[Most Recent Entries] [Calendar View]
Wednesday, March 9th, 2022
| Time | Event | ||||||||
| 2:03a | [PaleoIchthyology • 2022] Paleoschizothorax diluculum • A New Cyprinid (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from the Oligocene of Qaidam Basin, north-eastern Tibetan Plateau, and Its Implications
Abstract The Qaidam Basin, lying in the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau, China, is key to understanding the Cenozoic climatic and biological changes that have occurred on the plateau; however, information from a palaeontological perspective on this Palaeogene basin is scant. Recently, fossil cyprinids were found in the middle portion of the Shangganchaigou Formation (= Upper Ganchaigou Formation; Oligocene) in the north-western Qaidam Basin. These share many osteological characters with barbines and ‘morphologically primitive clade schizothoracines’ (= primitive schizothoracines; i.e. Schizothorax and Aspiorhynchus), and they closely resemble the latter in the size and shape of the scales: body scales are small and oval; the number of lateral line scales exceeds 100; and the long-oval scales from the pre-anal region are very similar to the ‘anal scales’, which are unique to schizothoracines. Compared with another fossil fish, Paleoschizothorax qaidamensis, from the same formation, the major differences are: (1) the posterior part of the entopterygoid in the new material is normal and not expanded while that of P. qaidamensis is obviously expanded; and (2) the premaxilla process of maxilla is well developed in P. qaidamensis but weak in the new specimens. Therefore, they are described as a new species of the fossil genus Paleoschizothorax (subfamily Schizothoracinae): Paleoschizothorax diluculum sp. nov. A phylogenetic analysis, which included 13 extant genera and three fossil forms of barbines and schizothoracines and 70 morphological characters, also supports the close relationship between P. diluculum and primitive schizothoracines. A preliminary correlation analysis suggests that the degree of reduction of body scale size is negatively correlated with habitat mean temperatures among most Chinese cyprinids. Moreover, we speculate that the ‘primitive schizothoracines’ likely originated in the north-eastern–central Tibetan Plateau based on the fossil records and molecular phylogeny of the extant taxa. Keywords: Tibetan Plateau, Qaidam Basin, fossil cyprinids, palaeoenvironment, Oligocene
Systematic palaeontology Superorder Ostariophysi Sagemehl, 1885 Order Cypriniformes Bleeker, 1859/60 Family Cyprinidae Bonaparte, 1840 Subfamily Schizothoracinae Berg, 1912 (= Lineage Schizothoracini Howes, 1991) Genus Paleoschizothorax Yang et al., 2018 Paleoschizothorax diluculum sp. nov. Etymology. The species name ‘diluculum’, from the Latin, means first light of the day, referring to the expectation of more discoveries about the evolutionary implications of primitive schizothoracines. Locality and horizon. Fossil locality HTG F27, about 15 km north-east of the town of Huatugou, north-western Qaidam Basin, China. Middle part of the Shangganchaigou Formation, Oligocene (Fig. 1). Tao Yang, Weiyu Liang, Jiahao Cai, Haoran Gu, Lei Han, Hongyu Chen, Haojian Wang, Lin Bao and Defei. 2022. A New Cyprinid from the Oligocene of Qaidam Basin, north-eastern Tibetan Plateau, and Its Implications. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2021.2015470 Tao Yang, Li Zhang, Wenjia Li, et al. 2018. New schizothoracine from Oligocene of Qaidam Basin, northern Tibetan Plateau, China, and its significance. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 38, e1442840. DOI: 10.1080/ 02724634.2018.1442840 | ||||||||
| 2:24a | [Botany • 2022] Impatiens bijieensis (Balsaminaceae) • A New Species from Karst Plateau in Guizhou, China
Abstract Impatiens bijieensis X.X. Bai & L.Y. Ren, sp. nov. from northwest Guizhou Province, China, is described and illustrated. This new species is distributed discontinuously in Jiulongshan, Dafang County and Dajiucaiping, Hezhang County, both of which are in the Wumeng Mountain area, a karst plateau landform. The new species is morphologically similar to I. pterosepala Hook.f., I. lasiophyton Hook.f. and I. leptocaulon Hook.f. in height and flower shape and it especially resembles I. lasiophyton in pilosity. However, it differs in its deep purplish-red flower, 2-lobed lower sepal apex and cylindrical capsule. A detailed description, colour photographs and a provisional IUCN Red List assessment are provided along with discussions of its geographical distribution, ecology and morphological relationships with other similar species. Keywords: Balsaminaceae, China, Impatiens, morphology, new species
