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Saturday, December 17th, 2022
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| 10:08a | [Arachnida • 2023] Chinchaysuyu spinosa • A New Tarantula (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) Genus endemic from Peru with A Novel Genitalic Morphology among Theraphosinae and Its Phylogenetic Placement
Abstract Chinchaysuyu gen. nov. is described as a new monotypic Theraphosidae genus from northern Peru, with distinct genitalic morphology. Males of Chinchaysuyu gen. nov. differ from all known species by having a palpal bulb organ with many conspicuous keels extending towards the subtegulum. Females differ by having two pairs of short and hyper-sclerotized receptacles. This new genus is described and illustrated on the basis of the type species Chinchaysuyu spinosa sp. nov. and their morphological affinities and its phylogenetic position are analyzed and discussed. Keywords: Taxonomy, Theraphosinae, New species, Cajamarca, Andes
 Chinchaysuyu gen. nov. Etymology. Chincha = North, suyu = region, from Quechua language (Academia Mayor de Lengua Quechua 2005) is a noun that refers to the largest of the four divisions of the Inca Empire, which comprises the northern Andes, where this new genus was found. The gender is feminine. Diagnosis. Chinchaysuyu gen. nov. differs from all known genera by the palpal bulb with a large subtegulum having a high number of well-developed and extended keels (Fig. 1, Fig. 5) and female spermatheca consisting in two pairs of receptacula (Fig. 9D). In addition, it differs from the majority of Theraphosinae genera by the reduce number of labial cuspules in combination with short spiniform setae on ventral maxillae (Fig. 2, Fig. 4, Fig. 9C); from Antikuna, the other theraphosine genus with spiniform setae on ventral maxillae, in the morphology of the male palp (Fig. 1, Fig. 5), the presence of long spiniform setae retrolateral on male cymbial lobe (Fig. 2E and F) and female spermatheca morphology (Fig. 9D). Chinchaysuyu spinosa sp. nov. Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin adjective, meaning ‘spined’ and refers to the presence of spines on the ventral maxillae.  Nelson Ferretti, Juan C. Chaparro, José A. Ochoa and Rick West. 2023. A New Tarantula (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) Genus endemic from Peru with A Novel Genitalic Morphology among Theraphosinae and Its Phylogenetic Placement. Zoologischer Anzeiger. 302; 102-112. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2022.11.011 | ||||||||
| 10:44a | [Herpetology • 2022] Naja fuxi • A New Cobra (Naja Laurenti, 1768; Serpentes: Elapidae) from China with Designation of A Neotype for Naja atra
Abstract Taxonomic frameworks for medically important species such as cobras (genus Naja Laurenti, 1768; Squamata, Elapidae) are essential for the medical treatment of snake bites and accurate antivenin development. In this paper, we described the former N. kaouthia populations recorded from China as a new species and designated a neotype for N. atra-based morphological and mitochondrial phylogenetic analysis. The new species Naja fuxi sp. nov. was morphologically diagnosed from N. kaouthia by (1) regular single narrow crossband present on the middle and posterior parts of the dorsum (3–15, 7.9 ± 2.7, n = 32) and the dorsal surface of the tail (1–6, 4.2 ± 1.1, n = 32) of both adults and juveniles, buff-colored with dark fringes on both edges, vs. South Asian populations (n = 39) and Southeast Asian populations (n = 35) without cross bands, with irregular cross bands or multiple light-colored crossbands pairs, or densely woven lines; (2) small scales between the posterior chin shields, usually three (40%) or two (37%), rarely four (13%), or one (10%) (n = 30) vs. mostly one (81%) and rarely two (19%) (n = 28); (3) ventrals 179–205 (195.4 ± 6.7, n = 33) vs. South Asian populations 179–199 (188.7 ± 5.9, n = 12); Southeast Asian populations 168–186 (177.8 ± 4.9, n = 18). Phylogenetically, the new species forms an independent sister clade to the clade including N. atra, N. kaouthia, N. oxiana and N. sagittifera. Furthermore, the subspecies N. naja polyocellata should be resurrected and recognized as a full species, N. polyocellata comb. nov., and the subspecies N. sumatrana miolepis should be resurrected. Keywords: Asian cobras; Naja kaouthia; Naja atra; taxonomy
 Naja fuxi sp. nov. Shi, Vogel, Chen, Ding Diagnoses. (1) body scales smooth, scale rows at anterior body 19–29 (23.8 ± 3.1, n = 32), mid-body 19–27 (20.9 ± 1.5, n = 33), posterior body 12–19 (15.3 ± 2.9, n = 33); (2) ventrals 179–205 (195.4 ± 6.7, n = 33), subcaudals 45–61 (51.4 ± 9.7, n = 33); (3) total length in adults 690–1366 mm (1039.5 ± 207.6 mm, n = 15), tail length 110–201 mm (145.9 ± 27.8 mm, n = 15), tail length/total length 0.128–0.162 (0.141 ± 0.009, n = 32, including adults and juveniles); (4) small scales between posterior chin shields mostly three (40%) or two (37%), rarely four (13%) or one (10%) (n = 30); (5) dorsum light brown in adults, deep brown or black in juveniles (n = 32); (6) throat pale usually without dark mottling, ventrolateral throat spots distinct, followed by a broad light brown band; (7) hood markings usually a pale oval marking with narrow dark inner and outer border (73%), sometimes irregular residual patterns of a monocle (20%), rarely indistinguishable (7%), no dark side spots in any individual (n = 30); (8) both adults and juveniles with clear regular single narrow buff cross bands with dark fringes on middle, posterior dorsum 3–15 (7.9 ± 2.7, n = 32) and dorsal tail 1–6 (4.2 ± 1.1, n = 32); (9) hemipenial spines on distal part well connected at base, forming calyculate fold; (10) fangs not modified for spitting, venom discharge orifice relatively large. Etymology. The new species is named after Fuxi (伏羲), one of the human ancestors in Chinese mythologies, usually depicted in cultural relics as half-man and