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Saturday, February 8th, 2025
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| 3:09a | [Herpetology • 2025] Cnemaspis enneaporus • Another New Karst-dwelling Rock Gecko in the Cnemaspis siamensis group (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand
Abstract A new species of the Cnemaspis siamensis group is described from Wang Khrachae District, Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand based on morphological and molecular data. The new species, Cnemaspis enneaporus Rujirawan, Aksornneam & Aowphol, sp. nov., is distinguished from other species in the C. siamensis group by having the combination of SVL 42.2 mm in adult male (n = 1), 43.7 mm in adult female (n = 1); eight supralabials; seven or eight infralabials; ventral scales smooth; nine continuous precloacal pores in male; 17 or 18 paravertebral tubercles linearly arranged; tubercles on lower flanks present; lateral caudal furrows present; no caudal tubercles in the lateral furrows; ventrolateral caudal tubercles present on original portion of tail; caudal tubercles not encircling tail; subcaudals smooth; no enlarged median subcaudal row; two postcloacal tubercles on each side of tail; no shield-like subtibial scales; subtibial scales smooth; no enlarged submetatarsal scales; 26–28 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; sexually dimorphic for dorsal and ventral colour pattern; prescapular marking absent; gular marking absent; and yellow colouration in life on all ventral surfaces of head, body and tail in adult male. Phylogenetically, the new species is recovered as the sister taxon to C. huaseesom, but the two species are separated by 8.3–9.4% uncorrected pairwise genetic divergences in the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene and flanking tRNAs. Key words: Cnemaspis enneaporus, karst formations, molecular phylogenetics, morphology, Tenasserim Mountain Range
Cnemaspis enneaporus Rujirawan, Aksornneam & Aowphol, sp. nov. Diagnosis: Cnemaspis enneaporus sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species in the C. siamensis group by having the unique combination of the following characters: SVL 42.2 mm in adult males (n = 1), 43.7 mm in adult females (n = 1); eight supralabials; seven or eight infralabials; ventral scales smooth; nine continuous precloacal pores in single male specimen; 17 or 18 paravertebral tubercles linearly arranged; tubercles on lower flanks present; lateral caudal furrows present; no caudal tubercles in the lateral furrows; ventrolateral caudal tubercles present on original portion of tail; caudal tubercles not encircling tail; subcaudals smooth; no enlarged median subcaudal row; two postcloacal tubercles on each side of tail; no shield-like subtibial scales; subtibial scales smooth; no enlarged submetatarsal scales; 26–28 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; sexually dimorphic for dorsal and ventral colour pattern; prescapular marking absent; gular marking absent; and yellow colouration in life on all ventral surfaces of head, body and tail in adult male.
Etymology. The species epithet enneaporus is derived from ennea (G.) for nine and porus (L.) for pore in reference to the male holotype of the new species having nine precloacal pores. Suggested common name: Sai Yok Rock Gecko (English), Jing Jok Niew Yao Sai Yok ,จิ้งจกนิ้วยาวไทรโยค (Thai). Attapol Rujirawan, Akrachai Aksornneam, Siriporn Yodthong, Parinya Pawangkhanant, Bryan L. Stuart and Anchalee Aowphol. 2025. Another New Karst-dwelling Rock Gecko in the Cnemaspis siamensis group (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) from Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. ZooKeys. 1226: 1-24. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1226.138464  | ||||||||||
| 5:02p | [Entomology • 2024] Asiacyon pax, A. cornipenis, A. vicincretus, etc. • DNA but not always Morphology help to Recognise Monophyletic Genera within ‘Cercyon’ terrestrial water scavenger beetles: A Case Study of Asiacyon gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae
