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Wednesday, January 24th, 2024
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| 6:12a | [Botany • 2023] Linderniella porembskii (Linderniaceae) • A New Species from central Malagasy Granitic Inselbergs
Abstract A rupicolous, resurrection, inselberg specialist plant is newly described and illustrated. Linderniella porembskii Andriamiar. & Rabarim. (Linderniaceae) is restricted to central Malagasy granitic inselbergs in the Amoron'i Mania Region. It differs from the other Malagasy species of the genus by its habit with dense and richly branched stems, decumbent to erect, and by being glabrous to glabrescent and having obovoid-acuminate capsule. A detailed description of the species is provided, accompanied by illustrations and an identification key to the Malagasy species of the genus. The new species is assessed as “Endangered” using to IUCN Red List Categories. KEYWORDS: LINDERNIACEAE, Linderniella, Madagascar, inselberg, new species, Resurrection plant
 Linderniella porembskii Andriamiar. & Rabarim., sp. nov. Linderniella porembskii Andriamiar. & Rabarim. can be distinguished from the most similar L. horombensis (Eb. Fisch.) Eb. Fisch. et al. by its habit with dense and richly branched stems, decumbent to erect (vs. stems usually single, erect from a basal rosette), plants glabrous to glabrescent (vs. pubescent), and its capsules obovate-acuminate (vs. acuminate-attenuate). Roger Lala Andriamiarisoa, Marina N. Rabarimanarivo and Stefan Porembski. 2023. A New Species of Linderniella (Linderniaceae) from central Malagasy Granitic Inselbergs. Candollea. 78(1); 11-15. DOI: 10.15553/c2023v781a2 Andriamiarisoa, R.L., M.N. Rabarimanarivo & S. Porembski (2023). Une nouvelle espèce de Linderniella (Linderniaceae) des inselbergs granitiques du centre de Madagascar. Candollea 78: 11–15. Une plante rupicole, reviviscente, spécialistes des inselbergs est nouvellement décrite et illustrée. Linderniella porembskii Andriamiar. & Rabarim. (Linderniaceae) est restreinte aux inselbergs granitiques du centre de Madagascar, dans la Région d'Amoron'i Mania. Elle se distingue des autres espèces malgaches du genre par son port herbacé avec des tiges richement ramifiées et touffues, décombantes et dressées, des plantes glabres à glabrescentes et sa capsule obovoïde-acuminée. Une description détaillée de l'espèce est fournie, accompagnée d'illustrations et d'une clé d'identification des espèces malgaches du genre. La nouvelle espèce est considérée comme “En danger” selon les Catégories de la Liste rouge de l'UICN. | ||||||
| 10:10a | [Herpetology • 2024] Papuascincus eldorado & P. borealis • Gold in the Mountains: Striking New Species of Papuascincus (Scincidae: Sphenomorphini) from New Guinea
Abstract Skinks are the most diverse component of the reptile fauna in the mountains of New Guinea and many seemingly specialised high-elevation species remain undescribed. Here we describe two spectacular new gold-patterned skinks in the montane-specialist genus Papuascincus. Both species can be diagnosed from all congeners by their distinctive colouration, in addition to aspects of scalation and body size. One new species [Papuascincus eldorado sp. nov.] is mainly recorded from lower montane forest in karst habitats spanning more than five hundred kilometres along the southern edge of New Guinea’s Central Cordillera and is likely to warrant an IUCN conservation status of Least Concern. The second new species [Papuascincus borealis sp. nov.] has thus far only been recorded from cloud forest on the summit of Mt. Menawa in the North Coastal Ranges and we suggest it should be considered Data Deficient. However, if further survey work confirms a restricted distribution with little scope for upslope elevational retreat under future warming climates it will likely qualify for Endangered or Critically Endangered status. Keywords: Central Cordillera, elevational endemism, karst, montane forest, North Coastal Mountains, Palaia
Papuascincus eldorado sp. nov. Diagnosis: A species of Papuascincus characterised by the unique combination of small size (maximum adult SVL 48.6 mm); 2–3 small rounded lobules on anterior edge of ear opening; supralabials seven; scale rows at midbody 24–28; postsuboculars typically two; paravertebral scales 43–50; lamellae under 4th toe 22–29; single supradigital scales on 4th toe 11–14; and dorsal colour pattern on body consisting of three greenish-gold dorsal stripes on a glossy black background; tail gold with scattered black flecks; limbs black with gold flecking. Etymology: From the Spanish noun phrase meaning “the golden”, in reference to the species’ distinct golden colouration.
