The current taxonomic status of Tornier's cat-snake (Crotaphopeltis tornieri)

1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Bødtker Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
New Records ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Geographical Range ◽  
The West ◽  
New Information ◽  
Vicariance Event ◽  
History Of ◽  
Recent Collection ◽  
Range Variation

AbstractThe recent collection of more than 50 specimens and more than 140 eggs of Tornier's cat-snake, Crotaphopeltis tornieri, together with an examination of material already deposited in various museums provides new records outside the previously known geographical range. Variation in external and internal characters has been examined and the results have been analyzed. In regard to several characters, including the internal ones, the population of the East Usambara Mountains in Tanzania is significantly different from the population of the West Usambara Mountains, probably indicating an early vicariance event between the two areas. Due to the lack of data relating to internal characters, the affinities of the populations further south remain obscure, and no nomenclatural conclusions have so far been reached. The recently acquired specimens provide new information on the natural history of the species.

scholarly journals Notes on the Life Cycle and Natural History of Dismorphia Virgo (Lepidoptera Pieridae: Dismorphiinae) in Costa Rica

1972 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen M. Young
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Central American ◽  
South American ◽  
Species Status ◽  
New Information ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Common

This paper summarizes the life cycle and some aspects of natural history of the tropical pierid, Dismorphia virgo (Dismorphiinae) in Costa Rica. The precise taxonomic status of the butterfly in Central America has not been established, and it may represent a variable northern isolate of the common South American D. critomedia. Therefore, independent of whether the Central American form discussed in this paper has achieved full species status as the more northern virgo or is a subspecies or variety of critomedia evolving towards species status, this paper provides new information on the biology of the butterfly in Costa Rica. The establishment of precise taxonomic position awaits further study, and for the present purpose, I refer to the butterfly as D. virgo.

Taxonomy and distribution of the Brazilian species of Thylamys (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) / La taxonomie et la distribution des espèces brésiliennes du genre Thylamys (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae)

Mammalia ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 70 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Carmignotto ◽  
Talitha Monfort
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Geographic Distribution ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Skull Morphology ◽  
Geographic Variations ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Brazilian Species ◽  
New Information ◽  
Capture Method ◽  
Scientific Collections

AbstractThe recent increase in mammal inventories and the widespread use of pitfall traps as a major capture method in Brazil have increased the number of non-volant small mammal specimens in scientific collections, providing new information on natural history, geographical range, and taxonomic status of many marsupials and rodents. To date, however, little is known about the Brazilian species of the marsupial genus Thylamys : the number of species in the country is disputed, as are their names and geographic distribution. Thus, the aim of this study was to define the Brazilian species of the genus, delimiting their taxonomic status and distributional range. We provide qualitative and quantitative data on external and skull morphology for specimens housed in scientific collections. A study of the material available allowed us to recognize the occurrence of three species in Brazil: Thylamys karimii (Petter, 1968), T. macrurus (Olfers, 1818) and T. velutinus (Wagner, 1842). For each of these we provide redescriptions, a discussion of local and geographic variations, geographic distribution, taxonomy, age class differentiation, sexual dimorphism, and natural history.

Taxonomy, natural history, and conservation of the Great-billed Seed-Finch Sporophila maximiliani (Cabanis, 1851) (Thraupidae, Sporophilinae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4442 (4) ◽  
pp. 551 ◽  
Author(s):  
FLÁVIO KULAIF UBAID ◽  
LUÍS FABIO SILVEIRA ◽  
CESAR A. B. MEDOLAGO ◽  
THIAGO V. V. COSTA ◽  
MERCIVAL ROBERTO FRANCISCO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
South America ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Morphometric Characters ◽  
History Of

Seed-finches are small-sized Neotropical granivorous birds characterized by extremely strong and thick beaks. Among these birds, the Great-billed Seed-Finch Sporophila maximiliani has been selectively and intensively trapped to the extent that has become one of the most endangered bird species in South America, yet its taxonomy remains complex and controversial. Two subspecies have been recognized: S. m. maximiliani (Cabanis, 1851), mainly from the Cerrado of central South America, and S. m. parkesi Olson (= Oryzoborus m. magnirostris), from northeastern South America. Originally, S. m. parkesi was diagnosed as being larger than the Large-billed Seed-Finch, S. c. crassirostris (Gmelin, 1789), but proper comparisons with S. m. maximiliani, which is larger than S. c. crassirostris, were never performed. Here we provide a review of the taxonomic and nomenclatural history of S. maximiliani, reevaluate the validity and taxonomic status of the subspecies based on morphological characters, and significantly revise its geographic distribution. Analyses based on plumage patterns and a Principal Component Analysis of morphometric characters indicated that S. m. parkesi is most appropriately treated as a synonym of the nominate taxon, which results in a monotypic S. maximiliani comprising two disjunct populations. Further, we conducted systematic searches for S. maximiliani in Brazil, in an attempt to obtain natural history information. After more than 6,000 hours of fieldwork in 45 areas of potential and historical occurrence, S. maximiliani was located only in two sites, in marshy environments called veredas, confirming the critical conservation status of this species, at least in Brazil. We discuss the conservation potential for, and the problems involved with, captive breeding of S. maximiliani for reintroduction into the wild. 

