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Friday, May 3rd, 2024
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 1:01a | [Botany • 2023] Aphanandrium narupayacuensis • The Reinstatement of Aphanandrium (Acanthaceae), A New Species from Ecuador and Four New Combinations
Abstract Aphanandrium, a genus of herbs and shrubs in the Acanthaceae from the Neotropics, is reinstated based on a previous phylogenetic study, and the following new combinations are herein presented: Aphanandrium grandifolius, A. harlingii var. harlingii, A. harlingii var. longifolius, and A. nitidus. Also, Aphanandrium narupayacuensis, a distinctive new species from the lowlands of northeastern Ecuador, is formally described and illustrated, and its relationship to morphologically closely related species is discussed. Keywords: Ecuador, Narupayacu, Neriacanthus, Neotropics
Xavier Cornejo, Dieter Wasshausen, Nolan Exe and Mia Johnson. 2023. The Reinstatement of Aphanandrium (Acanthaceae), A New Species from Ecuador and Four New Combinations. Harvard Papers in Botany. 28(1); 31-36. | ||||||
| 1:55a | [Ichthyology • 2024] Oxynoemacheilus chaboras • A New loach Species (Teleostei, Nemacheilidae) from the Euphrates Drainage in Türkiye
Abstract Oxynoemacheilus chaboras, new species, from the stream Beyazsu in the Euphrates drainage, belongs to the O. persa species group, being closely related to O. shehabi from the Orontes, O. sarus from the Seyhan and Ceyhan, O. euphraticus from the Euphrates and Tigris, O. karunensis from the Karkheh, and O. persa from Central Iran. The new species is distinguished from others in the O. persa group by having 8–9 pores in the supraorbital canal, two distinct black blotches at the caudal-fin base, a rudimentary and shallow pelvic axillary lobe, 6–10 irregularly shaped bars on the flank, and a deep head, body, and caudal peduncle. Oxynoemacheilus chaboras sp. nov. is most closely related to O. euphraticus, from which it is differentiated by a mean uncorrected p-distance of 3.24% (min. 3.09%) in its COI barcode gene. Key Words: Cypriniformes, Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, freshwater fish, taxonomy, Western Asia
Oxynoemacheilus chaboras sp. nov. Diagnosis: Oxynoemacheilus araxensis, O. argyrogramma, Oxynoemacheilus arsaniasus Freyhof, Kaya, Turan & Geiger, 2019, Oxynoemacheilus bergianus (Derjavin, 1934), O. euphraticus, Oxynoemacheilus kaynaki Erk’akan, Özeren & Nalbant, 2008, Oxynoemacheilus muefiti Freyhof, Kaya, Turan & Geiger, 2019, Oxynoemacheilus paucilepis (Erk’akan, Nalbant & Özeren, 2007), and Oxynoemacheilus tigris (Heckel, 1843) are other species of Oxynoemacheilus known from the Euphrates drainage (Fig. 5). Oxynoemacheilus chaboras, is distinguished from these by a combination of characters, none of them unique to the species. Oxynoemacheilus chaboras belongs to a group of species (O. argyrogramma, O. chaboras, O. euphraticus) having two bold, black, round or comma-shaped blotches on the caudal-fin base (vs. absent in Oxynoemacheilus araxensis, O. arsaniasus, ... Etymology: The species is named Chaboras, an ancient Greek name of the Khabur (Χαβώρας), as it was first documented by Ptolemy and Pliny the Elder ichthyofauna. A noun in genitive, indeclinable.  Cüneyt Kaya, Irmak Kurtul, İsmai̇l Aksu, Münevver Oral and Jörg Freyhof. 2024. Oxynoemacheilus chaboras, A New loach Species from the Euphrates Drainage in Türkiye (Teleostei, Nemacheilidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution. 100(2): 457-468. DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.118612   | ||||||
| 2:00a | [Entomology • 2023] Corniphora yanbianensis • A New Genus of Scuttle Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from China
China, acrossing the Palaearctic and the Oriental Regions, is rich in phorid diversity. During the last decade, considerable progresses have been made on Phoridae fauna study, especially on the amount increase of genera and species described (e.g. Liu, 2001, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021; Liu & Yang, 2016; Liu & Disney, 2022). However, our knowledge on the phorid fauna of China is still limited. Because of the small size and sex dimorphism in Phoridae, their species identification is usually difficult. Investigating phorid resources remains an important task at present. In the ongoing study, some curious specimens have unique combination of characters and could not be assigned to any known genus. Therefore, a new genus with a new species is proposed and described, namely Corniphora yanbianensis gen. & sp. nov. It seems closely related to the genus Phalacrotophora Enderlein, 1912 based on the characters of frons, anterodorsal and posterodorsal rows of setulae of hind tibia, and male terminalia. ...
