The dog-faced water snakes, a revision of the genus Cerberus Cuvier, (Squamata, Serpentes, Homalopsidae), with the description of a new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3484 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN C. MURPHY ◽  
HAROLD K. VORIS ◽  
DARYL R. KARNS

Snakes of the genus Cerberus Cuvier, 1829 occupy a unique, widespread coastal distribution and have a salt-tolerant physiology that allows members of the genus to move across a wide range of salinities from full salt water to freshwater. Cerberus nomenclature is revised based upon morphology and builds on previous molecular studies. Three species have been recognized by recent workers, here we recognize five species: the South Asian C. rynchops (Schneider 1799); the Southeast Asian-Philippine C. schneiderii (Schlegel 1837), a new combination; the freshwater Philippine endemic C. microlepis Boulenger 1896; the Australopapuan C. australis (Gray 1842); and a new species from Micronesia. We also select a lectotype for Homalopsis schneiderii Schlegel based upon a figure published in 1837 and restrict the type locality for this species to Timor. Evidence is also presented for a population of Cerberus australis in Indonesia, west of Weber’s Line.

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4521 (2) ◽  
pp. 231
Author(s):  
NIKITA J. KLUGE ◽  
JUAN A. BERNAL VEGA

A new definition for the genus Moribaetis Waltz & McCafferty 1985 is given. Its type species, Moribaetis maculipennis (Flowers 1979) is redescribed based on male and female imagoes reared from larvae near the type locality in Panama. Larvae, formerly wrongly attributed to Moribaetis salvini (Eaton 1885), and a male imago, formerly wrongly attributed to Moribaetis macaferti Waltz 1985, belong to a new species Moribaetis latipennis sp. n., which is described here based on a male imago reared from larva in Panama. Both species, M. maculipennis and M. latipennis sp. n., are distinct from M. salvini, which is known as a single male imago (lectotype) from Costa Rica. All other species, formerly attributed to Moribaetis, are excluded from this genus; a new combination Caribaetis macaferti comb. n. is proposed for the species originally described as Moribaetis macaferti Waltz (in Waltz & McCafferty) 1985, and a new combination Baetis (Rhodobaetis) mimbresaurus comb. n. is proposed for the species originally described as Moribaetis mimbresaurus McCafferty 2007. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4789 (2) ◽  
pp. 508-522
Author(s):  
ANTON V. VOLYNKIN

The generic group names Cymella Felder, 1874 and Myclela Watson, Fletcher & Nye, 1980 are excluded from the subtribe Nudariina and synonymized with the nominate subgenus of the genus Stigmatophora Staudinger, 1881 belonging to the subtribe Endrosiina. The type species of Cymella and Myclela, Cymella congerens Felder, 1874 is synonymized with the nominate subspecies of Stigmatophora (Stigmatophora) rhodophila (Walker, [1865]). The type locality of Cymella congerens is designated as Shanghai (E China). Two taxa previously treated as synonyms of S. congerens are upgraded to the species level and left in the genus Miltochrista Hübner, [1819]: Miltochrista artocarpi (Moore, 1878), stat. nov. and Miltochrista roseogrisea (Rothschild, 1913), stat. nov. The genus Asuropsis Matsumura, 1927 is excluded from the synonymy of Miltochrista and synonymized with the nominate subgenus of the genus Stigmatophora. The new combination is established: Stigmatophora (Stigmatophora) ranruna (Matsumura, 1927), comb. nov. A new species, Stigmatophora (Stigmatophora) cernyi Volynkin, sp. n. is described from North Thailand and Southwest China. Adults of both sexes of all the species mentioned and their genitalia are illustrated. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 3047 (1) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
SAMAD KHAGHANINIA ◽  
EBRAHIM ZARGHANI ◽  
SAEED MOHAMADZADE NAMIN ◽  
VALERY A. KORNEYEV

Tephritis sahandi new species from Iran (type locality: Sahand chain mountains, East Azerbaijan Province) with an uncommon banded wing pattern is described and shown to be related to Pangasella volkovitshi Richter from Tadjikistan. Both species fit the diagnosis of the genus Tephritis Latreille 1804, and possess its key characters; as the result, Pangasella Richter 1995 (type species: Pangasella volkovitshi Richter 1995) is shown to be a new junior synonym of Tephritis, and its type species is transferred to the genus as Tephritis volkovitshi (Richter 1995) new combination. A key to the Palaearctic species of banded-winged Tephritis is provided.


