Species New to Science

Fig. 1 Triceratops horridus skeleton and dentitions.
(A) Triceratops skeleton. (B) Transverse view of a dentary (lower jaw) tooth family in this dinosaur whose functional teeth wore to vertical slicing faces. The stippling depicted on the bifid roots is the cementum-like tissue described by Hatcher and colleagues (46). (C) Naturally worn slicing teeth in the lower jaw of MOR 129734 showing the wear-induced bowing out of the central regions of the occlusal faces of the teeth (arrow) to form fuller-like implements.

DOI: 10.1126/SciAdv.1500055

Herbivorous reptiles rarely evolve occluding dentitions that allow for the mastication (chewing) of plant matter. Conversely, most herbivorous mammals have occluding teeth with complex tissue architectures that self-wear to complex morphologies for orally processing plants. Dinosaurs stand out among reptiles in that several lineages acquired the capacity to masticate. In particular, the horned ceratopsian dinosaurs, among the most successful Late Cretaceous dinosaurian lineages, evolved slicing dentitions for the exploitation of tough, bulky plant matter. We show how Triceratops, a 9-m-long ceratopsian, and its relatives evolved teeth that wore during feeding to create fullers (recessed central regions on cutting blades) on the chewing surfaces. This unique morphology served to reduce friction during feeding. It was achieved through the evolution of a complex suite of osseous dental tissues rivaling the complexity of mammalian dentitions. Tribological (wear) properties of the tissues are preserved in ~66-million-year-old teeth, allowing the creation of a sophisticated three-dimensional biomechanical wear model that reveals how the complexes synergistically wore to create these implements. These findings, along with similar discoveries in hadrosaurids (duck-billed dinosaurs), suggest that tissue-mediated changes in dental morphology may have played a major role in the remarkable ecological diversification of these clades and perhaps other dinosaurian clades capable of mastication.

Gregory M. Erickson, Mark A. Sidebottom, David I. Kay, Kevin T. Turner, Nathan Ip, Mark A. Norell, W. Gregory Sawyer and Brandon A. Krick. 2015. Wear Biomechanics in the Slicing Dentition of the Giant horned Dinosaur Triceratops. Science Advances. 1(5), e1500055.
DOI: 10.1126/SciAdv.1500055

Triceratops May Have Risen To Dominance Because Of Unique Self-Sharpening Teeth

http://www.forbes.com/sites/shaenamontanari/2015/06/08/its-a-jurassic-world-and-we-are-just-living-in-it-the-cinematic-science-of-dinosaurs/

Gregory M. Erickson, Brandon A. Krick, Matthew Hamilton, Gerald R. Bourne, Mark A. Norell, Erica Lilleodden and W. Gregory Sawyer. 2015. Complex Dental Structure and Wear Biomechanics in Hadrosaurid Dinosaurs.

Science.

338(6103 ); 98-101. DOI: 10.1126/science.1224495

[upper] Lesser short-tailed Bat Mystacinatuberculata foraging on South Island, New Zealand

[lower right] Greater short-tailed Bat Mystacina robusta

[lower left] Fig 2. Upper teeth of extinct and extant mystacinid species.
A–B, Mystacina miocenalis sp. nov., St Bathans, Central Otago, New Zealand; Early Miocene. A, holotype, CM2013.18.381, right M1. B, paratype, MNZ S.52355, left M2.
C–D, Mystacina tuberculata, Predator Cave, Takaka Hill, Nelson, NZ; Holocene. NMNZ S.32400. C, left M1. D, left M2.
E, Mystacina robusta, Exhale Air Cave, Ellis Basin, Mt Arthur, Nelson, NZ; Holocene. NMNZ S.35205, left P4-M3.

To scale; bar = 2 mm. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128871

Mystacina tuberculata foraging on South Island, New Zealand.

photo: Rod Morris || RodMorris.co.nz

Abstract

The New Zealand endemic bat family Mystacinidae comprises just two Recent species referred to a single genus, Mystacina. The family was once more diverse and widespread, with an additional six extinct taxa recorded from Australia and New Zealand. Here, a new mystacinid is described from the early Miocene (19–16 Ma) St Bathans Fauna of Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand. It is the first pre-Pleistocene record of the modern genus and it extends the evolutionary history of Mystacina back at least 16 million years. Extant Mystacina species occupy old-growth rainforest and are semi-terrestrial with an exceptionally broad omnivorous diet. The majority of the plants inhabited, pollinated, dispersed or eaten by modern Mystacina were well-established in southern New Zealand in the early Miocene, based on the fossil record from sites at or near where the bat fossils are found. Similarly, many of the arthropod prey of living Mystacina are recorded as fossils in the same area. Although none of the Miocene plant and arthropod species is extant, most are closely related to modern taxa, demonstrating potentially long-standing ecological associations with Mystacina.

Greater short-tailed Bat Mystacina robusta
Illustration: Peter Schouten terranature.org

Suzanne J. Hand, Daphne E. Lee, Trevor H. Worthy, Michael Archer, Jennifer P. Worthy, Alan J. D. Tennyson, Steven W. Salisbury, R. Paul Scofield, Dallas C. Mildenhall, Elizabeth M. Kennedy, Jon K. Lindqvist. 2015. Miocene Fossils Reveal Ancient Roots for New Zealand’s Endemic Mystacina (Chiroptera) and Its Rainforest Habitat.

PLOS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128871

Mystacina tuberculata foraging on South Island, New Zealand.

photo: Rod Morris || RodMorris.co.nz

Fossil of huge 'walking' bat discovered in New Zealand

Fossilized remains of a new bat species, which lived 16 million years ago, walked on four limbs and was three times larger than today's average bat, have been discovered in New Zealand.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150617144437.htm

http://terranature.org/batGreaterShort-tailed.htm

ABSTRACT

This is the first herpetological survey and checklist of the Mount Tebu (Gunung Tebu) region including the upland areas of Gunung Tebu, the surrounding lowlands of Hutan Lipur Lata Belatan, and the nearby lowland region of Hutan Lipur Lata Tembaka in Terrengganu, northeastern Peninsular Malaysia. Expanding upon the only previous herpetological survey in this region from Gunung Lawit (Dring 1979), we record a total of 106 species including 43 species previously unknown from this portion of Peninsular Malaysia.

