Species New to Science

Pseudoliparis swirei

Gerringer,Linley,Jamieson,Goetze & Drazen, 2017

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4358.1.7

Abstract

Pseudoliparis swirei sp. nov. is described from 37 individuals collected in the Mariana Trench at depths 6898–7966 m. The collection of this new species is the deepest benthic capture of a vertebrate with corroborated depth data. Here, we describe P. swirei sp. nov. and discuss aspects of its morphology, biology, distribution, and phylogenetic relationships to other hadal liparids based on analysis of three mitochondrial genes. Pseudoliparis swirei sp. nov. is almost certainly endemic to the Mariana Trench, as other hadal liparids appear isolated to a single trench/ trench system in the Kermadec, Macquarie, South Sandwich, South Orkney, Peru-Chile, Kurile-Kamchatka and Japan trenches. The discovery of another hadal liparid species, apparently abundant at depths where other fish species are few and only found in low numbers, provides further evidence for the dominance of this family among the hadal fish fauna.

Keywords: Pisces, snailfish, Notoliparis, description, taxonomy, phylogenetics

[upper] FIGURE 2. A) In situ photograph ofPseudoliparis swirei sp. nov. at 6,198 m. B) a group at 7,485 m. C) Deck photograph of SIO 16-82/HADES 200049. D) Radiograph of SIO 16-86/HADES 200141. Image by Sandra Raredon. Scale indicator 5 cm.

[lower] FIGURE 3. Lateral view of Pseudoliparis swirei sp. nov.. Combined representation of holotype, paratypes, and freshly captured images of paratype USNM 438985/HADES 200133, juvenile, 151 mm. Drawings by Thomas D. Linley.

Pseudoliparis swirei Gerringer & Linley sp. nov.

Mariana snailfish: Linley et al. 2016 (page 105, Figure 4a)

Mariana snailfish: Linley et al. 2017 (page 42, Figure 6.43)

Mariana snailfish/Mariana liparid: Gerringer et al. 2017a (page 111)

Mariana liparid/Liparidae sp. nov: Gerringer et al. 2017b (page 137)

Diagnosis. Andriashev and Pitruk (1993) define the genus Pseudoliparis as having a well-developed disk and one pair of nostrils and lacking pseudobranchia and pleural ribs, with four radials in the pectoral girdle, which has neither notches nor fenestrae. In this genus, the hypural plate is divided by a distal slit (Andriashev and Pitruk, 1993). Like the other in this genus, Pseudoliparis swirei sp. nov. (Figures 2, 3) displays these characters, including a moderately well-developed disk, although this is easily damaged in collection. Pseudoliparis swirei sp. nov. can be distinguished from the two other known Pseudoliparis species with the following characters. Pseudoliparis swirei sp. nov. differs from P. belyaevi in the presence of a distinct lower pectoral-fin lobe, similar to that seen in P. amblystomopsis (Andriashev, 1955). Pseudoliparis swirei has more dorsal-fin rays 55 (51–58) than P. amblystomopsis 49 (49–52), more anal-fin rays 48 (43–49) compared to 43 (42–45), and more vertebrae 61 (56– 62), compared to 55–57, although these ranges somewhat overlap. Head length is shorter in P. swirei sp. nov. (17.0–21.7 %SL) than P. amblystomopsis (21.6–24.0 %SL). Comparisons were made according to ranges presented by Andriashev & Pitruk (1993). Pseudoliparis belyaevi is known only from the Japan Trench, P. amblystomopsis from the Japan and Kurile-Kamchatka trenches, P. swirei only from the Mariana Trench.

FIGURE 2. A) In situ photograph of Pseudoliparis swirei sp. nov. at 6,198 m. B) a group at 7,485 m. C) Deck photograph of SIO 16-82/HADES 200049. D) Radiograph of SIO 16-86/HADES 200141.

Image by Sandra Raredon. Scale indicator 5 cm.

Distribution. Known only from the Mariana Trench at capture depths from 6,898–7,966 m, individuals likely this species were recognized in video at depths 6,198–8,098 m (Linley et al. 2016; Jamieson & Linley, unpublished data).

Etymology. The Mariana Trench famously houses the ocean’s deepest point, at Challenger Deep, named for the HMS Challenger expedition which discovered the trench in 1875. Their deepest sounding of 8,184 m, then the greatest known ocean depth, was christened Swire Deep after Herbert Swire, the ship’s First Navigating Sublieutenant (Corfield 2003). We name this fish in his honor, in acknowledgment and gratitude of the crew members that have supported oceanographic research throughout history.

A CT scan of the Mariana snailfish. The green shape, a small crustacean, is seen in the snailfish’s stomach.Adam Summers/University of Washington

Mackenzie E. Gerringer,Thomas D. Linley,Alan J. Jamieson,Erica Goetze andJeffrey C. Drazen. 2017. Pseudoliparis swirei sp. nov.: A Newly-Discovered Hadal Snailfish (Scorpaeniformes: Liparidae) from the Mariana Trench. Zootaxa. 4358(1); 161–177. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4358.1.7

There's a deeper fish in the sea washington.edu/news/2017/11/28/theres-a-deeper-fish-in-the-sea/
What You Need to Know About Bali's Rumbling Volcano on.natgeo.com/2Ae6F3G via @NatGeo

Thomas D. Linley, Mackenzie E. Gerringer, Paul H. Yancey, Jeffrey C. Drazen, Chloe L. Weinstock and Alan J .Jamieson. 2016. Fishes of the hadal zone including new species, in situ observations and depth records of Liparidae. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers. 114; 99-110. DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr.2016.05.003

Polystichum zhijinense

Duan, Kropf & Zhang, 2017. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.331.1.11

Abstract

A new fern species, Polystichum zhijinense, a member of P. subg. Haplopolystichum (Dryopteridaceae), is described and illustrated from Guizhou Province in Southwest China. Polystichum zhijinense is somehow similar to P. fengshanense in having pinnae oblong and entire or shallowly repand (not aristate-spinulose on the margin), but differs in the shape of the pinna apex, the morphology of microscales, and the sorus distribution. Polystichum zhijinense was found at a cave entrance and is currently known from one population only and thus is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) following IUCN Red List criteria.

Keywords: Guizhou, IUCN Red List, karst cave, Polystichum zhijinense, Pteridophytes

Yi-Fan Duan, Matthias Kropf and Li-Bing Zhang. 2017. Polystichum zhijinense (subg. Haplopolystichum; Dryopteridaceae), A New Cave Species of Polystichum from Guizhou, China. Phytotaxa. 331(1); 124–130. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.331.1.11

Artema nephilit

Aharon, Huber & Gavish-Regev, 2017

DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.376

Abstract

This is the first revision of Artema Walckenaer, 1837, a genus consisting of large and phylogenetically interesting species. Even though Artema is not species-rich (now eight nominal species), it has suffered from poor descriptions and synonymies. Our main goal was to gather all available material and to clarify species limits. Four species are easily distinguished from other congeners: Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837, the type species; A. kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (revalidated); A. bunkpurugu Huber & Kwapong, 2013; and A. nephilit sp. nov. All other species are problematic for varying reasons: species limits are unclear between A. doriae Thorell, 1881 and A. transcaspica Spassky, 1934; A. magna Roewer, 1960 and A. ziaretana (Roewer, 1960) are problematic because they are based on female and juvenile types respectively and little new material is available. The material available to us suggests the existence of a few further species; however, they are not formally described, either because of small sample sizes (Artema sp. a and A. sp. b are represented by only one specimen each) or because of unclear species limits (between Artema sp. c, A. transcaspica and A. doriae).This study is the first serious step towards understanding the genus. Intensive collecting effort is needed in order to fully clarify species limits.

Keywords: key; Middle East; Pholcidae; taxonomy

Figs 3–8. Live specimens and habitats.
3. Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837 from Thailand, Ratchaburi.
4–5. A. nephilit sp. nov. from Israel. 6. Typical Artema web mass, in a cave in Petra, Jordan. 7–8. Caves populated by Artema nephilit sp. nov.: Oren Cave, Mount Karmel (7) and caves in the Eilat Mountains (8), Israel.

