[Paleontology • 2026] Spea labreae • A New extinct Pleistocene Species of Spadefoot Toad (Anura: Scaphiopodidae) and comments on the Paleoecology and Paleobiogeography of Anurans from Rancho La Brea, California

Reconstruction of Spea labreae, (dark spadefoots, center) in La Brea Tar Pits compared with Spea hammondii (light spadefoot, left), the species currently present in the area, and the presence of the Mexican burrowing toad (Rhinophrynidae, bottom). 

 Cruz & Lindsey, 2026

 DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2026.2689465 

Artwork by Arturo Dávalos

ABSTRACT

Fossil amphibians hold great promise for paleoecological, paleoclimatological, and biogeographic studies because of their extreme sensitivity to environmental conditions. However, the study of fossil amphibians to date has been limited, because the fragility of frog, toad, and salamander skeletons means that diagnostic elements are rarely preserved in the fossil record. One unique locality that preserves a robust record of Quaternary amphibians is Rancho La Brea in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. Here, we describe the amphibian fauna from the Hancock Collection of Rancho La Brea, which contains fossils from ∼45,000 years before present through the Holocene. We document previously unrecognized taxa from this locality, including the Mexican burrowing toad Rhinophrynus sp. and a new species of spadefoot toad, Spea labreae, sp. nov. Using osteological comparison material, we calculate the size of this new species of Spea, which is larger than the extant species in this genus. We analyze the current distribution and fossil record of the genus Spea and the family Rhinophrynidae, documenting changes in geographic ranges of these taxa during the Quaternary. These changes likely resulted from the interplay of deglacial climate changes and topographic complexity in the American Southwest, and may help to predict amphibian responses to climate changes impacting the region today.

Class AMPHIBIA, Linnaeus, 1767

Order ANURA Rafinesque, 1815

Family SCAPHIOPODIDAE Cope, 1865

Genus SPEA Cope, 1866

SPEA LABREAE, sp. nov.

Etymology—The specific epithet refers to La Brea, Spanish for ‘the tar’ which gave rise to the name of Rancho La Brea, the locality where this species is found.

 

Locality, Horizon, and Age—Pit A, Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California, Late Pleistocene–Holocene.

 

Reconstruction of Spea labreae, (dark spadefoots, center and right) in La Brea Tar Pits compared with Spea hammondii (light spadefoot, left), the species currently present in the area, and the presence of the Mexican burrowing toad (Rhinophrynidae, bottom).

 Artwork by Arturo Dávalos.

 

J. Alberto Cruz and Emily L. Lindsey. 2026. A New extinct Pleistocene Species of Spadefoot Toad and comments on the Paleoecology and Paleobiogeography of Anurans from Rancho La Brea, California. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. e2689465. DOI: doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2026.2689465 [04 Aug 2026]

[Herpetology • 2026] Gracixalus damingshanensis • A New Species of Gracixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Damingshan National Nature Reserve, Guangxi, China

 

 Gracixalus damingshanensis 

Chen & Li, 2026  

大明山纤树蛙  ||  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.186426 

 Photographs by Wei-Cai Chen.

Abstract

A new species of Gracixalus is described from central Guangxi, China. Gracixalus damingshanensis sp. nov. resembles G. jinxiuensis, G. huaping, and G. liusanjieae, but differs from all known congeners by a combination of morphological, molecular, and acoustic characters. Diagnostic characters include SVL 27.3–32.3 mm in males (n = 4) and 32.4–40.1 mm in females (n = 3); rough dorsal skin with scattered tubercles; grayish ventral surfaces with light brown spotting; fingers without webbing; white tubercles along the margins of the upper and lower jaws and on the limbs; absence of vomerine teeth; tibiotarsal articulation reaching the middle of the eye; granular skin on the throat, chest, and belly; heels not meeting when the thighs are held at right angles to the body; a distinct nuptial pad on Finger I; a single internal subgular vocal sac with paired oval openings bordered by gray rims; a golden-brown iris; and advertisement calls containing 2–5 notes. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequences recovered the new species as a distinct lineage sister to the clade comprising G. jinxiuensis and G. huaping. The species is currently known only from evergreen and bamboo forests above 900 m a.s.l. in Damingshan National Nature Reserve.

