Species New to Science

Dioscorea hurteri R. Hills & Wilkin

in Hills, Muasya, Maurin & Wilkin, 2018.

DOI: 10.1007/s12225-018-9742-9

Summary

Morphological character data are used to show that a distinct morphotype of Dioscorea L. from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa is an undescribed species, related to the D. buchananii Benth. species complex but differing in its inflorescence and floral morphology from all other taxa. It is described as Dioscorea hurteri R. Hills & Wilkin, illustrated and a distribution map and ecological information provided. It is known from four localities, just two of which may be protected, within a heavily developed region of South Africa and with an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 9,872 km2. Thus, its provisional IUCN conservation status is vulnerable (VU).

Key Words: Conservation, distribution, morphology, vulnerable, yam

Fig. 2. The male plant of Dioscorea hurteri. A leaf form and a pendent inflorescence, at Ngome c. 2002. B stem pigmentation, short, dense inflorescences and more or less globose buds and flowers at anthesis showing purple tepals and a darker torus and pistillode, the former with three white nectariferous depressions per flower. C habit and inflorescences; the thicker leaf in the centre of the image is Dioscorea cotinifolia Kunth, upon which D. hurteri was climbing (B & C 9 Dec. 2017 at Botha’s Hill West of Durban).

PHOTOS: A GARETH CHITTENDEN; B & C NEIL CROUCH.

Dioscorea hurteri R. Hills & Wilkin sp. nov.

RECOGNITION. Dioscorea hurteri can be recognised through its dense, short, male inflorescences bearing dark purple flowers that are borne on 0.2 – 0.9 mm long pedicels, (sub)globose in bud and concealing the inflorescence axis towards its apex (see Figs 1, 2). Female plants have 3 subfree, apically recurved styles (Fig. 1G). Both male and female flowers possess nectariferous depressions in the torus that are unique in being 0.8 – 1.2 × 0.4 – 0.7 mm and reniform to cordate in outline (Fig. 1D, F, H, J). They also appear to be white in fresh material in contrast to the very dark purple torus and pistillode.

ETYMOLOGY. Named for Johan Hurter, who inspired many people to study South African Dioscorea, including the last author.

Ryan Hills, A. Muthama Muasya, Olivier Maurin and Paul Wilkin. 2018. A Threatened New Species of Dioscorea from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Dioscorea hurteri (Dioscoreaceae). Kew Bulletin. 73(1); DOI: 10.1007/s12225-018-9742-9

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A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) holding a mosaic jellyfish (Thysanostoma thysanura) in the water column near the ocean surface in the Similan Islands, Thailand, taken June 2017

in Fujii, McLeish, Brooks, et al. 2018. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4565

photo: Rich Carey

Abstract

The use of limbs for foraging is documented in both marine and terrestrial tetrapods. These behaviors were once believed to be less likely in marine tetrapods due to the physical constraints of body plans adapted to locomotion in a fluid environment. Despite these obstacles, ten distinct types of limb-use while foraging have been previously reported in nine marine tetrapod families. Here, we expand the types of limb-use documented in marine turtles and put it in context with the diversity of marine tetrapods currently known to use limbs for foraging. Additionally, we suggest that such behaviors could have occurred in ancestral turtles, and thus, possibly extend the evolutionary timeline of limb-use behavior in marine tetrapods back approximately 70 million years. Through direct observation in situ and crowd-sourcing, we document the range of behaviors across habitats and prey types, suggesting its widespread occurrence. We argue the presence of these behaviors among marine tetrapods may be limited by limb mobility and evolutionary history, rather than foraging ecology or social learning. These behaviors may also be remnant of ancestral forelimb-use that have been maintained due to a semi-aquatic life history.

Figure 2: Evolutionary links between marine tetrapods known to use limbs while feeding and the diversity of body plans and types of limb use. Silhouettes show a representative body plan for each family. Specific feeding behaviors are listed for each family.

A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) holding a mosaic jellyfish (Thysanostoma thysanura) in the water column near the ocean surface in the Similan Islands, Thailand, taken June 2017 (photo: Rich Carey/Shutterstock.com)

Figure 1: Limb use in marine turtle foraging.
(A) A hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) holding a lobe coral (Porites lobata) to eat the black-brown protein sponge (Chondrosia chucalla) clinging to its surface in Kahekili, Maui USA, taken March 2010. (B) A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) holding a mosaic jellyfish (Thysanostoma thysanura) in the water column near the ocean surface in the Similan Islands, Thailand, taken June 2017 (© Rich Carey/Shutterstock.com).
(C) A hawksbill sea turtle leveraging against the reef substrate to pry away a magnificent sea anemone (Heteractis magnifica). This was a frame grab from a video in Cook’s Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia from June 2013. (D) A green turtle leveraging against the reef substrate to pry away bites of red macroalgae (Amansia glomerata) in Kahekili, Maui, taken October 2016.
(E) A loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) swiping the shell of an Atlantic deep-sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) while it consumes the edible tissue. This is a frame grab from a video in the mid-Atlantic Bight USA taken on July 2009 and available courtesy of the Coonamessett Farm Foundation (Patel et al., 2016). (F) A green turtle swiping the stinging jellyfish (Cyanea barkeri) in the water column at Hook Island, Queensland, Australia, taken June 2017. Image credits by the authors, save (B) © Rich Carey/Shutterstock.com and (E) Coonamessett Farm Foundation.

A green turtle swiping the stinging jellyfish (Cyanea barkeri) in the water column at Hook Island, Queensland, Australia, taken June 2017.

Conclusions:

The use of limbs to directly aid in foraging, while still relatively rare, is a strategy used by a variety of marine tetrapods. Despite being the oldest extant line of marine tetrapods, this is the first time such a wide range of limb-use has been described in marine turtles. We argue that these limb-use behaviors across marine tetrapods are limited by limb mobility and that the frequent use of forelimbs for other behaviors may promote the development of these feeding strategies. These observations provide additional insight into the diversity and possible evolution of limb-use behaviors.

Jessica A. Fujii, Don McLeish, Andrew J. Brooks, John Gaskell and Kyle S. Van Houtan. 2018. Limb-use by Foraging Marine Turtles, An Evolutionary Perspective. PeerJ. 6:e4565. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4565

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Monterey Bay Aquarium study finds sea turtles use flippers to manipulate... eurekalert.org/e/8c8n via @ThePeerJ @EurekAlert

Mandasuchus tanyauchen

Butler, Nesbitt, Charig, Gower & Barrett, 2018

DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1343728

ABSTRACT

The diverse assemblage of extinct archosaur species known from the Manda Beds of Tanzania has provided key insights into the timing and tempo of the early part of the archosaur radiation during the Middle Triassic. Several archosaur specimens were collected from the Manda Beds in 1933 by F. R. Parrington, and three of these were subsequently described and made the basis of a new genus, ‘Mandasuchus,’ in a 1956 doctoral dissertation. However, this important fossil material was never formally published, and >60 years later ‘Mandasuchus’ and ‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ remain nomina nuda, despite frequent references to them in the literature. Here, we provide a detailed description of this material, provide the first formal diagnosis of Mandasuchus tanyauchen, gen. et sp. nov., and assess its phylogenetic position. The holotype of M. tanyauchen includes a well-preserved partial postcranial skeleton and fragmentary cranial remains. Four referred specimens include two partial skeletons, consisting primary of postcranial remains, a partial maxilla that was previously assigned to the dinosaur clade Saurischia, and a well-preserved astragalus and calcaneum that may belong to the holotype individual. Mandasuchus tanyauchen is diagnosed by a unique combination of character states, as well as by two possible autapomorphies (ascending process of maxilla thin and compressed from anterolateral to posteromedial; femur with distinct pit lateral to the distal-most expression of the posteromedial tuber). Our phylogenetic analysis recovered M. tanyauchen within Paracrocodylomorpha, as the sister taxon to all other sampled members of Loricata.

