[Herpetology • 2025] Telescopus insularis, T. mazuchi, T. smidi, T. urii, ... • What is revealed from a widely distributed species in Africa and Southwest Asia? The Case of the Telescopus dhara–obtusus species complex (Squamata: Colubridae)

   Telescopus urii,

Telescopus salvadori, 

Telescopus smidi,   

Telescopus forskali  

Ribeiro-Júnior, Koch, Flecks, Campbell, Calvo, Spawls, Vidal & Meiri, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf117 

Abstract

The Saharo-Sindic desert, the world largest arid region, is often treated as having low alpha and beta diversity of reptiles. However, the region is, in general, poorly studied and its biodiversity is likely to be grossly underestimated. Among the species in this region, the Telescopus dhara–obtusus complex has the widest distribution, a long history of controversial species definition, and unstable taxonomic status. We analysed 27 meristic characters, 19 measurements, and 35 osteological characters of this species complex by examining 282 specimens. We also analysed intra- and interspecific genetic structure and differentiation using five mitochondrial and two nuclear genes from 40 specimens. Our results reveal the T. dhara–obtusus complex as paraphyletic, comprising two major species groups: the T. dhara group and the T. obtusus group. The T. dhara group has eight species: T. dhara, T. guentheri (revalidated), T. pulcher, and five new species. The T. obtusus group is formed by 12 species: T. obtusus, T. somalicus, T. tripolitanus, T. variegatus, T. semiannulatus, T. beetzi, T. finkeldeyi, T. gezirae, and four new species. We describe all new taxa, redescribe the senior ones, and provide the first detailed description of a skull for the genus. The total number of species of Telescopus increases from 14 to 25. 

Arabian Peninsula, cryptic species, molecular phylogeny, osteology, Sahara Desert, taxonomic revision

Telescopus dhara group

Telescopus guentheri (revalidated),

Telescopus urii sp. nov. 

Telescopus urii. Coloration in life.
A, Hatseva, Arava Valley; photograph by S. Jamison. B, Judean Desert, West Bank; photograph by G. Haimovitch.
C, D, central Negev Desert, Israel; photographs by S. Jamison (C) and G. Haimovitch (D).
E–G, Gilboa Mountains, West Bank; photographs by S. Jamison (E, F) and B. Shermeister (G).
H, Arava Valley, Israel; photograph by G. Haimovitch.

Telescopus forskali sp. nov.,

Telescopus insularis sp. nov.,

Telescopus forskali. Coloration in life.
A, B, Dhofar, South Oman; photographs by S. Carranza.
C, Oman; photograph by S. Carranza. D, east of Thumrait, Oman; photograph by D. Hegner.

Telescopus salvadori. Coloration in life. A, B, Central Oman; photographs by S. Carranza.
Telescopus smidi. Coloration in life. A, B, near Taif, Saudi Arabia; photographs by S. Carranza.

Telescopus salvadori sp. nov.,

Telescopus smidi sp. nov.,

Telescopus geniezi sp. nov.,

Telescopus reussi sp. nov.,

Telescopus wangariae sp. nov.

 Telescopus crocheti. Coloration in life. A, B, Near Borama, Ethiopia; photographs by D. Hegner. C, Borama, Ethiopia; photograph by T. Mazuch. D, E, Shanshacade Village, Togdheer, Somalia; photographs by T. Mazuch.
Telescopus sp. (Telescopus crocheti and/or T. mazuchi). A, South of Omar Caves, Ethiopia; photograph by M. Largen. B, Meru National Park, Kenya; photograph by A. Childs.

The Telescopus obtusus group

Telescopus crocheti sp. nov.,

Telescopus mazuchi sp. nov.,

Telescopus somalicus (elevated to species status),

Marco A Ribeiro-Júnior, Claudia Koch, Morris Flecks, Patrick D Campbell, Marta Calvo, Stephen Spawls, Nicolas Vidal and Shai Meiri. 2025. What is revealed from a widely distributed species in Africa and Southwest Asia? The Case of the Telescopus dhara–obtusus species complex (Squamata: Colubridae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 205(3); zlaf117. DOI: doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf117 [06 November 2025]

[Herpetology • 2025] Mesalina cryptica • Phylogeny and Systematics of Arabian lacertids from the Mesalina guttulata species complex (Squamata: Lacertidae), with the Description of A New Species

 

Mesalina cryptica

Šmíd, Velenská, Pola, Tamar, Busais, Shobrak, Almutairi, Salim, Alsubaie, R. H. M. AlGethami, A. R. AlGethami, Alanazi, Alshammari, Egan, Ramalho, Olson, Smithson, Chirio, Burger, van Huyssteen, Petford & Carranza, 2025

 

DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s40850-025-00233-3 

 Researchgate.net/publication/393261035

 

Abstract

Background: The lacertid genus Mesalina has been the subject of several phylogenetic and biogeographic studies as well as taxonomic revisions within the last decade. The genus is partitioned into seven main clades, some of which represent species complexes of morphologically very similar species. The Mesalina guttulata species complex is one such case. This complex currently comprises four described species that occur through Arabia and northern Africa, however, the presence of a cryptic species in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan was pointed out recently. For this study, we collected new material of the various species of the M. guttulata complex, including the undescribed lineage from across Saudi Arabia. We carried out multilocus phylogenetic analyses using three mitochondrial and three nuclear markers and analysis of morphological data to verify whether the undescribed lineage deserves a species rank.