Keywords: Southeast Asia; Banjaran Timur; conservation

Alexandra X. Sumarli, L. Lee Grismer, Shahrul Anuar, Mohd Abdul Muin, Evan S.H. Quah. 2015. First Report on the Amphibians and Reptiles of A Remote Mountain, Gunung Tebu in northeastern Peninsular Malaysia. Check List. 11(4): 1679. DOI: 10.15560/11.4.1679

ResearchGate.net/publication/278487376_First_report_on_the_amphibians_and_reptiles_of_a_remote_mountain_Gunung_Tebu_in_northeastern_Peninsular_Malaysia

Figures 1 Holocacistacapensis: Male holotype, RMNH.INS.24622 Figures 76–80. Holocacistacapensis, life history. 76 Trunk of Vitis with many cocoons with exuviae, De Anker, Paarl, 14 February 2013 77 grapes with fresh cocoons attached, Paarl, 25 January 2013 78 larva in cocoon, going down on silken thread, Paarl, 16 January 2013 79 Leafmines in Rhoicissus digitata, reared in laboratory from adults that originated on Vitis from Wellington, 2014 80 Live adult males, reared from Vitisvinifera, from Paarl 80 EvN2013004, 28 January

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.507.9536

Abstract

A grapevine leafminer found recently in table grape orchards and vineyards in the Paarl region (Western Cape, South Africa) is described as Holocacista capensis sp. n. It has also been found on native Rhoicissus digitata and bred on that species in the laboratory. It is closely related to Holocacista salutans (Meyrick, 1921), comb. n. (from Antispila), described from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, but widespread in southern Africa and a native leafminer of various Vitaceae: Rhoicissustomentosa, R. digitata, R. tridentata and Cissuscornifolia. Holocacista capensis has been found on Vitisvinifera both in Gauteng and Western Cape, the earliest record being from 1950 in Pretoria. The initial host shift from native Vitaceae to Vitis must have occurred much earlier. The species is sometimes present in high densities, but hitherto no sizeable damage to the crops has been noted.

The genus Holocacista Walsingham & Durrant, 1909, previously known from the single European grapevine leafminer H. rivillei (Stainton, 1855), is expanded and redescribed and for the first time reported from Africa, East and South-East Asia and Australia. It comprises seven named species and at least 15 unnamed species. The following species are also recombined with Holocacista: transferred from Antispilina: South-African H. varii (Mey, 2011), comb. n., feeding on Pelargonium, transferred from Antispila: the Indian species H. micrarcha (Meyrick, 1926), comb. n. and H. pariodelta (Meyrick, 1929), comb. n., both feeding on Lanneacoromandelica, and H. selastis (Meyrick, 1926), comb. n. on Psychotriadalzelii. We also remove the following from Antispila: Heliozela anna (Fletcher, 1920), comb. n. and H. argyrozona (Meyrick, 1918), comb. n., whereas the following Indian Vitaceae feeding species are confirmed to belong in Antispila s. str.: Antispilaargostoma Meyrick, 1916 and A. aristarcha Meyrick, 1916. Holocacistasalutans and H. varii are redescribed and diagnosed against H. capensis and other South African Heliozelidae. DNA barcodes are provided for 13 species of Holocacista.

Keywords: Host shift, leafminers, Vitaceae, viticulture, table grapes, Rhoicissus, Cissus, DNA barcode, genitalia, Holocacista, Antispilina, Antispila, Afrotropics, South Africa, Zimbabwe, India

Figures 1–4. Holocacista species, adult habitus.
1–3Holocacistacapensis: 1 Male holotype, RMNH.INS.24622 2 Female, Western Cape, Paarl, RMNH.INS.24624 3 Male, Western Cape, Wilderness, reared from Rhoicissusdigitata, Genitalia slide EvN4381
4H. salutans, male, Kwazulu-Natal, Umhlanga Rocks, reared from R. revoilii, Genitalia slide EvN 4383. Scales 1 mm.

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.507.9536

Figures 76–82. Holocacistacapensis, life history.
76 Trunk of Vitis with many cocoons with exuviae, De Anker, Paarl, 14 February 2013 77 grapes with fresh cocoons attached, Paarl, 25 January 2013 78 larva in cocoon, going down on silken thread, Paarl, 16 January 2013 79 Leafmines in Rhoicissusdigitata, reared in laboratory from adults that originated on Vitis from Wellington, 2014 80–82 Live adult males, reared from Vitisvinifera, from Paarl 80 EvN2013004, 28 January 81 Windmeul, reared in Leiden, 23 February 2012 82 EvN2013005, 4 February.

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.507.9536

Figures 70–75. Holocacistacapensis, leafmines on Vitisvinifera, Paarl (70–73) and Rhoicissusdigitata, Wilderness (74, 75) 70 EvN2013029, 25 January 2013 71 16 January 2013 72 EvN2013029, 25 January 2013 73 2013003, 15 January 2013 74, 75 Vári Ac. No. 1093, 15.iii.1954 (dried leafmines).

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.507.9536

Erik van Nieukerken and Henk Geertsema. 2015. A New Leafminer on Grapevine and Rhoicissus (Vitaceae) in South Africa within an expanded Generic Concept of Holocacista (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Heliozelidae). ZooKeys. 507: 41-97. DOI:10.3897/zookeys.507.9536

New species of leafminer on grapevine in Western Cape came from wild grapes
http://bit.ly/1Qll6FB via @Pensoft @EurekAlertAAAS

Balaur bondoc

illustration: Emily Willoughby via theropoda.blogspot.com DOI: 10.7717/PeerJ.1032

Abstract

The exceptionally well-preserved Romanian dinosaur Balaur bondoc is the most complete theropod known to date from the Upper Cretaceous of Europe. Previous studies of this remarkable taxon have included its phylogenetic interpretation as an aberrant dromaeosaurid with velociraptorine affinities. However, Balaur displays a combination of both apparently plesiomorphic and derived bird-like characters. Here, we analyse those features in a phylogenetic revision and show how they challenge its referral to Dromaeosauridae. Our reanalysis of two distinct phylogenetic datasets focusing on basal paravian taxa supports the reinterpretation of Balaur as an avialan more crownward than Archaeopteryx but outside of Pygostylia, and as a flightless taxon within a paraphyletic assemblage of long-tailed birds. Our placement of Balaur within Avialae is not biased by character weighting. The placement among dromaeosaurids resulted in a suboptimal alternative that cannot be rejected based on the data to hand. Interpreted as a dromaeosaurid, Balaur has been assumed to be hypercarnivorous and predatory, exhibiting a peculiar morphology influenced by island endemism. However, a dromaeosaurid-like ecology is contradicted by several details of Balaur’s morphology, including the loss of a third functional manual digit, the non-ginglymoid distal end of metatarsal II, and a non-falciform ungual on the second pedal digit that lacks a prominent flexor tubercle. Conversely, an omnivorous ecology is better supported by Balaur’s morphology and is consistent with its phylogenetic placement within Avialae. Our reinterpretation of Balaur implies that a superficially dromaeosaurid-like taxon represents the enlarged, terrestrialised descendant of smaller and probably volant ancestors.