Photos: B. A. Huber (3–4, 6–8), S. Aharon (5).

Class Arachnida Cuvier, 1812
Order Araneae Clerck, 1757

Family Pholcidae C.L. Koch, 1851

Artema Walckenaer, 1837

Artema Walckenaer, 1837: 656;

type species: Artema atlanta (by subsequent monotypy).

Coroia González-Sponga, 2005: 102;

type species: Coroia magna González-Sponga, 2005; synonymized by Huber et al. 2014: 416.

Diagnosis: Artema is easily distinguished from other pholcids by its large body and strong legs (body length 5.5– 9.5 mm; leg span up to 15 cm; tibia 1 L/d: 34–42); also by distinctive pattern on globose and high abdomen (dark dots dorsally, arranged in stripes from dorsal to lateral, sometimes absent; Figs 3–5, 51– 53); by male pedipalp with its unique bulbal processes and short but massive procursus with proximal dorsal process (dp: Fig. 89) and weakly developed ventral pocket (vp: Fig. 89); by armature of male chelicerae (frontal row of cone-shaped hairs on each side, situated on elevated processes or ridges; Figs 23, 44); and by pair of low to high projections in front of large anterior epigynal plate (AEP: Fig. 15).

Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837

Artema doriae Thorell, 1881

Etymology:Even though the species was named for a man (Marchese Giacomo Doria, 1840–1913), the ICZN (1999: article 31.1) clearly states that the correct patronym has to be doriae, not doriai. The latter is thus an unjustified emendation.

Artema transcaspica Spassky, 1934

Artema magna Roewer, 1960

Artema kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (revalidated)

Artema nephilit sp. nov.

“Artema mauriciana” (misidentification) – Bodenheimer 1937: 238 (“Palestina”)

“Artema mauricia” (misidentification) – Dalmas 1920: 59 (Bodrum, Turkey).

Diagnosis: Males can be distinguished from all known congeners by their bulbal processes: process c (Fig. 40) projecting prolaterally, processes d and e absent (Fig. 39) (A. magna: process c robust, strongly curved prolaterally, process d distinct rounded projection on ventral side of bulb – see Figs 159–160; A. doriaeand A. transcaspica: process d small, pointed towards ventrodistally) and by unique median projection on each male cheliceral process (Figs 43–44, 67) (only A. magna with similar median projection but no modified hairs connect to main ridge as in A. nephilit sp. nov. – see Figs 163–164). Females with semicircular epigynum (Figs 45–50); differing from A. atlanta by straight posterior epigynal margin; fromA. magna by epigynal plate length to width ratio; from A. bunkpurugu by much less prominent anterior epigynal projections (AEP in Fig. 48) (cf. Huber & Kwapong 2013: figs 49, 53–54).

Etymology: The species epithet is derived from the feminine singular noun of the biblical name “Nephilim”, the giants who were seen by the twelve people sent by Moses to scout the Land of Canaan. It refers to the large size of the spider. Noun in apposition.

Shlomi Aharon, Bernhard A. Huber and Efrat Gavish-Regev. 2017. Daddy-long-leg Giants: Revision of the Spider Genus Artema Walckenaer, 1837 (Araneae, Pholcidae). European Journal of Taxonomy. 376: 1–57. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.376

Cirrhilabrus greeni Allen & Hammer, 2017

oceansciencefoundation.org

Abstract

A new species of labrid fish, the Sunset Fairy-wrasse, Cirrhilabrus greeni n. sp., is described from seven specimens, 39.4–47.3 mm SL, collected from the eastern Timor Sea, Northern Territory, Australia. The species is clearly distinguished by its terminal-phase male color pattern, consisting of pink to reddish hues on the upper half of the head and body and yellow on the lower half, in combination with a mainly yellow-orange dorsal fin and a scarletred anal fin. The caudal fin of the male is particularly distinctive, being emarginate but appearing lunate due to a clear central portion and tapering red bands along dorsal and ventral margins. Females can be distinguished from sympatric congeners by having a large black spot on the upper caudal peduncle. Sequencing of the mtDNAbarcode marker COI reveals that the new species has identical sequences to C. rubripinnis and C. aff. tonozukai from the Philippines, which have very different color patterns and tail shapes from the new species, indicating the new species has diverged recently and/or there is historic or episodic hybridization within the species complex.

Key words: taxonomy, systematics, ichthyology, coral-reef fishes, Indo-Pacific Ocean, fairy wrasse, DNA barcoding.

Figure 3. Cirrhilabrus greeni, aquarium photographs of live male holotype, 47.3 mm SL, eastern Timor Sea (M.P. Hammer).

Cirrhilabrus greeni, n. sp.

Sunset Fairy-wrasse

Diagnosis. Dorsal-fin elements XI,9; anal-fin elements III,9; pectoral-fin rays 15; lateral-line scales 16–17 + 6–7; median predorsal scales 5; single horizontal scale rows on cheek below eye; gill rakers 13; body depth 3.6- 3.7 in SL; head length 2.9–3.0 in SL; snout length 3.5–4.3 in HL; dorsal fin mostly uniform height; pelvic fins of TP male moderately elongate, reaching posteriorly to about base of first soft anal-fin ray, 2.7–3.9 in SL; caudal fin distinctly emarginate, appearing lunate in males due to tapering red bands along dorsal and ventral margins. TP male in life mainly reddish on upper half of body and bright yellow below; dorsal fin mainly yellow orange, grading to reddish basally with dark-edged white or clear bands on basal half of soft rays; anal fin scarlet red; caudal fin translucent medially with tapering red bands along dorsal and ventral margins; pelvic fins pinkish; pectoral fins translucent with brilliant red triangular mark immediately above base. Female in life rosy pink on upper two-thirds of head and body, grading to whitish ventrally; body with 4–5 narrow reddish stripes on upper half; dorsal fin pinkish yellow with faint red bands and dark brown first spine; anal fin pink with faint red bands; caudal fin with numerous transverse rows of faint red spots, except darker red along edge of lower lobe; black spot, about one-third to half pupil size, on upper side of caudal peduncle.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Tim Green of Monsoon Aquatics (Darwin, Australia), who collected the type specimens.

Distribution and habitat. The new species is currently known only from the eastern Timor Sea (Fig. 5), approximately 300 km northwest of Darwin, Australia and 300 km southwest of the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia. It was collected and observed in depths of about 18–40 m. The habitat consists of sloping rubble bottoms with scattered low outcrops of rock or coral and occasional large coral outcrops. It co-occurs with several other members of the genus including C. hygroxerus and four species of undetermined status that are related to C. cyanopleura (Bleeker, 1851); C. exquisitus Smith, 1957; C. punctatus Randall & Kuiter, 1989; and C. temminckii Bleeker, 1853.

Allen, G.R. and Hammer, M.P. 2017. Cirrhilabrus greeni, A New Species of Wrasse (Pisces: Labridae) from the Timor Sea, northern Australia. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 29, 55–65. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1115674

oceansciencefoundation.org/josf29d.html

Sphaeromimus kalambatritra

Moritz & Wesener, 2017

DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.381

Abstract

The species-rich giant pill-millipedes (Sphaerotheriida) often represent a microendemic component of Madagascar’s mega-invertebrate fauna. Of the chirping genus Sphaeromimus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902, ten species have been described. Here, we describe two new species of Sphaeromimus integratively, combining light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, DNA barcoding and micro-CT technology for the first time in a taxonomic description of a giant pill-millipede. S. kalambatritra sp. nov. and S. midongy sp. nov. are the first giant pill-millipedes collected and described from the mountainous rainforests of Kalambatritra and Midongy. Both species show island gigantism compared to their congeners. Our analysis of the mitochondrial COI gene shows that the two species are related to one another with a moderate genetic distance (9.4%), while they are more closely related to an undetermined specimen from the forest of Vevembe (6.3% and 8.4%). They stand in a basal position with S. ivohibeWesener, 2014 and S. musicus(de Saussure & Zehntner, 1897). The four aforementioned species share a high number of stridulation ribs on the male harp. Our micro-CT analysis provides a look into the head of S. kalambatritra sp. nov. and shows that non-destructive CT methods are a useful tool for studying the inner morphology of giant pill-millipedes.

