On a new synonymy in the spider genus Nephila Leach, 1815 (Araneidae, Nephilinae) from India with supplementary notes on colour polymorphism in the genus

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4786 (4) ◽  
pp. 592-596
Author(s):  
PRADEEP M. SANKARAN ◽  
JOHN T.D. CALEB ◽  
MATHEW M. JOSEPH ◽  
POTHALIL A. SEBASTIAN
Keyword(s):  
West Bengal ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
Colour Polymorphism ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Female Specimen ◽  
Single Female ◽  
Indian Populations ◽  
Close Resemblance ◽  
Colour Morphs ◽  
New Synonymy

The golden orb-weaving spider genus Nephila Leach, 1815 currently has four representatives in India: Nephila dirangensis Biswas & Biswas, 2006, Nephila kuhlii (Doleschall, 1859), Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793) and Nephila robusta Tikader, 1962 (World Spider Catalog 2020). While N. kuhlii has its type locality in Java (Doleschall 1859) and that of N. pilipes in Australasia (Fabricius 1781), N. dirangensis and N. robusta are both confined to India (World Spider Catalog 2020). Tikader (1962) described the species N. robusta based on a single female specimen collected in West Bengal. The original genitalic illustrations of this species, however, show close resemblance to that of N. pilipes, indicating its possible synonymy with the latter. To confirm the novelty of N. robusta, we examined its type specimen and the result is presented below. Additionally, we discuss the occurrence of colour morphs in the Indian populations of N. pilipes.  

Krishnamon, a new genus for the cavernicolous crab Telphusa austeniana Wood-Mason, 1871 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae) from Meghalaya state, northeastern India

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-308
Author(s):  
Sameer K Pati ◽  
Darren C J Yeo ◽  
Peter K L Ng
Keyword(s):  
New Genus ◽  
Systematic Position ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Female Specimen ◽  
Single Female ◽  
Male Specimen ◽  
Northeastern India ◽  
Female Holotype ◽  
Geographic Distributions

Abstract Telphusa austeniana Wood-Mason, 1871 is a poorly known potamid crab described from a single female specimen from Meghalaya state, northeastern India, and its position in Tiwaripotamon Bott, 1970 has been questioned. Its systematic position is now clarified based on the examination of the female holotype and a male specimen recently collected from a cave near the type locality. The species is transferred from Tiwaripotamon to a new genus, Krishnamongen. nov. on the basis of the differences in the structures of the epigastric cristae, male pleon, male sixth pleonal somite, male telson, gonopods, and vulvae. The geographic distributions of the two genera are some 1,000 km apart. The new genus has affinities with Doimon Yeo & Ng, 2007, and Indochinamon Yeo & Ng, 2007, but can be distinguished mainly by its extremely slender and elongated ambulatory legs. While Krishnamon austenianum (Wood-Mason, 1871) comb. nov. is now recorded from limestone caves, it does not, however, possess the troglomorphic features of an obligate troglobite.

Revision of the Costa Rican species of Elachiptera (Diptera: Chloropidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1754 (1) ◽  
pp. 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
JULIA J. MLYNAREK ◽  
TERRY A. WHEELER
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Costa Rican ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Female Specimen ◽  
San Jose ◽  
Santo Domingo ◽  
Single Female ◽  
Additional Species

The Costa Rican species of the genus Elachiptera are revised. There are seven described species in the region: Elachiptera attenuata (Adams); E. coniotrigona Duda; E. fucosa sp. n. (type locality: Costa Rica: Santo Domingo de Heredia); E. melinifrons sp. n. (type locality: Costa Rica: San José); E. queposana sp. n. (type locality: Costa Rica: Quepos); E. rubida Becker and E. sacculicornis (Enderlein). An additional species (Elachiptera sp. A) is known from a single female specimen and is not formally described. Only one of these species (E. attenuata) had previously been recorded from Costa Rica.