Abstract DNA-based studies have revealed that the terrestrial water scavenger beetle genus Cercyon Leach, 1817 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Sphaeridiinae: Megasternini) is polyphyletic, grouping similarly looking but unrelated species that were not assigned to other genera due to the absence of unusual morphological characters. In this study, we analyse the morphology, DNA data and species diversity of one of the Asian clades of ‘Cercyon’ to test whether a natural, phylogeny-based generic classification can be established. We add DNA data (five nuclear and three mitochondrial fragments) for additional species and specimens of the clade to test its monophyly and reveal phylogenetic relationships among species. We perform a detailed morphological study of all species, including SEM micrographs, to reveal synapomorphies of the DNA-based clades. We demonstrate that the lineage, described here as Asiacyon Mai, Jia, Ryndevich & Fikáček, gen. nov., is strongly supported by DNA data, has limited distribution (eastern Asia), and its species share similar biology (inhabiting fresh or decaying plant tissues), though it can be only diagnosed by a combination of plesiomorphic characters. A detailed treatment is provided for the Chinese species, including species diagnoses, illustrations of habitus and male genitalia, (re)descriptions and a key to species. A total of 14 Chinese species are recognised, of which 11 are described as new: Asiacyon pax sp. nov. (Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hunan), A. pseudincretus sp. nov. (Anhui, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang), A. vicincretus sp. nov. (Guangdong, Guangxi), A. zhengyucheni sp. nov. (Yunnan), A. huilanae sp. nov. (Yunnan), A. cornipenis sp. nov. (Yunnan), A. belousovi sp. nov. (Yunnan), A. liangchengi sp. nov. (Yunnan), A. paraequalis sp. nov. (Yunnan), A. pengzhongi sp. nov. (Hunan) and A. xiuzhenae sp. nov. (Hainan, Yunnan). Three Chinese species previously classified in Cercyon are transferred to Asiacyon: A. incretus (d’Orchymont, 1941), comb. nov., A. primoricus (Ryndevich & Prokin, 2017), comb. nov. (newly recorded from China) and A. indicus (d’Orchymont, 1926), comb. nov. (newly recorded from China and Laos). Additionally, seven Asian species previously classified in Cercyon are transferred to Asiacyon based on their external morphology, but not studied in detail: A. aequalis (Sharp, 1884), comb. nov., A. conjiciens (Walker, 1858), comb. nov., A. dilutus (Régimbart, 1903), comb. nov., A. placidus (Sharp, 1884), comb. nov., A. pseudodilutus (Satô, 1979), comb. nov., A. retius (Ryndevich & Prokin, 2017), comb. nov., and A. rubicundus (Sharp, 1884), comb. nov. In total, the genus now comprises 21 named species and several undescribed species from India, Myanmar and Indonesia. Keywords: Asia, China, Hydrophilidae, identification key, Megasternini, molecular systematics, morphology, natural classification, new combination, new genus, new species, Sphaeridiinae.
  Zuqi Mai, Liyang Wang, Sergey K. Ryndevich, Martin Fikáček, Emmanuel Arriaga-Varela and Fenglong Jia. 2024. DNA but not always Morphology help to Recognise Monophyletic Genera within ‘Cercyon’ terrestrial water scavenger beetles: A Case Study of Asiacyon gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Invertebrate Systematics. 38(10); DOI: doi.org/10.1071/IS24012 | ||||||||||
| 5:02p | [Botany • 2024] Allium taiseba (Amaryllidaceae) • A New Species of Allium sect. Scorodon from Van Province, Turkey
Abstract A new species, Allium taiseba (A. sect. Scorodon), is described from Hoşap (Xoşap)/Van province, Turkey. It is morphologically similar to A. bingoelense, but it differs in several morphological features including inner tunic's colour of bulb, spathe length, tepal colours and size, stamen colour and length, ovary shape, style colour and length, capsule and seeds size. A comprehensive description of the new species is provided, including detailed photographs, geographical distribution map, habitat and ecology, vernacular names and IUCN conservation status.
