[Most Recent Entries] [Calendar View]
Wednesday, April 6th, 2022
| Time | Event | ||||||||||
| 1:01a | [Herpetology • 2022] Cyrtodactylus vedda • The Hidden Diversity and Inland Radiation of Sri Lanka’s Ground-dwelling Geckos of the Genus Cyrtodactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae)
Abstract The genus Cyrtodactylus has recently been classified phylogenetically into several clades, subclades, groups, and some into Sri Lankan Cyrtodactylus. Certain complexes from the Indian subcontinent have been assigned to the “C. triedrus group”. This group is comprised of medium-sized species (SVL 50.6–105.7 mm) and are composed of five major species complexes: fraenatus, triedrus, deccanensis, jeyporensis, and collegalensis. Among these complexes, the latter four are composed of ground and litter dwelling species, which were previously assigned to the genus Geckoella; and is currently being treated as a subgenus. Cyrtodactylus triedrus, an endemic species of Sri Lanka, has long been considered a widely distributed single species in this part of the world. Based on morphological and phylogenetic evidences, we demonstrate that C. (G.) triedrus is not a single species, but a species complex. We also describe a new species that is restricted to intermediate savanna-mixed dry lowland forested habitats. Furthermore, we resurrect Geckoella punctata, assign it to the genus Cyrtodactylus and designate a lectotype that we redescribe. The genetic divergence across species of the C. triedrus clade varies between 11–26% in the studied fragment of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene. The molecular phylogeny of the ground dwelling radiation of the subgenus Geckoella indicates deep splits between the Indian species and Sri Lankan endemic C. (G.) triedrus sensu stricto, and between Indian dry and wet zone clades. Cyrtodactylus (G.). triedrus is restricted to the moist or submontane forests in the Central highlands of Sri Lanka and is redescribed herein based on its holotype. Key words: biogeography, cryptic species, Geckoella, island, new species, phylogeny, systematics   Cyrtodactylus vedda       A. A. Thasun Amarasinghe, Suranjan Karunarathna, Patrick D. Campbell, A. K. Anusha Gayan, W. D. Bhanuka Ranasinghe, Anslem De Silva and Zeeshan A. Mirza. 2022. The Hidden Diversity and Inland Radiation of Sri Lanka’s Ground-dwelling Geckos of the Genus Cyrtodactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae). Systematics and Biodiversity. 20(1); 1-25 | Published online: 29 Mar 2022 වැදි-බිම්හූනා "වකනිය හූනන්" ඒ හූනන් විශේෂය සඳහා අපි නමක් ලබා දුන්නා Cyrtodactylus vedda කියල. ඒ අපේ මුතුන් මිත්තන් වන වැදි ජනතාවට කරන ගරු කිරීමක් විදියට. විශේෂයෙන්ම ගල්වැද්දන්ගෙ පරම්පරාවෙන් පැවතෙන නිල්ගල වැදි ජනතාවට අවධානයක් ලබාදීමට. ඒ නිසා මේ හූනන් විශේෂය වැදි-බිම්හූනා කියල සිංහලෙන් හඳුන්වන්න පුළුවන්.   | ||||||||||
| 1:02a | [Arachnida • 2021] Muscopilio onod • Phylogenetic Relationships of A New Genus of Basibiont Harvestmen (Opiliones: Agoristenidae) from Andean Rainforests, Central Colombia
Abstract Based on the most recently published morphological cladistic analysis of the family Agoristenidae, the taxonomic position of an undescribed harvestman species was evaluated. According to the results of an updated phylogenetic analysis, the description of a new monotypic genus is proposed to accommodate this new species. The diagnostic characters of the new genus are: free tergites II and III with three large tubercles, and femora and tibiae of legs II–IV with longitudinal rows of conspicuous tubercles. Muscopilio onod gen. et sp. nov. inhabits Andean rainforests in Cundinamarca department, Central Colombia. Remarkably, almost all individuals collected in the field had at least three families of bryophytes, including mosses (Leucomiaceae) and liverworts (Plagiochilaceae, Lejeuneaceae), growing on their legs, and suggesting a mutualistic relationship between epizoic organisms and harvestmen. Keywords: Andes, Bryophytes, Epibiont, Laniatores, Leiosteninae, Mutualism
