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Tuesday, June 25th, 2024
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 1:00a | [Arachnida • 2024] Typhlonesticus angelicus & T. santinellii • Two New Subterranean Typhlonesticus (Araneae: Nesticidae) from the Alps with Notes on their Ecology, Distribution and Conservation
Abstract The spider genus Typhlonesticus Kulczyński, 1914 (Araneae: Nesticidae) includes seven species, most of which exhibiting strict preference for caves, abandoned mines and other subterranean habitats. In Italy the genus is represented by two species: T. morisii (Brignoli, 1975), an extremely narrow endemic species from SW-Alps with a very high level of subterranean adaptation and T. idriacus (Roewer, 1931), showing a much wider distribution in NE-Italy and poor adaptations to subterranean life. Our recent biospeleological surveys in the Alps lead to the discovery of new populations of highly troglomorphic Typhlonesticus that proved to belong to two new species based on morphological and molecular data. Considering the rarity of these new species, we provide general information on their ecology and distribution, including a comparative analysis of troglomorphic traits in Typhlonesticus in relation to biogeographic factors. Information on the conservation status, useful for assessing their extinction risk based on International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines, is also provided. Keywords: Alpine subterranean fauna, Biogeography, Endemic species, Extinction risk, Systematics, Troglomorphism
Family Nesticidae Simon, 1894 Genus Typhlonesticus Kulczyński, 1914 Typhlonesticus angelicus Isaia and Ribera, sp. nov. Etymology: The species is dedicated to Angelo Morisi (1943–2016) beloved Piedmontese natural scientist, expert in reptiles, amphibians, cave-dwelling invertebrates, freshwater macroinvertebrates, fishes and lichens. Angelo was a kind-hearted, altruist and caring natural scientist, pioneer of the biospeleological research in Piedmont, and first collector of several rare troglobiont species that still carry his name, including Typhlonesticus morisii, sister species of T. angelicus sp. nov. The specific epithet is in form of adjective and conjugates the name of Angelo and the features of benevolent immortal beings with a translucent body of light, barely visible to the human eye. Typhlonesticus santinellii Isaia and Ribera, sp. nov. Etymology: The species is dedicated to the speleologist Roberto “Robertone” Santinelli, who first collected the female specimen in Murdosso cave, allowing the diagnosis of the new species. Noun in genitive. Conclusions: Combining morphological and genetic evidence, we revealed the existence of two new species of Typhlonesticus, the oldest evolutionary lineage of Nesticid spiders in Europe. The new species are characterised by a high level of adaptation to the subterranean environment, confirming the extraordinary richness of subterranean diversity in the Alps. Using a trait-based approach, we inferred how highly troglomorphic Typhlonesticus are particularly vulnerable to environmental changes, and in particular we interpreted their isolation and their small distribution ranges as critical conditions amplifying their extinction risk, especially from a global warming perspective. We particularly address this issue by recommending further studies focusing on the thermal tolerance of these species, aiming at understanding their possible response to increasing global temperatures. Marco Isaia, Giuseppe Nicolosi, Alessandro Infuso and Carles Ribera. 2024. Two New Subterranean Typhlonesticus (Araneae: Nesticidae) from the Alps with Notes on their Ecology, Distribution and Conservation. Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny. 81: 801-818. DOI: 10.3897/asp.81.e106948 | ||||||
| 1:04a | [Arachnida • 2024] Heteropoda lebar • A New Species (Araneae: Sparassidae: Heteropodinae) from the highlands in Pahang State, Malaysia with a distinct sexual colour dimorphism
Abstract Background: The genus Heteropoda Latreille, 1804, is ranked as the second within the family Sparassidae Bertkau, 1872. Up to now, sixteen species of this genus have been described from Malaysia. New information: A new species of this genus in the highlands of Pahang State, Malaysia is described under the name of Heteropoda lebar sp. nov.. Individuals of the new species live in primary forests on forest floor, active in the night on the leaf litter. Keywords: high diversity, Heteropodinae, sexual colour dimorphism, taxonomy