Results: The results show that the lineage is clearly genetically separated from the other species of the complex and shows morphological differentiation from the other species. Therefore, we describe it herein as a new species, Mesalina cryptica sp. nov.

Conclusions: We contribute to the taxonomy of Arabian lacertid lizards by describing a new species distributed in central Saudi Arabia, with isolated populations occurring in Kuwait and Jordan. Despite its large range, the species is genetically and morphologically homogeneous. The gap in its distribution between the Jordan and Saudi Arabia populations is ascribable to the paucity of sampling along the Saudi/Iraqi border.

 

Keywords: Lizards, Mesopotamia, Middle East, Sauria, Squamates, Reptiles, Taxonomy

A) Holotype (NMP6V 76937) of Mesalina cryptica sp. nov. in life (photo by Al Faqih Ali Salim).
B) The species type locality about 7 km N of Hazlulah, west of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (24.561°N, 46.307°E), with the abrupt vertical cliffs of the Tuwaiq Escarpment visible in the background (photo by Jiří Šmíd)

Lacertidae Oppel, 1811

Mesalina Gray, 1838

 Mesalina cryptica sp. nov.

English name: Arabian small-spotted lizard

Diagnosis: A medium-sized species of Mesalina, member of the M. guttulata species complex with the following combination of morphological characters: 1) SVL up to 47 mm in both sexes (the character is not sexually dimorphic; adult males: 43.5–47.0 mm, adult females: 41.8–46.1 mm); 2) well-developed occipital scale in contact with the interparietal; 3) lower eyelid with a transparent window made up of two large scales; 4) 8–10 supralabials; 5) four upper labials in front of the subocular; 6) 9–12 plates in collar; 7) 21–29 gulars; 8) ventral plates in eight straight longitudinal rows; 9) 36–48 dorsal scales across midbody; 10) 24–29 femoral pores in males, 25–33 in females (the character is not sexually dimorphic); 11) 19–22 lamellae under 4th toe; 12) dorsal coloration of adults beige to dark brown, with black-and-white ocelli (the white dots are flanked but not completely surrounded by black specks); the ocelli are arranged in irregular longitudinal and transverse rows; 13) adult males with orange flanks; 14) juveniles sometimes with pale dorsolateral stripes that start at the level of the eye and extend all the way down on the tail; 15) juveniles with a bluish tail.

Etymology: The species epithet “cryptica” is derived from the Latin word for “concealed” or “hidden”, and refers to that the species had been overlooked for its morphological similarity with the other species of the M. guttulata complex, which were considered conspecific prior to the taxonomic revision by Sindaco, et al. [2018].

Jiří Šmíd, Doubravka Velenská, Lukáš Pola, Karin Tamar, Salem Busais, Mohammed Shobrak, Mohammed Almutairi, Al Faqih Ali Salim, Saad Dasman Alsubaie, Raed Hamoud M. AlGethami, Abdulaziz Raqi AlGethami, Abdulkarim Saleh K Alanazi, Ahmed Mohajja Alshammari, Damien M. Egan, Ricardo O. Ramalho, David Olson, Josh Smithson, Laurent Chirio, Marius Burger, Ryan van Huyssteen, Melissa A. Petford and Salvador Carranza. 2025. Phylogeny and Systematics of Arabian lacertids from the Mesalina guttulata species complex (Squamata, Lacertidae), with the Description of A New Species. BMC Zoology. 10: 11. DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s40850-025-00233-3 [01 July 2025]

 Researchgate.net/publication/393261035_Phylogeny_and_systematics_of_the_Mesalina_guttulata_species_complex

[Mammalogy • 2024] Phylogeny, Biogeography, and Integrative Taxonomic Revision of the Afro-Arabian Rodent Genus Ochromyscus (Muridae: Murinae: Praomyini)

 

the Afro-Arabian rodent Genus Ochromyscus (Muridae: Murinae: Praomyini)

in Meheretu, Mikula, Frynta, Frýdlová, Mulualem, Lavrenchenko, Kostin, Elmi, Šumbera et Bryja, 2024. 