Keywords: biodiversity; COI; island gigantism; Kalambatritra; Midongy

Order Sphaerotheriida Brandt, 1833

Family Arthrosphaeridae Jeekel, 1974

Genus Sphaeromimus de Saussure & Zehntner, 1902

Sphaeromimus kalambatritra sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Large, massive, brown Sphaeromimus, > 50 mm long. Differing from all other species of Sphaeromimus in having five stridulation ribs on the male harp (as in S. musicus (Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) and S. vatovavy Wesener, 2014) in the following characters: tarsus of leg 3 without an apical spine, coxal process almost absent, posterior telopod with two membranous lobes. >80 ocelli.

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘kalambatritra’, noun in apposition, refers to the type-locality, the Réserve Spéciale de Kalambatritra (Fig. 11).

Distribution: Only known from the type-locality, the Réserve Spéciale de Kalambatritra, which is a mountainous rainforest (Fig. 11). In the same habitat, two undetermined giant pill-millipede species of the genus Zoosphaerium occur sympatrically.

Sphaeromimus midongy sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Large, massive, dark brown Sphaeromimus, >50 mm long. Differing from the only known species of Sphaeromimus with six stridulation ribs on the male harp (S. ivohibe Wesener, 2014), with which it also shares the two lobes on the movable fi nger of the posterior telopod, in the following characters: large difference in size and colour pattern, a densely pubescent male gonopore, legs 4–21 with 14 or 15 ventral spines (12 in S. ivohibe), and endotergum with two dense rows of long marginal bristles (single row in S. ivohibe).

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘midongy’, noun in apposition, refers to the type-locality, the Parc National de Midongy.

Distribution: Only known from the type-locality, the Parc National de Midongy (Fig. 11). Mountainous rainforest.

Leif Moritz and Thomas Wesener. 2017. Integrative Description of Two New Species of Malagasy Chirping Giant Pill-millipedes, Genus Sphaeromimus (Diplopoda: Sphaerotheriida: Arthrosphaeridae). European Journal of Taxonomy. 381; 1-25. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.381

Thomas Wesener, Daniel Minh-Tu Le and Stephanie F. Loria. 2014. Integrative Revision of the Giant Pill-millipede Genus Sphaeromimus from Madagascar, with the Description of Seven New Species (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae). ZooKeys. 414: 67-107 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.414.7730

Myrmoderus eowilsoni

Moncrieff, Johnson, Lane, Beck, Angulo & Fagan, 2018

DOI: 10.1642/AUK-17-97.1

AmericanOrnithologyPubsBlog.org

ABSTRACT

We describe a distinctive new species of antbird (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) from humid montane forest (1,340–1,670 m above sea level) of the Cordillera Azul, San Martín Region, Peru. Plumage, voice, and molecular evidence distinguish this species from its sister taxon Myrmoderus ferrugineus (Ferruginous-backed Antbird), which is found in lowland Amazonian rainforests of the Guiana Shield and Madeira-Tapajós interfluvium. The new species is presently known only from one ridge in the Cordillera Azul, and therefore we recommend further fieldwork to better estimate its distribution and population size.

Keywords: Myrmeciza, Myrmoderus, new species, outlying ridges, taxonomy

A male Cordillera Azul Antbird.

Photo: A. Spencer

Andre E. Moncrieff, Oscar Johnson, Daniel F. Lane, Josh R. Beck, Fernando Angulo and Jesse Fagan. 2018. A New Species of Antbird (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) from the Cordillera Azul, San Martín, Peru [Una nueva especie de hormiguero (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) de la Cordillera Azul, San Martín, Perú]. The Auk. Vo135(1); 114-126. DOI: 10.1642/AUK-17-97.1

RESUMEN: Describimos una nueva y distintiva especie de hormiguero (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) de los bosques montanos húmedos (1,340–1,670 metros sobre el nivel del mar) de la Cordillera Azul, región de San Martín, Perú. El plumaje, la voz, y la evidencia molecular distinguen a esta especie de su taxón hermano Myrmoderus ferrugineus (Hormiguero Lomirrufo), el cual se encuentra en los bosques tropicales amazónicos de llanura del Escudo Guyanés y el interfluvio Madeira-Tapajós. A esta nueva especie se le conoce en la actualidad únicamente de una cresta de la Cordillera Azul, y por lo tanto, recomendamos mayor investigación de campo para poder estimar mejor su distribución y el tamaño de su población.

Palabras clave: cadenas montañosas aisladas, Myrmeciza, Myrmoderus, nueva especie, taxonomía

New antbird species discovered in Peru

phys.org/news/2017-12-antbird-species-peru.html

AmericanOrnithologyPubsBlog.org/2017/12/14/author-blog-a-new-species-of-antbird/

New Bird Species Named for E.O. Wilson, “Father of Biodiversity” and Rainforest Trust Board Me… rainforesttrust.org/news/new-bird-species-named-father-biodiversity-rainforest-trust-board-member-dr-e-o-wilson/ @rainforesttrust

Rhaeticosaurus mertensi

Wintrich, Hayashi, Houssaye, Nakajima & Sander, 2017

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701144

Abstract
Secondary marine adaptation is a major pattern in amniote evolution, accompanied by specific bone histological adaptations. In the aftermath of the end-Permian extinction, diverse marine reptiles evolved early in the Triassic. Plesiosauria is the most diverse and one of the longest-lived clades of marine reptiles, but its bone histology is least known among the major marine amniote clades. Plesiosaurians had a unique and puzzling body plan, sporting four evenly shaped pointed flippers and (in most clades) a small head on a long, stiffened neck. The flippers were used as hydrofoils in underwater flight. A wide temporal, morphological, and morphometric gap separates plesiosaurians from their closest relatives (basal pistosaurs, Bobosaurus). For nearly two centuries, plesiosaurians were thought to appear suddenly in the earliest Jurassic after the end-Triassic extinctions. We describe the first Triassic plesiosaurian, from the Rhaetian of Germany, and compare its long bone histology to that of later plesiosaurians sampled for this study. The new taxon is recovered as a basal member of the Pliosauridae, revealing that diversification of plesiosaurians was a Triassic event and that several lineages must have crossed into the Jurassic. Plesiosaurian histology is strikingly uniform and different from stem sauropterygians. Histology suggests the concurrent evolution of fast growth and an elevated metabolic rate as an adaptation to cruising and efficient foraging in the open sea. The new specimen corroborates the hypothesis that open ocean life of plesiosaurians facilitated their survival of the end-Triassic extinctions.

Systematic paleontology

Reptilia Linnaeus, 1758

Diapsida Osborn, 1903

Plesiosauria de Blainville, 1835

Phylogenetic definition: We offer the following apomorphy-based definition of Plesiosauria: Sauropterygians with a short, wide trunk–bearing four flippers of even structure and subequal size, the flippers consisting of long, straight propodials combined with very short and dorsoventrally flattened zeugopodials.

Diagnosis: Plesiosauria is diagnosed (see Materials and Methods) by two unique and unambiguous synapomorphies: tooth enamel surface, striations present (character, 106; state, 0; see comment in table S2); orientation of cervical zygapophyses, dorsomedially facing (128, 1). An unambiguous but not unique synapomorphy is as follows: dorsal half of ilium, subequal anterior and posterior expansion (174, 0).

Rhaeticosaurus mertensi gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology: The genus name is based on rhaeticus, latinized adjective meaning “from the Rhaetian stage,” and sauros (Greek), meaning lizard or saurian. The specific epithet honors the discoverer of the holotype, Michael Mertens of Schwaney, Westphalia, Germany.

Holotype specimen: LWL-Museum für Naturkunde (Münster, Germany), LWL-MFN P 64047.

Locality and horizon: Clay pit #3 of Lücking brick company, 1 km north of the village of Bonenburg, city of Warburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (Fig. 1A). The specimen derives from Rhaetian dark marine mudstones of the Exter Formation, 21 m in the section below the Triassic-Jurassic boundary and about 3.5 m below a bonebed containing a vertebrate fauna of Rhaetian age.

