Everything the lab has published

Clements, H.S., Biggs, R., De Vos, A., Do Linh San, E., Hempson, G.P., Linden, B., Maritz, B., Monadjem, A., Reynolds, C., Siebert, F., Stevens, N., Child, M., Di Minin, E., Esler, K.J., Hamann, M., Loft, T., Reyers, B., Selomane, O., Singh, G., and Skowno, A.L. (2026). A place-based assessment of biodiversity intactness in sub-Saharan Africa. Nature 649(8095): 113–121.
doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09781-7

Buckley, E.E. and B. Maritz. (2026). Community‐and species‐level responses of reptiles to an avian ecosystem engineer. Journal of Zoology 328(2): 203–209.
doi: 10.1111/jzo.70087

van Wyk, K.M. and B. Maritz. (2025). Distribution and status of reptile species in south-eastern Zimbabwe. African Journal of Herpetology 74(2): 210–270.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2025.2538151

Barends, J.M. and B. Maritz. (2025). Seasonal shifts in prey availability and low feeding requirements of African egg‐eating snakes (Dasypeltis scabra). Journal of Zoology 327(3): 225–235.
doi: 10.1111/jzo.70054

Scholtz, K.J., Alexander, G.J., Beck, T.F., Maritz, R.A., and B. Maritz. (2025). The impact of weather variation on the body condition of cape cobras (Naja nivea) in the Kalahari—implications for climate change. Journal of Arid Environments 229: 105398.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105398

van Wyk, K.M. and B. Maritz. (2025). The Agony of Choice: Comparing Abundance Estimates from Multiple N-Mixture Model Variants Fitted to a Reptile Community Dataset. Journal of Herpetology 59(2): 1–13.
doi: 10.1670/2612543

Barends, J.M., Bassier, I., Maritz, R.A., and B. Maritz. (2025). Contrasting three diet datasets for the African brown house snake, Boaedon capensis. African Journal of Herpetology 74(1): 149–157.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2024.2407837

Clements, H.S., Do Linh San, E., Hempson, G., Linden, B., Maritz, B., et al. (2024). The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses. Scientific Data 11(1): 191. (see link for the full author list).
doi: 10.1038/s41597-023-02832-6

Maritz, B. (2023). Book Review: A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa, Third Edition, by Johan Marais (with Luke Kemp), 2022, Struik Publishers, Cape Town, 360 pp. African Journal of Herpetology 72(1): 91–93.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2023.2195775

Harper, J.R.M., van Wilgen, N.J., Turner, A.A., Tolley, K.A., Maritz, B., Clusella‐Trullas, S., da Silva, J.M., Cunningham, S.J., Cheney, C., de Villiers, A.L., Measey, J., and W. Foden. (2022). Application of a trait‐based climate change vulnerability assessment to determine management priorities at protected area scale. Conservation Science and Practice 4(8): e12756.
doi: 10.1111/csp2.12756

Barends, J.M. and B. Maritz. (2022). Dietary specialization and habitat shifts in a clade of Afro-Asian colubrid snakes (Colubridae: Colubrinae). Ichthyology & Herpetology 110(2): 278–291.
doi: 10.1643/h2021058

Barends, J.M. and B. Maritz. (2022). Snake predators of bird eggs: a review and bibliography. Journal of Field Ornithology 93(2): 1.
doi: 10.5751/JFO-00088-930201

Taft, J.M., Maritz, B., and K.A. Tolley. (2022). Stable climate corridors promote gene flow in the Cape sand snake species complex (Psammophiidae). Zoologica Scripta 51(1): 58–75.
doi: 10.1111/zsc.12514

Barends, J.M., Maritz, R.A., and B. Maritz. (2021). Natural History Notes: Dasypeltis scabra Feeding. African Herp News 78: 54–56.
[HAA]

Maritz, B., Hofmann, E.P., Maritz, R.A., Greene, H.W., Grundler, M.C., and A.M. Durso. (2021). Challenges and opportunities in the study of snake diets. Herpetological Review 52(4): 769–773.
[SSAR]

Alexander, G.J., Tolley, K.A., Maritz, B., McKechnie, A., Manger, et al. (2021). Excessive red tape is strangling biodiversity research in South Africa. South African Journal of Science 117(9/10): 1–4. (see link for the full author list).
doi: 10.17159/sajs.2021/10787

Maritz, B., Barends, J.M., Mohamed, R., Maritz, R.A., and G.J. Alexander. (2021). Repeated dietary shifts in elapid snakes (Squamata: Elapidae) revealed by ancestral state reconstruction. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 134(4): 975–986.
doi: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab115

Barends, J.M. and B. Maritz. (2021). Specialized morphology, not relatively large head size, facilitates competition between a small-bodied specialist and large-bodied generalist competitors. Journal of Zoology 315(3): 213–224.
doi: 10.1111/jzo.12914

Maritz, B., Rawoot, A., and R. van Huyssteen. (2021). Testing assertions of dietary specialisation: a case study of the diet of Aparallactus capensis. African Journal of Herpetology 70(1): 61–67.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2021.1886185

