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Monday, November 7th, 2022
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| 2:24a | [Botany • 2022] Acilepis nakhonphanomensis (Asteraceae) • A New Species from Northeastern Thailand
Abstract Acilepis nakhonphanomensis Chatan & Promprom, a new species in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae) from northeastern Thailand, is described and illustrated. It mainly differs from other previously known similar Acilepis species by the receptacle, leaf blade margin, involucre, floret, corolla tube, anther, style, and achene. Colour illustrations, line drawings, distribution map, and morphological comparisons with its allied species are provided. The conservation status of the new species was also assessed. Keyword: Acilepis ngaoensis, Aster family, flowering plant, plant diversity, plant taxonomy
  Acilepis nakhonphanomensis Chatan & Promprom, sp. nov. Diagnosis: The new species differs from A. ngaoensis (H.Koyama) H.Rob. & Skvarl by its inconspicuously ribbed stem, indistinctly serrate leaf blade margin, glabrous receptacle, subcoriaceous involucres, slightly tubular corolla tubes, obtuse appendage and cordate base of anther, and the longer anther, style and achene. Distribution and Ecology: Acilepis nakhonphanomensis is restricted to the Phu Pha Yon National Park. The new species grows on rocky and dry soils in slightly shaded and shaded areas in the deciduous dipterocarp forest, mixed deciduous forest, and dry evergreen forest at an elevation of 300–350 m (Fig. 4). Etymology: The epithet references the Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand, the locality where the species was collected and is, until now, endemic. Vernacular name: Muang Nakhon Phanom - ม่วงนครพนม. Wilawan Promprom and Wannachai Chatan. 2022. Acilepis nakhonphanomensis (Asteraceae), A New Species from Northeastern Thailand. Taiwania. 67(4); 571-575. taiwania.ntu.edu.tw/abstract/1876 | ||||||||
| 2:34a | [Herpetology • 2022] Kolekanos spinicaudus • A New Species of Feather-tailed Leaf-toed Gecko, Kolekanos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the poorly explored Savannah of western Angola
Abstract We here describe a new species of feather-tailed leaf-toed gecko, Kolekanos, from southern Benguela Province, Angola, based on morphological and osteological evidence, supported by phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial data. The new species adds to the rapidly growing and newly-recognised endemic biodiversity of Angola, doubling the number of Kolekanos species, breaking the pattern observed within other closely-related African members of a clade of circum-Indian Ocean leaf-toed geckos – Ramigekko, Cryptactites and Afrogecko – all of which are presently monotypic. The new species is easily distinguished from K. plumicaudus, based on spine-like (as opposed to feather-like) scales on the margins of the original tail. Phylogenetic analyses also recovered the new taxon as monophyletic, with a well-supported sister relationship to K. plumicaudus, from which it differs by a substantial 24.1% NADH-dehydrogenase subunit 2 mitochondrial gene uncorrected p-distance. Keywords: Biodiversity, ct-scan, herpetology, osteology, Reptilia, taxonomy
 Kolekanos spinicaudus sp. nov. Diagnosis: Kolekanos can be easily differentiated from other circum-Indian leaf-toed and African leaf-toed geckos, based on its ornamented tail (versus non-ornamented tail in the remaining genera). The new species differs from K. plumicaudus, based on the following characters: different ornamentation of the tail, being composed by modified scales on the margins of the original tail which resemble white lateral spines (versus feathered-like tail in K. plumicaudus); broader head (minimum HW = 7.95 mm versus maximum HW = 7.35 mm in K. plumicaudus); more robust body, with shorter forelimbs (versus thinner and more slender body in K. plumicaudus, Fig. 5); proportionally larger snout to eye distance (SE mean 4.48 mm ± 0.34 s.e. versus 3.99 mm ± 0.22 s.e. in K. plumicaudus) and interorbital distance (IO mean 4.14 mm ± 0.34 s.e. versus 3.33 mm ± 0.28 s.e. in K. plumicaudus); and dorsal pattern is less contrasted, based on zig-zag black patches surrounded by lighter