A taxonomic revision of Anthothela (Octocorallia: Scleraxonia: Anthothelidae) and related genera, with the addition of new taxa, using morphological and molecular data

A complete taxonomic revision of the genus Anthothela (Anthothelidae) and closely related taxa is presented herein, based on original type material of nominal species and additional specimens from multiple deep-water surveys. A multi-disciplinary approach was used, combining morphological characteristics such as colonial branching patterns, polyp structure, and sclerite form and arrangement, together with phylogenetic reconstructions using two mitochondrial gene regions (mtMutS and igr1–cox1). The genus Anthothela, with seven nominal species globally, is here divided into four genera, two of which are new. Three of the original species of Anthothela are validated (A. grandiflora Sars, 1856, A. pacifica Kükenthal, 1913 and A. tropicalis Bayer, 1961), Spongioderma (?) vickersi Benham, 1928 is reassigned to Anthothela and two new species, A. aldersladei and A. quattriniae, are described. Anthothela argentea Studer, 1894, A. macrocalyx (Nutting, 1911) and A. nuttingi Bayer, 1956 are reassigned to Victorgorgia López-González & Briand, 2002 and two new species of this genus, V. eminens and V. nyahae are described. A new family, Victorgorgiidae is described for Victorgorgia due to clear morphological and genetic differences from Anthothela, the type genus of Anthothelidae. A new genus, Williamsium (Anthothelidae), is described for A. parviflora Thomson, 1916 which is restricted to South African waters. A number of North Atlantic Ocean specimens that have traditionally been mistaken for Anthothela grandiflora were found to be synonymous with Alcyonium grandiflorum (Tixier-Durivault & d'Hondt, 1974) and a second new genus, Lateothela (Anthothelidae), is erected for these specimens based on morphological and molecular evidence that Alcyonium grandiflorum was incorrectly placed in the genus Alcyonium Linnaeus. There is good congruence between morphological characteristics and molecular data at a generic level but at a species level, the degree of congruence was inconclusive as morphological and genetic variation is very low. Anthothela and Lateothela n. gen. are found to be closely related to some nominal Alcyonium species, and the family Anthothelidae and subfamily Anthothelinae are shown to be paraphyletic. These are the first records of Anthothela and Victorgorgia from Australian waters.

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Worms in the sand: Systematic revision of the Australian blindsnake Anilios leptosoma (Robb, 1972) species complex (Squamata: Scolecophidia: Typhlopidae) from the Geraldton Sandplain, with description of two new species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4323.1.1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4323 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

RYAN J. ELLIS ◽

PAUL DOUGHTY ◽

STEPHEN C. DONNELLAN ◽

JULIE MARIN ◽

NICOLAS VIDAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Species Complex ◽

Molecular Genetic ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Small Range ◽

North East ◽

True Diversity ◽

Two New Species

The blindsnake genus Anilios (formerly Ramphotyphlops) is the largest and most diverse genus of snakes in Australia with 45 currently recognized species. Recent molecular genetic studies of the genus have identified high levels of cryptic diversity within many taxa, suggesting true species diversity is greatly underestimated. Anilios leptosoma is a slender blindsnake endemic to the mid-west of Western Australia. Although morphological variation has been identified within the species in the past, the systematics and true diversity remained unstudied. Here we use recent molecular data to guide a reappraisal of morphology in order to provide a taxonomic revision of the A. leptosoma species complex. We redescribe A. leptosoma and describe two new species that occur to the south of most of true A. leptosoma’s distribution: A. systenos sp. nov. and A. obtusifrons sp. nov. Anilios systenos sp. nov. is known from the Geraldton region with the furthest record only 100 km to the north-east, a very small range for a species of snake. Anilios obtusifrons sp. nov. has an even smaller distribution, as it is only known from a small coastal area south of Kalbarri and may represent a range-restricted taxa. All species are genetically divergent from each other and can be distinguished by consistent morphological characteristics, including the shape of the snout, the termination point of the rostral cleft and number of mid-body scale rows and ventral scales.