Impatiens bijieensis X.X. Bai & L.Y. Ren, sp. nov. Diagnosis: Impatiens bijieensis X.X. Bai & L.Y. Ren, sp. nov. is similar to I. pterosepala, I. lasiophyton and I. leptocaulon in plant height, leaf blade shape and flower shape, especially resembling I. lasiophyton in its pilosity and obtuse anther apices, but distinguished by its deep purplish-red flower, linear-lanceolate bract, apex 2-lobed lower sepal and cylindrical capsule. Etymology: The specific epithet ‘bijieensis’ refers to the type locality where the new species was found, located in Bijie City, northwest Guizhou Province, China. The Chinese name is given as “毕节凤仙花”. Distribution: Impatiens bijieensis has been observed in Bijie City, Guizhou Province with subpopulations in Hezhang County and Dafang County. We found at Dajiucaiping, Hezhang that the plants grow along the creek on the slopes of gentle hilltops or on the side slope of the ridge, while some were found below the cliffs where water was dripping from streams. At Jiulongshan, Dafang, the population was distributed in evergreen broad-leaved forest margins. Ecology Impatiens bijieensis was collected at elevations of 1915–2800 m. Species of Rubus coreanus Miq. (Rosaceae), Elatostema involucratum Franch. et Sav. (Urticaceae) and Allium wallichii Kunth (Liliaceae) were found to grow in the vicinity of this species. Liu-Yi Ren, Yi Chen, Tao-Hua Yuan, Rong-Xin Huang, Mei-Jun Li and Xin-Xiang Bai. 2022. Impatiens bijieensis (Balsaminaceae), A New Species from Karst Plateau in Guizhou, China. PhytoKeys. 192: 1-10. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.192.77517  | ||||||||
| 3:09a | [Ichthyology • 2022] Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa • A New Species of Fairy Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae) from the Maldives, with Comments on the Taxonomic Identity of C. rubrisquamis and C. wakanda
Abstract Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis is redescribed on the basis of the juvenile holotype and compared to known species of Cirrhilabrus. Examination of material from the Maldives identified as C. rubrisquamis reveal differences from the holotype collected from the Chagos Archipelago. Consequently, the Maldivian specimens are herein described as Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa sp. nov., on the basis of the holotype and twelve paratypes. The new species differs from all congeners in having: males with anterior third to half of body bright magenta, peach to orange-pink posteriorly; lateral line with 22–26 pored scales (16–18 in the dorso-anterior series, 6–8 in the posterior peduncular series); tenth to eleventh dorsal-fin spine longest (14.0–15.5% SL); scales on the opercle, chest, isthmus, and anterior third of the body with a dark purple-red central region (purple in alcohol), the markings joining appearing crosshatched; dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic-fin rays purple in alcohol. Meristic details and coloration patterns of C. rubrisquamis are very similar to C. wakanda from Tanzania, Africa, although synonymy of both species cannot be determined without additional material from Chagos. This potential synonymy is briefly discussed; however, until such material becomes available, the taxonomic statuses of C. wakanda and C. rubrisquamis are here provisionally regarded as valid. Keywords: Coral reefs, deep reefs, Indian Ocean, mesophotic, reef fish
 
Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa sp. nov. Diagnosis: A species of Cirrhilabrus distinguished from congeners based on the following combination of characters: males with anterior third to half of body bright magenta, peach to orange-pink posteriorly; lateral line with 22–26 pored scales (16–18 in the dorso-anterior series, 6–8 in the posterior peduncular series); tenth to eleventh dorsal-fin spine longest (14.0–15.5% SL); scales on the opercle, chest, isthmus, and anterior third of the body with a dark purple-red central region, the markings joining to form a crosshatched appearance (purple in alcohol); dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic-fin rays purple in alcohol. Etymology: The epithet is from the Dhivehi "finifenmaa", meaning rose, alluding to the live coloration of this species. The pink rose fiyatoshi finifenmaa (Rosa spp.) is also the national flower of the Maldives. To be treated as a noun in apposition. The common name is given after the facial patterns of the species. Habitat and distribution: Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa is presently known from Maldives and Sri Lanka, at depths ranging from 40–70 m (Fig. 4). The species belongs to the C. jordani species complex, a group of deep-water fairy wrasses found mostly in mesophotic coral ecosystems. It is likely that this species occurs in greater depths. Like other species of Cirrhilabrus, C. finifenmaa frequents rubble bottoms scattered with loose coral cover. 