Allium taiseba Fırat sp. nov. Eponymy: The name of this species is attributed to ‘Taişeba’, known as the god of lightning and thunderstorms in mythological Kurdish history. Today, Tuşba, the old Kurdish name for the city of Van, is also named after this god. He is one of the three great gods known in Hurri and Urartu states. In Kurdish,‘Tav’ means light and ‘Şev’ means night (Tav û Şev), that is, the god who turns the night into light. Mehmet Fırat. 2024. Allium taiseba, A New Species of Allium sect. Scorodon (Amaryllidaceae) from Van Province (Turkey). Nordic Journal of Botany. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/njb.04420 | ||||||||||
| 5:02p | [Herpetology • 2025] Boulenophrys dupanglingensis • A New Species of the Genus Boulenophrys (Anura: Megophryidae) from southern Hunan Province, Central China
Abstract A new species of Asian horned toad, Boulenophrys, is described from Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, China. The species is a phylogenetically sister to B. yunkaiensis, based on 16S rRNA and COI genes. The new species differs from its congeners, possessing the following combination of characters: (1) moderate body size: SVL 37.6–40.2 mm (38.9 ± 1.3, n = 7) in adult males and SVL 41.8–45.9 mm (43.6 ± 2.1, n = 3) in adult females; (2) tympanum boundary clear: TD/ED 0.48–0.57 in males and 0.47–0.57 in females; (3) the presence of a small horn-like tubercle at the edge of the upper eyelid; (4) vomerine ridge present and vomerine teeth absent; (5) margin of tongue rounded, not notched posteriorly; (6) rough dorsal skin: a discontinuous “V”-shaped ridge with two discontinuous dorsolateral ridges on two sides on the back, dense tubercles on the skin of the ventral surface of the dorsal shank and thigh, and spiny tubercles surrounding the cloaca; (7) slender hindlimbs with heels overlapping when the flexed hindlimbs are held at right angles to the body axis; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward between anterior margin of tympanum and posterior corner of eye when leg stretched forward; (8) relative finger length IV < II < I < III, with a subarticular tubercle present at the base of each finger; (9) distinct supernumerary tubercles below the base of I and II toes; (10) toes without lateral fringes and with rudimentary webbing (webbing formula: I1 − 1-II1 − 2-III2 − 3IV3- − 2V). Keywords: Asian horned toads; taxonomy; Hunan Province; Boulenophrys dupanglingensis sp. nov.
Boulenophrys dupanglingensis Xiao & Mo, sp. nov. Dupangling Horned Toad (in English) (都庞岭角蟾 in Chinese) Diagnosis: (1) moderate body size: SVL 37.6–40.2 mm (38.9 ± 1.3, n = 7) in adult males and SVL 41.8–45.9 mm (43.6 ± 2.1, n = 3) in adult females; (2) tympanum boundary clear: TD/ED 0.48–0.57 in males, 0.47–0.57 in females; (3) presence of small horn-like tubercle at the edge of the upper eyelid; (4) vomerine ridge present; vomerine teeth absent; (5) margin of tongue rounded, not notched posteriorly; (6) rough dorsal skin: a discontinuous “V”-shaped ridge with two discontinuous dorsolateral ridges on two sides on the back, dense tubercles on the skin of the ventral surface of the dorsal shank and thigh, and spiny tubercles surrounding the cloaca; (7) slender hindlimbs with heels overlapping when the flexed hindlimbs are held at right angles to the body axis; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching forward between anterior margin of tympanum and posterior corner of the eye when leg stretched forward; (8) relative finger length IV < II < I < III, with a subarticular tubercle present at the base of each finger; (9) distinct supernumerary tubercles below the base of toes I and II; (10) toes without lateral fringes and with only rudimentary webbing (webbing formula: I1 − 1-II1 − 2-III2 − 3IV3- − 2V) (Figure 6 and Figure 7A). Etymology: The specific epithet dupanglingensis refers to the type locality of the new species, Dupangling National Nature Reserve, Hunan Province, China. Dupangling Horned Toad is suggested as common name. 都庞岭角蟾 (dū pánɡ lǐnɡ jiǎo chán) is suggested as Chinese name. Bei Xiao, Jiayan Xi, Shengchao Shi, Hui Li, Leqiang Zhu, Ayinuer Maimaiti, Yalan Xu, Shunhua Liao, Bin Wang and Xiaoyang Mo. 2025. A New Species of the Genus Boulenophrys (Anura, Megophryidae) from southern Hunan Province, Central China. Animals. 15(3); 440. DOI: doi.org/10.3390/ani15030440 Simple Summary: The genus Boulenophrys Fei, Ye & Jiang, 2016, consists of 69 recognized species and is known for its endemism and diversity. This study describes a new species from Yongzhou City, Southern Hunan Province, Central China: Boulenophrys dupanglingensis sp. nov. The species presents a monophyletic lineage that differs from its sister species B. yunkaiensis, possessing relatively shorter shanks, distinct supernumerary tubercles below the base of the I and II toes, rough dorsal skin with dense granules, and several tubercles on the flanks. |
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