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Tuesday, August 16th, 2022
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| 2:13a | [Botany • 2022] Cyne barcelonae (Loranthaceae) • An Evaluation of the Genus Cyne including A New Species and Rediscovery and Neotypification of the Rare C. quadriangula
Abstract A new species of Cyne (Loranthaceae) from Bucas Grande and Dinagat Islands, Philippines is described and named C. barcelonae in honor of the Filipina botanist Julie F. Barcelona. Phylogenetic analysis using the complete nuclear ribosomal DNA cistron confirms it is sister to C. banahaensis, the only species among the six in the genus with complete descriptions of floral morphology. The species is similar to the rare C. perfoliata of Papua New Guinea by having connate-perfoliate upper leaves but differs from others in the genus by possessing palmate leaf venation, inflorescences lacking an operculum, light green corollas, and stamens with filaments. No type material for Cyne quadriangula exists, thus this taxon is only known from the original protologue. It was rediscovered on Bucas Grande Island and that collection was described and used as the neotype for the species. A revised description of the genus and key to the seven species is provided. Keywords: Caraga region, mistletoe, parasitic plant, Santalales, Eudicots 
   Cyne barcelonae Nickrent & Rule, sp. nov. Diagnosis:—Similar to C. perfoliata by its basally connate upper leaves and to other species by its possession of sessile decussate pairs of triads composed of 6-merous flowers with a style articulated above the base. It differs from these by having palmate (vs. pinnate) leaf venation, inflorescences that lack an operculum (vs. with an operculum), light green corollas (vs. yellow, red, etc.) and stamens with filaments (vs. sessile anthers). Etymology:—This species is named in honor of the Filipina botanist Dr. Julie Fenete Barcelona (1972 – ) who has made major contributions to our knowledge of the Philippine flora, particularly for pteridophytes and Rafflesia.   Cyne quadriangula Danser, Philipp. J. Sci. 58: 38 (1935) Conclusions: It appears that the presence of an operculum cannot now be used as a diagnostic feature of all Cyne species. Despite this, corky periderm tissue subtending the inflorescences, whether it enlarges upon flower maturation or not, may be present among all the species. The well-documented floral features of C. barcelonae, C. banahaensis, and C. quadriangula reported here expand the range of morphological character states known for the genus. It is clear that for the remaining species much more morphological information, obtained from living material, is required to fully understand interspecific relationships and to confirm placement within Cyne (e.g. C. monotrias). Although it is encouraging that new populations of the three Philippine Cyne species have been discovered, continuing environmental degradation, from both natural and anthropogenic causes, decreases the prospect of rediscovering and documenting the exceptionally rare C. baetorta, C. monotrias, C. papuana, and C. perfoliata. Because of their complex life histories and existence at higher trophic levels, these mistletoes are extremely sensitive to environmental perturbation, thus their conservation should be of high priority. In fact, the presence of such rare mistletoes could be used to monitor overall ecosystem health. Daniel L. Nickrent and Mark Gregory Q. Rule. 2022. An Evaluation of the Genus Cyne (Loranthaceae) including A New Species and Rediscovery and Neotypification of the Rare C. quadriangula. Phytotaxa. 558(1); 67-80. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.558.1.4 facebook.com/phtaxa/posts/5085616954901 | ||||||||
| 2:33a | [Entomology • 2022] Pachyrhynchus panumanon • A New Species of Easter Egg Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae: Pachyrhynchini) from Northern Mindanao, Philippines
Abstract A new species of easter egg weevil belonging to the Pachyrhynchus speciosus group from Misamis Oriental, Mindanao Island, Philippines is described with brief notes on its ecology and behavior. Keywords: biodiversity, novel species, speciosus group, taxonomy, weevils.
Pachyrhynchus panumanon Cabras & Medina sp. nov. Diagnosis: Pachyrhynchus panumanon sp. nov. belongs to Pachyrhynchus speciosus species group. It differs from its congeners for a combination of the following characters: a) color of the body and investiture ranging from green, purple, and black, b) cross-shape scaly pronotal marks, c) unique scaly elytral marks consisting of two thick elliptical rings on basal third, two thick transverse median stripes from suture to lateral margin, and a subtriangular ring on apical third which extends from stria I to lateral margin. Other Pachyrhynchus species with cross shape pronotal marks are Pachyrhynchus davaoensis Schultze, 1934, Pachyrhynchus notocruciatus Yoshitake 2017, and Pachyrhynchus cabrasae Rukmane & Barševskis, 2016. However, P. panumanon sp. nov. differs from P. cabrasae for having three bands in the elytra whereas P. cabrasae has net-like elytral marks, and although it shares similar elytral bands with P. davaoensis and P. notocruciatus, it differs for having greenish to purple, and black body color, subglobular pronotum, and slender body with a faintly narrowed subapical constrictions.
