Evidence of cryptic speciation in a fossorial reptile: description of a new species of Blanus (Squamata: Amphisbaenia: Blanidae) from the Iberian Peninsula

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2234 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
EVA M. ALBERT ◽  
ADRIÁN FERNÁNDEZ

A recent phylogeographic study using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA revealed the presence of two well defined allopatric clades of Blanus cinereus in the Iberian Peninsula. Using both univariate and multivariate statistical analyses, we show evidence of morphological differentiation between the two clades. Despite the lack of visually diagnosable morphological characters, the morphological and molecular data suggest that differentiation between the two clades was significantly enough to prevent in the past gene flow and therefore to warrant a specific status for each of the two clades. We suggest that the constraints of the subterranean life could increase the chances of experiencing cryptic speciation in worm lizards. In order to establish a taxonomic re-arrangement for the Iberian Blanus we designate a lectotype for B. cinereus from populations of central Iberia and describe a new species; Blanus mariae sp. nov. from southwestern regions of the Iberian Peninsula.

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4486 (4) ◽  
pp. 575 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIGUEL VENCES ◽  
ANDREA HILDENBRAND ◽  
KATHARINA M. WARMUTH ◽  
FRANCO ANDREONE ◽  
FRANK GLAW

The subgenus Brygoomantis in the Madagascar-endemic genus Mantidactylus contains 12 nominal species but is in urgent need of taxonomic revision as many additional, genetically divergent but undescribed candidate species have been identified. We here take a first step towards a better resolution of this group by describing a new species, Mantidactylus schulzi sp. nov., occurring at the Tsaratanana and Manongarivo Massifs, differentiated in genetic, bioacoustic and sometimes morphological characters from its closest relatives. We show that upon detailed study, most species in Brygoomantis can be delimited by concordant differentiation of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and by bioacoustic and morphological differences. We flag this group of morphologically similar frogs as a test case where molecular data on historical type specimens by ancient DNA methods might be needed to reach a satisfying clarification of taxonomy and nomenclature. However, the status of the new species M. schulzi is not in doubt as it is morphologically distinct from most historical type specimens, and microendemic to a region in northern Madagascar from where no earlier names exist. 


Phytotaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 415 (4) ◽  
pp. 179-188
Author(s):  
XIANG-NYU CHEN ◽  
MING ZHANG ◽  
TAI-HUI LI ◽  
NIAN-KAI ZENG

Heimioporus sinensis, collected from tropical and subtropical areas of China, is introduced as a new species based on both morphological characters and molecular data. The species is characterized by the purplish red to deep magenta pileus, the reticulated stipe, the irregularly reticulate to reticulate-alveolate basidiospores 11.5–13.5 × 8–9.5 μm, and a trichodermal to intricately trichodermal pileipellis. Phylogenetic analyses based on the nuc 28S rDNA D1-D2 domains (28S) and the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1-α) showed that H. sinensis is a distinct member of the genus Heimioporus in the subfamily Xerocomoideae.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 392 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZHUN XU ◽  
NENG WEI ◽  
YING TAN ◽  
SHUAI PENG ◽  
VERONICAH MUTELE NGUMBAU ◽  
...  

Paris lihengiana (Melanthiaceae), a new species from Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated based on evidence from morphological characters and molecular phylogeny. It differs from other species of Paris in its pubescent stem, pedicel and abaxial leaf surface, as well as other characters. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of 33 taxa in Paris was conducted based on nuclear ribosomal ITS and six plastid markers. Paris lihengiana is supported as a new species by both morphological characters and molecular data.


Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2014 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJARTE H. JORDAL

A new species of the Malagasy genus Dolurgocleptes Schedl, 1965 is described and illustrated. This is the second species known for the genus, which is restricted to the montane rainforests of north-eastern Madagascar. Dolurgocleptes is transferred from the tribe Dryocoetini to Polygraphini and placed near Polygraphus Erichson, based on examination of internal and external morphological characters and molecular data from Elongation Factor-1α and Cytochrome Oxidase I.


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4263 (1) ◽  
pp. 179 ◽  
Author(s):  
VINH QUANG LUU ◽  
TRUONG QUANG NGUYEN ◽  
MINH DUC LE ◽  
MICHAEL BONKOWSKI ◽  
THOMAS ZIEGLER

A new species of the Gekko japonicus group is described from Khammouane Province, central Laos, based on morphological characters and molecular data. Morphologically, Gekko nadenensis sp. nov. is differentiated from the remaining congeners by a combination of the following characters: size moderate (SVL 61.0–77.1 mm); nares bordered with rostral; internasals absent; postmentals enlarged; interorbital scales between anterior corners of the eyes 28–30; dorsal tubercles absent; ventral scales between mental and cloacal slit 175–185; midbody scale rows 123–140; ventral scale rows 38–40; subdigital lamellae on first toes 13–15, on fourth toes 14–16; finger and toe webbing present at base; tubercles on dorsal surface of fore and hind limbs absent; precloacal pores six (3+3 or 5+1) in a discontinuous row in males, absent in the female; postcloacal tubercles 1 or 2; tubercles absent on dorsal surface of tail base; subcaudals distinctly enlarged; dorsal surface of body with greyish brown blotches. Molecular analyses demonstrated the new species is closely related to G. bonkowskii and G. thakhekensis, but separated from them by approximately 7% in genetic divergence as shown by a fragment of the mitochondrial ND2 gene.


Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4895 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-380
Author(s):  
OMAR TORRES-CARVAJAL ◽  
JUAN C. SÁNCHEZ-NIVICELA ◽  
VALENTINA POSSE ◽  
ELVIS CELI ◽  
CLAUDIA KOCH

Leptodeira is one of the most widespread and taxonomically problematic snake taxa in the Americas. Here we describe a new species of Leptodeira from the Andes of southern Ecuador based on morphological and molecular data. The new species is geographically close and morphologically similar to L. ornata and L. larcorum, from which it can be distinguished by having smaller dorsal body blotches, a longer tail, and shorter spines on the hemipenial body. The shortest genetic distances between the new species and its congeners are 0.02 (16S), 0.05 (cytb), and 0.18 (ND4). The new species is restricted to the Jubones River Basin in southern Ecuador, an area of endemism for other reptile species. Our phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data also supports recognition of the names L. larcorum (restricted to Peru) for “L. septentrionalis larcorum”, and L. ornata for populations of “L. s. ornata” from central and eastern Panama, western Colombia, and western Ecuador. However, some samples of “L. s. ornata” from Panama and Costa Rica, as well as the new species described herein, are not included within or more closely related to L. ornata, which is sister to the clade (L. bakeri, L. ashmeadii). 


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4903 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-150
Author(s):  
KONSTANTIN B. GONGALSKY ◽  
PAVEL S. NEFEDIEV ◽  
ILYA S. TURBANOV

A new species of the family Agnaridae, Lucasioides altaicus sp. nov., is described from the Altai Mountains, southwestern Siberia, based both on morphological characters and molecular data. This species is the first record of Lucasioides from Russia, whose location is the northernmost habitat of terrestrial isopods in indigenous habitats presently known to Eurasia. The diagnostic characters of the new species and a preliminary phylogenetic analysis within Agnaridae are provided. 


Phytotaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 275 (3) ◽  
pp. 228
Author(s):  
MINE KOÇYIĞIT ◽  
ALEXEY P. SEREGIN ◽  
NERIMAN ÖZHATAY ◽  
NIKOLAI FRIESEN

The taxonomy of the Allium saxatile group (sect. Oreiprason) has been studied recently upon morphological and molecular data. New specimens collected from the European part of Turkey near the Istranca Mountains and identified as ‘A. saxatile’ proved to be a new species confirmed by sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and two plastid DNA regions (rpl32–trnL and trnL–trnF) and supported by morphological characters. Allium urusakiorum, a new species from the A. saxatile group, is described here through living and herbarium specimens. It is the only species of the sect. Oreiprason in the country and seems to be an endemic species of the Turkish flora. Characteristics of the species include morphological description, identification key, molecular dataset, and karyotype (2n = 16).


Phytotaxa ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARC PIGNAL ◽  
ROXANA YOCKTENG ◽  
DAVID J. HEARN ◽  
JEAN-NOËL LABAT

Morphological characters support the description of a new species of Passifloraceae from Mayotte Island: Adenia barthelatii M. Pignal, Yockteng, Hearn & Labat. Morphological and molecular data suggest that A. barthelatii belongs to the ‘warty-gland’ subclade of Clade V defined by Hearn elsewhere. Since the warty-gland clade is restricted to the Malagasy region we suggest a Malagasy origin of this Maorian species of Adenia.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Mateos ◽  
Paula Escuer ◽  
Galina Buşmachiu ◽  
Marta Riutort ◽  
Marta Álvarez-Presas

European Lepidocyrtus species are usually grouped into five species-groups within two subgenera, Lepidocyrtus s.s. and Lanocyrtus, defined by the distribution of scale covering and dorsal head and body macrochaetotaxy. The discovery of several Lepidocyrtus populations with morphological characters intermediate between two species-groups suggested the need for the present study to test whether molecular data provide support to these groups. The morphology and gene sequences of 110 specimens belonging to 19 species of European Lepidocyrtus have been studied. Our molecular results are congruent with the distribution of the European species into the five groups established in the literature on the basis of morphological characters, but also indicated that subgenus Lanocyrtus is paraphyletic while subgenus Lepidocyrtus s.s. is monophyletic. A new species, Lepidocyrtus intermedius, is described, and a redefinition of European species-groups is proposed based on chaetotaxy.


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