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad158

https://sev-in.ru

Abstract

The analyses of Plio-Pleistocene speciation processes in the Horn of Africa are relevant for understanding the evolution of biodiversity patterns of this understudied part of the world. Here we analyse comprehensive genomic and morphological data of the recently delimited murid genus Ochromyscus, one of the few with Afro-Arabian distribution. Using an integrative taxonomic approach, we delimit three species in the genus: two in eastern Africa (O. brockmani and O. niveiventris) and one in southern Arabia (O. yemeni), and detail their distribution, genetic structure, and evolutionary history. Despite their morphological similarity, the three species split before the Pleistocene, and their interspecific genetic divergence level is comparable to that between sister genera of murine rodents. The split between two taxa living on opposite sides of the Red Sea (O. brockmani vs. O. yemeni) is younger than the separation of their ancestor and O. niveiventris living in eastern Africa. The colonization of Arabia can be explained either by the presence of a relatively recent continental bridge or by the past occurrence of the genus along the eastern coast of the Red Sea and subsequent spreading through the Sinai Peninsula.

ddRAD, Horn of Africa, integrative taxonomy, phylogeography, rodents, Somali-Masai savanna

Ochromyscus brockmani (Thomas, 1906)

Brockman’s white-bellied rocky mouse.

Ochromyscus niveiventris (Osgood, 1910)

Snowy white-bellied rocky mouse. 

The Latin name ‘niveiventris’ means ‘snowy-white-bellied’. 

Because the English genus name is ‘white-bellied rocky mouse’ (Nicolas et al., 2021), we propose to simplify the English name to avoid redundant use of ‘white-bellied’.

Ochromyscus yemeni (Sanborn and Hoogstraal, 1953)

Yemen white-bellied rocky mouse.

Yonas Meheretu, Ondřej Mikula, Daniel Frynta, Petra Frýdlová, Getachew Mulualem, Leonid A Lavrenchenko, Danila S Kostin, Hassan Sh Abdirahman Elmi, Radim Šumbera and Josef Bryja. 2024. Phylogeny, Biogeography, and Integrative Taxonomic Revision of the Afro-Arabian Rodent Genus Ochromyscus (Muridae: Murinae: Praomyini). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 202(1); zlad158. DOI: doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad158 [04 November 2023]

Study of mammal evolutionary histories sheds light on existence of continental bridge between Africa and Arabian Peninsula  https://sev-in.ru/en/node/4067

  x.com/iee_ras/status/1888935922411999442

[Herpetology • 2024] Platyceps gallagheri, P. hajarensis & R. masirae • Three New Cliff Racer Species (Serpentes: Colubridae) from the Sultanate of Oman and Zoogeographic Traits of its Herpetofauna

Platyceps hajarensis

Schätti, Tillack, Stutz & Kucharzewski, 2024

DOI: doi.org/10.35929/RSZ.0132  

 Abstract 

This study investigates the distribution and geographic variation of East Arabian taxa of the Platyceps rhodorachis complex. Platyceps hajarensis sp. nov. from the Eastern Oman Mountains and their periphery deviates in morphological characters from P. r. rhodorachis (Jan, 1863) distributed beyond the Gulf (Iran) and P. gallagheri sp. nov. of the Ras Musandam area. Cliff racers from Masirah Island and central Al-Wusta (P. masirae sp. nov.) considerably differ vis-à-vis polymorphic P. hajarensis and Dhofar populations with as yet unresolved taxonomic status. Morphologically, the latter are most similar to East Yemen cliff racers. The distribution of the new Omani taxa is compared to geographic patterns observed among the regional terrestrial herpetofauna. Ranges of certain southern Arabian reptiles and the systematics of P. variabilis (Boulenger, 1905) are briefly reviewed.

KEYWORDS: Platyceps spp. nov., Dhofar, Hajar, Masirah, Musandam, Endemism, systematics, P. variabilis

Platyceps gallagheri sp. nov.

Gallagher's Cliff Racer

Diagnosis: Ventrals 243-245, subcaudals ≥141 (n=1, extreme tail tip possibly missing), sum ≥386 (1); a single subocular (presubocular or postsubocular absent); neck transversely patterned; 19-19-13 dsr, first transverse reduction level lateral or paravertebral; 18 maxillary teeth.

Etymology: The species name honours Michael Desmond Gallagher (1921-2014), the collector of the holotype and an unlocated Khasab specimen, for his invaluable impact on the investigation of reptiles in the Sultanate of Oman and the support he offered to this project.

Platyceps hajarensis sp. nov. (♂ holotype, MHNG 2664.71) from Fanjah, Ad-Dakhiliyah, Sultanate of Oman.

Platyceps hajarensis sp. nov.

Hajar Cliff Racer

Diagnosis: Ventrals usually 226-235 (as few as at least 222 along Gulf of Oman), subcaudals 126-140, sum usually 354.5-374 (as few as 349); usually a single subocular (presubocular uncommon, postsubocular absent); barred or banded at least on neck (zipper-shaped or chequered behind), or unmarked throughout; 19-19-13 dsr (19-19-11 in some ♂♂), first transverse reduction level variable; usually 17-18 (16, rarely 19) maxillary teeth.

Etymology: The species' scientific name refers to its distribution centre in the Hajar Range.

General aspect of Platyceps masirae sp. nov. (Masirah Island) in life. Courtesy of Roberto Sindaco.

Platyceps masirae sp. nov.