Muscopilio Villarreal & García gen. nov. Type species. Muscopilio onod sp. nov., here designated by monotypy. Etymology. From the Latin words muscus (= moss) + pre-existing genus Opilio. Gender masculine. Muscopilio onod Villarreal & García sp. nov Etymology: In the fictional Sindarin language, created by J.R.R. Tolkien, Onod (plural Onodrim) is the name given to the giant tree-like beings, also known as Ents. For us, the new species, greenish in color and with the legs covered by bryophytes, resembles an Onod. Noun in apposition. Osvaldo Villarreal and Andrés F. García. 2021. On the Phylogenetic Relationships of Muscopilio, A New Andean Genus of Basibiont Harvestmen (Opiliones: Agoristenidae). Zoologischer Anzeiger. 292; 150-162. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2021.03.006  | ||||||||||
| 1:41a | [Paleontology • 2022] A New Juvenile Yamaceratops (Dinosauria, Ceratopsia) from the Javkhlant Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of Mongolia
Abstract Here we report a new articulated skeleton of Yamaceratops dorngobiensis (MPC-D 100/553) from the Khugenetjavkhlant locality at the Shine Us Khudag (Javkhlant Formation, ?Santonian-Campanian) of the eastern Gobi Desert, Mongolia, which represents the first substantially complete skeleton and the first juvenile individual of this taxon. The specimen includes a nearly complete cranium and large portions of the vertebral column and appendicular skeleton. Its skull is about 2/3 the size of the holotype specimen, based on mandibular length. Its juvenile ontogenetic stage is confirmed by multiple indicators of skeletal and morphological immaturity known in ceratopsians, such as the long-grained surface texture on the long bones, the smooth external surface on the postorbital, open neurocentral sutures of all caudal vertebrae, a large orbit relative to the postorbital and jugal, the low angle of the lacrimal ventral ramus relative to the maxillary teeth row, narrow frontal, and straight ventral edge of the dentary. Osteohistological analysis of MPC-D 100/553 recovered three lines of arrested growth, implying around 3 years of age when it died, and verified this specimen’s immature ontogenetic stage. The specimen adds a new autapomorphy of Yamaceratops, the anteroventral margin of the fungiform dorsal end of the lacrimal being excluded from the antorbital fossa. Furthermore, it shows a unique combination of diagnostic features of some other basal neoceratopsians: the ventrally hooked rostral bone as in Aquilops americanus and very tall middle caudal neural spines about or more than four times as high as the centrum as in Koreaceratops hwaseongensis, Montanoceratops cerorhynchus, and Protoceratops andrewsi. The jugal with the subtemporal ramus deeper than the suborbital ramus as in the holotype specimen is also shared with A. americanus, Liaoceratops yanzigouensis, and juvenile P. andrewsi. Adding 38 new scorings into the recent comprehensive data matrix of basal Neoceratopsia and taking into account the ontogenetically variable characters recovered Y. dorngobiensis as the sister taxon to Euceratopsia (Leptoceratopsidae plus Coronosauria). A second phylogenetic analysis with another matrix for Ceratopsia also supported this position. The new phylogenetic position of Y. dorngobiensis is important in ceratopsian evolution, as this taxon represents one of the basalmost neoceratopsians with a broad, thin frill and hyper-elongated middle caudal neural spines while still being bipedal. Systematic paleontology Dinosauria Owen, 1842 Ornithischia Seeley, 1887 Marginocephalia Sereno, 1986 Ceratopsia Marsh, 1890 Neoceratopsia Sereno, 1986 Yamaceratops dorngobiensis Makovicky & Norell, 2006 Holotype. IGM 100/1315, an articulated skull from an adult that lacks the rostral, premaxillae, nasals, the predentary, anterior process of the lacrimal, left elements around the temporal region, left posterior mandible, and the parietal (Makovicky & Norell, 2006). Studied specimen. MPC-D 100/553, a reasonably complete articulated skeleton with the left proximal femur and partial foot, but no cervical vertebrae, pectoral girdles, left arm, right hand, other parts of the left leg, and the right foot. Measurements are in the Supplemental Information (Tables S1–S4). Locality, horizon, and age. Khugenetjavkhlant, Dornogovi Province, Mongolia; middle unit of the Javkhlant Formation; Upper Cretaceous (?Santonian-Campanian). The specimen was preserved on top of a trough cross-bedding sandstone that is poorly sorted, as was described for the typical coarse-grained deposits in the middle Javkhlant Formation (Eberth et al., 2009).
