2006. Morphological systematics of kingsnakes, Lampropeltis getula complex (Serpentes: Colubridae), in the eastern United States. Zootaxa 1193:1-39.

Krysko, K.L., J.C. Seitz, J.H. Townsend, and K.M. Enge. 2006. The introduced brown basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus Wiegmann 1828, in Florida. Iguana 13:24-30.

Krysko, K.L. 2005. Feeding behavior of the Madagascar leaf-nose snake, Langaha madagascariensis (Serpentes: Colubridae: Pseudoxyrhophiinae), with an alternative hypothesis for its bizarre head structure. African Journal of Herpetology 54(2):195-200.

Krysko, K.L. 2005. Ecological status of the introduced yellow-headed gecko, Gonatodes albogularis (Sauria: Gekkonidae) in Florida. Florida Scientist 68:272-280.

Krysko, K.L., and K.J. Daniels. 2005. A key to the geckos (Sauria: Gekkonidae) of Florida. Caribbean Journal of Science 41(1):28-36.

Krysko, K.L. and K.M. Enge. 2005. A new non-native lizard in Florida, the Butterfly Lizard, Leiolepis belliana (Sauria: Agamidae). Florida Scientist 68:247-249.

Krysko, K.L., and C.M. Sheehy III. 2005. Ecological status of the ocellated gecko, Sphaerodactylus argus argus Gosse 1850 in Florida, with additional herpetological notes from the Florida Keys. Caribbean Journal of Science 41(1):169-172.

Krysko, K.L., and D.J. Smith. 2005. The decline and extirpation of kingsnakes, Lampropeltis getula, in Florida. Pp. 132-141 In: W. E. Meshaka, Jr., and K. J. Babbitt, editors. Status and conservation of Florida amphibians and reptiles. Krieger Press, Malabar, Florida.

Mulvaney, A., T.A. Castoe, K.G. Ashton, K.L. Krysko, and C.L. Parkinson. 2005. Evidence of population genetic structure within the Florida worm lizard, Rhineura floridana (Amphisbaenia: Rhineuridae). Journal of Herpetology 39(1):118-124.

Owens, A.K., K.L. Krysko, and G.L. Heinrich. 2005. Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise). Predation. Herpetological Review 36(1):57-58.

Townsend, J.H., J. Slapcinsky, K.L. Krysko, E.M. Donlan, and E.A. Golden. 2005. Predation of a tree snail Drymaeus multilineatus (Gastropoda: Bulimulidae) by Iguana iguana (Reptilia: Iguanidae) on Key Biscayne, Florida. Southeastern Naturalist 4(2):361-364.

Auffenberg, K., K.L. Krysko, and W. Auffenberg. 2004. Studies on Pakistan lizards: Cyrtopodion stoliczkai (Steindachner, 1867) (Gekkonidae: Gekkoninae). Asiatic Herpetological Research 10:151-160.

Enge, K.M., and K.L. Krysko. 2004. A new exotic species in Florida, the Bloodsucker Lizard, Calotes versicolor (Daudin 1802) (Sauria: Agamidae). Florida Scientist 67(3):226-230.

Enge, K.M., Krysko, K.L., T.S. Campbell, K. Hankins, and F.W. King. 2004. Status of the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) in southwestern Florida. Southeastern Naturalist 3(4):571-582.

Enge, K.M., K.L. Krysko, and B.L. Talley. 2004. Distribution and ecology of the introduced African Rainbow Lizard, Agama agama africana (Sauria: Agamidae), in Florida. Florida Scientist 67(4):303-310.

Enge, K.M., M.S. Robson, and K.L. Krysko. 2004. Comparison of sampling techniques for pine rockland herpetofauna in Miami-Dade County parks. Florida Scientist 67(3):194-204.

Krysko, K.L., K.M. Enge, and F.W. King. 2004. The Veiled Chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus: a new exotic species in Florida. Florida Scientist 67(4):249-253.

Krysko, K.L. 2003. Reproduction in the Madagascar Leaf-nosed Snake, Langaha madagascariensis (Serpentes: Colubridae: Pseudoxyrhophiinae). African Journal of Herpetology 52:61-68.

Krysko, K.L., A.N. Hooper, and C.M. Sheehy III. 2003. The Madagascar Giant Day Gecko, Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis Gray 1870 (Sauria: Gekkonidae): A new established species in Florida. Florida Scientist 66:222-225.

Krysko, K.L., F.W. King, K.M. Enge, and A.T. Reppas. 2003. Distribution of the introduced Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis) on the southwestern coast of Florida. Florida Scientist 66:74-79.

Krysko, K.L., C.M. Sheehy III, and A.N. Hooper. 2003. Interspecific communal oviposition and reproduction of four species of lizards (Sauria: Gekkonidae) in the lower Florida Keys. Amphibia-Reptilia 24:390-396.

Nickerson, M. A., and K. L. Krysko. 2003. Surveying for Hellbender Salamanders, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (Daudin): A review and critique. Applied Herpetology 1:37-44.

Nickerson, M.A., K.L. Krysko, and R.D. Owen. 2003. Habitat differences affecting age class distributions of the hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). Southeastern Naturalist 2:619-629.

Townsend, J.T., and K.L. Krysko. 2003. The distribution of Hemidactylus (Sauria: Gekkonidae) in northern peninsular Florida. Florida Scientist 66(3):204-208.

Townsend, J.H., K.L. Krysko, and K.M. Enge. 2003. Introduced iguanas in southern Florida: more than 35 years of establishment and range expansion. Iguana 10:111-118.

Townsend, J.H., K.L. Krysko, and K.M. Enge. 2003. The identity of introduced spiny-tailed iguanas, Ctenosaura (Sauria: Iguanidae), in Florida, USA. Herpetozoa 16:67-72.

Krysko, K.L. 2002. Seasonal activity of the Florida kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula floridana (Serpentes: Colubridae), in southern Florida. American Midland Naturalist 148:102-114.

Krysko, K.L., and F.W. King. 2002. The Ocellated Gecko (Sphaerodactylus argus argus) in the Florida Keys: An apparent case of an extirpated non-native species. Caribbean Journal of Science 38:139-140.

Nickerson, M.A., K.L. Krysko, and R.D. Owen. 2002. Ecological status of the Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) and the Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) salamanders in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science 118:27-34.

Means, D.B., and K.L. Krysko. 2001. Biogeography and pattern variation of kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula) in the Apalachicola region of Florida. Contemporary Herpetology No. 5.

Krysko, K.L. 2000. A fishing technique for collecting the introduced knight anole (Anolis equestris) in southern peninsular Florida. Caribbean Journal of Science 36:162.

Krysko, K.L., L.E. Krysko, and C. Hurt. 2000. Reproduction and distribution of the South Florida Mole Kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster occipitolineata) from central peninsular Florida. Journal Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 116:344-347.

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