Toby Hibbitts
Research Scientist
thibbitts@tamu.edu (979) 845-5783 Curriculum VitaeDr. Toby Hibbitts joined the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute in 2012 as a research scientist. His research program focuses on amphibians and reptiles. He is interested in natural history, ecology, behavior and taxonomy. All of these factors are important for making informed conservation decisions about species.
Toby also works as the curator of amphibians and reptiles at the Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collection at Texas A&M University.
He received a Bachelor of Science in biology from Midwestern State University, a Master of Science in wildlife and fisheries sciences from Texas A&M and a doctorate in animal, plant and environmental science from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Toby comes from a family of Texas naturalists and enjoys outdoor sporting activities and travel.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
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Genome-wide Data Reinforces the Evolutionary Relationships of Previously Problematic Earless Lizards (Phyrnosomatidae: Holbrookia)
Jul 2024
\u003Cp\u003EFirneno, T.J., C.E. Roelke, A.D. Leach\u003Cspan\u003E\u00E9\u003C/span\u003E, N.D. Rains, T.J. Hibbitts, W.A. Ryberg, T.J. Laduc, S. Singhal, and M.K. Fujita. 2024. Genome-wide Data Reinforces the Evolutionary Relationships of Previously Problematic Earless Lizards (Phyrnosomatidae: Holbrookia). Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists\u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E3(2):https://doi.org/10.18061/bssb.v3i2.9459.\u003C/p\u003E -
Morphology and vocalization comparison of the Houston Toad and the Dwarf American Toad: implications for their historic range
Jul 2024
MacLaren, A.R., T.J. Hibbitts, M.R.J. Forstner, and S.F. McCracken. 2024. Morphology and vocalization comparison of the Houston Toad and the Dwarf American Toad: implications for their historic range. PeerJ 12:e17635.
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Distribution and Demography of the Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) in Texas: A 20-Year Perspective
Jun 2024
\u003Cp\u003ERosenbaum, D., D.C. Rudolph, D. Saenz, L.A. Fitzgerald, R.E. Nelson, C.S. Collins, T.J. Hibbitts, R.W. Maxey, P. Crump, and C.M. Schalk. 2023. Distribution and Demography of the Alligator Snapping Turtle (\u003Cem\u003EMacrochelys temminckii\u003C/em\u003E) in Texas: A 20-Year Perspective. Southeastern Naturalist 22:197-220.\u003C/p\u003E -
Camera-trap Basking Arrays Detect Western Chicken Turtles (Deirochelys reticularia miaria) in Dynamic Ephemeral Wetland Mosaics
Dec 2023
Bowers, B.C., C.M. Fielder, D.K. Walkup, R.R. Lopez, W.A. Ryberg, T.J. Hibbitts, M.R. Parker, and P.S. Crump. 2023. Camera-trap Basking Arrays Detect Western Chicken Turtles (Deirochelys reticularia miaria) in Dynamic Ephemeral Wetland Mosaics. Herpetological Review 54, 368-372.
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Spatial ecology of the Texas Alligator Lizard (Gerrhonotus infernalis) in Blanco County, Texas
Oct 2023
\u003Cp\u003EFielder, C.M., W.A. Ryberg, D.K. Walkup, J.M. Holmes, and T.J. Hibbitts. 2023. Spatial ecology of the Texas Alligator Lizard (\u003Cem\u003EGerrhonotus infernalis\u003C/em\u003E) in Blanco County, Texas. Western North American Naturalist 83, 315-324.\u003C/p\u003E -
Lessons learned from a conservation translocation of a microendemic habitat specialist
Jul 2023
\u003Cp\u003EParker, M.R., T.J. Hibbitts, W.A. Ryberg, and L.A. Fitzgerald. 2023. Lessons learned from a conservation translocation of a microendemic habitat specialist. Restoration Ecology, e13981.\u003C/p\u003E -
Animal Species Recognition with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks from Ecological Camera Trap Images
May 2023
\u003Cp\u003EIslam, S.B., D. Valles, T.J. Hibbitts, W.A. Ryberg, D.K. Walkup, and M.R.J. Forstner. 2023. Animal species recognition with deep convolutional neural networks from ecological camera trap images. Animals 13:1526.\u003C/p\u003E -
An Evaluation of Western Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria) Survey and Capture Protocols
