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Tuesday, July 12th, 2022
| Time | Event | ||||||||
| 2:09a | [Botany • 2022] Bulbophyllum sungaiutikense (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae) • A New Species of Bulbophyllum sect. Beccariana from Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia
Abstract Bulbophyllum sungaiutikense is a new orchid species from Kapuas Hulu, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia, and a member of the B. sect. Beccariana, allied to B. nabawanense. It differs from the latter in having tetragonal lateral sepals with an elongate triangular apical part, long acuminate petals, different and longer labellum with flattened base and verrucose adaxial surface. Notes on ecology and phenology, discussion of morphologically similar species, amendments to the key to B. sect. Beccariana in Borneo, illustrations and photographs are included here. Keywords: Lowland, Malesia, Orchid, peat swamp, taxonomy, Monocots    Bulbophyllum sungaiutikense F.H.Kurniawan, Yudistira & Mustaqim, sp. nov. Etymology:— Named for Sungai Utik, the hamlet where the type specimen was collected. Firman H. Kurniawan, Yuda R. Yudistira and Wendy A. Mustaqim. 2022. A New Species of Bulbophyllum (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae) from Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia. Phytotaxa. 544(1); 89-94. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.544.1.8 Dosen Biologi UNSAM ikut temukan spesies baru anggrek Bulbophyllum Sungai Utik | ||||||||
| 3:55p | [Ichthyology • 2022] Dussumieria modakandai • Integrative Taxonomy–based Discovery of A New Species (Clupeiformes: Dussumieriidae) from India
Abstract This study is based on integrative taxonomy and reports a new fish species Dussumieria modakandai sp. nov. from India. The new species differs from three valid species within the genus by a combination of characters such as longer maxilla (9.1%–9.9% standard length vs. 8.7% in Dussumieria elopsoides, 6.3%–8.5% in Dussumieria acuta) and one or two rows of small conical teeth on palatine (vs. several rows in D. elopsoides and Dussumieria albulina). It also differs by the absence of longitudinal striae on the posterior side of body scales (vs. presence in D. acuta and D. albulina) and the absence of parasphenoid teeth (vs. presence in D. acuta). The maxilla length of D. modakandai sp. nov. is greater than snout length, which distinguishes it from other congeners. The multivariate analysis of morphometric characters using PCA differentiated the new species from D. elopsoides and D. acuta samples collected in this study. The molecular analysis, based on cytochrome c oxidase I, distinguished the new species from D. acuta, D. albulina and D. elopsoides with a high genetic distance of 13.73%, 12.22% and 12.74%, respectively. The maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree and automatic barcode gap discovery analysis showed the existence of six putative species in Dussumieria. Even the exhaustive sub-clade formation within species and high intra-species genetic distance in D. acuta (1.59) and D. modakandai (1.95) indicate the possibility of a few more cryptic species. This warrants comprehensive sample collection across the distribution range and integrative taxonomic study of the genus Dussumieria. Keywords: barcode gap, cryptic species, genetic distance, morphometric character, PCA
Dussumieria modakandai sp. nov. English name: Soft Rainbow Sardine Etymology: The specific name of the new species D. modakandai sp. nov. is derived from two vernacular words in Tamil language, “moda” means “soft” and “kandai” means fish, jointly called soft fish. This is being used as an adjective here. Mahender Singh, Thazhathe K. Teena Jayakumar, Thipramalai Thangappan A. Kumar, Sanjeev Murali, Akhilesh Mishra, Achal Singh and Kuldeep K. Lal. 2022. Integrative Taxonomy–based Discovery of Dussumieria modakandai sp. nov. from India. Journal of Fish Biology. 100(1); 268-278. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14943 | ||||||||
| 4:01p | [Herpetology • 2022] A Review of Torrent frogs (Amolops: Ranidae) from Bhutan, the Description of A New Species, and Reassessment of the Taxonomic Validity of some A. viridimaculatus Group Species aided by Archival DNA Sequences of Century-old Type Speci