Guangchun Liu. 2023. A New Genus of Scuttle Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) from China, with Description of A New Species. Zoological Systematics. 48(4): 361-364 DOI: 10.11865/zs.2023402 | ||||||
| 3:18a | [Botany • 2016] Behuria mestrealvarensis (Melastomataceae) • A New Species on an inselberg in Espírito Santo, Brazil
Abstract Behuria mestrealvarensis (Melastomataceae) from the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, is described, illustrated and compared with B. capixaba, the species most similar to it. Behuria mestrealvarensis differs from B. capixaba by the glabrous petioles and hypanthia, by the solitary flowers or these in simple or compound triads up to 7 flowers, elliptic bracteoles almost the same size of the pedicel and hypanthium, sepals with eciliate margins and ovary apex with trichomes up to 0.5 mm. It occurs in a single locality, on an isolated, ca. 800m elev. inselberg. Due to its restricted occupancy area, fragmented landscape and poor habitat quality, this species must be considered as Critically Endangered according to IUCN criteria. Keywords: Atlantic rain forest, taxonomy, endemism, Eudicots, Brazil  Behuria mestrealvarensis D.T.Iglesias & R.Goldenb. Diego Tavares Iglesias, Valquíria Ferreira Dutra and Renato Goldenberg. 2016. Behuria mestrealvarensis (Melastomataceae): A New Species on an inselberg in Espírito Santo, Brazil. Phytotaxa. 255(3); 281–286. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.255.3.10 | ||||||
| 3:24a | [Botany • 2016] Didymocarpus anningensis (Gesneriaceae) • A New Species from Yunnan, China
Abstract A new species of Gesneriaceae, Didymocarpus anningensis, is described and illustrated from Anning, Central Yunnan, China. The new species resembles D. purpureobracteatus and D. yunnanensis, but it can be easily distinguished by a combination of stem, leaf blade and leaf petiole indumentum characters, bract and calyx shape and number of staminodes. Keywords: China, Didymocarpus, Gesneriaceae, Yunnan, Eudicots   Didymocarpus anningensis Y.M. Shui, Lei Cai & J. Cai, sp. nov. Etymology:—The specific epithet ‘anningensis’ refers to the type locality where the new species occurs, Anning, Kunming, Yunnan Province. Lei Cai, Jie Cai, Yu-Min Shui. 2016. Didymocarpus anningensis (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from Yunnan, China. Phytotaxa. 255(3); 292–296. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.255.3.12 | ||||||
| 3:30a | [Botany • 2020] Didymocarpus nepalensis (Gesneriaceae) • A New Species from eastern Nepal
Abstract A new species of Gesneriaceae from eastern Nepal, Didymocarpus nepalensis Bh.Adhikari & Mich.Möller is described and illustrated. It is morphologically most closely allied to D. cinereus D.Don but differs by its well-developed stem, the absence of basal leaves and less deeply divided calyx. A detailed description, colour photographs, line drawings are provided and the morphological differences of relevant species are discussed. Keywords: Didymocarpus, Endemism, Himalayas, Nepal, Taxonomy
 Didymocarpus nepalensis Bh.Adhikari & Mich.Möller, sp. nov. Didymocarpus nepalensis is most similar to D. cinereus but can be distinguished by the absence of basal leaves (vs. present), inflorescences shorter than the stems (vs. equal to longer) and calyx lobes 1/4–1/3 of the calyx tube (vs. half or more than half). Adhikari B. and M. Möller. 2020. Didymocarpus nepalensis (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from eastern Nepal. Rheedea. 30(1); 128–134. DOI: 10.22244/rheedea.2020.30.01.06   | ||||||
| 7:36a | [Ichthyology • 2023] Troglonectes canlinensis • A New Troglomorphic Loach (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from Guangxi, China
Abstract A new species of the genus Troglonectes is described based on specimens from a karst cave in Andong Town, Xincheng County, Liuzhou City, Guangxi, China. Troglonectes canlinensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congener species by the following combination of characteristics: eye degenerated into a black spot; whole body covered by scales, except for the head, throat, and abdomen; incomplete lateral line; forked caudal fin; 8–10 gill rakers on the first gill arch; 13–14 branched caudal fin rays; 8–9 branched dorsal fin rays; 5–6 anal fin rays; 9–10 pectoral fin rays; upper adipose keel depth mostly 1/2 of the caudal peduncle depth; and caudal fin forked. Keywords: taxonomy; complete mitochondrial gene; cave loach; Hongshuihe river
