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Saturday, October 29th, 2022
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| 2:21a | [Botany • 2022] Impatiens yunlingensis (Balsaminaceae) • A New Species from Yunnan, China
Abstract Impatiens yunlingensis S.X. Yu, Chang Y. Xia & J.H. Yu (Balsaminaceae), a species new to science discovered in Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated here, along with its phylogenetic position among other Impatiens species. Morphological, micro-morphological and molecular evidence is presented as an attestation of its novelty. Impatiens yunlingensis is similar to I. delavayi in having coarsely crenate leave margins, bracts in the upper part, ca. 4/5 length of the pedicels, saccate lower sepal with shallowly bifid spur, linear capsules, and elliptic-oblong, tuberculate seeds, but differs from I. delavayi with lateral sepals 4 (vs. 2), lateral united petal basal lobes subtriangular (vs. dolabriform), and seeds’ surface equipped with tubercular ornamentation mostly covered with grain shaped appendages (vs. glabrous and without grain shaped appendages on the top). Keywords: Morphology, phylogeny, pollen grains, seed micromorphology, taxonomy
 Impatiens yunlingensis S.X. Yu, Chang Y. Xia & J.H. Yu, sp. nov. Diagnosis: Similar to I. delavayi Franchet, in having coarsely crenate leave margin, bracts in the upper part, ca. 4/5 length of the pedicels, saccate lower sepal with shallowly bifid spur, but differs from I. delavayi with lateral sepals 4 (vs. 2) and lateral united petal basal lobes subtriangular (vs. dolabriform). Distribution and ecology: This species is only known to be found in Dêqên County, Yunnan, China (Fig. 3); under evergreen broadleaf forests and along the river; alt. 1780–2500 m. Etymology: The specific epithet ‘yunlingensis’ refers to the locality of the type specimen, Yunling Township, Dêqên County, Yunnan, China. Jiang-Hong Yu, Wen-Di Zhang, Fei Qin, Chang-Ying Xia, Ying Qin, Ming-Tai An, Sudhindra R. Gadagkar and Sheng-Xiang Yu. 2022. Impatiens yunlingensis (Balsaminaceae), A New Species from Yunnan, China. PhytoKeys. 212: 13-27. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.212.89347  | ||||||||
| 8:51p | [Herpetology • 2022] Rana zhijinensis • A New Species of the Genus Rana (Anura: Ranidae) from western Guizhou, China, Integrating Morphological and Molecular Genetic Data
The diversity of the brown frog genus Rana may be underestimated as the high similarity of morphological characters. In this study, a new species of Rana from Guizhou Province, China is described, namely Rana zhijinensis Luo, Xiao & Zhou, sp. nov. Molecular phylogenetic analyses clustered the new species into the R. japonica group of Rana and significant morphological characters can be distinguished from the 11 recognized species of the R. japonica group. This description increases the number of recognized Rana to 57 species and the R. japonica group to 12 species, and increases our knowledge of the diversity of the genus Rana. Key words: Brown frogs, new species, diversity, taxonomy, morphology    Shasha Yan, Qingqing He, Tao Luo, Cheng Xu, Huaiqing Deng, Ning Xiao and Jiang Zhou. 2022. Description of A New Species of the Genus Rana (Anura: Ranidae) from western Guizhou, China, Integrating Morphological and Molecular Genetic Data. Zoological Systematics. 47(4); 275-292. zootax.com.cn/CN/Y2022/V47/I4/275 | ||||||||
| 8:51p | [Herpetology • 2022] Integration of Ecology, Larval Phenotypes, and Mate-Recognition Signals with Molecular and Morphological Data Indicate Taxonomic Inflation in Nyctibatrachus (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae)
Abstract Taxonomic studies over the past decade of the endemic Night Frog genus Nyctibatrachus (originally described in 1882) from Peninsular India have more than tripled, from 11 at the turn of this century to 36 by 2017. Despite these revisionary contributions, it is still challenging for field biologists to identify night frog species reliably, due to a near-complete absence of diagnostic, discrete character states or trait values. Worse, many questionably diagnosed night frog species' status has ostensibly been “supported” by phylogenies derived from sparsely sampled gene-trees that are based on a single locus or a handful of markers—with topology and arbitrary genetic distance thresholds of 3–6% used to support new species descriptions. We sought to re-evaluate and validate the species boundaries of six currently nominated species of Nyctibatrachus of the aliciae group (N. aliciae, N. periyar, N. deveni, N. pillaii), N. vasanthi, and N. poocha clade using a comprehensive integrative taxonomic approach that integrates classical taxonomy, molecular species delimitation analysis, statistical analysis of morphological characters of adults and larvae, analyses of bioacoustics, and natural history information. Our results indicate that recent descriptions of Nyctibatrachus deveni, N. periyar, and N. pillaii represent cases of taxonomic inflation (over-splitting), because the evidence cited in support of their recognition is irreproducible, subjective, and devoid of strong statistical support. We demonstrate the need for multidimensional species delimitation approaches in the celebrated Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot paleo-endemic genus Nyctibatrachus and suspect that this concerning trend of over-splitting amphibian species based on limited data and untenable support may be applicable to other amphibian groups.