Abstract Seven species of the Asian torrent frogs (genus Amolops) have previously been reported from the eastern Himalayan country of Bhutan. Species identifications from the region have been largely based on photographed animals with few voucher specimens available and no molecular sampling. Understanding the taxonomic status of Bhutan’s torrent frogs has also been hampered by the poorly understood distributional limits of species from surrounding regions. Herein we utilised molecular phylogenetic and morphological data for vouchered specimens from Bhutan and provide a complete literature review of all Amolops populations reported from the country. Phylogenetic relationships were estimated by combining available sequence data (from GenBank) with newly generated sequences from recently collected Bhutanese Amolops populations. We also obtained archival DNA sequences from the type specimens of Amolops formosus, A. himalayanus, and A. kaulbacki, collected between 82 and 151 years ago. Our comparative analyses revealed a large, new (to science) species of the Amolops viridimaculatus group from eastern Bhutan. Morphological examinations of related taxa revealed that A. senchalensis from India is not a synonym of A. marmoratus. Molecular phylogenetic results supplemented by morphological data unambiguously demonstrate i) that A. himalayanus is present in eastern Nepal, ii) the presence of a previously undocumented population of A. nepalicus in eastern Nepal, iii) a 200 km range extention for A. kaulbacki into Yunnan, China, iv) that A. gyirongensis should be considered a junior subjective synonym of A. formosus, and v) that A. splendissimus from Vietnam should be considered a junior subjective synonym of A. viridimaculatus. Based on our results, we expand the Amolops viridimaculatus group to include nine species, including A. formosus, A. himalayanus, A. kaulbacki, and the new species described herein. We provisionally include a further three species in the viridimaculatus group based on morphology, A. longimanus, A. nidorbellus, and A. senchalensis. Combining our data with the literature review allowed us to identify several unidentified Amolops species from recent phylogenetic studies and remove nine frog species (including Hyla, Sylvirana, and seven Amolops species) from Bhutan’s amphibian checklist. We recognise four species of Amolops in Bhutan, three of which cannot be confidently identified to the species level based on currently available data. Keywords: Anura, taxonomy, Himalayas, conservation, vouchered-specimens
Amolops wangyali sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet is a patronym, named in recognition of Mr. Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal, a Forest Officer with the Department of Forest and Park Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Government of Bhutan. Jigme is an accomplished Bhutanese herpetologist and has published many papers on the subject (Wangyal, 2011, 2013, 2014; Wangyal & Gurung, 2012, 2017; Wangyal & Das, 2014; Wangyal et al., 2020). Jigme’s extensive network of Forest Officers, researchers and wildlife enthusiasts have supplemented his extensive personal observations in several of his publications, and as a consequence, many of the species currently on Bhutan’s amphibian and reptile checklist were first documented in the country through his efforts. He continues to support and inspire interest in amphibian and reptile research through seminars and field training workshops and is a vocal proponent for improving standards of herpetological research in Bhutan. Suggested common name Wangyal’s torrent frog. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we identified four species of Amolops from Bhutan: (1) Amolops sp. 1. (viridimaculatus group: from Tshewang & Letro, 2018), (2) A. cf. gerbillus (marmoratus group), (3) A. cf. putaoensis (monticola group), and (4) A. wangyali sp. nov. (viridimaculatus group). Outside of the new species described herein, we were unable to determine species identities for these taxa given the available data. Until such time as vouchered specimens are clearly identified from the country by means of a detailed morphological comparison of vouchered specimens with relevant taxonomic literature, and/or with the aid of DNA sequence data, the following nine species must be formally removed from the amphibian checklist of Bhutan: (1) Amolops formosus, (2) A. gerbillus, (3) A. himalayanus (including A. aff. himalayanus), (4) A. mantzorum, (5) A. marmoratus, (6) A. monticola, (7) A. wenshanensis, (8) Sylvirana cf. guentheri, (9) Hyla annectans (including Hyla cf. annectans). Unintentional misidentifications in the literature can result in significantly overestimated/ erroneous geographic distributions for species, a situation which undermines conservation efforts. Inaccuracies in such assessments could even result in the redirection of conservation resources (funds and efforts) away from vulnerable range restricted species that require urgent attention. For these reasons, we encourage authors not to assign species names to taxa in publications if there is any uncertainty regarding the identification of the species. Many populations of amphibians reported from Bhutan (and elsewhere in Asia) are provided non-specific locality details (e.g. lack GPS coordinates, elevation details), are not represented in museum/university collections by vouchered specimens, and are often published without photographic