Masirah Cliff Racer

Diagnosis: Ventrals 203-209, subcaudals 110 (MCZ paratype) and 115-124, sum 317 (ibid.) and 318-333; regular subocular present, presubocular (40% of bilateral counts in insular sample) and postsubocular (50%, ibid.) common; dorsum barred or with two mid-dorsal rows of marks; 19-19-13 or 19-19-11/13 (♂♂) dsr, first reduction lateral; 17-18 maxillary teeth.

Etymology: The species' scientific name alludes to the origin of its type series, Masirah Island (Sultanate of Oman) in the Arabian Sea.

Platyceps forma inquirenda

Diagnosis: Ventrals 215-233, subcaudals 119-135, sum 335-361; usually a single subocular (presubocular uncommon, unilateral postsubocular exceptional); chequered or with transverse pattern on forebody, or unmarked throughout; 19-19-13 dsr (occasionally 19-19-11 in ♂♂) and first reduction usually paravertebral; 15-16 maxillary teeth in Dhofar (up to 17 in Yemen).

Beat Schätti, Frank Tillack, Andrea Stutz and Christoph Kucharzewski. 2024. Three New Cliff Racer Species from the Sultanate of Oman (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubrinae) and Zoogeographic Traits of its Herpetofauna. Revue suisse de Zoologie. 131(2); 451-486. DOI: doi.org/10.35929/RSZ.0132  

[Herpetology • 2024] Asaccus authenticus • Taxonomy of Iranian Asaccus (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae) with Description of A New Species from southern Iran

 

Asaccus authenticus

Nazarov, Nabizadeh, Rajabizadeh, Melnikov, Volkova, Poyarkov & Rastegar-Pouyani, 2024

Bandar-e Jask Leaf-toed Gecko  ||  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5514.2.1 

 Researchgate.net/publication/384359685

Abstract

We provide the first diversity assessment of Iranian species of the genus Asaccus based on COI DNA-barcoding. We analyzed 53 samples of Iranian Asaccus representing nine OTU corresponding to 10 currently recognzied nominal species, and evaluated both morphological and genetic data to support the recognition of a new species from Bandar-e Jask, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran—Asaccus authenticus sp. nov. The new species is characterized by medium body size (SVL max 55.5 mm), elongated limbs, and relatively small dorsal tubercles arranged in 12–14 regular rows. Morphologically Asaccus authenticus sp. nov. resembles both Arabian and Iranian representatives of the genus; phylogenetically it forms a highly divergent lineage with sister relationships to all other Iranian congeners. We applied the geometric morphometrics method to compare the position and shape of postmental plates for almost all members of Asaccus and evaluated the importance of this character in species diagnostics in this group. We also critically evaluate the recent phylogenetic data on Asaccus and discuss the most problematic questions on taxonomy of this genus. We also revalidate Asaccus ingae (Eiselt, 1973) as a full species; overall our work raises the total number of species of the genus Asaccus to 20.

Reptilia, systematics, phylogeny, COI, mtdNa, barcoding, distribution, Zagros Mountains, Persian gulf, reptiles 

Asaccus authenticus sp. nov.

Etymology: the species name ‘authenticus’ is a latin adjective in nominative singular (masculine gender), meaning ‘genuine’ or ‘original’. the name is given in reference to the distant phylogenetic position of Asaccus authenticus sp. nov. with respect to other Iranian congeners, as revealed by the latest phylogenetic studies (Fattahiet al., 2020). We propose “Bandar-e Jask Leaf-toed Gecko” as a common name of the new species.  

 Roman A. Nazarov, Hossein Nabizadeh, Mehdi Rajabizadeh, Daniel A. Melnikov, Valentina R. Volkova, Nikolay A. Poyarkov and Eskandar Rastegar-Pouyani. 2024. Taxonomy of Iranian Asaccus (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae) with Description of A New Species from southern Iran.  Zootaxa. 5514(2); 101-128. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5514.2.1

  Researchgate.net/publication/384359685_Taxonomy_of_Iranian_Asaccus_with_description_of_a_new_species_from_southern_Iran

[Ichthyology • 2024] Sueviota aethon • A New Species of Sueviota (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea

 Sueviota aethon Nunes Peinemann, Pombo-Ayora & Tornabene,

in Nunes Peinemann, Pombo-Ayora, Tornabene et Berumen, 2024. 

Grumpy Dwarfgoby  ||  DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1212.121135

 

Abstract

A new gobiid species is described from ten specimens, 9.2 – 16.7 mm SL, collected from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. The new species is most similar to Sueviota pyrios from the Gulf of Aqaba in the northern Red Sea. It differs from S. pyrios by having no large red spots on the dorsal and caudal fin elements, no elongate spines in the first dorsal fin, a shorter pelvic fin that does not reach the anus, branched pectoral fin rays, and a projecting lower jaw. The new species is further distinguished from all its congeners by a complete lack of cephalic sensory canals and pores. Specimens were found in small caves and overhangs at depths between 10 and 53 meters.

