Phenotypic divergence in large sized cricket frog species that crossed the geographical barriers within peninsular India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4838 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-220
Author(s):  
AMIT HEGDE ◽  
K.P. DINESH ◽  
GIRISH KADADEVARU
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Recent Past ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Frog Species ◽  
Cricket Frog ◽  
Good Number ◽  
The Western Ghats

A good number of new species are being described and included in the genus Fejervarya / Minervarya from South Asia and Southeast Asia in the recent past. But, the classification or consideration of the genus Fejervarya / Minervarya is only phylogenetic, where it is difficult to morphologically identify the genus in the overlapping range of geographical distribution. Recently a large sized new species of cricket frog Fejervarya kalinga has been described, which is thought to be endemic to the Eastern Ghats (a unique geographical landscape running parallel to the East Coast of India). Here we report a morphologically variable and distinct population of F. kalinga from the Western Ghats (an amphibian diversity hotspot running parallel to the West Coast of India). We discuss the importance of genetic studies in handling such morphologically highly variable populations of the species and their adaptation to different habitats and their implications in taxonomic identity. 

scholarly journals A NEW CRYPTIC SPECIES OF BUSH FROG (AMPHIBIA: ANURA: Raorchestes) FROM THE SOUTHERN EASTERN GHATS, INDIA

2020 ◽  
pp. 164-173
Author(s):  
Gaurang G. Gowande ◽  
S.R. Ganesh ◽  
Zeeshan A. Mirza
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
16S Rrna Gene Sequences ◽  
Upper Eyelid ◽  
Phylogenetic Reconstructions ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic ◽  
Mitochondrial 16S Rrna Gene ◽  
The Western Ghats

A new cryptic lineage of bush frogs of the genus Raorchestes from the understudied Eastern Ghats of India is described. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions using mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences suggest that the new species belongs to the Raorchestes charius clade, is sister to the allopatric R. charius of the Western Ghats and support the species-level distinctiveness of the lineage. The new species morphologically resembles R. charius from which it can be distinguished using the following characters: narrower head (HW/SVL 0.31 vs 0.34–0.36), wider inter upper eyelid (IUE/SVL 0.14–0.16 vs 0.11–0.13), greater maximum upper eyelid width (UEW/SVL 0.10–0.12 vs 0.06–0.09) and shorter thigh (TL/SVL 0.32–0.43 vs 0.44–0.51). Acoustic observations from the breeding males further corroborate the distinct specific status of the new species. The discovery of this new species of bush frog from an understudied landscape suggests that additional extensive surveys in the Eastern Ghats would yield several more amphibian lineages yet unknown to science.

Three new species and four new species records of earthworms of the genus Moniligaster Perrier, 1872 (Clitellata: Moniligastridae) from Kerala region of the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4949 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-397
Author(s):  
S. PRASANTH NARAYANAN ◽  
S. SATHRUMITHRA ◽  
R. ANUJA ◽  
G. CHRISTOPHER ◽  
A.P. THOMAS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Original Description ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Andaman Islands ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Indian State ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Western Ghats

Three new species of Moniligaster Perrier, 1872, namely M. bahli Narayanan & Julka, sp. nov., M. blakemorei Narayanan & Julka, sp. nov. and M. keralensis Narayanan & Julka, sp. nov. are described from materials collected from the Indian state of Kerala. Moniligaster cernosvitovi Gates, 1962, Moniligaster horsti Gates, 1940, Moniligaster michaelseni Gates, 1940 and Moniligaster stephensoni Gates, 1940 are recorded for the first time from the state. With the new findings, a total of 10 Moniligaster species are known from Kerala. Moniligaster species are restricted to southern peninsular India, except Moniligaster ivaniosi Manazhy, 2011, decribed from the Andaman Islands, outside the currently known distributional range of the genus. Hence we critically reviewed the original description and reinvestigated the holotype. As a result, Moniligaster ivaniosi is considered a junior synonym of Drawida nepalensis Michaelsen, 1907. 