Etymology: The specific epithet is named after “Panumanon” the Higaunon god who guards the animals including insects. Analyn Anzano Cabras, Melbert Baul, Reagan Joseph Villanueva and Milton Norman Medina. 2022. Pachyrhynchus panumanon sp. nov., A New Species of Easter Egg Weevil (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Pachyrhynchini) from Northern Mindanao, Philippines. Journal of Tropical Coleopterology. 3(1); 88 - 97. DOI: 10.53716/jtc.3.1.11.2022 | ||||||||
| 4:07a | [Entomology • 2020] Amblysellus raygozai • A New Species of the Grass-feeding Leafhopper Genus Amblysellus Sleesman (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from western Mexico, with A Checklist and Key to Species
Abstract A new Mexican leafhopper species, Amblysellus raygozai sp. nov., is described and illustrated from western Mexico. Specimens were collected over perennial grasses. A key for all recognized species within the country is provided. Keywords: Hemiptera, Deltocephalini, Auchenorrhyncha, morphology, seasonal morphs, Jalisco  Amblysellus raygozai sp. nov. J. A. Pinedo-Escatel, I. M. Becerra-Chiron, R. Torres-Moreno and L. I. Pérez-Valencia. 2020. A New Species of the Grass-feeding Leafhopper Genus Amblysellus Sleesman (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from western Mexico, with A Checklist and Key to Species. Zootaxa. 4853(2); 292–300. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4853.2.10 | ||||||||
| 5:53a | [Paleontology • 2022] Jakapil kaniukura • A New Cretaceous Thyreophoran (Ornithischia: Thyreophora) from Patagonia supports A South American Lineage of Armoured Dinosaurs
Abstract The early evolution of thyreophoran dinosaurs is thought to have occurred primarily in northern continents since most evidence comes from the Lower and Middle Jurassic of Europe and North America. The diversification into stegosaurs and ankylosaurs is obscured by a patchy fossil record comprising only a handful of fragmentary fossils, most with uncertain phylogenetic affinities. Here we report the discovery of a new armoured dinosaur from the early Late Cretaceous of Argentina, recovered phylogenetically using various datasets either as a basal thyreophoran or a stem ankylosaur, closely related to Scelidosaurus. It bears unusual anatomical features showing that several traits traditionally associated with the heavy Cretaceous thyreophorans did not occur universally. Jakapil kaniukura gen. et sp. nov. is the first definitive thyreophoran species from the Argentinian Patagonia. Unlike most thyreophorans, it seems to show a bipedal stance, as in Scutellosaurus. Jakapil also shows that early thyreophorans had a much broader geographic distribution than previously thought. It is a member of an ancient basal thyreophoran lineage that survived until the Late Cretaceous in South America.   
Systematic paleontology Dinosauria Owen, 1842 Ornithischia Seeley, 1887 Thyreophora Nopcsa, 1915 Jakapil kaniukura gen. et sp. nov. Diagnosis: Jakapil differs from all other thyreophorans in having: a large, ventral crest on the posterior half of the lower jaw, which is composed of the dentary, the angular and the splenial (medially hidden by the crest); a dorsomedially directed process in the short retroarticular process; leaf-shaped tooth crowns with a prominent mesial edge on their labial surface; maxillary and dentary tooth crowns differ from each other in their apical contour, the former being pointed and strongly asymmetrical, and the latter slightly curved distally with a more rounded and less asymmetrical contour; elongated (articular surface almost or completely beyond the posterior centrum face) and slender (width of less than a half postzygapophyses length) postzygapophyses in dorsal vertebrae; a strongly reduced humerus relative to the femur (proximal humeral width smaller than distal femoral width, see Supplementary Information), with a deep proximal fossa distally delimited by a curved ridge; a very large fibula relative to the femur (anteroposterior length of the proximal end almost comparable to the distal width of the femur); flattened and thin disk-like postcranial osteoderms. Locality and horizon: Upper beds of the Candeleros Formation, early Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian, ~ 94–97 My, see16, and references therein), locality of Cerro Policía, Río Negro Province, North Patagonia, Argentina (Suppl. Fig. 1). Etymology: The genus, Jakapil (Ja-Kapïl: shield bearer), comes from the ‘gananah iahish’, Puelchean or northern Tehuelchean language. The specific epithet, comprising kaniu (crest) and kura (stone), refers to the diagnostic ventral crest of the mandible, and comes from the Mapudungun language. These languages, currently spoken by more than 200,000 people, have been combined as a tribute to both of the coexisting native populations of North Patagonia, South America.  