Mark William Herr

Mark Herr
  • Doctoral Candidate

Contact Info

BI - Dyche Hall

Biography —

Faculty Mentor: Rafe Brown

Research interests: Biogeography and Evolutionary Ecology of Southeast Asian Herpetofauna.

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Education —

B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Penn State University

Selected Publications —

  • Owen, Dustin A. S., Abby S. Whitehurst, and Mark W. Herr. 2017. Geographic Distribution: Hemidactylus turcicus (Mediterranean Gecko). Herpetological Review. 48 (2): 389.
  • Herr, M. W., S.P. Graham, and T. Langkilde. 2017. Stressed Snakes Strike First: Hormone Levels and Defensive Behavior in Free Ranging Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus). General and Comparative Endocrinology. 243: 89-95 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.11.003
  • Herr, M. W., and D. S. Lee. 2016. New provincial record and range extension of the parachute gecko Ptychozoon lionotum Annandale, 1905 in Cambodia, with notes on habitat use. Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 2016, 111-113.
  • Herr, M. W., A. Centi, T. R. Robbins, C. Thawley, and T. Langkilde. 2016. Exposure to a novel prey has persistent and cumulative effects on behavior over multiple temporal scales. Oecologia. 181 (3): 749-756. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3596-3
  • Owen, Dustin A. S. and Mark W. Herr. 2016. Geographic Distribution: Lithobates palustris (Pickerel Frog). Herpetological Review. 47 (2): 249.
  • Thawley, Christopher J., Mark W. Herr, and Sean P. Graham. 2016. Pantherophis guttatus (Red Cornsnake) Defensive Behavior. Herpetological Review. 47 (1): 151-152.
  • Thawley, Christopher J. and Mark W. Herr. 2014. Geographical Distribution: Plestiodon laticeps (Broad-headed Skink). Herpetological Review. 45 (4): 661. 
  • Herr, Mark W. and Sean P. Graham. 2014. Geographical Distribution: Lithobates catesbeianus (American bullfrog). Herpetological Review. 45 (4): 654. 
  • Herr, Mark W. and Daniel Herr. 2014. Geographical Distribution: Polychrus gutturosus (Berthold's Bush Anole). Herpetological Review. 45 (4): 662. 
  • Herr, Mark W. and Sean P. Graham. 2014. Agkistrodon piscivorus (Cottonmouth) diet. Herpetological Review. 45 (3): 511.
  • Herr, Mark W. and Sean P. Graham. 2014. Geographic Distribution: Lithobates clamitans (Green Frog). Herpetological Review. 45 (2): 277-278.
  • Pierson, Todd W., Theresa Stratmann, Elijah C. White, Adam G. Clause, Cynthia Carter, Mark W. Herr, Arthur J. Jenkins, Hank Vogel, Michael Knoerr and Brian Folt. 2014. New county records of amphibians and reptiles resulting from a Bioblitz Competition in north-central Georgia, USA. Herpetological Review. 45 (2): 296-297.
  • Herr, Mark W., Sean P. Graham, Mark Goldy-Brown and Jennie Williams. 2013. Geographic Distribution: Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis (Eastern Gartersnake). Herpetological Review. 44 (4): 631.
  • Herr, Mark W., Sean P. Graham, Mark Goldy-Brown and Jennie Williams. 2013. Geographic Distribution: Opheodrys aestivus aestivus (Northern Rough Greensnake). Herpetological Review. 44 (4): 629.
  • Herr, Mark W. and Sean P. Graham. 2013. Geographic Distribution: Coluber (=Masticophis) flagellum flagellum (Eastern Coachwhip). Herpetological Review. 44 (4): 627-628.
  • Herr, Mark W. and Sean P. Graham. 2013. Geographic Distribution: Lampropeltis elapsoides (Scarlet Kingsnake). Herpetological Review. 44 (3): 476-477.

Selected Presentations —

  • Southwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Annual Meeting, Alpine, Texas, August 2016. Talk Title: “New Records for Amphibians and Reptiles in Manuel Benavides, Chihuahua, Mexico.”
  • Annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 2016. Talk Title: “Collecting baseline corticosterone samples in the field: is under 3 minutes good enough in reptiles and amphibians?”
  • Meeting of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Lawrence, Kansas, July 2015. Talk Title: “Irresistible Ants: Exposure to novel toxic prey increases consumption over multiple temporal scales.”
  • Annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Chattanooga, Tennessee, August 2014. Talk Title: “Stressed snakes strike first: Hormone levels and defensive behavior in free ranging Cottonmouths (Agkistrodonpiscivorus).”

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. $138,000. 2017-2022. 
  • SSAR Roger Conant Grant-In-Herpetology. $500. 2015. Thermoregulation and predation trade-offs by gravid Timber Rattlesnakes at gestation sites. 
  • Penn State Presidential Leadership Academy Grant. $500. 2014. Thermal Ecology Characteristics of Timber Rattlesnake Habitat.
  • Penn State Undergraduate Summer Discovery Grant. $3000. 2013. Comparing the Stress Responses and Defensive Behaviors of Insular and Mainland Populations of the Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus). 
  • Eberly College of Science Undergraduate Research Grant. $333. 2012. Aversion-learning in lizards: the effects of stimulus strength on predatory behavior by a native predator on nonnative toxic prey.