The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR) will meet June 27-30 on the campus of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.The SSAR is meeting jointly with Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) and the International Society for the History and Bibliography of Herpetology (ISHBH) on the Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan. The conference includes numerous events of interest to evolutionary biologists, including several symposia on functional/evolutionary morphology and reptiles & amphibians as models for evolutionary developmental biology. Plenary speakers include Neil Shubin, Kartik Shanker, & Earyn McGee. Symposium details & speaker lineup are available at: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/ummz-ssar2024/schedule/ See registration links on SSAR 2024 main page: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/ummz-ssar2024/ Key Deadlines at a glance: **Early registration discount ends: April 22, 2024 ** Standard registration: April 23 - May 15 **Abstract submission deadline (talks & posters): April 22, 2024 Conference schedule at a glance: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/ummz-ssar2024/schedule/ ** Selected events: Museums Extravaganza: Flagship dinner and tours at the world-famous Museum of Zoology (UMMZ), largest university-affiliated herpetological collection in the world. Also featuring the U-M Museum of Paleontology and U-M Herbarium. Toledo Zoo day trip: Less than an hour drive from Ann Arbor, the Toledo Zoo is a world-class zoological park that features one of the most comprehensive live herp collections in the US. One of the only North American zoos with tuatara, plus the largest captive crocodilian in the US (the ever-impressive Baru, at 17 feet long and 1500 pounds) and a special collection of venomous snakes that includes several gorgeous Protobothrops mangshanensis. Behind-the-scenes tours with Toledo Zoo staff and researchers. Zoo grounds include the ProMedica Museum of Natural History and its Pleistocene bestiary, plus one of the best aquariums in the midwest. Zoo features 150 species of reptiles and more than 60 species of venomous snakes. Space is limited - register soon! Local field trips: We are excited to offer two half-day trips to natural sites just a short drive from campus: the Edwin S. George Reserve, and the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Trips include the potential to see some iconic midwestern herps in the wild, including the massasauga, Blanding's turtle, and Butler's garter snake. The George Reserve is a research property administered by U-M Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and has been the focus of decades upon decades of pioneering herpetological research, including Earl Werner's work on amphibian community ecology and Justin Congdon's long-term studies of turtle demography. The George Reserve features rugged topography with numerous kettle holes, a steep and sinuous esker, and numerous other glacial landforms. The reserve is continuous with the most expansive forested area in southern Michigan. Field trip to the U-M's Matthaei Botanical Gardens, just 10 minutes from U-M's central campus, will visit an extensive outdoor garden complex, plus a Conservatory that features fascinating plants from deserts and rainforests around the world. Super bonus: the Garden grounds are one of the best places to see massasauga rattlesnakes in the wild. Additional travel and lodging information, including room codes for discounted rates in local hotels, is available on the conference website. Questions: email ssar-2024@umich.edu Dan Rabosky (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)