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Wednesday, June 19th, 2024
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| 2:33a | [Herpetology • 2024] Hylophorbus lengguru, H. maculatus & H. monophonus • Species Delimitation and Phylogenetic Analyses of A New Guinean Frog Genus (Anura: Microhylidae: Hylophorbus) reveal many Undescribed Species and A Complex Diversification History d
Abstract New Guinea is the largest tropical island in the world and hosts immense endemic biodiversity. However, our understanding of how the gradual emergence of the terrestrial ecosystems of the island over the last 40 Myr has generated this biological richness is hampered by poorly documented species diversity and distributions. Here, we address both these issues through an integrative taxonomy and biogeographical approach using Hylophorbus, a New Guinea-endemic genus of frogs with 12 recognized species. We delimited candidate species by integrating mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA, and bioacoustics, then investigated their evolutionary history. Our results suggest that the current taxonomy of the genus misses true species diversity by ≥3.5-fold. Nevertheless, most candidate species (27) remain unconfirmed because of missing data, whereas five were identified unambiguously as undescribed (we describe three of these formally). Time-calibrated phylogenetic analyses suggest that Hylophorbus diversification began ~9 Mya in the northern or eastern portion of New Guinea. It would appear that lineages dispersed to new terrestrial habitats in the west, notably uplifted by the central range orogeny, until eventually reaching the Bird’s Head during the Mio-Pliocene (7–5 Mya). Conversely, a past barrier appears to have prevented north–south dispersal. These data suggest that new habitat availability has primarily driven the diversification of Hylophorbus. amphibian, biogeography, cryptic species, Indo-Pacific, 16S ribosomal RNA, island fauna, phylogeography, alpha taxonomy Hylophorbus lengguru sp. nov., Hylophorbus maculatus sp. nov., Hylophorbus monophonus sp. nov. Flavien Ferreira, Fred Kraus, Stephen Richards, Paul Oliver, Rainer Günther, Wahyu Trilaksono, Evy Ayu Arida, Amir Hamidy, Awal Riyanto, Burhan Tjaturadi, Christophe Thébaud, Philippe Gaucher and Antoine Fouquet. 2024. Species Delimitation and Phylogenetic Analyses of A New Guinean Frog Genus (Microhylidae: Hylophorbus) reveal many Undescribed Species and A Complex Diversification History driven by late Miocene Events. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. zlad168. DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad168 www.brin.go.id/press-release/117375/bri | ||||||||
| 2:54a | [Entomology • 2024] Phelene reinschmidti • A New Species from Ecuador with Notes on the Subfamily Lophotettiginae (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)
Abstract Lophotettiginae Hancock, 1909, endemic to the Neotropics, is one of the most ill-known subfamilies of Tetrigidae. Until now, there have not been any hypothesis on its relationship with other subfamilies. Lophotettiginae comprise only two genera, Lophotettix Hancock, 1909 and Phelene Bolívar, 1906, both with an arduous taxonomic history. Here, we describe a new species, Phelene reinschmidti from Ecuador, and compare it with its congeners: P. turgida from Peru and P. maroon from French Guiana. We found the subfamily Lophotettiginae to most closely resemble the Neotropical subfamily Metrodorinae, meaning that the two are likely related. We also provide a 3D scan of the holotype, a first for Tetrigidae. The 3D model contains all the important taxonomic characters and much more data could be extracted in the future using artificial intelligence-assisted approaches. Key Words: 3D scan, Neotropics, taxonomy, pygmy hoppers, grouse hopper
Phelene reinschmidti Kasalo, Husemann & Skejo, sp. nov. Diagnosis: Easily separated from the congeners by the following set of characters: (i) median carina forming a low elongated crest which extends from between the prozonal carinae to the base of hind legs; (ii) vertex a little less than two eyes wide; (iii) brown body without distinct patterns; (iv) rounded pulvilli of hind tarsi; (v) female subgenital plate oval with moderately protruding triangular apex; (vi) alae dark brown with venation of the same color. Differs from P. maroon by characters iii, iv, v, and vi. Etymology: The new species is named after Prof. Dr. Matthias Reinschmidt, the current director of the Karlsruhe Zoo for his dedication and investments in nature protection in Ecuador and around the world. Niko Kasalo, Martin Husemann, Thomas van de Kamp and Josip Skejo. 2024. Description of Phelene reinschmidti from Ecuador with Notes on the Subfamily Lophotettiginae (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae). Evolutionary Systematics. 8(1): 119-125. DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.8.124285 | ||||||||
| 4:08a | [Entomology • 2019] Metapocyrtus kitangladensis • A New Pachyrhynchus cumingii Mimic (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Pachyrhynchini) from Mindanao Island, Philippines
Abstract A description of a new species from the genus Metapocyrtus Heller, 1912 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Pachyrhynchini) from Mt Kitanglad Range Natural Park, an ASEAN Heritage Site in northern Mindanao is presented and illustrated. The recent discovery is also the first mimic record of Pachyrhynchus cumingii GR Waterhouse, 1841 which are both found in the same locality. A Coptorhynchus sp. showing similar elytral patterns was also documented to be part of the mimicry complex. The new species differs from the other two species in having a distinct transverse groove between forehead and rostrum and the antennal scape reaching beyond the hind margin of the eye. Keywords: Bukidnon, endemism, Mt Kitanglad Range Natural Park, weevil
