A new species of the Spinomantis bertini species complex (Anura: Mantellidae) from Pic d’Ivohibe Special Reserve (Madagascar)

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4656 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOANA SABINO-PINTO ◽  
ANDOLALAO RAKOTOARISON ◽  
MOLLY C. BLETZ ◽  
DEVIN EDMONDS ◽  
FRANK GLAW ◽  
...  

We describe a new frog species of the Spinomantis bertini species complex based on congruent genetic evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences as well as minor morphological differences. A molecular phylogeny derived from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene revealed that Spinomantis mirus sp. nov. is sister to a clade containing the other two described species of the species complex, S. bertini and S. beckei, but strongly differentiated from these two species by 8.1–9.8% pairwise distances in this gene. DNA sequences from two nuclear genes revealed that S. mirus sp. nov. shares no alleles with these two species. Phenotypically, S. mirus sp. nov. differs from the other species of the complex by its larger size and some aspects of its coloration, including clear mottling on the flanks, tri-color banding on the legs, and distinct brown dots on the dorsum. The new species is so far only known from Pic d’Ivohibe Special Reserve. Its distribution thus appears to not overlap with those of the other two species, which as far as known are restricted to the Andohahela Massif in the extreme South-East of Madagascar, at a distance of about 250 km from Ivohibe. 

2018 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Scherz ◽  
Oliver Hawlitschek ◽  
Jary H. Razafindraibe ◽  
Steven Megson ◽  
Fanomezana Mihaja Ratsoavina ◽  
...  

We describe a new species of the genusGephyromantis, subgenusVatomantis (Mantellidae, Mantellinae), from moderately high elevation (1164–1394 m a.s.l.) on the Marojejy, Sorata, and Andravory Massifs in northern Madagascar. The new species, Gephyromantis (Vatomantis) lomorinasp. n.is highly distinct from all other species, and was immediately recognisable as an undescribed taxon upon its discovery. It is characterised by a granular, mottled black and green skin, reddish eyes, paired subgular vocal sacs of partly white colour, bulbous femoral glands present only in males and consisting of three large granules, white ventral spotting, and a unique, amplitude-modulated advertisement call consisting of a series of 24–29 rapid, quiet notes at a dominant frequency of 5124–5512 Hz. Genetically the species is also strongly distinct from its congeners, with uncorrected pairwise distances ≥10 % in a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene to all other nominalGephyromantisspecies. A molecular phylogeny based on 16S sequences places it in a clade with species of the subgeneraLaurentomantisandVatomantis, and we assign it to the latter subgenus based on its morphological resemblance to members ofVatomantis. We discuss the biogeography of reptiles and amphibians across the massifs of northern Madagascar, the evidence for a strong link between Marojejy and Sorata, and the role of elevation in determining community sharing across this landscape.


2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 263-274
Author(s):  
Andolalao Rakotoarison ◽  
Mark D. Scherz ◽  
Jörn Köhler ◽  
Fanomezana M. Ratsoavina ◽  
Oliver Hawlitschek ◽  
...  

We describe a new species of arboreal microhylid frog, genus Platypelis, from northeastern Madagascar and report the expansion of distribution ranges of two other species. Platypelis laetussp. nov. is small to medium-sized (24.3–25.6 mm snout-vent length) compared to other Platypelis, exhibits a greenish colored throat and was found in bamboo forest of the Sorata Massif. Its advertisement call consists of a single short tonal note repeated at regular intervals in long call series. Based on DNA sequences of a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, the new species was placed in a clade with Platypelis olgae from the Tsaratanana Massif, and with two other, unconfirmed candidate species from the Sorata Massif and from Andravory, herein named Platypelis sp. Ca12 and Ca13. Molecular divergences among these lineages were substantial, amounting to 7.6‒8.1% uncorrected 16S p-distance to the closest nominal species, P. olgae, from which the new species is also distinguished by a lack of allele sharing in the nuclear RAG-1 gene. We also provide new records of Platypelis alticola and P. tsaratananaensis from the Sorata Massif, supported by molecular analysis. This confirms a wider distribution of these two species that previously were considered to be endemic to the Tsaratanana Massif. However, their populations in Sorata were characterized by a certain degree of genetic differentiation from Tsaratanana populations suggesting they require more detailed taxonomic assessment.


ZooKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 994 ◽  
pp. 149-166
Author(s):  
David R. Vieites ◽  
Sandra Nieto-Román ◽  
Marcos Peso Fernández ◽  
Javier H. Santos-Santos

The amphibian fauna of the western Indian ocean volcanic island of Mayotte is currently constituted by two species belonging to two genera of the anuran family Mantellidae: Blommersia transmarina and Boophis nauticus. These were recently described after intense fieldwork on the herpetofauna of the island. We here describe a third new species of frog from Mayotte, based on morphological and molecular data, that occurs in sympatry with the others and was utterly unnoticed until now. Genetic analyses of the16S rRNA gene, including all described and several undescribed species of the genus Blommersia from Madagascar and Mayotte, confirms that the new species is the sister species of Blommersia transmarina. Both species show apparent morphological differences as well as different life histories, ecology and genetics that confirm Blommersia nataliaesp. nov. as a new species. We propose an IUCN Red List status of Critically Endangered for B. nataliaesp. nov.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4942 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-381
Author(s):  
SHENGCHAO SHI ◽  
DONGHUI LI ◽  
WENBO ZHU ◽  
WEN JIANG ◽  
JIANPING JIANG ◽  
...  