FIGURE 1. Reconstruction of Mandasuchus and accompanying caption commissioned for the Brooke Bond Picture Card album on ‘Prehistoric Animals’ (Charig and Wilson, 1971).

twitter.com/ButlerLabBham

FIGURE 27. Life reconstruction of Mandasuchus tanyauchen, gen. et sp. nov.

created by Mark Witton/Natural History Museum, London. @MarkWitton

FIGURE 3. Skeletal reconstructions showing the majority of the elements preserved in, and relative sizes of, each of the three partial skeletons referred to Mandasuchus tanyauchen, gen. et sp. nov.
A, NHMUK PV R6792; B, NHMUK PV R6793; C, NHMUK PV R6794.

Reconstructions created by Mark Witton. Scale bar equals 1 m.

SYSTEMATIC PALEONTOLOGY

ARCHOSAURIA Cope, 1869–1870

PSEUDOSUCHIA Zittel, 1887–1890

SUCHIA Krebs, 1974

LORICATA Merrem, 1820

MANDASUCHUS TANYAUCHEN, gen. et sp. nov.

‘Ein Saurischier-Rest’ Huene, 1939:65.

‘Mandasuchus longicervix’ Charig, 1956:25, pl. 1–32.

‘Mandasuchus’ Huene, 1956:453.

‘Mandasuchus’ Charig et al., 1956:215.

‘Mandasuchus’ Romer, 1966:368.

‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ Charig in Appleby et al., 1967:709.

‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ Charig, 1972:131, pl. 3.

‘Mandasuchus’ Sill, 1974:320.

‘Mandasuchus’ Krebs, 1976:75.

‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ Krebs, 1976:75.

‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ Cruickshank, 1979:170.

‘Mandasuchus’ Parrish, 1993:297.

‘Mandasuchus’ Juul, 1994:6.

‘Mandasuchus’ Gower, 2000:450.

‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ Gower, 2000:465.

‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ Gower, 2001:121, fig. 1.

‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ Thomas, 2004:17, figs. 2.4–2.13, 2.15–2.16, pls. 2.1–2.9.

‘Mandasuchus’ Sen, 2005:188, fig. 9F.

‘Mandasuchus’ de Ricqles et al., 2008:65, table 1, pl. 2.2.

‘Mandasuchus’ Lautenschlager and Desojo, 2011:376.

‘Mandasuchus’ Nesbitt, 2011:9.

‘Mandasuchus tanyauchen’ Nesbitt et al., 2013a:252, table 1, fig. 3.

‘Mandasuchus longicervix’ Nesbitt et al., 2014:1358, 1369.

....

Etymology— Genus name is derived from ‘Manda,’ for the Manda Beds, combined with ‘suchus,’ the Greek term for the Egyptian crocodile-headed god Sobek. The species name is derived from the Greek ‘tany-,’ meaning long, and ‘auchen,’ meaning neck. The genus and species names were created by A. J.C., with the species name intended to reference the elongate neck vertebrae.

Life Reconstruction: A new life reconstruction, prepared by Mark Witton, is presented here (Fig. 27). The reconstruction is based on the proportions of the largest known specimen (NHMUK PV R6794), and missing body parts (primarily the skull) were based largely on the closely related taxon Prestosuchus.

Richard J. Butler, Sterling J. Nesbitt, Alan J. Charig, David J. Gower and Paul M. Barrett. 2018. Mandasuchus tanyauchen, gen. et sp. nov., A Pseudosuchian Archosaur from the Manda Beds (?Middle Triassic) of Tanzania; pp. 96–121 in Christian A. Sidor and Sterling J. Nesbitt (eds.), Vertebrate and Climatic Evolution in the Triassic Rift Basins of Tanzania and Zambia. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Memoir 17. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 37(6, Supplement). DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1343728

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in Joshi, Prakash & Kunte, 2017.
DOI: 10.1086/690907 twitter.com/ASNAmNat

Abstract

Species co-occurrence in ecological communities is thought to be influenced by multiple ecological and evolutionary processes, especially colonization and competition. However, effects of other interspecific interactions and evolutionary relationships are less explored. We examined evolutionary histories of community members and roles of mutualistic and parasitic interactions (Müllerian and Batesian mimicry, respectively) in the assembly of mimetic butterfly communities called mimicry rings in tropical forests of the Western Ghats, India. We found that Müllerian mimics were phylogenetically clustered, sharing aposematic signals due to common ancestry. On the other hand, Batesian mimics joined mimicry rings through convergent evolution and random phylogenetic assembly. Since the Western Ghats are a habitat island, we compared species diversity and composition in its mimicry rings with those of habitat mainland to test effects of biogeographic connectivity. The Western Ghats consisted of fewer mimicry rings and an overall smaller number of aposematic species and mimics compared to habitat mainland. The depauperate mimicry rings in the Western Ghats could have resulted from stochastic processes, reflecting their long temporal and spatial isolation and trickling colonization by the mimetic butterfly communities. These results highlight how evolutionary history, biogeographic isolation, and stochastic colonization influence the evolutionary assembly and diversity of ecological communities.

Keywords: phylogenetic community ecology, community dynamics, island biogeography, Batesian mimicry, Müllerian mimicry.

Figure 1. Mimicry rings in the Western Ghats, India, showing spatial and temporal overlap between Batesian mimics and aposematic species and their mimicry phenotypes. Each mimicry ring is named after the predominant species or genus of aposematic species. In the phenological tables, J–D represent months in a year; monthly occurrence of aposematic species and Batesian mimics are shown in green, and absence is shown in white; and in each mimicry ring, aposematic species are listed before Batesian mimics, separated by a black line. Most aposematic species and Batesian mimics overlap in time. The distributional maps on the outline of the Western Ghats show spatial overlap between aposematic species and Batesian mimics. Green areas represent distributions of aposematic species, where darker green areas show more restricted distributions of one or more aposematic species when multiple aposematic species exist in mimicry rings. Black spots on these maps show distributions of Batesian mimetic species, with yellow spots representing narrower distributions of some of the Batesian mimetic specie. Distributional ranges of Batesian mimics are embedded within the distributional ranges of aposematic species, signifying ecological dependence of Batesian mimics on the presence of aposematic species.

Jahnavi Joshi, Anupama Prakash and Krushnamegh Kunte. 2017. Evolutionary Assembly of Communities in Butterfly Mimicry Rings. The American Naturalist. 189(4); E58-E76. DOI: 10.1086/690907

twitter.com/ASNAmNat/status/978738248930549760

Tubuca alcocki

Shih, Chan & Ng, 2018

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.747.23468

Abstract

A new pseudocryptic species of fiddler crab, Tubuca alcocki sp. n., is described from the northern Indian Ocean. The new species was previously identified with T. urvillei (H. Milne Edwards, 1852), but can be distinguished by the structures of the anterolateral angle of the carapace and male first gonopod. The molecular data of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene shows that both are sister taxa and the divergence time is estimated at 2.2 million years ago, around the beginning of the Pleistocene. While the new species is widely distributed in the northern part of Indian Ocean, occurring from the Red Sea to India and the Andaman Sea; T. urvillei sensu stricto has a more restricted range, and is known only from southeastern Africa.

Keywords: mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I, molecular clock, morphology, new species, Tubuca alcocki, Tubuca urvillei

Systematic account

Family Ocypodidae Rafinesque, 1815

Subfamily Gelasiminae Miers, 1886 (sensu Shih et al. 2016)

Genus Tubuca Bott, 1973

Tubuca urvillei (H. Milne Edwards, 1852)

Figure 6. Tubuca alcocki sp. n.
E–G variation of the live colouration. E ovigerous female (CW 19.8 mm, NCHUZOOL 14897, Thailand) F, G females in the field (not captured; Phuket, Thailand)
H habitat in Ranong, Thailand.

Tubuca alcocki sp. n.

Gelasimus Dussumieri H. Milne Edwards, 1852: 148, pl. 4(12) [part; Malabar, India]; Kingsley 1880: 145 [part; list]; Chandy 1973: 402 [Gulf of Kutch, W India] (not Gelasimus dussumieri H. Milne Edwards, 1852 sensu stricto).

