Dane Trembath

I am the Collection Manager of the Herpetology Collection at the Australian Museum Research Institute.

I am a biologist with a focus on the herpetology of the northern tropics of Australia, where I lived for over twenty years.

My day-to-day work involves managing the Herpetology Collection to ensure its long-term integrity and utility in future research

I am also currently undertaking taxonomic work on tropical snakes and also working on the FrogID project.

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Qualifications

• Masters of Applied Science, University of Canberra, ACT, Australia (2005). Thesis: “The Comparative Ecology of Krefft’s River Turtle Emydura krefftiiin Tropical North Queensland”
• Bachelor of Science (Zoology), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia (2002)

Other Appointments

• Research Associate, Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, since 2006.
• Zoologist in Residence, The Essington School, Darwin, since 2016

Grants, Awards & Scholarships

• 2010 Caring for our Country: Community Action Grant. Population monitoring of the pig-nosed turtle in the Daly River - Monitoring nest sites and the impacts of feral animals and learn catching techniques for measuring and microchipping

• Chandrasekara, U., Mancuso, M., Seneci, L., Bourke, L., Trembath, D.F., Sumner, J., Zdenek, C.N., Fry, B.G. (2024) A Russian Doll of Resistance: Nested Gains and Losses of Venom Immunity in Varanid Lizards. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024, 25, 2628. full text
• Radford, I., Woolley, L.A., Dickman, C.R., Corey, B. Trembath, D.F. & Fairman, R (2020). Invasive anuran driven trophic cascade: An alternative hypothesis for recent critical weight range mammal collapses across northern Australia. Biological Invasions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-020-02226-4.
• Rowley, J.J.L., Callaghan, C.T., Cutajar, T., Portway, C., Potter K., Mahony, S, Trembath, D.F., Flemons, P. & Woods, A. (2019). FrogID: Citizen scientists provide validated biodiversity data on frogs of Australia. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 14(1): 155-170. full text.
• Glaudas, X., Glennon, K.L., Martins, M., Luiselli, L., Fearn, S., Trembath, D.F., Jelic, D. & Alexander, G.J. (2019). Foraging mode, relative prey size and diet breadth: A phylogenetically explicit analysis of snake feeding ecology. Journal of Animal Ecology. 88(5): 757-767.
• Doody, J.S., Harlow, P., Douglass, D., Thiem, J., Broadhusrt, B., Trembath, D., Olsen, J., Fuentes, E. & Rose, T (2014). Patterns of predation and antipredator behaviour in the Australian Water Dragon, Physignathus lesueurii. Herpetological Conservation and Biology. 9(1): 48-56.
• Rhind, D., Sawyer, G., Trembath, D.F. & Parrott, M. (2013). Varanus panoptes diet and behaviour. Herpetological Review. 45(2):335-336.
• Fearn, S., Dowde J. & Trembath, D.F. (2012). Body size, sympatry and trophic divergence of two large elapid snakes (Notechis scutatus and Austrelaps superbus) (Serpentes: Elapidae) in Tasmania. Australian Journal of Zoology. 60 (3):159-165.
• Chatto, R. & Trembath, D.F. (2012). Predation on the cane toad Bufo marinus (Amphibia: Bufonidae) by the coastal taipan Oxyuranus scutellatus(Serpentes: Elapidae). Herpetofauna. 42:4-7.
• Fearn, S. & Trembath, D.F. (2011). Natural history of the common tree snake Dendrelaphis punctulatus (Serpentes: Colubridae) in the wet-dry tropics of north Queensland. Australian Journal of Zoology. 58(6):384-389.
• Clemann, N., Lyon, J., Trembath, D.F., Talbot, N. & Boulton, T. (2010). Observations of combat in the eastern brown snake Pseudonaja textilis (Serpentes: Elapidae) from south-eastern Australia. Herpetofauna. 40:88-962.
• Lloyd, R. & Trembath, D.F. (2010). Male combat in mulga snakes Pseudechis australis (Serpentes: Elapidae): A series of observations from Northern Australia. Herpetofauna: 40(1):16-22.
