scholarly journals A new Indian species of Rhinophis Hemprich, 1820 closely related to R. sanguineus Beddome, 1863 (Serpentes: Uropeltidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4881 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
FILIPA L. SAMPAIO ◽  
SURYA NARAYANAN ◽  
VIVEK PHILIP CYRIAC ◽  
GOVINDAPPA VENU ◽  
DAVID J. GOWER
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Species ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Indian Species ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
New Species Description ◽  
The Western Ghats

A new species of the uropeltid (shieldtail snake) genus Rhinophis is described based on a type series of seven specimens from the Wayanad region of the Western Ghats of peninsular India. The holotype was collected before 1880 but had been misidentified as the phenotypically similar and parapatric (possibly partly sympatric) R. sanguineus. Rhinophis karinthandani sp. nov. is diagnosed by a combination of 15 dorsal scale rows at midbody, 4–8 pairs of subcaudal scales, colour pattern (uniformly dark above, whitish below with extensive dark mottling), and by its distinct mitochondrial DNA sequences (e.g. >7.6% uncorrected p-distance for nd4). Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequence data indicates that the new species is most closely related to R. sanguineus among currently recognised species, with this pair most closely related to the partly sympatric R. melanoleucus. The new species description brings the number of currently recognised species in the genus to 24, six of which are endemic to India and 18 endemic to Sri Lanka. A new key to the identification of Indian species of Rhinophis is provided.

A new species of Rhabdops Boulenger, 1893 (Serpentes: Natricinae) from the northern Western Ghats region of India

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4319 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
VARAD B. GIRI ◽  
V. DEEPAK ◽  
ASHOK CAPTAIN ◽  
ABHIJIT DAS ◽  
SANDEEP DAS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Threatened Habitat ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
A New Species

Based on analyses of new DNA sequence data for two nuclear (rag1, cmos) and three mitochondrial (16s, cytb, nd4) genes, the Indian snake genus Rhabdops is a natricine. Variation in geography, DNA sequences, the number of ventral scales, pattern and colour for samples of Rhabdops from along the Western Ghats region of peninsular India is concordant, discontinuous and bimodal. We recognise populations from the northern Western Ghats as distinct specifically from the more southerly R. olivaceus and describe Rhabdops aquaticus sp. nov. based on a series of eight specimens from two localities in the Northern Western Ghats. Rhabdops aquaticus sp. nov. is associated particularly with upland laterite plateaus and their associated streams, a threatened habitat within its known distribution. 

Phylogeny-based species delimitation of southern Philippines bent-toed geckos and a new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago

Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2390 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUKE J. WELTON ◽  
CAMERON D. SILER ◽  
ARVIN C. DIESMOS ◽  
RAFE M. BROWN
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Species ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Color Pattern ◽  
Reciprocal Monophyly ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Natural Park ◽  
Gallery Forests ◽  
A New Species

Using a combination of fixed morphological character differences, mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and an estimate of phylogeny as our guide, we describe a new species of bent-toed gekkonid lizard (Genus: Cyrtodactylus) from southwestern Mindanao Island, and northeastern portions of the Sulu Archipelago, southern Philippines. The new species resembles C. annulatus, but differs from this and all other congeners by characteristics of external morphology, color pattern, and body size. In addition, the new species is distinguished from congeners by marked genetic divergence and reciprocal monophyly of mitochondrial DNA sequences. The new species is common in pristine, low elevation gallery forests throughout Pasonanca Natural Park, Zamboanga Peninsula, southwestern Mindanao Island, and the northeastern portions of the Sulu Archipelago.

A new medium-bodied rupicolous Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Sirumalai massif, Tamil Nadu, India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4852 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-100
Author(s):  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽  
TEJAS THACKERAY ◽  
SWAPNIL PAWAR ◽  
ISHAN AGARWAL
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Tamil Nadu State ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Fourth Member ◽  
The Western Ghats

We describe a new species of the Hemidactylus acanthopholis clade from Sirumalai, an isolated massif in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu state, India. Hemidactylus sirumalaiensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed from all members of the prashadi group by its medium body size (SVL <95 mm), the number of dorsal tubercles rows at mid-body, the number of enlarged tubercles in paravertebral rows, the number of femoral pores and poreless scales between series of left and right femoral pores on the femoral-precloacal row in males, the number of ventral scales across the belly at mid-body and subtle colour pattern differences. The new species is the fourth member of the acanthopholis clade and 8.5–13.4 % divergent in ND2 sequence data from other members of the clade. We also provide data on additional specimens from a new locality of Hemidactylus kolliensis, previously known only from the male holotype. Hemidactylus sirumalaiensis sp. nov. is the first endemic and only the other vertebrate species described from Sirumalai massif in the last 133 years. Most rupicolous Hemidactylus species from peninsular India outside the Western Ghats are known only from a few localities and are likely to be geographically restricted in distribution, and large areas of suitable habitat remain unsurveyed, suggesting many more allied species remain to be discovered. 

A new Liopeltis Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4766 (3) ◽  
pp. 472-484
Author(s):  
HANNAH E. SOM ◽  
L. LEE GRISMER ◽  
PERRY L. JR. WOOD ◽  
EVAN S. H. QUAH ◽  
RAFE M. BROWN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Species ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Tropical Asia ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Lines Of Evidence

Liopeltis is a genus of poorly known, infrequently sampled species of colubrid snakes in tropical Asia. We collected a specimen of Liopeltis from Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia, that superficially resembled L. philippina, a rare species that is endemic to the Palawan Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex, western Philippines. We analyzed morphological and mitochondrial DNA sequence data from the Pulau Tioman specimen and found distinct differences to L. philippina and all other congeners. On the basis of these corroborated lines of evidence, the Pulau Tioman specimen is described as a new species, L. tiomanica sp. nov. The new species occurs in sympatry with L. tricolor on Pulau Tioman, and our description of L. tiomanica sp. nov. brings the number of endemic amphibians and reptiles on Pulau Tioman to 12. 

