Hydrophis donaldi (Elapidae, Hydrophiinae), a highly distinctive new species of sea snake from northern Australia

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3201 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
KANISHKA D.B. UKUWELA ◽  
KATE L. SANDERS ◽  
BRYAN G. FRY
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
The Body ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Sea Snake ◽  
Sea Snakes ◽  
Morphological Diagnosis ◽  
By Catch

A new species of viviparous sea snake, Hydrophis donaldi sp. nov. (Hydrophiinae), is described from the Gulf of Carpen-taria, northern Australia. Molecular analyses reveal this species as a deeply divergent lineage within the Hydrophis sub-group, and separate it from all other sampled taxa by fixed nucleotide substitutions at three independent mitochondrial andnuclear loci. The new species is assigned to Hydrophis based on the current morphological diagnosis of this large but pa-raphyletic genus, and is distinguished from all other Hydrophis species and closely allied genera by a combination of mor-phological characters relating to scalation, colour pattern and osteology. Using current keys for sea snakes, H. donaldi sp.nov. might be mistaken for H. coggeri, H. sibauensis or H. torquatus diadema but it is readily distinguished from thesespecies by a higher number of bands on the body and tail, lower ventral count, strongly spinous body scales, and a wider,more rounded head. Sea snakes have been sampled intensively in the Gulf of Carpentaria due to their vulnerability to by-catch in the region’s commercial prawn-trawl fisheries. That this highly distinctive new species has evaded discovery inthe region until now is surprising, but might be explained by its habitat preferences. All known specimens of H. donaldi sp. nov. were found in estuarine habitats that are relatively poorly surveyed and are not targeted by commercial fisheries.

scholarly journals Aipysurus mosaicus, a new species of egg-eating sea snake (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae), with a redescription of Aipysurus eydouxii (Gray, 1849)

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3431 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
KATE L. SANDERS ◽  
ARNE R. RASMUSSEN ◽  
JOHAN ELMBERG ◽  
MUMPUNI _ ◽  
MICHAEL GUINEA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Sea Snake ◽  
Sea Snakes ◽  
Species Pairs ◽  
Coastal Sea ◽  
A New Species

We describe a new species of egg-eating sea snake, Aipysurus mosaicus sp. nov., from northern Australia and southernNew Guinea. This species was previously considered to be an allopatric population of A. eydouxii, which occursthroughout the Sunda Shelf and in New Guinea. Molecular analyses reveal these two species to be sister lineages withfixed nucleotide substitutions at three independent mitochondrial and nuclear loci, and a deep phylogenetic divergenceexceeding that of all other sampled species pairs in Aipysurus. Aipysurus mosaicus sp. nov. is also distinguished from A.eydouxii by morphological characters relating to scalation (e.g. number of ventral scales), colour pattern (e.g. number andshape of transverse body bands), internal soft anatomy (e.g. position of heart in relation to ventral scales), and skeletalmorphology (e.g. shape of nasal and caudal neural spines). Additional sampling is needed to clarify the extent ofgeographic contact between A. eydouxii and the new species in New Guinea where they appear to be sympatric. It is likelythat the boundaries between these taxa will be mirrored in other coastal sea snakes with ranges spanning the deep watersof the Timor Trench; discovery of such cryptic species will have important implications for conservation of this highly diverse but relatively poorly studied group of marine vertebrates.

Age structures and reproductive patterns of two species of sea snake, Lapemis hardwickii Grey (1836) and Hydrophis elegans (Grey 1842), incidentally captured by prawn trawlers in northern Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Maturity ◽  
Ecological Effects ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Sea Snake ◽  
Reproductive Patterns ◽  
Sea Snakes ◽  
By Catch ◽  
Reproductive Cycles ◽  
Age Structures