Heteropoda lebar sp. nov. Diagnosis: The males of H. lebar sp. nov. can be distinguished from those of all other congeners by the widened apical part of the conductor with retrolaterad, acuminate, triangular and rounded part (Figs 1, 4a–c). Females of H. lebar sp. nov. resemble H. aemulans Bayer & Jäger, 2009 (Bayer and Jäger 2009) by the shape of median septum in ventral view, but can be recognised by the following combination of characters (Figs 2, 3, 4d–e): 1. Width of anterior part of median septum one fifth of maximal width of median to posterior part, 2. Glandular appendages elongate, small rounded in ventral view, situated at lateral margin of first winding, 3. Posterior part of internal duct system wider than long. Etymology: The specific name is derived from the Malay word lebar (ليبار), meaning broad and referring to the fact that the males with a widened conductor; adjective. Wenqin Chen, Peter Jäger, Yang Zhu, Long Yu and He Zhang. 2024. Heteropoda lebar sp. nov.: A New Species from the highlands in Pahang State, Malaysia (Sparassidae, Heteropodinae) with a distinct sexual colour dimorphism. Biodiversity Data Journal. 12: e125745. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e125745 | ||||||
| 1:34a | [Entomology • 2024] Thaictenopelma splendida • A New enigmatic Genus of the ichneumonid (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ctenopelmatinae) from northern Thailand
Abstract The Ctenopelmatinae is one of the least explored groups of Ichneumonidae in South East Asia. We describe and illustrate an enigmatic new genus, Thaictenopelma Ranjith, Reshchikov & Quicke with the type species, T. splendida Ranjith, Reshchikov & Quicke, sp. nov., from a moderately high altitude site in northern Thailand. The new genus shows a unique set of morphological characters that distinguishes it from all other ctenopelmatine genera. The presence of a pair of complete latero-median as well as complete dorso-lateral carinae on the T2 are considered autapomorphic characters of the new genus. Affinities of the new genus within the Ctenopelmatinae are discussed and a note on the taxonomic placement is provided. Keywords: Malaise trap, new species, parasitoid wasp, South East Asia, taxonomy
Thaictenopelma Ranjith, Reshchikov & Quicke, gen. nov. Diagnosis: Thaictenopelma gen. nov. can be separated from all other ctenopelmatine genera by its putatively autapomorphic carination pattern of T1 and T2. In particular, the pairs of complete latero-median and dorso-lateral carinae on T2 are completely unknown for the subfamily (Townes 1970). Additionally, the new genus can be distinguished from other ctenopelmatines by a combination of characters viz., the lower tooth of mandible being longer than upper tooth, propodeum with distinct carination, fore wing with rhombic areolet, T2 and T3 with posteriorly diverging groove basally, and T3 with distinct medio-basal protuberances. Etymology: The generic name derived from a combination of ‘Thai’ for Thailand and ‘Ctenopelma’, type genus of the subfamily Ctenopelmatinae. Thaictenopelma splendida Ranjith, Reshchikov & Quicke, sp. nov., Etymology: The species is named after the magnificent combination of morphological characters which are completely unknown from the members of the subfamily. Avunjikkattu P. Ranjith, Donald L. J. Quicke, Alexey Reshchikov and Buntika A. Butcher. 2024. A New enigmatic Genus of the ichneumonid subfamily Ctenopelmatinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Thailand. Journal of Hymenoptera Research. 97: 491-504. DOI: 10.3897/jhr.97.121436 | ||||||
| 1:40a | [Entomology • 2024] Planiculus angulatus • A New Species of xyleborine ambrosia beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae: Xyleborini) from Thailand
Abstract A new species, Planiculus angulatus sp. nov., is described and P. shiva is reported from Thailand for the first time. A list of Planiculus species found in Thailand with distributions, habitat types and a key to species are also provided. Coleoptera, diversity, new species, Oriental region, Thai fauna  Wisut Sittichaya and Anthony I. Cognato. 2024. Planiculus angulatus, A New Species of xyleborine ambrosia beetle from Thailand (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae, Xyleborini). Zootaxa. 5471(4); 482-488. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5471.4.7 | ||||||
| 10:52a | [Herpetology • 2024] Cyrtodactylus hangvaensis • A New Species of Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1927 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) of the angularis group from the Karstic Landscape of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, central Vietnam