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Taxonomic revision and phylogeny of the Ophiocoma brevipes group (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea), with description of a new subgenus (Breviturma) and a new species

European Journal of Taxonomy ◽

10.5852/ejt.2013.68 ◽

2013 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sabine Stöhr ◽

Emilie Boissin ◽

Thierry B. Hoareau

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Nominal Species ◽

Biodiversity Survey ◽

Group Type ◽

Granule Density ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic

The taxonomy of the genus Ophiocoma was last revised by Devaney in 1970. Recent discoveries of new species and re-instatement of previously synonymized names suggest that we still do not fully understand the species limits in this genus. A recent biodiversity survey of the SW Indian Ocean shallow reefs strongly suggested an unrecognised species in the genus, closely related to O. brevipes/O. dentata. This study examined both the molecular phylogenetic relationships and the morphological characteristics of several species in the genus in order to characterise the unrecognised species. The focal species clusters with O. brevipes, O. dentata, O. doederleini within a monophyletic clade supported by molecular data for the first time. The name Breviturma subgen. nov. is proposed for this clade, previously known as brevipes group. Type material of nominal species that have been synonymized with O. dentata was examined and re-assessed. Ophiocoma marmorata proved not conspecific with O. dentata. A rarely used character, dorsal disc granule density, was tested and showed differences between the examined species at similar sizes. In combination with colour pattern, disc granule density, arm spine sequence and maximum disc size, the new species was delimited morphologically and described as Ophiocoma krohi sp. nov.

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Changes in the genus Beana Walker (Beaninae Zahiri & Holloway) with two new species and removing Beana nitida Tams to a new genus Beanoides (gen. nov.)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4941.3.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4941 (3) ◽

pp. 415-424

Author(s):

MARKKU J. PELLINEN ◽

NIKLAS WAHLBERG

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

New Genus ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Genetic Distances ◽

Valid Species ◽

Dna Barcodes ◽

Two New Species

Two new Beana species (B. mutaneni sp. nov and B. penniuncus sp. nov) are described here. Based on molecular data, Beana nitida Tams is removed to its own genus Beanoides gen. nov. and placed in the subfamily Chloephorinae. Morphological characteristics and DNA barcodes are provided for the new species, with a comparison of morphological structures and genetic distances to Beana terminigera Walker. The current number of valid species in the genus is six.

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A new riparian Mantidactylus (Brygoomantis) frog from the Tsaratanana and Manongarivo Massifs in northern Madagascar

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4486.4.10 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4486 (4) ◽

pp. 575 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

MIGUEL VENCES ◽

ANDREA HILDENBRAND ◽

KATHARINA M. WARMUTH ◽

FRANCO ANDREONE ◽

FRANK GLAW

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Nuclear Dna ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Test Case ◽

Nominal Species ◽

Type Specimens ◽

The Status ◽

Morphological Differences

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.

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New taxa in Drosanthemum and a new genus in Drosanthemeae (Ruschioideae, Aizoaceae)

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.459.2.5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 459 (2) ◽

pp. 139-154

Author(s):