Gelasimus acutus – Alcock 1900: 360–361 [Sunderbunds, Mergui; Andamans; Karachi] (not Gelasimus acutus Stimpson, 1858).

Gelasimus Urvillei – Alcock 1900: 362–363 [Nicobars; Madras; Karachi] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca angustifrons – Lundoer 1974: 8 [Phuket, SW Thailand]; Ng and Davie 2002: 378 [list; Phuket, SW Thailand] (not Gelasimus signatus var. angustifrons De Man, 1892 = Tubuca bellator (White, 1847)).

Uca (Deltuca) [coarctata] urvillei – Crane 1975: 35, 58–61, figs 8B, 9E, pl. 9C, D [part, Pakistan to southern India]; Frith and Frith 1977a: 100–101 [Phuket, SW Thailand] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca urvillei – Frith et al. 1976: 14, 19, 23–24, 28 [Phuket, SW Thailand]; Tirmizi and Ghani 1996: 103–105, fig. 39 [Pakistan]; Jaroensutasinee et al. 2003: 1–3 [W Thailand]; Jaroensutasinee and Jaroensutasinee 2004: 534, 538, 540–548 [W Thailand]; Naiyanetr 2007: 133 [list; Thailand]; Saher 2008: 21–22, fig. 2.2, pl. 2.1 [Pakistan]; Dev Roy and Nandi 2012: 218 [Nicobar, India]; Hossain 2015: 203, 1 unnumbered fig. [Bangladesh]; Odhano et al. 2015: 170–171, figs 1–2 [Pakistan] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca (Deltuca) urvillei – Hogarth 1986: 222–223 [Red Sea]; Price et al. 1987: 456, 464 [Red Sea]; Krishnan 1992: 471–472 [Bombay, India] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca (Deltuca) dussumieri – Krishnan 1992: 471–472 [Bombay, India] (not Gelasimus dussumieri H. Milne Edwards, 1852)

Uca (Tubuca) urvillei – Beinlich and von Hagen 2006: 10, 14, 25, fig. 7f, k [Thailand; India] (not Gelasimus urvillei H. Milne Edwards, 1852).

Uca (Tubuca) acuta – Trivedi et al. 2015: 27 [Gujarat, India] (not Gelasimus acutus Stimpson, 1858).

Tubuca urvillei – Shih et al. 2016: 159, 174 [part], fig. 12A.

Colouration in life: Adults with carapace and legs brown or dark brown, posterior part gray, especially in females (Fig. 6A, C, E). Some females with anterolateral angles orange (Fig. 6E, F) or with dark blotches on blue carapace (Fig. 6G). Major cheliped with fingers white; lower palm deep yellow in large individuals, orange in young individuals; upper palm brown (Fig. 6B–D). Females sometimes with minor chelipeds orange, sometimes with tint of blue (Figs 3F, 6F, G).

Ecological notes: In western Thailand, this species inhabits muddy banks of mangroves (Fig. 6H) and is sympatric with several species of fiddler crabs, including Austruca annulipes (H. Milne Edwards, 1837), A. bengali, Tubuca forcipata (Adams & White, 1849) and T. paradussumieri (cf. Frith and Frith 1977a, 1978; this study). In Pakistan, this species is sympatric with Austruca iranica (cf. Saher et al. 2014).

Etymology: This species is named after Alfred William Alcock, who first recorded this species from India and Pakistan as “Uca urvillei” (cf. Alcock 1900).

Distribution: Western Thailand, India, Pakistan, and the Red Sea (see Remarks).

Figure 6. Tubuca alcocki sp. n.
A–G variation of the live colouration. A, B holotype (CW 30.1 mm, ZRC 2017.1278; Thailand) C adult male (not collected; Phuket, Thailand) D young male (CW 13.0 mm, NCHUZOOL 14897; Thailand) E ovigerous female (CW 19.8 mm, NCHUZOOL 14897, Thailand) F, G females in the field (not captured; Phuket, Thailand)
H habitat in Ranong, Thailand.

Hsi-Te Shih, Benny K.K. Chan and Peter K.L. Ng. 2018. Tubuca alcocki, A New Pseudocryptic Species of Fiddler Crab from the Indian Ocean, sister to the southeastern African T. urvillei(H. Milne Edwards, 1852) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Ocypodidae). ZooKeys. 747: 41-62. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.747.23468

FIGURE 1. Representative amphibian hosts and their habitats sampled for this study:
(A,B) Hypsiboas gladiator is non-susceptible to chytridiomycosis and lays aquatic eggs in streamside basins along montane streams in the cloud forest; (C,D) Psychrophrynella usurpator is non-susceptible and lays terrestrial eggs that undergo direct development under mosses in the high-Andean grassland; (E,F) Telmatobius marmoratus is highly susceptible to chytridiomycosis and lays aquatic eggs in small, high-Andean streams.

Photographs by A. Catenazzi.

in Catenazzi, Flechas, Burkart, et al. 2018.

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00465

Emerging infectious disease is a growing threat to global health, and recent discoveries reveal that the microbiota dwelling on and within hosts can play an important role in health and disease. To understand the capacity of skin bacteria to protect amphibian hosts from the fungal disease chytridiomycosis caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), we isolated 192 bacterial morphotypes from the skin of 28 host species of frogs (families Bufonidae, Centrolenidae, Hemiphractidae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae, Strabomantidae, and Telmatobiidae) collected from the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes (540–3,865 m a.s.l.) in the Kosñipata Valley near Manu National Park, a site where we previously documented the collapse of montane frog communities following chytridiomycosis epizootics. We obtained isolates through agar culture from skin swabs of wild frogs, and identified bacterial isolates by comparing 16S rRNA sequences against the GenBank database using BLAST. We identified 178 bacterial strains of 38 genera, including 59 bacterial species not previously reported from any amphibian host. The most common bacterial isolates were species of Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus, Chryseobacterium, Comamonas, Sphingobacterium, and Stenotrophomonas. We assayed the anti-fungal abilities of 133 bacterial isolates from 26 frog species. To test whether cutaneous bacteria might inhibit growth of the fungal pathogen, we used a local Bd strain isolated from the mouthparts of stream-dwelling tadpoles (Hypsiboas gladiator, Hylidae). We quantified Bd-inhibition in vitro with co-culture assays. We found 20 bacterial isolates that inhibited Bd growth, including three isolates not previously known for such inhibitory abilities. Anti-Bd isolates occurred on aquatic and terrestrial breeding frogs across a wide range of elevations (560–3,695 m a.s.l.). The inhibitory ability of anti-Bd isolates varied considerably. The proportion of anti-Bd isolates was lowest at mid-elevations (6%), where amphibian declines have been steepest, and among hosts that are highly susceptible to chytridiomycosis (0–14%). Among non-susceptible species, two had the highest proportion of anti-Bd isolates (40 and 45%), but one common and non-susceptible species had a low proportion (13%). In conclusion, we show that anti-Bd bacteria are widely distributed elevationally and phylogenetically across frog species that have persisted in a region where chytridiomycosis emerged, caused a devastating epizootic and continues to infect amphibians.

Keywords: 16S rRNA gene, amphibian declines, amphibian skin bacteria, antifungal bacteria, elevational gradient, montane diversity gradient, neotropical, tropical Andes

Conclusion:

We found that anti-Bd bacteria are widely distributed across bacterial phyla and genera, occur along a wide elevational range in the Amazon to Andes transition, and are found on amphibian hosts that use aquatic, terrestrial and arboreal environments. The pattern of elevational distribution of anti-Bd isolates, and the association of high proportion of anti-Bd isolates of high inhibitory strength with low host susceptibility to disease, support the idea that symbiotic bacteria play a functional role in amphibian skin defense. Yet this association does not consistently explain the fate of amphibian hosts along the elevational gradient, suggesting complex interactions among bacterial symbionts, hosts, and environmental factors in determining frog persistence in a region of high disease prevalence.

