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Friday, January 26th, 2024
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| 2:24a | [Herpetology • 2024] Gekko paucituberculatus • A New Karst-adapted Species of Gekko (Subgenus Japonigekko) (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Guangxi, southern China
Abstract A new species of the genus Gekko Laurenti, 1768, Gekko paucituberculatus sp. nov., is described here, based on two specimens from Tianyang District, Baise City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It was placed in subgenus Japonigekko on the basis of morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis and can be distinguished from all congeners in this subgenus by significant divergences in the mitochondrial 16S and ND2 genes and by a combination of the following morphological characters: Moderate body size, SVL 77.2 mm in the adult male and SVL 85.9 mm in the adult female; tubercles only present along dorsolateral trunk and absent on other regions; fingers and toes with weak webbing; continuous precloacal pores 12 in the male, absent in the female; a single postcloacal tubercle on each side; a light-coloured vertebral line from nape to tip of tail; dorsum greyish-brown, with 7–8 dirty-white bands between nape and sacrum. Meanwhile, the distribution of G. palmatus in China has been confirmed as occurring in Guangxi and Guangdong Provinces. This study brings the total species of the subgenus Japonigekko in China to 19. Key words: Gekko paucituberculatus sp. nov., Gekko palmatus, karst, new national record, taxonomy
Gekko paucituberculatus sp. nov. Diagnosis: Gekko paucituberculatus sp. nov. is distinguished from all congeners in the subgenus G. (Japonigekko) by a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) moderate body size, SVL 77.2 mm in the adult male and SVL 85.9 mm in the adult female; (2) nares in contact with rostral, internasal absent; (3) two enlarged postmentals; (4) tubercles flattened, only present along dorsolateral trunk and absent on other regions; (5) ventral scales between mental and cloacal slit 189–192; (6) mid-body scale rows 136–140; (7) ventral scale rows 42–44; (8) subdigital lamellae on first fingers 10–11, on fourth fingers 12–13, on first toes 11, on fourth toes 11–13 and fingers and toes webbing weakly developed; (9) continuous precloacal pores 12 in the male, absent in the female; (10) a single postcloacal tubercle on each side; (11) a light-coloured vertebral line from nape to tip of tail; (12) dorsum greyish-brown, with 7–8 dirty-white bands between nape and sacrum. Etymology: The specific name paucituberculatus means few tubercles in Latin and refers to its tubercles being fewer than other congeners. According to its type locality, we suggest the common name as “Baise gecko” in English and Chinese formal name as “bǎi sè bì hǔ” (百色壁虎).  Hao-Tian Wang, Shuo Qi, Dan-Yang Zhou, Ying-Yong Wang. 2024. Description of A New Karst-adapted Species of the Subgenus Japonigekko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Gekko) from Guangxi, southern China. Vertebrate Zoology. 74: 121-132. DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e113899 | ||||||
| 3:39a | [Botany • 2024] Isodon xiaoluzhiensis (Lamiaceae: Nepetoideae) • A New Species from Yunnan, southwest China
Abstract Isodon xiaoluzhiensis, a new species of the tribe Ocimeae in family Lamiaceae, is described and illustrated. The new species is known only from the type locality, Xiaoluzhi village in Luzhijang dry-hot valley of Yimen County, central Yunnan, southwest China. It is characterized by having a procumbent habit, gracile stems and branches, relatively small leaves and flowers, and the phenology of flowering in winter. The morphological comparisons with its putative closest relatives (I. adenanthus and I. hsiwenii) are also presented. Key words: Asia, Dry-hot valley, endemism, limestone grassland, phenology, procumbent shrub
Isodon xiaoluzhiensis Huan C. Wang & Shi Gang Li, sp. nov. Diagnosis: Isodon xiaoluzhiensis is most similar to I. adenanthus (Diels) Kudô in having similar flower shape, but it clearly differs from the latter in its procumbent (vs. erect or ascending in I. adenanthus) habit, stems and branches woody (vs. non-woody) with densely white glandular puberulent (vs. densely retrorse gray pubescent), leaves usually narrowly ovate to rhomboid, rarely lanceolate (vs. rhombic-ovate to ovate-lanceolate), small, 0.8–1.4 cm long (vs. 1.5–6.5 cm long), 0.2–0.5 cm wide (vs. 1.0–2.5 cm wide), teeth of calyx subobtose to subacute (vs. apiculate) at apex, posterior lip of corolla non-spotted (vs. purple spotted). Additionally, I. xiaoluzhiensis flowers from November to January, nevertheless I. adenanthus usually flowers from March to August. Etymology: The specific epithet “xiaoluzhiensis” is derived from the type locality of the new species, the Xiaoluzhi village, and the Latin suffix -ensis, indicating the place of origin or growth. Vernacular name: Chinese mandarin: xiao lu zhi xiang cha cai (小绿汁香茶菜).   Shi-Gang Li, Qiang-Chun Huang, Shao-Yun Liu, Chun-Lei Xiang and Huan-Chong Wang. 2024. Isodon xiaoluzhiensis (Lamiaceae, Nepetoideae), A New Species from Yunnan, southwest China. PhytoKeys. 237: 191-200. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.237.117071 | ||||||
| 4:14a | [Botany • 2024] Rubus puyumaensis (Rosaceae) • A New Species from Taiwan