Key Words: Bioacoustics, morphology, phylogeny, shrub frogs, taxonomy

 

Holotype (NNU202103010) of Gracixalus damingshanensis sp. nov.
 A. Dorsal view; B. Dorsolateral view; C. Ventral view; D. Ventral view of right hand; E. Nuptial pad on Finger I; F. Ventral view of left foot. Photographs by Wei-Cai Chen.

Color variation among paratypes of Gracixalus damingshanensis sp. nov. 
 A1, A2. Dorsal and ventral views of male NNU202103008;
B1, B2. Dorsal and ventral views of male NNU202103009;
C1, C2. Dorsal and ventral views of male NNU202103011;
D1, D2. Dorsal and ventral views of female NNU202103007.

 Photographs by Wei-Cai Chen.

Gracixalus damingshanensis sp. nov. 

Diagnosis. Gracixalus damingshanensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) SVL 27.3–32.3 mm in males (n = 4) and 32.4–40.1 mm in females (n = 3); (2) dorsal surface rough, with scattered tubercles; (3) throat, chest, and ventral surface grayish with light brown spotting; (4) fingers without webbing; (5) white tubercles along the margins of the upper and lower jaws and on limb surfaces; (6) vomerine teeth absent; (7) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the middle of the eye; (8) skin of throat, chest, and ...

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘damingshanensis’ refers to Damingshan National Nature Reserve in Nanning, Guangxi, China, where the species was discovered. We propose “Damingshan Tree Frog” as the English common name and “Dà Míng Shān Xiān Shù Wā“ (大明山纤树蛙) as the Chinese common name.

Wei-Cai Chen and Peng Li. 2026. A New Species of Gracixalus (Anura, Rhacophoridae) from Damingshan National Nature Reserve, Guangxi, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 102(4): 989-1003. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.186426 

[Herpetology • 2026] Scincella gigas • A mountain giant: Description of The Largest known Species of the Genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950 (Squamata: Scincidae) from Yunnan Province, China

Scincella gigas Xu, Deng, Qi, Ma, Zhang, Cai, Nguyen, Poyarkov & Peng, 

in Xu, Deng, Qi, Ma, Zhang, Cai, Wang, Sun, Nguyen, Poyarkov et Peng, 2026.  

Giant Ground Skink | 巨滑蜥  ||  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.204139 

 

Abstract

A remarkable new species of skink, Scincella gigas sp. nov., is described from Yunnan Province, China, based on integrative morphological and molecular evidence. The new species represents the largest known member of the genus Scincella, with the adult female holotype attaining a snout-vent length of 125 mm and a total length exceeding 316 mm despite possessing a partially regenerated tail. Scincella gigas sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by a unique combination of morphological characters, including three prefrontal scales, relatively short limbs that fail to meet when adpressed, the third pair of chin shields separated by four small scales, 28 midbody scale rows, 80 paravertebral scale rows, and broad dorsolateral stripes with distinctly serrated margins. Phylogenetic analyses based on concatenated mitochondrial gene fragments (12S, 16S, CO1, and Cyt b) recovered the new taxon as a distinct lineage within Scincella, although its precise phylogenetic relationships remain unresolved. The new species exhibits substantial genetic divergence from all examined congeners (≥ 4.4% in 16S and ≥ 14.2% in CO1). Scincella gigas sp. nov. is currently known only from montane mixed forests and associated alpine meadows in Fengyi Town, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, at an elevation of 2,790 m a.s.l. The discovery of such a conspicuous and exceptionally large species suggests that the diversity of montane Scincella in southwestern China remains insufficiently documented.

Key Words: Integrative taxonomy, molecular phylogeny, morphology, Scincella gigas sp. nov., S. potanini–S. monticola complex, southwestern China

Holotype of Scincella gigas sp. nov. in life (QHU R2026003, adult female).

Photographs by J.D. Deng.

Head scalation of Scincella gigas sp. nov. (holotype, QHU R2026003, adult female).

A. Dorsal view; B. Lateral view; C. Ventral view.

Dorsal (A), lateral (B), and ventral (C) views of the body; 

D. Ventral view of the left hand; E. Ventral view of the left foot of  the holotype in preservation. 

Photographs by Y.H. Xu. Scale bars: 20 mm (A–C); 5 mm (D, E).