CORNELIA KLAK ◽

PAVEL HANÁČEK ◽

ODETTE CURTIS-SCOTT ◽

ANSO LE ROUX ◽

PETER V. BRUYNS

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

New Species ◽

New Genus ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Western Cape ◽

Monotypic Genus ◽

Nomenclatural Change ◽

A New Species

A phylogeny of all nine subgenera of Drosanthemum, based on chloroplast sequence-data, is presented. The results confirm some previously published facts, e.g. that D. zygophylloides is sister to Drosanthemum. We propose to treat this species as a new monotypic genus, Lemonanthemum, which differs from Drosanthemum in features of the leaves and fruit-stalks. In Drosanthemum s.s., the small subg. Quadrata, characterized by 4-locular fruits, is highly supported as sister to the remainder of Drosanthemum (where fruits are 5-locular). Further, our data support the transfer of Delosperma pubipetalum to Drosanthemum (where a nomenclatural change is also made). The pubescent petals, 5-locular fruits with narrow covering membranes and downward-pointing hair-like papillae on the branches suggest that D. pubipetalum is close to D. papillatum and belongs to subg. Quastea. Another species, D. badspoortense, which had been placed in D. subg. Quastea on account of its narrow covering membranes, is shown to belong to Delosperma and also lacks the unique structure of the fruit-stalk of Drosanthemum. In addition, a new species, D. overbergense, is described from disjunct patches of remnant renosterveld within the Overberg and near Albertinia, in the Western Cape of South Africa. Morphological characteristics suggest that this species belongs to subg. Xamera, but this was not corroborated by our molecular data. Finally, a new name—Drosanthemum calcareum—is proposed for the illegitimate D. intermedium and a lectotype (at BOL) is designated for D. pubipetalum. The lectotypification of D. badspoortense is also proposed.

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Integrative taxonomy reveals two new cryptic species of Hyphessobrycon Durbin, 1908 (Teleostei: Characidae) from the Maracaçumé and middle Tocantins River basins, Eastern Amazon region

European Journal of Taxonomy ◽

10.5852/ejt.2020.723.1145 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 723 ◽

pp. 77-107

Author(s):

Erick Cristofore Guimarães ◽

Pâmella Silva De Brito ◽

Pedro Henrique Negreiros Bragança ◽

Jadson Pinheiro Santos ◽

Axel Makay Katz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Mitochondrial Gene ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Color Pattern ◽

Integrative Taxonomy ◽

The Body ◽

Dorsal Fin ◽

Two New Species ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic

Two new species, Hyphessobrycon frickei Guimarães, Brito, Bragança, Katz & Ottoni sp. nov. and H. geryi Guimarães, Brito, Bragança, Katz & Ottoni sp. nov., are herein described, based on seven different and independent species delimitation methods, and on molecular and morphological characters, making the hypothesis of these new species supported from an integrative taxonomy perspective. They belong to the “Rosy tetra” clade, which is mainly characterized by the presence of a dark brown or black blotch on the dorsal fin and the absence of a midlateral stripe on the body. These two new species are distinguished from the other members of this clade mainly by the arrangement, shape and color pattern of humeral and dorsal-fin spots, as well as by other characters related to scale counts and body pigmentation. The placement of the new species within the “Rosy tetra” clade was based on the combination of morphological character states mentioned above and corroborated by a molecular phylogenetic analysis using the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit 1. In addition, a new clade (here termed Hyphessobrycon copelandi clade) within the “Rosy tetra” clade is proposed based on molecular data, comprising H. copelandi, H. frickei sp. nov., H. geryi sp. nov. and a still undescribed species. Our results corroborate the occurrence of hidden species within the “Rosy tetra” clade, as suggested by previous studies.

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Orientocardiochiles, a new genus of Cardiochilinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), with descriptions of two new species from Malaysia and Vietnam

ZooKeys ◽

10.3897/zookeys.971.56571 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 971 ◽

pp. 1-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ilgoo Kang ◽

Khuat Dang Long ◽

Michael J. Sharkey ◽

James B. Whitfield ◽

Nathan P. Lord

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Type Species ◽

New Genus ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Morphological Data ◽

Key To Species ◽

Two New Species ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data ◽

Braconid Wasp ◽

First Time

For the first time in 21 years, a new genus of cardiochiline braconid wasp, Orientocardiochiles Kang & Long, gen. nov. (type species Orientocardiochiles joeburrowi Kang, sp. nov.), is discovered and described. This genus represents the ninth genus in the Oriental region. Two new species (O. joeburrowi Kang, sp. nov. and O. nigrofasciatus Long, sp. nov.) are described and illustrated, and a key to species of the genus, with detailed images, is added. Diagnostic characters of the new genus are analyzed and compared with several other cardiochiline genera to allow the genus to key out properly using an existing generic treatment. The scientific names validated by this paper and morphological data obtained from this project will be utilized and tested in the upcoming genus-level revision of the subfamily based on combined morphological and molecular data.