Speculative skeletal reconstruction for Balaur bondoc, showing known elements in white and unknown elements in grey. Note that the integument would presumably have substantially altered the outline of the animal in life

qilong.wordpress.com || DOI: 10.7717/PeerJ.1032

Reconstruction of Balaur bondoc, by Emily Willoughby
based on the new interpretation of Cau et al. (2015)

via theropoda.blogspot.com DOI: 10.7717/PeerJ.1032

DOI: 10.7717/PeerJ.1032

Andrea Cau, Tom Brougham and Darren Naish. 2015. The Phylogenetic Affinities of the Bizarre Late Cretaceous Romanian Theropod Balaur bondoc (Dinosauria, Maniraptora): Dromaeosaurid or Flightless Bird? PeerJ. 3: E1032. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1032

http://theropoda.blogspot.com/2015/06/dodoraptor-returns.html
https://qilong.wordpress.com/2015/06/18/the-stocky-dragon/
twitter.com/TomHoltzPaleo/status/611508386383982594

Zoltán Csiki, Mátyás Vremir, Stephen L. Brusatte and Mark A. Norell. 2010. An Aberrant Island-Dwelling Theropod Dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Romania. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 107: 15357-15361. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1006970107

FIGURE 3.Ucaformosensis, ♂ from Haishangu, Hsinchu, Taiwan (NCHUZOOL 13673, CW 27.9 mm),
A, dorsal view; B, frontal view showing the right major chela.

FIGURE 2. Ucaformosensis. A, B, holotype (USNM 54472, CW 28.8 mm) recognized by Crane (1975);
E, ♀ from Haishangu, Hsinchu (NCHUZOOL 13849, CW 32.2 mm), showing the tuberculate swelling on carapace behind right dorsolateral margin (arrowed) (E) scale = 5 mm.DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3974.2.1

Abstract

The fiddler crab Uca formosensis Rathbun, 1921 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Ocypodidae), restricted to the western part of Taiwan and the offshore Penghu (Pescadores) Islands in the Taiwan Strait, has been placed under the subgenus Uca (Gelasimus) Latreille, 1817 (= Uca (Thalassuca) Crane, 1975) based on only less than a dozen specimens, but later suggested under the subgenus Tubuca Bott, 1973 because the similarity of external morphology. A suite of characters of carapace, major cheliped, gastric mill, male first gonopod, and chela handedness, as well as the phylogenic relationships (mitochondrial 16S rDNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I, and nuclear 28S rDNA), nevertheless support this species belongs to its own subgenus. A new subgenus Uca (Xeruca) subgen. nov. is herein established for U. formosensis.

Key words:Xeruca, new subgenus, Uca formosensis, fiddler crab, Ocypodidae, taxonomy, Taiwan, 16S rDNA, cytochrome oxidase subunit I, 28S rDNA

Systematic account

Family Ocypodidae Rafinesque, 1815

Subfamily Ocypodinae Rafinesque, 1815

Genus Uca Leach, 1814

Uca (Xeruca) subgen. nov.

Uca (Thalassuca) Crane, 1975: 75 (part); Rosenberg 2001: 840, 848, 851 (part).

Tubuca Bott, 1973: 322 (part).

Uca (Tubuca)—Beinlich & von Hagen 2006: 10, 14, 15, 25 (part); Ng et al. 2008: 241 (part).

Type species.Uca formosensis Rathbun, 1921, by present designation.

Etymology. From the Greek xeros for “dry,” for the high intertidal habitat of the type species, in arbitrary combination with the genus name Uca. Gender feminine.

Shih, Hsi-te. 2015. Uca (Xeruca), A New Subgenus for the Taiwanese Fiddler Crab Uca formosensisRathbun, 1921 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Ocypodidae), based on morphological and molecular evidence. Zootaxa 3974(2): 151–169. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3974.2.1

http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2015/f/zt03974p169.pdf

FIGURE 3. (A) General aspect in life of the holotype of Opisthotropis laui sp. nov.,

(B) General aspect in life of O. cheni (from Mangshan National Nature Reserve, Hunan Province, China), (C) General aspect in life of O. guangxiensis (from Dawuling Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province, China).

Photographs by Michael W.N. Lau (A), Jian-Huan Yang (B) and Lee Kwok Shing (C).

Abstract

A new natricid snake of the genus Opisthotropis Günther, 1872, Opisthotropis laui sp. nov., is described from Mt. Gudou, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from other congeners by the combina-tion of the following characters: dorsal scales weakly keeled throughout, in 25:23:23 rows; 10 supralabials; 11 infralabials; two internasals, longer than wide, not touching the loreal; one loreal, not touching the eye; one preocular; two postoculars; one anterior temporal scale; 152 ventrals; 53 subcaudals; body and tail dark olive above, with light yellow crossbars.

Keywords: Natricinae, Opisthotropis laui sp. nov., snake, taxonomy, China

Yang, Jian-huan, Yik-Hei Sung & Bosco P.-L. Chan. 2013. A New Species of the genus Opisthotropis Günther, 1872 (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae) from Guangdong Province, China. Zootaxa. 3646(3): 289–296. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3646.3.7

http://vk.com/doc1835068_204042416

Riolama inopinata Kok, 2015
Figure 3. Riolama inopinata sp. nov. A, IRSNB 2679, male holotype in life. B, IRSNB 2680, male paratype in life. C, ventral view of the anaesthetized holotype (grid squares = 5 mm). D, lake on the summit of Murisipán-tepui, showing the macrohabitat of the new species (18 June 2012)

DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12241

The gymnophthalmid lizard Riolama inopinata sp. nov. is described from the summit of Murisipán-tepui, Bolívar State, Venezuela. The new species is characterized by its small size, slender body, short neck, chestnut brown dorsum with two conspicuous orange-brown dorsolateral stripes, 30 or 31 mid-dorsal scales, and 18 or 19 ventral scales in transverse rows, 28 scales around midbody, seven supralabials, five or six infralabials, subdigital lamellae divided in small granular scales, ten or 11 small femoral pores in males, dorsal surface of tongue covered with oblique chevron-shaped plicae interrupted by a small midsection of imbricate scale-like papillae, and a small weakly bilobed hemipenis having the sulcus spermaticus flanked by an extensive nude area on each side, and the asulcate and lateral faces of the organ with short series of small roughly equidistant, feebly developed flounces, each bearing a single medial hook-shaped spine. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on one nuclear and two mitochondrial DNA genes confirm the allocation of the new species to the genus Riolama, but do not support the assignation of Riolama to the subfamily Cercosaurinae as previously suggested based on overall morphological similarities, nor to any other known subfamily of the Gymnophthalmidae. Therefore, a new subfamily, the Riolaminae, is proposed to accommodate the genus.

Keywords: endemism; Guiana Shield; hemipenes; microteiid; molecular phylogeny; Riolaminae; tepuis

Figure 1. A, map of the Pantepui region, showing the distribution of Riolama species. The white rectangle corresponds to the area enlarged in (B). B, distribution of known Riolama species occurring east to the Rio Caroní (blue lines) in Venezuela and western Guyana. The white rectangle corresponds to the area enlarged in Figure 2A.

DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12241

Figure 2. A, detailed satellite map of the Los Testigos Massif showing the type locality of Riolama inopinata sp. nov. (blue star) and neighbouring mountains. B, aerial photograph of Murisipán-tepui and neighbouring mountains, taken from the north.