Robin Kurian Abraham, Ramprasad Rao, Anil Zachariah and Rafe M. Brown. 2022. Integration of Ecology, Larval Phenotypes, and Mate-Recognition Signals with Molecular and Morphological Data Indicate Taxonomic Inflation in Nyctibatrachus (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae). Ichthyology & Herpetology, 110(3); 526-546. DOI: 10.1643/h2020139 | ||||||||
| 8:52p | [Botany • 2022] Reduction of Blinkworthia (Convolvulaceae) based on Multilocus Phylogenetic Reconstruction and Resurrection of A Species from Synonymy revealed by Phenetic Analyses
Summary Blinkworthia was established as a tropical Asian genus in the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae) with a unique combination of habit, bract, corolla and fruit morphology. Recently, however, investigations of the morphology and anatomy have shown that none of these diagnostic characters can be used to delimit Blinkworthia as an independent genus. This study resolves the generic circumscription using phylogenetic analysis of molecular data from four loci: ITS, trnL-trnF, matK and rps16. The results showed that all members of Blinkworthia were nested within Argyreia, concordant with the current morphological concept of Argyreia. All information robustly supported that Blinkworthia should be subsumed under Argyreia prompting us to make the nomenclatural transfers from Blinkworthia to Argyreia and make the new combinations A. convolvuloides and A. lycioides. In addition, phenetic analyses revealed that a species endemic to Burma, A. campanuliflora, should be resurrected from the synonymy of B. convolvuloides. The three species are circumscribed, described, illustrated and their ecology, distribution and vernacular names are summarised, all documented with specimen citations. An identification key is provided for these three closely related species. Key Words: Argyreia, classification, generic delimitation, new combination, South-East Asia, systematics
Pantamith Rattanakrajang, Pirada Sumanon, Paweena Traiperm, George Staples and Timothy Utteridge. 2022. Reduction of Blinkworthia (Convolvulaceae) based on Multilocus Phylogenetic Reconstruction and Resurrection of A Species from Synonymy revealed by Phenetic Analyses. Kew Bulletin. DOI: 10.1007/s12225-022-10052-1 ความสัมพันธ์ทางอนุกรมวิธานในพืชวงศ์ผักบุ้ง สกุลเครือพูเงิน และ สกุลระฆังช้างเผือก facebook.com/paweenat/posts/pfbid0p5cBM | ||||||||
| 9:02p | [Herpetology • 2022] Leptobrachella verrucosa • A New Species of the Genus Leptobrachella (Anura: Megophryidae) from northwestern Guangdong Province, China
Abstract The genus Leptobrachella is a species-rich genus of megophrid frog. Rapid discovery of many new species within this genus emphasizes the importance of regional research. In this study, we describe a new species of Leptobrachella, Leptobrachella verrucosa sp. nov., from northwestern Guangdong Province, China, based on a combination of molecular and morphological data. A key including congeners from the same province, namely L. laui, L. liui, L. mangshanensis, L. shimentaina, and L. yunkaiensis, is provided. Key Words: Leptobrachella verrucosa sp. nov., molecular phylogeny, morphology, taxonomy
Leptobrachella verrucosa Wang, Zeng, Lin & Li, sp. nov. Verrucous Leaf Litter Toad (in English) Mi You Zhang Tu Chan (密疣掌突蟾 in Chinese) Diagnosis: (1) Small body size [SVL 23.2–25.9 mm in five adult males], (2) iris bicolored, upper half coppery orange and lower half grayish brown, (3) tympanum distinct, (4) supratympanic line black, (5) fingers without lateral fringes, (6) toes with rudimentary webbing, lateral fringes narrow, (7) longitudinal ridges under toes continuous, (8) heels not meeting when adpressed, tibial-tarsal articulation reaching anterior corner of eye, (9) dorsal surface shagreened with numerous conical tubercles, lacking spines, enlarged warts or skin ridges, (10) ventral surface smooth, (11) dorsum grayish brown, with distinct darker brown scattered markings and irregular light orange pigmentations, (12) flanks with several dark spots, (13) ventral surface creamy white with grayish white and dark brown spots. Etymology: The specific epithet “verrucosa” is an adjective meaning “verrucous”, referring to the tuberculate dorsal skin texture of the new species. Shi-Shi Lin, Yuan-Hang Li, Yu-Hong Lu, Hong-Lin Su, Shi-Bin Wu, Qi-Qi Zhang, Mei-Juan Mo, Shao-Jun Xiao, Zhong Pan, Hu-Jun Pan, Zhao-Chi Zeng and Jian Wang. 2022. A New Species of the Genus Leptobrachella (Anura, Megophryidae) from northwestern Guangdong Province, China. Herpetozoa. 35: 165-178. DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.35.e89981  | ||||||||
| 9:10p | [Herpetology • 2022] Bothrocophias tulitoi & B. myrringae • Hidden in the Highs: Two New Species of the Enigmatic Toadheaded Pitvipers of the Genus Bothrocophias (Serpentes, Viperidae)
