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Monday, March 25th, 2024
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| 11:25a | [Herpetology • 2024] Pyxicephalus beytelli • A New Bullfrog (Anura: Pyxicephalidae, Pyxicephalus Tschudi, 1838) from southern Africa
ABSTRACT Four species of African bullfrogs are currently recognised. We describe a new species from southern Africa, which can be distinguished on the basis of morphology, advertisement call and DNA sequences. Morphologically it differs from other bullfrogs by a combination of characteristics including a tympanum that is smaller or equal in size to the eye, and smaller in diameter than the space between eye and tympanum, presence of a white dot on the tympanum, longitudinal skin ridges with speckling between dorsal mottles, pale vertebral line usually present, absence of cream coloured lateral stripes, absence of a pale interorbital-bar, upper jaw-barring absent or faint. It has been confirmed from north-eastern Namibia, southern Angola and north-western Botswana. Three further undescribed species are recognised but not formally named, pending further investigation. We confirm the genetic distinctiveness of P. angusticeps. KEYWORDS: 16S rRNA, tyrosinase exon 1, advertisement calls, Khaudum National Park, new species, Pyxicephalus beytelli sp. nov., taxonomy
Pyxicephalus beytelli sp. nov. Beytell's bullfrog Diagnosis: The new species is similar to all other species of bullfrogs in morphology and burrowing behaviour. We assign it to the genus Pyxicephalus based on the presence of teeth on the maxilla, two large sharp projections on the lower jaw, the inner metatarsal tubercle strongly flanged, no outer metatarsal tubercle, the outer metatarsals bound into the sole, and the presence of vomerine teeth, all characters that distinguish the genus Pyxicephalus from other pyxicephalids (Poynton Citation1964). Pyxicephalus beytelli is a large frog, maximum SVL 208 mm. The large size distinguishes it from P. angusticeps (maximum SVL 78.7 mm), P. edulis (maximum SVL 103 mm) and P. sp 2. (maximum SVL 120 mm). It has strongly developed dorsal skin ridges, differing from the oval dorsal warts of P. angusticeps and P. obbianus. There is speckling between the dorsal mottles separating it from P. angusticeps and P. obbianus which ...
 Etymology: We have the pleasure in naming this species for the late Mr Ben Beytell, Director of Parks and Wildlife Management in Namibia. He was instrumental in the proclamation of the Khaudum National Park, Namibia.
Louis H du Preez, Edward C Netherlands, Mark-Oliver Rödel and Alan Channing. 2024. A New Bullfrog from southern Africa (Pyxicephalidae, Pyxicephalus Tschudi, 1838). African Journal of Herpetology. DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2023.2296654 | ||||||||||
| 2:05p | [Botany • 2024] Zeltnera fonsecae (Gentianaceae: Chironieae) • A New gypsophilous Species endemic from Oaxaca, Mexico
Abstract During a recent study of the gypsicolous flora of the municipality of San Juan Teita, Oaxaca, a new species of Zeltnera was identified. We revised several herbarium collections, protologues and types, and we concluded that this does not belong to any of the previously described species. In this work, Zeltnera fonsecae, the only Mexican strictly gypsophilous species of the genus, is described and illustrated. Similarities with other species of the genus are commented, a preliminary conservation assessment is proposed, and a key to the species of the genus in Mexico provided. The new species is distinguished from other similar species of Zeltnera by the small size of the plants, cauline and divergent leaves, as well as pentamerous and white flowers. According to the criteria of the IUCN, the category of Vulnerable (VU, D2) is proposed. biodiversity, endemism, conservation status, Gentianales, taxonomy, Eudicots  Zeltnera fonsecae Vigosa, D.Sandoval & D.Morales  Daniel Sandoval-Gutiérrez, J. Luis Vigosa-Mercado and E. Darinka Morales-García. 2024. Zeltnera fonsecae (Gentianaceae, Chironieae, Chironiinae), A New gypsophilous Species endemic from Oaxaca, Mexico. Phytotaxa. 636(2); 194-202. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.636.2.8  | ||||||||||
| 2:12p | [Botany • 2024] Voacanga madureirae (Apocynaceae: Tabernaemontaneae) • A New Species from Atlantic Central Africa
Summary A new species of Apocynaceae from Atlantic Central Africa, Voacanga madureirae Paiva, O.Lachenaud & Covelo, is mapped, described and illustrated. It occurs on the Gulf of Guinea islands of Príncipe (São Tomé and Príncipe) and Bioko (Equatorial Guinea) and in the highlands of western Cameroon. The new species differs from other African Voacanga by its calyx distinctly exceeding the corolla (vs shorter or at most equalling it). It is further separated from V. chalotiana Pierre ex Stapf by the presence of a row of colleters in the upper half of the calyx (not near the base) and from other Central African species by its syncarpous fruits and almost straight (not strongly twisted) corolla tube. It is assessed as Near Threatened according to IUCN criteria. Key Words: Bioko, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gulf of Guinea islands, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tabernaemontaneae.