Diagnosis: Small-bodied plesiosaurian with an estimated total length of 237 cm (Fig. 2, A and B). The new taxon has two autapomorphies (Fig. 2C): a modified V-shaped neurocentral suture in the anterior and middle cervical vertebrae. In Rhaeticosaurus, the sides of the “V” are ventrally concave, and the tip of the “V” almost reaches the ventral margin of the centrum. In other plesiosaurians with a V-shaped neurocentral suture, the sides of the “V” are straight, and the tip only extends to the middle of the centrum. The second autapomorphy is greatly foreshortened zeugopodials with a humerus/radius ratio of 3.8 and a femur/tibia ratio of 4.3 (Fig. 2, B, D, and E, and table S4). In addition, there are 10 unambiguous but not unique synapomorphies (tables S2 and S3).

Phylogenetic relationships: To assess the systematic position of the Triassic plesiosaurian skeleton, we coded it for a recently published phylogenetic data matrix aimed at clarifying plesiosaurian interrelationships (data file S1) (4). Rhaeticosaurus was found to be nested within Plesiosauria as a basal member of the Pliosauridae, with Anningasaura as the most basal plesiosaurian (Fig. 3A). As a consequence, six nodes in the cladogram are of Triassic age, indicating pre-Jurassic diversification of plesiosaurians into their major clades (Fig. 3A).

This is the skeleton of Rhaeticosaurus on exhibit at the LWL-Museum für Naturkunde in Münster (Germany). The disintegrated skull and neck can be seen on the left.

Photo: Georg Oleschinski

Tanja Wintrich, Shoji Hayashi, Alexandra Houssaye, Yasuhisa Nakajima and P. Martin Sander. 2017. A Triassic Plesiosaurian Skeleton and Bone Histology Inform on Evolution of A Unique Body Plan. Science Advances. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701144

The Oldest Plesiosaur Was a Strong Swimmer eurekalert.org/e/8527 via @unibonn @EurekAlert

Almas ukhaa

Pei, Norell, Barta, Bever, Pittman& Xu, 2017

DOI: 10.1206/3889.1

ABSTRACT

A new troodontid dinosaur, Almas ukhaa, from the Late Cretaceous deposits of the Djadokhta Formation at Ukhaa Tolgod, Mongolia, is described here. The holotype specimen (IGM 100/1323) comprises an almost complete and articulated cranium and partial articulated postcranial skeleton. This specimen has a small body size and a short snout as in basal paravians, but it exhibits a number of derived troodontid features that differentiate Almas ukhaa from the Early Cretaceous troodontids reported from China and unite this new taxon with other Late Cretaceous troodontids. Relative to other troodontids, Almas ukhaa is autapomorphic in the presence of a posteriorly curved pterygoid flange, absence of a lateral groove on the anterior part of the dentary, presence of a distinct spikelike process on the ischium, and elongate chevrons. The eggshell associated with IGM 100/1323 can be assigned to Prismatoolithidae indet. based on the smooth surface, eggshell thickness, and microstructural characteristics, and also preserves attributes similar to Protoceratopsidovum minimum. A unique relationship between Byronosaurus and the perinate troodontids IGM 100/972 and IGM 100/974 is no longer supported based on the new observations of Almas ukhaa and Gobivenator.

Rui Pei, Mark A. Norell, Daniel E. Barta, G.S. Bever, Michael Pittman and Xing Xu. 2017. Osteology of A New Late Cretaceous Troodontid Specimen from Ukhaa Tolgod, Ömnögovi Aimag, Mongolia. American Museum Novitates. 3889; 1-47. DOI: 10.1206/3889.1

twitter.com/Synapsida/status/941727444838465536

Sternotherus intermedius

Scott, Glenn & Rissler, 2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.11.008

Highlights

• We use 3RADseq to resolve Musk Turtle (Sternotherus) systematics.

• We discover cryptic species-level diversity in Sternotherus.

• Multiple species-tree methods infer conflicting relationships for Sternotherus species.

• Robust demographic modeling provides resolution to Sternotherus phylogeny.

• We provide a revised taxonomy for Sternotherus.

Abstract

Accurate and consistent delimitation of species and their relationships provides a necessary framework for comparative studies, understanding evolutionary relationships, and informing conservation management. Despite the ever-increasing availability of genomic data, evolutionary dynamics can still render some relationships exceedingly difficult to resolve, including underlying speciation events that are rapid, recent, or confounded by post-speciation introgression. Here we present an empirical study of musk turtles (Sternotherus), which illustrates approaches to resolve difficult nodes in the Tree of Life that robust species-tree methods fail to resolve. We sequence 4430 RAD-loci from 205 individuals. Independent coalescent-based analyses, corroborated with morphology and geography, strongly support the recognition of cryptic species within Sternotherus, but with conflicting or weak support for some intraspecific relationships. To resolve species-tree conflict, we use a likelihood-based approach to test support for alternative demographic models behind alternative speciation scenarios and argue that demographic model testing has an important role for resolving systematic relationships in recent, rapid radiations. Species-tree and demographic modeling strongly support the elevation of two nominal subspecies in Sternotherus to species and the recognition of a previously cryptic species (Sternotherus intermedius sp. nov.) described within. The evolutionary and taxonomic history of Sternotherus is discussed in the context of these new species and novel and well-supported systematic hypotheses.

Keywords: Sternotherus, Species delimitation, Demographic models, Cryptic species, Species tree conflict

A revised and consistent taxonomy for Sternotherus

We find strong support for the recognition of S. odoratus (Latreille in Sonnini and Latreille, 1802:122) and S. carinatus (Gray, 1855:211) as they have been previously defined; therefore, the taxonomic status of these species will not be discussed further.

A.1. The Sternotherus minor species group

A.2. Sternotherus depressusTinkle and Webb, 1955

A.3. Sternotherus intermedius Scott et al., new species

Etymology. Medieval Latin intermediātus, past participle of intermediāre. This species is named for its long recognition as being a hypothetical “intermediate” form between S. peltifer and S. minor (e.g. Ernst et al., 1988), as turtles now attributed to S. intermedius have historically been recognized as hybrids between the two aforementioned species due to having a superficially intermediate morphology. The name is a noun in apposition.

Distribution – S. intermedius is endemic to only the Choctawhatchee and Escambia River basins and associated waters from the Apalachicola Bay in southern Alabama and the Florida panhandle (including the Choctawhatchee, Conecah, Yellow, Pea, Blackwater, and Escambia rivers drainages). This distribution is bordered to the north and west by the greater Mobile River Basin (including the Alabama, Coosa, and Tallapoosa River drainages), where it is replaced by S. pelitifer, and to the east by the greater Apalachicola River Basin (including the Chattahoochee and Flint River drainages), where it is replaced by S. minor.

A.4. Sternotheris peltifer Smith and Glass, 1947

A.5. Sternotherus minor Agassiz, 1857

Peter A.Scott, Travis C.Glenn and Leslie J.Rissler. 2018. Resolving Taxonomic Turbulence and Uncovering Cryptic Diversity in the Musk Turtles (Sternotherus) Using Robust Demographic Modeling. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 120; 1-15. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.11.008

Meet the intermediate musk turtle, Alabama's newest turtle species bhamnow.com/index.php/2017/12/16/turtle/ @now_bham

ชาฤาษีไทรโยค || Paraboea fimbriata C.Puglisi & Phutthai

Puglisi & Phutthai, 2018.

DOI: 10.1017/S0960428617000324

Abstract

A new species of Paraboea , P. fimbriata C.Puglisi & Phutthai, from Sai Yok District, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand, is described.

Keywords: Kanchanaburi, limestone, taxonomy

Fig. 1. Paraboea fimbriata Puglisi & Phutthai.
A and B, Habit; C and D, inflorescence; E, capsule.

Photographs by T. Phutthai.