patches (versus dark blocks well contrasted, not surrounded by lighter patches in K. plumicaudus). The new species can also be differentiated from K. plumicaudus by the following osteological characteristics: 1) larger jugal bone (versus reduced jugal); 2) more prominent lateral process of the postorbitofrontal (versus less prominent lateral process of postorbitofrontal); 3) more compressed premaxilla and maxilla bone on its dorsoventral profile and wider in the lateral profile of the bones; 4) ascending process of the premaxilla shorter (versus more elongated); 5) braincase compressed dorsoventrally (versus more rounded in K. plumicaudus); 6) palatine length and width equal (versus unequal); 7) postero-lateral process of parietal rounded and slightly curved (versus flat postero-lateral process of parietal broad and flat that curves downwards posteriorly); 8) anterolateral process of the coronoid markedly enlarged (versus more reduced anterolateral process). Kolekanos spinicaudus sp. nov. also differs from K. plumicaudus by circa 24% (uncorrected p-distance) ND2 mitochondrial DNA. Etymology: The name “spinicaudus” is derived from the combination of the Latin words “spina” and “cauda”, that refers to the spiny appearance of the tail of the new species. The species epithet is used as a singular nominative adjective “-us”.  Javier Lobón-Rovira, Werner Conradie, Ninda L. Baptista and Pedro Vaz Pinto. 2022. A New Species of Feather-tailed Leaf-toed Gecko, Kolekanos Heinicke, Daza, Greenbaum, Jackman, Bauer, 2014 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from the poorly explored Savannah of western Angola. ZooKeys. 1127: 91-116. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1127.84942 | ||||||||
| 5:24a | [Paleontology • 2022] Stenoscelida aurantiacus • A New Proterochampsid (Archosauriformes: Proterochampsia) from the Late Triassic of southern Brazil and the Emergence of Archosaurian Hind Limb Traits
Abstract Characterized by an elongated snout, proterochampsids are carnivorous non-archosaur archosauriforms. The clade is endemic to South America and its fossil record extends from the early Carnian to the late Carnian/early Norian. Nesting close to Archosauria, it is a key clade for understanding the origin and evolution of archosaurian traits. Unfortunately, hind limb elements are usually poorly preserved for the group. Therefore, the hind limb anatomy of proterochampsids still lacks detailed descriptions. In the present study, we partially fill this gap with the description of a new proterochampsid represented by a complete and well-preserved hind limb. Stenoscelida aurantiacus gen. et sp. nov. was excavated from the late Carnian/early Norian (Late Triassic) beds of southern Brazil. A phylogenetic investigation recovers the new taxon as a non-rhadinosuchine proterochampsid. The species bears an unusual set of traits for the group, which provides clues on the evolutionary origins of some muscle attachment structures. For instance, the femur of Stenoscelida aurantiacus gen. et sp. nov. possesses an anterior trochanter and an anterolateral scar. So far, these features have not been reported in other non-archosaurian archosauriforms. Therefore, the new specimen indicates that some typical archosaurian features evolved earlier than previously thought. The taxon also carries additional uncommon features for proterochampsids, such as an iliofibularis tubercle on the anterior margin of the fibula and a vestigial phalanx in digit V. In sum, Stenoscelida aurantiacus has one of the best-preserved hind limbs within Proterochampsidae and sheds light on the polarization of important traits regarding the evolutionary context of Archosauria. Keywords: Archosauria, Archosauromorpha, Carnian, Gondwana, Proterochampsidae, South America
Stenoscelida aurantiacus gen. et sp. nov. Rodrigo Temp Müller, Mauricio Silva Garcia and André de Oliveira Fonseca. 2022. A New Proterochampsid (Archosauriformes: Proterochampsia) from the Late Triassic of southern Brazil and the Emergence of Archosaurian Hind Limb Traits. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 20(1); 2128913. DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2022.2128913 |
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