[Most Recent Entries] [Calendar View]
Friday, June 13th, 2025
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 3:32a | [Ichthyology • 2025] Prionotus pictus • A New endemic Species of Searobin (Scorpaeniformes: Triglidae) from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
A new endemic searobin, Prionotus pictus n. sp., is described from the Galapagos Archipelago in Ecuador. The prior literature generally assumed that all Prionotus searobins in the archipelago were Prionotus miles, discovered by Charles Darwin on San Cristobal (Chatham Island) and described as endemic by Jenyns (1842). However, almost all underwater photographs from the islands, and surprisingly few museum specimens (three out of dozens), prove to be a quite different-appearing and colorful species. The new species is the island sister species to Prionotus albirostris which is found on deeper trawling grounds along the continental shelf, from Baja California to Peru. The second species found in the Archipelago, Darwin's Prionotus miles, is uncommonly observed, rarely photographed underwater, and so far accounts for only a handful of the hundreds of searobins photographed in Galapagos. The COI mtDNA sequence (DNA barcode) of P. miles shows that it is an island sister species of continental Prionotus stephanophrys (4.87% sequence divergent), which it resembles in a number of basic features, in particular the smooth and gently sloping head and body shape and relatively shorter pectoral fins. A review of the original P. miles holotype and other museum specimens show that P. miles has been inadequately described and guidebooks typically amalgamate and combine characters of the two species, and almost all use photographs of P. pictus to illustrate P. miles. Prionotus pictus is distinguished from P. miles (and P. stephanophrys) by a concave, sharply sloped, duck-billed head profile with more prominent head spines; longer, colorful, and prominently spotted pectoral fins; a triangular spinous dorsal-fin outline with the second spine longest following a stout and serrated first spine of almost the same length; no black blotches on the distal fourth or fifth dorsal-spine membranes; thicker, prominently banded, free pectoral (walking) rays; and a variety of head, fin, and body markings. The new species differs from continental P. albirostris in having a rounded snout (vs. squared off) and distinctive colorful and contrasting patterns (hence pictus meaning 'painted'). It is notable that a large, conspicuous, and relatively common new endemic fish species has eluded recognition for this long. Key words: taxonomy, ichthyology, tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, coral-reef fishes, marine biogeography, gurnard, Painted Searobin, DNA barcoding, Charles Darwin, Leonard Jenyns
Prionotus pictus, n. sp. Painted Searobin, Gallineta Pintada Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin rays X,12; anal-fin rays 11; pectoral-fin rays 14 plus three ventral free rays; pelvic-fin rays I,5; first dorsal fin nearly triangular, first three spines about equal in length, second spine longest, first spine slightly shorter, third spine slighly shorter than second, anterior margin of first spine with pronounced serrations; membranes without a black spot or ocellus specifically on fourth or fifth membranes; pectoral fins fan-shaped semicircular when expanded and long, usually reaching to last third of second-dorsal-fin base or beyond when flat (but variable); snout concave, sharply rising, duck-billed profile, eyes protruding well above profile, snout broadly rounded from dorsal view, no prominent rostral extensions or spiny edges to lachrymal plate; nasal cirrus present, about twice length of nasal opening, no supraocular cirrus; mouth relatively small, lower jaw subterminal and without a knob; head with prominent bony plates, ridges and granulations; head spines comprising