Key words: Biodiversity, coral reef fish, Gobiidae, identification key, new species, Red Sea, Sueviota, taxonomy

 

Specimens of Sueviota aethon sp. nov.
a UW 203365, holotype, freshly collected
b UW 203367, freshly collected, showing the yellow variation of the species
c UW 203365, holotype, preserved in 75% ethanol.

 Sueviota aethon Nunes Peinemann, Pombo-Ayora & Tornabene, sp. nov.

 Grumpy dwarfgoby

Diagnosis: This is a species of Sueviota characterized by the following combination of characters: no cephalic sensory-canal pores; dorsal fin VI-I,8, or I,9, without filamentous spines; anal fin I,7 or I,8; pelvic fin I,5, rays 1 – 4 branched, fifth ray unbranched or with two branches, elongate (77–88% of fourth) and flattened towards the tips if unbranched, fourth ray longest; well-developed pelvic fin membrane fully joining fifth pelvic fin rays, frenum absent; 14 or 15 pectoral fin rays, some branched; body robust and deep, anterior slope of snout nearly vertical giving the head a blunt profile, terminal mouth inclined vertically forming a 72° angle to horizontal body axis.

Etymology: The specific epithet stems from the ancient Greek Aethon, one of the four horses of the sun god Helios. The most similar species to S. aethon, Sueviota pyrios Greenfield & Randall, 2017, is named after a different horse of Helios. The specific name is a noun in apposition. The common name, Grumpy dwarfgoby, refers to the fish’s apparent grumpy and rather unhappy appearance, primarily due to the extremely upturned mouth position.

Viktor Nunes Peinemann, Lucía Pombo-Ayora, Luke Tornabene, Michael L. Berumen. 2024. The Grumpy Dwarfgoby, A New Species of Sueviota (Teleostei, Gobiidae) from the Red Sea. ZooKeys. 1212: 17-28. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1212.121135

[Paleontology • 2024] Inabtanin alarabia • New Pterosaur remains from the Late Cretaceous of Afro-Arabia provide insight into Flight Capacity of large Pterosaurs

  Arambourgiania philadelphiae (Arambourg, 1959)

Inabtanin alarabia

 Rosenbach, Goodvin, Albshysh, Azzam, Smadi, Mustafa, Zalmout & Mantilla, 2024

 

DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2385068  

ABSTRACT

Pterosaurs were the earliest and largest vertebrates to evolve powered flight, but they are the only major volant group that has gone extinct. Attempts to understand pterosaur flight mechanics have relied on aerodynamic principles and analogy with extant birds and bats. Both lines of inquiry rely on the size, three-dimensional shape, and internal structure of flight bones, which in pterosaurs are surprisingly rare. Remarkably, two new large-bodied pterosaur individuals with three-dimensionally preserved wing elements were recently recovered from Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) horizons of Jordan. Both specimens represent azhdarchoid pterosaurs; one is referrable to the giant species Arambourgiania philadelphiae (ca. 10 m wingspan) and the second to a new, smaller species Inabtanin alarabia gen. et sp. nov. (ca. 5 m wingspan). In this study, we describe these new specimens and use high-resolution micro-computed tomography scans to reconstruct and compare the internal osteology of the humeri of these two differently sized species to that of extant birds, for which internal bone structure can be correlated with flight behavior. The humerus of Arambourgiania exhibits a series of helical ridges formed along the cortical bone, whereas Inabtanin exhibits a denser pattern of hollow struts. Variation in internal structure for these individuals likely reflects responses to mechanical forces applied on the wings of pterosaurs. Results indicate that Inabtanin has internal bone morphology similar to that of flapping birds, whereas the internal morphology of Arambourgiania is most similar to that of soaring birds.

PTEROSAURIA Kaup, Citation1834

PTERODACTYLOIDEA Plieninger, Citation1901

AZHDARCHOIDEA Nesov, Citation1984

INABTANIN ALARABIA, gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology—Inabtanin is named for the geomorphological structure near the locality where the specimen was collected, which is called Tal Inab (“grape hill”) owing to its prominent coloration. The generic name combines the Arabic words inab, for grape, and tanin for dragon. Allusions to dragons are common in pterosaur etymology and so tanin was chosen to reflect the Arabic language of Jordan, and because of its similarity to the English word tannin, derived from the French tanin which relates to coloration. The generic name translates to both grape-dragon and grape-colored. The specific name alarabia was chosen in reference to the Arabian Peninsula.