Photograph: C. Brewer-Carías. Satellite maps, ©Google Maps. DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12241

Lake on the summit of Murisipán-tepui, showing the macrohabitat of Riolama inopinata sp. nov. (18 June 2012)

Figure 3. Riolama inopinata sp. nov. A, IRSNB 2679, male holotype in life. B, IRSNB 2680, male paratype in life. C, ventral view of the anaesthetized holotype (grid squares = 5 mm). D, lake on the summit of Murisipán-tepui, showing the macrohabitat of the new species (18 June 2012). Photographs by the author.

DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12241

Systematic account

Order Squamata

Suborder Sauria

Family Gymnophthalmidae

Riolama inopinata sp. nov.

Holotype: IRSNB 2679 (field number PK 3660, Fig. 3A, C), a male collected by Philippe J. R. Kok, 19 June 2012 at 11:00 h, summit of Murisipán-tepui, Bolívar State, Venezuela (5°52′08″N, 62°04′28″W; 2400 m a.s.l.).

Paratype: One male (IRSNB 2680, field number PK 3558, Fig. 3B) collected by Philippe J. R. Kok, 19 June 2012 at 08:45 h, summit of Murisipán-tepui, Bolívar State, Venezuela (5°52′10″N, 62°04′31″W; 2413 m a.s.l.).

Etymology: The specific name, meaning ‘unexpected’ in Latin, is considered a noun in apposition and refers to the unforeseen discovery of a Riolama species on a tepui from the Los Testigos Massif.

=====================

Riolaminae subf. nov.

Content: Riolama Uzzell, 1973.

Diagnosis

(1) Head scales without striations or rugosities; (2) single frontonasal and frontal; (3) dorsal scales hexagonal, uniformly keeled; (4) tympanum heavily pigmented and feebly recessed; (5) digits depressed with swollen tips; (6) absence of claw on the first finger; (7) oblique plicae rather than papillae on the anterior and posterior surfaces of tongue; (8) hemipenis weakly bilobed, sulcus spermaticus flanked by an extensive nude area on each side, asulcate and lateral faces of organ with short series of small roughly equidistant feebly developed flounces, each bearing a single medial hook-shaped spine.

Philippe J. R. Kok. 2015. A New Species of the Pantepui endemic Genus Riolama (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from the summit of Murisipán-tepui, with the Erection of A New Gymnophthalmid Subfamily. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 174(3); 500–518. DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12241

ResearchGate.net/publication/278031202_A_new_species_of_the_Pantepui_endemic_genus_Riolama_(Squamata_Gymnophthalmidae)_from_the_summit_of_Murisipn-tepui_with_the_erection_of_a_new_gymnophthalmid_subfamily

Pa tep thob | Metzia bounthobi

Shibukawa, Phousavanh, Phongsa & Iwata, 2012

<<fulltext>>

Abstract

A new cyprinid fish, Metzia bounthobi, is described on the basis of 18 specimens (including 10 specimens in type series) from the Mekong River basin in Phongsaly and Luang Prabang Provinces, northern Laos. The species is distinguished from congeners by having the following diagnostic traits: 18–20 branched anal-fin rays (vs. 10–18 in the others); 49–55 lateral-line scale rows (vs. 35–48); 33–36 predorsal scale rows (vs. 15–20); 20–22 circumpeduncular scale rows (vs. 14–18); 8–10 gill rakers on outer surface of first gill arch (vs. 12–18). The new species also resembles species of Hemiculterella, Ischikauia and at least some species of Anabarilius, in sharing a sharp keel developed only between the base of the pelvic fin and anus, soft last unbranched dorsal-fin ray, and air bladder composed of two chambers; however, M. bounthobi differs in having a considerably rounded snout (vs. pointed in Hemiculterella, Ischikauia and Anabarilius), 18–20 branched anal-fin rays (vs. 8–17 in Hemiculterella, Ischiakuia and Anabarilius), 49–55 lateral-line scale rows (vs. more than 58 in Ischikauia and Anabarilius, except for A. transmontana with 54–57), air bladder with rounded posterior end (vs. posterior end with a small lobe at least in Hemiculterella) and 39–40 vertebrae (vs. 40–43, 42–43 and 43–48 in Hemiculterella, Ischikauia and Anabarilius, respectively).

Key words: Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae, Metziabounthobi, new species, Laos

FIGURE 1. Freshly collected specimen of Meztia bounthobi (holotype, 57.0 mm SL, NIFI 4680), Mekong Basin in Sopvan, Nyoi District, Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR (20°36.5’N, 102°39.1’E), 23 June 2010. Same specimen above and below but on different backgrounds to provide full view of characters of the species.
FIGURE 4. Paralaubuca barroni, NUOL-P 4038, 75.4 mm SL, Nyoi District, Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR. Photographed by T. Phommavong.

Distribution and habitat. Metzia bounthobi is hitherto known only from the Ou River basin (a tributary of the Mekong) in Phongsaly and Luang Prabang provinces of northern Laos. This species was found in upland clear streams with moderate or slow current.

Etymology. The specific name, bounthobi, is in honour of Bounthob Praxaysombath (NUOL), who was the leading researcher performing the field surveys throughout the NUOL-NEF project on 2007–2010. Eight of all 10 type series of the new species were brought from the project surveys.

Shibukawa, Koichi, Phouvin Phousavanh, Koneuma Phongsa & Akihisa Iwata. 2012. A New Species of Metzia (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Northern Laos.
Zootaxa. (3586): 264–271.

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2012/f/zt03586p271.pdf

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1A7BCEC8-39FA-43E4-9303-08FFA241270E

FIGURE 1. (A–C) Phyllodiumelegans and (D–F) P. kurzianum.
FIGURE 2. (A–C) Phyllodium longipes and (D–F) P. pulchellum.
FIGURE 3. (A–B) Phyllodium vestitum.

biology.sc.Chula.ac.th/TNH

Abstract

The taxonomy of genus Phyllodium in Thailand was studied. The results showed that six species are enumerated. Morphological descriptions and photographs, key to species, distribution and some ecological data are given. Moreover, both pollen morphological and leaf epidermal characters of three and five species respectively are presented.

KEY WORDS: Taxonomy, Phyllodium, leaf epidermis, pollen morphology, Thailand

Witsanu Saisorn and Pranom Chantaranothai. 2015. Taxonomic Studies on the Genus Phyllodium Desv. (Leguminosae) in Thailand. Tropical Natural History. 15(1): 23-40.

http://www.biology.sc.chula.ac.th/TNH/archives/v15_no1/2Pranom%20ready%20for%20print%2023-40.pdf

วิษณุ สายศร และ ประนอม จันทรโณทัย. 2015.
พืชสกุล Phyllodium (วงศ์ถั่ว) ในประเทศไทย

Fig. 2. Caulokaempferia pubescens Picheans. & Phokham.
A: The plants in its type location. B: Plant habit. C: Part of a pseudostem and lower part of leaves, showing ligules. D: A leaf, showing leaf surfaces (upper surface glabrous and lower surface pubescent). E: An inflorescence, showing detail of a flower and bract arrangement. F: An infructescence, showing dehiscing fruits and seeds, fruits (1) and seeds (2).