Yi-Kai Tea, Ahmed Najeeb, Joseph Rowlett and Luiz A. Rocha. 2022. Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa (Teleostei, Labridae), A New Species of Fairy Wrasse from the Maldives, with Comments on the Taxonomic Identity of C. rubrisquamis and C. wakanda. ZooKeys 1088: 65-80. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1088.78139 Stunning new-to-science fairy wrasse is first-ever fish described by a Maldivian scientist Named after the country’s national flower, the species is added to the tree of life as part of Academy’s global Hope for Reefs initiative | ||||||||
| 9:21a | [Herpetology • 2022] Cnemaspis tigris, C. sakleshpurensis, et C. vijayae • Three New Cryptic Species of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Karnataka, India
Abstract We describe three new small-bodied, cryptic species of south Asian Cnemaspis belonging to the mysoriensis and goaensis clades from the Mysore Plateau and the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in Karnataka, peninsular India; and provide a key to members of each clade, besides providing the first ND2 sequence data for C. ranganaensis. Cnemaspis tigris sp. nov. from Kaiwara in Karnataka is a member of the mysoriensis clade and can be morphologically distinguished from all six described members of the clade in a number of meristic characters and subtle differences in colouration, beside ≥ 12.1–23.4 % uncorrected pairwise ND2 sequence divergence. Cnemaspis sakleshpurensis sp. nov. from Sakleshpur and C. vijayae sp. nov. from Coorg, both in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, are members of the goaensis clade and are easily diagnosed from all three described members of the clade in meristic characters beside 5.2–14.8 % divergence from described members of the clade and 14.6 % from each other in uncorrected pairwise ND2 sequence divergence. The discovery of these new species from two different clades and biogeographic regions is not surprising, given the steep rise in the number of species of Cnemaspis known from peninsular India. Comprehensive geographic sampling in conjunction with molecular and morphological data is essential to understand the true diversity and distributional ranges of species within this ancient clade of gekkonid lizards. Keywords: Cnemaspis stellapulvis, dwarf geckos, granite boulders, Mysore plateau, systematics, taxonomy, Western Ghats
Cnemaspis tigris sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet is the Latin tigris (tiger), treated here as a noun in apposition, referencing the tiger-like colour pattern in males of the new species with a strongly banded dorsum suffused with yellow. Suggested Common Name: Tiger dwarf gecko or Kaiwara dwarf gecko. Diagnosis: A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 32 mm (n=5). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled, granular scales in the vertebral and paravertebral region with a few scattered enlarged keeled tubercles, intermixed with about three irregularly arranged rows of large, weakly keeled tubercles on each side of flank, tubercles in lowest row largest, spine-like; six rows of dorsal tubercles; ventral scales smooth, imbricate, 23–25 scales across belly, 91–107 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, entire, unnotched; nine or 10 lamellae under digit I of manus and 9–11 lamellae under digit I of pes, 15–17 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 17–21 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males (n=4/5) with two femoral pores on each thigh separated on either side by 6–9 poreless scales from a continuous series of two (rarely three, n=1/4)) precloacal pores; tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, distinctly pointed, conical tubercles forming whorls; a median row of sub-caudals smooth, slightly enlarged. Dorsal colouration grey-brown; continuous light brown mid-dorsal streak runs from occiput to tail base, a single medial dark ocellus on mid-dorsal streak just anterior to forelimb insertions; five or six yellow-orange elongate blotches on dorsum, original tail with indistinct bands. Distribution and Natural history: Like most of the other South Asian Cnemaspis, C. tigris sp. nov. is currently known from its type locality (near