Introduction to the Symposium on Tempo and Mode of Evolution from Micropaleontological Data

Paleobiology ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 326-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Berggren ◽  
Richard E. Casey
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Morphological Change ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Punctuated Equilibria ◽  
Principal Mode ◽  
The Past ◽  
Species Formation ◽  
Sudden Appearance ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Occurrence Of Species

The concept of punctuated equilibria was introduced by Eldredge and Gould (1972) as an interpretation of the sequential occurrence of species as actually observed in the fossil record. The pattern of sudden appearance of a new species followed by little or no morphological change during the remainder of the species' existence contrasts with phyletic gradualism, the pattern of slower, more evenly distributed change which was long considered to be the principal mode of species formation (Simpson 1944). The question of which is the dominant pattern of evolutionary change has continued as an actively debated theme in much of the paleontological literature of the past decade.

The tale of the headless turtle

Zootaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4200 (2) ◽  
pp. 327 ◽  
Author(s):  
PEDRO S. R. ROMANO
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Lower Cretaceous ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Diagnostic Features ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
The Past ◽  
Early Paleocene ◽  
Phylogenetic Hypotheses ◽  
A New Species

Pelomedusoides is the most diverse clade of side-necked turtles and there is an extensive fossil record (de Broin, 1988; Lapparent de Broin, 2000; Gaffney et al., 2006, 2011) that dates back at least to the Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) (Romano et al., 2014). Its large fossil record evidences a greater diversity in the past, particularly at the end of the Mesozoic, and exhibits a good sampling of species that are represented by skull material (Gaffney et al., 2006, 2011). As a consequence, the most complete and recent phylogenetic hypotheses for this clade (e.g. Romano et al., 2014; Cadena, 2015) are based on matrices comprising a great amount of cranial characters derived largely from Gaffney et al. (2006, 2011). In addition, it is well established that shell characters show a lot of phenotypic plasticity, even in the fossil species (Romano, 2008; Gaffney et al., 2006, 2011). In most cases it consequently is not justified to rely on “diagnostic features” of poorly informative shell-only material for describing a new species. Because of that, most authors remark new morphotypes in the literature when such aberrant specimens are recovered, but do not make any nomenclatural act by proposing a new yet poorly supported species (e.g. Romano et al., 2013; Ferreira & Langer, 2013; Menegazzo et al., 2015). Unfortunately, such a supposedly new bothremydid turtle (Pleurodira: Bothremydidae) from the Early Paleocene of Brazil was recently described based on poorly diagnostic remains (Carvalho et al., 2016; hereafter CGB, for the authors initials) and a correction of this unfounded nomenclatural act is required. In addition I present some comments on shell only material from Brazil in order to guide splitter-taxonomists to stop describing poorly preserved fossil specimens as new species. 

A guest from the past: A new genus and a new species of Deraeocorinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) in Miocene Dominican amber

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4819 (3) ◽  
pp. 589-594
Author(s):  
JUNGGON KIM ◽  
ARTUR TASZAKOWSKI ◽  
ALEKSANDER HERCZEK ◽  
KWANG-HO KIM ◽  
SUNGHOON JUNG
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
New Genus ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Dominican Amber ◽  
The Past ◽  
Related Group ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Comprehensive Study

The second fossil record of deraeocorine species from Miocene Dominican amber is presented with description of a new taxon, Amberderaeous gigophthalmus gen. and sp. nov. based on a well-preserved specimen. The need for revision of related group Eustictus and a comprehensive study of its tribal placement within Deraeocorinae are discussed.

A new species of Hippopotamidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from the Sagantole Formation, Middle Awash, Ethiopia

2004 ◽  
Vol 175 (5) ◽  
pp. 525-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Renaud Boisserie
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
East Africa ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
General Morphology ◽  
Middle Awash ◽  
A New Species

Abstract A new species of Hippopotamidae, Hexaprotodon dulu nov. sp., was discovered in the Middle Awash valley, Afar, Ethiopia. It was found in the Sagantole Formation, within volcaniclastic beds aged between 5.2 Ma and 4.9 Ma (40Ar/39Ar). It is therefore the oldest hippo species described as yet from Ethiopia. This hexaprotodont hippo exhibits a general morphology that is primitive, close in that respect to other Mio-Pliocene forms. However, its cranium and dentition display a distinctive association of measurements and features. This new species increases the hippo fossil record in East Africa. It also reinforces the hypothesis of hippo endemism in each African basin as early as the basal Pliocene.

