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Monday, November 22nd, 2021
| Time | Event | ||||||||
| 7:44a | [Ornithology • 2022] Population Connectivity Across A highly Fragmented Distribution: Phylogeography of the Chalcophaps Doves (Aves, Columbidae)
Highlights: • Phylogenetic reconstruction supports current taxonomy. • Discordant nuclear and mitochondrial ancestry near contact zone. • Isolation by distance and hierarchical population structure within clades. • Low overall diversity despite a large and fragmented geographic distribution. Abstract Chalcophaps is a morphologically conserved genus of ground-walking doves distributed from India to mainland China, south to Australia, and across the western Pacific to Vanuatu. Here, we reconstruct the evolutionary history of this genus using DNA sequence data from two nuclear genes and one mitochondrial gene, sampled from throughout the geographic range of Chalcophaps. We find support for three major evolutionary lineages in our phylogenetic reconstruction, each corresponding to the three currently recognized Chalcophaps species. Despite this general concordance, we identify discordant mitochondrial and nuclear ancestries in the subspecies C. longirostris timorensis, raising further questions about the evolutionary history of this Timor endemic population. Within each of the three species, we find evidence for isolation by distance or hierarchical population structure, indicating an important role for geography in the diversification of this genus. Despite being distributed broadly across a highly fragmented geographic region known as a hotspot for avian diversification, the Chalcophaps doves show modest levels of phenotypic and genetic diversity, a pattern potentially explained by strong population connectivity owing to high overwater dispersal capability. Keywords: Phylogeography, Evolution, Isolation by distance, Mitonuclear discordance, Phylogenetics, Chalcophaps     Devon A. DeRaad, Joseph D. Manthey, Emily N. Ostrow, Lucas H. DeCicco, Michael J. Andersen, Peter A. Hosner, Hannah T. Shult, Leo Joseph, John P. Dumbacher and Robert G.. Moyle. 2021. Population Connectivity Across A highly Fragmented Distribution: Phylogeography of the Chalcophaps Doves. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 166; 107333. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107333 Emerald Dove | ||||||||
| 8:03a | [Botany • 2021] Calceolaria flavida (Calceolariaceae) • A New endemic Species to central Chile
Abstract A new species of Calceolaria sect. Cheiloncos endemic to central Chile is described. A comparison with the morphologically similar species Calceolaria asperula and Calceolaria petioalaris is made, and a key as well as detailed images to differentiate them is provided. The species is only known from the Natural Sanctuary Cerro El Roble, which is part of the coastal mountain range of central Chile and can be considered as Critically Endangered (CR) under the IUCN categories and criteria. Keywords: Chilean Mediterranean hotspot, Cerro el Roble, endemism, montane flora, South America, taxonomy
Calceolaria flavida Lavandero & Santilli, sp. nov. Diagnosis: C. flavida is most similar to C. asperula and C. petioalaris in growth habit and in having leaves of similar shape covered in glandular hairs. C. flavida can easily be distinguished from C. asperula in having pale yellow corolla (vs. bright yellow), the upper lip longer than half the length of the lower lip (vs. upper lip shorter than half the length of the lower lip), anthers much shorter than filaments and opening towards the distal part of the upper lip (vs. anthers as long as filaments and opening toward the style) and an elaiophore with densely arranged oil-producing trichomes (vs. dispersed oil producing trichomes). It can be distinguished from C. petioalaris by its reddish stems (vs. green), secondary and tertiary veins of the adaxial side of leaf lamina visibly impressed (vs. secondary and tertiary veins of the adaxial side of leaf lamina slightly impressed), pale yellow corolla (vs. bright yellow), upper lip narrower than lower lip seen from above (vs. upper lip as wide as lower lip), lips rounded in shape (vs. squared), saccate upper lip (vs. flat), and style inserted in corolla (vs. exserted).
