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Sunday, March 10th, 2024
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| 3:02a | [Paleontology • 2024] Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri • A New ‘Southern Giant Crab’ from A Miocene continental slope palaeoenvironment at Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand
ABSTRACT Large-sized extinct crab specimens recovered from Waitoetoe beach, North Island, New Zealand form the basis for a new species of ‘Southern Giant Crab’, Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri n. sp. The specimens originate from the upper Miocene Urenui Formation (approximately 8.8 myr) of the Taranaki Basin, in which a series of volcanoes of the Mohakatino Volcanic Centre erupted offshore, leading to the formation of a specific palaeoenvironment. The well-preserved, articulated specimens were found buried in sediments which include reworked volcanogenic material. The crabs inhabited a deep-marine setting. This is the first evidence that Pseudocarcinus inhabited the region that is now New Zealand. New Zealand Miocene environments apparently offered favourable conditions in terms of food sources, metabolic requirements, and calcium-carbonate supply for Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri n. sp. Pseudocarcinus thrived on both sides of the Tasman Sea until it disappeared in New Zealand waters. Pseudocarcinus crabs are characterised by gigantism, which provided them with significant advantages in competition and defence. Their carnivorous nature is reflected in their exceptionally large major cheliped. The broader use of benthic dwelling gastropods and bivalves as prey seems to have led to subsequent advances in brachyuran claw engineering, and an increase of molluscivorous crabs in the Late Cretaceous and Palaeogene. KEYWORDS: Brachyura, Pseudocarcinidae, new species, Taranaki Basin, Urenui Formation, volcanic deposits
Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri n. sp. Etymology. In honour of Karl Raubenheimer (New Plymouth, North Island, New Zealand), who collected and donated the holotype specimen described in the present study. Barry W. M. van Bake and Àlex Ossó. 2024. A New ‘Southern Giant Crab’ from A Miocene continental slope palaeoenvironment at Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics. DOI: 10.1080/00288306.2024.2314472 | ||||
| 4:04a | [Mammalogy • 2024] Pudella carlae • The First living cervid Species described in the 21st Century and Revalidation of Pudella (Artiodactyla: Cervidae)
Abstract Several issues regarding the systematics and taxonomy of the Neotropical deer tribe Odocoileini, an assemblage of 18 recognized living species currently allocated into 7 genera, remain unclear. The few available phylogenetic analyses indicate that some genera are not monophyletic and that species richness in the group is underestimated. One genus that presents both problems are the stocky and short-legged dwarf deer, Pudu. As currently understood, it includes 2 species, the Northern pudu, Pudu mephistophiles from Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia; and the Southern pudu, P. puda, from southern Chile and nearby Argentina. Here, by means of qualitative and quantitative morphologic analysis and the assessment of genetic variation, we showed that 2 distinct species are encompassed by the current concept of P. mephistophiles. The typical form distributes north of the Huancabamba Depression from northernmost Peru to the north (Ecuador and Colombia), while the other distributes south of the Huancabamba Depression and is a Peruvian endemic. As no name is available for the last one, we describe and name it here. This is the first living cervid species described in the 21st century and the first from the New World in over 60 years. Additionally, as the Southern Pudu (the type species of Pudu) is not sister to the 2 northern pudu species, we revalidate the genus Pudella to allocate the latter 2 species.
 Pudella mephistophila [ Pudella carlae Pudu pudu  Javier Barrio, Eliécer E Gutiérrez and Guillermo D’Elía. 2024. The First living cervid Species described in the 21st Century and Revalidation of Pudella (Artiodactyla). Journal of Mammalogy. gyae012. DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyae012   Resumen: Distintos aspectos de la sistemática y taxonomía de la tribu de ciervos neotropicales Odocoileini, que incluye un conjunto de 18 especies vivas reconocidas actualmente que se engloban en siete géneros, siguen sin estar resueltos. Los pocos análisis filogenéticos disponibles indican que algunos géneros no son monofiléticos y que la riqueza del grupo esta subestimada. Uno de los géneros que presenta ambos problemas es el género de ciervos pequeños y patas cortas Pudu. Con base en la clasificación actual, éste incluye dos especies, Pudu mephistophiles distribuido en Perú, Ecuador y Colombia y P. puda distribuido en el sur de Chile y áreas cercanas de Argentina. Este estudio mediante análisis morfológicos cualitativo y cuantitativo y la evaluación de la variación genética, muestra que el concepto actual de P. mephistophiles engloba a dos especies distintas. La forma típica se distribuye al norte de la Depresión de Huancabamba desde el extremo norte de Perú hacia el norte (Ecuador y Colombia), mientras que la segunda se distribuye al sur de la Depresión de Huancabamba y es endémica de Perú. Como no hay nombre disponible para esta última, aquí la nominamos y describimos formalmente. Esta es la primera especie viviente de cérvido descrita en el siglo XXI y la primera del Nuevo Mundo en más de 60 años. Además, como el pudú del sur (la especie tipo de Pudu) no es hermano de las dos especies de pudú del norte, revalidamos el género Pudella para colocar a las dos últimas especies. | ||||
| 10:22a | [Botany • 2024] Swertia jayantii (Gentianaceae) • A New Species from North-East India
Abstract Swertia jayantii (Gentianaceae), a new species from Jaintia hills, Meghalaya, India is described here with photographic illustration. The new species is described under Swertia subgenus Ophelia sect. Ophelia due to the presence of single, naked nectary on each corolla lobe. It closely resembles S. cordata in having corolla lobes with blue-purple veins and quadrangular, narrowly winged stem. However, it can be distinguished by its deltoid-shaped nectary, calyx lobes shorter than corolla lobes, and obtuse leaf base. A taxonomic description showing detailed morphological characters with a key to the closely related species is provided here to facilitate its proper identification. checklist, Onagraceae, Pan-Himalaya, taxonomy, Eudicots   Swertia jayantii Amber Srivastava & JS Khuraijam Amber Srivastava, Jibankumar Singh Khuraijam. 2024. Swertia jayantii (Gentianaceae): A New Species from North-East India. Phytotaxa. 640(1); 57-64. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.640.1.6 |
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