Lapemis hardwickiiand Hydrophis elegans caught by prawn trawlers reach at least 6.7 and 8.9 years of age respectively.Most L.hardwickii sampled were 2—4 years of age,and most H.elegans were 3—5 years of age. Female L.hardwickii and H.elegans appear to reach sexual maturity after 2 years and minimum snout—vent lengths of approximately 76 and 120 cm respectively.The reproductive cycles of L.hardwickii and H.elegans are similar:mating occurs between early May and the end of July;ovulation during August —September;and gestation during September—December and September—February respectively.L.hardwickii and H.elegans produce approximately 8.5 and 12.7 offspring per clutch respectively.However,female L.hardwickii breed annually whereas female H.elegans only breed every 2—3 years.The mean annual reproductive outputs of L. hardwickii (8.4 offspring per year)and H.elegans (7.5)are thus similar. Sea snakes appear to be less fecund and more susceptible to trawler-induced effects than most by-catch taxa,and should be a focus of future strategies to ameliorate the ecological effects of prawn trawling in northern Australia.

Two new annual fishes (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) unexpectedly discovered in the highlands of southern Brazil

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4949 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-520
Author(s):  
LUIS ESTEBAN KRAUSE LANÉS ◽  
MATHEUS VIEIRA VOLCAN ◽  
LEONARDO MALTCHIK
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
The Body ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Body Depth ◽  
Body Contact ◽  
Morphometric Features ◽  
Natural Grassland ◽  
Two Populations

Two new species of Austrolebias are described based on specimens collected from temporary pools located in natural grassland landscape within the Araucaria Forest domain at exceptionally high altitudes (~1000 meters a.s.l.). Austrolebias botocudo sp. n. and Austrolebias nubium sp. n. occur, respectively, in drainages of upper rio Apuaê-Inhandava (upper rio Uruguay basin) and upper rio Taquari-Antas (upper rio Jacuí, Laguna dos Patos basin), in the Meridional Plateau of southern Brazil. Despite an intensive survey conducted in the area, only two populations of each species were recorded. Both new species occurs at altitudes that are among the higher recorded for species of the genus, and both are assigned to the subgenus Acrolebias. The new species described herein are easily distinguished for its congeners by the colour pattern of males, by presence of melanophores irregularly distributed in different parts of the body, contact organs cover the body and anal fins, position of fins related with vertebrae, by preopercular and mandibular series of neuromasts united, by a series of morphometric features and by larger maximum standard length. Austrolebias botocudo and A. nubium are distinguished from each other by colour pattern of males, length of contact organs in the flank and number of contact organs in scales of lateral line, dorsal profile of head, number of neuromasts in the preopercular + mandibular series, body depth in females, and by basihyal cartilage length. Additionally, we discuss the conservation status of the new species, and provided an identification key for the species of the subgenus Acrolebias. 

Paracobitis abrishamchiani, a new crested loach from the southern Caspian Sea basin (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4545 (3) ◽  
pp. 375 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAMED MOUSAVI-SABET ◽  
SABER VATANDOUST ◽  
MATTHIAS F. GEIGER ◽  
JÖRG FREYHOF
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Caspian Sea ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Dorsal Fin ◽  
Mtdna Coi ◽  
River Drainages ◽  
Southern Caspian Sea

Paracobitis abrishamchiani, new species, is described from the southern Caspian Sea basin, where it is found in the Babol, Haraz, Siah, Tajan, Talar and Kashpal River drainages. It is distinguished from P. hircanica and P. atrakensis, the two other Paracobitis species known from the Caspian Sea basin, by having scales on the flank posterior to the dorsal-fin origin and from its congeners in the Middle East by the position of its dorsal-fin origin, having a roundish posterior narial opening, and a colour pattern consisting of many widely spaced brown spots and blotches. It is further characterized by six diagnostic nucleotide substitutions and a minimum K2P distance of 4.3% to P. persa and 4.6% to P. malapterura in the mtDNA COI barcode region. 

scholarly journals Description of two new Carlia species (Reptilia: Scincidae) from north-east Australia, elevation of Carlia pectoralis inconnexa Ingram & Covacevich 1989 to full species status, and redescription of Carlia pectoralis (de Vis 1884)

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3546 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
CONRAD J. HOSKIN ◽  
PATRICK J. COUPER
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Species Status ◽  
North East ◽  
Full Species ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Open Forests