Maritz, R., Conradie, W., Sardinha, C., Peto, A., Chechene, A., and B. Maritz. (2020). Ophiophagy and cannibalism in African vine snakes (Colubridae: Thelotornis). African Journal of Ecology 58(3): 543–547.
doi: 10.1111/aje.12702

Maritz, B., van Heerden, M. and T. Slade. (2020). Natural History Notes: Pseudaspis cana Diet. African Herp News 74: 72–74.
[HAA]

Maritz, B. and R. Maritz. (2020). How we tracked the eating habits of snakes in Africa with the help of a Facebook group. The Conversation.
[article] [podcast]

Maritz, R. and B. Maritz. (2020). Sharing for science: High-resolution trophic interactions revealed rapidly by social media. PeerJ 8: e9485.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9485

Barends, J., Pietersen, D.W., Zambatis, G., Tye, D.R., and B. Maritz. (2020). Sampling bias in reptile occurrence data for the Kruger National Park. Koedoe 62(1): 1–9.
doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v62i1.1579

Maritz, R. and B. Maritz. (2019). Green alert. Wild Magazine Tip Africa Publishing. 48: 44–49.
[pdf]

Cloete, B.N., Mohamed, R., Ponton, T.J., Tokota, S., and B. Maritz. (2019). Geographical Distributions: Gerrhosaurus typicus. African Herp News 71: 40–42.
[HAA]

Tolley, K.A., Weeber, J., Maritz, B., Verburgt, L., Bates, M.F., Conradie, W., Hofmeyr, M.D., Turner, A.A., da Silva, J.M., and G.J. Alexander. (2019). No safe haven: Protection levels show imperilled South African reptiles not sufficiently safe-guarded despite low average extinction risk. Biological Conservation 233: 61–72.
doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.02.006

Maritz, R. and B. Maritz. (2019). Head to head. Wild Magazine Tip Africa Publishing. 47: 16–19.
[pdf]

Smith, C., Layloo, I., Maritz, R., and B. Maritz. (2019). Sexual dichromatism does not translate into sex‐based difference in morphology or diet for the African boomslang. Journal of Zoology 308(4): 253–258.
doi: 10.1111/jzo.12670

Maritz, B., Alexander, G.J., and R. Maritz. (2019). The underappreciated extent of cannibalism and ophiophagy in African cobras. Ecology 100(2): e02522.
doi: 10.1002/ecy.2522

Maritz, B. (2018). Natural History Notes: Philothamnus Predation. African Herp News 68: 48–49.
[HAA]

Maritz, R. and B. Maritz. (2018). Studying the understudied: Reptile Diversity in African Savannas Field Course. Quest Magazine Academy of Science of South Africa. 14(2): 18–21.
[pdf]

Maritz, R. and B. Maritz. (2018). Snacks for sneaks. Wild Magazine Tip Africa Publishing. 43: 63–64.
[pdf]

Layloo, I., Smith, C. and B. Maritz. (2017). Diet and feeding in the cape cobra, Naja nivea. African Journal of Herpetology 66(2): 147–153.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2017.1388297

Maritz, B., Penner, J., Martins, M., Crnobrnja-Isailovic, J., Spear, S., Alencar, L.R.V., Sigala-Rodriguez, J., Messenger, K., Clark, R.W., Soorae, P., Luiselli, L., Jenkins, C., and H. Greene. (2016). Identifying global priorities for the conservation of vipers. Biological Conservation 204: 94–102.
doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.05.004

Maritz, B., Kgditse, M., and G.J. Alexander. (2016). Snake body size frequency distributions are robust to the description of novel species. Ecosphere 7(5): e01348.
doi: 10.1002/ecs2.1348

Tolley, K.A., Alexander, G.J., Branch, W.R., Bowles, P., and B. Maritz. (2016). Conservation status and threats for African reptiles. Biological Conservation 204: 63–71.
doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.04.006

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2016). Scale-dependent orientation in movement paths: A case study of an African viper. Ethology 122(3): 207–214.
doi: 10.1111/eth.12459

Miller, A.K., Maritz, B., McKay, S., Glaudas, X., and G.J. Alexander. (2015). An ambusher’s arsenal: Chemical crypsis in the puff adder (Bitis arietans). Proceedings of the Royal Society B 282(1821): 20152182.
doi: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2182 [supplemental]

Alexander, G.J. and B. Maritz. (2015). Sampling interval affects the estimation of movement parameters in four species of African snakes. Journal of Zoology 297(4): 309–318.
doi: 10.1111/jzo.12280

Maritz, B. and L. Breytenbach. (2015). Natural History Note: Acontias plumbeus Agonistic Behaviour. African Herp News 62: 30–31.
[HAA]

Maritz, B., Blackburn, J.L. and P. Huang. (2015). Natural History Note: Gonionotophis nyassae Diet. African Herp News 61: 25–26.
[HAA]