Notes: CS: chin shield; F: frontal; FrN: frontonasal; FrP: frontoparietal; IL: infralabials; IP: interparietal; L: loreals; LST: lower secondary temporal; M: mental; NU: nuchals; P: parietal; PF: prefrontal; PM: postmental; PT: primary temporal; R: rostral; SC: superciliaries; SL: supralabials; SO: supraoculars; UST: upper secondary temporal; * indicates the gulars separating the chin shields.

Photographs and drawings by Y.H. Xu. Scale bar: 5 mm.

Scincella gigas Xu, Deng, Qi, Ma, Zhang, Cai, Nguyen, Poyarkov & Peng, sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Scincella gigas sp. nov. represents the largest known member of the genus Scincella, with the adult female holotype attaining an SVL of 125 mm and TL exceeding 316 mm. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) exceptionally large body size, with the adult female holotype attaining an SVL of 125 mm; (2) three prefrontal scales; (3) six supraciliaries; (4) seven supralabials, separated from the eye by a row of small scales; (5) six infralabials; (6) tympanum deeply recessed and lacking lobules, with the tympanum diameter exceeding that of the palpebral disc (TD/PDD ratio 1.45); (7) three pairs of chin shields, with the third pair separated medially by four small scales; (8) 28 midbody scale rows; (9) total ventral + gular scale rows numbering 81; (10) 80 paravertebral scale rows; (11) relatively short limbs, with toes not in contact with fingers when the limbs are adpressed (FLL+HLL/AGD ratio 0.57); (12) 9–10 enlarged subdigital lamellae beneath Finger IV and 13 beneath Toe IV; and (13) in life, dorsum brown, with relatively broad dorsolateral stripes bearing distinctly serrated margins.

Etymology. The specific epithet “gigas” is derived from the Latinized form of the Greek noun γῐ́γᾱς (gígas), meaning “giant.” The name refers to the exceptional size of the new species, which represents the largest known member of the genus Scincella. 

In reference to this remarkable characteristic, “Giant Ground Skink” is proposed as the English common name, “гигантский малый сцинк” (gigantskiy malyi stsink) as the Russian common name, and “巨滑蜥” (Pinyin: jù huá xī) as the Chinese common name for the new species.

Habitat and field observations of Scincella gigas sp. nov.
 A. Microhabitat at Fengyi, Dali, Dali BAP, Yunnan, China; B. General habitat of the type locality; C. Holotype (QHU R2026003) found trapped in an artificial water reservoir.

Photographs by J.D. Deng (A, B) and H.Q. Wang (C).

 Yuhao Xu, Jundong Deng, Shuo Qi, Shun Ma, Tierui Zhang, Bo Cai, Haoquan Wang, Fanyue Sun, Tan Van Nguyen, Nikolay A. Poyarkov and Lifang Peng. 2026. A mountain giant: Description of The Largest known Species of the Genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950 (Squamata, Scincidae) from Yunnan Province, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 102(4): 1047-1063. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.204139 [2026-07-29]

[Herpetology • 2026] Acanthosaura syrax • A New Species of mountain horned dragon (Squamata: Agamidae) from high-elevation habitats of western Thailand

Acanthosaura syrax  

P. Trivalairat, K. Trivalairat, Moungkhaek, Caponov & Lorsunyaluck. 2026. 

Syrax mountain horned dragon | กิ้งก่าเขาหนามเล็กไซแรกซ์ 

DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1287.186636

Abstract

A new species of mountain horned dragon, Acanthosaura syrax sp. nov., is described from the high–elevation evergreen forests of Mae Wong National Park in western Thailand. Morphological comparisons distinguish the new taxon from its congeners by its smaller body size and the fact that it possesses the smallest nuchal and dorsal scales recorded within the genus. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial ND2 and COI gene sequences further supports this distinction, identifying the new species as a reciprocal monophyletic lineage with 76% and 99% nodal support in maximum–likelihood analyses and 0.78 and 1.00 nodal support in Bayesian Inference analyses based on ND2 and COI genes, respectively. Interspecific pairwise genetic distances between A. syrax sp. nov. and other congeners range from 14.1–15.9% in ND2 gene and 14.96–28.13% in COI gene, while intraspecific variation remains low at 0–0.01% and 0–0.34% in ND2 and COI, respectively. This discovery brings the number of Acanthosaura species to 23 and highlights the significant and unique biodiversity found within the high–altitude evergreen ecosystems of western Thailand.