Scincid lizards belonging to the genus Carlia are found in eastern and northern Australia and in New Guinea andassociated islands. These skinks are a particularly diverse component of the reptile fauna of north-east Australia. Carliapectoralis (de Vis 1884) was formerly regarded as occurring over much of eastern Queensland, in north-east Australia.Here we show that it consists of four species: Carlia pectoralis, Carlia decora sp. nov., Carlia rubigo sp. nov. and Carliainconnexa Ingram & Covacevich 1989 (which was formerly described as a subspecies of C. pectoralis). Herein, wedescribe two new species, elevate C. p. inconnexa to full species status with a revised description, and redescribe C.pectoralis sensu stricto. The four species differ in aspects of scalation, morphology and colour pattern. Carlia decora sp.nov. occurs in vine thickets, rainforest margins and moist open forests in high rainfall coastal areas of mid-east and north-east Queensland. Carlia rubigo sp. nov. occurs in dry open forests of inland eastern Queensland and in some coastal areasof mid-eastern Queensland. Carlia pectoralis is distributed through open forests of south-east Queensland. Carliainconnexa is restricted to rocky open forests on islands of ‘the Whitsundays’ off mid-eastern Queensland. The addition of these three species brings the number of Australian Carlia to 22 species, 17 of which are found in Queensland.

Sea snake by-catch of fish trawlers on the northern Australian continental shelf

1996 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 625 ◽  
Author(s):  
TM Ward
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Absolute Abundance ◽  
Sea Snake ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Sea Snakes ◽  
Exponential Decline ◽  
Arafura Sea ◽  
By Catch ◽  
Trawl Surveys

During 1986-90, 206 sea snakes were collected from Taiwanese pair-trawlers (North West Shelf, 1986-87), Thai stern-trawlers (Arafura Sea, 1986-87), RV Soela (North West Shelf, 1986) and RV Clipper Bird (Timor and Arafura Seas, 1990). Taiwanese (58 specimens; 294.8 h trawled) and Thai (71 specimens; 1244 h trawled) vessels trawled in 50-75 m and caught 10 and 7 species respectively. The Soela (41 specimens; 72.5 h trawled) and Clipper Bird (36 specimens; 103 h trawled) operated in depths of 19-198 m and each caught 12 species. Hydrophines (10 species plus one specimen from an undescribed taxon) represented 68.4% of the specimens. Aipysurines (6 species) were more common in samples from the North West Shelf (46.2% of taxa, 56.6% of specimens) than from the Timor and Arafura Seas (28.6% of taxa, 11.2% of specimens). Taiwanese boats on the North West Shelf (1980-90) and Thai boats in the Arafura Sea (1985-90) were estimated to have caught 49000 (� 5600) and 10000 (� 1250) sea snakes respectively. Trawl surveys (e.g. Soela and Clipper Bird) may be unsuitable for monitoring sea snakes, because approximately 25 surveys would be needed to detect a 20% exponential decline in absolute abundance.

scholarly journals A striking new species of Papuan groundsnake (Stegonotus: Colubridae) from southern Papua New Guinea, with a dichotomous key to the genus in New Guinea

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4926 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-42
Author(s):  
MARK O’SHEA ◽  
STEPHEN J. RICHARDS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
River Basin ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Temporal Scale ◽  
The Body ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Dichotomous Key ◽  
Dark Pigmentation ◽  
A New Species

We describe a new species of groundsnake of the genus Stegonotus (Colubridae) from the Purari River basin in Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea. The new species can be most readily distinguished from all other New Guinean Stegonotus by its unique dorsal colour pattern which consists of a dark head and creamy-white anterior one third to two thirds of the body, grading into increasingly dense dark pigmentation on the posterior of the body and tail. It is most similar to S. iridis from the Raja Ampat Archipelago off western New Guinea, but that species has a different pattern of pigmentation dorsally, has a lower ventral scale count (198–211 vs. 229–239), and exhibits a different temporal scale arrangement. The description of S. aplini sp. nov. brings to fourteen the number of Stegonotus species described from New Guinea. A dichotomous key to described species in the New Guinea region is provided. 