preocular, postocular, sphenotic, pterotic, parietal, nuchal, opercular, preopercular (without a supplemental spine), and a cleithral (humeral) spine over pectoral fin (rostral, preorbital, and suborbital spines absent and no postfrontal groove); scales ctenoid and small, about 48 pored lateral-line scales, about 94 vertical rows of lateral scales, nuchal and opercular-flap scales present, ventral scales extend forward just past level of anterior insertion of pelvic fins. Color pattern from common brownish orange pattern to blotched in colors varying from brown to red, to a darker, almost black-and-white pattern; often bright orange ventrally; white patches like splashed paint on head and body in individual unique patterns; a line of prominent white spots highlighting some of the pored lateral-line scales; lip markings a variety of spots and bars (not a simple three dark bands on a white background, at front, middle and corner of jaw); pectoral fin with irregular spot pattern, clearest on common color form, with small rounded spots concentrated on fifth through tenth membranes, becoming reticulations on distal lowermost rays; a thick blue margin on lower 10 rays; pectoral-fin base around origin of rays with an irregular pattern (not discrete rounded spots); caudal fin with dark bars, one at base and a distal wide bar often splitting into two (dark fish can have a black striped pattern); free pectoral-fin rays thick and prominently banded. Juvenile with brown mottled color pattern and relatively longer pectoral fins, reaching past end of second dorsal fin. Newly settled juvenile uniform orangish with two prominent black-edged white saddles along dorsal midline in front of and behind soft-dorsal-fin base; gill rakers short spiny tubercles in two rows of 11, inner and outer, on lower limb of first arch. Etymology. The species name pictus, Latin for painted, refers to the variegated patterns and colors and individual distribution of colors, with white markings as if splashed with paint. The epithet is considered a masculine adjective. Benjamin C. VICTOR. 2025. Prionotus pictus, A New endemic Species of Searobin from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador (Teleostei: Triglidae). Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 43, 12-38. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15596906 | ||||||
| 4:25a | [Herpetology • 2025] Nymphargus viglei • A Biogeographic Oddity in A Disappearing Ecosystem: A New Glassfrog (Centrolenidae: Nymphargus) from the Ecuadorian Chocó
Abstract Nymphargus is a genus of glassfrogs primarily known from the Andes. The discovery of a Nymphargus species in the lowland Chocó region represents a biogeographic oddity. Herein we describe this new taxon based on the following main traits: (i) absence of hand webbing, (ii) green dorsum with numerous black flecks and scarce yellow false ocelli, (iii) absence of vomerine teeth, and (iv) relatively large body size (SVL > 30 mm). Despite extensive subsequent herpetological efforts in the area, no additional specimens have been found, underscoring its rarity and vulnerability. Given its limited range in the Chocó ecoregion and the ongoing threats of habitat destruction (i.e., logging, agricultural expansion, mining), we classify this new taxon as Critically Endangered, according to IUCN criteria. Lastly, we analyzed the forest cover of the Ecuadorian Chocó during 1985–2022; during this time period 194,007 hectares have been deforested, representing a 20 % destruction of the original ecosystem. We estimate that an average of 5,243 hectares of forest are lost annually; this data highlights the urgency for conservation actions in the Chocó. Keywords: Chocó ecoregion, Amphibia, New species, Singleton, Taxonomy