Scale = 1 cm. [photographed by C. Picheansoonthon]

ABSTRACT

A new species of Caulokaempferia K. Larsen (Zingiberaceae), Caulokaempferia pubescens Picheans. & Phokham, from Changwat Mae Hong Son in Northern Thailand is reported. Full descriptions, together with ink line–drawing with water color and photographic illustrations are given. Relationship of this new species with their phylogenetically closest related taxa, C. larsenii

Suksathan & Triboun, is also discussed.

KEY WORDS:Caulokaempferia, Caulokaemferia pubescens, northern Thailand, Zingiberaceae

Boonmee Phokham, Kamthorn Intharapichai, Pornpimon Wongsuwan and Chayan Picheansoonthon. 2015. Caulokaempferia pubescens (Zingiberaceae) - A New Species from Northern Thailand. Taiwania. 60(2); 77 - 80. DOI: 10.6165/tai.2015.60.77

Abstract

The Gulf Coast Toad (Incilius nebulifer) is an abundant and widespread species within its range in the United States and Mexico, so it appears on many faunal checklists and is considered in diverse kinds of research. We review the basic biology, distribution, and published history of this species, identifying only those records and publications referable to I. nebulifer, to help researchers identify published works pertaining to I. nebulfer rather than I. valliceps, with which it formerly was considered to be conspecific.

Keywords: Amphibia, Anura, Bufonidae, Inclius nebulifer, Gulf Coast Toad, Mexico, United States

Mendelson, Joseph I. R., Chase. T. Kinsey & James. B. Murphy. 2015. A Review of the Biology and Literature of the Gulf Coast Toad (Incilius nebulifer), Native to Mexico and the United States. Zootaxa. 3974(4): 517–537.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3974.4.4

http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2015/f/zt03974p537.pdf

Impatiens suksathanii Ruchis. & Triboun.

|| academia.edu

Abstract

Impatiens suksathanii Ruchis. & Triboun, a new species from a limestone area in Kanchanaburi Province in Southwestern Thailand, is described and illustrated. This endemic new species is clearly distinguished from the most similar I. namkatensis T.Shimizu by having sessile to very short petioles, linear, narrowly lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate laminas, and pale pink flowers. Its conservation status is also assessed as Critically Endangered.

Key words: Kanchanaburi province, Semeiocardium, limestone, endemic species

FIGURE 1.Impatiens suksathanii Ruchis. & Triboun.
A. Habit in limestone crevices at the type locality; B. Detail of a branch with flowers.

Photos by Saroj Ruchisansakun | academia.edu

Taxonomy

Impatiens suksathanii Ruchis. & Triboun, sp. nov.

Impatiens suksathanii Ruchis. & Triboun is clearly distinguished from the most similar I. namkatensis T.Shimizu by having sessile to very short petioles, linear, narrowly lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate laminas,and pale pink flowers.

Type :— THAILAND. Kanchanaburi: Thong Phaphum district, Wat Tha Khanun, on limestone rock, ca. 120 m elevation, 5 August 2008, Suksathan et al. 4325 (holotype BK, isotype QBG)

FIGURE 2. Impatiens suksathanii Ruchis. & Triboun.
A. Habit; B–C. Flowers; D. Outer lateral sepals; E. Lower sepal; F. Dorsal petal; G. Lateral united petals; H. Fruit (B–H. share the same scale bar).

Drawn by Saroj Ruchisansakun | academia.edu

Phenology:— Flowering July to October.

Distribution:— Endemic to Southwestern Thailand (Kanchanaburi province).

Ecology:— Growing in crevices on open limestone cliffs, 100–400 m elevation.

Proposed IUCN conservation assessment:— Critically Endangered (CR B2 ab(iii,v)) following the criteria of IUCN (2012). This species is only known from two small populations from two localities, neither of which currently has any formal protected status. One locality is in the grounds of a temple in Thong Phaphum district that receives a lot of visitors and the other one is in the grounds of a university. Moreover, the entire population is estimated to contain fewer than 100 individuals.

Etymology:— The plant is named in a honour of Dr. Piyakaset Suksathan, an outstanding plant taxonomist from Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden in Thailand who has been working on the family Balsaminaceae for the Flora of Thailand for a decade. He also encouraged the first author to start his phylogenetic study on the genus Impatiens for his Master’s degree.

Saroj Ruchisansakun, Pramote Triboun and Thaya Jenjittikul. 2014. A New Species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from Southwestern Thailand. Phytotaxa. 174(4): 237–241. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.174.4.5

academia.edu/7815812/A_new_species_of_Impatiens_Balsaminaceae_from_Southwestern_Thailand

Sheng-Xiang Yu, Steven B. Janssens, Xiang-Yun Zhu, Magnus Lidén, Tian-Gang Gao and Wei Wang. 2015. Phylogeny of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae): integrating molecular and morphological evidence into a new classification. Cladistics. DOI: 10.1111/cla.12119

Pappochelys rosinae Schoch & Sues, 2015

doi: 10.1038/nature14472

The origin and early evolution of turtles have long been major contentious issues in vertebrate zoology. This is due to conflicting character evidence from molecules and morphology and a lack of transitional fossils from the critical time interval. The ~220-million-year-old stem-turtle Odontochelys from China has a partly formed shell and many turtle-like features in its postcranial skeleton. Unlike the 214-million-year-old Proganochelys from Germany and Thailand, it retains marginal teeth and lacks a carapace. Odontochelys is separated by a large temporal gap from the ~260-million-year-old Eunotosaurus from South Africa, which has been hypothesized as the earliest stem-turtle. Here we report a new reptile, Pappochelys, that is structurally and chronologically intermediate between Eunotosaurus and Odontochelys and dates from the Middle Triassic period (~240 million years ago). The three taxa share anteroposteriorly broad trunk ribs that are T-shaped in cross-section and bear sculpturing, elongate dorsal vertebrae, and modified limb girdles. Pappochelys closely resembles Odontochelys in various features of the limb girdles. Unlike Odontochelys, it has a cuirass of robust paired gastralia in place of a plastron. Pappochelys provides new evidence that the plastron partly formed through serial fusion of gastralia. Its skull has small upper and ventrally open lower temporal fenestrae, supporting the hypothesis of diapsid affinities of turtles.