half-snake. The common postures of Fuxi resembles a cobra in reared status; this species is named for the impact that snake had in human culture. The specific nomen is a noun in apposition. To identify this species quickly when dealing with snakebites, we suggest “Brown Banded Cobra” as a common English name, for its unique coloration with a brown body and light crossbands on the body and tail. For the Chinese name, we suggest “西南眼镜蛇” (Xī Nán Yǎn Jìng Shé) as it is distributed in the southwestern part of China. Distribution and ecology. The Brown Banded Cobra is currently known from tropical and southern subtropical areas of southwestern China at elevations between 1000–1400 m. Specimens examined in this study are recorded from Renhe District and Miyi County, Panzhihua Prefecture, southwestern Sichuan Province, and Jiangcheng County, Simao District, Menglian County, Ximeng County, and Pingbian County, Yunan Province. This species was also reported from western Guangxi [30,31,32]. This species is expected to be found in adjacent areas including western Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwestern Guizhou Province of China, northeastern Myanmar, northern Laos, northern Thailand, and northwestern Vietnam. .... Conclusions: Our results led to taxonomic revisions of some Asian cobras: (1) the former Chinese population of N. kaouthia represents a new species, N. fuxi sp. nov.; (2) the subspecies N. naja polyocellata was resurrected and recognized as a full species N. polyocellata comb. nov.; (3) the subspecies N. sumatrana miolepis was resurrected. This study highlights the necessity to evaluate effectiveness of cobra antivenin based on comprehensive taxonomic frameworks. However, there are still some open questions about the systematics of widespread species such as N. kaouthia. The taxonomy of Asian cobras still needs further revision. A wide international collaboration network is recommended to construct a solid taxonomic framework of these medically important species for the common well-being of Asian people. Sheng-Chao Shi, Gernot Vogel, Li Ding, Ding-Qi Rao, Shuo Liu, Liang Zhang, Zheng-Jun Wu and Ze-Ning Chen. 2022. Description of A New Cobra (Naja Laurenti, 1768; Squamata, Elapidae) from China with Designation of A Neotype for Naja atra. Animals. 12(24); 3481. DOI: 10.3390/ani12243481 Simple Summary: Cobras (Naja Laurenti, 1768) are a group of well-known highly venomous snakes, which cause numerous cases of snakebites every year, especially in South Asia and Southern China. Taxonomic framework is essential for the medical treatment of snake bites and accurate antivenin development. However, the taxonomy of Asian cobras is still puzzling, especially for the widespread species Monocled Cobra (N. kaouthia Lesson, 1831). This study provided new materials and understanding for the taxonomy of this species by combining mitochondrial phylogenetic analysis and morphological comparisons based on samples from a vast area in Asia. The results showed that the Chinese population of N. kaouthia represents a new species. This study also provided new data for N. atra and designated a neotype for it. Furthermore, the subspecies N. naja polyocellata was resurrected and recognized as a full species, N. polyocellata comb. nov., and the subspecies N. sumatrana miolepis was also resurrected. This study highlighted the necessity to evaluate the effectiveness of cobra antivenin based on a comprehensive taxonomic framework. | ||||||||
| 1:58p | [Mammalogy • 2022] Tursiops truncatus nuuanu • A New Subspecies of the Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Odontoceti: Delphinidae) from the eastern tropical Pacific
Abstract In the eastern Pacific Ocean, three distinct forms of common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) have been identified, with suggestions they may be different species: a southern California/Mexico coastal, a northern temperate offshore, and an eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) offshore form. Currently, only one species (T. truncatus) is recognized in the region, with the first two forms described as distinct ecotypes. The goal of this study was to improve our understanding of the taxonomic status of these previously described forms through a re-examination of their morphological differentiation. We analyzed 135 skulls from the eastern and western Pacific, including the two nominal species, T. gillii and T. nuuanu, previously described for the eastern North Pacific and ETP, respectively. Additionally, we examined the holotypes of two currently recognized species in the genus, T. truncatus and T. aduncus. Our results showed significant morphological differentiation among bottlenose dolphins in the Pacific Ocean. The ETP offshore bottlenose dolphins were smaller in skull and body size and diagnostically distinct from dolphins in the western North Pacific and other regions in the eastern Pacific. Our results also indicated that, while other bottlenose dolphins in the Pacific were more similar to the globally distributed T. truncatus, the ETP offshore dolphins shared similarities with a previously described species in that region. The distinct environmental conditions in the ETP may be driving the evolutionary differentiation of these bottlenose dolphins. Given these results, we here recommend the recognition of ETP offshore bottlenose dolphins as a distinct subspecies, Tursiops truncatus nuuanu. Keywords: Cetaceans, Divergence, Environment, Speciation, Tropical   Tursiops truncatus nuuanu A. P. B. Costa, F. I. Archer, P. E. Rosel and W. F. Perrin. 2022. Tursiops truncatus nuuanu, A New Subspecies of the Common Bottlenose Dolphin from the eastern tropical Pacific. Journal of Mammalian Evolution. DOI: 10.1007/s10914-022-09641-5 Rosenstiel marine researcher identifies new Bottlenose dolphin subspecies https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/9  |
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