Troglonectes canlinensis sp. nov. Diagnosis. Troglonectes canlinensis sp. nov., T. duanensis, T. lingyunensis, T. macrolepis, T. hechiensis, and T. retrodorsalis share their whole trunk being scaled, except for the head and area between the pectoral fins and pelvic fins; other species of Troglonectes have scaleless bodies or bodies scaled after the dorsal fin origin in Tr. furcocaudalis. However, the new species can be distinguished from T. duanensis by the incomplete lateral line (vs. absent), from T. lingyunensis and T. macrolepis by the eye being present (vs. eye reduced to black pigment), from T. hechiensis by the 8–10 inner-gill rakers on first gill arch (vs. 14), and from T. retrodorsalis by the tip of the anterior nostril being elongated to barbel-like and the nostril barbel length being nearly twice the nostril tube length (vs. nostril barbel length being less than 1/2 of the tube length). Etymology. The specific name “canlinensis” is derived from the pinyin of “can” and “lin”, which refer to resplendence and forest, respectively, with “canlin” symbolizing health and tenacious vitality. Troglonectes canlinensis sp. nov. is valuable and rare and requires strong vitality to maintain a viable population. We suggest the common Chinese name “灿 (càn) 林 (lín) 洞 (dòng) 鳅 (qīu)”. Shu-Jing Li, Jia-Kai Ge, Chun-Yan Bao, Li-Na Du, Fu-Guang Luo and Tong-Xiang Zou. 2023. Troglonectes canlinensis sp. nov. (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae), A New Troglomorphic Loach from Guangxi, China. Animals. 13(10). DOI: 10.3390/ani13101712 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Aquatic Fauna Biodiversity and Conservation) Simple Summary: Troglonectes is a small-body loach endemic to the Guangxi and Guizhou provinces of China, showing a particular affinity for cave areas. Twenty species were recorded in this genus, including one new species. The new species, Tr. canlinensis, can be distinguished from other congenetic species by their morphological characteristics and molecular evidence. In the genus of Troglonectes, the eye, lateral line and scale present or absent, the number of branched pectoral fin rays, caudal fin rays and anal fin rays, and the depth of the upper adipose keel on the caudal peduncle are important identifying characteristics. | ||||||
| 7:50a | [Botany • 2021] What is Muscari massayanum and what is not? Second species born of confusion: Muscari erzincanicum (Asparagaceae: Scilloideae), A New Species from Turkey
Abstract In the Flora of Turkey, the taxonomic concept of Muscari massayanum sensu Davis & Stuart was given based on five herbarium specimens and a photograph. In the original study, type location of the species was not specified, but its photograph and brief morphological features were included. In current study, herbarium samples given by Davis & Stuart under the description of the species in the Flora of Turkey were examined, and as a result of field studies conducted at the locations where these samples were collected, it was determined that the aforementioned description included M. massayanum, as well as the later published M. erdalii, and a new taxon yet to be named. As a result of comparative and detailed morphological studies to solve this confusion, a new species, Muscari erzincanicum (Asparagaceae) from Turkey, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to M. massayanum and M. erdalii, but differs from both by the flower, fruit and seed characteristics. Keywords: Anatolia, Anatolian diagonal, Central Taurus, Erzincan, new taxon, seed, taxonomy, Monocots
İsmail Eker. 2021. What is Muscari massayanum and what is not? Second species born of confusion: Muscari erzincanicum (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), A New Species from Turkey. Phytotaxa. 487(1); 41–55. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.487.1.3 | ||||||
| 9:05a | [Funga • 2024] Crepidotus flavocarpus, C. roseocarpus, C. thailandicus, etc. • Additions to Crepidotus Species (Basidiomycota: Agaricales): Six New Species and Two New Records from Thailand