Abstract The Phong Nha-Ke Bang (PNKB National Park in the Central Highlands of Vietnam is a bastion for the protection and conservation of Vietnam’s natural heritage. Thus, the discovery of yet another new species of Cyrtodactylus, C. hangvaensis sp. nov., within the PNKB continues to underscore the parks ever-growing importance. Cyrtodactylus hangvaensis sp. nov. is a karst dwelling species of the angularis group that based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis, is most closely related to C. roesleri from the PNKB and C. sommerladi from karstic areas in nearby Laos. Cyrtodactylus hangvaensis sp. nov. occupies a unique position in morphospace where it is well separated from closely related species and other species within the PNKB. It is potentially diagnosable from all other members of the angularis by having a unique combination of morphological and color pattern characters and bearing an uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence of 9.5%–25.5%. Reptilia, Bent-toed geckos, conservation, Indochina, limestone, molecular phylogenetics
Cyrtodactylus hangvaensis sp. nov. Tang Van Duong, Lien Van Vu, Hien Thi Thu Vu, Dan Mulcahy, Andrey M. Bragin, Nikolay A. Poyarkov and L. Lee Grismer. 2024. Another New Species of Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1927 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) of the angularis group from the Karstic Landscape of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, central Vietnam. Zootaxa. 5471(5); 555-571. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5471.5.3  | ||||||
| 3:22p | [Ichthyology • 2024] Sinobdella longitubulus • A New Species of Spiny Eel (Pisces: Mastacembelidae) from the Zhu-Jiang Basin, southern China, with A Note on the Type Locality of S. sinensis (Bleeker, 1870)
Abstract Background: The spiny eel genus Sinobdella belongs to the family Mastacembelidae of the order Synbranchiformes. Kottelat and Lim (1994) utilised Rhynchobdella sinensis as the type species to propose the genus. Currently, it contains a single species widespread in eastern and southern China and northern Vietnam. New information: Sinobdella longitubulus, a new species of spiny eel, is here described from the Xi-Jiang of the Zhu-Jiang Basin in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southern China. It differs from the single congeneric species S. sinensis in having a more or less white-brown reticulated pattern on the flank, two tubular anterior nostrils longer than or equal to the rostral appendage, an anal fin heavily mottled with dark brown markings and white spots and bearing a narrow white distal margin; shorter pre-anal length; and fewer abdominal vertebrae. The validity of this new species is corroborated by its monophyly recovered in a COI gene-based phylogenetic analysis and its significant sequence divergence with S. sinensis. A note on the type locality of S. sinensis is also given; its type specimen is possibly from mountain streams of Jiangxi Province, in the lower Chang-Jiang Basin. Keywords: Sinobdella, new species, taxonomy, Zhu-Jiang Basin
Sinobdella longitubulus Shan & Zhang sp. nov. Diagnosis: Sinobdella longitubulus is clearly distinguished from the single congeneric species (S. sinensis) by having a more or less white-brown reticulated pattern (vs. many dark brown vertical bars, with very narrow light yellow interspaces) on the flank (Fig. 2), two tubular anterior nostrils longer than or equal to (vs. shorter than) the rostral appendage (Fig. 3), an anal fin heavily mottled with dark brown markings and white spots and bearing a narrow white distal margin (vs. black with a relatively wide light white distal margin) (Fig. 2); shorter pre-anal length (53.3-56.2 vs. 56.3-60.6 % SL; see Fig. 4) and fewer abdominal vertebrae (32-33, mean = 32.9 vs. 34-36, mean = 35.1) (Table 1). ... Etymology: The epithet name, used here as a noun, is derived from the Latin word longus (= long) and tubulus (= pipe), alluding to two longer tubes modified from anterior nostrils. The common Chinese name here suggested for this new species is “长管华刺鳅”. Peng Shan, Guangyu Li and E Zhang. 2024. Sinobdella longitubulus, A New Species of Spiny Eel (Pisces, Mastacembelidae) from the Zhu-Jiang Basin, with A Note on the Type Locality of S. sinensis (Bleeker, 1870). Biodiversity Data Journal. 12: e123990. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.12.e123990 |
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