Abstract Background: The genus Rubus L. (Rosaceae), comprising approximately 750 species and classified into 12 subgenera, is distributed worldwide and is one of the largest plant genera. In Taiwan, Rubus comprises 41 taxa, including 35 species, three varieties and three hybrids. Amongst the genus Rubus, the species, previously recorded as R. howii in Taiwan, was misidentified and this study recognised it as a new species. New information: Due to its distribution mainly in south-eastern Taiwan, we named this new species as Rubus puyumaensis, after the local aborigine tribe Puyuma. Taxonomic descriptions and colour photographs of the new species are provided to assist in identification. R. puyumaensis is most similar to R. howii and R. refractus. They can be distinguished by the colour of young leaves, leaf shape, arrangement of florets, trichomes of inflorescences, size of sepal lobes, petal colour, types and trichomes of filaments and the length of stamens and pistils. Keywords: new taxon, Puyuma, Rubus howii, R. refractus, Taiwan
Rubus puyumaensis J.Y. Huang, P.H. Chen & A.C. Chung sp. nov. Diagnosis: Rubus puyumaensis morphologically resembles R. howii and R. refractus. They can be distinguished by the following characteristics (Table 1). The young leaves of R. puyumaensis are often with purple spots and the other two without. There are underdeveloped lobes at the lower part of leaf in R. howii, with the other two having 2–4 well-developed lobes. The inflorescences have glandular trichomes and with florets arranged loosely in R. refractus; with the other two having no glandular trichomes and florets not loosely arranged. The length of sepal lobes: R. howii 6–8 mm, R. puyumaensis 6–7 mm, R. refractus 7–9 mm. The petal colour is light-tan in R. howii, with the other two being white. The filaments are wide, flat in R. refractus and narrow, flat in the other two; puberulent in R. puyumaensis and glabrous in the other two. The lengths of pistils compared to stamens in R. howii, R. puyumaensis and R. refractus are slightly longer, as long as and conspicuously longer, respectively. Etymology: The new specific epithet commemorates the Puyuma aborigine, a group of indigenous people mainly settled in south-eastern Taiwan and includes the type locality of Rubus puyumaensis. Distribution: Endemic to Taiwan, found in forests edge in the eastern part of the island at medium altitudes 800–1500 m. Vernacular name: Bēi Nán Xuán Gōu Zǐ (Chinese pronunciation); 卑南懸鉤子 (Chinese name). Po-Hao Chen, Juinn-Yih Huang and An-Ching Chung. 2024. Rubus puyumaensis, A New Species of Rosaceae from Taiwan. Biodiversity Data Journal. 12: e115431. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e115431 | ||||||
| 4:22a | [Herpetology • 2024] Agasthyagama edge • A New Species of Kangaroo Lizard (Squamata: Agamidae: Agasthyagama) from the southern Western Ghats of India
Abstract We describe a new species of Agasthyagama from Idukki district, Kerala, India. The new species is distinguished from its sister species Agasthyagama beddomii by a combination of scale characters and are also genetically different from each other with 11% uncorrected pairwise difference in ND2 gene and 3% in 16S gene. The two species are also geographically separated, the closest distributional records are approximately 80 km apart. Keywords: Agamid, endemic, evergreen forest, Kerala, southern India, Tamil Nadu, terrestrial
  Agasthyagama edge sp. nov. Comment: There are no previous records of Agasthyagama from the mountains in Idukki district. Sivagiri hills according to a map provided by Smith (1935) is on the Eastern slopes of the Western Ghats immediately north of the Shencotta/ Shencottah gap. Diagnosis and comparison: A small-sized agamid (SVL 30–42.5 mm; n = 11) lizard characterised by the presence of heterogenous dorsolateral scales, oriented backwards, small overlapping scales with larger often trihedral scales; larger scales roughly forming 5 or 6 chevron shaped ridges on mid dorsum from nuchal region to above cloaca; strongly keeled enlarged scales randomly scattered laterally, 76–82 rows of scales around midbody; head with unequal keeled scales, supraciliary edge sharp; a small antehumeral pit present, tympanum concealed; nuchal and dorsal crests absent; ventral scales strongly keeled, larger than lateral scales, 73–80 ventrals from mentum to cloaca; gular scales at the mid-line nearly equal to the adjacent scales; males with a small dewlap, 32–35 scales from mentum to last dewlap scale; limbs slender, covered with larger keeled scales; 4th digit on pes much longer than others, 5th digit on pes much reduced. Uniform olive-brown body, with lighter, enlarged scales laterally, mid dorsum paler; breeding males with pale peach to grey mid dorsum; dewlap in breeding males with pale bluish-white centre flanked by reddish-brown stripe. ... Etymology: The species is named after the Zoological Society of London’s EDGE of Existence Program who supported SD and RKP, and several early career conservation researchers across the globe in their projects on evolutionarily distinct species. EDGE is an acronym for Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered. The specific epithet “edge” is a patronym as a noun in apposition. We suggest common name “Northern Kangaroo Lizard” and വടകൻ കംഗാരു ഒാന്ത് (vadakan kangaroo oanth) as a regional Malayalam name. 
