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Thursday, January 16th, 2025
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| 3:16a | [Herpetology • 2025] Hemiphyllodactylus khpoh • A New Species of lowland karst-dwelling Slender Gecko Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from a karstic archipelago in western Cambodia
Abstract A new species of gekkonid lizard is described from Phnom Khpoh, an isolated karstic hill within an extensive karstic archipelago in Battambang Province, western Cambodia. Phylogenetic analysis using a 1041 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial gene ND2 recovered Hemiphyllodactylus khpoh sp. nov. as the sister species of H. pardalis, found 335 km to the west in southern Thailand. Analyses of meristic, morphometric, and categorical characters of morphology and color pattern differentiated H. khpoh sp. nov. from both the morphologically distinct H. pardalis and the very similar Hemiphyllodactylus sp. from Phnom Kulen, approximately 130 km to the northeast in Siem Reap Province. The statistical morphological analyses and comparisons also showed that H. khpoh sp. nov. is well-differentiated from the recently described H. bokor and H. samkos from the nearby Cardamom Mountains as well from species in clade 6—a recently designated lineage from China, Laos, and Vietnam to which H. khpoh sp. nov. + H. pardalis compose the sister lineage. The discovery of H. khpoh sp. nov. highlights the rich but understudied biodiversity of karstic landscapes, emphasizing the need for continued research in the extensive unexplored karstic archipelago of western Cambodia. This region is poised to reveal unparalleled gekkonid diversity, comparable to that observed in the similarly sized karstic archipelago of the Salween Basin in southern Myanmar. Although karstic landscapes are proving to be some of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet, less than 1% of them are afforded any formal protection. Reptilia, conservation, Gekkota, genetics, integrative taxonomy, limestone, phylogeny, Southeast Asia  Hemiphyllodactylus khpoh sp. nov. L. Lee GRISMER, Pablo SINOVAS, Evan S. H. QUAH, Sothearen THI, Phyroum CHOURN, Sophea CHHIN, Seiha HUN, Anthony COBOS, Peter GEISSLER, Christian CHING and Matthew L. MURDOCH. 2025. A New Species of lowland karst-dwelling Slender Gecko Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from a karstic archipelago in western Cambodia. Zootaxa. 5569(2); 253-281. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5569.2.3 https://www.sciencenews.org/article/geck | ||||
| 4:28a | [Herpetology • 2025] Cyrtodactylus pecelmadiun • A New Species Belonging to the Cyrtodactylus sadleiri Complex (Squamata: Gekkonidae) has been discovered in East Java, Indonesia
Abstract We describe a new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray from East Java (Maospati and Mojokerto), Indonesia that belongs to the C. sadlieri complex within the C. darmandvillei species group. It is a medium sized (SVL) species with adult males reaching 67.2 mm and females 59.0 mm, dorsal tubercles absent on brachium, present on antebrachium and along the ventrolateral fold; 18–20 irregular dorsal tubercle rows at midbody; 26–28 paravertebral tubercles per series; 28–34 ventral scale rows across belly; precloacal groove present with 32–37 precloacofemoral pores in males; enlarged femoral and precloacal scales arranged in a continuous series; abrupt transition between the enlarged femorals and the adjacent scales on the posterior margin of the thigh; subequal median subcaudal scales not transversely enlarged. The new species is genetically divergent from the other Javan congeners of the C. darmandvillei groupwith genetic divergences (p-distances) ranging from 7.7–12.1% for the mitochondrial ND2 gene. Reptilia, phylogeny, Cyrtodactylus darmandvillei, East Java, taxonomy
Cyrtodactylus pecelmadiun sp. nov. English Common Name: Pecelmadiun’s Bent-toed Gecko Indonesia Common Name: Cecak Jari Bengkok Pecel Madiun Diagnosis. The following combination of characters distinguishes C. pecelmadiun sp. nov. from all other congeners: adult males reaching 67.2 mm SVL and females 59.0 mm SVL; dorsal tubercles absent on brachium, present on antebrachium and within the ventrolateral fold; 18–20 irregular dorsal tubercle rows at midbody; 26–28 paravertebral tubercles per series; 28–34 ventral scale rows across belly; precloacal groove present with 32–37 precloacofemoral pores in males, absent in females; enlarged femoral and precloacal scales arranged in a continuous series; abrupt transition between the enlarged femorals and the adjacent scales on the posterior margin of the thigh; and subequal median subcaudal scales not transversely enlarged. Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition “pecel” and ‘madiun”. Pecel is a traditional chili sauce that is originally from East Java, and made from chili pepper, peanuts, garlic, lime, and palm sugar with various boiled vegetables (such as spinach, water spinach, casava leaves, papaya leaves, long beans, bean sprouts, or sesban flowers) and peanut brittle or anchovies as the secondary ingredients, and served in a plate made from banana leaves. Madiun refers to the name of the city that is famous for this traditional pecel culinary delight. Awal RIYANTO, Irvan SIDIK, Amir HAMIDY, L. Lee GRISMER and ABINAWANTO. 2025. A New Species Belonging to the Cyrtodactylus sadleiri Complex (Squamata: Gekkonidae) Has Been Discovered in East Java, Indonesia. Zootaxa. 5570(1); 81-99. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5570.1.3 | ||||