A new species of genus Megophrys from Gaoligong Mountains, Yunnan Province, China is described. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA all clustered the new species as an independent clade nested into the subgenus Panophrys. The smallest genetic distance based on 16S rRNA gene between the new species and its congeners was 3.0%. The new species could be identified from its congeners by a combination of following characters: moderate body size (SVL 31.0–34.8 mm in males); vomerine ridge weak, vomerine teeth absent; dorsal skin relatively smooth; tongue slightly notched behind; tympanum rounded and relatively large, 0.54 times of eye length; a horn-like tubercle on edge of each upper eyelid small; tibio-tarsal articulation reaches middle eye when leg stretched forward; finger tips rounded, not expanded to small pad; toes with narrow fringes and rudimentary webbing; ventral hindlimbs semitransparent purplish with greyish white pigments; ventral body scattered with distinct dark patches in the middle. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4629 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
RAIANE VITAL DA PAZ ◽  
GABRIEL COSTA QUEIROZ ◽  
BRUNO CAVALCANTE BELLINI

Aethiopella Handschin, 1942 as other Pseudachorutinae (Neanuridae) presents a diagnosis with overlapping characters when compared to other similar genera, especially Halachorutes Arlé, 1966, Ceratrimeria Börner, 1906 and Pseudachorutes Tullberg, 1871. This condition, combined to several gaps on the knowledge of described species and a wide range of morphological differences within the genus, reinforces the need of its revision, since it can be an artificial group. In spite of that, a new species, Aethiopella ricardoi sp. nov., is described and illustrated. It resembles the other five Neotropical taxa of Aethiopella but is unique by the combination of fourth antennal segment with trilobed apical bulb and 7 dorsal sensilla, lack of dorsolateral S-microchaeta (ms); postantennal organ with 13–19 vesicles; mandibles with 7–8 teeth; maxillae apically hooked; and tibiotarsi I–III with 19/19/18 chaetae, respectively, with M chaeta slightly basally displaced. We also present an updated diagnosis of Aethiopella based on current knowledge of Pseudachorutinae, a table comparing all species, a key to Neotropical taxa and remarks on the genus. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1688 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
JEFFREY D. LOZIER ◽  
ROBERT G. FOOTTIT ◽  
GARY L. MILLER ◽  
NICHOLAS J. MILLS ◽  
GEORGE K. RODERICK

Aphids in the genus Hyalopterus Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are pests of stone fruit trees in the genus Prunus globally, causing damage directly through feeding as well as transmission of plant viruses. Despite their status as cosmopolitan pests, the genus is poorly understood, with current taxonomy recognizing two, likely paraphyletic, species: Hyalopterus pruni (Koch) and Hyalopterus amygdali (Blanchard). Here we present a systematic study of Hyalopterus using a molecular phylogeny derived from mitochondrial, endosymbiont, and nuclear DNA sequences (1,320 bp) and analysis of 16 morphometric characters. The data provides strong evidence for three species within Hyalopterus, which confirms previous analyses of host plant usage patterns and suggests the need for revision of this genus. We describe a new species H. persikonus Miller, Lozier & Foottit n. sp., and present diagnostic identification keys for the genus.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
M. L. Pathak ◽  
H. C. Li ◽  
B. Xu ◽  
X. F. Gao ◽  
K. K. Pokharel ◽  
...  

  The newly described species, Ziziphus budhensis was confirmed as Chinese Jujuba, Z. xiangchengensis on the basis of their DNA analyses. Z. budhensis was explained as a new species on the basis of some morphological differences in 2015. In the Year 2016, the DNA samples were collected from the type locality of Nepal, and the molecular analyses were carried out. The type specimens and the other available images from the different herbariums were examined. Besides, the protologue and the type images were studied carefully. The result showed that though there were some differences in the habit and the habitat of the plant, the previously described new species, Z. budhensis was found to be same as the Chinese species, Z. xiangchengensis. This study also showed the importance of the molecular work of Z. budhensis and confirmed it morphologically distinct although it was very close to the Chinese species.Banko Janakari, Vol. 27, No. 1, page: 55-59


Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2876 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
AURÉLIEN MIRALLES ◽  
JÖRN KÖHLER ◽  
FRANK GLAW ◽  
MIGUEL VENCES

The present paper constitutes a study on a taxonomically confusing group of closely related species belonging to the Malagasy skink genus Madascincus, currently encompassing the nominal species M. polleni, M. intermedius and M. stumpffi. Based on combined analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences (ND1 and RAG2 genes, respectively), and morphological examination, we provide evidence for the existence of at least four distinct evolutionary lineages within this complex: Madascincus stumpffi; Madascincus arenicola sp. nov. from northern Madagascar; and two cryptic species morphologically similar to the name-bearing types of M. polleni and M. intermedius. The two latter species, although genetically distinct, appear to be morphologically indistinguishable and their taxonomic status cannot be resolved until a better sampling will be available.


Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2754 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARC RIUS ◽  
PETER R. TESKE

Pyura stolonifera is a large solitary ascidian found in Africa, Australasia and South America. The taxonomic status of different populations of this species is disputed, especially since there is evidence for several distinct morphological and genetic units that point towards the existence of multiple cryptic species. While some researchers still recognize P. stolonifera as a single species, others treat the different populations as distinct species. Here, we present a revision of the P. stolonifera species complex based on the examination of samples from all regions where there are reliable reports of this taxon. We recognize four species that are both morphologically and genetically distinct, one of which is new to science and is formally described here. This species is morphologically distinct from the other three members of the species complex in terms of the colour and texture of the tunic, the arrangement of the gonads within the gut and the shape of the dorsal tubercle, among other characters. We name the new species Pyura dalbyi after Dr. J.E. Dalby Jr., whose research on its ecology and distribution provided the incentive for examining this species more closely.


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