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Tuesday, December 20th, 2022
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| 8:51a | [Herpetology • 2022] Hoplobatrachus salween • A New Species of the Genus Hoplobatrachus Peters, 1863 (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from northwestern Thailand
Abstract Importance of the work: Northwestern Thailand lacks any intensive survey of amphibian fauna; thus, this area is suspected to have undiscovered populations of amphibians. Therefore, conducting field surveys in such areas is essential to fill knowledge gaps about species richness in this animal group. Objectives: To describe a new species of frog genus Hoplobatrachus as new to science. Materials & Methods: A new species was described based on specimens collected from Salawin National Park, Mae Sariang District, Mae Hong Son province, northwestern Thailand. The new species was separated from its congeners inferred from molecular (16S and Cytb genes) and morphological information. Results: The new species was distinguished from its congeners based on mitochondrial DNA sequence analyses and morphological comparisons. The species was characterized by the following characters: pointed snout; large size (snout-vent length [SVL] of adult males = 94.8–102.4 mm, SVL of females = 93.2–96.3 mm); presence of mid-dorsal stripe; absence of thin stripe on inner side of tibia; presence of sexual dichromatism; yellow external vocal sac; presence of nuptial pad on base of first finger in adult males; relative length of finger II < IV < I < III, toe I < II < V < III < IV. Keywords: Hoplobatrachus, Hoplobatrachus litoralis, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus, Hoplobatrachus tigerinus, Tiger frog
Hoplobatrachus salween sp. nov. Diagnosis: Hoplobatrachus salween sp. nov. is characterized by the following combination of characters: body slightly stout; pointed snout; SVL of adult males 98.6 ± 5.42 (94.8–102.4 mm, n = 2), females 94.1 ± 1.49 (93.2–96.3 mm, n = 4); presence of mid-dorsal stripe; absence of thin stripe on inner side of tibia; presence of sexual dichromatism (completely yellow in whole body and limbs); presence of external vocal sac and vocal sac opening in adult males; presence of nuptial pad on base of the first finger in adult males; relative finger lengths II < IV < I < III, toe I < II < V < III < IV; phylogenetic topological position close to H. litoralis (3.1% of 16S and 11.5% of Cytb) and H. tigerinus (5.1% of 16S and 12.3% of Cytb). Etymology and other names: The specific name “salween” refers to the Salween River (known in Myanmar as the Thanlyin River and in China as the Nu River). The Salween, which is the 26th longest river (about 2,880 km) in the world, is a very important river for China, Myanmar and Thailand. The river flows from the Tibetan Plateau through China, Myanmar, and Thailand into the Andaman Sea. An English name “Salween Bullfrog” and a Thai name “กบสาละวิน - Kob Salawin” are suggested by the current study. กบเหลืองสาละวิน; อุทยานแห่งชาติสาละวิน อำเภอแม่สะเรียง จังหวัดแม่ฮ่องสอน Prapaiporn Thongproh, Jidapa Chunskul, Yutthana Sringurngam, Likhit Waiprom, Sunchai Makchai, Michael Cota, Prateep Duengkae, Sutee Duangjai, Mahmudul Hasan, Chantip Chuaynkern and Yodchaiy Chuaynkern. 2022. A New Species of the Genus Hoplobatrachus Peters, 1863 (Anura, Dicroglossidae) from northwestern Thailand. Agriculture and Natural Resources -- formerly Kasetsart Journal (Natural Science). 56(6); 1135-1152. kasetsartjournal.ku.ac.th/abstractShow.a  | ||||||
| 2:12p | [Paleontology • 2022] Shonisaurus popularis • Grouping Behavior in A Triassic Marine Apex Predator
Highlights • Abundant fossils from Nevada reflect aggregations of a predatory marine reptile • Nearly all individuals are large adults apart from multiple embryos or neonates • No evidence for significant environmental perturbation is found Summary Marine tetrapods occupy important roles in modern marine ecosystems and often gather in large aggregations driven by patchy prey distribution, social or reproductive behaviors, or oceanographic factors. Here, we show that similar grouping behaviors evolved in an early marine tetrapod lineage, documented by dozens of specimens of the giant ichthyosaur Shonisaurus in the Luning Formation in West Union Canyon, Nevada, USA. A concentration of at least seven skeletons closely preserved on a single bedding plane received the bulk of previous attention. However, many more specimens are preserved across ∼106 square meters and ∼200 stratigraphic meters of outcrop representing an estimated >105–6 years. Unlike other marine-tetrapod-rich deposits, this assemblage is essentially monotaxic; other vertebrate fossils are exceptionally scarce. Large individuals are disproportionately abundant, with the exception of multiple neonatal or embryonic specimens, indicating an unusual demographic composition apparently lacking intermediate-sized juveniles or subadults. Combined with geological evidence, our data suggest that dense aggregations of Shonisaurus inhabited this moderately deep, low-diversity, tropical marine environment for millennia during the latest Carnian Stage of the Late Triassic Period (237–227 Ma). Thus, philopatric grouping behavior in marine tetrapods, potentially linked to reproductive activity, has an antiquity of at least 230 million years.    
Neil P. Kelley, Randall B. Irmis, Paige E. de Polo, Paula J. Noble, Danielle Montague-Judd, Holly Little, Jon Blundell, Cornelia Rasmussen, Lawrence M.E. Percival, Tamsin A.Mather and Nicholas D. Pyenson. 2022. Grouping Behavior in A Triassic Marine Apex Predator. Current Biology. 32(24); 5398-5405.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.11.005 phys.org/news/2022-12-analysis-giant-ext   | ||||||
| 3:45p | [Botany • 2022] Deamia funis (Cactaceae) • A New Species from Nicaragua
Abstract Deamia funis sp. nov. (Cactaceae) from Nicaragua, in the Mesoamerican region, is described and illustrated based on morphological data. The new species is characterized by its often long, dangling (ropey), and relatively narrow, multiribbed stems with relatively small flowers like those of D. chontalensis, but with the stigma exerted among or slightly beyond the anthers as occurs in D. montalvoae and D. testudo. Keywords: brevistyly, floral morphology, taxonomy
 Deamia funis Hammel & S. Arias sp. nov. Diagnosis:— In its flowers Deamia funis is outwardly similar to D. chontalensis, but has stamens (1.5–3 vs. 0.4–0.7 cm long) and styles (6–8 vs. 2–2.2 cm long) much longer, and with the stigma exerted among or slightly beyond the anthers (vs. the brevistylous flowers of the latter), furthermore, its stems are less than half the diameter of those of the latter, and with more ribs; the stems are similar to those of D. montalvoae, but the flowers are smaller, less than 1/2 (mostly 1/3) as long as in that species. Etymology:— The epithet refers to the long, dangling, rope-like stems common in this species when found growing on horizontal branches of trees. Barry Hammel and Salvador Arias. 2022. A New Species of Deamia (Cactaceae) from Nicaragua. Phytotaxa. 576(2); 220-226. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.576.2.8  Resumen: Deamia funis sp. nov. (Cactaceae) de Nicaragua, en la región de Mesoamérica, se describe con base en datos morfológicos y se ilustra. La especie nueva se caracteriza por sus tallos a menudo largos y péndulos (como mecate), relativamente angostos y multicostillados, con las flores relativamente pequeñas parecidas a las de D. chontalensis, pero con el estigma exerto entre o algo más allá de las anteras como ocurre en D. montalvoae y D. testudo. |
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