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Monday, February 27th, 2023
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| 2:11p | [Ichthyology • 2023] Nemacheilus pullus • A New Species of Loach (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from central Laos
Abstract Nemacheilus pullus, new species, is described from the Nam Ngiep and Nam Xan watersheds, Mekong drainage, in central Laos. It was earlier misidentified as N. platiceps. It is distinguished from congeners in having an incomplete lateral line, with 23–57 pores, reaching between verticals of pelvic-fin origin and of anus; anterior nare at tip of a short tube; body plain yellowish grey in life in adults; a conspicuous suborbital flap in males; small tubercles on anterior pectoral-fin rays and on flank. It was found in habitats with moderate flow, usually small streams, on mud to stone bottoms. An informal platiceps group is recognised, including N. platiceps, N. cacao and N. pullus. Key words. Mekong, Nam Ngiep, Nam Xan
Nemacheilus pullus, new species Diagnosis. Nemacheilus pullus is distinguished from all other species of the genus except N. platiceps and N. cacao in having an incomplete lateral line reaching between verticals of pelvic-fin origin and of anus, with 23–57 pores (vs. complete). Nemacheilus pullus is most easily distinguished from N. platiceps (Fig. 3) and N. cacao (Fig. 4) by its colour pattern, with a plain grey body when preserved (yellowish grey in life), but small specimens (less than about 45 mm SL) may have numerous faint, narrow and very irregular bars, darker along dorsal midline where they appear as small darker saddles. The patterning on the caudal peduncle and the dark saddles may remain, including in some of the largest specimens, especially females. In contrast, N. platicepshas 12–16 narrow bars on the flank, clearly distinct at all sizes; quite regular in juveniles (Fig. 3a), about as wide as interspaces; with increasing size they become wider and less regular, the median area becomes paler and in some specimens the bars even appear as two bars (Fig. 3d). In N. cacao adult males have a uniform dark brown body; in females, most bars are split and become fainter with increasing size, resulting in a pattern of numerous narrow grey bars along body and broader dorsal saddles. ... Distribution and habitat. Nemacheilus pullus is presently known only from central Laos, in the Nam Ngiep and Nam Xan watersheds (Fig. 10). It was observed in a variety of habitats, from small forest streams to larger streams, in stretches with slow to moderate current, on substrate from mud to stones (Fig. 11). In larger rivers it was rarely observed, along shores, in shallow (less than 50 cm), sheltered areas close to shore vegetation, with little flow; it has not been collected in deeper waters and rapids. It was also present in open areas without canopy, and with signs of eutrophication and siltation. Etymology. From the Latin pullus, meaning dark yellow to blackish. An adjective, -us, -a, -um. Maurice Kottelat. 2023. Nemacheilus pullus, A New Species of Loach from central Laos (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 71; 106–115. | ||||||
| 2:11p | [Entomology • 2018] Aschistophleps ignisquamulata • A New Species of Aschistophleps (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) from Thailand and Laos, with A New Generic Synonymy
Abstract We here describe a new clearwing moth species, Aschistophleps ignisquamulata sp. nov., from northern Thailand and Laos. This striking new species differs from all other species of Osminiini in both external appearance and genitalia and displays characteristics that indicate that Pyrophleps Arita & Gorbunov is a junior subjective synonym of Aschistophleps (syn. nov.). Keywords: Lepidoptera, south-eastern Asia, clearwing moths, pheromones, Osminiini, ignisquamulata, Pyrophleps
Aschistophleps ignisquamulata spec. nov. Etymology. The name is derived from the Latin ignis (fire) and squamula (scale). Axel Kallies and VladimÍr Štolc. 2018. A New Species of Aschistophleps from Thailand and Laos, with A New Generic Synonymy (Lepidoptera, Sesiidae). Zootaxa. 4446(4); DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4446.4.11 | ||||||
| 2:12p | [Herpetology • 2022] Nyctibatrachus tunga • A New Cryptic Species of Nyctibatrachus (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae) with Description of its Tadpole from the central Western Ghats, India
Abstract We describe a new species of night frog belonging to the genus Nyctibatrachus from the central Western Ghats, India. Nyctibatrachus tunga sp. nov. is distinguished from all congeners by a combination of (1) body size medium (SVL 37.0–40.2 mm ♂, 42.4–47.4 mm ♀), (2) head wider than long (HW 16.0–17.6 mm ♂, 17.4–20.3 mm ♀, HL 11.7–13.6 mm ♂, 13.4–15.5 mm ♀), (3) skin on dorsal and lateral surfaces with glandular folds and throat with dense glandular longitudinal folds, belly white, (4) webbing on toes medium, reaching the third subarticular tubercle on either side of fourth toe (5) presence of nuptial pad and femoral glands in adult males, (6) dorsal body color dark brown, ventrally buff colored except belly, (7) finger disc weakly developed (fd3 0.8±0.1 mm ♂, 1.0±0.1 mm ♀; fw3 0.5±0.1 mm ♂, 0.8±0.1 mm ♀), (8) toe disc moderately developed (td4 1.2±0.2 mm ♂, 1.6±0.1 mm ♀; tw4 0.8±0.1 mm ♂, 0.7±0.0 mm ♀), (9) third finger disc without dorso–terminal groove, fourth toe disc with dorso–terminal groove cover bifurcate distally. Further, molecular phylogeny based on two mitochondrial genes (16S rRNA and ND1), reveals that the new species is sister taxon to N. vrijeuni and N. shiradi. Based on the analysis of 16S rRNA, the new species is genetically divergent by 2.0% and 2.6% from N. vrijeuni and N. shiradi respectively indicating weak but consistent differences to these two species. The bioacoustic analysis also indicated that the new species differed from one of its closest congeners, N. vrijeuni by a higher dominant frequency in advertisement calls. At present, Nyctibatrachus tunga sp. nov. is known from streams within evergreen forests and coffee estates of the upper catchment areas of river Tunga in central Western Ghats. Keywords: Amphibia, endemic frog, freshwater, night-frog, amphibian larvae, streams 