Key words: COI, Mae Wong National Park, morphology, ND2, reptile, Tak–Kamphaeng Phet Province, taxonomy, tropical rainforest

Adult male holotype (THNHM31129) of Acanthosaura syrax sp. nov. from Mae Wong District, Kampheang Phet Province, Thailand, at 1,340 m a.s.l.
A. Left lateral view; B. Right lateral view; C. Dorsal view.

Acanthosaura syrax sp. nov. 
Adult female paratype (THNHM31130 for (A–C), THNHM31131 for (D–F))  
A, B. Right lateral view; C, F. Dorsal view. D, E. Left lateral view.

Acanthosaura syrax sp. nov.

Diagnosis. A small-sized species (maximum SVL 101.2 mm for females and 69.6 mm for males) with a single tiny conical spine above the posterior margin of the eye (maximum PS 2.7 mm for females and 2.0 mm for males); small spine on the occiput between the tympanum and the nuchal crest (maximum OS 4.1 mm for females and 2.4 mm for males); tympanum scaleless, small, roundish; less developed gular pouch; present small scales intermixed with three set of medium keeled scales line transversely from dorsal to ...

Acanthosaura syrax sp. nov. 
Adult female paratype (THNHM31130 for (A–C), THNHM31131 for (D–F)) o
A, B. Right lateral view; C, F. Dorsal view. D, E. Left lateral view.

Etymology. The specific epithet syrax is a noun in apposition, named in reference to the dragon “Syrax”, the mount of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen [from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire universe]. This name is inspired by the species’ distinctive yellow-hued coloration, its relatively diminutive size compared to its congeners, and its significant reproductive output, reflected in its high clutch size. We suggest the following common names, “Syrax mountain horned dragon” (English) and “King Ka Khaow Naam Lek Syrax” (กิ้งก่าเขาหนามเล็กไซแรกซ์) (Thai). 

Poramad Trivalairat, Krittiya Trivalairat, Nawee Moungkhaek, Simon Caponov and Benchapol Lorsunyaluck. 2026. Acanthosaura syrax sp. nov., A New Species of mountain horned dragon from high-elevation habitats of western Thailand (Squamata, Agamidae). ZooKeys. 1287: 47-76.  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1287.186636

[Herpetology • 2026] Brachytarsophrys jinxiuensis • A New Species of the genus Brachytarsophrys Tian & Hu, 1983 (Anura: Megophryidae) from Guangxi, China

 

Brachytarsophrys jinxiuensis 

Liu, Hou & Rao, 2026

 azjournal.ru 

 Researchgate.net/publication/408625531

Abstract

A new species of the genus Brachytarsophrys is described from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of morphological characters: body size relatively small, dorsal skin smooth with a few large tubercles on dorsum and crotch, snout relatively long, eye relatively small, foot relatively short, pectoral glands orange, upper iris blood red and lower iris reddish brown, nuptial pad present on first finger in adult male. Phylogenetically, the new species differs from other species of the genus by a genetic divergence of 4.2–15.7% and 3.3–15.2% in COI and cytb genes, respectively. This study brings the total number of the species of Brachytarsophrys to 12, with ten occur in China and three in Guangxi.

Keywords: Brachytarsophrys, Jinxiu County, mitochondrial, morphology, new species, phylogeny, Short-Legged Toad, taxonomy

Holotype (KIZ2019035) of  Brachytarsophrys jinxiuensis sp. nov. in life.
(A) Dorsal view; (B) left view; (C) ventral view; (D) closeup view of the crotch region

Close-up views of the hand and foot of the holotype (KIZ2019035) of Brachytarsophrys jinxiuensis sp. nov. in preservative.
 (A) volar view of the left hand; (B) plantar view of the left foot

Brachytarsophrys jinxiuensis sp. nov. 