The type series of Pseudopaludicola ternetzi Miranda-Ribeiro, 1937 (Anura, Leiuperidae) with designation of a lectotype

Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 3051 (1) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
ULISSES CARAMASCHI ◽  
JOSÉ P. POMBAL JR.
Keyword(s):  
Type Specimen ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Female Specimen ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Type Series ◽  
Males And Females

The genus Pseudopaludicola was erected by Miranda-Ribeiro (1926) to accomodate one species, P. falcipes (Hensel, 1867). Posteriorly, he added a second species to the genus, P. ternetzi, based on an undefined number of specimens, but surely involving males and females (Miranda-Ribeiro 1937). After a relatively detailed description and figures of a male and a female specimen, he particularly standed out one female specimen as coming from “Goyaz (Dr. Ternetz). Passa-Tres”. Paulo Miranda-Ribeiro (1955), in his survey on the types of the species described by his father, cited P. ternetzi, but he did not define a type specimen for the species. Notwithstanding, Frost (2011) referred to purportedly “Syntypes: MNRJ (2 specimens); MNRJ 488, considered holotype by Miranda-Ribeiro, 1955”, but this latter is actually the holotype of Barycholos ternetzi (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1937) (see Caramaschi & Pombal 2001). The type locality was cited by Frost (2011) only as “Goyaz [= Goiás]”, following P. Miranda-Ribeiro (1955), but adding that it was “restricted to ‘Passa Três, Goiás’ by Bokermann (1966). Actually, Bokermann (1966)”, besides incorrectly having synonymized the species with Pseudopaludicola ameghini (Cope, 1887) (see Lobo 1994), just referred, as type locality for the species, without comments, the only locality cited by Miranda-Ribeiro (1937) for one specimen examined by him. Given that for ongoing taxonomic revisions it is important to precisely identify all name-bearing type specimens in this genus, we examined the type series of P. ternetzi. Herein we designate a lectotype and list the paralectotypes for the species, thereby restricting and defining its type locality.

Lost before being recognized? A new species of the genus Ophisops (Squamata: Lacertidae) from Gujarat, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 31-44
Author(s):  
Harshil Patel ◽  
Raju Vyas
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Western India ◽  
Female Specimen ◽  
Single Female ◽  
Gujarat State ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
A New Species

A new species of the lacertid genus Ophisops is described based on a single female specimen from a plateau in the Dahod district, Gujarat state, western India. The new species is diagnosable by the following suite of characters: a small-sized Ophisops (adult, snout to vent length 40.8 mm); two frontonasals; prefrontals not in contact; enlarged tympanic scale absent; 30 scales around mid-body; 19 lamellae underneath the fourth toe; five chin shields, first two in contact medially; 15 gular scales between symphysis of chin shields and ventral plates; large mental scale, extending beyond second supralabial; females with 9 femoral pores on either side interrupted by three poreless scales. The new species, Ophisops agarwali sp. nov. is the fourth endemic species of reptile described in last 12 years from the state of Gujarat and highlights the rich and unique diversity of this understudied region. The single known specimen of the new species was collected nearly two decades ago and recent surveys by the authors at the type locality and surrounding areas failed to yield a surviving population which reflects the possibility that Ophisops agarwali sp. nov. may have been lost before any understanding could be gained about its existence or identity. The study emphasises dire need for proper taxonomic documentation of animals from poorly studied regions in India.

scholarly journals Description of a new species of Tityus (Scorpiones, Buthidae) from the Parque Estadual de Vila Velha in the State of Paraná (Brazil)

2005 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilson R. Lourenço
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Species Group ◽  
The State ◽  
Taxonomic Position ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Female Specimen ◽  
Single Female ◽  
Environmental Characteristics ◽  
A New Species

