scholarly journals Taxonomic analysis of Paraguayan samples ofHomonota fasciataDuméril & Bibron (1836) with the revalidation ofHomonota horridaBurmeister (1861) (Reptilia: Squamata: Phyllodactylidae) and the description of a new species

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pier Cacciali ◽  
Mariana Morando ◽  
Cintia D. Medina ◽  
Gunther Köhler ◽  
Martha Motte ◽  
...  

Homonotais a Neotropical genus of nocturnal lizards characterized by the following combination of characters: absence of femoral pores, infradigital lamellae not dilated, claws without sheath, inferior lamellae laterally not denticulate, and presence of a ceratobranchial groove. Currently the genus is composed of 10 species assembled in three groups: two groups with four species, and thefasciatagroup with only two species. Here, we analyzed genetic and morphologic data of samples ofHomonota fasciatafrom Paraguay; according to Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses, the Paraguay population represents an undescribed species. Additionally, morphological analysis of the holotype ofH. fasciata(MNHN 6756) shows that it is morphologically different from the banded, large-scaledHomonotacommonly referred to as “H. fasciata”. Given the inconsistency between morphological characters of the name-bearing type ofH. fasciataand the species commonly referred to asH. fasciata, we consider them as different taxa. Thus,H. fasciatais aspecies inquirendawhich needs further studies, and we resurrect the nameH. horridafor the banded, large-scaledHomonota. The undescribed species from Paraguay is similar toH. horrida, but can be differentiated by the high position of the auditory meatus relative to the mouth commissure (vs. low position inH. horrida); and less developed tubercles on the sides of the head, including a narrow area between the orbit and the auditory meatus covered with small granular scales with or without few tubercles (vs. several big tubercles on the sides of the head even in the area between the orbit and the auditory meatus). The new species is distributed in the Dry Chaco in South America. With the formal description of this species, the actual diversity of the genusHomonotais increased to 12 species. Furthermore, we infer phylogenetic relationships for 11 of the 12 described species of the genus, based on 11 molecular markers (two mitochondrial and nine nuclear genes), with concatenated and species tree approaches.

2019 ◽  
Vol 152 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-92
Author(s):  
Piero G. Delprete ◽  
Jomar G. Jardim

Background – Ongoing studies of Brazilian Rubiaceae revealed an undescribed species of Amaioua endemic to Atlantic Forest (Restinga and Semideciduous forest) of the state of Bahia, which is here described and illustrated, and its morphological characters are discussed and compared with those of similar species. Methods – This study is based on examinations of herbarium specimens, samples preserved in 60% ethanol, field observations, and digital images. Herbarium specimens of the CAY, CEPEC, HBR, IBGE, K, MBM, NY, RB, U, UB, UFG, and US herbaria were directly studied. Additional images of herbarium specimens were studied online. Results – Amaioua longipedicellata Delprete & J.G.Jardim is here described, illustrated and compared with the two most similar species, i.e., A. glomerulata (Lam. ex Poir.) Delprete & C.H.Perss. and A. intermedia Mart. A table comparing the morphological characters of these three species, and an appendix with selected specimens studied of A. glomerulata and A. intermedia are included.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4624 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. LEE GRISMER ◽  
PERRY L. JR. WOOD ◽  
EVAN S. H. QUAH ◽  
MYINT KYAW THURA ◽  
JAMIE R. OAKS ◽  
...  

An integrative taxonomic analysis of the Cyrtodactylus linnwayensis group of the Shan Plateau recovered two new populations from isolated karst habitats near Pinlaung Town, Shan State as a new species, C. pinlaungensis sp. nov. Cyrtodactylus pinlaungensis sp. nov. is most closely related to a clade comprising C. linnwayensis and C. ywanganensis from the western edge of the Shan Plateau approximately 90 km to the northwest. Cyrtodactylus pinlaungensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all members of the C. linnwayensis group by a number of statistically different morphological characters, discrete color pattern differences, and its heavy tuberculation. It also bears an uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence of 5.0–7.6% from all other species combined based on the mitochondrial gene ND2 and its flanking tRNAs. The discovery of this new species on the Shan Plateau continues to underscore the fact that this region is rapidly emerging as a herpetological diversity hot-spot for Myanmar. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Duellman

