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Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023
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| 2:42a | [Botany • 2023] Primulina pingnanensis (Gesneriaceae) • A New Species from Guangxi, China
Abstract A new species of Primulina, P. pingnanensis, from the Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, China, is described and illustrated here. It is morphologically similar to P. orthandra but has significant differences in the bracts, corolla tube and lobes shape, as well as in the indumentum of the outer surface of the corolla, the filaments, the staminodes and the anthers. Colorful photographs and essential information of this new taxon are also provided, including detailed taxonomic description, distribution, habitat, the comparison table, and the IUCN conservation status. We also discuss a validation of new combination P. crassifolia and Chirita crassifolia. Key words: Flora of Guangxi, Gesneriaceae, limestone flora, new taxon, Primulina orthandra, taxonomy
Primulina pingnanensis Xin Hong, Z.L.Li & W.C.Chou., sp. nov. Diagnosis: Primulina pingnanensis morphologically resembles P. orthandra but is distinguished from the latter by bracts lanceolate (vs. ovate), corolla tube funnel-form and no constriction in the middle (vs. tube near tubular with constriction in the middle), outer corolla surface sparsely white puberulent (vs. glabrous), corolla lobes oblong (vs. broadly ovate), filaments strongly curved at the middle (vs. straight), anthers fused from the entire adaxial surface and sparsely barbate (vs. confluent at apex, glabrous), staminodes obvious, 1–1.3 cm long, sparsely pubescent (vs.ca. 1.5 mm long, glabrous). Detailed morphological comparisons with P. orthandra are provided in Table 1 and Fig. 2. Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the type locality, Pingnan County. This county is the birthplace of Mr. Chou’s mother. Thus, Mr. Chou strongly suggested using “pingnanensis” as the scientific name. Vernacular name: Píng Nán Bào Chūn Jù Tái (Chinese pronunciation); 平南报春苣苔 (Chinese name).
Zheng-Long Li, Yan-Yun Kuang, Qing-Qing Xu, Wei-Chuen Chou, Xin Hong and Li Ding. 2023. Primulina pingnanensis, A New Species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China. PhytoKeys. 229: 157-165. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.229.103735 | ||||||
| 1:20p | [Herpetology • 2023] Treefrog Diversity in the Neotropics: Phylogenetic Relationships of Scinaxini (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae)
Abstract Scinax is the most species-rich genus of Neotropical treefrogs, with 129 currently recognized species divided between two major clades, the S. catharinae and S. ruber clades. The S. catharinae clade includes 52 species currently placed in the S. perpusillus and S. catharinae groups, whereas the S. ruber clade is composed of 77 species, 13 of which are included in two species groups: the S. rostratus and S. uruguayus groups, with all 64 remaining species being unassigned to any group. Although some studies have addressed the phylogenetic relationships of the genus, its relationships remain poorly understood. To test the monophyly of the genus, its major clades, and the currently recognized species groups, and the relationships within and among them, we performed a total evidence phylogenetic analysis including sequences of five mitochondrial (portions of cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase c subunit I, and 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1, plus three intervening tRNAs) and six nuclear genes (portions of chemokine receptor type 4, proopiomelanocortin, seven in absentia homolog 1, recombination activating gene 1, rhodopsin exon 1, and tyrosinase), and 159 phenotypic characters. The dataset included 121 of the 129 known species of Scinax and many unnamed species. Most species are represented by multiple specimens, including topotypic material for approximately 52% of the species. As a result of this analysis, we partition Scinax into three genera. We restrict Scinax to most species of the former S. ruber clade and divide its species among 13 species groups: the S. auratus, S. boesemani, S. cruentomma, S. danae, S. elaeochroa, S. eurydice, S. funereus, S. fuscomarginatus, S. fuscovarius, S. granulatus, S. nasicus, S. rostratus, and S. squalirostris groups; only one species (S. pachycrus) remains unassigned to any group. To eliminate the paraphyly of Scinax, we redefine Julianus—originally erected for the S. uruguayus group—to include the former S. camposseabrai. We recognize Ololygon for the species of the former