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Thursday, June 5th, 2025
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 2:04a | [Botany • 2025] Tarenna pendula (Rubiaceae: Ixoroideae) • A New Species from Guangxi, China
Abstract The species Tarenna pendula (Rubiaceae), a small shrub, is newly described and illustrated from southwestern Guangxi Autonomous Region, China. This species is similar to Tarenna tsangii but is readily distinguished by its asymmetrical leaves, larger vegetative leaves than inflorescence leaves, adaxially pilosulous blades, pendulous inflorescences, longer pedicels (15–35 mm vs. 4–7 mm in T. tsangii), shorter corolla tubes (1–1.4 cm vs. 1.8–1.9 cm), multiple ovules per locule (vs. two), and sparsely pubescent fruits containing 13–19 seeds (vs. glabrous fruit containing only four seeds). Key words: Distribution, Ixoroideae, morphology, Pavetteae, taxonomy
Tarenna pendula Y.H.Qin, S.X.Yu & W.H.Wu, sp. nov. Diagnosis. Similar to Tarenna tsangii, but distinguished by its small form, asymmetrical leaves, vegetative leaves larger than inflorescence leaves, blades adaxially pilosulous, pendulous inflorescences, longer pedicels (15–35 mm vs. 4–7 mm in T. tsangii), shorter corolla tubes (1–1.4 cm vs. 1.8–1.9 cm), multiple ovules per locule (vs. 2), and sparsely pubescent fruits with 13–19 seeds (vs. glabrous fruit containing only 4 seeds). Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the pendulous inflorescence, which differs from several other Tarenna spp. in the area. Vernacular name. Chuixiu wukoushu in Mandarin Chinese, which translates to ‘pendulous Tarenna’. Yong-Hua Qin, Rainer W. Bussmann, Zhi-Rong Liu, Man Li, Chang-Ying Xia, Wang-Hui Wu and Sheng-Xiang Yu. 2025. Tarenna pendula (Rubiaceae), A New Species from Guangxi, China. PhytoKeys. 257: 1-8. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.257.148816 | ||||||
| 2:04a | [Herpetology • 2025] Cyrtodactylus kampingpoiensis • Geographically structured Genetic and Morphological Variation in A New Species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from a karstic archipelago in western Cambodia
Abstract A new species of karst-dwelling Bent-toed Gecko (genus Cyrtodactylus) is described from an unexplored karstic archipelago in western Cambodia. Cyrtodactylus kampingpoiensis sp. nov. is composed of four allopatric, monophyletic mitochondrial lineages based on the ND2 gene. All are statistically diagnosable from one another based on univariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (PCA, DAPC, and MFA) analyses using a suite of size-corrected morphometric, meristic, and categorical color pattern and morphological characters. Uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence among them is low (1.4–2.2%), indicating a recent divergence from one another. Given their allopatry, diagnosability, monophyly (i.e., no individuals from one population are embedded within another), we contend they are on separate evolutionary trajectories with no chance of secondary overlap via dispersal through the current unhabitual terrain or through the unlikely future coalescence of the karstic formations on which they occur. The discovery of this new species underscores the necessity for further exploration to gain a more informed understanding of the herpetological diversity of Cambodia in general, and that of western Cambodia in particular, where dozens of isolated karstic formations still remain unexplored. Key words: Bent-toed gecko, genetics, Indochina, integrative taxonomy, karstic archipelago
Cyrtodactylus kampingpoiensis sp. nov. is Evan S. H. Quah, L. Lee Grismer, Pablo Sinovas, Phyroum Chourn, Sophea Chhin, Seiha Hun, Anthony Cobos, Peter Geissler, Christian Ching, Matthew L. Murdoch, Sothearen Thi, Jeren J. Gregory, Eddie Nguyen, Alexis P. Hernandez, Amanda Kaatz and Jesse L. Grismer. 2025. Geographically structured Genetic and Morphological Variation in A New Species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from a karstic archipelago in western Cambodia. ZooKeys. 1240: 73-115. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1240.139691 | ||||||
| 4:28a | [Mammalogy • 2025] Murina beibengensis, M. medogensis, ... • Four New Tube-nosed Bat Species of the Genus Murina (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data