A new species of Osteocephalus (Anura: Hylidae) from Colombia, with comments on the morphological and behavioral diversity within the genus. A striking, undescribed species of Osteocephalus from the Amazonian slopes of the Andes in Departamento de Putumayo in southern Colombia is a member of the Osteocephalus buckleyi Group. Aside from minor morphological characters, the new species differs from all other members of the group by having a golden yellow iris with a median horizontal black stripe. The diversity in morphological and reproductive behavior reveals various features that are phylogenetically signifcant, but several species remain to be described.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4623 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. LEE GRISMER ◽  
PERRY L. JR. WOOD ◽  
EVAN S. H. QUAH ◽  
MYINT KYAW THURA ◽  
MARK W. HERR ◽  
...  

A herpetological survey of the Indawgyi Wildlife Sanctuary in Kachin State, Myanmar resulted in the discovery of a new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray along the eastern watershed of the Mokso Mountains. An integrative taxonomic analysis based on the mitochondrial ND2 gene, morphology, and color pattern recovered this new species, Cyrtodactylus mombergi sp. nov., as the sister taxon to an undescribed species from Miao, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses recovered notable genetically divergent (4.7%) phylogeographic structure between northern and southern populations of C. mombergi sp. nov. across only 14 km of continuous habitat. Conversely, genetic divergence did not exceed 9.2% between C. mombergi sp. nov. and the undescribed species from Miao from across 355 km of habitat. Cyrtodactylus mombergi sp. nov. belongs to a well-supported, mitochondrial clade of 18 other species which now compose an expanded and redefined C. gansi group. Cyrtodactylus mombergi sp. nov. is only the third species of Bent-toed Gecko reported from Kachin State and indicates that additional herpetological surveys are needed in unexplored forested areas. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3630 (3) ◽  
pp. 467-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOSEPH W. GOY ◽  
JOEL W. MARTIN

Microprosthema semilaeve, a fairly common spongicolid shrimp of reefal habitats in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean is redescribed and figured based on type material and an additional 78 specimens from the majority of its known zoogeographical range. It is distinguished from the Indo-Pacific species of M. validum and an undescribed species of Microprosthema with which it has been confused in the literature by a number of morphological characters. A new species of Microprosthema from deeper waters off the Dry Tortugas and closely related to M. inornatum Manning & Chace, 1990, is described and illustrated. Microprosthema jareckii Martin, 2002 is synonymized with M. manningi Goy & Felder, 1988. A key to the Western Atlantic species of Microprosthema is presented.


2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (6) ◽  
pp. 1713-1725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob A Esselstyn ◽  
Anang S Achmadi ◽  
Heru Handika ◽  
Thomas C Giarla ◽  
Kevin C Rowe

