Revision of the extinct Pleistocene tortoise Testudo lunellensis Almera and Bofill, 1903 from Cova de Gràcia (Barcelona, Spain)

Testudo lunellensis Almera and Bofill, 1903 from the Middle Pleistocene of Cova de Gràcia (Park Güell, Barcelona, Spain) is a valid species belonging to the clade of the extant Testudo hermanni – a diagnostic feature being the narrowed vertebral scutes. Thanks to still unpublished material, T. lunellensis is diagnosed for the first time and its shell morphology described in detail. This species is uniquely characterized, among others, by tall peripheral bones and by a peculiar shape of the anterior lobe of the plastron, somewhat recalling the species referred to Testudo s.s. (the clade containing the extant species Testudo graeca, Testudo kleinmanni and Testudo marginata). Given that the purported valid species from Lunel-Viel (Middle Pleistocene, France) is still unnamed and undescribed, T. lunellensis from Cova de Gràcia is currently the stratigraphically youngest extinct Testudo species. The co-occurrence in T. lunellensis of characters typical of both T. hermanni and Testudo s.s. further testifies the phenotypic plasticity of tortoises and the mosaic distribution of morphological characters, which hinders a clear-cut assessment of the relationships of extant tortoises when based exclusively on morphology. Further analyses of the phylogeny of Testudo should consider fossil and extant taxa together, as well as both morphological and genetic characters.

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Revision of the anguine lizard Pseudopus laurillardi (Squamata, Anguidae) from the Miocene of Europe, with comments on paleoecology

Journal of Paleontology ◽

10.1666/09-033r1.1 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 84 (2) ◽

pp. 159-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Jozef Klembara ◽

Madelaine Böhme ◽

Michael Rummel

Keyword(s):

Eastern Europe ◽

Central And Eastern Europe ◽

Middle Miocene ◽

First Record ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Middle Pleistocene ◽

Humid Climate ◽

Anatomical Analysis ◽

Extant Species ◽

Parietal Bones

A revision of the Early-Middle Miocene anguine, Pseudopus laurillardi (Lartet, 1851), is presented based on a detailed anatomical analysis of one newly discovered articulated specimen and numerous disarticulated cranial and postcranial elements from several localities in Germany, as well as on the restudy of the original skeletal material of Lartet. the articulated specimen represents the first record of an articulated anguine from the Neogene. We demonstrate that the contemporaneous anguine Propseudopus fraasii (= Pseudopus fraasi, Pseudopus moguntinus or Ophisaurus moguntinus) from Germany and elsewhere in Europe represents a junior synonym of P. laurillardi. Three species of Pseudopus can by discriminated in the Cenozoic of Eurasia: P. laurillardi (Early-Middle Miocene of Europe), P. pannonicus (Late Miocene-Middle Pleistocene of central and eastern Europe) and P. apodus (Late Pleistocene-Recent, from Eastern Europe to central Asia). Eleven morphological characters of the skull have been identified that distinguish Pseudopus laurillardi from P. pannonicus and P. apodus. Four of these characters regard the frontal and parietal bones, whereas all other characters regard the dentary and dentition. the genus Pseudopus represents the largest and most robust taxon in the subfamily Anguinae and first occurs in central Europe at the beginning of MN 4 (~18.5 Ma). in contrast to the extant species, P. apodus, the fossils P. laurillardi and P. pannonicus had a greater ecological plasticity and lived in various types of environments. the fossil remains of these taxa are most frequently found in localities characterized by sub-humid to humid climate, which may indicate that their preferential habitats include forested environments.

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The systematics of land crabs of the genus Gecarcoidea and recognition of a pseudocryptic species, G. humei, from the eastern Indian Ocean (Crustacea : Decapoda : Gecarcinidae)

Invertebrate Systematics ◽

10.1071/is16052 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 406 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Joelle C. Y. Lai ◽

Hsi-Te Shih ◽

Peter K. L. Ng

Keyword(s):

Indian Ocean ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Eastern Indian Ocean ◽

Valid Species ◽

West Pacific ◽

Land Crab ◽

Christmas Island ◽

Extant Species ◽

Land Crabs ◽

The Family

The gecarcinid genus Gecarcoidea H. Milne Edwards, 1837 is currently represented by two species from the Indo-West Pacific – the widely distributed purple land crab, G. lalandii H. Milne Edwards, 1837, and the red crab endemic to Christmas Island, G. natalis (Pocock, 1889). One species, G. humei (Wood-Mason, 1874), described from the Nicobar Islands, has had a confused taxonomic history, but was treated as a junior synonym of G. lalandii by Türkay (1974) in his revision of the family. In this study, using molecular as well as morphological characters, we show that G. humei is a valid species. Gecarcoidea lalandii and G. humei have distinct non-overlapping distributions throughout much of their range, with G. lalandii occurring in most of South-east Asia and the West Pacific, while G. humei is known only from the eastern Indian Ocean. On Christmas Island, in the eastern Indian Ocean, however, all three species are present. As a result, Christmas Island is the only locality where all extant species of Gecarcoidea are found. The three species can also be separated by differences in live colours and patterns, as well as proportions of the carapace, male abdomen, ambulatory legs and third maxillipeds, and details of the orbits and male first gonopods.