Abstract Six new species and two new records of Crepidotus are described from Thailand. Macroscopic and microscopic descriptions with photoplates, as well as a multigene phylogeny, are provided. Crepidotus chiangraiensis sp. nov. is recognized as densely velutinous with white hairs longer near the point of attachment, not striate margin, and not hygrophanous. Crepidotus flavocarpus sp. nov. is recognized by yellow to yellowish pileus basidiomata, margin discolorous paler yellow, densely velutinous with white hairs near the point of attachment, smooth globose basidiospores, and inverse hymenophoral trama. Crepidotus thailandicus sp. nov. is recognized by a tomentose surface with white hair when primordial to early stages and then disappearing with age when mature present long translucent-striate reward to the point of attachment becoming fade away at central. Crepidotus roseocarpus sp. nov. is recognized by large basidiomata, pileus, lamellae, and context are pastel pink, concolorous darker pink at the margin, hymenophoral trama convergent, with cylindrical terminal elements. Crepidotus ungulatus sp. nov. is recognized by ungulate basidiomata, brownish orange near the point of attachment, the basidiomata color changed to light brown in three hours, and the margin is concolorous to the surface of the pileus. Crepidotus viscidus sp. nov. is recognized by white semicircular pileus, translucent-striate with gray to dark grey margin, lamellae pale orange to orange-white, glutinous context, smooth basidiospore and hymenophoral trama present regular form. Crepidotus lateralipes and C. striatus are reported as new records to Thailand. Fungi, Agaricales, molecular phylogeny, new species, pleurotoid mushrooms, taxonomy     Monthien Phonemany, Phonguen Sysouphanthong and Naritsada Thongklang. 2024. Additions to Crepidotus Species (Basidiomycota): Six New Species and Two New Records from Thailand. Phytotaxa. 646(2); 91-115. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.646.2.1 | ||||||
| 3:01p | [Botany • 2024] Opuntia fortanelli (Cactaceae) • A New Species from the Huastec Region of San Luis Potosí, México
Abstract In Mexico there are between 66 and 97 species of Opuntia, divided into 17 series. One of these series is the Tunae, which consist of low shrubs with cladodes that detach from the plant, though not easily, and have a pubescent epidermis. In the dry season the areoles are sometimes surrounded by a purple spot. The cladodes have acicular, subulate, yellow or white spines. The fruit is red and fleshy. During the exploration in the Sierra of Abra Tanchipa Biosphere Reserve, situated in the first foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, East of the state of San Luis Potosí, a cactus pear was discovered. This cactus pear cannot be classified among the known species of Opuntia due to its distinct morphological characteristics. However, it does possess features typical of the members of the Tunae section. Therefore, it is proposed as a new species within this series, named Opuntia fortanelli. The differences between O. fortanelli, the proposed species, and the closely related species O. decumbens and O. elizondoana, are discussed. KEYWORDS: Cactus pear, new species, taxonomy, tunae, Cactaceae, San Luis Potosi   Opuntia fortanelli Reyes-Agüero, Orta & Heindorf sp. nov. Juan Antonio Reyes-Agüero, Carolina Orta-Salazar, Claudia Heindorf and Eleazar Carranza González. 2024. Opuntia fortanelli (Cactaceae), A New Species from the Huastec Region of San Luis Potosí, México. Haseltonia. 31 (1), 26-33. DOI: 10.2985/026.031.0104 | ||||||
| 3:09p | [PaleoOrnithology • 2024] Synthetic Analysis of Trophic Diversity and Evolution in Enantiornithes with New insights from Bohaiornithidae
Abstract Enantiornithines were the dominant birds of the Mesozoic, but understanding of their diet is still tenuous. We introduce new data on the enantiornithine family Bohaiornithidae, famous for their large size and powerfully built teeth and claws. In tandem with previously published data, we comment on the breadth of enantiornithine ecology and potential patterns in which it evolved. Body mass, jaw mechanical advantage, finite element analysis of the jaw, and traditional morphometrics of the claws and skull are compared between bohaiornithids and living birds. We find bohaiornithids to be more ecologically diverse than any other enantiornithine family: Bohaiornis and Parabohaiornis are similar to living plant-eating birds; Longusunguis resembles raptorial carnivores; Zhouornis is similar to both fruit-eating birds and generalist feeders; and Shenqiornis and Sulcavis plausibly ate fish, plants, or a mix of both. We predict the ancestral enantiornithine bird to have been a generalist which ate a wide variety of foods. However, more quantitative data from across the enantiornithine tree is needed to refine this prediction. By the Early Cretaceous, enantiornithine birds had diversified into a variety of ecological niches like crown birds after the K-Pg extinction, adding to the evidence that traits unique to crown birds cannot completely explain their ecological success.