• Trembath, D.F. (2009). Kyphosis of Emydura macquarii krefftii (Testudines: Chelidae) from Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 8:94-95.
• Trembath, D.F. (2009). A record of ophiophagy by the spotted python Antaresia childreni (Serpentes: Boidae) from Murray Falls National Park, north Queensland, Australia. Herpetofauna. 38(2):81-83.
• Fearn, S. & Trembath, D.F. (2009). Body size, food habits, reproduction and growth in a population of black whip snakes Demansia vestigiata(Serpentes: Elapidae) in tropical Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology. 57:49-54.
• Trembath, D.F. & Fearn, S. (2009). Natural History of the Slatey grey Snake Stegonotus cucullatus (Serpentes: Colubridae) from tropical north Queensland, Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology. 57:119-124.
• Doody, J.S., Trembath, D.F., Davies, C., Freier, D., Stewart, B. & Kay, G. (2009). A mating aggregation of olive pythons, Liasis olivaceus, with comments on mating systems and sexual size dimorphism in snakes. Herpetofauna. 39(2): 91-93.
• Trembath, D.F. & Fearn, S (2008). Body sizes, activity times, food habits and reproduction of Brown Tree Snakes Boiga irregularis (Serpentes: Colubridae) from tropical north Queensland, Australia. Australian Journal of Zoology. 56:173-178.
• Trembath, D.F., Blackburn, J. & Rowley, J.L. 2007. Roadkill predation by a Children’s python Antaresia childreni (Serpentes: Boidae) at Adelaide river, Northern Territory. Northern Territory Naturalist. 19:58-59.
• Trembath, D.F., Rowley, J.L. & Jensen, O. (2006). An observation of male combat in the Dugite Pseudonaja affinis (Serpentes: Elapidae) from Grey, Nambung National Park, Western Australia. Herpetofauna 36(2): 80-82.
• Fearn, S. & Trembath, D.F. (2006). Southern distribution limits and a translocated population of the Scrub Python Morelia kinghorni (Serpentes: Pythonidae) in Tropical Queensland. Herpetofauna. 36(2):85-87.
• Horner, P.G. & Trembath D.F. (2006). A survey for Purple-Crowned Fairy Wrens (Malurus coronotus) at Big Horse Creek and Little Horse Creek Bridges, Victoria Highway, Northern Territory. Report to the Northern Territory Department of Planning and Infrastructure.
• Rowley, J.L., Trembath, D.F. & Atwood, T. (2006). Observations of the short term movement, microhabitat and temperature of a free-ranging keelback, Tropidonophis mairii (Serpentes; Colubridae) in a tropical rainforest stream. Herpetofauna. 36(1):57-60.
• Trembath, D.F. & Freier, D. (2005). Accidental ingestion of barbecue scraps leads to death of a varanid in the Northern Territory. Herpetofauna. 35: 48-49.
• Trembath, D. & Lloyd, R. (2005). Stegonotus cucullatus (Slatey grey snake). Herpetological Review. 36:204.
• Trembath, D.F & Rowley J. (2005). An Observation of the foraging behavior of the Black Whip Snake Demansia vestigiata (Serpentes: Elapidae): Successful predation of a frog Limnodynastes ornatus (Anura: Myobatrachidae) buried underground. Herpetofauna. 35(2):114-5.
• Trembath, D., Freier, D., & Elliott, J.P. (2004). Sexual-Size Dimorphism in Emydura krefftii (Testudines: Chelidae) from Ross River, Townsville, Australia. Herpetological Review. 35: 31-35.
• Trembath, D. (2004). Nocturnal Activity by the Coastal Taipan Oxyuranus scutellatus at Hencamp Creek, North Queensland. Herpetofauna. 34:84-85.
• Fearn, S. & Trembath, D. (2004). Observation on body size, reproduction and food habits of Burton’s Legless Lizard Lialis burtonis (Pygopidae).Herpetofauna. 34: 78-80.
• Trembath, D. (2003). Observation on Shallow Water Use by a sea snake (Disteira kingii). Herpetofauna. 33: 24-25.
• Trembath, D. (2000). Nocturnal activity by Gould’s Monitor (Varanus gouldii) at Town Common Environmental Park, Townsville QLD. Herpetofauna. 30: 52.