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Relicts from Glacial Times: The Ground Beetle Pterostichus adstrictus Eschscholtz, 1823 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the Austrian Alps

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12010084 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 84

Author(s):

Wolfgang Paill ◽

Stephan Koblmüller ◽

Thomas Friess ◽

Barbara-Amina Gereben-Krenn ◽

Christian Mairhuber ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ground Beetle ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Ice Age ◽

Dispersal Ability ◽

Austrian Alps ◽

Alpine Regions ◽

Extant Species ◽

Limited Dispersal

The last ice age considerably influenced distribution patterns of extant species of plants and animals, with some of them now inhabiting disjunct areas in the subarctic/arctic and alpine regions. This arctic-alpine distribution is characteristic for many cold-adapted species with a limited dispersal ability and can be found in many invertebrate taxa, including ground beetles. The ground beetle Pterostichus adstrictus Eschscholtz, 1823 of the subgenus Bothriopterus was previously known to have a holarctic-circumpolar distribution, in Europe reaching its southern borders in Wales and southern Scandinavia. Here, we report the first findings of this species from the Austrian Ötztal Alps, representing also the southernmost edge of its currently known distribution, confirmed by the comparison of morphological characters to other Bothriopterus species and DNA barcoding data. Molecular data revealed a separation of the Austrian and Finish specimens with limited to no gene flow at all. Furthermore, we present the first data on habitat preference and seasonality of P. adstrictus in the Austrian Alps.

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Review of Eohiodon (Teleostei: Osteoglossomorpha) from western North America, with a phylogenetic reassessment of Hiodontidae

Journal of Paleontology ◽

10.1017/s0022336000036064 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 71 (6) ◽

pp. 1109-1124 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Li Guo-Qing ◽

Mark V. H. Wilson ◽

Lance Grande

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Sister Group ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Valid Species ◽

Western North America ◽

Extant Species ◽

The Family ◽

Fossil Records ◽

Fossil Genus ◽

Freshwater Teleosts

Review of recently collected material of Eohiodon from North America suggests that there are two valid species, E. rosei (Hussakof) and E. woodroffi Wilson. Eohiodon falcatus Grande is identical to E. woodruffi in known skeletal features and nearly all meristic features and is treated as a junior synonym of the latter. The fossil genus Eohiodon Cavender differs from Hiodon Lesueur, which is known from both fossil and extant species, in numerous meristic and osteological features. The caudal skeleton in Eohiodon is nearly identical to that in Hiodon.The traditionally accepted Notopteroidei, containing Lycopteridae, Hiodontidae, and Notopteridae, is a polypheletic group. The Asian fossil family Lycopteridae is not more closely related to Hiodontidae than it is to other taxa in the Osteoglossomorpha, but is sister to all other Osteoglossomorpha. The Hiodontiformes sensu stricto, including only the family Hiodontidae, is the sister-group of the Osteoglossiformes. This family is not more closely related to notopterids than to other taxa in Osteoglossiformes. The Notopteridae are most closely related to the Mormyroidea; together they and the fossil family Ostariostomidae constitute the sister-group of the Osteoglossoidei.Fossil records of Hiodontiformes sensu stricto and Notopteroidei indicate a widespread pre-Neogene biogeographic range of these freshwater teleosts, suggesting that extinction must have been involved in the Cenozoic evolution of these two osteoglossomorph sublineages.

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A giant within Carpocorini (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): Description of Adustonotus graziae sp. nov.

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4958.1.29 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4958 (1) ◽

pp. 489-502

Author(s):

FILIPE MICHELS BIANCHI

Keyword(s):

Morphological Characters ◽

The Other ◽

Total Evidence ◽

Valid Species ◽

Phylogenetic Position ◽

New Taxon ◽

Large Size ◽

Internal Genitalia ◽

Evidence Analysis ◽

Heteroptera Pentatomidae

The Carpocorini are distributed worldwide, and it is one of the most speciose tribes within the Pentatomidae with 127 genera and more than 500 valid species. Recently, Adustonotus Bianchi was described to contain eight species formerly placed within Euschistus Dallas. Among them, Adustonotus grandis (Rolston) and Adustonotus latus (Dallas) are remarkable for their large size. Herein, the phylogenetic position of a new taxon is inferred by a total evidence analysis based on 85 morphological characters and four molecular markers. Adustonotus graziae sp. nov. is described, and is recovered in a polytomic lineage, including A. grandis and A. latus. These species share a solid combination of features that enable them to be separated from the other Adustonotus species (e.g., large size, the humeral angles spatulate and exceptionally produced, and the capsula seminalis shortened). Illustrations of external and internal genitalia, and a distributional map are provided.