Papuascincus borealis sp. nov. Diagnosis: A species of Papuascincus characterised by the unique combination of large size (maximum adult SVL 58.2 mm); 2–3 small rounded lobules on anterior edge of ear opening; postsuboculars typically three; scale rows at midbody 26–28; paravertebral scales 46–47; lamellae under 4th toe 20–25; single supradigital scales on 4th toe 14–15; dorsal colour pattern on body consisting of three yellow-gold dorsal stripes on a black background; tail gold with diffuse black speckling not extending more than 10 mm along tail; limbs black with gold flecking. Etymology: Masculine Latin adjective meaning “northern”, in reference to the species’ distribution on the Bewani Mountains, the most northerly location of any known species of Papuascincus. Alex Slavenko, Stephen J. Richards, Stephen C. Donnellan, Allen Allison and Paul M. Oliver. 2024. Gold in the Mountains: Striking New Species of Papuascincus (Sphenomorphini: Scincidae) from New Guinea. Vertebrate Zoology. 74: 133-149. DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e112782 | ||||||
| 1:36p | [Botany • 2024] Impatiens bungeilang (Balsaminaceae) • A New Species from northern Gayo Plateau, northern Sumatra
Abstract Impatiens bungeilang Mustaqim is described here as a species new to science based on plants collected from the northern Gayo Plateau, northern Sumatra. A detailed description, notes on distribution, ecology, phenology, notes, and color photographs are provided. According to the IUCN Red List Criteria, this species is here considered Critically Endangered due to its small geographic range and heavily fragmented as well as degraded habitats. Keyword: Impatiens bungeilang, Impatiens calendulina, Impatiens heterosepala, Indonesia, Malesia, montane plant, taxonomy 
Impatiens bungeilang Mustaqim, sp. nov. Diagnosis. Impatiens bungeilang has a similar flower morphology to Impatiens heterosepala Hook.f. by the flowers arranged in raceme, each with bucciniform lower sepal that more or less abruptly constricted into a filiform spur, and long lateral sepals. However, I. bungeilang differs in having pseudowhorled leaves (vs spiral), lamina with more lateral veins (9 (–10) vs 3–6 pairs), more flowers per inflorescence (5–14 vs 1–2), and larger flowers having lower sepals with spur thickened in the upper 3/5 (vs only at the apex). Besides that, I. bungeilang is also similar to Impatiens calendulina Grey-Wilson, especially by having the whorled leaves and the bucciniform lower sepal, but differs by the leaves bearing more lateral veins (9 (–10) vs 5–6 pairs), flower bracts ovate (vs linear-lanceolate) and longer (9–11 mm vs 5–7 mm), lower sepal more or less gradually (vs abruptly) constricted into spur, spur shorter (16 mm vs 21 mm long) thickened for 3/5 of its length (vs only at the very apex), and lower petals of lateral petals with small oblong and strongly recurved lobes at the base of apical margin (vs lobes absent or short and not recurved) (Table 1). ... Distribution and Ecology: Endemic to Sumatra: northern part of Gayo Plateau (Fig. 2). This species was found in mid montane forest, usually on shaded localities, from 1805 to 1985 m elevation. Etymology: The epithet bungeilang is derived from the Gayonese language (‘bunge’ means flower, ‘ilang’ means red), refers to the red color of the flower.