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Four new species in the Tremella fibulifera complex (Tremellales, Basidiomycota)

MycoKeys ◽

10.3897/mycokeys.82.63241 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 82 ◽

pp. 33-56

Author(s):

Long-Fei Fan ◽

Renato Lúcio Mendes Alvarenga ◽

Tatiana Baptista Gibertoni ◽

Fang Wu ◽

Yu-Cheng Dai

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Rna Polymerase Ii ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Large Subunit ◽

Elongation Factor ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Small Subunit ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Rrna Gene

Samples of species close to Tremella fibulifera from China and Brazil are studied, and T. fibulifera is confirmed as a species complex including nine species. Five known species (T. cheejenii, T. fibulifera s.s., T. “neofibulifera”, T. lloydiae-candidae and T. olens) and four new species (T. australe, T. guangxiensis, T. latispora and T. subfibulifera) in the complex are recognized based on morphological characteristics, molecular evidence, and geographic distribution. Sequences of eight species of the complex were included in the phylogenetic analyses because T. olens lacks molecular data. The phylogenetic analyses were performed by a combined sequence dataset of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the partial nuclear large subunit rDNA (nLSU), and a combined sequence dataset of the ITS, partial nLSU, the small subunit mitochondrial rRNA gene (mtSSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1), the largest and second largest subunits of RNA polymerase II (RPB1 and RPB2). The eight species formed eight independent lineages with robust support in phylogenies based on both datasets. Illustrated description of the six species including Tremella fibulifera s.s., T. “neofibulifera” and four new species, and discussions with their related species, are provided. A table of the comparison of the important characteristics of nine species in the T. fibulifera complex and a key to the whitish species in Tremella s.s. are provided.

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Two new species of the genus Crangonyx Bate, 1859 (Amphipoda: Crangonyctidae) from the St. Marks River Basin with notes on the “Crangonyx floridanus complex”

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4691.4.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4691 (4) ◽

pp. 301-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ANDREW G. CANNIZZARO ◽

THOMAS R. SAWICKI

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Related Species ◽

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Closely Related Species ◽

Leon County ◽

Two New Species ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data

Crangonyx ephemerus n. sp. and Crangonyx pseudoephemerus n. sp. are described from the headwaters of the St. Marks River in Leon County, Florida, based on detailed morphological and molecular comparisons with the closely related species Crangonyx floridanus Bousfield, 1963. The morphological and molecular data, including three species delimitation models, lend support to the hypothesis that the taxon C. floridanus sensu lato represents a species complex. Diagnostic morphological characteristics are highlighted and discussed within this group to assist in future morphological analyses.

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Two new species of the genus Chironephthya (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea, Nidaliidae, Siphonogorgiinae) from the Gulf of Thailand

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4780.2.6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4780 (2) ◽

pp. 324-340

Author(s):

YUKIMITSU IMAHARA ◽

SUCHANA CHAVANICH ◽

VORANOP VIYAKARN ◽

YUKA KUSHIDA ◽

JAMES D. REIMER ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

New Genus ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Gulf Of Thailand ◽

Rdna Sequences ◽

Two New Species ◽

28S Rdna Sequences ◽

The Gulf Of Thailand ◽

Multiple Stems

Two new species of the genus Chironephthya, C. sirindhornae sp. nov. and C. cornigera sp. nov., are described based on three specimens collected from the Gulf of Thailand. Both species are well distinguished from the previously described species of the genus Chironephthya by their colonies consisting of multiple stems that stand upright from a common base, and by a significantly thinner canal wall without large spindles. As a result of phylogenetic analyses using COI, mtMutS, and 28S rDNA sequences of these two species, these three specimens constituted an independent small clade within a large mixed clade of Siphonogorgia and Chironephthya, with the two species slightly different from each other. The discrepancy in the morphology suggested the erection of a new genus to accommodate these species, however, as the subclade was included in a large mixed clade of Siphonogorgia and Chironephthya, we place these species within genus Chironephthya. Our results further highlight the continuing confusion between Siphonogorgia and Chironephthya, and demonstrate the need for taxonomic revision of these genera.

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