Alessandro Catenazzi, Sandra V. Flechas, David Burkart, Nathan D. Hooven, Joseph Townsend and Vance T. Vredenburg. 2018. Widespread Elevational Occurrence of Antifungal Bacteria in Andean Amphibians Decimated by Disease: A Complex Role for Skin Symbionts in Defense Against Chytridiomycosis. Front. Microbiol., DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00465

Neonate southern African pythons (Python natalensis) basking at the entrance to the nest chamber.

in Alexander. 2018. DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12554

theconversation.com

Abstract

Reproductive strategies such as parental care have been pivotal in evolutionary innovations such as endothermy in birds and mammals. The diversity of reproductive biology across the squamates provides a unique opportunity for elucidating the selective forces responsible for the evolution of various reproductive strategies. Here, I report on the reproductive biology of the southern African python (Python natalensis), based on a 7-year study of free-ranging pythons, revealing a behavioural complexity not usually expected for snakes. Mating occurred in the austral winter, with individual males following females for more than 2 months. As is typical for pythons, females brooded eggs by coiling around the clutch. Females are capital breeders; they lost ~40% body mass during a breeding event and did not breed in consecutive years. There was no evidence of the facultative thermogenesis that has been reported in congeners, suggesting that facultative thermogenesis has arisen independently more than once in Python. Reproductive females thermoregulated more carefully than non-reproductives, maintaining higher, more stable Tbs at all stages of reproduction, especially while brooding. This was achieved by a stereotypic basking regime facilitated by ‘facultative melanism’, with females darkening significantly for the entire breeding event. Mothers remained with neonates at the nest site for approximately 2 weeks after hatching. During this time, mothers alternated between brief bouts of basking on the surface and coiling around the hatched eggs, on which the neonates rested. Neonates formed an aggregation near the burrow entrance to bask during the day, individually returning to the nest intermittently throughout the day. During the night, neonates remained within the mother's coils on the hatched eggs. This study highlights the diversity of reproductive biology within Python and cautions against generalization in this regard. This is the first unambiguous report of maternal care of neonates in an oviparous snake.

Figure 4. Neonate southern African pythons (Python natalensis) basking at the entrance to the nest chamber.
Some of the neonates have already undergone their first shed.

G. J. Alexander. 2018. Reproductive Biology and Maternal Care of Neonates in southern African Python (Python natalensis). Journal of Zoology. DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12554

New insights into how southern African pythons look after their babies theconversation.com/new-insights-into-how-southern-african-pythons-look-after-their-babies-91276

'Cold-blooded' pythons make for caring moms phy.so/440240120 via @physorg_com

Cantopotamon zhuhaiense, C. hengqinense & C. yangxiense

Huang, Ahyong & Shih, 2017

DOI: 10.6620/ZS.2017.56-41

A new genus and four new species of freshwater crab, Cantopotamon zhuhaiense n. gen., n. sp., C. shangchuanense n. gen., n. sp., C. hengqinense n. gen., n. sp. and C. yangxiense n. gen., n. sp. are described from Guangdong, China, based on morphology and two mitochondrial markers (16S rDNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I). Species of Cantopotamon closely resemble species of Yarepotamon Dai & Türkay, 1997, but differ by the combination of carapace, third maxilliped, male pleon, male first gonopod and female vulva characters. Molecular data derived from the mitochondrial 16S rDNA also supports the establishment of the new genus.

Key Words: Potamidae, Cantopotamon, New genus, New species, Freshwater crab, Morphology, 16S rDNA, Cytochrome oxidase subunit I.

Fig. 12. Colour in life.
(A) Cantopotamon zhuhaiense n. gen., n. sp., not collected; (B)C. shangchuanense n. gen., n. sp., male paratype (21.0 × 17.2 mm) (SYSBM 001428); (C) C. hengqinense n. gen., n. sp., male holotype (19.9 × 16.0 mm) (SYSBM 001558); (D) C. yangxiense n. gen., n. sp., female paratype (18.5 × 14.9 mm) (SYSBM 001563).

Taxonomy

Family Potamidae Ortmann, 1896

Subfamily Potamiscinae Bott, 1970

Genus Cantopotamon n. gen.

Type species Cantopotamon zhuhaiense n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.

Diagnosis: Carapace broader than long; dorsal surface slightly convex, branchial regions relatively flat (Fig. 1A); postorbital and epigastric cristae visible, confluent (Fig. 1A); external orbital angle bluntly triangular, separated from anterolateral margin by gap (Figs. 1A, B); median lobe of posterior margin of epistome triangular (Fig. 1B). Third maxilliped ischium relatively broad; exopod reaching beyond anterior margin of ischium, with flagellum (Fig. 2D). Male pleon triangular, reaching anteriorly almost to level of posterior margins of cheliped coxae (Fig. 1C). G1 slender, inner proximal section of sub-terminal segment curved dorsally, terminal segment relatively short, sinistrally twisted on left G1 (Figs. 1D, 2B, C, 9). G2 basal segment subovate (Fig. 2A). Vulva small, ovate, not reaching suture of sternites 5/ 6 (Fig. 11).

Etymology: The genus name is a combination of Canton, synonym for Guangdong, the province in which this genus occurs, and the generic name Potamon. Gender: neuter.

Remarks: Although superficially similar to some species of Yarepotamon, Cantopotamon n. gen. can easily be distinguished by its confluent postorbital cristae and epigastric cristae (Fig. 1A) (versus separate in Yarepotamon, cf. Dai & Türkay, 1997: pl. II, fig. 2), twisted terminal segment of the G1 (Fig. 2C) (versus not twisted in Yarepotamon, cf. Dai & Türkay, 1997: fig. 6, 4) and relatively small female vulvae that do not reach the suture of sternites 5/6 (Fig. 11A) (versus female vulvae reaching suture of sternites 5/6 in Yarepotamon, cf. Dai & Türkay, 1997: fig. 6, 7). Yarepotamon is currently being revised by the first author. ....

Cantopotamon zhuhaiense n. sp.

Etymology: This species is named after the type locality, Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China.

Ecology: This species is mainly aquatic, living under rocks in small hillstreams. At its type locality, C. zhuhaiense is sympatric with Nanhaipotamon cf. guangdongense Dai, 1997 and Nanhaipotamon zhuhaiense Huang, Huang & Ng, 2012. One individual, still moving, was observed within the grasp of a Nanhaipotamon cf. guangdongense in the latter’s mud burrow, suggesting they are at least occasional prey items of Nanhaipotamon.

Cantopotamon shangchuanense n. sp.

Etymology: This species is named after the type locality, Shangchuan Island, Taishan City, Guangdong Province, China.

Ecology: This species is mainly aquatic, living under rocks in small hillstreams. The hillstream in which it was found drains directly to the sea, with Eriocheir sp. also inhabiting the lower reaches. The species of Eriocheir was not confirmed, but given the location, it was probably E. hepuensis (see Naser et al. 2012). No other potamids where found at the type locality.

Cantopotamon hengqinense n. sp.

Etymology: This species is named after the type locality, Hengqin Island (also known as Ilha de Montanha in Portuguese), Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China.

Ecology: This species is mainly aquatic, living under rocks in small hillstreams.

Cantopotamon yangxiense n. sp.

Etymology: This species is named after the type locality Yangxi, Yangjiang, Guangdong Province.

Ecology: This species is mainly aquatic, living under rocks in small hillstreams.