scholarly journals Utilization of Natural History Information in Evidence based Herpetoculture: A Proposed Protocol and Case Study with Hydrodynastes gigas (False Water Cobra)

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2021
Author(s):  
Zachary J. Loughman
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Scientific Inference ◽  
New Information ◽  
History Information ◽  
History Of ◽  
Available Information

Herpetocultural practices are based on norms driven by economy of space and time for keepers, with little scientific inference backing their practice. In recent years, a subset of herpetoculturalists have promoted evidence-based husbandry that relies on science and experimental design to generate husbandry practice. A theoretical framework and protocol are proposed herein that enables any individual who has access to the internet the ability to use various outlets of natural history information (scientific literature databases, social media sources, and weather websites) and previously published husbandry reports as evidence to drive the creation of novel herpetocultural practice. A case study is provided which compares readily available information on the care of Hydrodynastes gigas (false water cobra), such as online care sheets for the species, with the proposed evidence based herpetocultural protocol founded on natural history information and published care and captive breeding reports. Results were assessed for protocol efficacy and determined that the natural history informed evidence-based approach increased animal welfare and generated new information specific to the natural history of H. gigas.

The natural history and morphology of two bromeliad associated hispines from Brazil: Acentroptera basilica Thomson, 1856 and A. cf. tessellata Baly, 1958 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Sceloenoplini)

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4243 (3) ◽  
pp. 521
Author(s):  
FABIANO F. ALBERTONI ◽  
SÔNIA A. CASARI
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
New Records ◽  
Female Genitalia ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Leaf Miners ◽  
History Of ◽  
First Time

The natural history of Acentroptera basilica Guérin-Méneville, 1844 and A. cf. tessellata Baly, 1958 (Cassidinae: Sceloenoplini) associated with Aechmea aquilega Salisb. and Vriesea sp. (Bromeliaceae), respectively, is registered. Adults of both species are leaf scrapers, although larvae are leaf-miners. The immature stages of both species of Acentroptera are described and illustrated for the first time. The male and the female genitalia of A. basilica and new records for both species are also included. 

The Difaqane: The Mfecane in the Southern Sotho Area, 1822–24

1967 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
William F. Lye
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
The West ◽  
New Information ◽  
History Of

The accounts of theDifaqanewritten in all the major histories of South Africa are based on three books which were written over fifty years ago: G. W. Stow,The Native Races of South Africa; D. F. Ellenberger and J. C. Macgregor,The History of the Bosuto; and especially the earliest, G. M. Theal,History of South Africa.Certain contradictions exist between the story as told in these accounts and the evidence brought to light by the publication of the journals of Robert Moffat and David Livingstone. The object of this study is to reconstruct the events of the wars from the broadest possible evidence to give a more complete description, and thereby to test the revision implicit in the new information.This revision is required properly to identify the participants in the battles which were observed by Europeans in the western Tswana lands, especially the battle at Dithakong. In the earlier histories all the battles were attributed to the ‘Mantatee’, a name properly applied to one group of Tlokwa ruled at the time by the regentess, MmaNthatisi. Now it is possible to show that these Tlokwa were never in the west, but restricted their migrations to the valley of the Caledon River. Nor can their enemies, the Hlubi of Mpangazita and the Ngwane of Matiwane, be blamed, for they too remained in the east. Rather, the victims of these three bands, the Sotho peoples of the Caledon valley, can be identified as the aggressors among the Tswana beyond the Vaal. Moffat identified the Phuting of Tshane and the Hlakwana of Nkgaraganye. Livingstone demonstrated the role played by Sebetwane and his Fokeng, and Thomas Hodgson implicated Moletsane, the Taung.While many gaps in our information still exist, this reconstruction seems to justify the revision of the accepted account of theDifaqane.

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