evidence. Locally abundant species can often be dismissed as “common”, or of little scientific interest, and subsequently ignored by researchers; however, studies on Himalayan amphibians have demonstrated that “common” or widespread species occasionally represent complexes of morphologically similar species (e.g. Dubois, 1975; Kamei et al., 2009; Dever et al., 2012; Khatiwada et al., 2017; Mahony et al., 2013, 2018, 2020), so careful attention to document every species should be made when possible. Our review of Amolops reports in literature demonstrate that some taxonomic information can be obtained from good quality images of uncollected animals, but inevitably an accurate species inventory for Bhutan’s amphibian fauna will not be possible without permanently maintained reference collections of vouchered specimens. Range restricted species may be only one drought, forest fire or hydroelectric dam away from extinction, thus the urgency to catalogue the Himalayan biodiversity has never been more urgent. Stephen Mahony, Tshering Nidup, Jeffrey W. Streicher, Emma C. Teeling and Rachunliu G. Kamei. 2022. A Review of Torrent frogs (Amolops: Ranidae) from Bhutan, the Description of A New Species, and Reassessment of the Taxonomic Validity of some A. viridimaculatus Group Species aided by Archival DNA Sequences of Century-old Type Specimens. The Herpetological Journal. 32(3); 142-175. DOI: 10.33256/32.3.142175  | ||||||||
| 4:08p | [Paleontology • 2022] Marmorerpeton wakei • Middle Jurassic Fossils (Caudata: Karauridae) document An early Stage in Salamander Evolution
Significance: Little is known about stem-lineage salamanders, limiting understanding of their early evolution and of the origins of modern amphibian diversity. We report new, three-dimensionally preserved skeletons of the stem-salamander Marmorerpeton, from 166 million-year-old rocks in Scotland, documenting many phylogenetically informative anatomical traits. High resolution computed tomography (CT) scans reveal unprecedented three-dimensional anatomical detail, illuminating anatomical changes during early salamander evolution. Phylogenetic analysis provides evidence for an anatomically diverse radiation of early stem salamanders distributed across Eurasia during the Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Our findings highlight the morphological variety of stem-salamanders, undermining the use of single exemplars (e.g., Karaurus; the “Archaeopteryx” of salamanders) to represent early evolutionary transitions. Abstract Salamanders are an important group of living amphibians and model organisms for understanding locomotion, development, regeneration, feeding, and toxicity in tetrapods. However, their origin and early radiation remain poorly understood, with early fossil stem-salamanders so far represented by larval or incompletely known taxa. This poor record also limits understanding of the origin of Lissamphibia (i.e., frogs, salamanders, and caecilians). We report fossils from the Middle Jurassic of Scotland representing almost the entire skeleton of the enigmatic stem-salamander Marmorerpeton. We use computed tomography to visualize high-resolution three-dimensional anatomy, describing morphologies that were poorly characterized in early salamanders, including the braincase, scapulocoracoid, and lower jaw. We use these data in the context of a phylogenetic analysis intended to resolve the relationships of early and stem-salamanders, including representation of important outgroups alongside data from high-resolution imaging of extant species. Marmorerpeton is united with Karaurus, Kokartus, and others from the Middle Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous of Asia, providing evidence for an early radiation of robustly built neotenous stem-salamanders. These taxa display morphological specializations similar to the extant cryptobranchid “giant” salamanders. Our analysis also demonstrates stem-group affinities for a larger sample of Jurassic species than previously recognized, highlighting an unappreciated diversity of stem-salamanders and cautioning against the use of single species (e.g., Karaurus) as exemplars for stem-salamander anatomy. These phylogenetic findings, combined with knowledge of the near-complete skeletal anatomy of Mamorerpeton, advance our understanding of evolutionary changes on the salamander stem-lineage and provide important data on early salamanders and the origins of Batrachia and Lissamphibia.     Marmorerpeton wakei Marc E. H. Jones, Roger B. J. Benson, Pavel Skutschas, Lucy Hill, Elsa Panciroli, Armin D. Schmitt, Stig A. Walsh and Susan E. Evans. 2022. Middle Jurassic Fossils document An early Stage in Salamander Evolution. PNAS. 119 (30) e2114100119. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2114100119 Marmorerpeton wakei (mar-more-ER-pet-on WAY-kee), |
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