Chao Huang, Shane T. Ahyong and Hsi-Te Shih. 2017. Cantopotamon, A New Genus of Freshwater Crabs from Guangdong, China, with Descriptions of Four New Species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae). Zoological Studies. 56; 41. DOI: 10.6620/ZS.2017.56-41

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Orasema stramineipes Cameron, 1884

in Burks, Heraty, Dominguez & Mottern, 2018.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4401.1.1

Abstract

Twenty-nine species are recognized in the Orasema stramineipes species group, including 22 new species in what is now the most diverse species group of the New World ant-parasitoid genus Orasema Cameron. Orasema aenea Gahan syn. n. is synonymized with O. freychei (Gemignani), the holotype of which has been rediscovered. Orasema smithi Howard syn. n. is synonymized with Orasema minutissima Howard. Orasema violacea Gemignani syn. n. and its replacement name Orasema gemignanii De Santis syn. n. are synonymized with O. worcesteri (Girault). Twenty-two species are described as new: O. arimbome Dominguez, Heraty & Burks n. sp., O. carchi Heraty, Burks & Dominguez n. sp., and the following 20 species by Burks, Heraty & Dominguez: O. chunpi n. sp., O. cozamalotl n. sp., O. evansi n. sp., O. hyarimai n. sp., O. kaspi n. sp., O. kulli n. sp., O. llanthu n. sp., O. llika n. sp., O. mati n. sp., O. nyamo n. sp., O. pirca n. sp., O. pisi n. sp., O. qillu n. sp., O. qincha n. sp., O. rikra n. sp., O. taku n. sp., O. tapi n. sp., O. torrensi n. sp., O. woolleyi n. sp., andO. yaax n. sp. The stramineipes-group has much greater diversity in tropical America than outside the tropics, and is much more diverse than its sister-group, the susanae-group, which is mainly present in temperate regions of Argentina. A hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships is proposed based on an analysis of 28S-D2 rDNA and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) for 14 stramineipes-group species. Species concepts were established using both morphological and molecular data. Most species in the stramineipes-group have a tropical distribution, with only a few species in temperate regions. Ant hosts for the group include Pheidole Westwood, Wasmannia Forel, and possibly Solenopsis Westwood (Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Orasema minutissima is a common parasitoid of Wasmannia auropunctata Roger in the Caribbean and has the potential to be a biological control agent in other areas of the world. Two distinct size morphs are recognized for O. minutissima, which are correlated with attacking either Wasmannia (small morph) or different castes of Pheidole (medium to large size morphs). Some species of Orasema have been regarded as pests due to scarring or secondary infections of leaves or fruit of banana, yerba mate or blueberry, but outbreaks are rare and the threat is usually temporary.

Keywords: Hymenoptera, Formicidae, morphology, ovipositor

Roger A. Burks, John M. Heraty, Chrysalyn Dominguez and Jason L. Mottern. 2018. Complex Diversity in A Mainly Tropical Group of Ant Parasitoids: Revision of the Orasema stramineipes species group (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eucharitidae). Zootaxa. 4401(1); 1–107. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4401.1.1

Ariadna crassipalpa (Blackwall, 1863)

in Giroti & Brescovit, 2018.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4400.1.1

Abstract

The spider genus Ariadna Audouin, 1826 currently comprises 102 of 127 described species of Segestriidae. Its distribution comprises all continents (except Antarctica), but it is mostly found on the tropical and subtropical regions. We present a comprehensive taxonomic revision of Ariadna in the American continent, including 2,519 specimens (i.e., type and non-type) from 30 arachnological collections. We present 31 nominal species, among which eight species are new to the science: Ariadna reginae n. sp. from Central America; Ariadna aurea n. sp., Ariadna caparao n. sp., Ariadna gaucha n. sp., Ariadna ipojuca n. sp., Ariadna lemosi n. sp. and Ariadna ubajara n. sp. from Brazil; and Ariadna lalen n. sp. from Chile. Nine species are proposed as junior synonyms: A. pragmatica Chamberlin, 1924 and A. scholastica Chamberlin, 1924 with A. bicolor (Hentz, 1842), A. gracilis Vellard, 1924 and A. conspersa Mello-Leitão, 1941 with A. obscura (Blackwall, 1858), A. murphyi (Chamberlin, 1920) with A. tarsalis Banks, 1902, A. pusilla (Nicolet, 1849) and A. ashantica Strand, 1916 with A. maxima (Nicolet, 1849), A. dubia Mello-Leitão, 1917 with A. boliviana Simon, 1907, and A. spinifera Mello-Leitão, 1947 with A. mollis (Holmberg, 1876).Ariadna comata O. P.-Cambridge, 1898 is revalidated. Two species became nomina dubia: Ariadna solitaria Simon, 1892 and A. tubicola Simon, 1893. The allotype of A. crassipalpa described by Camargo (1950) and the paratype of A. levii described by Grismado (2008), were identified as A. mollis and A. maxima, respectively and have been considered as misidentifications. The male of A. cephalotes and A. comata, and the female of A. calilegua are described for the first time.

Keywords: Araneae, Dysderoidea; Tube-dwelling spiders; Morphology; Taxonomic revision

Ariadna crassipalpa (Blackwall, 1863), female

André Marsola Giroti and Antonio Domingos Brescovit. 2018. The Taxonomy of the American Ariadna Audouin (Araneae: Synspermiata: Segestriidae). Zootaxa. 4400(1); 1-114. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4400.1.1

Naja mandalayensis

Slowinski & Wüster, 2000

twitter.com/WolfgangWuster

We describe a new species of spitting cobra of the genus Naja from central Myanmar. Multivariate analyses of morphological characters and analyses of mtDNA sequences confirm the distinctiveness of the new species. Phylogenetic analysis of the mtDNA data indicate that among the cobra species of the southeast Asian mainland, the new species is most closely related to the Thai spitting cobra, Naja siamensis. The new species is apparently endemic to an arid region in central Myanmar.

Joseph B. Slowinski and Wolfgang Wüster. 2000. A New Cobra (Elapidae: Naja) from Myanmar (Burma). Herpetologica. 56(2): 257–270.

Researchgate.net/publication/287444943_A_new_cobra_Elapidae_Naja_from_Myanmar_Burma

http://pages.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/Publications/!Naja_mandalayensis.pdf

#MyFirstSpecies - Naja mandalayensis Slowinski & Wüster 2000. I found some poorly documented specimens in a European museum collection, the late Joe Slowinski got the first living specimens in Myanmar, we described it together - https://bit.ly/2hY1h9I

twitter.com/WolfgangWuster/status/978626497199202304

Cyrtandra rantemarioensis Karton. & R.Bone

in Kartonegoro, Bone & Atkins, 2018.

DOI: 10.1017/S0960428618000045

twitter.com/h_a13654954

Abstract

Eleven new species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from Sulawesi are described and illustrated: C. albiflora Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. boliohutensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. gambutensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hekensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hendrianii Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hispidula Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. kinhoii Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. multinervisKarton. & R.Bone, C. nitida Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. rantemarioensis Karton. & R.Bone and C. rubribracteata Karton. & H.J.Atkins. Illustrations, maps and preliminary conservation assessments are provided for all the species.

Keywords: Cyrtandra, Gesneriaceae, new specie, Sulawesi

Fig. 14. Cyrtandra rantemarioensis Karton. & R.Bone, sp. nov.; flower, lateral view.

(Photograph: Steve Scott.)

Fig. 15. Cyrtandra rubribracteata Karton. & H.J.Atkins, sp. nov.
A, Habit; B, anthers; C, gynoecium; D, corolla, longitudinal section; E, calyx, longitudinal section; F, fruit; G, bracteole; H, flower, lateral view; I, inflorescence.

Drawn from Hendrian et al. 968 (E).

A. Kartonegoro, R. E. Bone and H. J. Atkins. 2018. Eleven New Species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Edinburgh Journal of Botany. First View. DOI: 10.1017/S0960428618000045

twitter.com/h_a13654954/status/978603242924969984

Titanogryllus oxente Souza-Dias & de Mello, 2018

in Jaiswara, Souza-Dias, de Campos, et al., 2018.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4402.3.4

Abstract

Titanogryllus, a new genus and three new species T. salgado n. gen. n. sp., T. oxossi n. gen. n. sp., and T. oxente n. gen. n. sp. from subfamily Gryllinae (Grylloidea, Gryllidae) are described from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This genus is characterized by its very large size, and establishes a new record for the largest known cricket from Neotropical Region. The new taxa are characterized by their external morphology and male and female genitalia.