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Complement to the knowledge of the Haploops species (Crustacea, Gammaridea, Ampeliscidae), with the description of two new species from North Atlantic Ocean. [Contribution to the knowledge of the Haploops genus. 10.]

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.5048.2.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5048 (2) ◽

pp. 151-175

Author(s):

R.A. KAIM-MALKA ◽

D. BELLAN-SANTINI ◽

J.C. DAUVIN

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Ocean ◽

North Atlantic ◽

North Atlantic Ocean ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Valid Species ◽

Single Pair ◽

The North ◽

Two New Species ◽

The Status ◽

The North Atlantic

Two new Haploops species are described from the North Atlantic Ocean: a blind species Haploops faroensis spec. nov. and Haploops truncata spec. nov. with a single pair of corneal lenses. In addition, Haploops vallifera Stephensen 1925 and Haploops similis Stephensen 1925, are re-described and the status of Haploops spinosa Shoemaker 1931, is re-established as a valid species. A table is given of the 75 morphological characters of the studied species.

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Pupae of the Nearctic species of Culicoides Latreille subgenus Monoculicoides Khalaf (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4504.4.1 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4504 (4) ◽

pp. 451

Author(s):

PHILLIP SHULTS ◽

ART BORKENT

Keyword(s):

Species Identification ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Valid Species ◽

Biogeographic Region ◽

Nearctic Region

There are 160 valid species of Culicoides Latreille described from the Nearctic Region, but many are unknown as immatures or, although partially described, cannot be readily identified. We provide pupal diagnoses, descriptions, and a key to all seven known species of Culicoides subgenus Monoculicoides Khalaf occurring in the Nearctic biogeographic region. A diagnosis of several characters unique to this subgenus is provided to allow for the recognition of the included species from those of other subgeneric groupings. Microphotography of important morphological characters for both the key and descriptions are provided. This study highlights the usefulness of examining the pupae of Culicoides as a tool for species identification. The pupae of Culicoides grandensis Grogan & Phillips, C. occidentalis Wirth & Jones, and C. shemanchuki Grogan & Lysyk are newly described and those of C. riethi Kieffer, C. stigma (Meigen), and C. variipennis Wirth & Jones are redescribed in detail. The seventh species, C. sonorensis, was fully described recently.

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Taxonomic review of Colombian Parodon (Characiformes: Parodontidae), with descriptions of three new species

Neotropical Ichthyology ◽

10.1590/s1679-62252011000400003 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 709-730 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alejandro Londoño-Burbano ◽

César Román-Valencia ◽

Donald C. Taphorn

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

River Basin ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Valid Species ◽

Type Specimens ◽

River Drainage ◽

Distribution Maps ◽

Maracaibo Basin ◽

Three New Species ◽

Magdalena River

We review species of Parodon Valenciennes, 1850 from the Magdalena, Cauca, Orinoco, Amazonas, Atrato and Caribbean-Guajira River basins of Colombia using meristic and morphological characters. We recognize eight valid species, five previously described: P. apolinari Myers, from the Orinoco River basin; P. buckleyi Boulenger and P. pongoensis (Allen) from the upper Amazon; P. caliensis Boulenger, from the upper Cauca River drainage; and P. suborbitalis Valenciennes, from Lake Maracaibo basin. Three new species are described: P. alfonsoi, from the lower Magdalena River drainage; P. magdalenensis, from the middle Magdalena and upper Cauca River drainages; and P. atratoensis, from the Atrato River basin. We redescribe Parodon suborbitalis using type specimens and topotypes, and designate lectotypes. A taxonomic key is included for identification of the species, as well as geographic distribution maps.

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Corrigendum to: Cladistic analysis and revision of Piestus Gravenhorst with remarks on related genera (Coleoptera : Staphylinidae : Piestinae)

Invertebrate Systematics ◽

10.1071/is10016_co ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 129

Author(s):

Edilson Caron ◽

Cibele S. Ribeiro-Costa ◽

Alfred F. Newton

Keyword(s):

Cladistic Analysis ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Sister Group ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Valid Species ◽

