[Most Recent Entries] [Calendar View]
Thursday, January 2nd, 2025
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 3:02a | [PaleoOrnithology • 2025] Shuilingornis angelai • A New gansuid bird (Avialae: Euornithes) from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Jiufotang Formation of Jianchang, western Liaoning, China
Abstract The study of the Cretaceous birds closest to the living euornithine species has mainly focused on the evolutionary patterns leading to the modern group. Yet, the morphological and ecological diversity of the euornithine branches not directly ancestral to the crown-group is probably underestimated. A new euornithine bird, Shuilingornis angelai gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on a nearly complete skeletal material from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Jehol Biota in western Liaoning, China. The new taxon is similar to the penecontemporary gansuids, yet it differs in the smaller body size and in the retention of plesiomorphic features widespread among non-gansuid euornithines. The osteohistological analysis indicates that Shuilingornis gen. nov. represents an early adult stage at the time of death. The phylogenetic analysis robustly supports the referral of Shuilingornis gen. nov. to Gansuidae. Except for the controversial Hollanda, the gansuids have been uncovered from four Aptian basins deposited under similar paleoclimatic conditions. Gansuid success in the middle part of the Cretaceous demonstrates that the exploration of semi-aquatic ecologies was a consistent euornithine pattern which preceded the later ornithurine radiation. 
Avialae Gauthier, 1986 Pygostylia Chiappe, 2002 Euornithes Sereno, 1998 Gansuidae Hou and Liu, 1984 Definition (new). The most inclusive clade containing Gansus yumenensis but not Hesperornis regalis, Hongshanornis longicresta, Patagopteryx deferrariisi, Songlingornis linghensis, Vultur gryphus or Yanornis martini. Included taxa. Based on the result of our phylogenetic analysis, Gansuidae includes the genera Changzuiornis, Gansus, Khinganornis, Iteravis, and Shuilingornis gen. nov. Although supported by the phylogenetic analysis, the placement in this clade of the fragmentary Hollanda from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia (Bell et al., 2010) is considered as tentative. Shuilingornis angelai gen. et sp. nov. Holotype. LY2022JZ3002, a nearly complete and articulated skeleton preserved in a single slab (Fig. 2) and housed at Shandong Laiyang Cretaceous National Geological Park. Locality and horizon. Lamadong locality, Jianchang County, Huludao City, Liaoning Province, China; Jiufotang Formation, Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) (Yu et al., 2021). Diagnosis. Small euornithine bird with the unique combination of characteristics that can be distinguished from other Mesozoic birds: acuminate edentulous premaxilla longer than preantorbital ramus of maxilla; nasal with large subnarial process; procumbent maxillary teeth restricted to rostral end of bone which are much larger than the underlying dentary teeth (autapomorphy); humerus with robust shaft and elongate and gently curved deltopectoral crest; gracile alular digit less than half radius shaft width; large “U-shaped” furcula contacts the triangular apex of sternum; laterodistal end of coracoid does not define a distinct process, describing an acuminate 45° corner; manual phalangeal formula 2-3-2, with first phalanx of minor digit more than four times longer than the second phalanx. Etymology. The genus name is composed of Chinese “Shuiling” (“pretty and vivid”) and Greek “ornis” (bird). The species name honors the Italian journalist and science writer Piero Angela (1928–2022) for his extraordinary contribution to the popularization of scientific knowledge and the promotion of rational thinking. Xuri Wang, Andrea Cau, Yinuo Wang, Martin Kundrát, Guili Zhang, Yichuan Liu and Luis M. Chiappe. 2025. A New gansuid bird (Avialae, Euornithes) from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Jiufotang Formation of Jianchang, western Liaoning, China. Cretaceous Research. 106014; In Press. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2024.106014  | ||||||
| 4:37a | [Botany • 2021] Rediscovery and Expansion of the Distribution of Phyllanthus itatiaiensis Brade (Phyllanthaceae) in southeastern Brazil
Abstract We report here the rediscovery of Phyllanthus itatiaiensis Brade (Phyllanthaceae) after 50 years, as well as its occurrence in Minas Gerais State in southeastern Brazil. We provide a taxonomic diagnosis, in situ photographs, a distribution map, and a reassessment of its conservation status, which will contribute to our knowledge of this rare and endemic species as well as our ability to protect it. Keywords: Atlantic domain, Biodiversity hotspot, Endemism, Phyllanthus subsect. Clausseniani, Southeastern Brazil, Taxonomy
Jone Clebson Ribeiro Mendes, Sarah Maria Athiê-Souza, Rayane de Tasso Moreira Ribeiro, Caio Baez Gomes, Tatiana Tavares Carrijo and Margareth Ferreira de Sales. 2021. Rediscovery and Expansion of the Distribution of Phyllanthus itatiaiensis Brade (Phyllanthaceae) in southeastern Brazil. Check List. 17(2): 695-700. DOI: 10.15560/17.2.695 | ||||||
| 7:55a | [Botany • 2024] Distimake aparantae (Convolvulaceae: Merremieae) • A New Species from the coast of the northern Western Ghats, India
