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Thursday, November 14th, 2024
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 2:32a | [Entomology • 2024] Gorareduvius gajarrangarnang • A New Species of Resin-using Assassin Bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) from Australia, with notes on its behaviour
Abstract A new species of assassin bug, Gorareduvius gajarrangarnang sp. nov. is described from the Kimberley region, Western Australia, using digital images, scanning electron micrographs and X-ray microtomography. Natural history and prey capture by this species is described, revealing the use of sticky Triodia resin in prey capture. This is only the second documented instance of resin use by an Australian reduviid. 
Gorareduvius gajarrangarnang sp. nov. Similar to G. westraliensis, being mostly black in colouration, apterous, with an elongate and parallel-sided body, elongate limbs with swollen femoral apices, but distinguished by its somewhat smaller size, by the broad yellow to orange metafemoral annulation (vs yellow to orange profemoral annulation in G. westraliensis), the yellow to orange antennae (vs black with yellow apices) the more prominent and erect tubercles on the abdominal tergites, and by the structure of the male aedeagus. Etymology: The specific epithet gajarrangarnang, derived from the Miriwoong language, spelled ‘gajarrangarnang’ meaning ‘spinifex dweller, ’ refers the grass (Triodia spp.) from which these assassin bugs extract resin. Miriwoong was once commonly spoken near the region where the type specimen was found, but is now a critically endangered language. This name alludes to both the fact that these assassin bugs are usually found associated with resinous species of Triodia, and that they cover themselves with resin from these plants. This name was suggested and approved by the Elders and language consultants who were contacted through the Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring Language and Culture Centre (https://mirima.org.au) Nikolai J. Tatarnic, Iria S. Chacón, and Fernando G. Soley. 2024. Gorareduvius gajarrangarnang, A New Species of Resin-using Assassin Bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) from Australia, with notes on its behaviour. Australian Journal of Taxonomy 74: 1–13. DOI: doi.org/10.54102/ajt.2tjbq | ||||||
| 2:58a | [PaleoOrnithology • 2024] Navaornis hestiae • Cretaceous Bird from Brazil informs the Evolution of the Avian Skull and Brain
Abstract A dearth of Mesozoic-aged, three-dimensional fossils hinders understanding of the origin of the distinctive skull and brain of modern (crown) birds. Here we report Navaornis hestiae gen. et sp. nov., an exquisitely preserved fossil species from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil. The skull of Navaornis is toothless and large-eyed, with a vaulted cranium closely resembling the condition in crown birds; however, phylogenetic analyses recover Navaornis in Enantiornithes, a highly diverse clade of Mesozoic stem birds. Despite an overall geometry quantitatively indistinguishable from crown birds, the skull of Navaornis retains numerous plesiomorphies including a maxilla-dominated rostrum, an akinetic palate, a diapsid temporal configuration, a small cerebellum and a weakly expanded telencephalon. These archaic neurocranial traits are combined with a crown bird-like degree of brain flexion and a bony labyrinth comparable in shape to those of many crown birds but substantially larger. Altogether, the emergent cranial geometry of Navaornis shows an unprecedented degree of similarity between crown birds and enantiornithines, groups last sharing a common ancestor more than 130 million years ago. Navaornis provides long-sought insight into the detailed cranial and endocranial morphology of stem birds phylogenetically crownward of Archaeopteryx, clarifying the pattern and timing by which the distinctive neuroanatomy of living birds was assembled.   Systematic palaeontology Aves Linnaeus, 1758 Ornithothoraces Chiappe and Calvo, 1994 Enantiornithes Walker, 1981 Navaornis hestiae gen. et sp. nov. Remarks. We use Aves to refer to all taxa descended from the most recent common ancestor of Archaeopteryx lithographica and crown birds. Diagnosis. Enantiornithine with a toothless skull and a combination of the following features: fully fused premaxillae with a convex dorsorostral surface, highly curved jugal, small, comma-shaped quadratojugal, diminutive lacrimal failing to separate the orbit from the antorbital fenestra, parasphenoidal rostrum perforated by a large ovoid fenestra, elongate basipterygoid processes, large and sinusoidal anterior semicircular canal excavating the dorsal margin of the supraoccipital, robust and prominent medial process of the mandible. Etymology. Navaornis honours William Nava, who discovered the fossil locality in 2004 and the holotype specimen in 2016; the specific epithet hestiae alludes to Hestia, the Greek goddess of architecture, regarded as simultaneously the oldest and the youngest of the Twelve Olympians. Navaornis reflects this duality in that it belongs to an archaic lineage, yet its cranial geometry is essentially modern.   Luis M. Chiappe, Guillermo Navalón, Agustín G. Martinelli, Ismar de Souza Carvalho, Rodrigo Miloni Santucci, Yun-Hsin Wu and Daniel J. Field. 2024. Cretaceous Bird from Brazil informs the Evolution of the Avian Skull and Brain. Nature. 635, 376–381. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08114-4  | ||||||