Dec 2022
\u003Cp\u003EBowers, B.C., D.K. Walkup, T.J. Hibbitts, P.S. Crump, W.A. Ryberg, C.S. Adams, and R.R. Lopez. 2022. An Evaluation of Western Chicken Turtle (\u003Cem\u003EDeirochelys reticularia miaria\u003C/em\u003E) Survey and Capture Protocols. Journal of Herpetology, 56, 489-498.\u003C/p\u003E -
Fecundity, Female Maturation, and Nesting Season of Western Chicken Turtles (Deirochelys reticularia miaria) in Texas
Oct 2022
\u003Cp\u003EBowers, B.C., Hibbitts, R.L., Hibbitts, T.J., Walkup, D.K., Ryberg, W.A., Lopez, R.R. and P.S. Crump. 2022. Fecundity, Female Maturation, and Nesting Season of Western Chicken Turtles (\u003Cem\u003EDeirochelys reticularia miaria\u003C/em\u003E) in Texas. Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 21, 225-234.\u003C/p\u003E -
Testing the detection of large, secretive snakes using camera traps
Oct 2022
\u003Cp\u003EWalkup, D.K., W.A. Ryberg, J.B. Pierce, E. Smith, J. Childress, F. East, B.L. Pierce, P. Brown, C.M. Fielder, and T.J. Hibbitts. 2022. Testing the detection of large, secretive snakes using camera traps. Wildlife Society Bulletin e1408, https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1408.\u003C/p\u003E -
Assessing Traffic Threats for Amphibian and Reptile Species of Greatest Conservation Need on Texas Roadways: Final Report
Oct 2022
Walkup, D.K., K.L. Skow, T.J. Hibbitts, W.A. Ryberg, and R.R. Lopez. 2022. Assessing Traffic Threats for Amphibian and Reptile Species of Greatest Conservation Need on Texas Roadways. Final Research Report submitted to Texas Department of Transportation. 620 pp.
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Using LiDAR to Enhance Distribution Models for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) in Texas, USA
Aug 2022
Walkup, D.K., W.A. Ryberg, R.J. Hibbetts, K.L. Skow, G. Powers, L.A. Fitzgerald, B.A. Collier, and R.R. Lopez. 2022. Using LiDAR to enhance distribution models for the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) in Texas, USA. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 17, 349-361.
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Ecology and Conservation of the Imperiled Dunes Sagebrush Lizard: An Ecological Specialist in a Threatened Ecosystem
Jun 2022
\u003Cp\u003EFitzgerald, L.A., W.A. Ryberg, D.K. Walkup, T.J. Hibbitts, M.T. Hill, D.J. Leavitt, L.M. Chan, and M.R. Parker. 2022. Ecology and Conservation of the Imperiled Dunes Sagebrush Lizard: An Ecological Specialist in a Threatened Ecosystem. Imperiled: The Encyclopedia of Conservation, Elsevier, 1-16.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E -
Notes on Texas Alligator Lizard (Gerrhonotus internalis) Nesting Behavior
Mar 2022
Fielder, C., J. Holmes, and T. Hibbitts. 2022. \u003Cem\u003EGerrhonotus infernalis\u003C/em\u003E (Texas Alligator Lizard) Nesting Behavior. Herpetological Review 53, 132-133.
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Natural History Notes 49 Holbrookia Lacerata (Spot-tailed Earless Lizard) Predation
Dec 2018
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Natural History Notes Holbrookia lacerata (Spot-tailed Earless Lizard) Burying Behavior
Sep 2018
Neuharth, D., D.K. Walkup, S. Frizzell, J. Kachel, C.S. Adams, T. Johnson, T.J. Hibbitts, and W.A. Ryberg. 2018. Holbrookia lacerata (Spot-tailed Earless Lizard) Burying Behavior. Herpetological Review 49:536-37.
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Natural History Notes Holbrookia lacerata (Spot-tailed Earless Lizard) Predation
Sep 2018
Neuharth, D., S. Frizzell, W.A. Ryberg, and T.J. Hibbitts. 2018. Holbrookia lacerata (Spot-tailed Earless Lizard) Predation. Herpetological Review 49:537.
Research Reports
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Habitat Suitability Modeling for the Houston Toad
Mar 2024
Bowers, B.C., D.K. Walkup, T.J. Hibbitts, P.S. Crump, A.M. Lawing, W.A. Ryberg. 2024. Habitat Suitability Modeling for the Houston Toad. Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, College Station, Texas. [https://nri.tamu.edu/publications/research-reports/2024/habitat-suitability-modeling-for-the-houston-toad/]