Kaiwara village in Chickballapur district, Karnataka), at an elevation of ca. 910 m asl (Fig. 1). The species was encountered during a single day of fieldwork at the base of a rocky granite hillock with large boulders, predominantly covered by thorny scrub forest (Fig. 16A). Numerous individuals (n= > 30) of the new species were observed to be active in day-time on granite boulders < 2 m of height from the ground. All the individuals were only seen in the shaded and relatively cooler areas among the rocks. Sympatric lizards recorded by us at the type locality include Hemidactylus frenatus Duméril and Bibron, 1836; Hemidactylus rishivalleyensis Agarwal, Thackeray and Khandekar, 2020; Eutropis carinata (Schneider, 1801) and Psammophilus dorsalis (Gray, 1831).
Cnemaspis sakleshpurensis sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet is a toponym for Sakleshpur in Hassan district of Karnataka, the place where the species is currently known from. Suggested Common Name: Sakleshpur dwarf gecko. Diagnosis: A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 32 mm (n=3). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled, granular scales on the vertebral and paravertebral region with a few scattered enlarged keeled tubercles, intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of large, keeled, tubercles on flank; upper most row strongly keeled and weakly conical, rest much enlarged, weakly keeled and spine-like; eight or nine rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body; ventral scales smooth, imbricate, 23–26 scales across belly, 118–127 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, entire, unnotched; 9–11 lamellae under digit I of manus and 11 lamellae under digit I of pes, 14–16 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 16–20 lamellae under digit IV of pes; male (n=1/3) with three or four femoral pores, separated by 10 or 11 poreless scales from continuous series of two precloacal pores; each pore bearing scale flanked posteriorly with enlarged spine-like scale; tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, distinctly pointed, conical tubercles forming whorls; a median row of sub-caudal scales slightly enlarged, smooth only at anterior half of the tail, rest strongly keeled. Dorsal colouration grey-brown with a discontinuous, poorly defined light brown mid-dorsal streak extending from occiput to tail base, with yellow diffuse blotches and a few small black spots forming eight indistinct bars on dorsum; dark medial ocellus on occiput and another slightly smaller just anterior to forelimb insertions; original tail banded. Distribution and Natural history: Cnemaspis sakleshpurensis sp. nov. is currently known only from its type locality (in and around Mookanana Resort, Hongadahalla village, Sakleshpur, Hassan District, Karnataka), at an elevation of ca. 850 m. (Fig. 1). The type locality is part of Central Western Ghats and dominated by semi-evergreen forest. Approximately 10 individuals of the new species were encountered during two days of fieldwork. Individuals were seen active during the day time (0800–1700 hrs) on rocky faces in shaded areas alongside streams, on tree trunks and occasionally on building walls at a height of 2–5 m above ground (Fig. 16B). The holotype (BNHS 2814) was collected from a rock crevice in a forested patch just after moderate rain showers, a sub-adult female (NRC-AA-1164) was found active on a mossy tree trunk in the afternoon hours, and an adult female (NRC-AA-1165) was collected early morning (0700 hrs) from a building wall. Sympatric lizards sighted by us at the type locality include Cnemaspis magnifica, C. schalleri, Hemidactylus frenatus and Monilesaurus rouxii (Duméril and Bibron, 1837). Cnemaspis vijayae sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet is a Latinized eponym in honour of India’s first women herpetologist, Late Jagannathan Vijaya (1959–1987) for her inspiring contribution towards ecology of rare Indian turtles. Suggested Common Name: Vijaya’s Coorg dwarf gecko. Diagnosis: A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 36 mm (n=5). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled, granular scales, intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of large, keeled, tubercles on the body; two or three rows of enlarged tubercles on each flank weakly keeled and spine-like; 9–11 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, irregularly arranged rows of paravertebral tubercles between forelimb and hindlimb insertions; ventral scales smooth (rarely keeled n=1), subimbricate, 26–30 scales across belly at mid-body, 118–127 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, entire, unnotched; 10 or 11 lamellae under digit I of manus and pes, 15 or 16 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 17–19 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males (n=3/5) with three or four femoral pores on thigh, separated by seven or eight poreless scales on either side from three discontinuous precloacal pores, a single precloacal pore on left and two on right side, separated by one or two poreless scale (n=2/3); precloacal pores sometime continuous (n=1/3); each femoral pore bearing scale flanked posteriorly with enlarged spine-like scale; tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, distinctly pointed, conical tubercles forming whorls; median row of sub-caudal scales slightly enlarged, smooth only at anterior half of the tail, rest weakly keeled. Dorsal ground colour dirty brown with a bright straw-coloured mid-dorsal stripe that extends from occiput to tail in some specimens; dark blotch on nape forming indistinct collar and smaller ocellus just anterior to forelimb insertions; dark markings and light grey blotches on dorsum; original tail with thick mid-dorsal stripe. Distribution and Natural history: The new species is currently known only from its montane type locality (1250 m elevation) in the Central Western Ghats, within a large property surrounded by coffee plantations with large trees and evergreen forest (Fig. 16C). The area is contiguous with Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, where the new species may occur. A few individuals were observed during sunny weather between ~0800–1400 hrs at a height of 2–4 m on the walls of a few buildings. The new species is sympatric with two congeners, C. cf. schalleri and C. cf. wynadensis. During the second trip to the type locality in late November, we observed new species in good numbers, predominantly on the building walls above 2–4 m height and sympatric with C. cf. schalleri. Akshay Khandekar, Tejas Thackeray and Ishan Agarwal. 2022. Three New Cryptic Species of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Karnataka, India. Vertebrate Zoology. 72: 115-142. DOI: 10.3897/vz.72.e76308   | ||||||||
| 12:40p | [Botany • 2021] Dipteris shenzhenensis (Dipteridaceae) • A New Critically Endangered Species from Shenzhen, southern China
Abstract Dipteris shenzhenensis, a new species of ferns from Shenzhen, Guangdong, southern China, is identified and described. It closely resembles D. chinensis but possesses several unique traits, such as long rhizome scales, castaneous stipe, and abaxially pale fronds with two fan-shaped fronds connected by a broad wing. Molecular evidence showed that D. shenzhenensis is allied to D. conjugata, whereas it has morphologically significant differences (P < 0.05) on the basis of quantitative trait statistical analysis. Overall, the morphological evidence, taken together with the result of cpDNA indicated that D. shenzhenensis is a distinct species. Keywords: fern, Gleicheniales, morphology, phylogeny, quantity traits, taxonomy
Dipteris shenzhenensis Y.H.Yan & Z.Y.Wei, sp. nov. Diagnosis: The new species is similar to D. chinensis, but differs in rhizome scales being longer (6.8–8.0 mm vs. 3.74–4.00 mm), in the base and color of fronds (base with broad wings, abaxially pale vs. base without wings, abaxially green), and in stipe color (castaneous vs. stramineous to brown). Distribution and habitat: So far only known from Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, southern China. It is distributed in Mt. Qiniangshan, growing on rocks at elevation of 70–200 m in evergreen broad-leaf forest. Etymology: Dipteris shenzhenensis was discovered in the City of Shenzhen located in Guangdong Province, southern China. The specific epithet, therefore, is from this city name. Chinese name: Shen-zhen-shuang-shan-jue (深圳双扇蕨). Zuo-Ying Wei, Yu-Feng Gu, Zeng-Qiang Xia, Li-Jun Chen, Ting Wang, Shou-Zhou Zhang, Guo-Hua Zhao, Jian-Bing Chen, Jian-Guo Cao and Yue-Hong Yan. 2021. Dipteris shenzhenensis, A New Endangered Species of Dipteridaceae from Shenzhen, southern China. PhytoKeys. 186: 111-120. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.186.73739   | ||||||||