Maritz, B., Blackburn, J.L., and P. Huang. (2015). Natural History Note: Amblyodipsas polylepis Mimicry. African Herp News 61: 23–24.
[HAA]

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2014). Namaqua Dwarf Adders are generalist predators. African Journal of Herpetology 63(1): 79–86.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2013.836137

Böhm, M. et al. (2013). The conservation status of the world’s reptiles. Biological Conservation 157: 372–385. (see link for the full author list).
doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2012.07.015

Drake, D.C., Maritz, B., Jacobs, S., Crous, C.J., Engelbrecht, A., Etale, E., Fourie, M., Furniss, D.G., Scott, S.L., Parusnath, S., and D.R. Tye. (2013). The propagation and dispersal of misinformation in ecology: Is there a relationship between citation accuracy and journal impact factor?. Hydrobiologia 702(1): 1–4.
doi: 10.1007/s10750-012-1392-6

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2013). Namaqua Dwarf Adders must breed frequently: The problem with being small. Journal of Zoology 289(1): 27–31.
doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2012.00957.x

Maritz, B., Wallner, A., and R. Deans. (2013). Natural History Note: Bitis parviocula Reproduction. African Herp News 59: 28–29.
[HAA]

Maritz, B. (2013). Natural History Note: Bitis arietans Predation. African Herp News 59: 21–28.
[HAA]

Maritz, B. (2012). To run or hide?: escape behaviour in a cryptic African snake. African Zoology 47(2): 270–274.
doi: 10.3377/004.047.0215

Maritz, B. (2012). Natural History Note: Meroles knoxii Forced copulation. African Herp News 57: 17.
[HAA]

Maritz, B. (2012). Natural History Note: Bitis schneideri Relative prey size. African Herp News 57: 16.
[HAA]

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2012). Movement patterns in the smallest viper, Bitis schneideri. Copeia 2012(4): 732–737.
doi: 10.1643/CE-12-023

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2012). Population density and survival estimates of the African viperid, Bitis schneideri. Herpetologica 68(2): 195–202.
doi: 10.1655/HERPETOLOGICA-D-11-00043.1

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2012). Dwarfs on the move: Spatial ecology of the world’s smallest viper, Bitis schneideri. Copeia 2012(1): 115–120.
doi: 10.1643/CH-11-048

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2011). Morphology, sexual dimorphism, and growth in the smallest viperid, Bitis schneideri (Reptilia: Squamata: Viperidae). Journal of Herpetology 45(4): 457–462.
doi: 10.1670/10-281.1

Maritz, B. and S.L. Scott. (2010). Assessing the threat of avian predation on a small viperid snake. African Zoology 45(2): 309–314.
doi: 10.3377/004.045.0209

Branch, W.R. and B. Maritz. (2010). Geographical Distributions: Acontias namaquensis. African Herp News 51: 28–29.
[HAA]

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2010). Geographical Distributions: Dendroaspis polylepis. African Herp News 51: 27–28.
[HAA]

Alexander, G.J. and B. Maritz. (2010). Natural History Note: Bitis arietans partial resistance to Naja venom. African Herp News 50: 34–36.
[HAA]

Masterson, G.P.R., Maritz, B., Mackay, D., and G.J. Alexander. (2009). The impacts of past cultivation on the reptiles in a South African grassland. African Journal of Herpetology 58(2): 71–84.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2009.9650027

Wessels, B.R. and B. Maritz. (2009). Natural History Note: Bitis schneideri Diet. Herpetological Review 40(4): 440.
[SSAR]

Maritz, B. (2009). Natural History Note: Microacontias litoralis Copulation. Herpetological Review 40(2): 223.
[SSAR]

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2009). Breaking ground: Quantitative fossorial herpetofaunal ecology in South Africa. African Journal of Herpetology 58(1): 1–14.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2009.9635575

Maritz, B. (2008). Namaqua Dwarf Adder (Bitis schneideri) envenomation. South African Medical Journal 98(10): 788.
issn: 2078-5135

Masterson, G.P.R., Maritz, B., and G.J. Alexander. (2008). Effect of fire history and vegetation structure on herpetofauna in a South African grassland. Applied Herpetology 5(2): 129–143.
doi: 10.1163/157075408784648781

Maritz, B. (2007). Natural History Note: Mehelya nyassae Feeding. Herpetological Review 38(3): 341.
[SSAR]

Maritz, B. and G.J. Alexander. (2007). Herpetofaunal utilisation of riparian buffer zones in an agricultural landscape near Mtunzini, South Africa. African Journal of Herpetology 56(2): 163–169.
doi: 10.1080/21564574.2007.9635561

Maritz, B., Masterson, G.P.R., Mackay, D., and G.J. Alexander. (2007). The effect of funnel trap type and size of pitfall trap on trap success: implications for ecological field studies. Amphibia-Reptilia 28(3): 321–328.
doi: 10.1163/156853807781374746

Maritz, B., Masterson, G.P.R., Mackay, D. and G.J. Alexander. (2007). Geographic Distribution: Xenopus muelleri. Herpetological Review 38(2): 216.
[SSAR]