Abstract We describe a new species of Crocidura (Soricidae) from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, documenting its novelty with both genetic and morphological characters. The new species is widespread on the island, with vouchered records from nine general localities distributed among five of the island’s areas of endemism. Morphologically, the new species is readily distinguished from all other described Sulawesi Crocidura by its intermediate body size, gray pelage, and long, hairy tail. The new species was mainly captured in pitfalls placed in the ground, but we also obtained evidence that it readily climbs trees and may be scansorial in its locomotor habits. Populations of the new species sampled from across the island are closely related, separated by < 0.02 uncorrected mitochondrial p-distances. The new species is one member of an endemic radiation of shrews on Sulawesi now known to contain six valid species and several undescribed species, all within the genus Crocidura. Resolution of species limits and phylogenetic relationships in this radiation is hindered by habitat loss at type localities, historical designation of new species using very small sample sizes, and a lack of genetic data from type specimens. Kami mendeskripsikan spesies baru Crocidura (Soricidae) dari Pulau Sulawesi, Indonesia, sekaligus mendokumentasikan keunikan karakter secara genetik maupun morfologi dari spesies tersebut. Spesies baru ini tersebar luas di Pulau Sulawesi, diketahui berdasarkan spesimen yang berasal dari sembilan lokasi umum yang tersebar di lima kawasan endemik di pulau tersebut. Secara morfologi, spesies baru ini dapat dibedakan dari spesies Crocidura lainnya dari Sulawesi berdasarkan ukuran tubuh yang sedang, rambut tubuh berwarna abu-abu, dan ekor yang panjang dan berambut. Spesies baru ini sebagian besar diperoleh dari perangkap sumuran yang ditanam didalam tanah, selain itu kami juga mendapatkan bukti bahwa spesies ini mampu memanjat pohon dan kemungkinan memiliki perilaku sebagai pemanjat. Beberapa populasi spesies yang dikoleksi dari Sulawesi ini mempunyai kekerabatan yang dekat, hanya dipisahkan oleh jarak proporsi DNA mitokondria (tidak terkoreksi) sebesar < 0.02. Spesies baru ini merupakan salah satu anggota dari suatu kelompok radiasi endemik cecurut di Sulawesi yang sampai saat ini diketahui terdiri atas enam spesies yang valid, dan beberapa spesies yang belum dideskripsikan, semuanya termasuk didalam genus Crocidura. Kepastian dalam menetapkan batasan jarak antar spesies dan hubungan kekerabatan genetik dari radiasi kelompok cecurut di Sulawesi terkendala oleh kerusakan habitat pada lokasi spesimen tipe, sejarah penamaan spesies yang hanya berdasarkan sampel yang sedikit, dan keterbatasan data molekuler dari spesimen tipe.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4399 (4) ◽  
pp. 591
Author(s):  
RICHARD SEHNAL

The genus Eulepida Kolbe, 1894 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Leucopholini) was established to accommodate 10 Afrotropical species, seven new and three previously placed in Lepidiota Kirby, 1828, Proagosternus Blanchard, 1851, and Tricholepis Hampson, 1891. Lacroix (2010) designated Leucopholis lepidota Klug, 1855 as the type species of the genus Eulepida. Currently the genus contains 20 species divided into three groups based on morphological characters (Lacroix 2010, 2013): species group I includes Eulepida lepidota (Klug, 1855), E. minor Moser, 1913, E. nitidicollis Kolbe, 1894, E. nyassica Kolbe, 1894, E. sinuatifrons (Fairmaire, 1887), and E. zambiensis Lacroix, 2010; species group II includes E. anatina Brenske, 1896, E. tschindeana Péringuey, 1904, and E. werneri Lacroix, 2010; and species group III includes E. baumanni Kolbe, 1894, E. flavovestita Moser, 1913, E. gracilipes Kolbe, 1894, E. kameruna (Frey, 1972), E. kenyensis Lacroix, 2010, E. mamboiae Brenske, 1896, E. manowensis Moser, 1913, E. mashona Arrow, 1902, E. montana Kolbe, 1894, E. reichei (Thomson, 1858), and E. savagei (Hope, 1842). Examination of material recently collected in Zambia revealed an undescribed species belonging to species group II (sensu Lacroix 2010). This group is defined by the combination of the following characters: protibia bidentate; antennal club distinctly longer than antennal shaft; pygidium narrow, longer than wide, with a pronounced elongate terminal invagination; and parameres symmetrical, long, evenly curved in ventral aspect (Lacroix 2010). The purpose of this paper is to describe one new species, to add new geographic records for some Eulepida species of group II, and to update the key for this group. New faunistic records are reported for Eulepida tschindeana and Eulepida werneri from Zimbabwe. 


Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 203 (3) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Xiaoxia He ◽  
Hans-Otto Baral ◽  
Min Qiao ◽  
Michael Weiβ ◽  
...  