Nymphargus viglei sp. nov.   Juan Manuel Guayasamin, Daniela Franco-Mena and Mateo A. Vega-Yánez. 2025. A BIOGEOGRAPHIC ODDITY IN A DISAPPEARING ECOSYSTEM: A NEW GLASSFROG (CENTROLENIDAE: NYMPHARGUS) FROM THE ECUADORIAN CHOCÓ [UNA RAREZA BIOGEOGRÁFICA EN UN ECOSISTEMA QUE DESAPARECE: UNA NUEVA RANA DE CRISTAL (CENTROLENIDAE: NYMPHARGUS) DEL CHOCÓ ECUATORIANO] Revista Latinoamericana De Herpetología. 8(2), e1148 (185 – 202). DOI: 10.22201/fc.25942158e.2025.2.1148 | ||||||
| 6:02a | [Botany • 2025] Aster mayangheense (Asteraceae: Astereae) • A New Species from Guizhou Province, China
Abstract Aster mayangheense Z.Li (Asteraceae, Astereae), a new species from Guizhou, China, is described and illustrated here. Morphological and molecular analyses based on nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (nrDNA ITS) confirm its distinct status. The species is morphologically similar to A. saxicola, but differs by its falcate, adaxially shiny upper leaves 3.5–5.0 × 0.8–2.0 cm with long-acuminate to caudate apices (versus oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate leaves in A. saxicola); 5-seriate, abaxially red-purple phyllaries (versus 3–5-seriate with purple-tipped phyllaries); and fewer florets (7–12 ray florets and 5–9 disc florets versus 9–14 ray florets and 10–18 disc florets). Phylogenetic analysis strongly supports its distinctness, with four samples forming a monophyletic clade (PP = 1.00, BS = 100%) nested within Aster. Key words: Aster, morphology, molecular phylogeny, new taxon
Aster mayangheense Z.Li, sp. nov. Diagnosis. Aster mayangheense differs from A. saxicola by its falcate upper leaves (3.5–5.8 × 0.8–2.0 cm) with adaxially shiny surfaces and long-acuminate to caudate apices (vs. oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate leaves 1.0–6.7 × 0.4–1.5 cm, margins entire, shortly petiolate to sessile), 5-seriate red-purple to purple phyllaries abaxially (vs. 3–5-seriate phyllaries purple/purplish only at apex) and fewer florets per capitulum (ray florets: 7–12 vs. 9–14; disc florets: 5–9 vs. 10–18) (Figs 1, 2, Table 1). Etymology. The specific epithet indicates the type locality, Mayanghe, Yanhe County, Guizhou Province, China. The locality name is rendered “Mayanghe National Nature Reserve” in Chinese Pinyin. Vernacular name. 麻阳河紫菀 mā yáng hé zī wǎn in Chinese Pinyin. Zhi Li, Jiang-hua Wu, Yu-jie Wang, Qi-xian Zhou, Ming-tai An. 2025. Aster mayangheense (Asteraceae, Aster), A New Species from Guizhou Province, China. PhytoKeys. 257: 179-190. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.257.145670 | ||||||
| 8:13a | [Botany • 2025] Pedicularis rajeshiana (Orobanchaceae) • A New hemiparasitic Species from Western Himalaya, India
Abstract A new hemiparasitic species, Pedicularis rajeshiana (Orobanchaceae), from Rohtang in the Western Himalayas, India is described and illustrated. The new species differs from all the previously known species of Pedicularis by it’s corolla having deeply-incised labium lobes and unusual staminal insertion points at three levels on the corolla tube. Critical macro- and micro-morphological character analysis including the pollen morphology, supported this species delineation from all the other known species of Pedicularis L. and the new species is placed in the series Debiles of section Orthorrhynchae, subsection Euorthorrhynchae having plants with low grassy habit and the filaments inserted above middle of corolla tube. The new species is closely allied to the two species, P. porrecta and P. heydei but differs from both these by its tiny size, fewer-flowered inflorescence, fewer leaf-pinnae, deeply-incised labium lobes almost to the base, stamens inserted at three different levels on corolla tube and bicolpate, prolate pollen grains with crotonoid exine sculpture. Two flowers with twin (double) galea were observed which is an innovative floral trait never found earlier in this genus, suggesting acquired, adaptive and evolutionary transition towards more precise pollination. Himachal Pradesh, Rohtang, Pedicularis porrecta, Pedicularis heydei, Pedicularis series Debiles, Eudicots   Arti GARG. 2025. Pedicularis rajeshiana (Orobanchaceae), A New hemiparasitic Species from Western Himalaya, India. Phytotaxa. 702(2); 149-165. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.702.2.3 [2025-05-27] | ||||||