Figure 2: Skull elements of Pappochelys rosinae (digitally extracted from surrounding matrix).
a, b, Left maxilla (SMNS 91431; a, labial view; b, lingual view of marked section); c, skull reconstruction in lateral view, with preserved elements indicated in grey; d, right parietal (SMNS 91356); e, right postorbital (SMNS 91356); f, right squamosal (SMNS 90013); g, right quadrate (SMNS 90013); h, left jugal (SMNS 92066, broken into two segments and partly preserved as an impression); i, left dentary (SMNS 92066).

doi: 10.1038/nature14472

Figure 5: Early evolution of the turtle body plan.
a, Restoration of the skeleton of Pappochelys in lateral view (as yet unknown elements in white; preserved bones in grey; trunk ribs and gastralia highlighted in black); b, successive appearance of key features of the turtle body plan; c, plastron of Odontochelys and reconstructed ventral bones of the shoulder girdle and gastralia set in Pappochelys (elements of the shoulder girdle and their homologues are indicated in a darker shade of grey).

doi: 10.1038/nature14472

Reptilia Laurenti, 1768

Pan-Testudines Joyce, Parham and Gauthier, 2004

Pappochelys gen. nov.

Etymology. Pappos(Greek): grandfather; chelys (Greek): turtle. Type species. Pappochelys rosinae.

Pappochelys rosinae sp. nov.

Etymology. In honour of I. Rosin, who prepared key specimens of the new taxon.

Holotype. Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, SMNS 91360, incomplete, partly articulated postcranial skeleton.

Rainer R. Schoch and Hans-Dieter Sues. 2015. A Middle Triassic stem-Turtle and the Evolution of the Turtle Body Plan. Nature. (2015) doi: 10.1038/nature14472

Hero in a half-formed shell: Turtle ancestor with bony belly unearthed

The fossil of Pappochelys, grew to around eight inches and lived along the shores of a lake in the Middle Jurassic period 240 million years ago. Palaeontologists say it was an early ancestor of modern turtles and the shape of its skull suggests these reptiles are more closely related to dinosaurs and birds than snakes

http://dailym.ai/1LuMuxJ via @MailOnline

Älteste Schildkröte der Welt in Deutschland entdeckt. https://idw-online.de/de/news633623

FIGURE 5. The six known species of the Goniurosaurus luii species group from China. A: a female individual of G. kwangsiensis sp. nov. from Guangxi; B: paratype KFBG 140334 of G. kadoorieorum sp. nov. from Guangxi; C: adult female of G. araneus from Guangxi; D: subadult male of G. bawanglingensis from Hainan; E: adult female of G. luii from Guangxi; F: holotype SYS r000218 of G. liboensis from Guizhou.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3980.1.4

Abstract

Two new species of large geckos in the genus Goniurosaurus are described based on specimens collected from karst areas of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southern China: Goniurosaurus kadoorieorum sp. nov. and Goniurosaurus kwangsiensis sp. nov. Data on natural history of the new species are provided, as well as discussions on the current conservation status of Goniurosaurus species in southern China. Due to the popularity of this genus as novelty pets, and recurring cases of scientific descriptions driving herpetofauna to near-extinction by commercial collectors, we do not disclose the collecting localities of these restricted-range species in this publication. However, such information has been presented to relevant government agencies, and is available upon request by fellow scientists.

Keywords: Eublepharidae, Goniurosaurus, new species, taxonomy, Guangxi, Southern China

Goniurosaurus kadoorieorum sp. nov.

Figs. 1–2, 5

Holotype. KFBG 14032, adult male, from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; exact locality withheld; available to qualified researchers upon request. Collected on 18 May 2014 by J.H. Yang.

Paratypes. Four paratypes: one adult male KFBG 14031; one adult female KFBG 14033; one sub-adult male KFBG 14034; one juvenile male KFBG 14035; data identical to the holotype. Coordinates and other standard collecting information were recorded for each type and kept in the KFBG herpetological collection catalog.

Etymology. The new species, “kadoorieorum”, is named in honour of the Kadoorie brothers, Sir Horace and Lord Lawrence, from Hong Kong, for their life-long support to biodiversity research and conservation in the region. As a common name we suggest “Kadoories’ Cave Gecko”.

Natural history and distribution.Goniurosaurus kadoorieorum sp. nov. is currently only known from its type locality in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China. The new species appears to be a nocturnal karst specialist; all individuals were found amongst limestone rocks in karst forest at night.

Goniurosaurus kwangsiensis sp. nov.

Figs. 3–5

Holotype. KFBG 14052, adult male, from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China; exact locality withheld; available to qualified researchers upon request. Collected on 5 July 2013 by J.H. Yang.

Paratypes. Three paratypes: two adult females KFBG 14050–51; one adult male KFBG 14053; data identical to the holotype. Coordinates and other standard collecting information were recorded for each type and kept in the KFBG herpetological collection catalog.

Etymology. The specific epithet “kwangsiensis” is named after its type locality, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China (Kwangsi is the former official name of Guangxi). For the common name, we suggest “Guangxi Cave Gecko”.

Natural history and distribution. Specimens of the new species were found in karst forest at night. A total of nine individuals were found including four adult females, four adult males and one sub-adult; four were collected and assigned as the type series. A gravid adult female containing three well-developed eggs was among the nine seen but not collected. Three eggshells, most likely of G.kwangsiensis sp. nov., were also found in a rock crevice. Sympatric herpetofauna recorded in the locality during the survey included Asian Common Toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider), King Cobra Ophiophagus Hannah (Cantor), and White-spotted Slug Snake Pareas

margaricophorus (Jan).

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3980.1.4

Yang, Jian-huan & Bosco-Puilok Chan. 2015. Two New Species of the Genus Goniurosaurus (Squamata: Sauria: Eublepharidae) from southern China. Zootaxa.3980(1): 67–80.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3980.1.4

http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2015/f/zt03980p080.pdf

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B5487771-10E6-4A5E-A17B-C9B2FA1747AF

Thismia nigricans Chantanaorr. & Sridith
A–B. Habit, C–D. Flowers, E. Longitudinal section of flower, F. Fruit.

All photos by S. Chantanaorrapint

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.217.3.7

Abstract

Thismia nigricans Chantanaorr. & Sridith is described and illustrated as a new species from Sri Phangnga National Park, southern Thailand. A taxonomic description, illustrations of the new species and a comparison with the related species T. angustimitra Chantanaorr. and T. mirabilis K. Larsen are presented.

Keywords: achlorophyllous, mycoheterotrophic, Thailand, Thismia nigricans, Monocots

Taxonomic Treatment

Thismia nigricans Chantanaorr. & Sridith, sp. nov. (Figs. 1 & 2A–F)

Thismia nigricans is similar to T. angustimitra Chantanaorr., but differs in having glabrous filaments, the apex of annulus divided into 3 lobes without golden-brown hairs, and the mitre bearing more irregularly dentate ribs.

Figure 2. A–F. Thismia nigricans Chantanaorr. & Sridith: A–B. Habit, C–D. Flowers, E. Longitudinal section of flower, F. Fruit.
G–J. T. angustimitra Chantanaorr.: G. Habit, H–I. Longitudinal section of flowers, J. Top view of mitre.
K–M. T.mirabilis K. Larsen: K. Habit, L. Longitudinal section of flower, M. Top view of mitre.

All photos by S. Chantanaorrapint.