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. 

Two new species of shrub frogs (Rhacophoridae: Pseudophilautus) from Sri Lanka

Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2747 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
MADHAVA MEEGASKUMBURA ◽  
KELUM MANAMENDRA-ARACHCHI
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Species ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Outer Edge ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitats ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Two New Species

Two new species of Sri Lankan shrub frogs of the genus Pseudophilautus are described. These species are diagnosed from their congeners on the basis of morphology, morphometrics and mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Pseudophilautus schneideri, new species, is distinguished from all Sri Lankan Pseudophilautus by its small size (< 22.8 mm SVL), distinct tympanum and supratympanic fold, sharp canthal edges, granular throat, chest and belly, and absence or presence of a vomerine ridge. Pseudophilautus hankeni, new species, is distinguished by its diminutive size (< 21.9 mm SVL), distinct tympanum, rounded canthal edges, tuberculated outer edge of lower arm, tuberculated dermal fold on outer edge of foot, granular throat, chest and belly, and the absence of a vomerine ridge. Pseudophilautus schneideri inhabits shrubs in open areas of the low to mid-elevations of the island’s south-western ‘wet zone’ (rainfall > 2,000 mm•yr -1 ), including anthropogenic habitats, while P. hankeni is found on shrubs in the understorey of montane forests of the highest peaks (c. 1,200– 1,600 m elevation) of the Knuckles region. These descriptions bring the total number of valid species of Sri Lankan Pseudophilautus to 67, 48 of which are extant.

Description of a new species of Xylophis Beddome, 1878 (Serpentes: Pareidae: Xylophiinae) from the Western Ghats, India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4755 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. DEEPAK ◽  
SURYA NARAYANAN ◽  
SANDEEP DAS ◽  
K.P. RAJKUMAR ◽  
P.S. EASA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
External Morphology ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Palghat Gap ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
A New Species

We reassessed the systematics of the Indian (semi)fossorial snake Xylophis perroteti (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) based on morphological and DNA sequence data for type, historical, and new specimens. A population from the Anamalai Hills is distinct from broadly topotypic X. perroteti from the Nilgiri Hills (from which they are separated geographically by the lowland Palghat Gap) on the basis of both external morphology and DNA sequence data. We describe the Anamalai form as a new species, Xylophis mosaicus sp. nov. The new species is more closely related to X. perroteti than to X. stenorhynchus and X. captaini. A new key to identify the species of Xylophis is presented. 

Salamanders from the eastern Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica, with descriptions of five new species (Plethodontidae: Bolitoglossa, Nototriton, and Oedipina) and natural history notes from recent expeditions

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3309 (1) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
EDUARDO BOZA-OVIEDO ◽  
SEAN M. ROVITO ◽  
GERARDO CHAVES ◽  
ADRIÁN GARCÍA-RODRÍGUEZ ◽  
LUIS G. ARTAVIA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Species ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Mountain Habitats ◽  
Phylogenetic Hypotheses ◽  
Cordillera De Talamanca

We describe five new species of lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) from high mountain habitats along the border betweenCosta Rica and Panama: Bolitoglossa splendida, Bolitoglossa aureogularis, Bolitoglossa kamuk, Nototriton matama, andOedipina nimaso. We also present phylogenetic hypotheses for the new taxa (with the exception of the Oedipina) and their rel-atives based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data. The new species were discovered on a series of expeditions to remote areas (primarily over 1000 m elevation) of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica.

A new species of the genus Smithophis (Squamata: Serpentes: Natricidae) from southwestern China and northeastern Myanmar

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4803 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-74
Author(s):  
GERNOT VOGEL ◽  
ZENING CHEN ◽  
V. DEEPAK ◽  
DAVID J. GOWER ◽  
JINGSONG SHI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Cytochrome B ◽  
Yunnan Province ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Mitochondrial Cytochrome ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽  
A New Species

A new species of natricid snake, Smithophis linearis sp. nov., is described on the basis of a single recently collected specimen from Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China, and three historical specimens from Yunnan and from northeastern Myanmar. The new species is assigned to the genus Smithophis on the basis of its single internasal and single prefrontal shields, and on the basis of the results of phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequence data. The new species differs from its congeners in having the following combination of characters: temporal shields present, six or more circumorbital scales, and a distinctive colour pattern comprising regular, narrow, longitudinal dark and pale lines. Morphological and cytochrome b data are consistent with the recognition of Smithophis as distinct from the genus Opisthotropis. A revised key to the identification of the species of Smithophis is provided. 

scholarly journals Hierarchical Models for Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Berchialla
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Population History ◽  
Parametric Models ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Bayesian Hierarchical ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Mitochondrial Dna Sequence

We introduce a Bayesian hierarchical model for mitochondrial DNA sequence data, which is fitted via acceptance-rejection algorithms. The model incorporates parametric models of population history explicitly as well as a mutational process allowing for a simultaneous parameter estimation whose importance has become increasingly clear in many recent studies. The model is applied to a sample of DNA sequences from the Italian population.

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