Case Vincent Miller, Jen A. Bright, Xiaoli Wang, Xiaoting Zheng and Michael Pittman. 2024. Synthetic Analysis of Trophic Diversity and Evolution in Enantiornithes with New insights from Bohaiornithidae. eLife. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.89871.3 | ||||||
| 3:10p | [Botany • 2024] Lilium pacificum (Liliaceae) • Evolutionary History and Taxon Recognition in the L. maculatum–L. pensylvanicum Complex in Japan [Biosystematic Studies on Lilium (Liliaceae) II]
Abstract To clarify the evolutionary history of the Lilium maculatum–L. pensylvanicum complex in Japan and to improve the circumscription of its component taxa, we conducted phylogenetic analyses based on chloroplast and nuclear internal and external transcribed spacer (ITS, ETS) DNA sequences, a genome-wide analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using multiplexed ISSR genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq), and morphological observations. Topological differences between the chloroplast and nuclear ITS + ETS phylogenies indicate that ancient hybridization or incomplete lineage sorting were involved in the origin of “maculatum”, but the relatively long length of relevant branches indicates that incomplete lineage sorting is implausible. The results of STRUCTURE analysis (K = 3, the highest delta K value) using MIG-seq indicate that “maculatum” has already developed its own cluster and can be considered a species (L. maculatum) that originated through the hybridization of L. pacificum (sp. nov.) and L. pensylvanicum. MIG-seq Neighbor-Net and STRUCTURE analyses (K = 3), as well as chloroplast DNA phylogeny, reveal that populations in disjunct limestone areas (L. maculatum var. bukosanense) originated via the hybridization of L. maculatum and L. pacificum, whereas populations in the Sado-Tobishima Islands (L. maculatum var. sadoense, var. nov.) originated via hybridization between L. maculatum and L. pensylvanicum. These taxa appear to be more or less genetically isolated from other populations based on the STRUCTURE analysis (K = 5), although we do not know whether this isolation resulted from geographic distance or reproductive barriers. Based on available MIG-seq and morphological data, respectively, we consider the two hybrid-origin populations to be independent varieties. Furthermore, the morphology of seaside populations of L. maculatum in East Tohoku District appears to have deviated slightly from that of mountain populations (L. maculatum f. monticola); as such, coastal populations merit recognition as a form of L. maculatum (L. maculatum f. spontaneum, comb. & stat. nov.). Other seaside populations of L. maculatum in the West Tohoku District appear to have originated from populations of L. pacificum, but have been successively taken over by L. maculatum through introgression, and have consequently evolved into a form of L. maculatum (L. maculatum f. maculatum). In addition, we found putative extant hybrid populations of L. maculatum × L. pensylvanicum. We recognize three species, two varieties, two forms, and one hybrid in the L. maculatum–L. pensylvanicum complex in Japan. Keywords: evolution, hybridization, Lilium maculatum var. sadoense, Lilium pacificum, MIG-seq, taxonomy
Lilium pacificum Seita T. Watanabe, Kazuhiko Hayashi, Katsuro Arakawa, Shizuka Fuse, Koji Takayama, Hidetoshi Nagamasu and Minoru N. Tamura. 2024. Biosystematic Studies on Lilium (Liliaceae) II. Evolutionary History and Taxon Recognition in the L. maculatum–L. pensylvanicum Complex in Japan. TAXON. DOI: 10.1002/tax.13141  New Japanese lily species identified, 1st addition to sukashiyuri group in 110 years Classification of these plants bloom to double the number of taxonomic groups through morphological study, DNA analysis | ||||||
| 3:12p | [Herpetology • 2024] Diploderma daduense • A New Species of Diploderma (Squamata: Agamidae) from the Valley of Dadu River in Sichuan Province, with a Redescription of Topotypes of D. splendidum from Hubei Province, China
Abstract This study describes a novel species of Diploderma (Squamata, Agamidae) from the lower valley of the Dadu River of the Sichuan Province of Western China based on its distinct morphological features and molecular evidence. D. daduense sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by its tympanum concealed; head mainly green-yellow, supplemented by black; skin folds under the nuchal and dorsal crest obviously present in adult males only, its vertebral crest discontinuous between nuchal and dorsal sections with a distinct gap; transverse gular fold present but not obvious in some individuals; gular spot absent in both sexes; dorsolateral stripes green-yellow anteriorly, cyan in the center and blurry off-white posteriorly in adult males, the upper edge of dorsolateral stripes strongly jagged in adult males; no radial stripes around the eyes; inner-lip coloration smoky-white, and the coloration of the tongue and oral cavity