The King of the Dwarves: a new cryptic species of Dainty Frog (Anura: Pyxicephalidae: Cacosternum) from the eastern Great Escarpment of South Africa

The African genus of fossorial legless lizards (Acontias Cuvier) currently comprises 26 species and subspecies. In a recent study on the two disjunct populations of Acontias breviceps Essex, the presence of cryptic species was discovered. Here, we increase the sampling size and describe these disjunct populations from the Mpumalanga Escarpment of South Africa as new species. The new species differ from congeners based on a combination of factors, including the number of midbody, ventral, and subcaudal scale counts, ventral pigmentation, allopatric distributions, and genetic divergences. The new species are genetically distant from nominal A. breviceps, with which it shares overall pigmentation and scalation. The new description adds to the growing number of Mpumalanga escarpment endemic reptiles, and highlights the area as a biodiversity hotspot. The use of vertebral counts as a distinguishing character between species is briefly discussed.

Download Full-text

Between an ocean and a high place: coastal drainage isolation generates endemic cryptic species in the Cape kurper Sandelia capensis (Anabantiformes: Anabantidae), Cape Region, South Africa

Journal of Fish Biology ◽

10.1111/jfb.14182 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 96 (5) ◽

pp. 1087-1099 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Whitcomb Meade Bronaugh ◽

Ernst R. Swartz ◽

Brian L. Sidlauskas

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Cryptic Species ◽

High Place

Download Full-text

Rich sister, poor cousin: Plant diversity and endemism in the Great Winterberg–Amatholes (Great Escarpment, Eastern Cape, South Africa)

South African Journal of Botany ◽

10.1016/j.sajb.2014.01.008 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 92 ◽

pp. 159-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

V.R. Clark ◽

A.P. Dold ◽

C. McMaster ◽

G. McGregor ◽

C. Bredenkamp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Plant Diversity ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Great Escarpment

Download Full-text

Aloe ×gemmelliae (Asphodelaceae subfam. Alooideae), a new natural hybrid between A. broomii and A. grandidentata from the southwestern Free State province, South Africa

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.423.3.6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 423 (3) ◽

pp. 182-186

Author(s):

GIDEON F. SMITH ◽

ESTRELA FIGUEIREDO

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Free State ◽

Natural Hybrid ◽

Free State Province ◽

Great Escarpment

Although most species of Aloe Linnaeus (1753: 319) flower in winter, the comparatively few taxa of this genus that occur naturally above South Africa’s climatically severe Great Escarpment tend to flower during spring when temperatures are on the increase. Two such species are A. broomii Schönland (1907: 137) and A. grandidentata Salm-Dyck (1822: 3 [species no. 2]).

Download Full-text