| 1:25p | [Paleontology • 2022] Hanyusuchus sinensis • An Intermediate Crocodylian (Crocodylia: Gavialidae) linking Two Extant Gharials from the Bronze Age of China and Its Human-induced Extinction
Abstract A solid phylogenetic framework is the basis of biological studies, yet higher level relationships are still unresolved in some major vertebrate lineages. One such group is Crocodylia, where the branching pattern of three major families (Alligatoridae, Crocodylidae and Gavialidae) has been disputed over decades due to the uncertain relationship of two slender-snouted lineages, gavialines and tomistomines. Here, we report a bizarre crocodylian from the Bronze Age of China, which shows a mosaic of gavialine and tomistomine features across the skeleton, rendering support to their sister taxon relationship as molecular works have consistently postulated. Gavialine characters of the new Chinese crocodylian include a novel configuration of the pterygoid bulla, a vocal structure known in mature male Indian gharials. Extinct gavialines have repeatedly evolved potentially male-only acoustic apparatus of various shapes, illuminating the deep history of sexual selection on acoustic signalling in a slender-snouted group of crocodylians. Lastly, a cutmark analysis combined with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating of bone remains demonstrated that two individuals from Shang and Zhou dynasties in Guangdong, China, suffered head injuries and decapitation. Archaeological evidence together with historical accounts suggests the human-induced extinction of this unique crocodylian only a few hundred years ago. Keywords: crocodylia, phylogeny, Holocene, extinction, sexual selection, acoustics
Systematics Crocodylia Gmelin, 1789 (sensu Benton and Clark, 1988). Gavialidae Adams, 1854 (sensu Brochu, 2003). Hanyusuchus sinensis gen. et sp. nov. Diagnosis: A large slender-snouted crocodylian with five premaxillary, 16 maxillary and 18 dentary teeth; seventh maxillary tooth largest in the anterior-mid maxilla; medial wall of the last three maxillary alveoli within the suborbital fenestrae swollen; dorsal half of the prefrontal pillar narrow anteroposteriorly, and the medial process of the pillar dorsoventrally tall and anteroposteriorly short; interfenestral bar wider than one half of the interorbital distance; postorbital and squamosal parts of the skull table slope laterally; a shallow fossa extending posteriorly from the supratemporal fenestra onto the dorsal squamosal surface (autapomorphy); a pair of deep depressions anterior to the internal choana associated with the expansion of the posterior chamber of the pterygoid bulla; exoccipital sending a robust process ventrally to the basioccipital tubera; a pair of knob-like hypapophyses on the ventral surface of axial and third cervical centra; anterior margin of dorsal midline osteoderms with anterior process; reduced medial condyle of the femur (figure 2a–r; see electronic supplementary material, part I and II and figures S2–S21 for full description and comparisons, and electronic supplementary material, tables S3–S5 for measurements). Etymology: The generic name after Han Yu (a Chinese government official and poet during the Tang dynasty) + suchus (Latin for Greek soûkhos, the crocodile god Sobek), and the specific epithet after sinae (Latin for China) + ensis (Latin for ‘from’). Distribution: Archaeological records and historical literature revealed the past occurrences of H. sinensis across Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan provinces in southeastern China from the late fourth millennium BC to the mid second millennium AD (figure 1; electronic supplementary material, figure S1 and tables S1 and S2).    Masaya Iijima, Yu Qiao, Wenbin Lin, Youjie Peng, Minoru Yoneda and Jun Liu. 2022. An Intermediate Crocodylian linking Two Extant Gharials from the Bronze Age of China and Its Human-induced Extinction. Proc. R. Soc. B.. 28920220085. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0085  | ||||||||