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.217.3.7

Type:— Thailand. Phangnga: Kura Buri, Bang Wan, Sri Phangnga National Park, 08°59’34.06’’ N, 098°27’5.22’’ E, 56 m, 3 August 2014, S. Chantanaorrapint & C. Promma 3897 (holotype, PSU!, isotype, BKF!)

Distribution:— Known only from the type locality in Sri Phangnga National Park, Phangnga Province, Thailand.

Habitat and Ecology:— The type specimens were found growing with other mycotrophic plants such as Epirixanthes sp. and Thismia javanica Smith (1907: 32), amongst leaf litter, under shade in evergreen forest, ca. 50 m above sea level.

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting during the rainy season from August to November.

Etymology:— The specific epithet “nigricans” refers to the dark color of flowers.

Sahut Chantanaorrapint and Kitichate Sridith. 2015. Thismia nigricans Chantanaorr. & Sridith, A New Species of Thismiaceae from Southern Thailand.
Phytotaxa. 217 (3): 293–297. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.217.3.7

http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/content/2015/f/pt00217p297.pdf

FIGURE 3. Exacum zygomorpha Aver. & K.S.Nguyen, sp. nov.
A: Flowering plants in native habitat. B: Flower bud at the beginning of anthesis. C–E: open flowers, views from different sides.

All photos from the type — CPC 6183 by Khang Sinh Nguyen, correction and design by L.Averyanov. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.183.2.3

Abstract

The paper provides a key for identification and a checklist of mycoheterotrophic species of the genus Exacum, representing a well-defined group of achlorophyllous members of Gentianaceae regarded sometimes in the limits of a separate genus Cotylanthera. One novel species, Exacum zygomorpha, discovered in northern Vietnam, is described and illustrated as new for science. Among other features the discovered species strikingly differs from its congeners in having distinctly zygomorphic flowers.

Keywords: Cotylanthera, Cotylanthera zygomorpha, Exacum, Gentianaceae, Indochina, Vietnam, Laos, plant diversity, plant taxonomy

Exacum zygomorpha Aver. & K.S.Nguyen, sp. nov

Etymology:— Species name refers to distinct zygomorph–like asymmetry of its flowers.

Distribution:— Vietnam (Nghe An). Only one locality in Phu Xai Lai Leng Mountain on the border of the provinces Xiangkhouang (Laos) and Nghe An (Vietnam).

Ecology:— Primary humid shady broad-leaved and mixed forests (with Cunninghamia konishii) on soils rich in humus derived from sandstone and shaly rocks at elev. 2000–2300 m, usually along ridge edges. It flowers from October–November. Very rare.

Leonid V. Averyanov, Khang Sinh Nguyen and Hiep Tien Nguyen. 2014. Checklist of Mycoheterotrophic Species of the Genus Exacum (Gentianaceae) and New Species, E. zigomorpha, from northern Vietnam. Phytotaxa. 183 (2): 108–113. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.183.2.3

http://www.rufford.org/files/Phytotaxa%20183%20(2)%20108%E2%80%93113.pdf

FIGURE. 1. Photographs of a living plant of Hoya tamdaoensis Rodda & T.B.Tran cultivated at the Singapore Botanic Gardens (M. Rodda MR729, SING) a. Inflorescence, adaxial view; b. Inflorescence, abaxial view; c. Branch, peduncle, and pendulous inflorescence

Photographs by M. Rodda. || Phytotaxa || DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.217.3.6

Abstract

A new species of Hoya R.Br. from Tam Đảo National Park (Vĩnh Phúc Province, Vietnam), Hoya tamdaoensis Rodda & T.B.Tran,is described and illustrated. It is distinguished from the morphologically similar Hoya siamica Craib by corolla size, lamina shape, coloration, and orientation of the petioles.

Keywords: Hoya siamica, limestone, lithophytic, lower montane forest, Marsdenieae, Eudicots, Vietnam

Hoya tamdaoensis Rodda & T.B.Tran spec. nov. (Figs. 1 & 2) Similar to Hoyasiamica Craib (1910: 419) in exhibiting inflorescences positively geotropic, convex, flowers numerous, corollas white, pubescent within, and leaves glabrous, but distinguished by the corolla size (1.8–2.2 cm diam. vs. < 1 cm diam. in H. siamica) and the lamina shape (base attenuate-rounded and apex caudate vs. base cuneate or acute and apex acute or acuminate in H. siamica).

TYPE:— VIETNAM, Vĩnh Phúc prov., Tam Đảo N.P., Máy Giấy trail, 1072 m, 20 September 2011, Nguyễn Quốc Bình, Jana Leong- Škorničková, Trần Hữu Đăng VNM-B1465 (holotype, SING!; isotypes HN!, VNMN!).

Etymology:— The new species is named after the collection locality, Tam Đảo National Park, Vietnam.

Distribution and ecology:— Only known from the type locality in Tam Đảo National Park, Vietnam. Hoya tamdaoensis was found growing epilithically on limestone covered by moss in evergreen lower montane forest.

Conservation status:— Known from only one locality; the preliminary conservation status of Hoya tamdaoensis is Data Deficient (DD; IUCN 2014).

Michele Rodda, The Bach Tran and Quoc Binh Nguyen. 2015. Hoya tamdaoensis (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae), A New Species from Vietnam. Phytotaxa. 217(3): 288–292. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.217.3.6

http://mapress.com/phytotaxa/content/2015/f/pt00217p292.pdf

Collinsium ciliosum

Yang, Ortega-Hernández, Gerber, Butterfield, Hou, Lan & Zhang, 2015
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1505596112

Collinsium ciliosum, a Collins' monster-type lobopodian from the early Cambrian Xiaoshiba biota of China.

— Jie Yang/Javier Ortega-Hernández

Significance

Paleozoic lobopodians constitute a diverse assemblage of worm-like organisms that are known from various exceptional fossil deposits and were among the earliest animals to develop skeletonized body parts for protection. Here, we describe Collinsium ciliosum gen. et sp. nov., an armored lobopodian from the early Cambrian Xiaoshiba Lagerstätte (South China). Collinsium belongs to an extinct clade of superarmored lobopodians characterized by supernumerary dorsal spines, and specialized limbs for filter feeding; collectively, these fossil taxa represent a well-defined group within the lineage leading to extant velvet worms (Onychophora). Despite their greater morphological variety and appendage complexity compared with other lobopodians and extant velvet worms, Collinsium and its close relatives embodied a unique, yet ultimately failed, autoecology during the Cambrian explosion.