Abstract The genus Murina Gray, 1842, recently had four new species discovered in China over the last four years, suggesting its diversity may have been previously underestimated. Herein, we describe four new species—Murina beibengensis sp. nov., Murina medogensis sp. nov., Murina milinensis sp. nov., and Murina yadongensis sp. nov.—based on morphological and genetic evidence from specimens collected during bat diversity surveys conducted in the Xizang Autonomous Region of China over the past three years. Each of these four new species forms an independent lineage on a phylogenetic tree reconstructed using the mitochondrial COI and Cyt b genes, and each is genetically distinct from its congeners. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from the 43 recognized congeners by features including forearm length, hair color, and skull morphology. We elevated M. huttoni rubella from a subspecies of M. huttoni to a species based on morphological and genetic evidence. The new species discussed herein increase the number of species in the genus Murina to four worldwide and from 23 to 28 in China. This study not only enriches our understanding of bat species diversity but also underscores the importance of conducting bat surveys in the specialized highland habitats of the Himalayas. Key Words: Diversity, Himalaya, morphology, Murina, taxonomy  Murina beibengensis Luo, Mao & Zhou, sp. nov. Murina milinensis Luo, Mao & Zhou, sp. nov. Murina yadongensis Mao, Zhao & Zhou, sp. nov. Murina medogensis Mao, Lan & Zhou, sp. nov. Murina rubella Thomas, 1914 Tao Luo, Ming-Le Mao, Chang-Ting Lan, Zi-Fa Zhao, Zhong-Lian Wang, Jing Yu, Jia-Jia Wang, Chen-Rui Yan, Ning Xiao and Jiang Zhou. 2025. Four New Tube-nosed Bat Species of the Genus Murina (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China, based on morphological and molecular data. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 101(3): 1023-1055. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.101.144375 | ||||||
| 3:24p | [Ichthyology • 2025] Hampala lupar & H. katibas • Two New Species of Hampala (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Borneo
Abstract Two new species of Hampala are described from Borneo Island. Hampala lupar, new species, is closely allied to H. bimaculata but differs in having three black bars on the body, vs. two bars; with the additional black bar just posterior to head. Hampala lupar is distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: lateral line scales 26–27; three black bars on body, even at juvenile stage; upper and lower edges of caudal fin with a black marginal stripe; all fins orange with caudal fin reddish-orange when alive. Hampala katibas, new species, is similar to H. bimaculata but differs in having two large black blotches on the body, vs. two curved black bars; amongst other characters. Both new species are separated by the Lupar Geological Divide. Key words. Southeast Asia, Sundaland, taxonomy, freshwater fish, Cypriniformes
Hampala lupar, new species Etymology. Named after the Lupar River basin, where it was first recorded in the 1980s. Used as a noun in genitive. Cramphorn (1982: 29) who had misidentified H. lupar as “H. bimaculata (3 spots)”, listed the following local names for this species: Adong Tekalang Maioh (Iban) and Adong Takalang Banyak (Malay).
Hampala katibas, new species Etymology. Named after the Katibas River sub-basin draining into the Rejang River. Used as a noun in genitive. Tan Heok Hui and Jongkar Grinang. 2025. Two New Species of Hampala from Borneo (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 73;  | ||||||
| 3:27p | [Ichthyology • 2025] Traccatichthys punctulatus • A New Species of Stone Loach (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from Guangxi, southern China
Abstract Traccatichthys punctulatus is here described from the Liu-Jiang flowing into the Xi-Jiang of the Pearl River basin at Jinxiu County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southern China. It is distinguished from all congeners by having a unique body coloration of a series of brown spots along the lateral line and dorsal-fin. Other diagnostic characters, not unique to this new species, are caudal-fin and lateral body colorations, and absence of pectoral-fin tuberculation. Its validity is further confirmed by its monophyly recovered in a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial COI and Cyt b gene sequences and species-level divergence between the new species and its closest relatives. Key Words: Genetic divergence, morphological differentiation, species description, taxonomy 
Traccatichthys punctulatus sp. nov. Zhi-Xian Qin, Jia-Jun Zhou, Li-Na Du and Feng Lin. 2025. Traccatichthys punctulatus sp. nov., A New Species of Stone Loach (Pisces, Nemacheilidae) from Guangxi, southern China. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 101(3): 1013-1021. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.101.146077 | ||||||
| 4:43p | [Mammalogy • 2025] Taxonomic Reassessment of Bats from the Western Himalayas, India and Description of A New Species of the Myotis frater complex (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