    Minyoung Son, Yuong-Nam Lee, Badamkhatan Zorigt, Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Jin-Young Park, Sungjin Lee, Su-Hwan Kim and Kang Young Lee. 2022. A New Juvenile Yamaceratops (Dinosauria, Ceratopsia) from the Javkhlant Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of Mongolia. PeerJ. 10:e13176 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13176  | ||||||||||
| 2:53a | [Botany • 2022] Epidendrum alejandrinae (Orchidaceae: Laeliinae) • A New Species from the high Andean Forests of central Peru
Abstract The high Andean forests harbor great and unique biodiversity. Here, we report a new species of Epidendrum from Peru. Epidendrum alejandrinae is described, illustrated and compared with the morphologically similar Epidendrum ochoae, Epidendrum pachydiscum and Epidendrum aida-alvareziae. We performed a systematic review of herbarium information on the species reported for the Region of Huancavelica and compared the morphological features of the closest species to rule out possible matches. The new species is characterized by a short, foliate aggregate stems, an apical pendulous inflorescence formed from the stem, green resupinate flowers opening in succession, the petals and sepals semi-extended, a 3-lobed lip, lateral lobes obliquely ovoid, median lobe broadly cuneate, bicallose, and four, obovoid, laterally compressed pollinia. The novelty represents an important record for the flora associated with the high Andean forest dominated by Polylepis and Gynoxys in central Peru. Keywords: Andean orchids, central Peru, Gynoxys, Huancavelica, Polylepis, Monocots
 
Epidendrum alejandrinae Hágsater & H.R.Quispe, sp. nov. Similar to Epidendrum ochoae but the flowers green, concolor (vs. flowers yellow-green, irregularly tinged withpurple dots), sepals 8.7–9.0 mm long (vs. 6.5 mm long), and the lip with elongate calli, thick (vs. ellipsoid, laterallycompressed), parallel (somewhat divergent), relatively small, 1.7 × 0.7 mm (vs. calli prominent). Distribution and ecology: Known presently only from the Region of Huancavelica, in central Peru. The plant that served as type was collected inthe upper part of the locality of Sune, near the Judas lagoon, in the middle Mantaro river basin, approximately 20 kmfrom the Amaru-Huachocolpa-Chihuana Cloud Forest RCA. It was found growing in a semi-humid forest dominated by Polylepis albicans Pilger (1906:535) (Boza et al. 2019), epiphytic on a specimen of Gynoxys, an environment thatis typical of the high Andean ecosystem surrounded by a matrix of grassland, with the presence of other genera such as Escallonia and Lupinus Linnaeus (1753:721), at 3900 m in elevation. Flowering was recorded in August (Fig. 3). Etymology: Honoring the memory of Mrs. Alejandrina Melgar Sotomayor (1957-2020), mother of the first author, who was bornin the Region of Huancavelica in life had a great passion for plants and their flowers, always inspiring a deep respectfor nature. Harold Rusbelth Quispe-Melgar, Yashira Stefani Llacua-Tineo, Fressia Nathalie Ames-Martínez, David Huayta, Katherine Lucero Lagones Poma and Eric Hágsater. 2022. Epidendrum alejandrinae (Orchidaceae: Laeliinae), A New Species from the high Andean Forests of central Peru. Phytotaxa. 541(3); 217-224. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.541.3.1 [2022-03-29]    | ||||||||||
| 4:17a | [Herpetology • 2021] Hemidactylus gramineus • A New Species of Ground-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Abstract A recent taxonomic revision of geckos of the genus Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820 uncovered cryptic diversity within the Congolese population of H. nzingae Ceríaco, Agarwal, Marques and Bauer, 2020. Herein, we describe an unnamed southern Congolese lineage of H. nzingae as a new species. We base our description on previously published molecular evidence and newly collected morphological, meristic, and coloration data. Members of the group share a conservative morphology, and the newly described species is very similar to H. nzingae from which it differs mostly on the basis of coloration and tubercle scale rows. Our description is the first new species of gecko described from Democratic Republic of the Congo in nearly 7 decades and reinforces the already strong evidence that the country is a hotspot of reptile diversity.  Luis M. P. Ceríaco, Aaron M. Bauer, Chifundera Kusamba, Ishan Agarwal and Eli Greenbaum. 2021. A New Species of Ground-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Journal of Herpetology. 55(2); 105-111. DOI: 10.1670/20-094 | ||||||||||