Wendy A. Mustaqim, Ahmad Y. Mahardhika, Yusuf S.A. Fauzan, Zulfan Arico, Enggal Primananda and Iyan Robiansyah. 2024. A New Species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from northern Gayo Plateau, northern Sumatra. Taiwania. 69(1); 57-61. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2024.69.57 | ||||||
| 1:37p | [Herpetology • 2024] Chironius dracomaris • Revision of the Chironius bicarinatus complex (Serpentes: Colubridae): Redefined Species Boundaries and Description of A New Species
Abstract Currently, the proposed diagnoses for the Chironius bicarinatus complex reflect a wide variation in color pattern and pholidosis. Herein, we review the Chironius bicarinatus complex based on morphological and molecular data from a sample of 485 specimens covering the species distribution. Our results corroborate the recognition of C. bicarinatus and C. gouveai, and diagnose a distinct lineage without an available name. Thus, here we describe this new species restricted to the Baturité Massif, a relictual rainforest isolated in the Caatinga xerophytic domain, in the state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by its unique combination of qualitative and quantitative morphological characters (scale counts, morphometric, color pattern), and is also supported by molecular and ecological evidence. Additionally, we rectify data on the distribution and morphological variability of C. gouveai to accurately infer the boundaries between this taxon and C. bicarinatus, which was not properly addressed. Finally, we discuss our results in the light of previous studies that suggest diversification hypotheses in the Atlantic Forest already detected for other taxa, highlighting the importance of conserving the areas of “Brejos de Altitude”, in northeastern Brazil, and the southern limit of Serra do Mar up to Serra do Tabuleiro, in southern Brazil. Keywords: Brejos de Altitude, ecological niche modeling, geographical variation, hemipenial morphology, integrative taxonomy, molecular phylogeny, osteology, species delimitation
Chironius dracomaris sp. nov. Diagnosis: Chironius dracomaris can be distinguished from all congeners by the following unique combination of morphological characters: (i) dorsal scale rows 12/12/10; (ii) cloacal plate divided; (iii) two or more keeled dorsal scale rows (2nd–11th dorsal rows); (iv) ventrals 154–162 in females, 149–159 in males; (v) subcaudals 124–135 in females, 132–138 in males; (vi) apical pits present on the cervical and in at least one other region of the body (paravertebral rows, cloacal region, and/or tail); (vii) three or two supralabials contacting orbit; (viii) temporal formula usually 1+2; (ix) after preservation, uniform grayish olive or bluish dorsum with a light vertebral stripe and two black stripes visible from neck to midbody; (x) after preservation, the snout (rostral, nasals and internasals) can be light brown or have the same dorsal color; labials predominantly whitish, except for the last two supralabials, which may present the same color of dorsal series or postocular stripe; gular region, first third of belly, near cloacal region and subcaudals whitish; remainder of the belly olive or bluish; (xi) subcaudals have slightly black edges; (xii) hemipenial body generally ornamented with papillate calyces gradually replaced by a small concentration of smooth calyces on the proximal region at the end of the sulcus spermaticus; (xiii) each longitudinal row of hemipenial body has 15–22 spines and 5–8 spines along sulcus spermaticus; (xiv) ventral surface of the septomaxilla smooth; (xv) anteroventral surface of prefrontal lacrimal foramen smooth; (xvi) 34–39 maxillary teeth; (xvii) palatine teeth 24; (xviii) quadrate-suspensorium articulation with posterior end of supratemporals straight. Etymology: The specific epithet dracomaris is the conjunction of two nouns “draco” (nominative) and “maris” (genitive), used in apposition with the Latinized nickname “Dragão do Mar” (= Dragon of the Sea, in English), as Francisco José do Nascimento (1839–1914) became historically known. He was a popular leader of the harbor pilots in Ceará, who became a symbol of Northeastern resistance against slavery in Brazil. In 1881, “Dragão do Mar” led one of the main port stoppage movements, refusing to transport slaves to the ships, thus preventing interprovincial trafficking. The successive closures of the port accelerated abolitionism in the region, which made Ceará the first Brazilian province to banish slavery, on March 25, 1884, four years before the signing of the Lei Aurea (Morel 1967). The recent worldwide manifestations (Black Lives Matter movement) are proof that we need to change and repair social and historical injustices (see Subbaraman 2020). The fight against modern slavery and structural racism still permeates in Brazil. For example, in the city where “Dragão do Mar” was born (Aracati, Ceará), there are social-environmental conflicts over the traditional use of the territory, as well as in several other areas (Nascimento 2018; Quilombola community of Cumbe). In 2019, the winning Samba of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival—História Para Ninar Gente Grande from the school Estação Primeira de Mangueira—honored “Dragão do Mar”, as well as other symbols of black and peripheral resistance against exploitation in Brazil, for example the councilor Marielle Franco, who was brutally murdered by the Rio de Janeiro militia on March 14, 2018. We dedicate this species to Francisco José do Nascimento “Dragão do Mar” and these leaders who inspire the daily struggle of restoring a democratic environment in Brazil. Vinícius Sudré, Albedi Andrade-Junior, Manuella Folly, Josué A. R. Azevedo, Robson Waldemar Ávila, Felipe Franco Curcio, Pedro M. Sales Nunes and Paulo Passos. 2024. Revision of the Chironius bicarinatus complex (Serpentes: Colubridae): Redefined Species Boundaries and Description of A New Species. Vertebrate Zoology. 74: 85-120. DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e106238  |
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