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Friday, January 19th, 2024
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| 2:09a | [Herpetology • 2024] Brachycephalus herculeus • A New Species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the northern portion of the State of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil
Abstract Brachycephalus is a genus of small ground-dwelling anurans, endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Recent molecular analyses have corroborated the monophyly of three species groups within this genus (B. ephippium, B. ephippium, and B. ephippium). In the meantime, the genus has been targeted as a group with recent taxonomic issues owing to its interspecific morphological similarity and genetic conservatism. Herein, we describe a new species of Brachycephalus from the northern portion of Serra do Mar mountain range, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It belongs to the B. ephippium species group, exhibiting moderate hyperossification of the skull and vertebral column. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners based on morphological, acoustic, and molecular data. Furthermore, we provide information on osteology and natural history of the new species. Keywords: Atlantic Forest, Brachycephaloidea, osteology, pumpkin toadlet, Serra do Mar
Brachycephalus herculeus sp. nov. Diagnosis: Brachycephalus herculeus sp. nov. is distinguished from all its congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) skin on head and dorsum with dermal ossification; (2) skull with hyperossification of postorbital crests, which can be seen externally; (3) fourth presacral vertebra with transverse processes hyperossified, not ornamented and not visible externally; (4) urostyle crest extending up to 2/3 of urostyle length; (5) long oesophageal process of hyolaryngeal apparatus; (6) general color in life orange with dorsal green irregular patch; (7) presence of osteoderms; (8) presence of black connective tissue scattered over dorsal musculature; (9) medium body size for the genus (SVL of adults: 11.8–14.7 mm for males and 13.9–15.2 mm for females; (10) advertisement call characterized by one note repeated in sequence, commonly comprised of 8–12 pulses. Etymology: Herculeus is a Latin adjective meaning very great, difficult, or dangerous; requiring the strength or courage of Hercules to challenge or accomplish a mission, as herculean labor or task (derived from Greek Mythology). The specific epithet was chosen to represent the “herculean” task that is, for such a small species, to survive in one of the most threatened forest environments in the world, the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.  Manuella Folly, Thais H. Condez, Davor Vrcibradic, Carlos F. D. Rocha, Alessandra S. Machado, Ricardo T. Lopes and José P. Pombal Jr. 2024. A New Species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the northern portion of the State of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Vertebrate Zoology. 74: 1-21. DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e103573 | ||||
| 9:59a | [Botany • 2024] Hypericum liboense (Hypericaceae) • A New Species from Guizhou, China
Abstract Hypericum liboense M.T.An & T.R.Wu, sp. nov. (Hypericaceae) is a newly described species found in the Maolan National Nature Reserve of Guizhou Province, where it grows in rocky habitats without soil on karst mountain tops. In this study, key morphological characters were compared between the new species and the other known Hypericum species of Hypericaceae. DNA sequences were extracted from the leaves of the new species, with nuclear gene sequences (ITS) generated to reconstruct phylogenetic trees and describe its phylogenetic position in relation to other species of Hypericum. Our results show that the proposed new species has the typical characteristics of the genus Hypericum in morphology being similar to Hypericum monogynum, but differing in its sessile and semi-clasped leaves, long elliptical to long circular leaf blades, thickly papery to thinly leathery, with entire and wavy leaf margins. The abaxial side of the leaves is covered with white powder, giving them a grey-white appearance. The main lateral veins of the leaves are 8–15-paired, and the midvein on both sides is convex. The main lateral veins and midvein branch are conspicuous, with tertiary venation forming a network on the leaf surface and appearing prominently sunken. The inflorescences are 1–3-flowered, with a large calyx and conspicuous veins. The molecular phylogenetic analysis (PP = 1.00) provided substantial evidence for the proposition of H. liboense as a new species within Hypericum. Morphological and molecular evidence is presented, corroborating the proposition of the new species, including a comprehensive account of the distinctive morphological attributes of H. liboense, along with its key distinguishing features from similar species. Key words: Molecular evidence, morphology, phylogeny, taxonomy
