Description of a new species of Neoromicia (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from southern Africa: A name for “N. cf. melckorum”

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4236 (2) ◽  
pp. 351 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEVEN M. GOODMAN ◽  
TERESA KEARNEY ◽  
MALALATIANA MICHÈLE RATSIMBAZAFY ◽  
ALEXANDRE HASSANIN

The taxonomy of sub-Saharan small insectivore bats of the family Vespertilionidae is unresolved and currently five named species of the genus Neoromicia are recognized from southern Africa, with N. melckorum considered a synonym of N. capensis. Since several years, the name “N. cf. melckorum” has been used in the literature to designate an apparently undescribed and moderately large bodied vespertilionid bat known from different localities in southern and southeastern Africa. Using new data from molecular genetics, bacular morphology, and cranio-dental characters, we conclude that N. melckorum sensu stricto is indeed nested within N. capensis and obtain the needed evidence to formally describe “N. cf. melckorum”, named herein as N. stanleyi sp. nov. On the basis of molecular and bacular evidence, N. stanleyi is found in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, and using a combination of other characters is presumed to occur in northern South Africa and Malawi. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses based on 12S rRNA sequences indicate that it belongs to a clade containing four species of Neoromicia (N. capensis, N. malagasyensis, N. matroka, and N. robertsi) and Laephotis. Neoromicia stanleyi shows at least 3.2% nucleotide divergence from its closest relatives. It is larger in cranial characters than other members of the capensis group occurring in the southern portion of Africa, and a number of bacular characters distinguish N. stanleyi from N. capensis. 

Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2758 (1) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
HWAN-SUNG JI ◽  
JIN-KOO KIM

A new snake eel, Pisodonophis sangjuensis, is described based on 24 specimens collected from the South Sea of Korea (water depth 5–100 m) between 2005 and 2010. This species is characterized by the following morphological features: fleshy protrusions before and behind the posterior nostril; 1–2 regular rows of conical teeth in both jaws, prevomer and vomer are slightly separated from each other; the origin of the dorsal fin above the middle of the pectoral fin; and the pectoral fin is rounded and not elongated. Pisodonophis sangjuensis is most similar to P. cancrivorus in morphology, but the two species differ in their teeth shape (conical in P. sangjuensis vs. granular in P. cancrivorus), and their numbers of vertebrae (143–153 vs. 153–164, respectively). Pisodonophis sangjuensis differs from P. boro in the origin of the dorsal fin (above the middle of the pectoral fin in P. sangjuensis vs. far behind the pectoral fin in P. boro), their numbers of vertebrae (143–153 vs. 170–177, respectively), and their teeth shape (conical in P. sangjuensis vs. granular in P. boro). Pisodonophis sangjuensis is also easily distinguishable morphologically from the remaining seven Pisodonophis spp. worldwide. Molecular analysis using mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA sequences supported that P. sangjuensis is a new species because of the considerable genetic distance from what appears to be its most closely related species, P. cancrivorus (d=0.068).


Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2352 (1) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
PHILLIP C. HEEMSTRA

The genus Acanthistius Gill, 1862 comprises ten putative valid species occurring in shallow warm-temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere: South America (coasts of Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina) southern Africa (Namibia and South Africa), southern Australia, New Zealand, Lord Howe, Norfolk, Kermadec and Easter, and Sala y Gómez islands. Two species: Acanthistius sebastoides (Castelnau, 1861) and Acanthistius sp are known from shallow waters of the east coast of South Africa (Heemstra and Randall, 1986). The latter taxon, previously known from a brief description of a single specimen, is here described from 23 specimens and named Acanthistius joanae. Acanthistius sebastoides is redescribed from 13 specimens and compared with A. joanae and species of Acanthistius known from South America and Australia. A neotype is designated for Serranus sebastoides Castelnau, 1861, as the two syntypes are apparently lost.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1799-1808
Author(s):  
Maciej Skoracki ◽  
Martin Hromada ◽  
Petra Prevuznakova ◽  
Wanyoike Wamiti

Quill mites (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) parasitizing waxbills of genus Estrilda Swainson (Aves: Passeriformes: Estrildidae) from the Sub-Saharan region are studied for the first time. Among them, a new species, Syringophiloidus estrildus sp. nov., is described and new host species for Neosyringophilopsis lonchurus Skoracki, 2008, Neoaulonastus oryzivorus (Skoracki, 2011) comb. nov., and Picobia lonchurae Skoracki et al., 2016 are recorded. In our study, we examined 120 specimens belonging to seven of the 16 (44%) species of the genus Estrilda. The prevalence of infestation by syringophilid species varied from 3.7 to 25%. The host and habitat (feather type) specificity are discussed. 


Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 218 (3) ◽  
pp. 227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander P. Sukhorukov ◽  
Maria Kushunina

A re-examination of the herbarium material has allowed to describe a new species, Corbichonia exellii, occurring in Southern Africa (Angola, Namibia and South Africa). C. exellii represents the third species in the genus. Morphological differences between all three Corbichonia species (C. decumbens, C. rubriviolacea, and C. exellii) are provided. The description of the genus is defined using the newly discovered characters (reproductive features). The taxonomy of all Corbichonia species (synonyms included) is provided, as well as maps for all species. The lectotypes of Orygia decumbens (basionym of Corbichonia decumbens) and O. mucronata (synonym of C. decumbens) are designated on specimens preserved, respectively, at BM and K. The genus Corbichonia, recently placed in Lophiocarpaceae, is markedly different from the core genus Lophiocarpus on the basis of embryological, morphological and carpological characters, and deserves further investigation concerning its taxonomic status.


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4272 (2) ◽  
pp. 236
Author(s):  
CHRISTOPHER K. TAYLOR

Notes are provided on a collection of Afrotropical harvestmen (Opiliones: Palpatores: Phalangiidae) from the California Academy of Sciences. A new species of Rhampsinitus, R. conjunctidens n. sp., is described from Limpopo province of South Africa. Rhampsinitus flavobrunneus Staręga 2009 and R. silvaticus Lawrence 1931 are recognised as junior synonyms of R. nubicolus Lawrence 1963 and R. vittatus Lawrence 1931, respectively. Both R. conjunctidens and R. nubicolus are recognised as exhibiting strong male dimorphism with major males exhibiting larger body size and greatly enlarged chelicerae relative to minor males; minor males cannot be readily identified to species without examination of genitalia. A discussion is also provided on generic boundaries within Afrotropical Phalangiidae, and a generic key to males of the region is presented.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 192 (4) ◽  
pp. 296
Author(s):  
Marie Jordaan ◽  
Abraham E. Van Wyk

Gymnosporia swazica, a new restricted-range southern African species, is described and illustrated here. Known from only a few localities in Swaziland and bordering parts of South Africa (Mpumalanga and northeastern KwaZulu-Natal), G. swazica grows as an understorey shrub or small tree in forest, often among granite boulders. Diagnostic characters for G. swazica include chartaceous leaves, usually shorter than 25 mm, 3-valved capsules usually 6–7 mm long, which are smooth, green turning yellow, and a white aril partially covering the brownish seed. Its closest relative appears to be G. buxifolia (capsules rugose, mottled white-and-brown), one of the most widespread members of the genus in southern Africa, but it can also be confused with G. maranguensis (capsules red, 2-valved) and G. harveyana (capsules pink to red, 3-valved; aril orange, completely covering the seed).


2010 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 397-403
Author(s):  
Sergio PÉREZ-ORTEGA ◽  
M. Gökhan HALICI ◽  
Kerry KNUDSEN ◽  
Mehmet CANDAN

AbstractStigmidium humidum is described from Spain and Turkey on Thelenella muscorum (Fr.) Vain. (syn Chromatochlamys muscorum (Fr.) H. Mayrhofer & Poelt). The species is the first Stigmidium s. str. species on a host lichen of the family Thelenellaceae and is compared with other species with ‘Type a’ pseudoparaphyses.


Bothalia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-233
Author(s):  
D. A. Snijman ◽  
B. Nordenstam ◽  
C. Mannheimer

We describe a new species in the sub-Saharan genus Ornithoglossum Salisb. from southern Namibia. Ornithoglossum pulchrum from near Aus, is remarkable in having bright to dark pink flowers, a feature previously unknown in the genus. The perigone is almost concolorous apart from a contrasting, pale yellow nectary region, narrowly outlined with darker red, near the base of each tepal. The undulate leaves together with the long filaments, which are nearly as long as the tepals, suggest a relationship with O. undulatum, a widespread species in the western parts of southern Africa, and O. zeyheri from Namaqualand and the northwestern Cape.


Crustaceana ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 89 (14) ◽  
pp. 1669-1676
Author(s):  
Michael L. Zettler ◽  
Franziska U. Glück

A new species of the family Stenothoidae,Wallametopa cylindricasp. nov., is described from samples collected in 2015 in the Knysna Estuary, Western Cape, South Africa. This is the first record of the genusWallametopain South Africa, a genus now being represented by two species found in Africa, Madagascar and Australia.Wallametopa cylindricais closely related to the Australian and MadagascanW. cabonBarnard, 1974, from which it differs by having a distinct cylindrical elongation of the merus of gnathopod 1 in both sexes but more striking in males. Both the basis and the merus of gnathopod 2 are also acutely produced postero-distally. The palmar margin of the propodus of gnathopod 2 in males is strongly, irregularly incised and with a deep, broad excavation (larger male). The dactylus reaches the whole length of the propodus and is densely setose on the inner margin.


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