Nyctibatrachus tunga sp. nov. Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the name ‘Tunga’. The species is recorded in the catchment areas of the river Tunga and the species epithet is a noun in apposition to the generic name. Suggested common name. Tunga River Night Frog. K.S. Pavan Kumar, H.U. Vishwajith, Anand Anisha, G.Y. Dayananda, Kotambylu Vasudeva Gururaja and Hebbar Priti. 2022. A New Cryptic Species of Nyctibatrachus (Amphibia, Anura, Nyctibatrachidae) with Description of its Tadpole from the central Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa. 5209(1); 69-92. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5209.1.4 | ||||||
| 2:12p | [Botany • 2019] Euphorbia pseudodidiereoides (Euphorbiaceae) • A New Species from south-central Madagascar
Abstract A new species of spiny, multi-stemmed spurge, Euphorbia pseudodidiereoides J.-P. Castillon & Rajaovelona, is described and illustrated here. It is known only from the Ihorombe region, south central Madagascar, and occurs on an isolated quartzite massif surrounded by vast grasslands and granite inselbergs. Its presumed nearest relative is E. didiereoides Denis ex Leandri, with which it shares many common characters, including: general V-shaped habit reminiscent of some species of the genus Alluaudia (Drake) Drake (Didiereaceae), thick stems, numerous spines, rarely solitary, densely arranged, of variable size (5-25 mm), without alignment, green pubescent leaves, elliptic with a mucronate apex, without petiole but bearing a white thick mid-vein, capitate incyathescences, and pubescent peduncle. It differs from E. didiereoides by its shorter size (0.8-1.5 m vs 2-4 m for adult individuals), recumbent branches, and an incyathescence with shorter peduncle (1.5 cm instead of 8 cm), less dense cymes with fewer cyathia (8-16 cyathia instead of 20-60), and wider, rounded, 8x8 mm cyatophylls. This new species is assessed to be Critically Endangered according to IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria because it is only known from a single unprotected locality, with the number of mature individuals being less than 250 and a measurable decline in local natural habitat (CR B1 ab(iii,v) + 2 ab(iii,v); C2 a(ii)). Key words: Euphorbia, new species, Goniostema, Ihorombe, Madagascar
 Euphorbia pseudodidiereoides, J.-P. Castillon & Rajaovelona, species nova Diagnose: Haec planta Euphorbia didieroides affinisest sed sequentibus characteribus praecipue differt :minore statura (<1,5 m) ; longis caulibus inclinatisad terram ; capitatis inflorescentiis minus densis (8-16 cyathis contra 20-60) ; cyathorum foliis latioribusrotundatisque Jean-Philippe Castillon and Landy Rita Rajaovelona. 2019. Euphorbia pseudodidiereoides, une nouvelle euphorbe épineuse du Centre-sud de Madagascar [A New Spiny Spurge from south-central Madagascar] Malagasy Nature. 13: 60–64. http://www.vahatra.mg/volume13/MN13_03_  | ||||||
| 2:12p | [Herpetology • 2018] Brachycephalus actaeus • A New Species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the coast of Santa Catarina State, southern Atlantic Forest, Brazil
Abstract We describe a new species of Brachycephalus from municipality of São Francisco do Sul and municipality of Itapoá, in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, southern Atlantic Forest. The new species is known from six localities from near sea level up to 250 meters and represents the first record of a “pumpkin-toadlet” occurring in the lowlands. Morphological traits and phylogenetic analysis of a fragment the 16S mtDNA gene place the new species in the Brachycephalus pernix group. The new species is supported by external morphology, osteology, advertisement call, and mtDNA divergence. It is characterized, among other traits by a dorsal body color dark green with a dark brown vertebral stripe, and an orange background; snout-vent length of 9.2–10.8 mm in males and 11.1–12.4 mm in females; and advertisement call short (0.02–0.03 seconds), composed of one high-frequency note (dominant frequency 6.6–7.3 kHz). We observed synchronized alternation in the emission of vocalizations among neighbor males, indicating that males of the new species are able to hear and use vocalizations to interact with each other. We provide descriptions of clutch, eggs, and juvenile and observations on parental care. The new species has not been recorded within any protected area and can be threatened by human-induced habitat loss and modification. Keywords: Amphibia, Brachycephaloidea, elevational range, morphology, taxonomy
Brachycephalus actaeus Etymology. The specific epithet actaeus is a Latin adjective that means situated on the edge. It is derived from the Latin word acta, which was incorporated from Greek, and means shore, coast, or beach. The name is used in allusion to the typical habitat of the new species, the coastal lowlands of the Atlantic Forest. Juliane Petry De Carli Monteiro, Thais Helena Condez, Paulo Christiano De Anchietta Garcia, Estevão Jasper Comitti, Ivan Borel Amaral and Célio Fernando Baptista Haddad. 2018. A New Species of Brachycephalus (Anura, Brachycephalidae) from the coast of Santa Catarina State, southern Atlantic Forest, Brazil. Zootaxa. 4407(4); 483–505. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4407.4.2  |
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