C. Puglisi and Thamarat Phutthai. 2018. A New Species of Paraboea (Gesneriaceae) from Thailand. Edinburgh Journal of Botany. DOI: 10.1017/S0960428617000324

Chiropterotriton chico García-Castillo, Rovito, Wake & Parra-Olea, 2017

B) Chiropterotriton arboreus, DBW, C) C. chondrostega, SMR (IBH 28195), D) C. dimidiatus, DBW 1342-45, E) C. mosaueri SMR (IBH 28179), F) C. terrestris, DBW, G) C. cieloensis, SMR holotype (IBH 29561), H) C. cracens, SMR (IBH 28192), I) C. infernalis, SMR holotype (MVZ 269665), J) C. multidentatus SMR (IBH 29571).

facebook.com/RCARYorg DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4363.4.2

Abstract

Chiropterotriton is a relatively small genus that comprises 15 species with great morphological and ecological diversity. In previous studies, molecular data provided evidence for a considerable number of species that remain undescribed. In this study, we describe one new species, Chiropterotriton chico sp. nov. based on molecular and morphological characters. We present mtDNA phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood that include all described and several undescribed species. Morphometric data from eight recognized species provide evidence for the distinctiveness of the new taxon. Description of this new species adds to the already high salamander diversity of the state of Hidalgo, which is an important area for the diversification of the genus.

Keywords: salamanders, bolitogossines, morphology, taxonomy, Hidalgo

FIGURE 3. Head, hand and foot morphology of Chiropterotriton specimens from Hidalgo
A) Chiropterotriton chico, holotype MVZ 118888, B) C. arboreus, MVZ 172159, C) C. chondrostega MVZ 106660, D) C. dimidiatus MVZ 178671, E) C. mosaueri IBH 28179, F) C. terrestris, MVZ 106700, and Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí G) C. cieloensis, holotype IBH 29561, H) C. cracens MVZ 129005, I) C. infernalis, holotype MVZ 269665, J) C. multidentatus MVZ 163908. Scale bar corresponds to 2 mm.

FIGURE 4. Photos in life of Chiropterotriton. A) Chiropterotriton chico, DBW (Jan 1974) B) C. arboreus, DBW, C) C. chondrostega, SMR (IBH 28195), D) C. dimidiatus, DBW 1342-45, E) C. mosaueri SMR (IBH 28179), F) C. terrestris, DBW, G) C. cieloensis, SMR holotype (IBH 29561), H) C. cracens, SMR (IBH 28192), I) C. infernalis, SMR holotype (MVZ 269665), J) C. multidentatus SMR (IBH 29571).

Chiropterotriton chico sp. nov.

El Chico Salamander

Salamandra de El Chico ( Figures 3A View Figure and 4A View Figure )

Chiropterotriton multidentata (part): Taylor, 1944.

Chiropterotriton cf multidentatus (part): Rabb, 1958; Darda, 1994.
Chiropterotriton sp. 15: Parra-Olea, 2003; Rovito & Parra-Olea, 2015

Habitat and range. This species is only known from Parque Nacional El Chico in Hidalgo, Mexico .... It is unlikely to occur more widely, because surrounding areas have been extensively surveyed.

Etymology. The species name chico is in reference to the national park where the species occurs. Parque Nacional El Chico in Hidalgo, Mexico has been a protected area since 1922. The species name is used as an invariable noun in apposition to the generic name.

Remarks. This species was previously considered as conspecific with C. multidentatus and occurs in sympatry with C. dimidiatus and Aquiloeurycea cephalica. Likewise, Isthmura bellii has been collected very near sites where C. chico was once common ( MVZAbout MVZ 118953, 118954, 128978), but it is unknown if the two species occur in syntopy.

Mirna G. García-Castillo, Sean M. Rovito, David B. Wake and Gabriela Parra-Olea. 2017. A New Terrestrial Species of Chiropterotriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from central Mexico. Zootaxa. 4363(4);489–505. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4363.4.2

facebook.com/RCARYorg/posts/1689850757756890

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Una nueva especie terrestre de Chiropterotriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) del centro de México.

RESUMEN. “Chiropterotriton es un género relativamente pequeño que comprende 15 especies con gran diversidad morfológica y ecológica. En estudios previos, los datos moleculares proporcionaron evidencia para un número considerable de especies que permanecen sin describir. En este estudio, describimos una nueva especie, Chiropterotriton chico sp. nov. basada en caracteres moleculares y morfológicos. Presentamos análisis filogenéticos de mtDNA usando inferencia Bayesiana y máxima verosimilitud que incluyen todas las especies descritas y varias especies no descritas. Los datos morfométricos de ocho especies reconocidas proporcionan evidencia del carácter distintivo del nuevo taxón. La descripción de esta nueva especie se suma a la ya alta diversidad de salamandras del estado de Hidalgo, que es un área importante para la diversificación del género”.

Typhlomys chapensis Osgood, 1932

Panyutina, Kuznetsov, Volodin, et al., 2017.

DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12249

Abstract

The means of orientation is studied in the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse Typhlomys chapensis, a poorly known enigmatic semi-fossorial semi-arboreal rodent. Data on eye structure are presented, which prove that Typhlomys (translated as "the blind mouse") is incapable of object vision – the retina is folded and retains no more than 2 500 ganglion cells in the focal plane, and the optic nerve is subject to gliosis. Hence, Typhlomys has no other means for rapid long-range orientation among tree branches other than echolocation. Ultrasonic vocalization recordings at the frequency range of 50-100 kHz support this hypothesis. The vocalizations are represented by bouts of up to 7 more or less evenly-spaced and uniform frequency-modulated sweep-like pulses in rapid succession. Structurally, these sweeps are similar to frequency-modulated ultrasonic echolocation calls of some bat species, but they are too faint to be revealed with a common bat detector. When recording video simultaneously with the ultrasonic audio, a significantly greater pulse rate during locomotion compared to that of resting animals has been demonstrated. Our findings of locomotion-associated ultrasonic vocalization in a fast-climbing but weakly-sighted small mammal ecotype add support to the "echolocation-first theory" of pre-flight origin of echolocation in bats.

Key words: ultrasonic echolocation, locomotor behaviour, arboreal locomotion, reduced eyes, Typhlomys, Rodentia

Figure 1 Vietnamese pygmy dormouse Typhlomys chapensis. Its reduced eyes are reflected in the generic name, which means “the blind mouse.”

Concluding remarks. The major limitations of our study were the small number of live individuals to experiment with and the poor quality of dead specimens for histology. This is due to the extreme rarity of the Vietnamese pygmy dormouse, or "blind mouse" in nature. That is why our conclusions, though rather convincing, are still preliminary. Additional research is required to describe in detail the acoustic patterns of ultrasonic pulses and bouts in Typhlomys and to compare them with the known acoustics of bats and with non-echolocation ultrasonic calls of other rodents. A remaining question is the mechanism of signal production – is it located in the larynx? and is the animal entirely incapable to communicate in the human-audible range indeed? It will be of interest to investigate the degree of eye degeneration and development of echolocation in a closely related and very similar species, the Chinese pygmy dormouse – Typhlomys cinereus.

Aleksandra A. Panyutina, Alexander N. Kuznetsov, Ilya A. Volodin, Alexey V. Abramov and Irina B. Soldatova. 2017. A Blind Climber: The First Evidence of Ultrasonic Echolocation in Arboreal Mammals. Integrative Zoology. 12(2); 172–184. DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12249

ResearchGate.net/publication/311760839_A_blind_climber_The_first_evidence_of_ultrasonic_echolocation_in_arboreal_mammals

Video: Blind mouse navigates like a bat sciencemag.org/news/2017/01/video-blind-mouse-navigates-bat

Blind climber science.sciencemag.org/content/355/6322/258.5

An echolocating dormouse could reveal the origins of one of nature's coolest superpowers http://po.st/YfQ1MK @SmithsonianMag

Rare rodent is the first tree-climbing mammal known to echolocate like a bat | MNN mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/rare-rodent-first-tree-climbing-mammal-known-echolocate-bat

Pithecopus ayeaye B. Lutz, 1966

de Magalhães, Lemes, Camargo, et al. 2017.

