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Wednesday, September 11th, 2024
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 1:43a | [Herpetology • 2024] Ptyas bachmaensis • A New Species of Green Rat Snake Genus Ptyas (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Vietnam
Abstract Rat snakes (genus Ptyas) include 13 large Asian species with sizes reaching 3.8 m. For more than 100 years, no new species have been discovered in this genus. Here, we describe a new Ptyas from central Vietnam based on morphological data and nucleotide sequences from the MT-CYB gene. Ptyas bachmaensis sp. nov. is diagnosed by the following morphological characters: large-sized snake (largest total length 2401 mm in adult male); body scale rows in even numbers, 16-16-14 rows; two medial vertebral scale rows distinct; two and two or four medial scale rows keeled on middle and posterior parts of body, respectively; ventrals 194–199; subcaudals 132–138; supralabials 8, fourth and fifth entering orbit; maxillary teeth 28 or 29; hemipenis spinose and unforked, reaching 12th subcaudal; cloacal plate divided; lateral side of tail black, without a bright stripe. The new species forms an independent clade on the phylogenetic tree and differs from its congeners by an uncorrected p-distance in MT-CYB sequences of at least 5.7%. Keywords: Bach Ma National Park, Thua Thien - Hue Province, Kon Tum, Ptyas bachmaensis, Ptyas nigromarginata, Zaocys
Ptyas bachmaensis sp. nov. Diagnosis: Ptyas bachmaensis sp. nov. is distinguished from all congeners by the unique combination of the following morphological characters: large-sized snake (largest TL 2401 mm in adult male); body scale rows in even numbers, 16 rows at neck and midbody, 14 rows before vent; two medial vertebral scale rows throughout; two and two or four medial scale rows keeled on middle and posterior parts of body, respectively; ventrals 194–199; subcaudals 132–138; supralabials 8, fourth and fifth entering orbit; maxillary teeth 28 or 29; hemipenis spinose and unforked, reaching 12th subcaudal; cloacal plate divided; lateral side of tail black, without a bright stripe. Etymology: The specific epithet bachmaensis is a toponym derived from the Bach Ma Mountain where the holotype of the new species was discovered. We recommend “Bach Ma green rat snake” and “Rắn ráo xanh Bạch Mã” as the common English and Vietnamese names of the new species, respectively.  Sang Ngoc Nguyen, Ba Dinh Vo, Nikolai L. Orlov, Khanh Duy Phan, Manh Van Le, Luan Thanh Nguyen, An Thien Tran, Robert W. Murphy, Jing Che. 2024. A New Species of Green Rat Snake (Squamata: Colubridae: Ptyas) from Vietnam. Zoological Research: Diversity and Conservation. DOI: doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2097-3772.2024.0 x.com/ZR_ZRDC/status/1833394284525125795   | ||||||
| 4:21a | [Crustacea • 2024] Munidopsis sedna • Integrative Taxonomy reveals A New Species of Deep-sea Squat Lobster (Galatheoidea: Munidopsidae) from Cold Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico
Abstract The western Atlantic Ocean harbors a diverse fauna of squat lobsters, particularly in the family Munidopsidae. This study introduces Munidopsis sedna sp. nov., a species only found in the Gulf of Mexico and the first species reported to be endemic to cold seeps in the western Atlantic. Our investigation incorporates morphological analyses including micro-CT scanning evidence, multilocus molecular phylogeny, and mtDNA phylogeography, as well as ecological data derived from in situ observations and geographic distribution patterns to substantiate the recognition of the new species. Shallow molecular divergences and multiple morphological differences differentiate the new species from its closest relative, M. longimanus (A. Milne-Edwards, 1880). Additionally, we explore the potential scenario for ecological speciation within this newly identified taxon and discuss its significance in the context of conservation efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. Key Words: Anomura, Atlantic, barcoding, chemosynthetic systems, morphology, nanopore, speciation Superfamily Galatheoidea Samouelle, 1819 Family Munidopsidae Ortmann, 1898 Genus Munidopsis Whiteaves, 1874
Munidopsis sedna sp. nov. Etymology: In Inuit mythology, Sedna is the goddess of the sea and marine animals, also known as the Mother or Mistress of the Sea. The specific name is substantive in apposition. Paula C. Rodríguez-Flores, Julie W. Ambler and Martha S. Nizinski. 2024. Integrative Taxonomy reveals A New Species of Deep-sea Squat Lobster (Galatheoidea, Munidopsidae) from Cold Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 100(4): 1243-1257. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.100.127169 | ||||||
| 11:55a | [Herpetology • 2024] Brookesia nofy • A New miniaturized Species of Leaf Cchameleon, Genus Brookesia (Squamata: Chamaeleonidae), from a littoral forest fragment in eastern Madagascar
Abstract The number of species of miniaturized chameleons of the genus Brookesia, subgenus Evoluticauda, known to science has witnessed a dramatic increase over the past 15 years, due to the discovery of multiple microendemic species of very strong genetic divergence. So far, no described Evoluticauda species are known from the littoral forest of Madagascar’s east coast, one of the most threatened habitat types of the island. Here, we report on the discovery of a new species of Evoluticauda occurring in the littoral forest at Ankanin’ny Nofy, a touristic site at about sea level and close to Vohibola forest where probably the same species occurs. The new species, Brookesia nofy sp. nov., is sister to B. ramanantsoai which occurs in mid-altitude and highland forests (800–1300 m a.s.l.) at a similar latitude of eastern Madagascar, but differs from this species by an enormous genetic divergence in both mitochondrial and nuclear genes (8.1–9.4% uncorrected pairwise distance in the 16S rRNA gene, 1.8–2.5% in c-mos), a relatively shorter tail, a different arrangement of cephalic ridges, and probably smaller body size and relatively larger head. The discovery of B. nofy sp. nov. emphasizes the importance of conserving Madagascar’s last remaining fragments of littoral forest. Reptilia, Squamata, Chamaeleonidae, Brookesia nofy sp. nov., Ankanin’ny Nofy    Andolalao Rakotoarison, Alida Frankline Hasiniaina, Frank Glaw, Miguel Vences. 2024. A New miniaturized Species of Leaf Cchameleon, Genus Brookesia, from a littoral forest fragment in eastern Madagascar. Zootaxa. 5506(4); 533-547. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5506.4.3 |
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