[Most Recent Entries] [Calendar View]
Sunday, April 27th, 2025
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 2:09a | [Entomology • 2025] Perigrapha belyalovi • A New Species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae) from Central Asia
Abstract A new species of the genus Perigrapha Lederer, 1857, Perigrapha belyalovi Volynkin & Titov, sp. n. is described from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The diagnostic comparison is made with the sympatric Perigrapha centralasiae Bartel, 1906 and the allopatric Perigrapha heidi Hreblay, 1996. Adults as well as male and female genitalia of all three species are illustrated. Key words: Balkhash-Alakol Depression, Dzhungar Alatau, Orthosiini, Perigrapha centralasiae, Perigrapha heidi, Tien Shan
 Sergey V. Titov, Anton V. Volynkin, Balázs Tóth and Ruslan D. Rakhimov. 2025. Perigrapha belyalovi, A New Species from Central Asia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae). Ecologica Montenegrina. 83; 1-11. DOI: doi.org/10.37828/em.2025.83.1 | ||||||
| 3:07a | [Botany • 2025] Sonerila bababudangiriensis (Melastomataceae: Sonerileae) • A New Species of herb from the Western Ghats of India
Abstract Sonerila bababudangiriensis is a caulescent or tuberous new species found in Bababudangiri, Chikkmagaluru District, Karnataka, which lies in the Western Ghats. The species has distinguished characteristics that sets it apart from the other species of the genus Sonerila worldwide. It is compared to Sonerila wallichii Benn., a species from the same habitat. The two species differ in characteristics such as tuber, leaf morphology, inflorescence structure, and micromorphology, which are described and illustrated in relevant images. The present report discusses the newly described species, Sonerila bababudangiriensis, from Western Ghats, India. Keywords: Bababudangiri hill, Caulescent, Claret tinge spine, Evergreen forest, Hill slopes, Stemless Sonerila, Karnataka, papillae, shola forest, Sonerila, stemless
Sonerila bababudangiriensis Karadakatti & Kakkalameli sp. nov. Diagnosis: Herb, perennial, erect, caulescent, tuber measures 1–1.5 cm diameter, spherical; habit 8–15 cm tall. Root branches fleshy, white to pale green at the lower to the upper. Leavesare 3–5 cm wide, 5–8 cm long, petiole 3–5 cm long with glabrous & claret tinge, six nerved, veins pinnate, three pairs arising from the base, 1–2 pairs from midrib above; lamina dark green dorsal side with claret tinge spines or papillae scattered measured 1–3 mm, claret at ventral side, glabrous, densely gland-dotted, serrate, leaf base slightly orbicular with equal base and cordate; petioles 3–6 cm long, claret tinge, subscapose. Inflorescence bostryx cyme, 5–15 cm long, 4–12 flowered, unbranched; peduncle 4–13 cm long, claret tinge to pale green, glabrous, slightly quadrangular; pedicels 5–8 mm long, gland-tipped ... Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the type locality that is Bababudangiri, from Chikkamagaluru District, Karnataka, India; the locality lies near the highest peak of Karnataka, Mullayangiri (1,930 m).  Prashant Karadakatti and Siddappa B. Kakkalameli. 2025. Sonerila bababudangiriensis (Melastomataceae), A New Species of herb from the Western Ghats of India. Journal of Threatened Taxa. 17(4); 26917-26922. DOI: doi.org/10.11609/jott.9636.17.4.26917-26 | ||||||
| 1:41p | [PaleoEntomology • 2025] Vetunitidula mandibulata • A Cretaceous Sap Beetle (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) with Specialized Mandibles
Abstract Sap beetles (Nitidulidae) are species-rich, highly diverse, widely distributed and exhibit varied food habits. However, studies on nitidulids in Kachin amber are scarce, particularly those involving nitidulids with specialized mandibles. Here, we report a new genus and species of Nitidulidae, Vetunitidula mandibulata gen. et sp. nov., from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber (approx. 99 Ma). This species is characterized by distinctly enlarged mandibles and a loose three-article antennal club, suggesting it as a stem-group nitidulid. The enlarged mandibles may be a manifestation of sexual dimorphism, as in some extant species. Together with previous studies of fossil nitidulids, our discovery highlights the remarkable diversity and morphological disparity of sap beetles during the late Mesozoic. Keywords: taxonomy, palaeoentomology, sexual dimorphism, pollination
Systematic palaeontology Order: Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758 Superfamily: Nitiduloidea Latreille, 1802 Family: Nitidulidae Latreille, 1802 Genus: Vetunitidula gen. nov. Type species: Vetunitidula mandibulata sp. nov. Etymology: The generic name is a combination of the Latin adjective vetus, meaning, ‘old’, and the generic name Nitidula Fabricius; the name is feminine in gender. Diagnosis: Body elongate, dorsally glabrous. Head rectangular, with distinct occipital ridge. Clypeus transverse, labrum distinct. Mandibles large, straight, with distinct medial (mediolongitudinal) carina (complete on left mandible, incomplete on right mandible), with at least two distinct teeth on the mesal edge of each mandible. Antenna concealed, with a loose club composed of three articles. Pronotal and elytral sides explanate horizontally, discs punctured. Prosternal process prolongate, with small lateral projection, procoxal cavities closed incompletely. Elytra truncate, with over two abdominal segments exposed. Meso- and meta-tibiae armed with two longitudinal rows of spines dorsally; two tibial spurs present. Conclusion: Nitidulidae are a diverse family of beetles with high biodiversity, yet reports of nitidulids in Kachin amber are rare. We describe a new genus and species of Nitidulidae characterized by distinctly enlarged mandibles, representing the first fossil record of Mesozoic nitidulids with carinae on specialized mandibles. And, we briefly discuss the possibility of the specialized mandibles being sexual dimorphism, as inferred from comparisons with extant male nitidulids with large mandibles. Additionally, we tentatively propose the hypothesis that co-preservation of thrips in the same amber piece may provide insights into the habitat and ecological function of V. mandibulata during the mid-Cretaceous. Qian Zhao, Michael S. Engel, Diying Huang and Chenyang Cai. 2025. A Cretaceous Sap Beetle with Specialized Mandibles (Coleoptera : Nitidulidae). R. Soc. Open Sci. 12; 241761. DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241761 [26 February 2025] | ||||||