as a light-flesh color in life; bright green-yellow transverse stripes on dorsal body in males; black patches are evenly distributed along the vertebral line between the dorsolateral stripes from the neck to the base of the tail in males; beech-brown or gray-brown line along the vertebral line with heart-shaped or diamond-shaped black patches on the dorsal body in females; and supratemporals fewer than four on at least one side. The phylogenetic tree based on mitochondrial ND2 sequences indicates that D. daduense sp. nov. forms an independent clade with strong support 1/100 in ML bootstrap/Bayesian posterior probability and is the sister group to D. splendidum. At the inter-species level, the p-distance is at least 6.95%, further confirming that an independent species had been identified. Our work raises the number of species within the genus Diploderma to 47. Keywords: Eastern Tibetan Plateau; Hengduan Mountain Region; Xiling Gorge; Ichang City; dry valley
Diploderma daduense sp. nov. Cai, Liu, and Chang Diagnosis. Diploderma daduense sp. nov. can be diagnosed from other Diploderma species by the following unique combination of characters: (1) body size large, SVL 74.7–95.0 (average 86.5) mm in adult males, 52.6–80.2 (average 70.5) mm in adult females; (2) head relatively larger, HW/HL 0.61–0.79 (average 0.80) in adult males, 0.60–0.67 (average 0.64) in adult females; (3) finger IV subdigital lamellae 17–23 (average 19.2), toe IV subdigital lamellae 21–31 (average 25.3); (4) tympanum concealed; (5) head mainly green-yellow, supplemented by black; (6) skin folds under nuchal and dorsal crest obviously present in adult males only, vertebral crest discontinuous between nuchal and dorsal sections with a distinct gap; (7) transverse gular fold present but not ... Etymology. The Latin specific epithet daduense is derived from the Dadu River, where the new species was discovered. The genus Diploderma is Greek neuter, and that -ense of this new species name is the Latin neuter combinatorial suffix denoting “pertaining to” or “originating in”. And we suggest Dadu Mountain Lizard as its English common name and 大渡攀蜥 (Chinese phonetic alphabet: dà dù pān xī) as its Chinese common name. Bo Cai, Fengjing Liu, Dong Liang, Mian Hou, Huaming Zhou, Jiayun Zhong, Jing Li and Jiang Chang. 2024. A New Species of Diploderma (Squamata, Agamidae) from the Valley of Dadu River in Sichuan Province, with a Redescription of Topotypes of D. splendidum from Hubei Province, China. Animals. 14(9), 1344; DOI: 10.3390/ani14091344 Simple Summary: The genus Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 (Squamata, Agamidae), currently consists of 46 species, which are distributed across East Asia (inclusive of Japan) and the northern part of the Indochinese Peninsula, primarily inhabiting dry valley regions in Western China. This article introduces a novel species of Diploderma based on its unique morphological features and molecular evidence, discovered in the lower valley of the Dadu River in Sichuan Province, Western China. Phylogenetic analysis using ND2 data suggests that this new taxon is distinct from its congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be differentiated from other Diploderma species by an assemblage of 46 specific characteristics. Principal component analysis (PCA) further demonstrates that this new species is clearly distinguishable from its closest relative, D. splendidum. Given these multiple lines of evidence, we describe this species from the lower Dadu River valley as a newly identified species, D. daduense sp. nov. This discovery brings the total number of recognized species within the genus Diploderma to 47.  | ||||||
| 3:37p | [Ichthyology • 2024] Karstsinnectes cehengensis • A New Species of Cave Fish (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from Guizhou, China
Abstract Four species of the genus Karstsinnectes, which live in dark, low-energy groundwater ecosystems, are currently recorded, mainly distributed in the upstream of the Pearl River, the Youjiang River and the Hongshui River. Completing biodiversity surveys is particularly difficult due to the particular cave habitats inhabited by these species. In this work, we describe a new cave fish of the genus Karstsinnectes, namely K. cehengensis Luo, Zhao & Zhou, sp. nov., collected from the Beipanjiang River, the upstream of the Hongshui River. Genetically, the four individuals of the new species form a phylogenetically separate lineage, as the sister clade of K. acridorsalis, with a 9.4–9.5% genetic difference in mitochondrial Cyt b. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: body naked, without body color; eyes reduced, diameter 1.4–3.8% of head length; anterior and posterior nostrils adjacent, anterior nostril not elongated to a barbel-like tip; lateral line incomplete; caudal fin forked; dorsal-fin rays iii-7, pectoral-fin rays i-11–12, pelvic-fin rays i-7, anal-fin rays iii-5, with 14 branched caudal-fin rays. The discovery of this new species represents the northernmost distribution of species within the genus Karstsinnectes and the first record from Guizhou Province. All currently known species of this genus inhabited in caves, making them ideal organisms for studying historical river connectivity and cave formation process. Key words: Diversity, karst cave, morphology, phylogeny, Karstsinnectes
