scholarly journals An unusual body colouration of Ceylon roughside snake (Aspidura ceylonensis)

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-126
Author(s):  
D. Kandambi ◽  
N. Abeyrathna ◽  
D.S. De Silva ◽  
S. Karunarathna
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
The Body ◽  
Montane Forests ◽  
Body Coloration ◽  
Black Spots ◽  
Loose Soil ◽  
Dark Orange ◽  
Adult Body ◽  
Body Colouration

The small sized, non-venomous, and fossorial colubrid snake genus Aspidura Wagler, 1830 is endemic to Sri Lanka. Aspidura ceylonensis (Günther, 1858) is rare and restricted to mid-elevation to montane and sub-montane forests at elevation of 500–1300 m a.s.l. in the Central Highlands and the Knuckles massif. It is found in cool and well-shaded forest areas, with thick moist leaflitter, woody debris, and loose soil. The usual adult body coloration on dorsum is dark reddish or dark orange, rarely yellowish, with a continuous black vertebral line and two rows of dorsolateral black spots along the body.

scholarly journals Redescriptions, Lectotype Designations, New Synonyms and New Geographic Records for the “Tiger” Species of Mycotretus Lacordaire, 1842 (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Tritomini)

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Italo Pecci-Maddalena ◽  
Cristiano Lopes-Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Valid Species ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
New Synonyms ◽  
Body Coloration ◽  
Black Spots ◽  
Similar Body ◽  
First Descriptions

The Neotropical Mycotretus Lacordaire, 1842 is one of the largest and most widespread genera of the Erotylidae, encompassing more than 200 described species. Among the species with a similar body coloration, there is a “group” of six valid species—called here the “tiger” Mycotretus—that possess several pronotal and elytral black spots, as follows: M. tigrinus (Olivier, 1792); M. multimaculatus Taschenberg, 1870; M. centralis Arrow, 1909; M. tigrinoides Mader, 1942; M. tigripennis Mader, 1942; and M. prioteloides Mader, 1942. Different from any other Mycotretus with spots, the spots of the “tiger” Mycotretus are numerous and are not bilaterally symmetrical in pattern. Here, new geographical records, diagnoses and redescriptions are provided for M. tigrinus, M. centralis, M. tigrinoides, M. tigripennis and M. prioteloides, including the first descriptions of their male and female terminalia. Lectotypes are designated for M. multimaculatus, M. centralis, and M. leopardus. Mycotretus multimaculatus and M. tigrinus pardalis Crotch, 1876 are proposed as new junior synonyms of M. tigrinus. Additionally, the authorship of the name M. leopardus is attributed to Crotch, 1876, because he was the first author to provide a description for that taxon, and the synonymy of M. leopardus and M. conspersus (Germar, 1824) with M. tigrinus (Olivier, 1792) is confirmed.

scholarly journals Dichromatobolus, a new genus of spirobolidan millipedes from Madagascar (Spirobolida, Pachybolidae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 720 ◽  
pp. 107-120
Author(s):  
Thomas Wesener
Keyword(s):  
New Genus ◽  
Color Pattern ◽  
The Body ◽  
Scanning Electron Micrographs ◽  
Fresh Tissue ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Molecular Barcoding ◽  
Line Drawings ◽  
Loose Soil

A new genus, Dichromatobolus gen. nov., belonging to the genus-rich mainly southern hemisphere family Pachybolidae of the order Spirobolida, is described based on D. elephantulus gen. et sp. nov., illustrated with color pictures, line drawings, and scanning electron micrographs. The species is recorded from the spiny bush of southwestern Madagascar. Dichromatobolus elephantulus gen. et sp. nov. shows an unusual color pattern, sexual dichromatism with males being red with black legs and females being grey. Males seem to be more surface active, as mainly males were collected with pitfall traps. Females mainly come from the pet trade. The body of this species is short and very wide, being only 8 times longer than wide in the males. Live observations show the species is a very slow mover, digging in loose soil almost as fast as walking on the surface. The posterior gonopods of Dichromatobolus gen. nov. are unusually simple and well-rounded, displaying some similarities to the genera Corallobolus Wesener, 2009 and Granitobolus Wesener, 2009, from which the new genus differs in numerous other characters, e.g., size, anterior gonopods and habitus. Despite several attempts with fresh tissue samples and different primers, molecular barcoding did not work for Dichromatobolus gen. nov. Any relationships to the other 15 genera of Pachybolidae indigenous to Madagascar remain unknown.