A new species of rock-dwelling Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Tamil Nadu, southern India

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4571 (3) ◽  
pp. 383
Author(s):  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Southern India ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Tamil Nadu State ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
A New Species

A new species of the gekkonid genus Cnemaspis is described based on a series of nine specimens from near Sankari in Salem district, Tamil Nadu state, southern India. The new species is diagnosable by the following suite of characters: a small-sized Cnemaspis (adult snout to vent length less than 33 mm); heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis consisting of weakly keeled granular scales intermixed with large strongly keeled, conical tubercles, 9–11 rows of dorsal tubercles, 12–17 tubercles in paravertebral rows; spine-like scales absent on flank, 17–20 lamellae under digit IV of pes. Males with 4–6 femoral pores on each thigh, separated on either side by eight poreless scales from four precloacal pores; precloacal pores separated medially by a single poreless scale; two single dorsal ocelli on occiput and between forelimb insertions, two pairs of ocelli on either side just anterior and posterior to forelimb insertions. Cnemaspis agarwali sp. nov. is the fifth endemic species of Cnemaspis from peninsular India outside the Western Ghats and highlights the rich and unique diversity of this understudied region. 

Two new Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Shevaroy massif, Tamil Nadu, India, with a preliminary ND2 phylogeny of Indian Cnemaspis

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4609 (1) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽  
NIKHIL GAITONDE ◽  
ISHAN AGARWAL
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Size ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Sequence Divergence ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
The Western Ghats

We present a preliminary ND2 phylogeny of South Asian Cnemaspis, recovering a number of deeply divergent clades within Indian Cnemaspis, endemic to the southern and northern Western Ghats besides the Mysore Plateau and hills of Tamil Nadu. There are a number of unnamed lineages that are >5% divergent on ND2 across the phylogeny, including three from the gracilis clade on an elevation gradient (800–1400 m asl.) around Yercaud in the Shevaroy massif, Salem district, Tamil Nadu. We describe two of these as new species— Cnemaspis shevaroyensis sp. nov. and Cnemaspis thackerayi sp. nov. are both allied to Cnemaspis gracilis and can be diagnosed from all other Indian Cnemaspis by the absence of spine-like scales on flank, heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis, presence of femoral and precloacal pores, tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls, a median row of enlarged and smooth sub-caudals. They differ from C. gracilis and each other in body size, the number of tubercles around midbody, the number of tubercles in paravertebral rows, the number of femoral and precloacal pores, the number of poreless scales in-between precloacal pores and between femoral and precloacal pores, and subtle colour pattern differences; besides uncorrected mitochondrial sequence divergence (7.9–16.6 %). We also provide a description of Cnemaspis yercaudensis from its type locality and an additional locality. The discovery of two endemic species and a third unnamed divergent lineage from an isolated massif in peninsular India outside the Western Ghats indicate that many other such understudied hill ranges may harbour high endemic biodiversity. 

scholarly journals A new species of shieldtail snake (Reptilia: Squamata: Uropeltidae) from Kolli Hill complex, southern Eastern Ghats, peninsular India

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 15436-15442
Author(s):  
S.R. Ganesh ◽  
N.S. Achyuthan
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Restricted Range ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Evergreen Forests ◽  
Allopatric Species ◽  
Yellow Mottling ◽  
A New Species

We describe a new species of shieldtail (uropeltid) snake, Uropeltis rajendrani sp. nov., from the Kolli Hill complex of the southern Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu, India.  The new species belongs to the U. ceylanica group and is differentiated from related species in having 16–17:16–17:15–16 dorsal scale rows; 145–158 ventral scales; 8–11 pairs of subcaudals; dorsum uniform brown, anteriorly powdered with yellow mottling; venter brown, scales outlined with yellow.  This endemic species with a restricted range is known only from atop Kolli Hill complex, inhabiting higher elevation (> 900m) evergreen forests, where it is the only known member of this genus. Allopatric species, endemism, isolated massif, Uropeltis rajendrani sp. nov., Western Ghats. 

Bryocrumia Malabarica Spec. Nova (Bryophyta, Hypnaceae), A Second Species of the Genus from the Western Ghats of India

2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 165-170
Author(s):  
C. N. Manju ◽  
B. Prajitha ◽  
R. Prakashkumar ◽  
W. Z. Ma
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Stream Channel ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
External Appearance ◽  
Western Ghats Of India ◽  
Central Strand ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
A New Species

A new species similar to Bryocrumia vivicolor, the only known species in the genus Bryocrumia, is described as Bryocrumia malabarica spec. nova from the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats of Kerala in Peninsular India. It resembles Homalia in external appearance and was collected in a rheophytic habitat along a stream channel in the evergreen forest. The new species is characterised by closely arranged leaves with distinct tricostate, ovate-rounded to truncate leaves, upper margin of leaf rounded with fine serrations and an inconspicuous central strand in stem cross section.