Voacanga madureirae Paiva, O.Lachenaud & Covelo sp. nov. RECOGNITION. Voacanga madureirae is easily recognised by its syncarpous fruits, its almost straight (not strongly twisted) corolla tube, and its calyx distinctly exceeding the corolla and bearing inside a dense row of colleters in the upper half of the tube. The first two characters are also found in V. chalotiana Pierre ex Stapf, which, however, has a smaller calyx, bearing a row of colleters near the base and much exceeded by the corolla. All other Central African species of Voacanga have apocarpous fruits, strongly twisted corolla tubes and a corolla usually exceeding the calyx, or equalling it in V. diplochlamys K.Schum., which, however, has puberulous stems and inflorescence while these parts are glabrous in V. madureirae.  Olivier Lachenaud, Jorge Paiva, Filipe Covelo, Martin Cheek and Jean Michel Onana. 2024. Voacanga madureirae (Apocynaceae), A New Species from Atlantic Central Africa. Kew Bulletin. DOI: 10.1007/s12225-024-10179-3 | ||||||||||
| 2:13p | [Botany • 2024] Gentiana mopanshanensis (Gentianaceae) • A New Species from Yunnan, southwest China
Abstract Gentiana mopanshanensis, a new species of the family Gentianaceae is here described and illustrated. This species is presently known only from the Mopanshan Mountain, Yunnan Province, southwest China. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS sequence data has shown that this new species is a member of the series Fimbriatae of the section Chondrophyllae. Morphologically, it mostly resembles G. mairei and G. panthaica, but differs clearly from the latter two species in the shape and size of the leaves, and the characters of the corolla throat and plicae. Key words: Diffuse herbs, endemism, ITS sequence, Mopanshan Mountain, series Fimbriatae, Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau
Gentiana mopanshanensis Huan C. Wang & Tao Chen bis, sp. nov. Diagnosis: Gentiana mopanshanensis is distinguishable from all other similar species of the genus by the combination of its rosulate basal leaves lanceolate to gladiate, up to 5 (6) cm long, cauline leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, throat of corolla blue maculate, plicae with 5–10 fimbriations, and fimbriation irregular in length, usually 0.5–2 mm long. Etymology: The specific epithet “mopanshanensis” is derived from the type locality of the new species, the Mopanshan Mountain, and the Latin suffix -ensis, indicating the place of origin or growth. Tao Chen, Ting-Ting Wang, Shao-Yun Liu and Huan-Chong Wang. 2024. Gentiana mopanshanensis (Gentianaceae), A New Species from Yunnan, southwest China. PhytoKeys. 239: 215-228. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.239.119800 | ||||||||||
| 2:13p | [Botany • 2024] Asparagus dabieshanensis (Asparagaceae) • A New Species from Dabie Mountains, Central China
Abstract Asparagus dabieshanensis, a new species from the Dabie Mountains, Central China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is similar to A. cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr. and A. filicinus D. Don, but differs in having long and straight cladodes, and shorter pedicel than that of the last two species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the combined four DNA markers (trnH-psbA, trnD-trnT, ndhF, phyC) indicated that the new species is a sister to A. cochinchinensis with strong support. Asparagus dabieshanensis, Dabie Mountains, new species, phylogeny, Monocot  Jia-Xin Yang, Xin-Xin Zhu, Nan Jia, Guang-Wan Hu and Qing-Feng Wang. 2024. Asparagus dabieshanensis (Asparagaceae), A New Species from Dabie Mountains, Central China. Phytotaxa. 641(2); 161-169. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.641.2.7 |
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