The westernmost known population of Paracobitis (Teleostei, Nemacheilidae), with the description of a new species from the Euphrates River in southern Anatolia

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4838 (4) ◽  
pp. 525-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
CÜNEYT KAYA ◽  
DAVUT TURAN ◽  
GÖKHAN KALAYCI ◽  
ESRA BAYÇELEBİ ◽  
JÖRG FREYHOF
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Caudal Fin ◽  
Euphrates River ◽  
A New Species

Paracobitis salihae, new species, from the Göksu River in the western upper Euphrates drainage, is distinguished from other Paracobitis species by possessing a truncate caudal-fin, and a dark-brown vermiculate or marbled colour pattern. It is also characterised by 19 variable nucleotide substitutions, three diagnostic nucleotides and 3.6% minimum K2P distance compared to geographically adjacent and related P. zabgawraensis. Paracobitis salihae might be Critically Endangered and is threatened by dam constructions. 

Reduced antennal segmentation in a new species from Iran of the genus Aeolothrips (Thysanoptera: Aeolothripidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4683 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-450
Author(s):  
KAMBIZ MINAEI ◽  
LAURENCE MOUND
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Intraspecific Variation ◽  
Wing Length ◽  
Terminal Segment ◽  
The Body ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Insect Order ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Plesiomorphic State

The number of antennal segments in adults of the different families and genera in the insect order Thysanoptera varies between five and nine. The plesiotypic number is considered to be nine (Zhang et al. 2019), and fossil thrips reported to have 10 to 15 segments (Tong et al. 2019) are generally considered to be aberrations in which the terminal segment bears transverse striae. The 9-segmented condition occurs particularly amongst species that exhibit several other characters in a plesiomorphic state, including all Melanthripidae, two genera of Merothripidae, also most species of Fauriellidae, Stenurothripidae, Heterothripidae, and Aeolothripidae (Mound et al. 1980). Curiously, members of a few genera of Thripidae (Palmer & Mound 1985; Minaei 2012) also have nine antennal segments, but this is considered a reversion from the 8-segmented condition that is assumed to be plesiomorphic for that family (Zhang et al. 2019). Variation between eight and nine segments occurs in the genus Anaphothrips, and within that genus a few species exhibit intraspecific variation in antennal segmentation (Mound & Masumoto 2009). Intraspecific variation in various characters, including body size, color and wing length, is well documented for the order Thysanoptera (Mound 2005 a, b). However, amongst the 207 listed species of Aeolothripidae there has never been any report of a species bearing antennae with other than nine segments, although these vary in length and shape amongst the different genera. We here describe from Iran a curious species of the genus Aeolothrips that is unusual in having only seven antennal segments, with the number reduced to six or even five in a few individuals in which the terminal segments are fused. These females with 7-segmented antennae were initially considered to be aberrant individuals of some other species. However, 25 females with such antennae have been collected over two years, all from a group of Tamarix trees. Despite extensive studies on the genus Aeolothrips in Iran (Alavi & Minaei 2018, 2019), with 30 species now being recorded from this country, no other species has been found with the same colour pattern of the body and fore wings. We therefore conclude that the available specimens represent a valid species in which the antennal segmentation is reduced, and with the terminal segments unstable. 

scholarly journals Channa pardalis, a new species of snakehead (Teleostei: Channidae) from Meghalaya, northeastern India

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 8583 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.D. Marcus Knight
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Lateral Line ◽  
The Body ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Northeastern India ◽  
Dorsal Fin ◽  
Black Spots ◽  
Fin Rays ◽  
Orbital Region ◽  
A New Species

Channa pardalis, a new species of snakehead, is described from Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, northeastern India.  This species can be distinguished from its congeners by a unique colour pattern consisting of numerous large black spots on the post-orbital region of the head, opercle and body; a broad white and black margin to the dorsal, anal and caudal fins; 36–37 dorsal fin rays; 24–25 anal fin rays; 44–45 pored scales on the body and two scales on the caudal fin base; 4½ scales above lateral line and 6½ scales below lateral line; 45 vertebrae and the palatine with two rows of teeth: outer row with numerous minute teeth and inner row with short, stout inward curved teeth.  

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