A new species and genus of Alienopteridae (Blattodea) from mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4941 (4) ◽  
pp. 580-586
Author(s):  
XIN-YU CHEN ◽  
HUA-CHUAN ZHANG ◽  
XIAOXIAO SHI
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Posterior Part ◽  
Batesian Mimicry ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
A New Species

Eminespina burma gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on a female embedded in Cretaceous Burmese amber of Cenomanian age. Autapomorphic are three unique spines distributed anterior quarter of pronotum from longer posterior part. The new evidence of Batesian mimicry in the insect fossil record is briefly discussed. 

Description of a new species of Bush frog (Anura: Rhacophoridae: Raorchestes) from northwestern Yunnan, China

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4941 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-258
Author(s):  
YUN-HE WU ◽  
XIAO-LONG LIU ◽  
WEI GAO ◽  
YU-FAN WANG ◽  
YING-CHUN LI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Field Work ◽  
The Body ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
The Past ◽  
Black Region ◽  
One New Species ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Northwestern Yunnan

Approximately half of the species in speciose genus Raorchestes were described during the past 10 years, yet only 11 species are known from Southeast Asia and southern China (SEA-SC), adjacent Himalayas, and northeastern India. Field work in northwestern Yunnan province, China resulted in the discovery of one new species in the genus based on morphological and molecular analyses. The new species is diagnosed by small size with 15.0–19.0 mm SVL in adult males (n=3); tongue pyriform, notched posteriorly; rudimentary webbing between toes; fingers and toes with narrow lateral dermal fringes; tibiotarsal articulation reaching anterior of the eye when hindlimb is stretched along the side of the body; relative finger lengths: I < II < IV < III, relative toe lengths: I < II < V < III < IV; inner metatarsal tubercle oval, outer metatarsal tubercle absent; finger discs and toe discs greyish or orange; flank near the crotch with a distinct black region between two creamy white patches, and the thigh having a similar black patch near the groin, proximal to another creamy white patch; a distinct “) (”-shaped dark marking on the back; male with external single subgular vocal sac; nuptial pad absent. A phylogenetic tree was reconstructed based on the mitochondrial genes for 16S rRNA and ND1. The results indicated that these individuals form a monophyletic group, and show high genetic divergence to their closest relatives within the genus (uncorrected p-distances > 3.2%) by distance of 16S comparable to the divergence between recognized Raorchestes species. This study further enriches the diversity of rhacophorids, especially in northwestern Yunnan. 

Phyllagathis stellata (Sonerileae, Melastomataceae), a new species from southwestern Sarawak, Borneo

Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 365 (3) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
CHE-WEI LIN ◽  
CHI-HUNG LEE
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
Distribution Map ◽  
Line Drawings ◽  
The Past ◽  
A New Species

Reknowned for its high biodiversity and endemism, over one third of the Bornean species of Phyllagathis were discovered in Sarawak over the past two years. In this study, we report an addition of a new species of Phyllagathis, namely P. stellata from southwestern Sarawak. In addition to the taxonomic account, color plates, line drawings, a distribution map, and comparisons with morphologically similar species are provided to aid in identification.

scholarly journals A new species of Potamonautes from São Tomé Island, Central Africa, with redescriptions of P. margaritarius (A. Milne-Edwards, 1869) from São Tomé, and P. principe Cumberlidge, Clark and Baillie, 2002, from Príncipe (Decapoda: Potamonautidae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-303
Author(s):  
Neil Cumberlidge ◽  
Savel R. Daniels
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Gulf Of Guinea ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Island Endemic ◽  
The Past ◽  
Freshwater Crabs ◽  
First Time ◽  
A New Species