Keywords: Orthoptera, South America, new genus, biodiversity, systematics, taxonomy

Titanogryllus Jaiswara, Souza-Dias, Desutter-Grandcolas & de Mello, 2018

Included in the molecular phylogeny of Gryllinae produced by Jaiswara et al. (in preparation) as LDG 281 (Titanogryllus salgado Jaiswara, Souza-Dias, Desutter-Grandcolas & de Mello n. sp.)

Etymology. The word titan has its origin in the Greek mythology. The titans were six elder, giant gods, sons of Uranus and Gaia. Titan is also a noun related to one that is gigantic in some attribute. Here, we use the prefix titanto refer to the large size of the species of this new gryllid genus.

Type species. Titanogryllus salgado Jaiswara, Souza-Dias, Desutter-Grandcolas & de Mello n. sp.

Species included. Titanogryllus salgado Jaiswara, Souza-Dias, Desutter-Grandcolas & de Mello n. sp., Titanogryllus oxossi Souza-Dias & de Mello n. sp., Titanogryllus oxente Souza-Dias & de Mello n. sp.

Distribution. Brazilian Atlantic Forest, in the states of Espírito Santo and Bahia.

Titanogryllus salgado Jaiswara, Souza-Dias, Desutter-Grandcolas & de Mello, 2018

Etymology. Species name is a noun in apposition after the Brazilian humanist photographer Sebastião Ribeiro Salgado Júnior (born 1944).

Titanogryllus oxossi Souza-Dias & de Mello, 2018

Etymology. Ọ ṣọ́̀ọ gỳ (Oxóssi in portuguese) is an orisha of the Yoruba religion in West Africa, and the canbomblé in Brazil. Oxóssi is the spirit associated with the animals, forests, and hunt. Distribution. Atlantic Forest, in Bahia State, municipality of Mucuri.

Titanogryllus oxente n. gen. n. sp. Male habitus

Titanogryllus oxente Souza-Dias & de Mello, 2018

Etymology. Oxente is a common expression used in the daily speech of the inhabitants of Northeastern Brazil. Oxente is an interjection of astonishment, doubt, frustration, impatience, surprise. The word is a noun in apposition.

Ranjana Jaiswara, Pedro G. B. Souza-Dias,Lucas Denadai De Campos, Darlan R. Redü,Francisco De A. G. De Mello and Laure Desutter-Grandcolas. 2018. Titanogryllus n. gen., the Largest Gryllinae Cricket from the Neotropical Region with Three New Species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Gryllidae). Zootaxa. 4402(3); 487–507. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4402.3.4

Researchgate.net/publication/324078761_Titanogryllus_the_largest_Gryllinae_cricket_from_the_Neotropical_Region

Tratayenia rosalesi

Porfiri, Juárez Valieri, Santos & Lamanna, 2018

DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2018.03.014
Illustration: Andrew McAfee

Abstract

We describe Tratayenia rosalesi gen. et sp. nov., a new megaraptoran theropod dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina. The holotype consists of a well-preserved, mostly articulated series of dorsal and sacral vertebrae, two partial dorsal ribs, much of the right ilium, and pubis and ischium fragments. It was found in a horizon of the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Bajo de la Carpa Formation of the Neuquén Group in the Neuquén Basin exposed near the town of Añelo in Neuquén Province of northwestern Patagonia. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Tratayenia within the Gondwanan megaraptoran subclade Megaraptoridae. The new taxon exhibits similarities to other megaraptorids such as Aerosteon riocoloradensis, Megaraptor namunhuaiquii, and Murusraptor barrosaensis, but also presents differences in the architecture of the dorsal and sacral vertebrae and the morphology of the ilium. Tratayenia is the first megaraptoran that unequivocally preserves the complete sequence of sacral vertebrae, thereby increasing knowledge of the osteology of the clade. Moreover, depending on the chronostratigraphic ages of the stratigraphically controversial megaraptorids Aerosteon and Orkoraptor burkei, as well as the phylogenetic affinities of several fragmentary specimens, the new theropod may be the geologically youngest megaraptorid or megaraptoran yet discovered. Tratayenia is also the largest-bodied carnivorous tetrapod named from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation, reinforcing the hypothesis that megaraptorids were apex predators in southern South America from the Turonian through the Santonian or early Campanian, following the extinction of carcharodontosaurids.

Keywords: Theropoda; Megaraptora; Megaraptoridae; Bajo de la Carpa Formation; Upper Cretaceous; Patagonia; Argentina

Figure 3. Preserved dorsal vertebrae and sacrum of Tratayenia rosalesi gen. et sp. nov. (MUCP v1162). A, left lateral view. B, right lateral view.

Figure 2. Tentatively reconstructed body silhouette of Tratayenia rosalesi gen. et sp. nov. showing the bones preserved in the holotype (MUCP v1162). Body regions not preserved in Tratayenia are based primarily on corresponding elements of the following megaraptorid species: cranium (Megaraptor namunhuaiquii, Murusraptor barrosaensis), mandible (Australovenator wintonensis, M. barrosaensis), postcranial axial skeleton (Aerosteon riocoloradensis, M. namunhuaiquii), appendicular skeleton (A. riocoloradensis, A. wintonensis, M. namunhuaiquii). Scale bar equals 1 m.

Systematic paleontology

Dinosauria Owen, 1842
Theropoda Marsh, 1881
Tetanurae Gauthier, 1986

Megaraptora Benson, Carrano, and Brusatte, 2010
Megaraptoridae Novas, Agnolín, Ezcurra, Porfiri, and Canale, 2013

Tratayenia rosalesi gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology. Genus name for Tratayén, the locality where the holotype was collected; species name in honor of Diego Rosales, the discoverer of the specimen.

....

Conclusions:

Tratayenia rosalesi is a new taxon of megaraptoran theropod, the first to be described from the Santonian Bajo de la Carpa Formation of the Neuquén Group. Its discovery constitutes a previously unreported stratigraphic occurrence in the megaraptorid fossil record of northern Patagonia. The elevated pneumaticity and morphological resemblance of the axial and pelvic elements of Tratayenia to those of the megaraptorids Aerosteon riocoloradensis and Murusraptor barrosaensis suggests 851 particularly close relationships between these three taxa. Nevertheless, Tratayenia also exhibits a number of unique morphologies that justify the erection of a new taxon. The holotype is the first megaraptoran specimen to preserve a nearly complete sequence of middle and posterior dorsal vertebrae and the complete sacrum, which augments knowledge of serial variation in this area of the axial skeleton. Tratayenia rosalesi is the largest carnivorous taxon known from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation, and, like other Patagonian megaraptorids, was likely the apex predator in its paleoecosystem.

Juan D. Porfiri, Rubén D. Juárez Valieri, Domenica D.D. Santos and Matthew C. Lamanna. 2018. A New Megaraptoran Theropod Dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous Bajo de la Carpa Formation of northwestern Patagonia. Cretaceous Research. In Press. DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2018.03.014

researchgate.net/publication/323878344_A_new_megaraptoran_theropod_dinosaur_from_the_Upper_Cretaceous_Bajo_de_la_Carpa_Formation_of_northwestern_Patagonia

https://carnegiemnh.org/press/new-patagonian-predator-sheds-light-on-mysterious-meat-eating-dinosaur-group/

Myloplus tumukumak

Andrade, Jégu & Gama, 2018

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.1.6

Abstract

A new species of Myloplus Gill is described from Eastern Tumucumaque Mountain Range, drainages of the Oyapock and Araguari rivers between Brazil and French Guiana. The new species is diagnosed by having comparatively large scales on the flanks, resulting in lower counts when compared with congeners, i.e., 59 to 70 total perforated scales on lateral line, 31 to 35 longitudinal scales above lateral line, 24 to 29 longitudinal scales below lateral line, and 22 to 26 circumpeduncular scale rows. The new species most closely resembles Myloplus rubripinnis by sharing with this species a general rounded shape, a similar color pattern, and a high number of rays, i.e., 23 to 25 branched dorsal-fin rays and 35 to 38 branched anal-fin rays in the new species (vs. 24 to 25 and 32 to 40, respectively, in M. rubripinnis). After reviewing the available type-specimens of all Myloplus species, M. rubripinnis is re-diagnosed as having higher counts of branched dorsal-fin rays and anal-fin rays combined to tiny scales on flanks, i.e., 85 to 89 total perforated scales on lateral line, 38 to 45 longitudinal scales above lateral line, 33 to 42 longitudinal scales below lateral line, and 30 to 39 circumpeduncular scale rows.