Photograph by R. A. Brandão. || DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3261

Abstract

Protected areas (PAs) are essential for biodiversity conservation, but their coverage is considered inefficient for the preservation of all species. Many species are subdivided into evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) and the effectiveness of PAs in protecting them needs to be investigated. We evaluated the usefulness of the Brazilian PAs network in protecting ESUs of the critically endangered Pithecopus ayeaye through ongoing climate change. This species occurs in a threatened mountaintop ecosystem known as campos rupestres. We used multilocus DNA sequences to delimit geographic clusters, which were further validated as ESUs with a coalescent approach. Ecological niche modeling was used to estimate spatial changes in ESUs’ potential distributions, and a gap analysis was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the Brazilian PAs network to protect P. ayeaye in the face of climate changes. We tested the niche overlap between ESUs to gain insights for potential management alternatives for the species. Pithecopus ayeaye contains at least three ESUs isolated in distinct mountain regions, and one of them is not protected by any PA. There are no climatic niche differences between the units, and only 4% of the suitable potential area of the species is protected in present and future projections. The current PAs are not effective in preserving the intraspecific diversity of P. ayeaye in its present and future range distributions. The genetic structure of P. ayeaye could represent a typical pattern in campos rupestres endemics, which should be considered for evaluating its conservation status.

KEYWORD: Sapproximate Bayesian computation, campos rupestres, conservation genetics, ecological niche modeling, niche overlap, statistical phylogeography

FIGURE 1: An individual of Pithecopus ayeaye B. Lutz, 1966 from type locality, Morro do Ferro, Poços de Caldas—MG.

Photograph by Reuber Albuquerque Brandão.

Rafael Félix de Magalhães, Priscila Lemes, Arley Camargo, Ubirajara Oliveira, Reuber Albuquerque Brandão, Hans Thomassen, Paulo Christiano de Anchietta Garcia, Felipe Sá Fortes Leite and Fabrício Rodrigues Santos. 2017. Evolutionarily Significant Units of the Critically Endangered Leaf Frog Pithecopus ayeaye (Anura, Phyllomedusidae) are Not Effectively Preserved by the Brazilian Protected Areas Network. Ecology and Evolution. 7(21); 8812–8828. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3261

ResearchGate.net/publication/319957237_Evolutionarily_significant_units_of_the_critically_endangered_leaf_frog_Pithecopus_ayeaye_Anura_Phyllomedusidae_are_not_effectively_preserved_by_the_Brazilian_protected_areas_network

Nidirana nankunensis

Lyu, Zeng, Wang, Lin, Liu & Wang, 2017

DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00003130

The taxonomy of Babina sensu lato was controversial in the past decades. In this study, the phylogeny of genus Babina sensu lato was re-constructed based on genetic analysis, morphological comparison and advertisement call analysis. We found that Babina sensu stricto and previous subgenus Nidirana should be two distinct genera in the family Ranidae. N. caldwelli is confirmed to be a synonym of N. adenopleura because of the small genetic divergence and the lack of distinct morphological differences. A new species, Nidirana nankunensis sp. nov. is described based on a series of specimens collected from Mt. Nankun, Guangdong Province, China, which can be distinguished from other known congeners by having a behavior of nest construction, distinctive advertisement calls, significant divergence in the mitochondrial genes, and a combination of morphological characters. Currently, the genus Babina contains two species and the genus Nidirana contains eight species.

Keywords: Babina, bioacoustic, mitochondrial DNA, morphology, Nidirana nankunensis sp. nov., phylogeny.

Nidirana nankunensis sp. nov., the holotype (SYS a005719) in the wild.

Figure 4. the adult male holotype SYS a005719 of Nidirana nankunensis sp. nov. in life. (A) dorsolateral view; (B) ventral view
Figure 5. Paratypes of Nidirana nankunensis sp. nov. (A) adult female paratype SYS a005717; (B) adult male paratype SYS a004905.

Nidirana nankunensis sp. nov.

Etymology. The specific name “nankunensis”refers to the type locality of the new species, the Mt. Nankun. We suggest its English common name “Mt. Nankun Music Frog” and Chinese name “Nan Kun Shan Qin Wa”.

Figure 4. Morphological features of the adult male holotype SYS a005719 of Nidirana nankunensis sp. nov. in life. (A) dorsolateral view; (B) ventral view; (C) right hand; (D) nuptial pad; (E) right foot; (F) posterior part of dorsal surface.

Zhi-Tong Lyu, Zhao-Chi Zeng, Jian Wang, Chao-Yu Lin, Zu-Yao Liu and Ying-Yong Wang. 2017. Resurrection of Genus Nidirana (Anura: Ranidae) and synonymizing N. caldwelli with N. adenopleura, with Description of A New Species from China. Amphibia-Reptilia. DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00003130

ResearchGate.net/publication/321024819_Resurrection_of_genus_Nidirana

Pseudomicrophyllium faulkneri Cumming

in Cumming, Leong & Lohman, 2017.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.2.1

Abstract

Examination of unidentified Phylliidae specimens revealed a number of undescribed species from the island of Luzon, Philippines. Morphological and molecular study of specimens from the obscure phasmid genus Microphyllium Zompro, 2001, revealed a new species, which we describe as Microphyllium haskelli Cumming sp. nov.. It is here described and differentiated from the two other species in the genus, both currently only known from adults of a single sex. Pseudomicrophyllium Cumming gen. nov. is described as a new genus within Phylliidae with the type species Pseudomicrophyllium faulkneri Cumming gen. et sp. nov. as the sole known species in the genus. As is unfortunately often the case in the leaf-mimicking family Phylliidae, this new genus and species is only known from a single specimen. In addition to the new genus, two new Phyllium (Phyllium) species from the siccifolium species-group are named and described as Ph. (Ph.) antonkozlovi Cumming sp. nov. and Ph. (Ph.) bourquei Cumming & Le Tirant sp. nov.. In addition to the newly described species, Phyllium (Phyllium) geryon Gray, 1843 is redescribed from a nearly perfect specimen, completing some of the morphological knowledge gaps currently missing because of the severely damaged holotype specimen. A key to all known species of Phylliidae from Luzon is included. Holotype specimens for all four new species will be deposited in the National Museum of the Philippines type collection and paratype specimens will be deposited into the San Diego Natural History Museum collection or retained within the first author’s collection.

Keywords: Phasmatodea, DNA barcodes, Philippines, Luzon, new species, Phylliinae, holotype, Phyllium, Mountain Province, leaf insect

FIGURE 3. Microphyllium haskelli Cumming sp. nov., PT [Coll. RC 16-128]. A: dorsal view; B: ventral view.

Microphyllium haskelli Cumming, gen. nov.

Etymology. This new species is a patronym named in honor of world famous forensic entomologist Dr. Neal H. Haskell of Rensselaer, Indiana, United States. Dr. Haskell has been an invaluable mentor to the first author as he works on his master’s degree.

FIGURE 8. Male Pseudomicrophyllium faulkneri Cumming gen. et sp. nov., HT [Coll.RC 16-129], A: dorsal view; B: ventral view

Pseudomicrophyllium Cumming gen. nov.

Type Species: Pseudomicrophyllium faulkneri Cumming gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology: The genus is named because it was thought for several years to be a new Microphyllium species because of its size and it was not until closer examination that it was revealed it to be a new genus evading detection right under the first author’s view because of those similarities.

Diagnosis. ♂: Appearing closely related to Phyllium (Phyllium) with characteristics such as the antennae, thorax, but the body size and spination of the legs are reminiscent of Microphyllium. The combination of the below morphological features characterize males of the new genus and differentiate it from the other known phylliid genera.

Antennae: Long and filiform with long setae, similar to Phyllium (Phyllium).

Profemora: Completely lacking an exterior lobe, interior lobe greatly reduced, similar to Microphyllium.

Protibia: Lacking both exterior and interior lobes, similar to Microphyllium.

Thorax: Similar to Phyllium (Phyllium) with a distinct mesopraescutum.

The most evident feature that differentiates Pseudomicrophyllium gen. nov. from Microphyllium Zompro, 2001 are the long filiform antennae. Abdominal shape in the walking leaf family is a feature that has proven to be very variable in female Phyllium and more stable in male Phyllium. However not enough is known about the male variation of abdominal shape in the small phylliid genera of Luzon to use abdominal shape as a strong morphological feature in their differentiation and identification. Antennae structure is a feature that has proven much more stable throughout the family and this emphasis is reflected in the dichotomous key at the end of this work.