| 4:21a | [Herpetology • 2021] Hemidactylus gramineus • A New Species of Ground-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Abstract A recent taxonomic revision of geckos of the genus Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820 uncovered cryptic diversity within the Congolese population of H. nzingae Ceríaco, Agarwal, Marques and Bauer, 2020. Herein, we describe an unnamed southern Congolese lineage of H. nzingae as a new species. We base our description on previously published molecular evidence and newly collected morphological, meristic, and coloration data. Members of the group share a conservative morphology, and the newly described species is very similar to H. nzingae from which it differs mostly on the basis of coloration and tubercle scale rows. Our description is the first new species of gecko described from Democratic Republic of the Congo in nearly 7 decades and reinforces the already strong evidence that the country is a hotspot of reptile diversity. Luis M. P. Ceríaco, Aaron M. Bauer, Chifundera Kusamba, Ishan Agarwal and Eli Greenbaum. 2021. A New Species of Ground-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Journal of Herpetology. 55(2); 105-111. DOI: 10.1670/20-094 | ||||||||||
| 8:45a | [Botany • 2022] Paypayrola panamensis (Violaceae) • A New Species from Panama, with Notes About the Species Complexes for the Genus
Abstract A new species of Paypayrola is described from multiple exsiccatae from west-central and east-central Panama. Paypayrola panamensis sp. nov. is represented by dozens of herbarium specimens from 26 putatively distinct populations located at lower elevations on the northern slope, in wet evergreen tropical forest on slopes and ridgetops, as well as along streams and rivers. By in its moderately short-petiolate leaves and yellow corollas, the new species resembles northern South American P. guianensis and P. hulkiana. It differs from P. guianensis in its proportionally longer leaf blades, subsessile to short-pedunculate, short inflorescences, and puberulent sepals longer than broad. It differs from P. hulkiana in its proportionally broader leaf blades, and proportionally broader elliptical to suborbicular sepals, commonly with two (rarely four) distinct lateral nerves besides the medial nerve, and a broadly rounded to frequently truncate or retuse apex. The new species also differs from both in its larger leaf blades with more lateral nerves, tapering to a narrowly rounded or weakly subattenuate apex, and a more densely flowered inflorescence. A key differentiating it from other species of Paypayrola is provided. In discussing the genus, three species complexes are well separated based on corolla color and inflorescence features. Keywords: Eudicots, Violaceae, Paypayrola, Panama
Paypayrola panamensis H. E. Ballard, sp. nov. Paypayrola panamensis differs most obviously from P. guianensis in its proportionally longer leaf blades, subsessile to short-pedunculate, short inflorescences, and puberulent sepals that are commonly slightly to distinctly longer than broad; from P. hulkiana in its proportionally broader leaf blades, proportionally broader elliptical to suborbicular sepals commonly with two (rarely four) distinct lateral nerves in addition to the medial nerve and a frequently truncate or retuse apex; and from both in its larger leaf blades with more lateral nerves, blade apex weakly subattenuate to narrowly rounded, and a densely flowered inflorescence. Etymology:—Being the sole Paypayrola in Mesoamerica and well represented by many collections in a bimodal distribution of west-central and east-central Panama, the species is named for the country of Panama to which it is endemic. Distribution and habitat:—Paypayrola panamensis is presently confirmed from 48 herbarium specimens representing 26 separate localities inferred as distinct populations in central Panama (Fig. 3). The species grows in moist to wet evergreen forest on low slopes and low local ridgetops often near or along streams and rivers but rarely in riparian forest, on the Atlantic slope, to the west and east of the Canal Zone but not near it, at 30–500 m in elevation Harvey E. (Jr.) Ballard. 2022. A New Paypayrola (Violaceae) from Panama, with Notes About the Species Complexes for the Genus. Phytotaxa. 542(3); 283–292. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.542.3.4   | ||||||||||
| 3:38p | [Entomology • 2022] Pharmacus cristatus, P. concinnus, P. perfidus, etc. • High Alpine Sorcerers: Revision of the Cave Wētā Genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae), with the Description of Six New Species and Th