scholarly journals Nutritional status of school children living in Northern part of Sri Lanka

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gitanjali Sathiadas ◽  
A Annieston ◽  
V Arunath ◽  
T Kasthuri ◽  
V P Wickramasinghe
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
School Children ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Height For Age

Abstract Background Nutritional status is an important indicator for measuring quality of life in children. A region that is recovering from war will face many problems related to nutrition. Very few studies have addressed the nutritional problems in school-going children. This study was undertaken to identify the prevalence of wasting, stunting and obesity of school children from Northern Sri Lanka and associated socio-demographic factorsMethods A community based cross-sectional study was carried out using multistage stratified proportionate cluster among healthy children attending schools in the Northern part of the country. Height and weight were measured and the Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated [weight (kg)/Height (m) ²]. BMI-for-age z-score (BAZ) and Height for age Z (HAZ) scores were determined and WHO growth references were used to categorise the nutritional status of the children. Correlation between various nutritional problems with Maternal education, household income, number of family members and the residential area was assessed. Results A total of 1012 children were recruited, and the mean age and standard deviation were 11.12±1.77yrs. Girls in the age ranges of 9-14 were heavier and taller when compared to the boys compatible to the pubertal growth spurt. Stunting based on the height for age was seen in 10.9% of boys and 11.8% of girls. Wasting based on BMI for age WHO standard (WHO 2007) was seen in 30.6% of boys and 29.1% of the girls. The prevalence of overweight was 11% and Obesity was 6.3% of the population. Obesity was predominantly seen in boys (4.2%) and it was significantly higher when compared to the girls (2.1%) (p <0.001). Older boys (>10 years) were significantly affected more than the younger ones (p <0.01). The prevalence of wasting, stunting, overweight and obesity had significant variations in different educational zones comparable with the geographical areas. Maternal Education and Family income had a significant impact on the prevalence of stunting and obesity. (p<0.001) whereas the family size significantly contributed to the wasting and obesity. Conclusion Findings suggest that stunting, wasting, overweight and obesity are prevalent among 6-16-year-old leading to concerns in public health. The nutritional status significantly vary according to the geographical location maternal education and the household income.

Two new species of montane web-footed salamanders (Plethodontidae: Bolitoglossa) from the Costa Rica-Panamá border region

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 1981 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
FEDERICO BOLAÑOS ◽  
DAVID B. WAKE
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Body Wall ◽  
Species Group ◽  
The Body ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Adult Body ◽  
Salamander Species

Two new species of lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) are described from high montane habitats of the border region between Costa Rica and Panamá. Bolitoglossa pygmaea and B. robinsoni are distinguished from each other and from other salamander species in this remote area by differences in adult body size, external proportions, foot webbing, tooth counts and/or external coloration. Both new species are assigned to the B. subpalmata species group, subgenus Eladinea. The miniaturized B. pygmaea is remarkable in being extensively depigmented, yet having the peritoneum and stomach area heavily pigmented and visible through the body wall.

Two genera of Panchaetothripinae newly recorded from China, with first description of males of Opimothrips tubulatus (Thysanoptera, Thripidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4567 (3) ◽  
pp. 583 ◽  
Author(s):  
YANLAN XIE ◽  
YAJIN LI ◽  
ZHENGYUE LI ◽  
HONGRUI ZHANG
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Abdominal Segment ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
The Body ◽  
Old World ◽  
Old World Tropics

The subfamily Panchaetothripinae comprises 40 extant genera worldwide (ThripsWiki 2019), although only 15 genera are previously recorded from China (Mirab-balou et al. 2016; Li et al. 2018). Panchaetothripinae thrips are characterized by the strong reticulations on the body and leg. Wilson (1975) recognized three tribes in this subfamily, Panchaetothripini, Monilothripini and Tryphactothripini, but only tribe Tryphactothripini was relatively supported based on morphological characters (Mound et al. 2001). Species in this Tribe have abdominal segment II constricted at the base and bearing laterally patches of strong ridges, wart-like tubercles or stoutly recurved microtrichia, and abdominal segment X tends to be asymmetrical. Recently, two further genera of Tryphactothripini were found in Southern China, Noathrips and Opimothrips. These two monotypic genera are reported only from the Old World tropics, Noathrips from India and Sri Lanka, and Opimothrips only from Thailand (Bhatti 1967; Kudô 1979; Nonaka & Okajima 1992). The purpose of this paper is to record these two genera from China, together with the first description of the male of Opimothrips tubulatus. 