  Hypericum liboense M.T.An & T.R.Wu, sp. nov. Diagnosis: This species is similar to H. monogynum in terms of morphology. The main difference between the two species is that the leaves of H. liboense are sessile and semi-clasped (vs. leaves sessile or brachypetiolate). The leaves of H. liboense are long elliptical to long circular, and the edges are whole and wavy (vs. oblanceolate or elliptic to long circular, flat). H. liboense leaves are thickly papery to thinly leathery (vs. thickly papery), with a white powder on the abaxial side leading to a grey-white appearance (vs. abaxially without grey). Main lateral veins of leaves 8–15 pairs (vs. 4–6 pairs), with the midvein on both sides convex, the main lateral veins obvious branches from the midvein, the main lateral veins and tertiary vein forming an obvious network and obviously sagging (vs. tertiary vein obscure and not sunken). Inflorescences with 1–3 flowers (vs. 1–15(–30) flowers), calyx are elliptic or broad-ovate (vs. broad or narrowly elliptic or oblong to lanceolate or oblanceolate), 10–14 mm long, 4–6 mm wide (vs. 4.5–13 mm long and 1.2–2 mm wide), and veins obvious (vs. obscure) (Table 2). Etymology: The species name “liboense” refers to the origin of the type specimen, Libo County, Guizhou Province. Tian-Rou Wu, Jian Xu, Ming-Tai An, Jiang-Hong Yu, Feng Liu and Zheng-Ren Chen. 2024. Hypericum liboense (Hypericaceae), A New Species from Guizhou, China. PhytoKeys. 237: 37-49. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.237.110482 | ||||
| 3:17p | [Paleontology • 2024] Telmatobius achachila • A New early Water Frog (Telmatobiidae) from the Miocene of the Bolivian Altiplano
Abstract We describe the new frog Telmatobius achachila sp. nov. from the late Middle to earliest Late Miocene of Achiri, based on a partial skeleton found at 3960 m above sealevel in the Bolivian Altiplano. This skeleton, attributed to a male adult, constitutes the first documented fossil record of the speciose living genus Telmatobius, endemic to the Andean Cordillera and the Altiplano. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the new species as being part of the crown group, and diverging both later than the T. verrucosus group and earlier than the T. bolivianus, T. marmoratus and T. macrostomus groups. Coupled with its accurate stratigraphic provenance and age, this phylogenetic position provides a relevant calibration point for timing the evolutionary history of these highland, mostly aquatic frogs. The skeleton of T. achachila indicates that several of the osteological peculiarities of extant Telmatobius were already acquired at c. 12 Ma, including some that might be linked to their aquatic lifestyle. Together with mixed montane–rainforest pollen vegetation uncovered in the same level, this fossil specimen further provides key data enabling a more accurate reconstruction of ancestral habitats and elevation ranges of Telmatobius, agreeing with the previously postulated conditions in which these water frogs might have first evolved. Ultimately, this discovery adds to the sparse evidence of a humid tropical Bolivian Altiplano just prior to: (1) the Late Miocene uplift pulse of the Central Altiplano; and (2) the drastic climate deterioration that occurred from Late Miocene time onward, leading to the harsh highland-steppe environments reigning there today. Keywords: Achiri, Altiplano, calibration point, frog, Miocene, Telmatobius  Telmatobius achachila sp. nov. Raúl O. Gómez, Tomás Ventura, Guillermo F. Turazzini, Laurent Marivaux, Rubén Andrade Flores, Alberto Boscaini, Marcos Fernández-Monescillo, Bernardino Mamani Quispe. Mercedes B. Prámparo, Séverine Fauquette, Céline Martin, Philippe Münch, François Pujos and Pierre-Olivier Antoine. 2024. A New early Water Frog (Telmatobius) from the Miocene of the Bolivian Altiplano. Papers in Palaeontology. DOI: 10.1002/spp2.1543 |
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