 

Kierstin L. Rosenbach, Danielle M. Goodvin, Mohammed G. Albshysh, Hassan A. Azzam, Ahmad A. Smadi, Hakam A. Mustafa, Iyad S. A. Zalmout and Jeffrey A. Wilson Mantilla. 2024. New Pterosaur remains from the Late Cretaceous of Afro-Arabia provide insight into Flight Capacity of large Pterosaurs. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. e2385068 DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2024.2385068 

[Herpetology • 2024] Rhynchocalamus hejazicus • The Missing Piece of the Puzzle: A New and widespread Species of the Genus Rhynchocalamus Günther, 1864 (Squamata: Colubridae) from the Arabian Peninsula

Rhynchocalamus hejazicus  

 Licata, Pola, Šmíd, Ibrahim, Liz, Santos, Patkó, Abdulkareem, Gonçalves, AlShammari, Busais, Egan, Ramalho, Smithson & Brito, 2024

  

Hejaz Black–collared Snake  |  أبو حناء   ||  DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.123441

Abstract

Discovery rates of new species are uneven across taxonomic groups and regions, with distinctive and widely distributed species being more readily described than species with secretive habits. The genus Rhynchocalamus includes five species of secretive snakes distributed from Egypt eastwards to Iran, including the Arabian Peninsula. A wide biogeographic gap exists within the genus, which separates R. dayanae found in south Israel from R. arabicus, which occurs in the coastal areas of south Yemen and Oman. We describe Rhynchocalamus hejazicus sp. nov., a small, secretive snake, with a distinctive colouration and a melanistic morph. The new species occurs in the northwestern Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and fills a large part of the existing distribution gap of the genus in the Arabian Peninsula. Molecular analyses of mitochondrial (12S, 16S, cytb) and nuclear genes (cmos, MC1R, NT3, RAG1) indicate that R. hejazicus sp. nov. is closely related to R. dayanae and R. arabicus, but uncertainty on the deep relationship within the genus remains. The new species has a large distribution range which potentially includes other regions in Jordan and KSA, and is associated with mountainous areas with cold wet seasons. Furthermore, it inhabits sandy and stony soils with varying vegetation cover and can be found in anthropogenically disturbed habitats, suggesting that the species should not be categorised as threatened according to IUCN criteria. The discovery of such a distinctive species highlights the existing gap in the description of rare and secretive species, and the need to enhance sampling efforts and monitoring strategies to fully capture species diversity in unexplored areas.

Key Words: Biogeography, Colubrinae, Middle East, secretive species, Serpentes, species distribution model

Rhynchocalamus hejazicus sp. nov. 
Holotype (RCU-URN-93850, sample code FLI447, bottom left) and paratype (RCU-URN-94064, sample code FLI330, bottom right) specimens in life.
 Lateral and ventral views of their heads (above each life picture). Photo credit: FL.

Colour variation within Rhynchocalamus hejazicus sp. nov. (or its lack, thereof).
 Top row: two unvouchered specimens from NEOM, Tabuk Province, KSA (photo credit: Euan Ferguson and Neil Rowntree);
bottom left: paratype NMP 76815 (sample code LP760, photo credit: DME); bottom right: paratype MNHN–RA–2023.0013 (sample code JIR544, photo credit: AAI).

 Rhynchocalamus hejazicus sp. nov.

Diagnosis: The new species of Rhynchocalamus from the Hejaz Mountain range in western Saudi Arabia is characterised by the following morphological characters: (1) SVL 209.2–339.5 mm in adults; (2) tail length 38.3–64.2 mm in adults; (3) loreal scale present; (4) large 3rd and 4th upper labial scales in contact with the eye; (5) one preocular scale; (6) 1–2 postocular scales; (7) one temporal scale; (8) 0–2 post–temporal scales; (9) six upper labial scales; (10) eight lower labial scales; (11) usually four lower labial scales in contact with the anterior inframaxillars; (12) usually one gular scale in contact with ...

Etymology: The species name is a latinized noun in masculine gender derived from the word "Hejaz–" = Hejaz Mountains, a mountain range located in the Hejaz region (an important region located in western Saudi Arabia, where the two holy cities of Islam, Mecca, and Medina are located) where most individuals were observed, and the Latin suffix "–icus" = “belonging to”. We suggest the common name “Hejaz black–collared snake” in English and أبو حناء [Abu Henna] in Arabic for the new species.

 Fulvio Licata, Lukáš Pola, Jiří Šmíd, Adel A. Ibrahim, André Vicente Liz, Bárbara Santos, László Patkó, Ayman Abdulkareem, Duarte V. Gonçalves, Ahmed Mohajja AlShammari, Salem Busais, Damien M. Egan, Ricardo M. O. Ramalho, Josh Smithson and José Carlos Brito. 2024. The Missing Piece of the Puzzle: A New and widespread Species of the Genus Rhynchocalamus Günther, 1864 (Squamata, Colubridae) from the Arabian Peninsula.  Zoosystematics and Evolution. 100(2): 691-704. DOI: 10.3897/zse.100.123441

[Arachnida • 2023] Leiurus nigellus • A New remarkable Species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Saudi Arabia

Leiurus nigellus Abu Afifeh, Aloufi & Al-Saraireh, 

in Afifeh, Aloufi, Al-Saraireh, Badry, Al-Qahtni et Amr, 2023.