Host-use pattern and sexual dimorphism reveals the mating system of the symbiotic pea crabAustinixa aidae(Crustacea: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae)

2012 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 715-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas F. Peiró ◽  
J. Antonio Baeza ◽  
Fernando L. Mantelatto
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Mating System ◽  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
The Body ◽  
Host Use ◽  
Decapod Crustaceans ◽  
Body Coloration ◽  
Early Embryos ◽  
Use Pattern

Austinixa aidaeinhabits burrows of the ghost shrimpCallichirus majorat Perequê-açu beach, Ubatuba, Brazil. We described the host-use pattern and sexual dimorphism ofA. aidaeto test for monogamy given the generality of this mating system in the subfamily Pinnothereliinae (family Pinnotheridae) to whichA. aidaebelongs. Against expectations,A. aidaelives as solitary individuals within burrows more frequently than expected by chance alone. Additional observations suggested thatA. aidaeexhibits a polygynandrous mating system with males moving among burrows in search of receptive females. First, only 21% of the burrows harboured heterosexual pairs of crabs and the body size of paired crabs was poorly correlated. This suggests pair instability and frequent shifts among burrows by male and/or female crabs, as reported before for other symbiotic crustaceans in which the body size of paired crabs is poorly correlated. Second, males paired with females that were sexually receptive (without embryos) or that have been receptive recently (carrying early embryos) were found more frequently than expected by chance alone. The above agrees with that reported for species in which sexual pairing does not last long. Third, sexual dimorphism in terms of claw size and coloration was evident. Claws were larger in males than in females, a condition that argues in favour of male–male competition inA. aidae. In addition, the body coloration of males was more similar to the sand grains of the beach than that of females. This sex-specific coloration suggests that males are ‘better adapted' than females to roam on the surface of the beach in search of burrows because their coloration should diminish the risk of detection by predators. Experiments are needed to reveal the details of the polygynandrous mating system herein inferred forA. aidaeand to understand those conditions favouring particular reproductive strategies in symbiotic decapod crustaceans.

scholarly journals Revision of Tympanopleura Eigenmann (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae) with description of two new species

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Walsh ◽  
Frank Raynner Vasconcelos Ribeiro ◽  
Lúcia Helena Rapp Py-Daniel
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
River Basin ◽  
The Body ◽  
Junior Synonym ◽  
Amazon River ◽  
Middle Portion ◽  
Amazon River Basin ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Gas Bladder ◽  
Adult Body

The Neotropical catfish genus Tympanopleura, previously synonymized within Ageneiosus, is revalidated and included species are reviewed. Six species are recognized, two of which are described as new. Tympanopleura is distinguished from Ageneiosus by having an enlarged gas bladder not strongly encapsulated in bone; a prominent pseudotympanum consisting of an area on the side of the body devoid of epaxial musculature where the gas bladder contacts the internal coelomic wall; short, blunt head without greatly elongated jaws; and smaller adult body size. Species of Tympanopleura are distinguished from each other on the basis of unique meristic, morphometric, and pigmentation differences. Ageneiosus melanopogon and Tympanopleura nigricollis are junior synonyms of Tympanopleura atronasus. Tympanopleura alta is a junior synonym of Tympanopleura brevis. A lectotype is designated for T. brevis. Ageneiosus madeirensis is a junior synonym of Tympanopleura rondoni. Tympanopleura atronasus, T. brevis, T. longipinna, and T. rondoni are relatively widespread in the middle and upper Amazon River basin. Tympanopleura cryptica is described from relatively few specimens collected in the upper portion of the Amazon River basin in Peru and the middle portion of that basin in Brazil. Tympanopleura piperata is distributed in the upper and middle Amazon River basin, as well as in the Essequibo River drainage of Guyana.

A new species of Rhinophis Hemprich, 1820 (Reptilia: Serpentes: Uropeltidae) from Rakwana massif, Sri Lanka

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2044 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. MENDIS WICKRAMASINGHE ◽  
DULAN RANGA VIDANAPATHIRANA ◽  
NETHU WICKRAMASINGHE ◽  
P. NAYANAKA RANWELLA
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Morphometric Analysis ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Loose Soil ◽  
A New Species

A new species of Rhinophis, Rhinophis erangaviraji sp. nov. is described, the tenth species of the genus known from Sri Lanka. The new species is readily distinguished from all other congeners by its colour pattern and scalation. Morphometric analysis supports the distinction of the new species from the superficially similar R. blythii. The new species is known only from the Rakwana massif, where it has been collected in shady areas, within loose soil.

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