Shuo Liu, Mian Hou and Dingqi Rao. 2026. A New Species of the genus Brachytarsophrys Tian & Hu, 1983 (Anura: Megophryidae) from Guangxi, China. Amurian Zoological Journal. 18(2); 586–598. DOI: 10.33910/2686-9519-2026-18-2-586-598 [2026-07-08]

https://azjournal.ru/index.php/azjournal/article/view/2026-07-08

 Researchgate.net/publication/408625531_A_new_species_of_the_genus_Brachytarsophrys_from_Guangxi_China

[Herpetology • 2026] Bronchocela carestiai & B. mallarii • A Comprehensive, Archipelago-Wide Taxonomic Reassessment of the Genus Bronchocela (Squamata: Agamidae) in the Philippines, with Descriptions of Two New Species

 

(A) Bronchocela marmorata from Luzon,
(B, C) B. philippina from Mindanao,
 (D) Bronchocela carestiai from Mindoro, and
(E) B. mallarii from Palawan. 

 

Supsup, Pitogo, Sanguila, Hallermann, Denzer, Wood & Brown, 2026

Herpetological Monographs. 40 (1),

Photographs by Rafe M. Brown, Christian E. Supsup, and Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo.

 Abstract  

One challenge for species delimitation involves closely related species, characterized by both intra- and interspecifically variable morphologies, for which genetic information is not yet available. One such example is exhibited by agamid lizards of the genus Bronchocela. This group of conspicuously vibrant green lizards is widely distributed in Southeast Asia, with 15 recognized species. However, the geographic distributions of several named taxa have remained unclear because of the imprecise application of names in taxonomic summaries and faunal checklists. For more than a century, many authors have noted that a few species, often considered “widespread,” persist throughout nearly the entire range of the genus. This is particularly true for populations identified as Bronchocela cristatella sensu lato and, to a lesser extent, B. marmorata in the Philippines. In this study, we reassess the systematics and taxonomy of Bronchocela populations in the Philippine archipelago. Using multiple lines of evidence from molecular and morphological data, we uncover four distinct lineages of Philippine Bronchocela, all of which we interpret as being distantly related to B. cristatella sensu lato from Malaysia and Indonesia. We argue that these lineages should now be interpreted as Philippine endemic species. Given the strong congruence in molecular and morphological analyses, we now consider populations from the Luzon faunal region (including Catanduanes, Marinduque, Lubang, and Polillo Islands), Romblon (Tablas, Romblon, and Sibuyan Islands), and the West Visayas (Negros, Cebu, and Panay Islands) as B. marmorata. The nomenclaturally available name, B. philippina, is now designated to the unique lineage from the Mindanao faunal region. Additionally, we recognize two new, distinctive species from the Mindoro (B. carestiai) and Palawan (B. mallarii) faunal regions. Overall, our findings demonstrate how conspicuous and widely distributed species in Southeast Asia remain poorly understood, overlooked, and taxonomically unresolved. Hence, the taxonomic resolution of Bronchocela populations in the island archipelagos of Southeast Asia will greatly benefit from the urgent priority of determining which landmass the name “B. cristatella” applies.

KEYWORDS: Bronchocela carestiai sp. nov, Bronchocela marmorata, Bronchocela mallarii sp. nov, Bronchocela philippina, Southeast Asia, taxonomy, Widespread species

In life photographs of Bronchocela marmorata from Luzon (A), B. philippina from Mindanao (B, C),
B. carestiai from Mindoro (D), and B. mallarii from Palawan (E).

Photographs were taken by Rafe M. Brown, Christian E. Supsup, and Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo.

Bronchocela carestiai sp. nov.

 Bronchocela mallarii sp. nov. 

Christian E. Supsup, Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo, Marites B. Sanguila, Jakob Hallermann, Wolfgang Denzer, Perry L. Wood Jr. and Rafe M. Brown. 2026. A Comprehensive, Archipelago-Wide Taxonomic Reassessment of the Genus Bronchocela (Squamata: Agamidae) in the Philippines, with Descriptions of Two New Species. Herpetological Monographs. 40 (1), 1-44, (20 July 2026) DOI: doi.org/10.1655/HERPMONOGRAPHS-D-24-00003

https://bioone.org/journals/herpetological-monographs/volume-40/issue-1/HERPMONOGRAPHS-D-24-00003/A-Comprehensive-Archipelago-Wide-Taxonomic-Reassessment-of-the-Genus-Bronchocela/10.1655/HERPMONOGRAPHS-D-24-00003.full

[Herpetology • 2026] Pristimantis milpe • Long overdue: A New, widespread, species of Pristimantis (Anura: Strabomantidae) from the Chocó region and the synonymy of Pristimantis subsigillatus