Keywords: Pisces, taxonomy, Oiapoque, Araguari, Amapá, Guiana Shield, Ostariophysi

Marcelo C. Andrade, Michel Jégu and Cecile S. Gama. 2018. A New Species of Myloplus Gill (Characiformes, Serrasalmidae) from the Tumucumaque Mountain Range, Brazil and French Guiana, with Comments on M. rubripinnis. Zootaxa. 4403(1); 111–122. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.1.6

Lophocalotes achlios

Harvey, Scrivani, Shaney, Hamidy, Kurniawan & Smith, 2018

DOI: 10.1655/Herpetologica-D-17-00022.1

Abstract

With the use of a concordance and a mitochondrial tree–morphological character congruence approach, we show that recently discovered populations of Lophocalotes represent a new species. Like its only known congener, the new species occurs only on Sumatra in montane forests above 1000 m. The new species differs from L. ludekingi in having more gulars, ventrals, and subdigital lamellae; in having males with a lower nuchal crest not supported by an arched flap of skin and white gular markings; and in having females with cream buccal epithelia. These agamids are slow-moving, arboreal, generalist predators and lay 2–6 eggs, multiple times per year. Lophocalotes exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. Interestingly, coloration of the buccal epithelium is sexually dichromatic in the new species. The recently described nematode Spinicauda sumatrana infected most hosts in our sample, and parasite load increased with snout-to-vent length. Lophocalotes is closely related to Dendragama and Pseudocalotes and shares two derived characters with Pseudocophotis sumatrana: a prehensile tail and reduced keels on the subdigital lamellae.

Keywords: Clutch size, Diet, Lophocalotes achlios sp. nov., ND4, Parasites, Sexual dimorphism, Spinicauda sumatrana, Systematics

Holotype of Lophocalotes achlios (MZB 14038, SVL 90 mm) from Gunung Kaba, Bengkulu Province, Sumatra.

Lophocalotes achlios sp. nov.

Diagnosis.— A species of Lophocalotes differing from the L. ludekingi in having more gulars, ventrals, and subdigital lamellae; in having males with a lower nuchal crest not supported by an arched flap of skin and white gular markings; and in having females with cream buccal epithelia.

Etymology and standard English name.— The specific epithet achlios is a feminine noun in apposition derived by affixing the Greek suffix –ios meaning ‘‘pertaining to’’ or ‘‘of’’ to achlys, meaning mist. The new name refers to the misty cloud forests where Lophocalotes achlios occurs. We propose the standard English name ‘‘White-throated Crested Dragons’’ for this species in reference to the pattern of white and green on its gular scales.

Nuchal crest (MZB 14043) of Lophocalotes ludekingi from Gunung Kerinci, Jambi Province, Sumatra.

Michael B. Harvey, James Scrivani, Kyle Shaney, Amir Hamidy, Nia Kurniawan and Eric N. Smith. 2018. Sumatra's Endemic Crested Dragons (Agamidae: Lophocalotes): A New Species from the Bukit Barisan Range, Comments on Lophocalotes ludekingi, and Ecology. Herpetologica. 74(1); 73-88. DOI: 10.1655/Herpetologica-D-17-00022.1

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ResearchGate.net/publication/323247492_Sumatra's_Endemic_Crested_Dragons_Lophocalotes_A_New_Species_from_the_Bukit_Barisan_Range

Halmaheramys wallacei

Fabre, Reeve, Fitriana, Aplin & Helgen, 2018

DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx160

twitter.com/Mammals_Borneo

Abstract

We describe a new species of murine rodent from a skull collected on Bisa Island and 3 specimens from Obi Island, North Maluku Province, Indonesia. Molecular and morphological data indicate a close relationship with Halmaheramys bokimekot (Fabre et al. 2013). The new species is characterized by its combination of large size; short tail with large scales; spiny, coarse, dark dorsal pelage with long black guard hairs; and a dark gray ventral pelage that contrasts slightly with the dorsum. The Bisa specimen displays unusual zygomatic arch morphology, which may be a disease-related deformity, or potentially a sexually dimorphic trait. The new species shares several external and cranio-mandibular features with its sister species from Halmahera that differ from those of Rattus species, including a spiny pelt, deep palatine sulci, a high rostrum and relatively flat dorsal profile, short incisive foramina, short palatal bridge, and molars with simple occlusal patterns. Although certain morphological characteristics of the new taxon suggest an affinity with the taxonomically diverse and geographically widespread Rattus, in other respects it clearly fits into the Wallacean clade containing Bunomys, Paruromys, and Taeromys, as indicated by molecular phylogenetic analyses. Along with the recent discovery of Halmaheramys, recognition of this new species from Bisa and Obi Islands underscores the north Moluccan region’s high endemism, conservation importance, and the urgent need for a better inventory of its biodiversity.

Key words: anatomy, biogeography, Moluccas, Murinae, Rattus division, taxonomy, Wallacea

Fig. 11. Field photographs at collection localities for Halmaheramys wallacei sp. nov. (A) View of the mountain Gunung Sere, Obi Island, type locality of H. wallacei. (B) specific trapping locality of the holotype on Gunung Sere, Obi Island. (C) Specific trapping locality of the paratype from Cabang Sumbali, Obi Island. (D) Live specimen of H. wallacei sp. nov. (MZB 38227) in the field at Cabang Sumbali.

Halmaheramys wallacei, new species
Wallace’s large spiny rat, tikus-duri besar Wallace

Bisa Rat Rattus sp.: Flannery 1995:162.

Halmaheramys bokimekot: Fabre et al. 2013:418.

Etymology.— The new species name honors the naturalist Alfred R. Wallace, who spent more than 10 years in the Malay Archipelago, and passed by Obi in difficult sailing. The presence of this rat in the Moluccas supports the concept of the Wallacea zoogeographic pattern for rodents, highlighting the mixed Asian and Australo-Papuan origins of murines in the region (see discussion on biogeography).

Vernacular names.— We suggest common names for this species both in English, “Wallace’s large spiny rat”, and in Bahasa Indonesia as “tikus-duri besar Wallace.”