O. laevimarginata is here described as a new species, and also its asexual morph could not be assigned to an existing taxon. Anamorphic strains were obtained from three teleomorph specimens which were collected at different sites and dates. The anamorph is characterized by cylindric-ellipsoid to oblong conidia, mainly 1-septate, growing either singly or mostly from 2–10 denticles in a capitate arrangement on the tip of conidiophores. These morphological characters are similar to those of the nematophagous anamorph genus Arthrobotrys, but the present isolates lack the ability to produce any trapping devices when contacting with nematodes. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from ITS rDNA sequences on different groups within Orbilia showed that the isolates of O. laevimarginata clustered together in a clade separate from Orbilia crenatomarginata (= Hyalinia crystallina). The two species are close to O. scolecospora and an undescribed species, which all have a crenulate to dentate apothecial margin composed of solid glassy processes. The group clustered distant from those species identified within the nematode-trapping anamorph genera Arthrobotrys, Dactylellina and Drechslerella, but also distant from the non-predacious anamorph genus Dactylella. By combining morphological and phylogenetic analysis, we conclude that the three isolates belong to a single undescribed holomorph species. The morphological differences among the three isolated anamorphic strains, and phylogenetic divergence of nematode-trapping fungi and related species are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F Cisneros-Heredia ◽  
Roy W. McDiarmid

Ecuador has the biggest number of amphibian species per unit of area in the world (425 species in 276,840 km2). In the last decade, conservative estimates indicate that at least 26 species of Ecuadorian amphibians have declined or gone extinct. The reasons for this crisis are not clear but have been related to habitat destruction, climate change, and/or fungal disease such as the chytridiomycosis. The Río Palenque Science Center (RPSC) was among the last remnants of tropical rainforest in the western lowlands of Ecuador. Twenty years ago, investigations done by R. McDiarmid and others lead to the discovery of an amazing herpetofauna, including several undescribed species. However, the expansion of the agricultural frontier and transformation of the forest remnants into oil palm and banana plantations destroyed this site. Among the species identified from RPSC were five species of glass frogs (Family Centrolenidae): Centrolene prosoblepon, Cochranella spinosai, Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni, Hyalinobatrachium valerioi, and an undescribed species of the genus Centrolene restricted to the RPSC. This research analyzed the morphological characters and natural history of the five glass frogs of RPSC in order to describe the new species of Centrolene from RPSC, which is critically endangered, if not extinct. The new species is characterized by combination of the following characters: 1) a distinctive coloration with yellow dorsolateral stripes; 2) the presence of an exposed prepollical spine; 3) a humeral spine in the males; and, 4) a unique nuptial pad between the fingers II and I.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4952 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-256
Author(s):  
VIVIAN C. TREVINE ◽  
JOSÉ RANCÉS CAICEDO-PORTILLA ◽  
MARINUS HOOGMOED ◽  
ROBERT A. THOMAS ◽  
FRANCISCO L. FRANCO ◽  
...  

The genus Thamnodynastes is the most diverse within the tribe Tachymenini, with an extensive and complex taxonomic history. The brief descriptions and lack of robust diagnostic characters are the main sources for identification errors and for the difficulty to assess the diversity estimates of the genus. The Thamnodynastes pallidus group was briefly designated to encompass the most arboreal species of the genus, with thinner bodies and longer tails: T. pallidus, T. longicaudus, T. sertanejo, and a fourth undescribed species. After its designation, no other paper addressed this group and its morphological variation, especially for the hemipenis, is still undetermined. After the analysis of all species of Thamnodynastes we were able to corroborate the distinctiveness of the T. pallidus group and to accurately diagnose its fourth species from the western portion of the Amazonia lowlands. The new species is distinguishable from all congeners, except T. sertanejo, by the absence of ventral longitudinal stripes, 17/17/11 dorsal scale rows, and dorsal dark brown blotches on the anterior third of the body. The new species is distinguished from T. sertanejo by the higher number of subcaudals, lower number of ventrals, and smaller body and head sizes. We also provide additional diagnostic features for the Thamnodynastes pallidus group, including new data on hemipenial variation. Finally, we briefly discuss the defensive behavior and morphological characters associated with arboreality in members of the T. pallidus species group. 


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