Research Interests
Physiology and ecology of vertebrates, especially
amphibians and reptiles. Current interests in cardiovascular
adaptations, gravitational physiology, functional morphology of
integument, water balance and distribution of sea snakes, comparative
aspects of energetics and temperature regulation, animal coloration,
and fire ecology. I also have long-term studies in progress relating to
the physiology and ecology of insular cottonmouth snakes.
Representative Publications
2012. LILLYWHITE, H.B. Climate change and reptiles. Chapter In: K. Rohde (ed.), The Balance of Nature and Human Impact, Cambridge University Press. In press.
2012. BRISCHOUX, F., R. TINGLEY, R. SHINE and H.B. LILLYWHITE. Salinity influences the distribution of marine snakes: Implications for evolutionary transitions to marine life. Ecography 35:001-010. (online Early View)
2012. LILLYWHITE, H.B., J.S. ALBERT, C.M. SHEEHY III and R.S. SEYMOUR. Gravity and the evolution of cardiopulmonary morphology in snakes. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part A 161:230-242.
2012. LILLYWHITE, H.B. and F. BRISCHOUX. Is it better in the moonlight? Nocturnal activity of insular cottonmouth snakes increases with lunar light levels. J. Zool. 286: 194–199. Published online 2011 (doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00866.x)
2011. BRISCHOUX, F. and H.B. LILLYWHITE. Light- and flotsam-dependent ‘float-and-wait’ foraging by pelagic sea snakes (Pelamis platurus). Marine Biology 158:2343-2347.
2011. LILLYWHITE, H.B. and M.-C. TU. Abundance of sea kraits correlates with precipitation. PLoS ONE Vol. 6, e28556
(http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028556)
2010. LIU, Y.L., H.B. LILLYWHITE and M.C. TU. Sea snakes anticipate tropical cyclone. Marine Biology 157:2369-2373.
2009. LILLYWHITE, H.B., J.G. Menon, G.K. Menon, C.M. Sheehy III, and M.-C. TU. Water exchange and permeability properties of the skin in three species of amphibious sea snakes (Laticauda spp.). J. Exp. Biol. 212:1921-1929.
2009. LILLYWHITE, H. Physiological ecology: Field methods and perspective. Chapter 20 In K. Dodd (ed.), Amphibian Ecology and Conservation. A Handbook of Techniques., pp. 363–386. Oxford University Press series in Techniques in Ecology and Conservation.
2008. LILLYWHITE, H.B., L.S. BABONIS, C.M. SHEEHY III, and M.-C. TU. Sea snakes (Laticauda spp.) require fresh drinking water: Implication for the distribution and persistence of populations. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 81:785-796.
2008. LILLYWHITE, H.B., C.M. SHEEHY III, and F.ZAIDAN III. Pitviper scavenging at the intertidal zone: An evolutionary scenario for invasion of the sea. BioScience 58:947-955.
2008. LILLYWHITE, H.B. and R.J.R. McCLEARY. Trophic ecology of insular cottonmouth snakes: Review and perspective. South Amer. J. Herpetol. 3:175-185.
2008. CONKLIN, D.J., H.B. LILLYWHITE, B. BISHOP, A. HARGENS and K. OLSON. Rythmic contractility in the hepatic portal “corkscrew” vein of the rat snake. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, part A 152:389-397.
2008. LILLYWHITE, H. and J. ALBERT. Evolutionary physiology, comparative data, and phylogenetic methods. Pp. 613-620 in S. Morris, A. Vosloo (eds.) 4th CBP Meeting in Africa: MARA 2008, “Molecules to Migration: The Pressures of Life.” International Proceedings, Medimond S.r.l. Monduzzi Editore International, Bologna, Italy.
2008. LILLYWHITE, H.B. Dictionary of Herpetology. Krieger Publishing Inc., Malabar, Florida. 376 pp. (“Outstanding Academic Title” in 2008)