Abstract

We describe Collinsium ciliosum from the early Cambrian Xiaoshiba Lagerstätte in South China, an armored lobopodian with a remarkable degree of limb differentiation including a pair of antenna-like appendages, six pairs of elongate setiferous limbs for suspension feeding, and nine pairs of clawed annulated legs with an anchoring function. Collinsium belongs to a highly derived clade of lobopodians within stem group Onychophora, distinguished by a substantial dorsal armature of supernumerary and biomineralized spines (Family Luolishaniidae). As demonstrated here, luolishaniids display the highest degree of limb specialization among Paleozoic lobopodians, constitute more than one-third of the overall morphological disparity of stem group Onychophora, and are substantially more disparate than crown group representatives. Despite having higher disparity and appendage complexity than other lobopodians and extant velvet worms, the specialized mode of life embodied by luolishaniids became extinct during the Early Paleozoic. Collinsium and other superarmored lobopodians exploited a unique paleoecological niche during the Cambrian explosion.

Kaywords: Collins’ monster, Xiaoshiba Lagerstätte, Cambrian explosion, evolution, phylogeny

A graphical depiction of the morphology of ancient onychophorans. X denotes unavailable or incomplete limb data for the taxon; dashed line indicates morphospace distribution for all members of stem group Onychophora.

— Javier Ortega-Hernández

Jie Yang, Javier Ortega-Hernández, Sylvain Gerber, Nicholas J. Butterfield, Jin-bo Hou, Tian Lan, and Xi-guang Zhang. 2015. A Superarmored Lobopodian from the Cambrian of China and Early Disparity in the Evolution of Onychophora. PNAS. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1505596112

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/06/24/1505596112.abstract

Spiky monsters: New species of 'super-armored' worm discovered http://bit.ly/1Hk1cGR
via @Cambridge_Uni @EurekAlertAAAS

Hallucigenia's new cousin http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/jun/29/hallucigenia-cousin-collinsium/ via @SDUT

Armored Spiky Worm Had 30 Legs, Will Haunt Your Nightmares https://shar.es/1qC293 via @LiveScience

a) Dark Thick-thumbed Bat | Glischropus aquilus

Csorba, Görföl, Wiantoro, Kingston, Bates & Huang, 2015

FIGURE 1. Portraits of live specimens of a) Glischropus aquilus n. sp. holotype from Sumatra (MZB 35030), b) G. bucephalus paratype from Cambodia (HNHM 2006.34.37.), c) G. tylopus from Thailand (HNHM 2009.52.1.).

Not to scale. | Csorba, et al. 2015

Abstract

To date, three species of the genus Glischropus are recognized from the Indomalayan zoogeographic region—G. bucephalus from the Indochinese subregion, G. tylopus from the Sundaic subregion (Peninsular Thailand and Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, Moluccas) and G. javanus, restricted to Java. The investigation of the holotype and three topotype specimens of G. batjanus supported the view that the name was previously correctly regarded as the junior subjective synonym of G. tylopus. During review of material recently collected in southwestern Sumatra, Indonesia, one specimen of a yet undescribed species of Thick-thumbed bat was identified. Glischropus aquilus n. sp. markedly differs from its congeners by its dark brown pelage, nearly black ear and tragus, and in skull proportions. The phylogenetic analysis based on cytb sequences also supports the specific distinctness of G. aquilus n. sp. Its discovery brings the count to 88 species of bats known from Sumatra.

Keywords: Bukit Barisan Selatan, Indonesia, Pipistrellini, taxonomy

Etymology. The specific epithet /a.kvi.lus/ (meaning dark-coloured in English) refers to the blackish ears and generally darker pelage of the new species relative to its congeners.
The proposed English name is Dark Thick-thumbed Bat.

Csorba, Gábor, Tamás Görföl, Sigit Wiantoro, T. Kingston, Paul J. J. Bates & Joe C.-C. Huang. 2015. Thumb-pads Up — A New Species of Thick-thumbed Bat from Sumatra (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Glischropus). Zootaxa. 3980(2): 267–278.

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3980.2.7

ResearchGate.net/publication/279287071_Thumb-pads_upa_new_species_of_thick-thumbed_bat_from_Sumatra_(Chiroptera_Vespertilionidae_Glischropus)

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5FECAC48-3C11-49AD-AA94-35ED8F6AF957

[Paleontology • 2015] Wear Biomechanics in the Slicing Dentition of the Giant horned Dinosaur Triceratops

[PaleoMammalogy • 2015] Mystacina miocenalis • Miocene Fossils Reveal Ancient Roots for New Zealand’s Endemic Mystacina (Chiroptera) and Its Rainforest Habitat

[Herpetology • 2015] Herpetofauna of Gunung Tebu • First Report on the Amphibians and Reptiles of A Remote Mountain, Gunung Tebu in northeastern Peninsular Malaysia

[Entomology • 2015] Holocacista capensis • A New Leafminer on Grapevine and Rhoicissus (Vitaceae) in South Africa within an expanded Generic Concept of Holocacista (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Heliozelidae)

[Paleontology • 2015] The Phylogenetic Affinities of the Bizarre Late Cretaceous Romanian Theropod Balaur bondoc (Dinosauria, Maniraptora): Dromaeosaurid or Flightless Bird?

[Crustacea • 2015] Uca (Xeruca), A New Subgenus for the Taiwanese Fiddler Crab Uca formosensis Rathbun, 1921 (Decapoda: Ocypodidae), based on morphological and molecular evidence

[Herpetology • 2013] Opisthotropis laui • A New Species of the genus Opisthotropis Günther, 1872 (Colubridae: Natricinae) from Guangdong Province, China

[Herpetology • 2015] Riolama inopinata • A New Species of the Pantepui endemic Genus Riolama (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from the summit of Murisipán-tepui, with the Erection of A New Gymnophthalmid Subfamily

[Ichthyology • 2012] Metzia bounthobi • A New Species of Metzia (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Northern Laos

[Botany • 2015] Taxonomic Studies on the Genus Phyllodium Desv. (Leguminosae) in Thailand

[Botany • 2015] Caulokaempferia pubescens • A New Species (Zingiberaceae) from Northern Thailand

[Herpetology • 2015] A Review of the Biology and Literature of the Gulf Coast Toad Incilius nebulifer, Native to Mexico and the United States

[Botany • 2014] Impatiens suksathanii • A New Species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from Southwestern Thailand

[Paleontology • 2015] Pappochelys rosinae • A Middle Triassic stem-Turtle and the Evolution of the Turtle Body Plan

[Herpetology • 2015] Two New Species of the Genus Goniurosaurus (Squamata: Eublepharidae) from southern China; Goniurosaurus kadoorieorum & G. kwangsiensis

[Botany • 2015] Thismia nigricans Chantanaorr. & Sridith • A New Species of Thismiaceae from Phang-Nga, Southern Thailand

[Botany • 2014] Checklist of Mycoheterotrophic Species of the Genus Exacum (Gentianaceae) and New Species, E. zigomorpha, from northern Vietnam

[Botany • 2015] Hoya tamdaoensis • A New Species (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae) from Vietnam

[Paleontology • 2015] Collinsium ciliosum • A Superarmored Lobopodian from the Cambrian of China and Early Disparity in the Evolution of Onychophora

[Mammalogy • 2015] Glischropus aquilus • Thumb-pads Up — A New Species of Thick-thumbed Bat (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Glischropus) from Sumatra