DOI: 10.37828/em.2023.69.9 

 Researchgate.net/publication/375743878

 Abstract

A new remarkable buthid scorpion, Leiurus nigellus sp. nov., was discovered in Al Ula Governorate, north of Al Madinah Al Monawwarah Province, Saudi Arabia. The new species is described, fully illustrated, and compared with other species of the genus Leiurus reported from the Arabian Peninsula. Notes on its habitats are provided.

 Habitus of Leiurus nigellus sp. nov., male paratype and female holotype.
A. male in dorsal view. B. male in ventral view.
C. female in dorsal view. D. female in ventral view.

Scale bar = 20 mm.

Leiurus nigellus sp. nov. Abu Afifeh, Aloufi & Al-Saraireh

Leiurus nigellus sp. nov., female paratype from Al Buriakah, Al Ula governorate, Saudi Arabia.

 

Bassam Abu Afifeh, Abdulhadi Aloufi, Mohammad Al-Saraireh, Ahmed Badry, Abdulmani H. Al-Qahtni and Zuhair S. Amr. 2023. A New remarkable Species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 from Saudi Arabia (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Ecologica Montenegrina. 69; 91-106. DOI: 10.37828/em.2023.69.9

  Researchgate.net/publication/375743878_A_new_species_of_Leiurus_from_SaudiArabia

[Ichthyology • 2023] Schindleria qizma • A New Species of Schindleria (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea (Saudi Arabia) with a specialized caudal-fin complex

Schindleria qizma

Ahnelt, Macek & Robitzch, 2023

DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e97515

Abstract

Species of the gobiid genus Schindleria are among the smallest and fastest reproducing vertebrates of the oceans. We describe a new species, Schindleria qizma, from the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. It is an extreme example of progenesis, within the already paedomorphic genus, with morphological traits clearly differentiating it from its congeners. Schindleria qizma has a unique, unflexed notochord with a straight urostyle of which the tip is inserted into the hypural cartilage, rather than the typical flexed notochord with an upturned urostyle of the other species of Schindleria. Schindleria qizma belongs to the short dorsal-fin type of Schindleria. It is further characterized by an elongated but relatively deep body; a short dorsal fin originating just slightly anterior to the anal fin (predorsal-fin length 59.4% of SL vs. preanal-fin length 60.2% of SL); a head continuously increasing in depth posteriorly with a straight dorsal profile; a short snout (18.6% of head length); large eyes (34.4% of head length); a short pectoral-radial plate (6.3% of SL); 13 dorsal-fin rays; 11 anal-fin rays; 0–2 procurrent rays (where the last procurrent ray is short, if present); an anal fin with the first anal-fin ray situated opposite the second dorsal-fin ray; toothless oral jaws; females with few (10–11, total) but very large (4.6% of SL) eggs and with a conspicuous urogenital papilla characterized by a wide urogenital opening flanked by two long, bilobed projections; a dorsally pigmented swim-bladder; blackish, iridescent eyes, capped by a silvery layer with irregular rows of black dots or blotches; and no additional external pigmentation on its body, at least in preserved specimens.

Keywords: Gobiiformes, paedomorphosis, progenesis, miniaturization

Schindleria qizma, sp. nov.

  

Diagnosis: A member of the SDF group of Schindleria, which can be distinguished from all members of the LDF group by a combination of following characters: (i) the dorsal fin about the same or nearly the same length of the anal fin (vs. dorsal fin distinctly longer than anal fin), (ii) a relatively short (5.8 % of SL vs. 8.7% of SL) and deep (2.2% of SL vs. 1.5% of SL) caudal peduncle, (iii) a straight (vs. flexed) urostyle, fewer procurrent rays (0–2 vs. 5–8), and absence of teeth in both jaws (vs. both jaws with teeth).

...

Etymology: The name ‘qizma’ comes from the Arabic word ‘qizm’ (مزق), which means dwarf. It is a noun in apposition and refers to the very small size of the species.

Harald Ahnelt, Oliver Macek and Vanessa Robitzch. 2023. A New Species of Schindleria (Teleostei: Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the Red Sea (Saudi Arabia) with a specialized caudal-fin complex. Vertebrate Zoology. 73: 313-323. DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e97515

[Entomology • 2023] Lygistorrhina woodi • A New Species of Lygistorrhina (Lygistorrhina) Skuse, 1890 (Diptera: Keroplatidae: Lygistorrhininae) with A Key to the Subgenus

Lygistorrhina (Lygistorrhina) woodi 

 Blagoderov, Ollerton & Whittington, 2023

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5361.2.1 

 jeffollerton.co.uk

Abstract

A new species of Lygistorrhina (Lygistorrhina) Skuse, 1890, Lygistorrhina woodi sp. nov., is described. The specimen was dissected from an alcohol-preserved flower of Ceropegia aristolochioides ssp. deflersiana Bruyns (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae, Ceropegieae) stored in the Kew herbarium. This is the first occurrence of the lygistorrhine gnats in a hot, semi-arid climate. A key to all known species of the subgenus Lygistorrhina (Lygistorrhina) is provided.