Metapocyrtus kitangladensis sp. n.  twitter.com/ZooKeys_Journal/status/1138473462484389888 | ||||||||
| 7:40a | [Invertebrate • 2024] Oroperipatus tiputini • A New Species of Velvet Worm of the Genus Oroperipatus (Onychophora: Peripatidae) from western Amazonia
Abstract The diversity of Neotropical velvet worms (Onychophora, Neopatida) is significantly underestimated, particularly within the Andean clade represented by the genus Oroperipatus, the last species of which was described more than 70 years ago. Here, we describe a new species of Oroperipatus from the Amazonian lowlands of Ecuador, bringing the total number of described species on mainland Ecuador to seven and in western Amazonia to three. The new species, Oroperipatus tiputini sp. nov., can be distinguished from its congenerics by the following combination of characters: two variations of primary papillae alternated between dorsal plicae; four scale ranks in the apical piece of primary papillae; reduced fifth spinous pad of legs IV and V; four supraocular papillae; occasionally reduced anterior papilla; males with two crural tubercles per leg in the first pregenital pair and a single crural tubercle per leg in the next pair; and some accessory papillae with one lateral rudimentary apical piece. We also discuss novel morphological similarities and differences with other Neopatida genera, as revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Key Words: Andean peripatids, Ecuador, Neopatida, new species, taxonomy, Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Yasuni
Oroperipatus tiputini sp. nov. Diagnosis: Oroperipatus tiputini sp. nov. differs from all other congeneric species by having two size variations of primary papillae alternated between dorsal plicae (Figs 3A, 4C), apical piece of primary papillae with four scale ranks (Fig. 4B), reduced fifth spinous pad of legs IV and V (Fig. 3B), four foot papillae, four supraocular papillae, and occasionally the anterior papilla reduced (Fig. 1); some accessory papillae with one lateral rudimentary apical piece (Fig. 4C); males with two crural tubercles per leg in first pregenital pair and a single crural tubercle per leg in the next pair (Fig. 3C). Etymology: The specific epithet is used as a name in apposition in reference to the type locality of the new species, Tiputini Biodiversity Station (TBS). We present this new species in recognition of the hard work done to protect Amazonian biodiversity by TBS’s management, research, and field team at one of the most important research stations in western Amazonia (Bass et al. 2010). Jorge L. Montalvo-Salazar, M. Lorena Bejarano, Alfredo Valarezo, Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia. 2024. A New Species of Velvet Worm of the Genus Oroperipatus (Onychophora, Peripatidae) from western Amazonia. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 100(3): 779-789. DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.117952  | ||||||||
| 7:37p | [Herpetology • 2024] Cnemaspis puterisantubongae • A New sandstone-dwelling Species of Genus Cnemaspis (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Gunung Santubong National Park, southwestern Sarawak, Malaysia
Abstract A newly discovered sandstone-dwelling species of the rock gecko, genus Cnemaspis, is described from Santubong National Park, 25 km north of Kuching, southwestern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Molecular phylogenetic analysis confirmed that Cnemaspis puterisantubongae sp. nov. is closely related to other Cnemaspis species in southwestern Sarawak, except for C. kendallii, although these relationships remain unclear. The new species differs from closely related species in having a moderate snout–vent length of up to 66.7 mm; 10–14 precloacal pores in males; 9–14 obviously-convex precloacal pore-bearing scales in females; enlarged, smooth, flat median subcaudal scales; sharp-edged, broad black markings on the trunk dorsum; and a black–gray banding pattern on the posterior part of the original tail, with white median subcaudal scales in males. This discovery of this new species from Santubong National Park, which is highly accessible due to its proximity to Kuching, highlights the need for extensive inventory surveys throughout the national parks of Sarawak. Borneo, Cnemaspis nigridia group, saxicolous, Puteri Santubong, PUBS, SATREPS
Cnemaspis puterisantubongae sp. nov. Kurita & Nishikawa English: Santubong rock gecko Malay: Cicak puteri Santubong Etymology. The generic name is feminine in gender. The specific epithet puterisantubongae is derived from Puteri (= princess) Santubong, who is one of two princesses appearing in a local myth. These princesses are said to have descended from the celestial realm to a human village; their remarkable beauty and weaving skills are represented in the species by yellow ocher body colouration, distinct bold black marks, and pale/faint yellow spots in both sexes. Santubong is also the name of the promontory for which the Santubong National Park is named.
Takaki Kurita, Kanto Nishikawa, Mohamad Yazid Hossman, Takafumi Mizuno, Hirotoshi Sato, Melvin Gumal. 2024. Description of A New sandstone-dwelling Species of Genus Cnemaspis (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Gunung Santubong National Park, southwestern Sarawak, Malaysia. Zootaxa. 5468(2); 361-378. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5468.2.7  |
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