Surveys of the freshwater crabs of two islands in the Gulf of Guinea, Central Africa, allowed a revision of the taxonomy of two little-known island endemic species, based for the first time on adult males: Potamonautes margaritarius (A. Milne-Edwards, 1869) from São Tomé, and of P. principe Cumberlidge, Clark and Baillie, 2002, from Príncipe (Brachyura; Potamonautidae). A new species of Potamonautes from southern São Tomé (Potamonautes saotome sp. nov.) is also described that is genetically distinct and has a clearly separate geographic distribution from P. margaritarius from northern São Tomé. The new species from southern São Tomé can be recognized by a suite of characters of the carapace, thoracic sternum, and gonopods. The taxonomy of P. margaritarius (A. Milne-Edwards, 1869) is stabilized by selecting a neotype from northern São Tomé. Potamonautes principe from Príncipe is the most distinct of the three taxa, with a more swollen carapace that has smooth anterolateral margins, and a shorter, straighter male first gonopod. All three taxa are morphologically distinct species that have also been clearly distinguished as evolutionarily separate lineages by mtDNA analysis and haplotyping in an earlier study. Previous phylogenetic evidence supports two separate island colonization events at different times in the past from different ancestral populations, one to São Tomé and another to Príncipe that resulted in the establishment of the endemic freshwater crab faunas of these two islands.

Dina orientalis sp. nov. —an overlooked new leech (Annelida: Hirudinea: Erpobdellidae) species from the Near and Middle East

Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2746 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
CLEMENS GROSSER ◽  
HASKO F. NESEMANN ◽  
VLADIMIR PEŠIĆ
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Dorsal Surface ◽  
Oral Communication ◽  
Crimean Peninsula ◽  
The Past ◽  
Long Time ◽  
A New Species ◽  
The Crimean Peninsula

The new species described here has, for a long time, been confused with Dina stschegolewi (Lukin & Epshtein, 1960), a species described from Krym (the Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine). Both species are similar in having rows of yellow spots on the dorsal surface. As the latter species had been poorly defined in the past, all yellow spotted specimens of the genus Dina Blanchard, from the area of the Near and Middle East, were attributed to Dina stschegolewi (Rückert 1985, Nesemann 1993, Nesemann & Neubert 1999). Prof. V. M. Epshtein (Wuppertal/Germany, oral communication) suspected that the specimens attributed to Dina stschegolewi by Nesemann (1993) and Nesemann & Neubert (1999) differed from the species from Krym. Furthermore, Grosser & Pešić (2006) mentioned that populations of Dina stschegolewi sensu Nesemann, 1993 most probably belong to a new species.

A NEW SPECIES OF PHILOPTERUS (MALLOPHAGA) FROM THE LONG-BILLED CURLEW

1937 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 264-266
Author(s):  
F. H. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Species Description ◽  
University Of Minnesota ◽  
The Past ◽  
Numenius Americanus ◽  
The University ◽  
A New Species

The species description presented is based on specimens taken by E. R. Tinkham from the long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus Wils.) collected at Presidio, Texas, May 26, 1929. The specimens are a part of the University of Minnesota collection which has been loaned to the writer for study and identification during the past few years. I am deeply indebted to Prof. C. E. Mickel for his kindness in regard to the loans from the Minnesota collections.

Exploring high-mountain limnic faunas: discovery of a novel endemic bivalve species (Sphaeriidae : Pisidium) in the Nepal Himalayas

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Bößneck ◽  
Catharina Clewing ◽  
Christian Albrecht
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetics ◽  
Nuclear Data ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Shell Morphology ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
The Past ◽  
A New Species

High-mountain regions are known to harbour considerable biodiversity, although it is not all well known. The terrestrial fauna of the world’s largest mountain range, the Himalayas, has been moderately well studied, but this is not the case with the limnic fauna, and especially molluscs. During intensive malacozoological field surveys conducted over the past 20 years, the bivalve family Sphaeriidae has been studied in Nepal along an elevational gradient from 100 to 4010 m above sea level (a.s.l.). Here we describe a new species of Sphaeriidae, Pisidium alexeii, sp. nov., based on comprehensive molecular phylogenetics, anatomy and shell morphology. The species can be clearly distinguished from all other sphaeriid species occurring in Nepal. A molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial and nuclear data inferred the oriental biogeographical affinity of the new species. The species is ecologically restricted and only occurs at a few sites between 1010 and 1700 m a.s.l. A review and updated checklist of the sphaeriid fauna of Nepal is provided and biodiversity and biogeographical patterns are discussed.

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