Abstract Bothrocophias microphthalmus (Cope, 1875) currently comprises most mid- to highland populations of the genus Bothrocophias in the eastern versant of the Andes. We describe two new species of Bothrocophias from the highlands of the Colombian Andes previously referred to as B. microphthalmus based on morphological and genetic evidence. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that B. micropthalmus as currently recognized is paraphyletic with respect to B. hyoprora, and the two new taxa are sister lineages. These new toadheaded pitvipers can be morphologically distinguished from their congeners based on the presence of contact between the internasal scales, the number of prefoveal scales, the presence of a lacunolabial scale, the arrangement of supralabial scales, ventral scale counts, the color pattern of the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the body and tail, and hemipenial morphology. We discuss some possible taxonomic scenarios for the lineages found within the B. microphthalmus species complex but refrain from making additional taxonomic changes given our reduced sampling of the southern lineages. Keywords: Cryptic species, high Andean snakes, integrative taxonomy, medically important snakes, mtDNA, South America, Viperidae
Bothrocophias tulitoi sp. nov. Chresonymy: Bothrocophias microphthalmus. (MLS 1632–34, 1636): Nicéforo-María (1975), Campbell and Lamar (1989): page 255, figure 230; Campbell and Lamar (2004): Volume 1, Plate 473; (MPUJ 1364): Angarita-Sierra et al (2013). Diagnosis: Bothrocophias tulitoi sp. nov. can be distinguished from all its congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) 150–172 ventral scales in females, 153–162 ventral scales in males; (2) internasal scales in contact or separated by a single small scale; (3) absence of canthorostral scales; (4) absence of lacunolabial scale; (5) one prelacunal scale; (6) hemipenial lobes subconical and ornamented toward the apex by large and dense calyces with spinulate edges; (7) bifurcation point of hemipenial lobes about 3–6 sudcaudal scales; (8) hemipenial body ornamented by numerous dense, large, and strongly calcified mesial spines arranged in oblique lines; (9) in sulcate view, lateral and mesial spines of the hemipenial body homogeneous in size; (10) body surface with less than 28 dark-brown bands dorsally and/or juxtaposed trapezoid-shaped blotches with paler centers; and (11) ventral surface of the tail uniformly bright reddish or orange-reddish speckles with black spots without a regular pattern (Figs 3, 4). Etymology: We dedicate this species to the late Colombian educator Tulio Manuel Angarita Serrano (1941–2021, father of the first author), known as Tulito (employing the diminutive Spanish suffix “ito”) by his colleagues, friends, and relatives. The specific epithet tulitoi represents the Latin translation of the nickname from the Spanish name Tulito. Professor Angarita-Serrano was a pioneer of the modern Colombian education model that helped catalyze the development of the theoretical and practical tools needed to implement institutional educational projects in Colombian public and private schools (see Angarita-Serrano 1990; Angarita-Serrano 1994; Angarita-Serrano and Chaves 1995; Angarita-Serrano 1996; Angarita-Serrano, 2000). He was also known for being a big thinker, a passionate advocate for the rights to education and free thought, and the development of educational paradigms that have helped Colombians overcome the new social, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges of the third millennium. Distribution and natural history: (Fig. 8) The known localities of Bothrocophias tulitoi sp. nov. are distributed between 1,650 and 2,700 m a.s.l. in both the central mountains and eastern slopes of the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia in the municipalities Garagoa, Gauteque, and Miraflores (Boyacá); Chámeza, La Salina, and Yopal (Casanare); and Medina and Ubalá (Cundinamarca). Bothrocophias tulitoi sp. nov. appears to be associated with cloud montane, high Andean Forest, and subparamos and is tolerant of disturbed or transformed habitats such as livestock pastures and agricultural fields. Little is known of the natural history of B. tulitoi sp. nov. An adult female from the municipality of Garagoa, Boyacá (INSZ 144), gave birth to 15 offspring (two males and 13 females, eight of which are part of the paratype series: INSZ 128, 130, 134–36, 143, 146, 148) after 11 days in captivity at the INS serpentarium. Envenomation: A total of 40 snakebite events over the last decade might have been caused by B. tulitoi sp. nov. Both mild and moderate envenomation have been noted in 50% of patients, and no severe cases nor fatalities were reported. Local symptoms reported included oedema (92.5%), pain (87.5%), erythema (47.5%), ecchymosis (20%), paresthesia (17.5%), phlyctens (15%), paresthesia (17.5%), and bruises (7.5%); systemic symptoms included sickness (45%), vomiting (15%), vertigo (12.5%), bradycardia (7.5%), gingivorrhea (7.5%), muscular weakness (5%), hematuria (5%), hypotension (5%), abdominal pain (5%), and altered vision (5%).
