JADIN EXPEDITIONS

Robert Jadin's Herpetology Journal

 

    My name is Robert C. Jadin and I am a herpetologist and Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Arlington in Dr. Eric N. Smith's Research Group. My passion for herpetology and research is mainly focused on phylogenetic systematics, morphology, and natural history of pitvipers. However, my interests in herpetofaunal biology are broad and I hope to learn and study different aspects of physiology, ecology, behavior, natural history, evolutionary biology, and many other fields of study of amphibian and reptile taxa throughout my academic career. Although most directly interested in snake systematics and morphology, I am also highly interested in the systematics of many other reptiles and amphibians. So far my systematics interests include phylogenetics, biogeography, describing new species, and morphological evolution. I have a keen interest in conservation biology as well and hope that while contributing scientific knowledge about diversity and complexities of organisms and ecosystems, my writings will eventually be influential in assisting with reducing the planet's current biodiversity crisis. I have a love for tropical fieldwork and am hoping to concentrate a lot of my research in Central and South America as well as expand into Southeast Asia.

    My website is a personal website for friends and family to check in on me and find out what I have been up to, however, I do often receive and enjoy random e-mails from other people that have questions or comments about reptiles and amphibians. I do stay pretty busy so please be patient with me on the occasion that I can't immediately get back with you by e-mail.

 

Robert Jadin in Guerrero, Mexico

Photo by: Coleman M. Sheehy, III

    This website is dedicated to the conservation of reptiles and amphibians, their habitat, and other animals that they live with. One goal that I have for my life is to assist in educating people and getting them interested in animals and conserving the environment they live in. I hope that my photographs and research will shed some light on how important these animals are to our world. This is my calling in life and it is what I live for. I love all animals but believe that since reptiles and amphibians probably get misunderstood the most by man I should teach about conserving them. Once people learn to love the animals with undeserving bad reputations, the cuddly and harmless ones should be easy.

Through my photographs, I try to show nature as it naturally is. All of the photographs on this website (or any other work that I do) are taken in the wild of wild animals unless mentioned otherwise. I mainly use Canon EOS camera equipment. This rattlesnake photo was taken with my back-up camera, an Elan 7e with a 28-70 f/2.8 lens.

     Some Biography Info:         

      I was born on March 25, 1982. In 2005 I completed my bachelor's of science degree with a double major in biology at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma and I just finished my master's degree in biology at the University of Texas at Tyler. Now I am continuing my education at the University of Texas at Arlington as a Ph.D. student in Quantitative Biology.

      I enjoy reading herpetology books quite a bit so I have started a small collection of my own reference papers and books. Personally, I like to have reference materials immediately available to me that I can look up quickly rather than having to find a resource elsewhere. One of my goals is to own a literature collection that contains a photograph, distribution map, and natural history information on every species of snake in the world. Since there are nearly 3,000 species of snakes on the planet, I imagine it will take me quite a while. Here are some short reviews on some of the books that I own and recommend. Books Every Herper Needs to Have, Snake Books I Recommend, and Other Herp Books I Recommend.

     Eventually, after finishing my education, I am hoping to get a professor/curator position at a University and/or museum to teach while continuing research.

            
 

Current Research:

I am highly interested in the evolution and species diversity of Asian, Middle American, and South American pitvipers. Pitvipers are very fascinating and are being investigated by many fellow scientists who are attempting to reveal the relationships among all the species of this large subfamily (i.e., Crotalinae). For my master's thesis I examined the evolutionary relationships of several pitviper genera in Middle America using morphological systematics. During my Ph.D. I will extend my work to include molecular data as well as Asian species. 

Pitviper genera in Middle and South America are Agkistrodon, Atropoides, Bothriechis, Bothrops, Bothriopsis, Bothrocophias, Cerrophidion, Crotalus, Lachesis, Ophryacus, Porthidium, and Sistrurus.  

Asian pitviper clades are equally fascinating and reside in the genera Calloselasma, Ceratrimeresurus, Deinagkistrodon, Hypnale, Gloydius, Ovophis, Protobothrops, Triceratolepidophis, Trimeresurus sensu lato, Tropidolaemus, and Zhaoermia.

      When I am not studying at a University I am usually traveling and finding snakes, alligators, frogs, and other animals. I take tons of pictures and go to remote places in search of some rarer species. Here is my herp lifelist.

 

Photo by:  Joshua R. Engelbert

Me riding on a logging truck in Bolivia.

 

I spent 24 hours on this truck that

brought me back to La Paz!

 

A hognose pitviper (Porthidium nasutum) that my friend Josh and I found in Costa Rica.

 

Caiman yacare in Bolivia
 

One of the many timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) that I radio-tracked during the summer of 2004.

 

 

My passion in life is conservation which focuses on herpetology.

I have been so fortunate to have a loving family and friends to support me through all of my endeavors and understand my extensive absence.  

 

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          This website is not meant for non-experienced people to handle dangerous animals or get into harms way to take photographs. Handling venomous snakes or messing around with other dangerous animals isn't for most people. One mistake can and probably will leave you scarred for life. However, this site is here to teach people about the beautiful things in nature and to keep ignorant people, with little knowledge or concern for animals, from running over them on the road or just murdering them for the fun of it.

All pictures and images on this site belong to Robert Jadin and may not be used for any reason without the direct permission of Robert Jadin.


Robert Jadin's Herpetology Journal

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