Taxonomic evaluation of the Grallaria rufula (Rufous Antpitta) complex (Aves: Passeriformes: Grallariidae) distinguishes sixteen species

Populations in the Rufous Antpitta (Grallaria rufula) complex occupy humid montane forests of the Andes from northern Colombia and adjacent Venezuela to central Bolivia. Their tawny to cinnamon-colored plumages are generally uniform, featuring subtle variation in hue and saturation across this range. In contrast to their conservative plumage, substantial vocal differences occur among geographically isolated or parapatric populations. Working within the framework of a comprehensive molecular phylogeny, we reexamined species limits in the G. rufula complex, basing taxonomic recommendations on diagnostic differences in vocalizations and considering identifiable differences in plumage where pertinent. We identified 16 populations for species designation, including seven populations previously described as subspecies and, remarkably, six new species described herein. Within one of these species, we identified less robust vocal differences between populations that we designate as subspecies. Geographic variation exists within another species, but its critical evaluation requires additional material. Taxonomic revisions of groups consisting of cryptic species, like the Grallaria rufula complex, are imperative for their conservation. Rather than widespread species as currently defined, these complexes can comprise many range-restricted taxa at higher risk of extinction given the continuing human pressures on their habitats.

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Genetic and morphological evidence for a new cryptic species of Ectinogonia (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from central Chile

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4303.2.8 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4303 (2) ◽

pp. 284 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

SIMÓN ANGUITA-SALINAS ◽

RODRIGO M. BARAHONA-SEGOVIA ◽

ELIE POULIN ◽

ALVARO ZÚÑIGA-REINOSO

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Genetic Distance ◽

Cryptic Species ◽

Distance Matrix ◽

Morphological Evidence ◽

Mountain Range ◽

Central Chile ◽

The Andes ◽

Genetic Distance Matrix ◽

Coi Sequences

The genus Ectinogonia Spinola, 1837 is a genus mainly found in Chile; it currently contains 17 species. Recent exploration in the Andes Mountain Range of the Bio Bio Region in Chile have resulted in the collection of specimens slightly different morphologically from all previously described species. The aim of this paper is to describe this new species of Ectinogonia using morphological and genetic evidence. To establish differences between species we described the external morphology and compared it to species that are morphologically similar (i.e. E. buqueti Spinola 1837 and E. intermedia Kerremans 1903). We also measured the genetic differences in COI sequences, constructing a distance matrix in which we compared it to species that are morphologically similar (E. buqueti and E. intermedia) and other species found in the same region (E. speciosa oscuripennis Moore 1994). We found that E. cryptica sp. n. differs from E. buqueti (which previously contained E. cryptica sp. n.) in pronotum and elytral patterns. The genetic distance matrix shows that E. cryptica sp. n. differs by 4.6% from all other Ectinogonia species compared, supporting the morphological evidence.

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Night stalkers from above: A monograph of Toxicodryas tree snakes (Squamata: Colubridae) with descriptions of two new cryptic species from Central Africa

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4965.1.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4965 (1) ◽

pp. 1-44

Author(s):

ELI GREENBAUM ◽

KAITLIN E. ALLEN ◽

EUGENE R. VAUGHAN ◽

OLIVIER S. G. PAUWELS ◽

VAN WALLACH ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Cryptic Species ◽

Niger Delta ◽

Central Africa ◽

Eastern Africa ◽

Species Boundaries ◽

Museum Specimens ◽

Demographic Analysis ◽

Widespread Species ◽

Biogeographic Barrier

The genus Toxicodryas, historically included with the renowned Australasian cat-eyed snakes of the colubrid genus Boiga, currently includes two widespread species (T. blandingii and T. pulverulenta) in western, central, and eastern Africa. We leverage findings from a recent phylogenomic and historical demographic analysis of this genus (based on 2848–4471 Rad-seq loci from across the genome), with robust sampling from throughout the ranges of both species, to define two additional taxonomic units, with species boundaries corresponding to river barriers. Additional morphometric data from scores of examined museum specimens and literature records bolster the recognition of these two new cryptic species. We hypothesize that T. blandingii occurs west of the confluence of the Congo and Ubangi rivers, whereas a cryptic new species that is found east of this biogeographic barrier has significantly higher numbers of ventral scale counts in both sexes, additional significant differences in several scale counts, and lower venom toxicity. Toxicodryas pulverulenta occurs west of the Niger Delta in West Africa, whereas a cryptic new species that is found east of this biogeographic barrier has significantly higher numbers of subcaudal scale counts in both sexes. A review of published information regarding morphological variation, ecology, natural history, habitat, and venom is summarized for these four Toxicodryas species.

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Molecular phylogeny of stream treefrogs (Hylidae:Hyloscirtus bogotensisGroup), with a new species from the Andes of Ecuador

Neotropical Biodiversity ◽

10.1080/23766808.2015.1074407 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 2-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Juan M. Guayasamin ◽

Mauricio Rivera-Correa ◽

Alejandro Arteaga ◽

Jaime Culebras ◽

Lucas Bustamante ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Molecular Phylogeny ◽

The Andes ◽

A New Species

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New species of the endemic Neotropical caddisfly genus Contulma from the Andes of Ecuador (Trichoptera: Anomalopsychidae)

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.3967 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. e3967 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ralph W. Holzenthal ◽

Blanca Ríos-Touma ◽

Ernesto Rázuri-Gonzales

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Endemic Species ◽

Identification Key ◽

Widespread Species ◽

The Andes ◽

Three New Species ◽

Subjective Synonym

The genus Contulma Flint (Trichoptera: Anomalopsychidae) is composed mostly of regionally endemic species occurring above 2,000 m, with a few more widespread species and some that are found at lower elevations. Adults of three new species of Contulma are described and illustrated from the Andes of Ecuador, Contulma lina, new species, Contulma quito, new species, and Contulma sangay, new species. These species are similar to previously described species from the region, including C. paluguillensis, C. nevada, and C. lancelolata. New provincial records are provided for C. bacula, C. cataracta, and C. echinata. Contulma duffi Oláh, 2016 is considered a junior, subjective synonym of C. penai, Holzenthal & Flint, 1995. Also, we provide an identification key to males of the 30 Contulma species now known.