| 3:15p | [Invertebrate • 2024] Nesometra integra • A New Species of Feather Star (Echinodermata: Crinoidea: Comatulida: Antedonidae) from Southern Japan and Western Australia
Abstract A new species of the genus Nesometra Virgili, Poliseno, Fujita, Pratama, Fernández-Silva, and Reimer, 2023 is described based on the specimens collected from the Amami Islands and Ogasawara Islands, Japan and Cunningham Island, Australia. Nesometra integra n. sp. is distinguished from its single congener, N. sesokonis (Obuchi, Kogo, and Fujita, 2009), by having complete proximal pinnulation and cirri with reduced medial constriction on its distal part. Keywords: Antedonidae, Nesometra, new species, Japan, Australia, coral reef
Family Antedonidae Norman, 1865 Subfamily Antedoninae Norman, 1865 Genus Nesometra Virgili, Poliseno, Fujita, Pratama,
Fernández-Silva, and Reimer, 2023 [New Japanese name: Sesoko-hime-umishida-zoku] Nesometra integra n. sp. [New Japanese name: Kanzen-sesoko-hime-umishida]
(Figs 1, 3–7, 9A, B) Distribution. Japan (Ogasawara Islands and Amami Islands) and Australia (Cunningham Island). Bathymetrical
range: 17.5–110m; 52–54m in the Ogasawara Islands, 17.5–
75m in the Amami Islands, 110m in Cunningham Island. Etymology. The specific name, integra (Latin adjective,
feminine), means ‘complete’ after the adult complete proximal pinnulation of the new species compared to its congener, N. sesokonis. The Japanese name of the genus Nesometra, Sesoko-himeumishida-zoku (セソコヒメウミシダ属) is derived from Sesoko
(瀬底), the type locality of the type species N. sesokonis, and
hime-umishida-zoku (ヒメウミシダ属), the Japanese name of
antedonid comatulids and the Japanese word for genus, zoku
(属). The Japanese name of the new species, Kanzen-sesokohime-umishida (カンゼンセソコヒメウミシダ), is derived
from kanzen (完全), means also ‘complete’ as a translation
of the specific name, integra. Gregorius A. Pratama, Riccardo Virgili, James D. Reimer and Toshihiko Fujita. 2024. Nesometra integra, A New Species of Feather Star (Echinodermata: Crinoidea: Comatulida: Antedonidae) from Southern Japan and Western Australia. Species Diversity. 29(2); 255-268. DOI doi.org/10.12782/specdiv.29.255 https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/spe Researchgate.net/publication/383342175_Nesometra_integra_a_New_Species_of_Crinoidea_Japan_and_Au | ||||||
| 3:30p | [Herpetology • 2024] Bolitoglossa silentium & B. chiquitica • Taxonomic Assessment of the Bolitoglossa (Eladinea) Subgenus (Caudata: Plethodontidae) with the Description of Two New Species from the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica
Abstract Isthmian Central America boasts a diverse array of salamanders, with a total of 72 species spanning three genera. Among these, a subset of the subgenus Bolitoglossa (Eladinea), stands out as particularly rare within the Cordillera de Talamanca. Many of its species have been discovered since 2009, with the majority documented from fewer than five specimens. In our endeavor to elucidate the taxonomy of this species group, we conducted fieldwork at Tapantí and the summits of Utyum, Echandi, and Fábregas, aiming to locate specimens. Our efforts have led to the expansion of the distributional range and the elucidation of the known body size of Bolitoglossa bramei, while Bolitoglossa robinsoni underwent redefinition. Furthermore, we describe two additional species herein, including a miniature salamander from Cerro Utyum and another salamander of moderate size from Valle del Silencio. As result of this study, the Bolitoglossa diminuta species group is now recognized to encompass seven species, all confined within the limits of the Cordillera de Talamanca. Amphibia, caudate, Central America, Costa Rica, Panama
Bolitoglossa chiquitica sp. nov. Costa Rican Miniaturized Salamander Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, it is from the Spanish word “chiquitica”, a popular diminutive used by Costa Rican people to refer to especially small things or animals. This name is given in reference to the small size of this species and its restricted distribution to Costa Rica.
Bolitoglossa silentium sp. nov. Valle del Silencio Web-footed Salamander Etymology. The specific epithet, silentium, is a noun in apposition and is from Latin, meaning silence. The Spanish meaning of silence is “silencio”, this name was chosen in recognition of the site where this species was found, Valle del Silencio (Silent Valley). Erick Arias, Gerardo Chaves, Brian Kubicki and Gabriela Parra-Olea. 2024. Taxonomic Assessment of the Bolitoglossa (Eladinea) Subgenus (Caudata: Plethodontidae) with the Description of Two New Species from the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Zootaxa. 5537(2); 211-233. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5537.2.3 |
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