Pseudomicrophyllium faulkneri Cumming sp. nov.

Etymology. This new species is a patronym named in honor of David Faulkner of California, USA. Faulkner has been a mentor to the first author over the years and was the first to introduce him to forensic entomology.

FIGURE 12.Phyllium (Phyllium) antonkozlovi Cumming sp. nov., HT, [Coll. RC 16-122], A: dorsal view; B: ventral view.

Phyllium (Phyllium) antonkozlovi Cumming sp. nov.

Etymology. This new species is a patronym named in honor of Anton Olegovich Kozlov, long time friend to the first author and well-known Russian field entomologist.

FIGURE 14. Phyllium(Phyllium) bourquei Cumming & Le Tirant sp. nov. HT female [Coll. RC 17-203], A: dorsal view; B: ventral view; C: left foreleg.

Phyllium (Phyllium) bourquei Cumming & Le Tirant sp. nov.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Mr. Pierre Bourque. He was mayor of the City of Montreal from 1994 to 2001. Mr. Bourque was also one of the most innovative directors of the Montreal Botanical Garden from 1980 to 1994. Among other things, he was responsible for the creation of new greenhouses, the Floralies Internationales de Montréal, the Japanese Garden, the Chinese Garden, the Tree House, the Montreal Biodome and the Montreal Insectarium. Thanks to Mr. Bourque, the Montreal Botanical Garden has become the second largest in the world.

Checklist of Phylliidae species currently confirmed from Luzon, Philippines, and their recorded ranges. See figure 21 for an illustrated map of the distributions.

Phylliidae, Phylliinae, Phylliini:

• Microphyllium Zompro, 2001

Microphyllium pusillulum (Rehn & Rehn, 1933) [Central Luzon (Mountain* & Nueva Vizcaya Prov.)]

Microphyllium spinithorax Zompro, 2001 [Luzon (Benguet Prov.**)]

Microphyllium haskelliCumming sp. nov. [Luzon (Mountain Prov.)]

• Pseudomicrophyllium Cumming gen. nov.

Pseudomicrophyllium faulkneri Cumming gen. et sp. nov. [Central Luzon (Ifugao Prov.)]

• Phyllium Illiger, 1798

Phyllium (Phyllium) ericoriai Hennemann, et al., 2009 [Luzon (Manila, Aurora*, Quirino*, & Quezon Prov.); Batan Is.; Marinduque Is.; Cantanduanes Is.*]

Phyllium (Phyllium) bonifacioi Lit & Eusebio, 2014 [Northern Luzon (Cagayan Prov.* & Northern Luzon***)]

Phyllium (Phyllium) philippinicum Hennemann, et al., 2009**** [Western Luzon (Bataan Prov.)]

Phyllium (Phyllium) antonkozlovi Cumming sp. nov. [Eastern Luzon (Isabela Prov.)]

Phyllium (Phyllium) bourquei Cumming & Le Tirant sp. nov. [Luzon (Nueva Vizcaya Prov.)]

Phyllium (Phyllium) geryon Gray, 1843 [Luzon (Aurora Prov.)*]

Royce T. Cumming, Jing V. Leong and David J. Lohman. 2017. Leaf Insects from Luzon, Philippines, with Descriptions of Four New Species, the New Genus Pseudomicrophyllium, and Redescription of Phyllium (Phyllium) geryon Gray, 1843, (Phasmida: Phylliidae). Zootaxa. 4365(2); 101-131. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.2.1

Plestiodon lotus

Vázquez, De Oca, Hernández, Alcalá, Cruz-padilla & Arcos, 2017

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.2.3

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Abstract

We describe a new species of Plestiodon in the P. brevirostris group from the Balsas Basin in central Mexico. It is distinguished from the other species in the group by the following combination of traits: supraoculars four; interparietal enclosed posteriorly by parietals; primary temporal present; seventh supralabial usually contacting upper secondary temporal; longitudinal dorsal scale rows around midbody 23–26; Toe-IV lamellae 13–15; limbs not overlapping when adpressed against body; dorsolateral light line extending posteriorly to level of posterior end of anterior fourth of body or beyond; light median line absent in all growth stages; primary lateral dark lines separated medially by six dorsal scale rows and upper half of adjacent row on each side at level of midbody; lower secondary dark line faint at level of neck; and light coloration of supralabials extending ventrally to lip border. Analyses based on DNA sequences of three loci support the distinctiveness of the new species, as well as its sister species relationship with P. ochoterenae. The Environmental Vulnerability Score of the new species places it in the high vulnerability category.

Key words: Environmental Vulnerability Score, Guerrero, Morelos, Oaxaca, Puebla, Skink, Systematics, Taxonomy

Plestiodon lotus in life (Paratypes MZFC-HE 30624) from the vicinities of the type locality, Olinalá, Guerrero.

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Plestiodon lotus sp. nov.

Plestiodon brevirostris brevirostris (Günther, 1860) (in part); Feria-Ortiz et al. (2011:40–41, 43–47, 50, Table 6)

Plestiodon brevirostris (Günther, 1860) (in part); Feria-Ortiz et al. (2011:46)

Plestiodon indubitus (Taylor, 1933) (in part); Feria-Ortiz & García-Vázquez (2012:57–58, 63–64, 66, 68, Table 1)

Etymology. The specific Latin name is treated as a participle in the nominative singular and means bathed, clean, elegant. It makes reference to the appearance of the new species, characterized by having fainter lines than its geographically closest congeners.

Carlos J. Pavón Vázquez, Adrián Nieto Montes De Oca, Andrés A. Mendoza Hernández, Eric Centenero Alcalá, Samuel A. Santa Cruz-padilla and Víctor H. Jiménez Arcos. 2017. A New Species of Plestiodon (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Balsas Basin, Mexico. Zootaxa. 4365(2); 149–172. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.2.3

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Reconstruction of the mid-Pliocene Protarctos abstrusus in the Beaver Pond site area during the late summer. An extinct beaver, Dipoides, is shown carrying a tree branch in water. Plants include blackcrowberry (Empetrum nigrum) with ripened berries along the path of the bear, dwarf birch (Betula nana) in foreground; sweet gale (Myrica gale) carried by the beaver, sedges in water margins, flowering buckbeans along the mounds behind the beaver, and larch trees in distant background.

Art by Mauricio Antón based on research of this paper

and with input on plant community from Alice Telka.

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17657-8

Abstract

The skeletal remains of a small bear (Protarctos abstrusus) were collected at the Beaver Pond fossil site in the High Arctic (Ellesmere I., Nunavut). This mid-Pliocene deposit has also yielded 12 other mammals and the remains of a boreal-forest community. Phylogenetic analysis reveals this bear to be basal to modern bears. It appears to represent an immigration event from Asia, leaving no living North American descendants. The dentition shows only modest specialization for herbivory, consistent with its basal position within Ursinae. However, the appearance of dental caries suggest a diet high in fermentable-carbohydrates. Fossil plants remains, including diverse berries, suggests that, like modern northern black bears, P. abstrusus may have exploited a high-sugar diet in the fall to promote fat accumulation and facilitate hibernation. A tendency toward a sugar-rich diet appears to have arisen early in Ursinae, and may have played a role in allowing ursine lineages to occupy cold habitats.

Figure 2: Right (A) and left (B) lateral views of the skull of Protarctos abstrusus (CMN 54380), composite laser scans of five individual cranial fragments.

Art by Mauricio Antón based on research of this paper
and with input on plant community from Alice Telka.

Xiaoming Wang, Natalia Rybczynski, C. Richard Harington, Stuart C. White and Richard H. Tedford. 2017. A Basal Ursine Bear (Protarctos abstrusus) from the Pliocene High Arctic reveals Eurasian Affinities and A Diet Rich in Fermentable Sugars. Scientific Reports. 7, Article number: 17722. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17657-8

Primitive fossil bear with a sweet tooth identified from Canada's High Arctic
phy.so/432795810 via @physorg_com

Bears have had a sweet tooth for millions of years cbc.ca/1.4451466

Liocheles schalleri Mirza. 2017

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.2.6

Abstract

Scorpions of the genus Liocheles Sundevall, 1833 are widespread in forests of the Indo-Pacific region; however, its species diversity is poorly resolved. A new species of the genus Liocheles is herein described from northeast India after examination of freshly collected specimens and available museum material. The new species, Liocheles schalleri sp. nov., occurs in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, a region that has been poorly explored for its arachnid diversity.