Nicolás Lavandero, Ludovica Santilli and Fernanda Pérez. 2021. Calceolaria flavida (Calceolariaceae) A New endemic Species to central Chile. PhytoKeys 185: 99-116. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.185.71755 | ||||||||
| 8:13a | [Paleontology • 2021] Tetrapodophis amplectus is not a Snake: Re-assessment of the Osteology, Phylogeny and Functional Morphology of An Early Cretaceous Dolichosaurid Lizard (Pythonomorpha: Dolichosauridae)
Abstract The origin of snakes remains one of the most contentious evolutionary transitions in vertebrate evolution. The discovery of snake fossils with well-formed hind limbs provided new insights into the phylogenetic and ecological origin of snakes. In 2015, a fossil from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil was described as the first known snake with fore- and hind limbs (Tetrapodophis amplectus), and was proposed to be fossorial, to exhibit large gape feeding adaptations (macrostomy) and to possess morphologies suggesting constriction behaviours. First-hand examination of T. amplectus, including its undescribed counterpart, provides new evidence refuting it as a snake. We find: a long rostrum; straight mandible; teeth not hooked zygosphenes/zygantra absent; neural arch and spines present and tall with apical epiphyses; rib heads not tubercular; synapophyses simple; and lymphapophyses absent. Claimed traits not preserved include: braincase/descensus parietalis; ‘L’-shaped nasals; intramandibular joint; replacement tooth crowns; haemal keels; tracheal rings; and large ventral scales. New observations include: elongate retroarticular process; apex of splenial terminating below posterior extent of tooth row; >10 cervicals with hypapophyses and articulating intercentra; haemapophyses with articulating arches; reduced articular surfaces on appendicular elements; rows of small body scales; and reduced mesopodial ossification. The axial skeleton is uniquely elongate and the tail with >100 vertebrae is not short as previously claimed, although overall the animal is small (∼195 mm total length). We assessed the relationships of Tetrapodophis using a revised version of the original morphological dataset, an independent morphological dataset, and these two datasets combined with molecular data. All four were analysed under parsimony and Bayesian inference and unambiguously recover Tetrapodophis as a dolichosaur. We find that Tetrapodophis shows aquatic adaptations and there is no evidence to support constricting behaviour or macrostomy. Keywords: Tetrapodophis amplectus, lizards, snakes, mosasauroids, pythonomorphs, phylogeny, fossils, character evolution, Cretaceous, Brazil, Crato Formation  Systematic palaeontology Squamata Oppel, 1811 Pythonomorpha Cope, 1869 Dolichosauridae Gervais, 1852 Tetrapodophis amplectus Martill, Tischlinger & Longrich, 2015 Etymology: No etymology was given by Martill et al. (2015), the genus and species were presented as Tetrapodophis amplectus gen. et sp. nov. We note that ‘tetra’, ‘pod’ and ‘ophis’ are Greek words for four, foot and snake respectively, and that ‘amplectus’ or ‘amplexus’, is Latin for ‘to embrace’, and media interviews by the original authors support this interpretation (e.g. Watson 2015).  Michael W. Caldwell, Tiago R. Simões, Alessandro Palci, Fernando F. Garberoglio, Robert R. Reisz, Michael S. Y. Lee and Randall L. Nydam. 2021. Tetrapodophis amplectus is not a Snake: Re-assessment of the Osteology, Phylogeny and Functional Morphology of An Early Cretaceous Dolichosaurid Lizard. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2021.1983044 | ||||||||
| 10:49a | [Herpetology • 2021] Psammophis turpanensis • A New Species of Psammophis (Serpentes: Psammophiidae) from the Turpan Basin in northwest China
Abstract An adult sand snake specimen was collected during a herpetofaunal survey conducted in the Turpan Basin in northwest China. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that this specimen, along with other snake sloughs and skins collected from different localities in the Turpan Basin formed a clade that is sister to Psammophis lineolatus. This taxon exhibited substantial divergence from its congeners (P. lineolatus and P. condanarus) with uncorrelated p-distances ranging from 11.9 ± 0.9% to 15.8 ± 1.6% for the ND4 gene and from 10.2 ± 0.8% to 13.8 ± 1.1% for the Cytb gene. Given the genetic differences along with morphological differences, we describe the specimen from the Turpan Basin as Psammophis turpanensis sp. nov. We provide detailed morphological descriptions, and compare this specimen with five Asian sand snakes and the Afro-Asian Sand Snake, P. schokari. In addition, we provide brief comments on the biogeography of Psammophis in China. Keywords: Reptilia, Psammophis turpanensis sp. nov., phylogenetic tree, morphology, mitochondrial DNA, taxonomy
Psammophis turpanensis sp. nov. Etymology. This name turpanensis is taken from the type locality—Aydingkol Lake, located in the Turpan Basin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported species from the lowest elevation of the type locality in terrestrial animals. We recommend “Turpan Sand Snake” as its English common name and “Tu Lu Fan Hua Tiao She (吐鲁番花条蛇)” as its Chinese common name. Minli Chen, Jinlong Liu, Bo Cai, Jun Li, Na Wu and Xianguang Guo. 2021. A New Species of Psammophis (Serpentes: Psammophiidae) from the Turpan Basin in northwest China. Zootaxa. 4974(1); 116–134. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4974.1.4 | ||||||||
| 10:58a | [Ichthyology • 2021] Oxynoemacheilus isauricus • A New Nemacheilid Loach (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Central Anatolia
Abstract Oxynoemacheilus isauricus, new species, from the Lakes Beyşehir and Suğla basins in Central Anatolia is distinguished from all other species of the O. angorae group by having a very slender caudal peduncle (its depth 2.2–2.6 times in its length). The new species is further distinguished by having a short head (head length 21–24% SL), and a midlateral series of irregularly shaped blotches on the flank. Oxynoemacheilus isauricus is also distinguished by a minimum K2P sequence divergence of 7.5% and 8.0% in the mtDNA-COI barcode region from O. eregliensis and O. atili, its closest relatives. Keywords: Pisces, Cytochrome oxidase I, Freshwater fish, Lake Beyşehir, Middle East, Taxonomy  Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu, Cüneyt Kaya, Müfit Ozulug and Jörg Freyhof. 2021. Oxynoemacheilus isauricus, A New Nemacheilid Loach from Central Anatolia (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). Zootaxa. 4975(2); 369–378. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4975.2.7 |
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