Abstract Based on specimens collected during recent field surveys and re–examination of museum specimens, we critically reviewed the taxonomic status of several bat species occurring in the Western Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in India. The present review incorporates both morphological and molecular data and additionally illustrates new echolocation call characters of some little–known species from the region. A new species, Myotis himalaicus sp. nov., belonging to the My. frater complex is described based on multiple evidence of unique characters. We revised putative records of Tadarida teniotis as Ta. insignis and report this species for the first time from India. We also detail the first occurrence of Rhinolophus nippon, Hypsugo savii and My. sicarius from the Western Himalayas. We conclusively delineate Pipistrellus babu occurring in the Western Himalayas as a species distinct from Pi. javanicus in Southeast Asia and draw attention to several species–complexes (i.e. Rhinolophus macrotis, Eptesicus pachyomus, Murina cyclotis or Mu. huttonii) where further material and analyses are needed to clarify the species boundaries. Mammalia, Himalayas, Chiroptera, systematics, DNA barcode, echolocation  Myotis himalaicus sp. nov  Uttam SAIKIA, Rohit CHAKRAVARTY, Gabor CSORBA, Mostaque Ahmed LASKAR and Manuel RUEDI. 2025. Taxonomic Reassessment of Bats from the Western Himalayas, India and Description of A New Species of the Myotis frater complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). Zootaxa. 5644(1); 1-78. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5644.1.1 [2025-06-05] Researchgate.net/publication/392409770_Taxonomic_reassessment_of_bats_from_the | ||||||
| 8:03p | [Herpetology • 2025] Pareas capitulatus • A New Species in the Pareas hamptoni group (Serpentes: Pareidae) from southeastern Laos
Abstract The slug-eating snakes of the Pareas hamptoni species group consist of approximately 15 species distributed across mainland Southeast Asia into northeastern India and southern China. A single specimen collected from the Dakchung Plateau in Xekong Province of southeastern Laos is shown to be molecularly and morphologically distinct from all related species in the P. hamptoni species group and is described as a new species. Pareas capitulatus sp. nov. is a smooth-scaled species having a distinctively narrow head and pattern on the nuchal region that was recovered as the sister taxon to approximately half of the members of the P. hamptoni species group. The inclusion of additional samples of P. geminatus from northern Laos demonstrated the non-monophyly of that taxon with respect to the morphologically similar P. xuelinensis and P. yunnanensis, all of which have type localities in Yunnan Province of southern China. To reconcile this taxonomic problem, P. geminatus and P. xuelinensis are treated as junior synonyms of P. yunnanensis. With these revisions, three species in the P. hamptoni species group are recognized from Laos: P. capitulatus sp. nov., P. formosensis, and P. yunnanensis. Further field surveys on the Dakchung Plateau and vicinity are needed to determine the geographic distribution and morphological variation in P. capitulatus sp. nov. Keywords: Dakchung Plateau, Integrative taxonomy, Pareas geminatus, Pareas xuelinensis, Pareas yunnanensis
Pareas capitulatus sp. nov. Diagnosis: Pareas capitulatus sp. nov. is distinguished from all other species of Pareas by having the combination of yellow-brown colouration with transverse dark bars on body; frontal shield-shaped, with lateral sides converging posteriorly; all body scales smooth; single vertebral scale row slightly enlarged; head distinctly narrow, with eyes projecting beyond parallel lateral margins of head in dorsal view; supralabials seven; infralabials six; ventral scales 175; subcaudals 75; a complete light band on occiput followed posteriorly by a complete dark nuchal marking; and two dark stripes on side of head consisting of an oblique dark stripe from posterior margin of eye to mouth and a transverse dark stripe from top of head to near corner of mouth. Etymology: The specific epithet capitulatus is a Latin adjective for “having a small head,” in reference to the distinctly narrow head of the new species. Suggested common names are Narrow-headed Snail-eating Snake (English) and ງູໜ້າສັ້ນດາກຈຶງ (phonetically Ngou Nasan Dakchung; Lao). Bryan L. Stuart, Sengvilay Seateun, Niane Sivongxay, Siliphone Souvannavong and Somphouthone Phimmachak. 2025. A New Species in the Pareas hamptoni group (Squamata, Pareidae) from southeastern Laos. Zoological Research: Diversity and Conservation. DOI: doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2097-3772.2024.0   |
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