| 2:13p | [Ichthyology • 2025] Imparfinis arceae • Integrative Taxonomy Reveals a New Species of Imparfinis (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) from the Upper Xingu River Basin
Abstract Imparfinis is a genus of small catfishes with 21 valid species broadly distributed throughout the main river basins of the Neotropical region. Here, a new species of Imparfinis is described from the headwaters of the Rio Xingu. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the presence of a wide dark stripe from snout tip to caudal peduncle sharply contrasting pale underside and aligned with dark stripe centered on dorsal portion of lower caudal-fin lobe, 11–12 gill rakers on the first ceratobranchial, 39 vertebrae, maxillary barbel surpassing vertical through dorsal-fin origin, and absence of short, flexible extension of the anteriormost pectoral, dorsal, and upper caudal-fin rays. In addition, assemble species by automatic partitioning (ASAP) and the Poisson tree processes model (bPTP) analyses support the validity of this new species. Our molecular phylogeny based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene (COI) corroborates the placement of the new species in Imparfinis and its close relationship with I. guttatus. Species delimitation in Imparfinis is discussed.
 Imparfinis arceae, new species Etymology.—The specific name, arceae, honors Dr. Mariangeles Arce Hernández, Executive Director of the Center for Systematic Biology and Evolution at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, for her valuable contributions to studies of the systematics and evolution of catfishes. A genitive noun. Gabriel de Souza da Costa e Silva, Mark Henry Sabaj, Kaylane Rodrigues de Carvalho and Claudio Oliveira. 2025. Integrative Taxonomy Reveals a New Species of Imparfinis (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) from the Upper Xingu River Basin. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 113(1); 143-153. DOI: doi.org/10.1643/i2023097 (3 April 2025) | ||||||
| 4:22p | [Herpetology • 2025] Anolis torresfundorai • A Revision of the Anolis carolinensis subgroup (Squamata: Anolidae) supports three species in Cuba, including A New cryptic Species
Abstract Cuba is the only landmass with more than one species in the Anolis carolinensis subgroup. We test the hypothesis that three rather than two distinct species occur on Cuba, based on substantial prior evidence of paraphyly. To test this hypothesis, we collected phenotypic data from all described species in the subgroup, including eastern and west-central Cuban populations of A. porcatus, and assessed phenotypic diagnosability using uni- and multivariate analyses. We also examined geographic isolation using all available occurrence records for Cuban lineages. Additionally, we conducted ecological niche modeling and niche overlap analyses, considering only Cuban lineages, to test for ecological differentiation. Finally, we reconstructed phylogenetic trees, incorporating all species from the subgroup for the first time. Our results support the recognition of three species in Cuba: A. allisoni and eastern and west-central A. porcatus as two distinct cryptic species, showing minimal phenotypic differentiation but clear geographic isolation, distinct ecological niches, and deep genetic divergence. We restrict the name A. porcatus to west-central Cuba, with Havana as the type locality, and formally describe the eastern Cuban populations as Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov., designating Baracoa, Guantánamo, as the type locality. Keywords: Genetic divergence, geographic isolation, green anoles, niche modeling, species delimitation, sublabial scales 
Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. Common name. Eastern Cuba Green Anole Diagnosis. Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. is diagnosable from all species of the A. carolinensis subgroup. Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. was not unambiguously differentiated from A. porcatus in either of the uni- or multivariate analyses (Tables 1, 2; Figs 2, S1–S12). Ultimately, A. torresfundorai sp. nov. was diagnosable from its cryptic relatives, Cuban A. porcatus and continental A. carolinensis, based on one categorical character, keelation of sublabial scales. These scales are heavily keeled in the former species and smooth in A. torresfundorai sp. nov. with occasional weak keelation that does not go beyond the 4th scale (Fig. 1). Anolis torresfundorai sp. nov. differs from A. longiceps and A. maynardii in having a pink dewlap, yellow or pale yellow in the others. Anolis allisoni and A. brunneus have blue heads or torsos, green in A. torresfundorai sp. nov. Anolis smaragdinus has a more strongly keeled tail and is usually more homogeneous in coloration, with or without a faint mid-dorsal stripe or scapular spots. Additionally, only three members of the A. carolinensis subgroup occur in Cuba (A. allisoni, A. porcatus, and A. torresfundorai sp. nov.). Etymology. The species epithet is a Latinized patronym honoring Emeritus Professor Orlando J. Torres Fundora, for a lifetime dedicated to the study and conservation of Cuban nature and the education of Cuban scientists at the University of Havana, Cuba. Javier Torres, Dexter Reilly, Claudia Nuñez-Penichet, R. Graham Reynolds and Richard E. Glor. 2025. A Revision of the Anolis carolinensis subgroup supports three species in Cuba, including A New cryptic Species (Squamata: Anolidae). Vertebrate Zoology. 75: 107-126. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/vz.75.e152054 |
| << Previous Day |
2025/04/27 [Calendar] |
Next Day >> |