Phylogenetic Position ◽

Neotropical Forests ◽

Rove Beetles ◽

New Synonyms ◽

Branch Support

Rove beetles of the genus Piestus Gravenhorst, 1806 are commonly captured under the bark of or inside decaying logs from Neotropical forests. Piestus belongs to the subfamily Piestinae, historically an ill-defined dumping-ground for Staphylinidae defined by plesiomorphic characters, but which has gradually been restricted in concept and currently includes only six additional extant genera worldwide. Piestinae in this restricted sense has been considered a probably monophyletic subfamily, but its status and phylogenetic position, as a possible sister-group of Osoriinae within the recently proposed Oxyteline group of staphylinid subfamilies, are uncertain and need confirmation. The main aim of the present study was to provide a morphological cladistic analysis and complete taxonomic revision of Piestus, which, as the type and most speciose genus of Piestinae, is critical for future phylogenetic studies involving the subfamily. In our study, the monophyly of Piestus is established and phylogenetic relationships among its species are proposed based on 70 adult morphological characters. Piestus is supported by 11 synapomorphies and high branch support. All species of Piestus are revised and the genus is redefined. The genus contains 43 species, including 13 species described here for the first time. The previously proposed subgenera Antropiestus Bernhauer, 1917, Eccoptopiestus Scheerpeltz, 1952, Elytropiestus Scheerpeltz, 1952, Lissopiestus Scheerpeltz, 1952, Piestus s. str., Trachypiestus Scheerpeltz, 1952 and Zirophorus Dalman, 1821 have not been confirmed, as they were found to be poly- or paraphyletic, or are here removed from Piestus, and therefore subgenera are not used. The main taxonomic changes are as follows. Lissopiestus, syn. nov. is proposed as new synonym of Eleusis Laporte, 1835 and its species, E. interrupta (Erichson, 1840), comb. rest., is transferred again to that genus. Antropiestus, syn. nov. and Eccoptopiestus, syn. nov. are proposed as new synonyms of Hypotelus Erichson, 1839 and their species, H. laevis (Solsky, 1872), comb. nov. and H. andinus (Bernhauer, 1917), comb. nov., are transferred to Hypotelus. Fourteen new synonymies are proposed (valid species listed first): P. lacordairei Laporte, 1835 = Z. furcatus Sharp, 1887, syn. nov.; P. capricornis Laporte, 1835 = P. frontalis Sharp, 1876, syn. nov.; P. pennicornis Fauvel, 1864 = P. plagiatus Fauvel, 1864, syn. nov.; P. rectus Sharp, 1876, syn. nov.; P. pygialis Fauvel, 1902, syn. nov.; P. surinamensis Bernhauer, 1928, syn. nov.; P. minutus Erichson, 1840 = P. nigrator Fauvel, 1902, syn. nov.; P. sulcatus Gravenhorst, 1806 = P. sanctaecatharinae Bernhauer, 1906, syn. nov.; P. condei Wendeler, 1955, syn. nov.; P. gounellei Fauvel, 1902 = P. wasmanni Fauvel, 1902, syn. nov.; P. mexicanus Laporte, 1835 = P. alternans Sharp, 1887, syn. nov.; P. aper Sharp, 1876 = P. schadei Scheerpeltz, 1952, syn. nov.; P. angularis Fauvel, 1864 = P. crassicornis Sharp, 1887, syn. nov.; H. andinus (Bernhauer, 1917) = P. strigipennis Bernhauer, 1921, syn. nov. One species is revalidated: P. fronticornis (Dalman, 1821), stat. rev., and one synonym is restored: P. penicillatus (Dalman, 1821) = P. erythropus Erichson, 1840, syn. rest. Neotypes are designated for P. lacordairei Laporte, 1835 and Oxytelus bicornis Olivier, 1811, and lectotypes are designated for P. puncticollis Fauvel, 1902, P. capricornis variety muticus Fauvel, 1902, P. zischkai Scheerpeltz, 1951, P. pennicornis Fauvel, 1864, P. plagiatus Fauvel, 1864, P. pygmaeus Laporte, 1835, P. niger Fauvel 1864, P. minutus Erichson, 1840, P. nigratror Fauvel, 1902, P. sulcatus Gravenhorst, 1806, P. sanctaecatharinae Bernhauer, 1906, P. sulcipennis Scheerpeltz, 1952, P. aper Sharp, 1876, P. schadei Scheerpeltz, 1952 and P. andinus Bernhauer, 1917.

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A new species of Sacada Walker, 1862 from Thailand (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae, Pyralinae)

Evolutionary Systematics ◽

10.3897/evolsyst.4.59893 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 71-77

Author(s):

Markku J. Pellinen ◽

Reza Zahiri ◽

Pasi Sihvonen

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Dna Barcode ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Valid Species ◽

Morphological Comparison ◽

Northern Thailand ◽

Lepidoptera Pyralidae ◽

A New Species

A new species of Sacada from northern Thailand is described: S. chaehomensissp. nov. Pellinen & Zahiri (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae, Pyralinae). Morphological characters and DNA barcode data are provided for the new species, with a morphological comparison to S. dzonguensis and S. umtasorensis, and a DNA-barcode comparison to S. ragonotalis and S. albioculalis, respectively. After this addition, the current number of valid species in the genus Sacada is 43.

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