S. catharinae clade and divide its species among seven species groups: the O. agilis, O. argyreornata, O. belloni, O. cardosoi, O. catharinae, O. feioi, and O. perpusilla groups. All species groups of the three recognized genera of Scinaxini are discussed, diagnosed, characterized—in many cases using phenotypic synapomorphies—and taxonomic comments are provided for many species. Our study further revealed 57 candidate species, an increase of 44.2% of the recognized species in the tribe, highlighting how far we are from fully understanding the diversity of this clade of Neotropical treefrogs. KEYWORDS: Amphibia, Julianus, Ololygon, Scinax, taxonomy, total evidence  Katyuscia Araujo-Vieira, Ana Carolina C. Lourenço, João Victor A. Lacerda, Mariana L. Lyra, Boris L. Blotto, Santiago R. Ron, Diego Baldo, Martín O. Pereyra, Ángela M. Suárez-Mayorga, Délio Baêta, Rodrigo Barbosa Ferreira, César L. Barrio-Amorós, Claudio Borteiro, Reuber A. Brandão, Cinthia A. Brasileiro, Maureen A. Donnelly, Marcos J. M. Dubeux, Jörn Köhler, Francisco Kolenc, Felipe Sá Fortes Leite, Natan M. Maciel, Ivan Nunes, Victor G. D. Orrico, Pedro Peloso, Tiago L. Pezzuti, Steffen Reichle, Fernando J. M. Rojas-Runjaic, Helio R. Da Silva, Marcelo J. Sturaro, José A. Langone, Paulo C. A. Garcia, Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues, Darrel R. Frost, Ward C. Wheeler, Taran Grant, José P. Pombal Jr, Célio F. B. Haddad and Julián Faivovich. 2023. Treefrog Diversity in the Neotropics: Phylogenetic Relationships of Scinaxini (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae). South American J. of Herpetology. 27(sp1); 1-143. DOI: 10.2994/SAJH-D-22-00038.1 | ||||||
| 1:28p | [Ichthyology • 2023] Chiloglanis fortuitus & C. frodobagginsi • Two New Species of Suckermouth Catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) from Upper Guinean Forest Streams in West Africa
Abstract Suckermouth catfishes of the genus Chiloglanis are found throughout tropical Africa. Recent studies highlighted the diversity within this genus remains incompletely documented and nearly 20 new species have been described in the past ten years. Here we describe two new species of Chiloglanis from streams in the Upper Guinean Forest. Chiloglanis fortuitus, new species, is only known from one specimen collected in the St. John River drainage in Liberia and is readily distinguished from other species of Chiloglanis by the number of mandibular teeth and the length of the barbels associated with the oral disc. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, new species, from the upper Niger River was previously considered to be a disjunct population of C. micropogon. A combination of several characters diagnoses C. frodobagginsi, new species, from topotypic C. micropogon in the Lualaba River (Congo River basin) and from Central African populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River drainages. The biogeographical implications of the recognition of C. frodobagginsi, new species, the likelihood of finding additional diversity in the streams of the Upper Guinean Forests, and the taxonomy of C. micropogon and C. batesii are also discussed.
Chiloglanis fortuitus, Schmidt, Bragança, and Tweddle, new species Diagnosis.—Chiloglanis fortuitus is distinguished from all known species of Chiloglanis, including all species in the Upper Guinean Forest, except C. disneyi, C. microps, C. niger, and C. orthodontus, in having 18 mandibular teeth in the functional row (vs. 6–15 teeth; Table 1). Chiloglanis fortuitus is easily distinguished from C. disneyi, C. microps, and C. niger in having longer mandibular barbels whereas these are absent or reduced in the latter species. Chiloglanis fortuitus is distinguished from C. orthodontus in having a more robust oral disc and its length equal to its width versus length much shorter than width (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). Chiloglanis fortuitus is further distinguished from C. orthodontus in having a longer dorsal spine (12.8 versus 4.1–7.8 % SL) and shorter maxillary barbels (7.2 versus 9.4–14.8 % SL). Etymology.—The specific epithet is “fortuitus,” referring to the fortuitous aspect of collecting this one specimen at the type locality. The collector, D. Tweddle, sampled fishes at 36 localities in the upper St. John River drainage in Liberia and collected 69 specimens of Chiloglanis at ten of these localities. Additionally, the lot that contained C. fortuitus was one of the three lots borrowed by the lead author to aid with the description of C. tweddlei (Schmidt et al., 2017). The discovery and formal description of C. fortuitus is fortuitous in several aspects.
Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, Schmidt, Friel, Bart, and Pezold, new species Diagnosis.—Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is distinguished from all known species of Chiloglanis in the Upper Guinean Forests, and most of the other described species (except C. disneyi, C. harbinger, C. marlieri, C. micropogon, C. microps, C. mongoensis, and C. niger) by the very reduced, or absent, mandibular barbels on the oral disc. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi can be distinguished from C. disneyi, C. harbinger, C. marlieri, C. microps, C. mongoensis, and C. niger in having fewer mandibular teeth in one row (10–12 versus 16–20, 26–30, 26–28, 16–18, 28, and 16–20 respectively). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is distinguished from C. batesii in having two prominent papillae on the roof of the oral cavity; versus the absence of papillae in C. batesii. This species is further distinguished from C. batesii in having shorter and more blunt mandibular teeth arranged in bunched rows; versus sharper, more elongate, and disordered mandibular teeth. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi also has a fleshy unpapillated ridge posterior to the mandibular teeth versus several large papillae in C. batesii (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). A unique combination of characters distinguishes C. frodobagginsi from the closely related C. micropogon and C. cf. micropogon from Central Africa. As compared to C. micropogon from the Lualaba River, C. frodobagginsi has a larger eye diameter (4.2–6.5 versus 4.7–5.5 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), longer maxillary barbels (3.8–7.2 versus 3.4–6.5 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), a narrower mandibular tooth row (1.6–2.8 versus 2.4–3.1 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), a longer distance between dorsal fin and adipose fin (14.4–21.5 versus 14.9–18.8 % SL; Fig. 4A), and a shorter anal-fin base length (8.0–10.8 versus 9.7–12.7 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is further distinguished from C. micropogon in having fewer premaxillary teeth (36–70 versus 62–103) scattered in three rows versus four (Fig. 4B; Table 2). While the ranges of these measurements and counts overlap, these distinctions hold true when comparing similar sized species (Fig. 4; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). Compared to Chiloglanis cf. micropogon from the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River basins Chiloglanis frodobagginsi has a narrower occipital shield (3.0–4.0 versus 4.0–5.4 % SL), a shorter dorsal fin to adipose fin distance (14.5–21.5 versus 19.3–24.2), and a narrower mandibular tooth row (1.6–2.8 versus 1.8–3.2 % SL). Etymology.—Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is named after another diminutive traveler, Frodo Baggins, a fictional character well known from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. Roughly 3,000 miles (4,800 km) separate C. frodobagginsi in the upper Niger River drainage and C. micropogon, the sister species, found in the Congo River basin. Another seemingly closely related species, Chiloglanis cf. micropogon, is found in the southern Benue drainage and in several small coastal rivers about 3,000 km from the upper Niger River drainage (e.g., Cross and Ndian Rivers). It is unclear whether these species are descended from a more widespread species, or the result of dispersal from the Congo River basin into the Niger River drainage, via the Benue River, and then up to the headwaters of the Niger River. This was an incredible journey for such a small and seemingly non-vagile fish. Ray C. Schmidt, Pedro H. N. Bragança, John P. Friel, Frank Pezold, Denis Tweddle and Henry L. Bart Jr. 2023. Two New Species of Suckermouth Catfishes (Mochokidae: Chiloglanis) from Upper Guinean Forest Streams in West Africa. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 111(3); 376-389. DOI: 10.1643/i2022067 | ||||||
| 3:58p | [PaleoMammalogy • 2023] Perucetus colossus • A Heavyweight early Whale pushes the Boundaries of Vertebrate Morphology (Basilosauridae)
Abstract The fossil record of cetaceans documents how terrestrial animals acquired extreme adaptations and transitioned to a fully aquatic lifestyle. In whales, this is associated with a substantial increase in maximum body size. Although an elongate body was acquired early in cetacean evolution, the maximum body mass of baleen whales reflects a recent diversification that culminated in the blue whale. More generally, hitherto known gigantism among aquatic tetrapods evolved within pelagic, active swimmers. Here we describe Perucetus colossus—a basilosaurid whale from the middle Eocene epoch of Peru. It displays, to our knowledge, the highest degree of bone mass increase known to date, an adaptation associated with shallow diving. The estimated skeletal mass of P. colossus exceeds that of any known mammal or aquatic vertebrate. We show that the bone structure specializations of aquatic mammals are reflected in the scaling of skeletal fraction (skeletal mass versus whole-body mass) across the entire disparity of amniotes. We use the skeletal fraction to estimate the body mass of P. colossus, which proves to be a contender for the title of heaviest animal on record. Cetacean peak body mass had already been reached around 30 million years before previously assumed, in a coastal context in which primary productivity was particularly high.              Giovanni Bianucci, Olivier Lambert, Mario Urbina, Marco Merella, Alberto Collareta, Rebecca Bennion, Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, Aldo Benites-Palomino, Klaas Post, Christian de Muizon, Giulia Bosio, Claudio Di Celma, Elisa Malinverno, Pietro Paolo Pierantoni, Igor Maria Villa & Eli Amson. 2023. A Heavyweight early Whale pushes the Boundaries of Vertebrate Morphology. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06381-1 phys.org/news/2023-08-heaviest-animal-a |
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