Keywords: Diptera, biodiversity, Ceropegia, Apocynaceae, fungus gnats, taxonomy, new taxa, Afrotropical region

Lygistorrhina woodi, sp. nov., holotype, habitus

Lygistorrhina woodi, sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Lygistorrhina woodi sp. nov. is unique among other species of the subgenus in having compound eyes with very short interommatidial setae, proboscis relatively short; costa reaching only ~½ of distance between r5 and M1; and tergite 9 of male terminalia with shallow sinus basally and very small arms of apodeme.

Etymology: the specific epithet is a patronym for John R. I. wood, a prominent botanist, who inadvertently collected the holotype of the species.

Vladimir Blagoderov, Jeff Ollerton, Andrew Whittington. 2023. A New Species of Lygistorrhina (Lygistorrhina) Skuse, 1890 (Diptera: Keroplatidae, Lygistorrhininae) with A Key to the Subgenus.  Zootaxa. 5361(2); 151-158. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5361.2.1

  jeffollerton.co.uk/2023/11/01/weve-just-named-a-new-species-of-fly-from-yemen-and-it-came-out-of-a-flower-from-kew

[Herpetology • 2023] Pseudotrapelus tuwaiqensis • A New Species of Pseudotrapelus (Squamata: Agamidae) from Central Arabia

Pseudotrapelus tuwaiqensis 

Tamar, Uvizl, Shobrak, Almutairi, Busais, Salim, AlGethami, AlGethami, Alanazi, Alsubaie, Chirio, Carranza & Šmíd, 2023

  DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e110626

Abstract

A recent molecular phylogeny of the agamid genus Pseudotrapelus, distributed in the rocky areas of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, revealed the presence of a genetically distinct lineage around the city of Riyadh in central Saudi Arabia. With the inclusion of additional specimens, we were able to describe this lineage as a new species, P. tuwaiqensis sp. nov., confined to the Tuwaiq Escarpment, thus endemic to central Saudi Arabia. Our results of morphological examinations and molecular analyses, using three mitochondrial (COI, 16S, ND4-tRNAs) and two nuclear (c-mos, MC1R) gene fragments, show the new species is genetically differentiated and phylogenetically close to P. sinaitus and P. chlodnickii.

Keywords: Acrodonta, biogeography, DNA barcoding, Middle East, multilocus phylogeny, reptiles, Saudi Arabia

Pseudotrapelus tuwaiqensis sp. nov. holotype (NMP-P6V 76634), adult male.

Photo by Laurent Chirio.

Pseudotrapelus tuwaiqensis sp. nov. 

English name: Tuwaiq Agama

Arabic name: عظاءة طويق

Diagnosis: A Pseudotrapelus species forming a clade together with P. sinaitus and P. chlodnickii, with the following combination of morphological and genetic characters: (1) large size with a total length of 200–203 mm and SVL 70.7–76.6 mm; (2) 14–19 upper and 14–18 lower labial scales; (3) ear opening very large, oval, rimmed anterodorsally by conical scales of different sizes that give it a serrated appearance; (4) scales in the occipital area predominantly not enlarged; (5) heterogeneous dorsal scales with the mid-dorsals being distinctly keeled and larger than the scales on the flanks; (6) one continuous row of 4–7 precloacal pores in both sexes; (7) 3rd toe longer than the 4th; (8) tail scales not arranged in whorls; (9) body and tail beige-brown in life with dark brown or orange transverse bars, the first on the nape, the second and the most prominent one in the scapular region, the third at midbody, the fourth in front of the insertion of the hind limbs, the fifth at the tail base; and the tail with regular dark bars down its length; (10) three unique mutations in the MC1R alignment: position 264 C instead of T, position 508 G instead of A, position 562 G instead of C; (11) one unique mutation in the c-mos alignment in position 202 C instead of G (see Appendices 5, 6).

General appearance of Pseudotrapelus tuwaiqensis sp. nov.
A paratype NMP-P6V 76635, adult female. Photo by Laurent Chirio; B paratype NMP-P6V 76636, adult female. Photo by Jiří Šmíd;
C Uncollected specimen from locality 25.45933°N, 46.56276°E. Photo by Marius Burger; D Uncollected specimen, locality Shaib-Luha, Saudi Arabia. Photo by Laurent Chirio.

Etymology: The species epithet tuwaiqensis is derived from the geographic feature the species is associated with, the Tuwaiq Escarpment, that cuts through central Saudi Arabia from the southwest of the country to slightly north and northwest of the city of Riyadh.

Karin Tamar, Marek Uvizl, Mohammed Shobrak, Mohammed Almutairi, Salem Busais, Al Faqih Ali Salim, Raed Hamoud M. AlGethami, Abdulaziz Raqi AlGethami, Abdulkarim Saleh K. Alanazi, Saad Dasman Alsubaie, Laurent Chirio, Salvador Carranza and Jiří Šmíd. 2023. A New Species of Pseudotrapelus (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) from Central Arabia. Vertebrate Zoology. 73: 1033-1045. DOI: 10.3897/vz.73.e110626