ABSTRACT The New Zealand alpine cave wētā genus Pharmacus was first described by Pictet & de Saussure (1893) as a monotypic taxon. Three species were added to the genus by Richards in 1972. Here we clarify the status and appearance of all known species of Pharmacus. Based on morphology and mtDNA sequences we determine that the species Pharmacus brewsterensis Richards, 1972 is better placed within the genus Notoplectron Richards, 1964. We also resolve the species Isoplectron cochleatum Karny, 1935 and show that it belongs to the genus Pharmacus. Additionally, we describe six new species and three new subspecies from the southern regions of South Island, New Zealand. We provide key traits and known distributions for all known species and subspecies in this alpine genus. New combinations: Pharmacus brewsterensis Richards, 1972 becomes Notoplectron brewsterense (Richards, 1972) comb. nov.; Isoplectron cochleatum Karny, 1935 becomes Pharmacus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov. New species and subspecies: Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov., Pharmacus cochleatus fiordensis subsp. nov., Pharmacus cochleatus nauclerus subsp. nov., Pharmacus concinnus sp. nov., Pharmacus cristatus sp. nov., Pharmacus notabilis sp. nov., Pharmacus perfidus sp. nov., Pharmacus senex sp. nov. and Pharmacus vallestris sp. nov. New synonyms: Pharmacus dumbletoni Richards, 1972 = Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893 syn. nov.; Pharmacus chapmanae Richards, 1972 = Pharmacus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) syn. nov. Keywords: cave wētā, Pharmacus, Rhaphidophoridae, systematics, Mount Cook flea, New Zealand Order Orthoptera Latreille, 1793 Superfamily Rhaphidophoroidea Walker, 1869 Family Rhaphidophoridae Walker, 1869 Subfamily Macropathinae Karny, 1930 Tribe Macropathini Karny, 1930 Genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893 Etymology: ‘Pharmăcus’ is Latin for ‘sorcerer’. The noun’s gender is masculine. Pharmacus montanus Pictet & de Saussure, 1893 Pharmacus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov. Pharmacus cochleatus cochleatus (Karny, 1935) comb. nov. Pharmacus cochleatus nauclerus subsp. nov. Etymology: ‘Nauclērus’ is Latin for ‘skipper’, after the Skippers Range in South Westland. Pharmacus cochleatus fiordensis subsp. nov. Etymology: ‘Fiordensis’, inhabits Fiordland, the geographical region in the south-west corner of New Zealand. Crowe (2002) refers to this insect as ‘black tumbling cave wētā’ in light of his observations of how “to escape danger, it leaps, then rolls down the scree to tumble into a gap between the stones”. Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov. Etymology: ‘Rāwhiti’ is Te Reo for ‘eastern’ – this subspecies inhabits mountain ranges east of the Southern Alps.Unaware of the fact that it belongs to the same species as his ‘black tumbling cave wētā’, Crowe (2002) refers to this insect as ‘Remarkables cave wētā’. We discourage the use of this common name, since there are at least four species of cave wētā found in The Remarkables, including two species of Pharmacus. The range of Pharmacus cochleatus rawhiti subsp. nov. extends well beyond The Remarkables, as far south as the Garvie and Umbrella Mountains, and west to the Livingstone Mountains.
Pharmacus cristatus sp. nov. Etymology: ‘Cristātus’ is Latin for ‘tufted’. Named after the prominent hair tufts on the vertex of the male subgenital plate (Fig. 10G–H). Pharmacus notabilis sp. nov. Etymology: ‘Nŏtābĭlis’ is Latin for ‘remarkable’, after the location where the species was first discovered, The Remarkables near Queenstown. Pharmacus notabilis means ‘remarkable sorcerer’. Pharmacus senex sp. nov. Etymology: ‘Senex’ is Latin for ‘old’ (of a person), after the Old Man and Old Woman Ranges in Central Otago. Pharmacus senex means ‘old sorcerer’. Pharmacus concinnus sp. nov. Etymology: ‘Concīnnus’ is Latin for ‘pleasing’, ‘elegant’, also ‘symmetrical’, after the Symmetry Peaks in the Eyre Mountains where it was first discovered. Pharmacus concinnus means ‘elegant sorcerer’. Pharmacus perfidus sp. nov. Etymology: ‘Perfĭdus’ (noun) is Latin for ‘criminal’, ‘crook’. Pharmacus perfidus means ‘criminal sorcerer’. Try scrambling on the jagged, crumbly ridgelines of the Takitimu Mountains at night and you will know why. It is also banished to an isolated mountain range, a great distance away from all other Pharmacus species (see Fig. 6). Pharmacus vallestris sp. nov. Etymology: ‘Vallestris’ is Latin for ‘of the valley’. In contrast to sympatric species that inhabit the mountain tops. Danilo Hegg, Mary Morgan-Richards and Steven A. Trewick. 2022. High Alpine Sorcerers: Revision of the Cave Wētā Genus Pharmacus Pictet & de Saussure (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae: Macropathinae), with the Description of Six New Species and Three New Subspecies. European Journal of Taxonomy. 808(1), 1–58. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2022.808.1721 |
| << Previous Day |
2022/04/06 [Calendar] |
Next Day >> |