| 4:31p | [Herpetology • 2022] Phalotris shawnella • A New Species of Phalotris (Serpentes, Colubridae, Elapomorphini) from Paraguay
Abstract A new species of Phalotris from the nasutus group, Phalotris shawnella sp. nov., is described. It can be distinguished from the other members of the group by having the following combination of characters: 1) fifth supralabial in contact with parietal, 2) vertebral stripe present, 3) yellowish nuchal collar (2 or 3 dorsal scales long), 4) dull reddish color of head, 5) broad, solidly or near solidly dark, lateral bands, 6) red-orange ventral scales lightly and irregularly spotted with black mainly on the posterior half of the body and 7) a bilobed, extremely asymmetrical hemipenis, with enlarged, curved, lateral spines. The species is only known from a recent specimen collected in the Cerrado zone of northeastern Paraguay at Rancho Laguna Blanca, San Pedro department, and two photographic records of live specimens from this and an additional locality. Limited ecological data based on observations of a captive individual, and a wild record, are provided, and a conservation assessment is performed for this extremely limited range Paraguayan endemic snake. Key Words: endemic, hemipenis, Phalotris nasutus, Phalotris shawnella sp. nov.
Phalotris shawnella sp. nov. Diagnosis: Phalotris shawnella sp. nov. is assigned to the nasutus group on account of the pointed snout with prominent rostral shield and the fusion of the second and third temporal plates (Fig. 3A). The new species can be distinguished from all other members of the nasutus group by the combination of the following characters: 1) fifth supralabial in contact with parietal, 2) vertebral stripe present, 3) yellowish nuchal collar (2 or 3 dorsal scales long), 4) dull reddish color of head in adults, 5) broad, solidly or near solidly dark lateral bands, 6) red-orange ventral scales lightly and irregularly spotted with black, mainly on the posterior half of the body, and 7) a bilobed, extremely asymmetrical hemipenis, with enlarged, curved, lateral spines. Etymology: The species name is a combination of the first names of two remarkable young people who were born around the same time as Fundación Para La Tierra, and who inspired its founders to work towards the study and conservation of the Paraguayan fauna, so that one day they might inherit a better world: Shawn Ariel Smith Fernández and Ella Bethany Atkinson. The epithet is not Latin, is invariable (word in apposition) and is made up of elements of both of their names.
 Paul Smith, Jean-Paul Brouard and Pier Cacciali. 2022. A New Species of Phalotris (Serpentes, Colubridae, Elapomorphini) from Paraguay. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 98(1): 77-85. DOI: 10.3897/zse.98.61064  Resumen: Se presenta la descripción de una nueva especie de Phalotris del grupo nasutus, Phalotris shawnella sp. nov. puede ser diferenciada de otros miembros del grupo por tener la siguiente combinación de caracteres: 1) quinta supralabial en contacto con la parietal, 2) presencia de una estría vertebral oscura, 3) collar nucal amarillento (de 2 ó 3 escamas de ancho), 4) coloración rojiza en la cabeza, 5) ancha faja lateral muy oscura o bastante oscura, 6) escamas ventrales rojo-anaranjadas e irregularmente salpicadas de negro principalmente en la parte posterior del cuerpo, y 7) hemipenes bilobados, extremadamente asimétricos, con espinas laterales agrandadas y curvas. La especie se la conoce únicamente de un ejemplar colectado en el Cerrado en el noreste de Paraguay en el Rancho Laguna Blanca, departamento de San Pedro, además de dos registros fotográficos de ejemplares vivos, uno de esta misma localidad y otro de una localidad adicional. Se proveen datos ecológicos limitados, en base a observaciones de un ejemplar en cautiverio, y otro en la naturaleza, así como una propuesta de evaluación del estado de conservación para este endemismo de Paraguay de rango extremadamente limitado. Palabras claves: endémico, hemipene, Phalotris nasutus, Phalotris shawnella sp. nov. |
| << Previous Day |
2022/03/09 [Calendar] |
Next Day >> |