Tityus pintodarochai sp. n., pertencente ao grupo de espécies de Tityus bahiensis (Scorpiones, Buthidae) é descrito com base em um único exemplar coletado no ‘Parque Estadual de Vila Velha’, Estado do Paraná, Brazil. São comentadas a posição taxonômica da espécie nova e as características ambientais da localidade do tipo. É provida uma chave para as espécies pertencentes ao Grupo Tityus bahiensis, distribuídas no sul do Brasil, assim como em países vizinhos como Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Abstract Tityus pintodarochai sp. n., belonging to the Tityus bahiensis species group (Scorpiones, Buthidae) is described on the basis of a single female specimen collected in the ‘Parque Estadual de Vila Velha’, State of Paraná, Brazil. Comments on the taxonomic position of the new species and on the environmental characteristics of the type locality are given. A key is provided to the species belonging to the Tityus bahiensis group, distributed in the southern range of Brazil as well as in nearby countries such as Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Résumé Tityus pintodarochai sp. n., espèce appartenant au groupe d’espèces Tityus bahiensis, (Scorpiones, Buthidae) est décrit à partir d’un seul exemplaire femelle collecté dans le ‘Parque Estadual de Vila Velha’, dans l’Etat du Paraná, Brésil. Des commentaires sur la position taxonomique de la nouvelle espèce, ainsi que sur les caractéristiques écologiques de la localité typique sont apportés. Une clé est proposée pour les espèces appartenant au group Tityus bahiensis, distribuées dans la région Sud du Brésil, ainsi que dans les pays limitrophes tels l’Argentine, le Paraguay et l’Uruguay.

An annotated checklist of mesoplodont whale species (Cetacea, Ziphiidae) discovered during the nineteenth century

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. N. H. Waller
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Additional Data ◽  
Original Description ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
External Morphology ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Type Material ◽  
Beaked Whale ◽  
Registration Number ◽  
Annotated Checklist

Eight species of mesoplodont whales (genus Mesoplodon Gervais, 1850) named during the nineteenth century are based on valid descriptions. A checklist with the original description and type material for each of these species is provided. Additional data given may include type locality and illustrative sources, type material holding institution and type registration number(s). The only type specimen for which a record of external morphology was published relates to the 1803 stranding of Sowerby's beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens).

On the type locality of the steppe ribbon racer, Psammophis lineolatus (Brandt, 1838) (Serpentes: Lamprophiidae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 324 (2) ◽  
pp. 262-272
Author(s):  
I.V. Doronin ◽  
T.N. Dujsebayeva ◽  
K.M. Akhmedenov ◽  
A.G. Bakiev ◽  
K.N. Plakhov
Keyword(s):  
Caspian Sea ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Eastern Coast ◽  
Zoological Museum ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Original Species ◽  
Academy Of Sciences ◽  
Made In

The article specifies the type locality of the Steppe Ribbon Racer. The holotype Coluber (Taphrometopon) lineolatus Brandt, 1838 is stored in the reptile collection of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ZISP No 2042). Literature sources provide different information about the type locality. A mistake has been made in the title of the work with the original species description: the western coast of the sea was indicated instead of the eastern one. The place of capture was indicated as “M. Caspium” (Caspian Sea) on the label and in the reptile inventory book of the Zoological Museum of the Academy of Sciences. The specimen was sent to the museum by G.S. Karelin. The “1842” indicated on the labels and in the inventory book cannot be the year of capture of the type specimen, just as the “1837” indicated by A.M. Nikolsky. In 1837, Karelin was in Saint Petersburg and in 1842 in Siberia. Most likely, 1837 is the year when the collection arrived at the Museum, and 1842 is the year when the information about the specimen was recorded in the inventory book (catalog) of the Zoological Museum of the Academy of Sciences. In our opinion, the holotype was caught in 1932. From Karelin’s travel notes of the expedition to the Caspian Sea in 1832, follows that the snake was recorded in two regions adjacent to the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea – Ungoza Mountain (“Mangyshlak Mountains”) and site of the Western Chink of Ustyurt between Zhamanairakty and Kyzyltas Mountains (inclusive) on the northeast coast of Kaydak Sor (“Misty Mountains”). In our article, Karelin’s route to the northeastern coast of the Caspian Sea in 1832 and photographs of these localities are given. The type locality of Psammophis lineolatus (Brandt, 1838) should be restricted to the Mangystau Region of the Kazakhstan: Ungoza Mountain south of Sarytash Gulf, Mangystau (Mangyshlak) Penninsula (44°26´ N, 51°12´ E).