 Pristimantis milpe 

Ron, Paredes-Aguirre, Paucar, López, Apunte & Ortega, 2026 

 

DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1286.194383  

 x.com/santiak

Abstract

As currently defined, Pristimantis subsigillatus is a species of the P. lacrimosus species group distributed in the Chocó of Colombia and Ecuador, from lowlands to Andean foothill forests. Upon re-examination of the holotype of P. subsigillatus, we conclude that the populations currently ascribed to P. subsigillatus are not conspecific with the holotype. Instead, the holotype is conspecific with one of the syntypes of P. latidiscus, a species described four years before from a nearby locality. To avoid the ambiguity in the application of the binomen Hylodes latidiscus, we designate a lectotype. As a result, P. subsigillatus becomes a junior synonym of P. latidiscus. The misidentified populations represent an undescribed species which we describe based on morphological, bioacoustic, and genetic data as Pristimantis milpe sp. nov. The new species has one of the widest distributions among Chocoan Pristimantis and is unusual for having sexual dimorphism in coloration. It is most closely related to Pristimantis degener from which it diverged in the late Miocene and is morphologically distinct. The fact that such a common species remained “invisible” to taxonomy highlights the importance of correctly establishing the link between the name-bearing types and natural populations. Finally, we discuss how taxonomic treatments of Pristimantis during the second half of the 20th century often made this non-trivial error.

Key words: Andes, holotype, integrative taxonomy, lectotype, phylogeny, systematics

Pristimantis milpe sp. nov.

Common name. English: Milpe Rain Frog.
Spanish: Cutín de Milpe.

Diagnosis. We assign the new species to the genus Pristimantis based on the phylogeny (Fig. 5). Species of Pristimantis characterized by: (1) smooth to slightly tuberculate dorsal skin, areolate belly; discoidal fold evident; dorsolateral folds absent; (2) tympanum condition B; tympanic ring covered dorsally by supratympanic fold, tympanic membrane not differentiated; (3) truncate snout in dorsal view and protruding in lateral view; (4) upper eyelid generally without tubercles (occasionally one tiny tubercle present); (5) cranial crests absent; (6) oblique dentigerous processes of vomers; (7) vocal slits present, nuptial pads ...

Photographs showing color variation in living adult males of  Pristimantis milpe sp. nov.
 A. QCAZ-A 77106, holotype, SVL = 24.77 mm; B. QCAZ-A 76585, paratype, SVL = 26.97 mm; C. QCAZ-A 76518, paratype, SVL = 26.06 mm; D. QCAZ-A 65561, SVL = 19.64 mm; E. QCAZ-A 67428, SVL = 26.47 mm. Left column: dorsolateral view; central column: dorsal view; right column: ventral view. F. QCAZ-A 79899; note significant color change within a period of less than 24 h. Locality data for all specimens is provided in the holotype and paratypes sections.

Photographs showing color variation in living adult/subadult females of Pristimantis milpe sp. nov.
  A. QCAZ-A 67424, paratype, adult female, SVL = 32.07 mm; B. QCAZ-A 45268, paratype, subadult female, SVL = 29.44 mm; C. QCAZ-A 74171, paratype, adult female, SVL = 34.21 mm; D. QCAZ-A 74172, paratype, adult female, SVL = 34.17 mm; E. QCAZ-A 51314, adult female, SVL = 33.13 mm. Left column: dorsolateral view; central column: dorsal view; right column: ventral view. Locality data for all specimens is provided in the paratypes section.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition and refers to the type locality, the Milpe Bird Sanctuary, a private reserve in Pichincha Province, Ecuador. The sanctuary protects ~ 100 ha of Foothill Montane Forest and is part of the Andean Chocó, one of the most diverse and threatened regions on the planet. The Milpe Bird Sanctuary is managed by the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity in the Andean Chocó. The Foundation maintains close relationships with local communities, promoting environmental education, sustainable livelihoods, and participatory management of natural resources. It also supports other private reserves and local Decentralized Autonomous Governments in forest restoration through the production of native plants in their nurseries, strengthening long-term conservation in the region.