Facundo J. Riguetti, Sebastián Apesteguía and Xabier Pereda-Suberbiola. 2022. A New Cretaceous Thyreophoran from Patagonia supports A South American Lineage of Armoured Dinosaurs. Scientific Reports. 12: 11621. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15535-6 Researchgate.net/publication/362643937_A   | ||||||||
| 9:10a | [Invertebrate • 2022] Orobdella ibukifukuyamai • A New Sexannulate Species of Orobdella (Hirudinea: Arhynchobdellida: Orobdellidae) from Kii-Oshima Island, Japan
Abstract A large-type sexannulate leech species, Orobdella ibukifukuyamai sp. nov., from Kii-Oshima Island, Japan, is described based on morphologic and molecular data. Phylogenetic analyses using nuclear 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, histone H3, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, tRNACys, tRNAMet, 12S rRNA, tRNAVal, 16S rRNA, tRNALeu and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 markers showed that O. ibukifukuyamai formed a clade with the sexannulate O. okanoi Nakano, 2016 and O. yamaneae Nakano, 2016 and octannulate O. nakahamai Nakano, 2016, which are endemic to Shikoku island, Japan. Key Words: Hirudinida, Erpobdelliformes, Japanese Archipelago, molecular phylogeny
Family Orobdellidae Nakano, Ramlah & Hikida, 2012 Genus Orobdella Oka, 1895 Type species: Orobdella whitmani Oka, 1895, fixed by subsequent designation (Soós 1966). Orobdella ibukifukuyamai sp. nov. Diagnosis: Body length of mature individuals reaching ~15 cm. Somite VII quinquannulate, somites VIII–XXV sexannulate, b1 = b2 < a2 = b5 > c11 = c12 (especially mid-body somites). Male gonopore in slightly anterior to middle of, or in middle of somite XI c12, female gonopore in somite XIII b2/a2, posterior to gastropore, gonopores separated by 1/2 + 8 annuli. Pharynx reaching to somite XIV a2/b5–b5. Gastropore conspicuous, in somite XIII b2/a2. Gastroporal duct thick tubular. Paired epididymides in somites XVI–XVIII, occupying 11–12 annuli. Atrial cornua developed, ovate, without pre-atrial loop. Dorsal surface reddish brown in life. Etymology: The specific name is dedicated to Mr Ibuki Fukuyama who collected the specimens of the new species. Takafumi Nakano. 2022. A New Sexannulate Species of Orobdella (Hirudinea, Arhynchobdellida, Orobdellidae) from Kii-Oshima Island, Japan. Evolutionary Systematics. 6(2): 135-142. DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.6.86308 | ||||||||
| 3:09p | [Arachnida • 2022] Paruroctonus soda & P. conclusus • Two New Alkali-sink Specialist Species of Paruroctonus Werner 1934 (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) from central California
Abstract Herein we describe two new species of Paruroctonus (Werner 1934) from California: Paruroctonus soda sp. nov. from the Soda Lake playa at the center of the Carrizo Plain in San Luis Obispo county and Paruroctonus conclusus sp. nov. from the Koehn Lake playa in the Mojave Desert of Kern County. They can be differentiated from other Paruroctonus by a combination of morphological features including deeply scalloped pedipalp fingers in males, specific patterns of fuscous pigmentation, unique setal counts, and unique morphometric ratios. They can also be separated from one another by the latter three characters. Photographs of a large selection of live scorpions are provided, including detailed images and figures of many morphological features. Their distributions, habitats, and ecologies are discussed; and important steps towards their conservation are described. Keywords: Conservation, desert, playa, salt flat, scorpions
Family Vaejovidae Thorell, 1876 Genus Paruroctonus Werner, 1934 Paruroctonus soda sp. nov. Etymology: Paruroctonus soda sp. nov. is named after Soda Lake, which is the only locality this species is known from. The name also reflects the highly alkaline soils this species inhabits.