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Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic evaluation of the genus Asaccus Dixon and Anderson, 1973 (Reptilia: Phyllodactylidae) in Iran

Herpetological Journal ◽

10.33256/hj30.4.207214 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 207-214

Author(s):

Akbar Fattahi

Keyword(s):

Molecular Phylogeny ◽

Nuclear Gene ◽

Genetic Distances ◽

Genetic Lineage ◽

New Taxon ◽

Zagros Mountains ◽

Relict Species ◽

Taxonomical Revision ◽

Two Populations ◽

Taxonomic Evaluation

The Iranian species of the phyllodactylid geckos of the genus Asaccus are found only in the valleys of the Zagros Mountains, a region which represents an important area of endemism in western Iran. Recently, many relict species have been described from the central and southern parts of the Zagros Mountains, which were previously known as A. elisae. The recent descriptions of species within this complex suggest that diversity within the genus may be higher than expected and that its taxonomy and systematics should be revised. In the present study, phylogenetic relationships within the genus Asaccus were evaluated using two mitochondrial and one nuclear gene. Genetically, the genus shows high levels of variability. The molecular phylogeny of the genus suggests the presence of three main clades along the Zagros Mountains with the southern population (from the Hormozgan province) and one clade (A. sp8 and A. sp9) being sister taxon to A. montanus from UAE. The remaining samples are separated into two reciprocally monophyletic groups: the northern (Kurdistan, Kermanshah and Ilam provinces) and the central (Lorestan, Khuzestan, Kohgilouye-Bouyer Ahmad and Fars provinces) Zagros groups. The results of the present study suggest that populations attributed to A. elisae in Iran correspond to distinct lineages with high genetic distances. In brief, our results suggest that the genus needs a major taxonomical revision The Arabian origin of the genus has not been confirmed, because two populations from Zagros were located within the A. montanus, A. gallagheri and A. platyrhynchus clade. Further morphological analyses are needed to systematically define each genetic lineage as a new taxon.

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Rubiacearum Americanarum Magna Hama Pars XLV: More New Species and Taxonomic Changes in Palicourea (Rubiaceae, Palicoureeae) and Psychotria subg. Heteropsychotria

Novon A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature ◽

10.3417/2019387 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 165-195

Author(s):

Charlotte M. Taylor

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Molecular Analyses ◽

The Andes ◽

Taxonomic Changes ◽

Species Groups ◽

Three New Species ◽

Taxonomic Studies

Psychotria subg. Heteropsychotria Steyerm. has been shown by morphological and molecular analyses to be polyphyletic. Most of its species, including its type, belong to Palicourea Aubl. (“Pal.”). Thirty-two species of this group are reviewed here, and 17 species in Psychotria L. are transferred to Palicourea and one to Rudgea Salisb. Two replacement names, Pal. agudeloana C. M. Taylor and Pal. tabayensis C. M. Taylor, are published. Taxonomic studies here clarify circumscriptions of similar, often-confused species for several distinctive species groups found variously in Mesoamerica and the Andes: the Palicourea aschersonianoides group, the Palicourea galeottiana group, the Palicourea sulphurea group, and the Palicourea tristis group. Three new species of Palicourea are described: Pal. aschersonianula C. M. Taylor, Pal. gonzaleziana C. M. Taylor, and Pal. wachterae C. M. Taylor. Nineteen names are newly typified, and infrageneric classifications are noted for the species of Palicourea studied.

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A new species of Cynomops (Chiroptera: Molossidae) from the northwestern slope of the Andes

Mammalia ◽

10.1515/mammalia-2020-0068 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Daniela Arenas-Viveros ◽

Pamela Sánchez-Vendizú ◽

Alan Giraldo ◽

Jorge Salazar-Bravo

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

New Species ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Mtdna Sequences ◽

The Andes ◽

Western Side ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data ◽

A New Species ◽

Lines Of Evidence

Abstract The systematics and taxonomy of the broadly distributed bats of the genus Cynomops has changed considerably in the last few years. Among the major changes, Cynomops abrasus was split into two species of large-bodied forms (Cynomops mastivus and C. abrasus) distributed east of the Andes. However, large Colombian specimens identified as C. abrasus from the western side of the Andes had yet to be included in any revisionary work. Phylogenetic analysis performed in this study, using mtDNA sequences (Cytochrome-b), revealed that these Colombian individuals are more closely related to Cynomops greenhalli. Morphological and molecular data allowed us to recognize populations from western Colombia, western Ecuador and northwestern Peru, as members of a new species of Cynomops. Characters that allow for its differentiation from C. greenhalli include a larger forearm, paler but more uniform ventral pelage, more globular braincase, and well-developed zygomatic processes of the maxilla (almost reaching the postorbital constriction). This study serves as another example of the importance of including multiple lines of evidence in the recognition of a new species. Given its rarity and the advanced transformation of its habitat, this new species is particularly important from a conservation perspective.

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