Bothrocophias myrringae sp. nov. Chresonymy: Bothrocophias microphthalmus. Campbell and Lamar (1989): page 255, figure 229; Campbell and Lamar (2004): Volume 1, Plate 474. Diagnosis: Bothrocophias myrringae sp. nov. can be distinguished from all its congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) 157–161 ventral scales in females, 152–155 ventral scales in males; (2) internasal scales in contact or separated by a single small scale (3) absence of canthorostral scales; (4) lacunolabial scale usually present; (5) hemipenial lobes slim and cylindrical, moderately capitate distally, weakly ornamented toward the apex with large and scarce calyces with weakly spinulate edges; (8) bifurcation point of the hemipenial lobes about 2–4 sudcaudal scales; (9) hemipenial body ornamented by numerous mesial spines that increase in size from the center to periphery of the hemipenial body and arranged in oblique lines; (10) in sulcate view, lateral and mesial spines of the hemipenial body variable in size; (11) sulcus spermaticus walls weakly defined; (12) usually more than 28 dark-brown bands and/or opposite or juxtaposed trapezoid-shaped blotches with paler centers dorsally; and (13) ventral surfaces of the tail with bright reddish or orange-reddish speckles with black spots without a regular pattern and heavily marked with dark pigment towards the base (Fig. 7). Etymology: The specific epithet myrringae is the Latin translation of the Spanish nickname “Mirringa,” which means “pinch” or something very small. The word “Mirringa” was popularized by Rafael Pombo (1833–1912), a Colombian poet and writer who wrote a popular fable titled “Mirringa Mirronga.” Given the popularity of the fable, as well as the homophonic similarity of “Mirringa” and the name “Myriam,” the nickname “Myrringa” began to be used as a term of endearment. The name of the new species is in honor of the educator Myriam Sierra Guerrero (mother of the first author). She was the philosophical and conceptual advisor of professor Tulio Manuel Angarita Serrano and contributed to the development of the modern Colombian education model that all schools within Colombia currently employ. Professor Sierra Guerrero also helped develop the theoretical framework for the implementation of institutional educational projects in Colombian public and private schools (see Angarita-Serrano 1990; Angarita-Serrano 1994; Angarita-Serrano and Chaves 1995; Angarita-Serran 1996; Angarita-Serrano 2000). Distribution and natural history: The known localities of Bothrocophias myrringae sp. nov. are from 1754 to 2761 m a.s.l. in both the central mountains and eastern slopes of the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia in the municipalities of La Calera, Choachí, Fómeque, and Guayabetal (Cundinamarca), and El Calvario and San Juanito (Meta, Fig. 9). Bothrocophias myrringae sp. nov. appears to be associated with cloud montane, high Andean Forest, and subparamos but is also tolerant of disturbed or transformed habitats such as livestock pastures and agricultural fields. The new species was found in sympatry with Bothrops atrox in localities from Fómeque. No natural history data are available. Envenomation: A total of three snakebite events in the last decade might have potentially been caused by B. myrringae sp. nov., all of which were from the municipality of El Calvario (Meta). Each case was categorized as mild, moderate, and severe, respectively, and one fatality was reported. Local symptoms reported included oedema (100%), pain (100%), erythema (66%), and phlyctens (33%); systemic symptoms included respiratory failure (33%) and muscular weakness (33%). Symptoms such as paresthesia ecchymosis, bruising, sickness, vomit, vertigo, gingivorrhagia, hematuria, and altered vision were not reported.
Teddy Angarita-Sierra, Sergio Daniel Cubides-Cubillos and Juan Pablo Hurtado-Gómez. 2022. Hidden in the Highs: Two New Species of the Enigmatic Toadheaded Pitvipers of the Genus Bothrocophias. Vertebrate Zoology. 72: 971-996. DOI: 10.3897/vz.72.e87313  |
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