Karstsinnectes cehengensis Luo, Zhao & Zhou, sp. nov. Diagnosis. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) body naked, without body color; (2) eyes reduced, diameter 1.4–3.8% of head length; (3) anterior and posterior nostrils adjacent, anterior nostril not elongated to a barbel-like tip; (4) lateral line incomplete; (5) caudal fin forked;(6) dorsal-fin rays iii-7, pectoral-fin rays i-11–12, pelvic-fin rays i-7, anal-fin rays iii-5, with 14 branched caudal-fin rays. Etymology. The specific epithet “cehengensis” is in reference to the type locality of the new species, Ceheng County. We propose the common English name “Ceheng Chinese Karst Loach” and Chinese name “Cè Hēng Zhōng Huá Kā qiū (册 亨中华喀鳅)”. Xinrui Zhao, Changting Lan, Tao Luo, Jing Yu, Jiajun Zhou, Ning Xiao and Jiang Zhou. 2024. Karstsinnectes cehengensis (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae), A New Species of Cave Fish from Guizhou, China. Zoological Systematics. 49(2); 101-115. DOI: 10.11865/zs.2024204 | ||||||
| 5:04p | [Botany • 2022] Agave rosalesii (Asparagaceae: Agavoideae) • A New Species from the Mixteca Alta of western Oaxaca, Mexico
Abstract Background: Agave ellemeetiana (A. sect. Choritepalae) features soft and “spineless” leaves and occurs in two disjunct and ecologically differentiated populations classified as subspecies. An incidental look at the flowers of A. ellemeetiana ssp. subdentata unveiled that these did not match those of A. ellemeetiana s. str. nor those of sect. Choritepalae. Questions: Do these disjunct populations differ in flower and fruit morphology? Do they belong to the same section within Agave? Hypotheses: The floral morphology of populations of Agave ellemeetiana ssp. subdentata from western Oaxaca places this species in A. sect. Inermes, and the set of qualitative and quantitative differences is sufficient to recognize it as a distinct species. Studied species: Agave ellemeetiana, Agave pedunculifera. Study site and dates: Putla District, western Oaxaca, December 2011 and April 2014. Methods: We conducted an alpha-taxonomic study of the Agave ellemeetiana species complex, involving two fieldwork expeditions, review of literature, online images, and herbarium specimens. Results: Differences in flower, fruit and vegetative morphology and habitat support the segregation of the populations (from the Putla District, Oaxaca) from the Agave ellemeetiana complex as a new species, A. rosalesii spec. nov. The presence of an evident corolla tube places the proposed taxon close to A. pedunculifera and within A. sect. Inermes. Conclusions: The populations from the Putla District are sufficiently distinct in their morphology and ecology to merit recognition as a new species, Agave rosalesii, placed in A. sect. Inermes. Keywords: Agave ellemeetiana subsp. subdentata, Agave sect. Choritepalae, Agave sect. Inermes, corolla tube, endemic, montane pine-oak forest
 Agave rosalesii A. Vázquez, Thiede, Etter & Kristen, spec. nov. Agavero salesii is also similar to Agave pedunculifera in having non-offsetting rosettes, a denticulate leaf margin, a distinct corolla tube, a similar tepal lobe size and anther length, but it differs from the latter in having leaves broadly oblanceolate to rarely elliptic vs. mostly ovate-acuminate or lanceolate; leaf size 43.0-60.0 × 14.0-30.0 cm (vs. 80.0-90.0 × 11.0-15.0 cm); leaf length to width ratio 2.6-3.2 (vs. 5.2); terminal spine 2.0-3.0 mm long (vs. 10.0 mm); inflorescence 3.2-3.5 m long (vs. 2.0-3.0 m); pedicels 4.0-5.0 mm long (vs. 20.0-30.0 mm); flower length 3.3-3.5 cm (vs. 3.7-5.2 cm); flower color yellow (vs. pale yellow); tepal lobes reflexed rolled, 19.0-22.0 × 6.5-7.0 mm (vs. erect, 12.0-18.0 × 5.0-6.0 mm); number of flowers per node 2 (vs. 4), filaments 60.0-65.0 mm long (vs. 40.0-55.0 mm); and style 40.0-53 mm long (vs. 20-27 mm) (Table 1). Distribution and ecology. Agavero salesii is endemic to the Putla District in western Oaxaca, in the municipalities of Santa Cruz Itundujía (paraje Los Monos), Santa María Yucuhiti (Yosonicaje) and Putla Villa de Guerrero (Las Mesas Santo Domingo), inhabiting rocky outcrops of montane pine-oak forest at 2,400-2,600 m in elevation within the Río Verde basin. It grows with A. kavandivi, Echeveria sp., Furcraea sp., Pinguicula sp., Pinus sp., and Sprekelia sp. (Table 2, Figure 1). Etymology. The species honors Carlos Santiago Rosales Martínez, a young enthusiastic agavologist, explorer, and horticulturist of succulents, who, in collaboration with the first author, unveiled that the Putla populations traditionally treated as belonging to A. sect. Choritepalae, actually belong to A. sect. Inermes due to the presence of a distinct corolla tube. J. Antonio Vázquez-García, Joachim Thiede, Julia Etter and Martin Kristen. 2022. Agave rosalesii (sect. Inermes, Asparagaceae), segregated from Agave ellemeetiana K. Koch (sect. Choritepalae): A New Species from the Mixteca Alta of western Oaxaca, Mexico. Botanical Sciences. 1(1); DOI: 10.17129/botsci.3044 | ||||||