Summary A new species of Convolvulaceae from India, Distimake aparantae, is described and illustrated. The species is restricted to the northern Western Ghats, on sea-facing slopes in coastal regions, at low altitude and may be Critically Endangered. It is morphologically similar to D. rhyncorhiza, differing by the pendulous flowers (vs erect in D. rhyncorhiza), corollas widening from the base without a cylindrical tube (vs funnel-form), leaves deeply lobed with entire margins (vs deeply dissected margins), seeds shortly pubescent, with long golden hairs along the margins (vs mostly glabrous) and pollen 15-pantocolpate (vs 12-pantocolpate). A key to the species of Distimake in India is also provided. Distimake currently includes 49 species, the vast majority are native to Tropical Africa and Tropical America. Only nine species of Distimake occur in Asia, most of them are pantropical, extending their distributions into this region. Three are, however, restricted to Asia, of which two are widespread across SE Asia (D. vitifolius and D. quinatus) and one is narrowly endemic in the Western Ghats (D. rhyncorhiza). The latter three have been demonstrated to be phylogenetically closely related to each other. Distimake aparantae raises the total of Distimake species in Asia to ten and becomes the second species of Distimake endemic to the Western Ghats. It is expected to be phylogenetically close to D. rhyncorhiza, D. vitifolius and D. quinatus. This is the first time that 15-pantocolpate pollen is reported in Distimake. We estimate that the species diversity of this small, Asian clade of Distimake may have been overlooked and that more species remain undescribed, especially in such highly diverse regions as the Western Ghats. Key Words: Endemism, Merremieae, morning glory, Sahyadri Mountains  Distimake aparantae S.B.Patil, Shimpale & A.R.Simões sp. nov. Etymology. The species is named after its type locality: Aparanta refers to the northern part of the Konkan region, on the western coast of India. Sujit B. Patil, Ana Rita Giraldes Simões and Vinod B. Shimpale. 2024. Distimake aparantae (Convolvulaceae), A New Species from the coast of the northern Western Ghats, India. Kew Bulletin. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s12225-024-10231-2  | ||||||
| 1:11p | [Botany • 2024] Microtoena wawushanensis (Lamiaceae) • A New Species from Sichuan, China
Abstract Microtoena wawushanensis, a new species from Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated here. The new species is closely related to M. moupinensis and M. prainiana, but differs distinctly from both in leaf, calyx and bract morphology. It is further distinguished by its highly variable and unstable calyx tooth ratio (1.36–2.13), red-marked lateral lobes on the lower corolla and filaments that are barbate at both the upper and basal parts, with nearly imperceptible hairs in the middle section. Phylogenetic analyses, based on 81 coding regions of the chloroplast genome, suggest that M. wawushanensis belongs to sect. Delavayana and is sister to a clade formed by M. urticifolia, M. prainiana and M. megacalyx. Key words: Lamiaceae, Microtoena, new taxon, taxonomy
Microtoena wawushanensis Xue X. Wu & Qiang Wang, sp. nov. Diagnosis: Microtoena wawushanensis is morphologically similar to M. moupinensis (Franch.) Prain and M. prainiana Diels (Table 2), but differs from M. moupinensis and M. prainiana by having a crenate leaf margin with distinct mucrones (vs. with or dentate without any mucro), a cuneate to truncate-subcordate leaf base (vs. truncate-subcordate or cuneate leaf base), a lax, more or less compact to spike-like panicle inflorescence (vs. inflorescence sometimes with one-sided branches or ... Xue-Xue Wu, Yan Wang, Yan-Yi Chen and Qiang Wang. 2024. Microtoena wawushanensis (Lamiaceae, Lamioideae): A New Species from Sichuan, China. PhytoKeys. 250: 223-236. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.250.139362 | ||||||
| 3:41p | [Entomology • 2021] Tsounkranaglenea hefferni • A New Genus and Species of Saperdini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from Sabah, Malaysia
Abstract A new saperdine species belonging to a new genus, Tsounkranaglenea hefferni gen. et sp. nov., is described from Sabah, Malaysia. The new genus differs from other genera of the tribe Saperdini by the special male sternite VII modified into a rake-shape, with the apex of the ventral plate of the median lobe unusually emarginated. Coleoptera, New genus, Glenea, Glenea subaurata, Asia, taxonomy
Tsounkranaglenea gen. nov. Diagnosis. It is mostly similar to Glenea by the lateral elytral carinae and truncate elytral apex, but can be distinguished by the elongated, bended and rake-shaped sternite VII. In fact, it differs from all other saperdine genera by the peculiar sternite VII in males. It also differs from Paraglenea Bates, 1866, Heteroglenea Gahan, 1897 (as defined in Lin, Montreuil et al, 2009) and Pareutetrapha Breuning, 1952 by the male claws of fore and hind legs simple instead of appendiculate or bifid and elytral apex truncated with sharp teeth instead of rounded or slightly truncated without sharp teeth. It also differs from Eumecocera Solsky, 1871 and Stenostola Dejean, 1835 by the elytra with lateral carinae and male claws of fore and hind legs simple instead of appendiculate or bifid. The combination of the following characters makes the new genus easily separable from other saperdine genera: prothorax without lateral tubercles, elytra with distinct lateral carinae, elytral apex truncated with long spines at outer angle, male claws with appendiculated tooth only in mesotarsi and female claws all simple, male sternite VII elongated and bended into a rake-shape. Etymology. The generic name is a combination of a Greek word tsounkrána (τσουγκράνα) and the genus name Glenea. The Greek word “tsounkrána” refers to the shape of sternite VII in male, which looks like a rake. Gender feminine. Tsounkranaglenea hefferni sp. nov. Etymology. The species is named after Mr. Daniel Heffern (Texas, USA), who offered the interesting material for this study and provided the first author some wonderful saperdine specimens from Malaysia for research. Mei-Ying LIN and Si-Qin GE. 2021. Tsounkranaglenea hefferni gen. et sp. nov. from Sabah, Malaysia (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae: Saperdini). Zootaxa. 5048(2); 289-297. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5048.2.9 |
--2021_.jpg)
--2021_.jpg)
| << Previous Day |
2025/01/02 [Calendar] |
Next Day >> |