| 8:15a | [Paleontology • 2025] Spathagnathus roeperi • A New Species and the earliest Occurrence of the Gnathosaurinae (Pterosauria) from the Late Kimmeridgian of Brunn, Germany
Abstract The so-called “Solnhofen limestones” of southern Germany are widely recognized for their abundance of Late Jurassic fossil vertebrates, with pterosaurs being no exception. Within the recognized plenitude of the pterosaurs within this assemblage, although ctenochasmatid remains are relatively abundant, gnathosaurines are scarce, with only one known Solnhofen representative of the group known thus far. The Late Kimmeridgian locality of Brunn (near Regensburg, Germany) represents the oldest locality of the Solnhofen complex (“Solnhofen Archipelago” in recent literature), with only one pterosaur having been described from this locality to date. Here, a second pterosaur taxon from within this locality and a new gnathosaur is introduced, Spathagnathus roeperi gen. et sp. nov., whose novel tooth and dental enamel features add to the known dental diversity for the group. The new taxon represents the oldest occurrence of a gnathosaurine and contributes to the paleoenvironmental stratigraphic range for the Gnathosaurinae within the overall fossil assemblage of the Solnhofen Archipelago. Furthermore, the new taxon adds to the known diversity of ctenochasmatids in the Late Jurassic and underlines the importance of this early radiation of pterodactyloid pterosaurs during this time. Keywords: Pterosauria, Gnathosaurinae, Mesozoic, Jurassic, Germany, Solnhofen Archipelago
Systematic paleontology Order PTEROSAURIA Owen, 1842 Suborder PTERODACTYLOIDEA Plieninger, 1901 Family CTENOCHASMATIDAE Nopcsa, 1928 sensu Unwin, 2003 Subfamily GNATHOSAURINAE Nopcsa, 1928 sensu Unwin, 2002 Genus Spathagnathus gen. nov. Spathagnathus roeperi gen. et sp. nov. Diagnosis (autapomorphies indicated with asterisk). dorsoventrally compressed rostrum with lateral spatulate expansion on the anterior end of the premaxilla, laterally directed musiform teeth, tooth girth increasing from anterior to posterior end of the rostrum, dental enamel coating approximately half of tooth crowns, strongly veined enamel texture on tooth surface, presence of carinae. Etymology. From the Latin “spatha” for “spatula”, and “gnath” for “jaw”; “roeperi” in honor of the late Martin Röper, long term director of the Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum in Solnhofen and leader of the excavations at the locality Brunn since the early 1990’s.
Alexandra E. Fernandes, Helmut Tischlinger, Monika Rothgaenger and Oliver W. M. Rauhut. 2025. A New Species and the earliest Occurrence of the Gnathosaurinae (Pterosauria) from the Late Kimmeridgian of Brunn, Germany. PalZ. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s12542-025-00725-0 [06 June 2025]  | ||||||
| 10:43a | [Arachnida • 2025] Yuelushannus danxia • A New Species of Spider in the Genus Yuelushannus (Araneae: Linyphiidae) from Guangdong, China
Abstract A new species of the genus Yuelushannus Irfan, Zhou, Bashir, Mukhtar and Peng, 2020 is described here from Danxia Mountain National Nature Reserve, Guangdong, China: Y. danxia He and Guo, sp. nov. Detailed descriptions, photographs of copulatory organs and somatic features, and a distribution map are provided. Keywords: Biodiversity, description, morphology, sheet-web spiders, taxonomy Family Linyphiidae Blackwall 1859 Subfamily Erigoninae Emerton, 1882 Genus Yuelushannus Irfan et al., 2020 Type Yuelushannus barbatus Irfan et al. Citation2020 from Hunan, China; gender masculine. Genus Yuelushannus comprises five species distributed in Hubei and Hunan Provinces, China (World Spider Catalog, 2024).