A new species of smooth-skinned Spinomantis frog (Anura: Mantellidae) from south-eastern Madagascar

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4317 (2) ◽  
pp. 379
Author(s):  
MIGUEL VENCES ◽  
JÖRN KÖHLER ◽  
FRANK GLAW
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Reciprocal Monophyly ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Candidate Species

We present molecular evidence for the presence of two species morphologically similar to Spinomantis bertini in Andohahela National Park, south-eastern Madagascar, differing by 5.5−6.3% pairwise DNA sequence divergences in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. One of these was observed at higher elevations of ca. 1650 m above sea level, whereas the other was found at lower elevations of ca. 715 m a.s.l., close to the type locality of S. bertini (Isaka-Ivondro), and in one other location (Andreoky, ca. 1050 a.s.l.). We herein assign these low- to mid-elevation specimens to S. bertini based on their occurrence near the type locality and general agreement in colour pattern with the type specimen of Gephyromantis bertini Guibé, 1947. The high-elevation form is described as Spinomantis beckei sp. nov. based on its molecular divergence and reciprocal monophyly with respect to S. bertini, lower expression of greenish dorsal colour and less distinct frenal stripe. Based on a comparison of published call descriptions for S. bertini and our recordings of S. beckei, we hypothesize that S. bertini has a lower note repetition rate in advertisement calls. Molecular data suggest that the S. bertini species complex is more diverse than previously recognized, with at least two more candidate species identified: S. sp. Ca7 from Ranomafana National Park, and a newly identified candidate species S. sp. Ca12 from Pic d’Ivohibe Special Reserve. 

Rediscovery of Calymmochilus russoi Gibson, 1995 (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Eupelmidae), and revision of European Calymmochilus Masi, 1919

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4504 (4) ◽  
pp. 501
Author(s):  
LUCIAN FUSU ◽  
RICHARD R. ASKEW ◽  
ANTONI RIBES
Keyword(s):  
Host Record ◽  
Original Description ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
First Record ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Single Female ◽  
European Species

The European species of Calymmochilus Masi (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) are revised. Calymmochilus atratus Masi stat. rev. is removed from synonymy under C. subnubilus (Walker) and treated as a valid species. A lectotype is designated for Calymmochilus atratus. The single extant type specimen of Eupelmus subnubilus Walker is considered as lectotype. Calymmochilus bini Fusu sp. n. is described from a single female collected in Sardinia. A female of Calymmochilus russoi Gibson is reported from Spain as a parasitoid in galls of Parapodia sinaica (Frauenfeld) (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) on Tamarix (Tamaricaceae), a new national and host record. The species is redescribed and illustrated, this being the first record of the species after its original description. An illustrated key to females and, when known, males of the now six recognized European species of Calymmochilus is given and available biological and distributional data are reviewed. 

scholarly journals Melanin-based coloration and host–parasite interactions under global change

2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1879) ◽  
pp. 20180285 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Côte ◽  
A. Boniface ◽  
S. Blanchet ◽  
A. P. Hendry ◽  
J. Gasparini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Multiple Stressors ◽  
Colour Polymorphism ◽  
Host Parasite Interactions ◽  
To Come ◽  
Colour Morphs ◽  
Host Parasite

The role of parasites in shaping melanin-based colour polymorphism, and the consequences of colour polymorphism for disease resistance, remain debated. Here we review recent evidence of the links between melanin-based coloration and the behavioural and immunological defences of vertebrates against their parasites. First we propose that (1) differences between colour morphs can result in variable exposure to parasites, either directly (certain colours might be more or less attractive to parasites) or indirectly (variations in behaviour and encounter probability). Once infected, we propose that (2) immune variation between differently coloured individuals might result in different abilities to cope with parasite infection. We then discuss (3) how these different abilities could translate into variable sexual and natural selection in environments varying in parasite pressure. Finally, we address (4) the potential role of parasites in the maintenance of melanin-based colour polymorphism, especially in the context of global change and multiple stressors in human-altered environments. Because global change will probably affect both coloration and the spread of parasitic diseases in the decades to come, future studies should take into account melanin-based coloration to better predict the evolutionary responses of animals to changing disease risk in human-altered environments.

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