A systematic revision of Calotes Cuvier, 1817 (Squamata: Agamidae) from the Western Ghats adds two genera and reveals two new species

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4482 (3) ◽  
pp. 401 ◽  
Author(s):  
SAUNAK PAL ◽  
S.P. VIJAYAKUMAR ◽  
KARTIK SHANKER ◽  
ADITI JAYARAJAN ◽  
V. DEEPAK
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Sister Relationship ◽  
Systematic Revision ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
The Western Ghats

Lizards of the genus Calotes are geographically restricted to South Asia, Indo-China and parts of Southeast Asia. The greatest diversity of the genus is from the biodiversity hotspots in South Asia: Western Ghats (Peninsular India), Sri Lanka and Indo-Burma. Here, we present a systematic revision of members of the genus Calotes from Peninsular India using a combination of molecular phylogeny, geographical distribution and morphological characters. We show that Calotes from the Western Ghats is paraphyletic and consists of three major clades, one of which is widely distributed in South and Southeast (SE) Asia, while the others are restricted to Peninsular India. The Peninsular Indian clade is composed of two sister clades: Psammophilus, with a wider distribution and a second clade, composed of two extant species, Calotes rouxii and Calotes ellioti and two new species, all restricted to the Western Ghats region. Based on morphological differences, we retain the generic status of Psammophilus and assign its sister clade to a new genus Monilesaurus gen. nov. and transfer the following species, C. rouxii and C. ellioti, to this new genus. We also provide diagnoses and descriptions for two new species recognized within Monilesaurus gen. nov. In addition, Calotes aurantolabium from the Western Ghats was observed to be deeply divergent and to share a sister-relationship with the clade composed of Calotes, Monilesaurus gen. nov., and Psammophilus. Based on its phylogenetic position and morphological attributes, we assign this species to a new genus Microauris gen. nov. These new discoveries highlight the evolutionary significance of the Western Ghats in housing novel lizard diversity. 

A deeply divergent lineage of Walkerana (Anura: Ranixalidae) from the Western Ghats of Peninsular India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4729 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.P. DINESH ◽  
S.P. VIJAYAKUMAR ◽  
VIJAY RAMESH ◽  
ADITI JAYARAJAN ◽  
S.R. CHANDRAMOULI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Divergent Lineage ◽  
The North ◽  
Palghat Gap ◽  
High Elevations ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
Hill Range

The frog family Ranixalidae is endemic to the Western Ghats of Peninsular India and contains two genera, Indirana and Walkerana. The three known species of Walkerana are restricted to different hill ranges south of the Palghat Gap, an ancient valley in the Western Ghats. In this study, we report the discovery of a deeply divergent lineage of Walkerana from the high elevations of the Elivalmalai hill range. This finding extends the geographic range of the Walkerana clade to the north of the Palghat Gap. The new species Walkerana muduga sp. nov. is genetically and morphologically divergent, and geographically isolated from its sister lineages. We also recovered a potential new lineage in the adjoining hill ranges suggesting the presence of additional new species in this genus north of the Palghat Gap.  

Disentangling vines: a study of morphological crypsis and genetic divergence in vine snakes (Squamata: Colubridae: Ahaetulla) with the description of five new species from Peninsular India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4874 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-62
Author(s):  
ASHOK KUMAR MALLIK ◽  
ACHYUTHAN N. SRIKANTHAN ◽  
SAUNAK P. PAL ◽  
PRINCIA MARGARET D’SOUZA ◽  
KARTIK SHANKER ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Genetic Divergence ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Cryptic Diversity ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Nomenclatural Change ◽  
Southern Western Ghats ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
A New Species

We carried out a taxonomic revision of Ahaetulla species inhabiting Peninsular India, using a multiple criteria approach (including genetics, morphology, and geography). Our work included populations of the A. nasuta complex (widespread across the entire region, including the Western Ghats), the A. pulverulenta complex (in the Western Ghats, within Peninsular India) and the A. dispar complex (endemic to the Southern Western Ghats) which all revealed undocumented cryptic diversity. Here, we describe five new species and effect nomenclatural changes to some recognised taxa. In the A. nasuta complex, we describe four species from several latitudinal blocks of the Western Ghats and make nomenclatural emendations to the plains populations in the Indian peninsula. We effect nomenclatural change in the A. pulverulenta population of the Western Ghats and describe a new species from the A. dispar group. Our study highlights the use of a multi-criteria approach in unraveling cryptic diversity. This study also reveals a striking case of discordance between morphological and genetic divergence, and the way this is reflected in previous taxonomic and nomenclatural treatments of these populations. 

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