Paruroctonus conclusus sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet conclusus translates to restricted or confined, in reference to the high degree of habitat specialization and severely limited range of Paruroctonus conclusus sp. nov. Prakrit Jain, Harper Forbes and Lauren A. Esposito. 2022. Two New Alkali-sink Specialist Species of Paruroctonus Werner 1934 (Scorpiones, Vaejovidae) from central California. ZooKeys. 1117: 139-188. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1117.76872 phys.org/news/2022-08-high-school-studen | ||||||||
| 4:36p | [Crustacea • 2022] Ghatiana dvivarna • A New Species of the Freshwater Crab Genus Ghatiana Pati & Sharma, 2014 (Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from the Central Western Ghats, India
Abstract A new species of the freshwater crab genus Ghatiana Pati and Sharma, 2014, is recognized herein from the Karnataka State, India. Ghatiana dvivarna sp. nov. usually inhabits holes in the laterite rocks on the elevated mountains of the Central Western Ghats (south of Goa-Nilgiris). The predominantly white color in life and the characteristic smaller eyes relative to the orbits of the new species easily distinguish it from congeners. Ghatiana dvivarna sp. nov. most resembles Ghatiana pulchra Pati and Thackeray, 2018, but can be differentiated mainly by its relatively more slender terminal segment of the male first gonopod. Ghatiana currently comprises 11 species, now including Ghatiana dvivarna sp. nov. Keywords: Crustacea; Decapoda; Gecarcinucoidea; Karnataka; Oriental region; taxonomy Superfamily Gecarcinucoidea Rathbun, 1904 Family Gecarcinucidae Rathbun, 1904 Ghatiana Pati and Sharma, 2014 Type species. Ghatiana aurantiaca Pati and Sharma, 2014, by original designation; gender feminine. Remarks. The genus is characterized by the combination of the following morphological characters: the frontal margin is relatively narrow; the first and second maxillipeds each possesses a distinct flagellum on the exopod; the flagellum on the relatively longer exopod of the third maxilliped is absent; the male pleon is relatively stouter, with a relatively squarish pleonite somite 6; the male telson is elongated; G1 is relatively stouter and shorter; G2 is very short, with a very short distal segment (Pati and Thackeray, 2018; 2021).
Ghatiana dvivarna sp. nov. Type locality. India, Karnataka State, Uttara Kannada District, Bare, 1..., alt. 656 m. Diagnosis. Carapace in adult proportionately broad (CW/CL = 1.7-1.9), strongly arched (CH/CL = 0.7) (Figs. 3A, B, 5A, B, 7B); lateral margins strongly convex (Figs. 3A, 5A, 7B); anterolateral margins relatively short, cristate (Figs. 3A, 5A, 7B); epibranchial tooth visible as weak notch (Figs. 3A, 5A); branchial regions rugose (Figs. 3A, 5A); frontal margin relatively close to anterior margin of epistome, hiding antennular fossae (Figs. 3B, 5B, 7A). Eyes small relative to orbits; each eye with relatively slender eyestalk (Figs. 3B, 5B, 7A). First, second maxillipeds each with short flagellum on exopod; third maxilliped lacking flagellum on exopod (Fig. 4A). Chelipeds in both males and females highly unequal, with pointed fingertips (Figs. 3A-C, 5A, B, 7E); major chela with relatively slender palm (Figs. 4B, 7E); ventral margin of fixed finger and distal half of palm of major chela gently concave (Figs. 4B, 7E). Ambulatory legs relatively short (P3 length/CL = approximately 2.0) (Figs. 3A, 5A). Male pleonal somite 6 subquadrate, slightly broader than long (Figs. 3C, 4C). Male telson elongated (Figs. 3C, 4C). G1 relatively slender, almost straight; terminal segment relatively slender, straight, relatively long, approximately 0.5 times length of subterminal segment; subterminal segment relatively slender (Figs. 4D, E, 7C). G2 very short, with very short distal segment (Fig. 4F). Female pleon and telson in adult broadly subtriangular (Fig. 5C). Vulvae in adult relatively closely positioned (VD/SW = approximately 0.2), each subovate in shape, relatively large, occupying approximately 0.5 times length of s6, positioned close to s5/s6 (Figs. 5D, 7D). Etymology. The specific epithet, dvivarna, is derived from the Sanskrit for ‘bicolor’, referring to the crab's colour in life, which mainly consists of two colours (white and red-violet). The name is conceived here as a noun in apposition.
Ecological notes. The species inhabits elevated mountains of the Central Western Ghats in rocky outcrops with grassy vegetation (Fig. 6A). The holes (25-50 mm in diameter) in the laterite rocks are their natural habitat (Fig. 6B) (see youtu.be/d4lf_DoOwtQ). Individuals can also take shelter underneath small boulders. These crabs are generally seen during the monsoon (June-September). They are mostly active during the twilight. As many as 30-40 crabs/500 m2 can be seen during this time when the weather is very cloudy with precipitation or mist. Their activities minimize when rain halts, and the crabs during this time can be found in the rocky holes filled with rainwater. Some crabs were seen eating mosses growing on laterite rocks (Fig. 6C). Females carrying juvenile crabs were observed in the rocky holes. Sameer Kumar Pati, Tejas Thackeray, Parashuram Prabhu Bajantri and Gopalkrishna Dattatraya Hegde. 2022. A New Species of the Freshwater Crab Genus Ghatiana Pati and Sharma, 2014 (Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from the Central Western Ghats, India. Nauplius. 30 • DOI: 10.1590/2358-2936e2022019 |
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