The Missouri Herpetological Association (MHA) held their annual meeting Sept. 29 at Missouri State’s Bull Shoals Field Station.

Several Missouri State undergraduate and graduate students presented at the meeting. An * denotes those who presented at the meeting. Authors who are not a part of Missouri State will have their college noted at the end.

• Ethan C. Hollender*, Donald T. McKnight and Dr. Day B. Ligon. Relocating Traps within a Wetland Increases Trapping Success. McKnight is from James Cook University (Australia).
• Kameron Voves*, Denise Thompson and Ligon. Assessing Suitability of Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) Reintroduction Sites in Eastern Oklahoma.
• Chelsea E. Martin* and Dr. Brian Greene. Behavioral Aspects of Chemoreception in Juvenile Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus).
• Alex Meinders* and Greene. The Use of Cloacal Secretions by Cottonmouths.
• Kenzie Medley* and Greene. The Assessment of Behavioral Syndromes within Juvenile Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus).
• Ciera McCoy*, Christopher Lupfer and Greene. Survey of Arboviruses in Free-ranging Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) in Southern Missouri.
• Stephanie Morrison*, Jeffrey T. Briggler and Dr. Alicia Mathis. Effects of Electrofishing on Behavior of Two Age-Classes of Endangered Hellbenders. Briggler is from Missouri Department of Conservation.
• Sarah White*, Jami Baker and Mathis. Diel Effects on the Antipredator Behavior of Terrestrial Salamanders.
• Megan Mosier* and Lynda Miller. Morphometric variation in populations of two species of Ambystomatid salamanders. Miller is from College of the Ozarks.

In addition to presenting close to home, Mathis, department head of biology, felt it benefitted students in another way.

“Our MSU contingent was able to interact with other herpetologists from throughout the state,” Mathis said.