Sandeep Das, Saunak Pal, Surya Narayanan, K. Subin, Muhamed Jafer Palot, K. P. Rajkumar, V. Deepak. 2024. Discovery of A New Species of Kangaroo Lizard (Squamata: Agamidae: Agasthyagama) from the southern Western Ghats of India. Vertebrate Zoology. 74: 151-168. DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e113084   | ||||||
| 8:29a | [Herpetology • 2024] Odorrana damingshanensis • A New Species of Odorrana Fei, Ye & Huang, 1990 (Anura: Ranidae) from central Guangxi, China with A Discussion of the Taxonomy of Odorrana (Bamburana)
Abstract A new species of odorous frog, Odorrana damingshanensis sp. nov., was found at the Damingshan National Nature Reserve in Guangxi, China. This species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: medium body size (SVL 52.3–54.8 mm in males and 74.8–81.2 mm in females), sawtooth spinules on the upper lip, obtusely rounded snout that extends beyond the lower margin, distinct dorsolateral folds, horny tubercles on the rear of the back, presence of outer metatarsal tubercles, dilated nuptial pad with velvety spinules, distinct maxillary gland with tiny spines, and external lateral vocal sac. Through analysis of the 16S mitochondria gene, the new species is closely related to O. nasica and O. yentuensis, but the genetic divergence between the new species and the latter exceeds 7% (uncorrected p-distance). Currently, the new species is only known from its original discovery site. Furthermore, a discussion on the taxonomy of Odorrana (Bamburana) was conducted, identifying seven species within the subgenus Odorrana (Bamburana). Key words: Cryptic species, morphology, Odorous frog, phylogeny, taxonomy
 Odorrana damingshanensis sp. nov. Diagnosis: Based on both molecular analyses and specific morphological traits, these specimens were assigned to the genus Odorrana. The distinguishing morphological characteristics of these species include dilated and tapering tips of the digits, disks with circummarginal grooves and a longer vertical diameter than horizontal diameter, fully webbed toes, the absence of a tarsal fold, a thick first finger with a distinct nuptial pad, sawtooth spinules on the upper lip, and well-defined dorsolateral folds (Fei et al. 2001, 2005). ... Etymology: The specific name of this species, damingshanensis, is derived from its discovery locality, Damingshan National Nature Reserve. In English, it is suggested to be called the Damingshan Bamboo-leaf Frog. In Chinese, it is known as大明山竹叶蛙(Dà Míng Shān Zhú Yè Wā). Wei-Cai Chen, Yun-Ming Mo, Li Lin and Kun Qin. 2024. A New Species of Odorrana Fei, Ye & Huang, 1990 (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from central Guangxi, China with A Discussion of the Taxonomy of Odorrana (Bamburana). ZooKeys. 1190: 131-152. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1190.109886  | ||||||
| 1:53p | [Arachnida • 2024] Isometrus adviteeya, I. anamalaiensis, I. lithophilis, etc. • A Baffling Case of Morphological, Molecular and Ecological Discordance in Isometrus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with the Description of Five New Species from south
Abstract The Western and Eastern Ghats of the Peninsular India are known for their high biological diversity, which is shaped due to various geological barriers and environmental parameters. Scorpion diversity in Peninsular India remains poorly known thereby warranting a need to undertake rigorous arachnological surveys. In our continued effort to discover scorpion lineages hitherto unknown to science, we describe five new species of the genus Isometrus Ehrenberg, 1828 which were obtained from southern India, and discuss morphological, molecular and ecological discordance within this genus. The validity of Reddyanus atherii Amir and Kamaluddin, 2008, Isometrus liaqatii Amir and Kamaluddin, 2008 and Isometrus formosus Pocock, 1894 is also commented upon, with implications to propose taxonomic changes within the genus.  Isometrus adviteeya sp. nov. Etymology: The species is morphologically unique compared to the congeners. The specific epithet is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘adviteeya’, meaning incomparable. Isometrus anamalaiensis sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet is named after the Annamalai hill complex which is popularly known for the Indian Elephant, within which the type locality is situated. The name is derived from the Tamil words ‘Yanai’ (= elephant) and ‘Malai’ (= mountain). Isometrus palani sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition indicating the type locality of the species. Isometrus thenmala sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition indicating the Thenmala Reserve Forest which is located near the type locality. Isometrus lithophilis sp. nov. Etymology: The specific epithet is an adjective derived from two Greek words ‘lithos’(= rock), and ‘philia’ (= fondness) indicating the close affinity of the species towards rocks. Shubhankar Deshpande, Gaurang Gowande, Nikhil Dandekar, Mihir Joshi, Deshabhushan Bastawade and Shauri Sulakhe. 2024. A Baffling Case of Morphological, Molecular and Ecological Discordance in Isometrus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with the Description of Five New Species from southern India. Zoologischer Anzeiger. 308; 71-98. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2023.11.001 facebook.com/100063496543843/posts/8694  |
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