2018 ◽  
Vol 151 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-129
Author(s):  
Piero G. Delprete ◽  
Olivier Lachenaud

Context – The species of Psychotria subgen. Heteropsychotria have recently been transferred to Palicourea, following the results of molecular studies showing that they form a monophyletic group with the latter. This paper presents a conspectus of Palicourea sect. Potaroenses (formerly Psychotria subgen. Heteropsychotria sect. Potaroenses), discusses the characters of the section, and provides a key to the species. A new species recently collected in French Guiana is described and illustrated, and one new combination is included.Methods – This paper is based on direct study of herbarium material from BR, CAY, F, K, L, NY, U and US, and additional type specimens from F, K, MO, P, RB, and VEN were consulted online. Two of the species, including the new one, have also been studied in the field. Common practices of herbarium taxonomy have been applied.Results – Palicourea sect. Potaroenses is characterized by the capitate inflorescences surrounded by an involucre of 4–20 elliptic, yellow to red bracts, the leaves with lateral veins strongly ascending and almost reaching the margin, the long tubular calyx, the unusually long corolla tube for the genus, and the peculiar stipules, consisting of an internal sheath and two interpetiolar pieces connate to the sheath by their central part. The section includes eight species: Palicourea aetantha (Sandwith) Delprete & J.H.Kirkbr., P. fanshawei (Standl.) Delprete & J.H.Kirkbr., P. formosissima (Steyerm.) Delprete & O.Lachenaud, P. phaneroneura (Standl.) Borhidi, P. potaroensis (Sandwith) Delprete & J.H.Kirkbr., P. psittacina (Steyerm.) Delprete & J.H.Kirkbr., P. spectabilis (Steyerm.) Borhidi, and the new species P. aurantiosplendens O.Lachenaud & Delprete. The latter is most similar to P. psittacina, from which it can be separated by the dense patent indumentum of the stems, calyx lobes, and inner side of the bracts, and the smaller size of the latter; it also resembles P. spectabilis and P. formosissima, but differs in having the stipules with four lobes on each side (vs. two), the bracts nearly glabrous outside (vs. densely hirsute on both sides) and the calyx lobes much more pubescent than the tube (vs. the calyx uniformly hairy). It is only known from a small area on the upper Sinnamary River, north-central French Guiana, and is evaluated as Endangered (EN D1) according to IUCN criteria.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Rainer R. Schoch ◽  
Gabriela Sobral

Abstract The late Paleozoic temnospondyl Sclerocephalus formed an aquatic top predator in various central European lakes of the late Carboniferous and early Permian. Despite hundreds of specimens spanning a wide range of sizes, knowledge of the endocranium (braincase and palatoquadrate) remained very insufficient in Sclerocephalus and other stereospondylomorphs because even large skulls had unossified endocrania. A new specimen from a stratigraphically ancient deposit at St. Wendel in southwestern Germany is recognized as representing a new taxon, S. concordiae new species, and reveals a completely ossified endocranium. The sphenethmoid was completely ossified from the basisphenoid to the anterior ethmoid region, co-ossified with the parasphenoid, and the basipterygoid joint was fully established. The pterygoid bears a slender, S-shaped epipterygoid, which formed a robust pillar lateral to the braincase. The massive stapes was firmly sutured to the parasphenoid. In the temnospondyl endocranium, character evolution involved various changes in the epipterygoid region, which evolved distinct morphologies in each of the major clades. UUID: http://zoobank.org/5e6d2078-eacf-4467-84cf-a12efcae7c0b


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4254 (3) ◽  
pp. 357 ◽  
Author(s):  
DANIEL CHIRIVI JOYA

We present the description of Phrynus calypso sp. nov. from Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela This species is very similar to Phrynus pulchripes (Pocock), however after examining Colombian specimens of P. pulchripes (ca. type locality), many differences were found. Characters commonly used in diagnosis of Phrynus species are variable and make identification difficult. Differences in a few structures, like pedipalpal spines, could not be enough to provide a useful diagnosis.  It is necessary to account for variation of similar species in conjunction, and select non overlapping groups of characters. Observations in the variation in both species are presented, pointing out sources of confusion, and suggesting alternative characters to support diagnoses. At the moment, details about variation in many species in Phrynus, like that of P. pulchripes, are poorly known, and for this reason a redescription is provided. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4933 (4) ◽  
pp. 543-556
Author(s):  
PO-WEI CHEN ◽  
HUI-CONG XIE ◽  
XUE WU ◽  
CHU-ZE SHEN ◽  
ZHU-QING HE

There are 29 species or subspecies in genus Hexacentrus occurring in Asia, Africa and Australia. Because of its similar appearance, it is not easy to distinguish them by traditional methods. In this study, we collected samples and sequenced COI genes from wide range. By reconstructing the gene tree, we found one new species, H. formosanus Chen et He sp. nov., from Taiwan. The new species is similar to H. expansus or H. inflatissimus, but differs from the former in male Cu2 vein of left tegmina curved and slender, and spectrum of male left tegmina slender and subsquare; differs from the later by body size smaller and female tegmina narrow and short. The type specimens are deposited in National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan (NMNS). H. japonicus hareyamai is treated as species level, H. hareyamai stat. nov. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4964 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-329
Author(s):  
KEISUKE NARITA ◽  
TOSHIHARU MITA

Eleven species of Methocha Latreille from Taiwan are revised. Methocha cirrhocrus Narita & Mita, sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The previously unknown male of M. maai Lin, 1966 is described. Methocha taoi Lin, 1966 is newly synonymized under Methocha areolata Lin, 1966. The genus Karlissa Krombein, 1979 is newly recorded from Taiwan, and a new combination is proposed for Methoca (sic!) tricha Strand, 1913, which is transferred to the genus Karlissa Krombein. A key to the species based on males and females is given. 


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