Pierre-Henri Fabre, Andrew Hart Reeve, Yuli S. Fitriana, Ken P. Aplin and Kristofer M. Helgen. 2018. A New Species of Halmaheramys (Rodentia: Muridae) from Bisa and Obi Islands (North Maluku Province, Indonesia). Journal of Mammalogy., 99(1); 187–208. DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx160

ResearchGate.net/publication/322078417_A_new_species_of_Halmaheramys_from_North_Maluku_Indonesia

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Kami mendeskripsikan tikus jenis baru berdasarkan satu spesimen tengkorak yang dikoleksi dari Pulau Bisa dan 3 spesimen dari Pulau Obi, Propinsi Maluku Utara, Indonesia. Data molekuler dan morfologi menunjukkan adanya hubungan yang erat dengan Halmaheramys bokimekot (Fabre et al. 2013). Jenis baru ini dicirikan dengan kombinasi berbagai karakter yaitu ukuran tubuh besar; ekor pendek dengan sisik besar; rambut kasar, berduri, di bagian dorsal berwarna gelap dengan rambut-rambut penjaga panjang berwarna hitam; dan rambut di bagian ventral berwarna abu-abu tua, sedikit kontras dengan bagian dorsal. Pada “zygomatic arch” spesimen tengkorak dari Pulau Bisa terlihat berbeda, hal ini mungkin merupakan kelainan bentuk akibat penyakit atau berpotensi sebagai ciri seksual dimorfisme. Jenis baru ini memiliki beberapa ciri eksternal dan cranio-mandibular yang mirip dengan spesies sejenisnya dari Halmahera yang diketahui berbeda dari jenis-jenis Rattus antara lain kulit tertutup rambut berduri, sulkus palatum dalam, rostrum tinggi dengan profil datar di bagian dorsal, foramen incisifum pendek, rigi palatum pendek, dan pola oklusi sederhana pada gigi geraham. Meskipun karakteristik morfologi tertentu dari jenis baru ini menunjukkan kemungkinan afinitas dengan genus Rattus yang secara geografi jenisnya beragam dan terdistribusi luas, namun berdasarkan hasil analisa filogenetik molekuler, spesies baru ini jelas berada dalam satu klade dengan klaster Wallacean yang terdiri dari Bunomys, Paruromys, dan Taeromys. Seiring dengan penemuan Halmaheramys baru-baru ini, pengenalan spesies baru dari Kepulauan Bisa dan Obi menggarisbawahi tingginya endemisitas dan pentingnya konservasi di Maluku Utara, serta urgensi inventarisasi keanekaragaman hayati yang lebih baik.

Griffinia meerowiana Campos-Rocha& M. Peixoto

in Campos-Rocha, Semir, Peixoto & Dutilh, 2018.

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.344.3.3

Abstract

The Atlantic Forest, known for its high biodiversity and endemism levels, now reduced to about 7% of its original area (Myers et al. 2000, Oliveira-Filho & Fontes 2000, Ribeiro et al. 2009), is the main center of diversity for Griffinia Ker Gawler (1820: t. 444). The genus is represented by about sixteen species (Preuss 1999, Campos-Rocha 2015, Campos-Rocha et al. 2017), the majority considered threatened with extinction (MMA 2014). Griffinia is morphologically characterized by having usually pseudopetiolate leaves with reticulate venation, bluish or sometimes white zygomorphic flowers with a hypanthium of variable length, and whitish globose seeds lacking phytomelanin in the testa and with an elaiosome. Currently, it is divided into two subgenera, Griffinia, and Hyline (Herbert 1840: t. 3779) Ravenna (1969: 63), with several ecological and morphological differences (Preuss 1999, Campos-Rocha 2015), though they may not constitute monophyletic groups (Meerow et al. 2000). Subgenus Griffinia, with about fourteen small to large-sized species, are generally understory plants of the Atlantic Forest, with pseudopetiolate leaves and bluish or occasionally white flowers. Subgenus Hyline has two recognized species of the understory of Cerrado and Caatinga primarily, with fragrant and ephemeral large white flowers, rarely pink (Preuss 1999, Campos-Rocha 2015). Griffinia, together with the monotypic genus Worsleya Traub (1944: 89), constitute a strongly supported clade (Meerow et al. 2000), tribe Griffinieae Ravenna (1974: 65), the only Amaryllidaceae tribe endemic to Brazil.

Keywords: Atlantic Forest, Griffinieae, inselberg, microendemism, Monocots

FIGURE 2. Griffinia meerowiana Campos-Rocha & M. Peixoto.
A. Habit. B. Leaves (adaxial surface). C. Detail of leaf venation. D. Flower in frontal view. E. Sepals and petals: shape and apices. E1. Upper sepal. E2. Lateral petal. E3. Lateral sepal. E4. Lower petal. F. Flower with removed perigone, showing stamens and style. G. Stigma detail. H. Longitudinal section of the hypanthium tube and ovary. I. Cross-section of the ovary. Drawing: Klei Sousa.

Griffinia meerowiana Campos-Rocha & M. Peixoto, sp. nov.

Griffinia meerowiana is similar to G. liboniana Morren (1845: 143) (Fig. 4) because of its small size, lamina shape, often spotted and occasionally with a longitudinal white stripe near the midrib. However, G. meerowiana differs from G. liboniana and all species of Griffinia by its violet flowers, spatulate sepals and petals with white spots in the middle.

Etymology:— The specific epithet was chosen in honor of our colleague Alan William Meerow, geneticist and systematist of the United States Department of Agriculture, recognizing his extensive contributions to the modern knowledge of the Amaryllidaceae.

FIGURE 3. Griffinia meerowiana Campos-Rocha & M. Peixoto.
A. Typical habitat (October 2016). B–D. Variation in lamina ornamentation. E. Individual plant flowering at type locality. F. Individual plant flowering ex situ. G. Detail of spathe bract and hypanthium tube. H. Detail of subapical apiculum (lateral sepal). I. Seed. J. Immature fruits (in situ).

E, J: A. Campos-Rocha 1641. F: A. Campos-Rocha 1509. G, H: A. Campos-Rocha 1818.
Photos A: D. Lima. B–H, J: A. Campos-Rocha. I: J. Dutilh.
Scales bar: 1 cm (G); 400 μm (H); 5 mm (I).

Antonio Campos-Rocha, João Semir, Mauro Peixoto and Julie Henriette Antoinette Dutilh. 2018. Griffinia meerowiana, A Remarkable New Species of Amaryllidaceae from Espírito Santo state, Brazil. Phytotaxa. 344(3); 228–238. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.344.3.3

ResearchGate.net/publication/323797474_Griffinia_meerowiana_a_remarkable_new_species_of_Amaryllidaceae_from_Espirito_Santo_state_Brazil

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Cyrtodactylus sangi

Pauwels, Nazarov, Bobrov & Poyarkov, 2018

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.2.5

Abstract

Based on genetic, morphological and chromatical comparisons we evaluate the taxonomic status of two southern Vietnamese forest-dwelling populations of the Cyrtodactylus irregularis species complex. We confirm the allocation of the population from Binh Chau—Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve (Ba Ria—Vung Tau Province) to C. cattienensis and we describe the population of Nui Chua National Park (Ninh Thuan Province) as Cyrtodactylus sangi sp. nov. This brings to 18 the number of species within the C. irregularis complex and to 41 the number of described Cyrtodactylus species recorded from Vietnam.

Keywords: Reptilia, Cyrtodactylus cattienensis, Cyrtodactylus sangi sp. nov., new species, taxonomy, Binh Chau—Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve, Nui Chua National Park

Olivier S. G. Pauwels, Roman A. Nazarov, Vladimir V. Bobrov, and Nikolay A. Poyarkov. 2018. Taxonomic Status of Two Populations of Bent-toed Geckos of the Cyrtodactylus irregularis complex (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with Description of A New Species from Nui Chua National Park, southern Vietnam. Zootaxa. 4403(2); 307–335. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.2.5

Lasiurus ebenus Fazzolari-Correa, 1994

in Cláudio, Barbosa, Novaes, et al., 2018.

OI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.3.5

Abstract

Lasiurus ebenus was known only from the holotype, which was collected in 1991, in an Atlantic Forest remnant of Ilha do Cardoso State Park, southeastern Brazil. The species was described based on qualitative and quantitative morphological features. Since its original description, based on a single individual, the taxonomic status of Lasiurus ebenus has been questioned. Here we report a second record for the species that comes from Carlos Botelho State Park, São Paulo, ca. 100 km north from the type locality. This new record allowed us to confirm the validity of the species, by presenting additional data that fits in the distinction from sympatric congeners proposed on the original description of L. ebenus.

Keywords: Mammalia, Atlantic Forest, Lasiurini, morphology, taxonomy

Vinícius C. Cláudio, Gedimar P. Barbosa, Roberto Leonan M. Novaes, Fabrício B. Rassy, Vlamir J. Rocha and Ricardo Moratelli. 2018. Second Record of Lasiurus ebenus (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), with Comments on Its Taxonomic Status. Zootaxa. 4403(3); 513–522. OI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.3.5

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