Keywords: Scorpion, taxonomy, Arachnida, invertebrate, northeast India, biodiversity hotspot

Liocheles nigripes Pocock, 1897

Zeeshan A. Mirza. 2017. Description of A New Species of Liocheles Sundevall, 1833 (Hormuridae) from India. Zootaxa. 4365(2); 217–230. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.2.6

(B) Gastropteron minutum sp. nov., Maui, Hawai’ian Islands, photo by Cory Pittman.
(C) Gastropteron multo sp. nov., Mabini, Philippines.

(E) Sagaminopteron multimaculatum sp. nov., Tingloy, Philippines.
(F) Siphopteron vermiculum sp. nov., Tingloy, Philippines.

(C) Siphopteron makisig sp. nov., Calatagan, Philippines.
(D) Siphopteron dumbo sp. nov., Puerto, Galera, Philippines.

Ong & Gosliner, 2017 in Ong, Hallas & Gosliner, 2017.

DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlw018

Abstract

A molecular phylogeny is presented for 25 newly sequenced specimens of Gastropteridae. The present phylogeny was estimated by analysing the nuclear fragment 28S and two mitochondrial fragments cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and 16S using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. The distinctness of eight new species of Gastropteridae is supported by the molecular phylogeny and by subsequent Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) analysis. Morphological data also support the distinctness of these species. The following species are described here: Gastropteron minutum Ong and Gosliner sp. nov., Gastropteron multo Ong and Gosliner sp. nov., Sagaminopteron multimaculatum Ong and Gosliner sp. nov., Siphopteron vermiculum Ong and Gosliner sp. nov., Siphopteron flavolineatum Ong and Gosliner sp. nov., Siphopteron nakakatuwa Ong and Gosliner sp. nov., Siphopteron makisig Ong and Gosliner sp. nov. and Siphopteron dumbo Ong and Gosliner sp. nov. All of these species, spanning much of the phylogenetic tree of Gastropteridae, are found in a single, highly diverse region of the Philippines, the Verde Island Passage. These data support the hypothesis that this region is an area of high species richness as well as phyletic diversity. This study also supports strong correlation between morphological characters and the molecular phylogeny within the species of Siphopteron. Molecular studies also indicate the distinctness of specimens of Siphopteron quadrispinosum from Hawaii and those from the western Pacific. Western Pacific specimens should be regarded as Siphopteron leah. Siphopteron pohnpei is transferred to Sagaminopteron based on the molecular phylogeny. Other species complexes indicating the presence of geographically separated cryptic species indicate that further detailed study of this group is warranted and that hidden diversity is likely to increase with additional study.

(A) Gastropteron minutum sp. nov., partaype, CASIZ 199181, Tingloy, Philippines. (B) Gastropteron minutum sp. nov., holotype, CASIZ 209032, Maui, Hawai’ian Islands, photo by Cory Pittman. (C) Gastropteron multo sp. nov., holotype NMP 041181, Mabini, Philippines.

(D) Gastropteron multo sp. nov., paratype, CASIZ 186048, Mabini, Philippines. (E) Sagaminopteron multimaculatum sp. nov., holotype, NMP 041182, Tingloy, Philippines. (F) Siphopteron vermiculum sp. nov., Paratype, CASIZ 199129, Tingloy, Philippines.

(A) Siphopteron nakakatuwa sp. nov., partaype, CASIZ 199114, Tingloy, Philippines. (C) Siphopteron makisig sp. nov., holotype NMP 041186, Calatagan, Philippines. (D) Siphopteron dumbo sp. nov., NMP 041187, Puerto, Galera, Philippines.

Photos by T. Gosliner unless otherwise indicated.

DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlw018

Living animals. (A) Gastropteron minutum sp. nov., partaype, CASIZ 199181, Tingloy, Philippines. (B) Gastropteron minutum sp. nov., holotype, CASIZ 209032, Maui, Hawai’ian Islands, photo by Cory Pittman. (C) Gastropteron multo sp. nov., holotype NMP 041181, Mabini, Philippines. (D) Gastropteron multo sp. nov., paratype, CASIZ 186048, Mabini, Philippines. (E) Sagaminopteron multimaculatum sp. nov., holotype, NMP 041182, Tingloy, Philippines. (F) Siphopteron vermiculum sp. nov., Paratype, CASIZ 199129, Tingloy, Philippines. (Photos by T. Gosliner unless otherwise indicated.)

Living animals. (A) Siphopteron nakakatuwa sp. nov., partaype, CASIZ 199114, Tingloy, Philippines. (B) Siphopteron nakakatuwa sp. nov., holotype, NMP 041185, Tingloy, Philippines. (C) Siphopteron makisig sp. nov., holotype NMP 041186, Calatagan, Philippines. (D) Siphopteron dumbo sp. nov., NMP 041187, Puerto, Galera, Philippines. (G) Siphopteron flavolineatum, holotype, NMP 041184, Tingloy, Philippines. (H) Siphopteron flavolineatum, paratype, CASIZ 199132, Tingloy, Philippines. Photos by T. Gosliner.

CONCLUSIONS:

Based on our morphological studies and molecular phylogeny, we confirmed that the eight new species hypothesized from our field observations of living animals all represent new species that are described here. Our molecular phylogeny also indicates the likely existence of geographically isolated cryptic species within previously classified specimens. Sagaminopteron psychedelicum from Madagascar appears to represent a cryptic species distinct from western Pacific populations, as is Sagaminopteron nigropunctatum from Saudi Arabia. Also, the western Indian Ocean specimen of S. tigrinum represents a cryptic species distinct from the western Pacific S. tigrinum. The lack of strong support for the monophyly of Gastropteron and Siphopteron requires additional study of taxa to determine whether greater support of these lineages is found when taxon sampling is increased. Also the phylogenetic and systematic relationship of Enotepteron needs to be examined when members of this taxon become available for molecular studies.

Elise Ong, Joshua M Hallas and Terrence M Gosliner. 2017. Like A Bat Out of Heaven: the Phylogeny and Diversity of the Bat-winged Slugs (Heterobranchia: Gastropteridae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 180(4); 755–789. DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlw018

Teretamon spelaeum

Absar, Mitra & Kharkongor, 2017

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.3.2

Abstract

A new species of freshwater crab of the genus Teretamon Yeo & Ng, 2007 is described based on material collected from a limestone cave state of Meghalaya, in the northeastern Himalayan region of India. Teretamon spelaeum n. sp. can easily be distinguished from its congeners by a well suite of carapace and gonopod characters: a relatively wider carapace, setose chelipeds and legs, a highly reduced cornea of the eye, and a diagnostic male first gonopod that has a low rounded median dorsal flap on the terminal joint. The morphology of the new species is clearly adapted for the cave dwelling and is the first true troglobitic freshwater crab known from India.

Keywords: Crustacea, Potamidae, Teretamon, taxonomy, new species, Meghalaya, India

Teretamon spelaeum n. sp.

Etymology. The name refers to the habitat of this species, derived from the Latin, spelaeum, meaning cave. The name is used as a noun in apposition.

Geographical distribution. Teretamon spelaeum is known only from the type locality, the Krem khung cave of Meghalaya state of India.

Parveen Farzana Absar, Santanu Mitra and Ilona J.Kharkongor. 2017. Teretamon spelaeum, A New Species of Freshwater Crab (Crustacea: Decapoda: Potamidae) from A Limestone Cave in Meghalaya, India. Zootaxa. 4365(3); 302–310. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4365.3.2

Young scientist discovers new species of crabs in Meghalaya | The Third Pole thethirdpole.net/2017/05/17/young-scientists-discovers-new-species-of-crabs-in-meghalaya/

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