Yuelushannus danxia He and Guo, sp. nov. (丹霞岳麓山蛛) A.L. He, F. Chen, J.H. Zhu and J. Guo. 2025. A New Species of Spider in the Genus Yuelushannus (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from Guangdong, China. The European Zoological Journal. 92(1); 528-534. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2025.2490065 [20 May 2025] | ||||||
| 10:57a | [Botany • 2024] Microlicia ferricola (Melastomataceae: Lavoisiereae) • A New Species from the Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Abstract Here, we describe Microlicia ferricola, a newly discovered species exclusive to the Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais state. Additionally, we provide an illustration plate, field images, occurrence map, and comparisons with its morphological relatives such as M. longicalycina, M. woodgyeriana, and M. trichocalycina. This new species is characterized by its green-reddish to reddish branches, leaves, hypanthia, and sepals covered with glandular trichomes, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate leaves, setose at the apices, campanulate-oblong hypanthia, long-triangular sepals, dimorphic and bicolorous androecium with tetrasporangiate anthers. Microlicia ferricola is found in the Serra do Rola-Moça State Park and is considered a Least Concern (LC) taxon since it is within a conservation unit, ensuring its preservation. Canga, Espinhaço Range, Iron soil, Mining activities, Serra do Rola-Moça State Park, Eudicots
 Ana Flávia Alves VERSIANE, Maria José Reis da ROCHA, Amanda Alves SANTOS and Rosana ROMERO. 2024. Microlicia ferricola (Lavoisiereae), A New Species of Melastomataceae from the Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Phytotaxa. 671(1); 105-112. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.671.1.7 [2024-11-07] https://www.agenciaminas.mg.gov.br/multi | ||||||
| 3:21p | [Herpetology • 2025] Cyrtodactylus peninsularis • The Taxonomy of Cyrtodactylus consobrinus (Peters, 1871) (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and the Description of A New Species from the Thai-Malay Peninsula
Abstract Phylogenetic analyses based on 1459 base pairs of the mitochondrial gene ND2 and its flanking tRNAs indicate that Cyrtodactylus consobrinus from the type locality in Sarawak, East Malaysia (Borneo) and C. consobrinus from Peninsular Malaysia are not conspecific. Both populations as well as C. hutan from East Malaysia form a strongly supported monophyletic group even though their relationships to one another remain unresolved. Cyrtodactylus consobrinus from peninsular Malaysia is described herein as the new species C. peninsularis sp. nov. whose type locality is Gunung Belumut, Johor State. Cyrtodactylus peninsularis sp. nov. is diagnosable from all other species in the malayanus group by having statistically different morphospatial positions in multiple factor analyses (MFA) based on size-corrected morphometric and meristic characters. ANOVA analyses of these characters recovered significantly different mean values between C. peninsularis sp. nov. and varying combinations of all other malayanus group species across several size-corrected morphometric and meristic characters. Genetic variation within C. peninsularis sp. nov. is geographically structured across six well supported monophyletic mitochondrial lineages bearing an uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence ranging from 0.97–4.5%. Despite its well supported phylogeographic structure, PCAs and ANOVAs recovered statistically weak morphological separation among the lineages and as such, all are considered conspecific pending a genomic analysis. The phylogeographic structure within the forest-dwelling C. peninsularis sp. nov. is quite similar to that of the stream-adapted ranid frog genus Amolops and less so to that of the microhabitat specialists of the C. pulchellus group and the forest generalist C. quadrivirgatus, all of whom are sympatric across Peninsular Malaysia. Key words: Bent-toed Gecko, Borneo, integrative taxonomy, Peninsular Malaysia, phylogeny, Thailand
Cyrtodactylus peninsularis sp. nov. Etymology. The species name peninsularis is in reference to the distribution of this species which is restricted to the Thai-Malay Peninsula of southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore. Distribution. Cyrtodactylus peninsularis sp. nov. ranges from extreme southern Thailand southward through nearly all habitats in Peninsular Malaysia to Singapore (Grismer 2011) (Fig. 1). The Pulau Singkep population of Indonesia has not been investigated.  L. Lee Grismer, Amanda Kaatz, Jesse L. Grismer, Eddie Nguyen, Jeren J. Grergory, Perry L. Wood Jr., Matthew L. Murdoch, Shahrul Anuar, Chan Kin Onn, Muhamad A. Muin, Parinya Pawangkhanant, Chatmongkon Suwannapoom, Nikolay A. Poyarkov and Evan S. H. Quah. 2025. The Taxonomy of Cyrtodactylus consobrinus (Peters, 1871) (Squamata, Gekkonidae) and the Description of A New Species from the Thai-Malay Peninsula. ZooKeys 1241: 105-137. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1241.149552 [12-06-2025]  |
| << Previous Day |
2025/06/13 [Calendar] |
Next Day >> |