| 5:21p | [PaleoMammalogy • 2024] Militocodon lydae • A New periptychid Mammal (Mammalia : Periptychidae) from the lower Paleocene Denver Formation of Colorado (Corral Bluffs, El Paso County)
Abstract The Periptychidae, an extinct group of archaic ungulates (‘condylarths’), were the most speciose eutherian mammals in the earliest Paleocene of North America, epitomizing mammalian ascendency after the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) mass extinction. Although periptychids are mostly known from fragmentary gnathic remains, the Corral Bluffs area within the Denver Basin, Colorado, has yielded numerous exceptionally well-preserved mammalian fossils, including periptychids, from the earliest Paleocene. Here we describe a partial cranium and articulated dentaries plus an additional unassociated dentary fragment of a small-bodied (~273–455 g) periptychid from ca. 610 thousand years after the K–Pg mass extinction (Puercan 2 North American Land Mammal ‘age’) at Corral Bluffs. Based on these new fossils we erect Militocodon lydae gen. et sp. nov. The dentition of M. lydae exhibits synapomorphies that diagnose the Conacodontinae, but it is plesiomorphic relative to Oxyacodon, resembling putatively basal periptychids like Mimatuta and Maiorana in several dental traits. As such, we interpret M. lydae as a basal conacodontine. Its skull anatomy does not reveal clear periptychid synapomorphies and instead resembles that of arctocyonids and other primitive eutherians. M. lydae falls along a dental morphocline from basal periptychids to derived conacodontines, which we hypothesize reflects a progressive, novel modification of the hypocone to enhance orthal shearing and crushing rather than grinding mastication. The discovery and thorough descriptions and comparisons of the partial M. lydae skull represent an important step toward unraveling the complex evolutionary history of periptychid mammals. Keywords: Archaic ungulates, Condylarths, Eutherians, Periptychidae, Puercan
MAMMALIA Linnaeus, 1758 EUTHERIA Gill, 1872 ?UNGULATA Linnaeus, 1758 PERIPTYCHIDAE Cope, 1882 CONACODONTINAE Archibald, Schoch, and Rigby, 1983 Militocodon gen. nov. Etymology. In honor of Sharon Milito, for her dedication to paleontology and education in the Denver Basin and for finding referred specimen DMNH EPV.103390. Distribution. Puercan 2 of the Denver Formation, D1 Sequence at Corral Bluffs (El Paso County, Colorado). Diagnosis. Resembling the Conacodontinae (sensu Archibald et al. 1983b) in: M1–3 hypocone large and lingually expanded; protocone absent on P3. Resembling Oxyacodon (sensu Archibald et al. 1983a) in: premolars slightly inflated but P/p4 shorter or subequal in length to M/m1; para- and metastylar lobes on M1–3 more buccally expanded than in Alticonus, Ampliconus, Miniconus, Tinuviel, Anisonchus, Conacodon, Haploconus, and Hemithlaeus; metacingulum continuous with metastylar region; paraconule absent with postparaconule wing meeting preprotocrista near apex of protocone; hypocone expanded lingually beyond the protocone; paraconid on p4 small, situated near the base of the crown; narrow buccal cingulid present on lower molars and lingual cingulid absent on lower premolars and molars. Differing from Oxyacodon in: greater expansion of para- and metastylar lobes on P4, with the former also projecting farther mesially; hypocone lingual face more vertically oriented on M2–3, not sloping prominently lingually; hypocone apex distinctly distal to protocone apex, especially on M2, resulting in a more rectangular (rather than triangular) occlusal outline; paraconid on m1–3 not closely appressed to metaconid, resulting in a mesiolingually open trigonid basin; trigonid taller relative to talonid, due in part to a taller protoconid. Militocodon lydae sp. nov. Etymology. In honor of Lyda Hill, a longtime champion of Colorado Springs and key supporter of post-K–Pg recovery research at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Holotype. DMNH EPV.136181, partial skull, including posterior maxillae and dentaries, RP/p4–M/m3 and LP/p3–M/m3, and partial neuro- and basicranium.   Lucas N. Weaver, Jordan W. Crowell, Stephen G. B. Chester and Tyler R. Lyson. 2024. Skull of A New periptychid Mammal from the lower Paleocene Denver Formation of Colorado (Corral Bluffs, El Paso County). Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 31, 16. DOI: 10.1007/s10914-024-09716-5 |
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