| 9:25a | [Botany • 2025] Hayarum mirispathum (Araceae: Aroideae) • A New Genus and Species from Thailand
Abstract The new monotypic genus Hayarum K.Z.Hein, Prehsler, Saensouk & S.L.Low from Thailand, with the sole species Hayarum mirispathum K.Z.Hein, Prehsler, Saensouk & S.L.Low, is described based on comprehensive morphological and phylogenetic evidence. A detailed taxonomic account of the new genus, morphological comparisons with related genera, and brief observations on its flowering biology and spathe movement are provided. Keyword: Areae, Arisaemateae, Indochina, insect-trapping mechanism, Pinellia, spathe movement, Typhonium
Hayarum K.Z.Hein, Prehsler, Saensouk & S.L.Low, gen. nov. Diagnosis: Hayarum, with its sole species H. mirispathum, is uniquely defined by the combination of its remarkable spathe movement during anthesis, a pistillate zone of the spadix free from the spathe, a short sterile zone between the pistillate and staminate zones which is completely covered with a single whorl of subglobose staminodes, a staminate zone wholly contained within the spathe base and a unilocular ovary with a single erect, sessile ovule on a basal placenta. Hayarum shares certain morphological features with the genus Pinellia, notably the unilocular ovary with a single erect, sessile ovule on a basal placenta, and the gaping of spathe base margins during late staminate anthesis. However, in Pinellia, the spathe is mostly with a transverse septum between the pistillate and staminate zone, and its pistillate zone is adnate to the spathe. In contrast, Hayarum lacks this transverse septum and its pistillate zone is entirely free from the spathe. The inflorescence of Hayarum resembles that of the genus Typhonium, but the latter differs by having non-opening spathe base throughout anthesis, ovaries with a single ovule held obliquely on a funicle on a basal placenta, and a staminate zone which is completely exserted from the spathe base. Etymology: The generic name Hayarum honors British botanist Alistair Hay (+ ‘arum’, from the Greek αρου, an ancient name for Arum). Alistair Hay is an expert on Asian Araceae and the former Director of the Sydney Botanical Garden in Australia. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to aroid research, he was awarded the H.C. Schott Award for excellence in aroid research in 2023. Hay is regarded as the world authority on the subfamily Lasioideae (Araceae) and has conducted extensive research on the Malesian and Australian Araceae. He also inspired the first author (KZH) to pursue the study of aroids and has always kindly suggested and guided throughout his aroid research. Hayarum mirispathum K.Z.Hein, Prehsler, Saensouk & S.L.Low, sp. nov. Diagnosis: Hayarum mirispathum bears the closest morphological resemblance to Pinellia and Typhonium. Hayarum mirispathum differs from Pinellia in several key morphological traits. It has a pistillate zone of the spadix that is free from the spathe, a short sterile zone between the pistillate and staminate zones that is completely covered with a single whorl of staminodes, and a spadix shorter than the spathe. In contrast, Pinellia exhibits a pistillate zone adnate to the spathe, a longer prominent sterile zone between the pistillate and staminate zones that is entirely naked, and a spadix much longer than the spathe. Hayarum mirispathum differs from Typhonium, to which it bears the closest resemblance, in having gaping spathe base margins during late staminate anthesis, a unilocular ovary with a single erect, sessile ovule on a basal placenta, and a staminate zone that is fully contained within the spathe base. Typhonium possess non-gaping spathe base margins throughout anthesis, a unilocular ovary with a single obliquely positioned ovule on a funicle on a basal placenta, and a staminate zone fully exserted from the spathe base. Etymology: The specific epithet mirispathum is derived from the Latin ‘mirus’ (wonderful or marvelous) and ‘spathus’ (spathe) referring to the remarkable spathe movement observed during anthesis in this species. Khant Zaw Hein, David Prehsler, Surapon Saensouk and Shook Ling Low. 2025. Hayarum mirispathum (Araceae —Aroideae): A New Genus and Species from Thailand. Taiwania. 70(1); 65 - 74. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2025.70.65 taiwania.NTU.edu.tw/abstract/2048 |
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