Santiago R. Ron, Poulette Paredes-Aguirre, Diego A. Paucar, Yaara López, Katherine Apunte and Jhael A. Ortega. 2026. Long overdue: A New, widespread, species of Pristimantis (Anura, Strabomantidae) from the Chocó region and the synonymy of Pristimantis subsigillatus. ZooKeys. 1286: 121-152. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1286.194383 [24 Jul 2026] 

 x.com/santiak/status/2081416238371135900

[Herpetology • 2026] Scincella dabieshanensis • A new Scincella species (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Dabie Mountains, China

 Scincella dabieshanensis Zhang, Yi, Zhang & Zhang,

 in H. Zhang, Yi, Yang, Wang, Xu, Zhan, Zhai, Chu, Hou, Y. Zhang, Wen, C. Zhang et B. Zhang, 2026.   

Dabie Mountains Ground Skink | 大别山滑蜥  ||  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.187997 

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated the polyphyly of Scincella modesta and reported a new record of Scincella vandenburghi in Qingdao, Shandong Province. Furthermore, the research highlighted significant morphological similarities between the Qingdao population of S. vandenburghi and a branch of S. modesta from Hubei, leaving the taxonomic boundaries between these two species unclear. To better understand the relationship between S. modesta and S. vandenburghi, we conducted extensive sampling in the Dabie Mountains, which geographically lie between Qingdao, Ningbo and Yichang. Based on phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons, we identify an undescribed species of the genus Scincella from the Dabie Mountains, China and also discover the presence of a population of S. vandenburghi in the same region. Morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new species is similar to S. vandenburghi, but clearly distinct from it and other congeners. The new species has the following characteristics: (1) slender body, small size, snout-vent length 24.47–40.60 mm; (2) supraciliaries 6 or 7; (3) midbody scale row counts 28–31; (4) dorsal scales smooth and slightly enlarged, paravertebral scale row counts 55–68, ventral scale row counts 55–64; (5) upper edge of lateral longitudinal stripes relatively wavy, lower edge irregular, covering 2–2.5 scale rows on the trunk; (6) black dorsolateral stripes from posterior corner of eye to lateral side of tail, six rows of dorsal scales in middle; (7) supralabials 7, infralabials 6 or 7; (8) tympanum diameters significantly smaller than palpebral disc diameters; (9) 9–12 enlarged lamellae beneath finger IV and 14–17 beneath toe IV; (10) 3–4 pairs of nuchal scales; (11) when the limbs are pressed down, toes and fingers touch or overlap. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the population from the Dabie Mountains in Anhui Province, China, represents a new species, with a 3% uncorrected genetic distance in 16S rRNA from its closest relative (S. vandenburghi). This discovery brings the total number of Scincella species in China to 19, identifying the known distribution of the genus. We have made preliminary progress in clarifying the relationship between S. vandenburghi and S. modesta; however, the polyphyletic issues surrounding S. modesta warrant further investigation in future research. Additionally, the distribution patterns and divergence times of the two Scincella species in the Dabie Mountains require further study to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

Key Words: molecular phylogeny, morphological characters, Scincella dabieshanensis sp. nov., Scincella modesta, taxonomy

Holotype of Scincella dabieshanensis sp. nov. (AHU 25079) in life. Photo by Caiwen Zhang.

Scincella dabieshanensis Zhang, Yi, Zhang & Zhang, sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Scincella dabieshanensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed from other Scincella species by the following unique combination of characters: (1) slender body, small size, snout-vent length 24.47–40.60 mm; (2) supraciliaries 6 or 7; (3) midbody scale row counts 28–31; (4) dorsal scales smooth and slightly enlarged, paravertebral scale row counts 55–68, ventral scale row counts 55–64; (5) upper edge of lateral longitudinal stripes relatively wavy, lower edge irregular, covering 2–2.5 scale rows on the trunk; (6) black dorsolateral stripes from posterior corner of eye to lateral side of tail, six rows of dorsal scales in middle; (7) supralabials 7, infralabials 6 or 7; (8) tympanum diameters significantly smaller than palpebral disc diameters; (9) 9–12 enlarged lamellae beneath finger IV and 14–17 beneath toe IV; (10) 3–4 pairs of nuchal scales; (11) when the limbs are pressed down, toes and fingers touch or overlap.

Etymology. The specific epithet dabieshanensis is derived from the type locality, the Dabie Mountains, located at the boundary of Anhui, Henan and Hubei Provinces. We propose the English name of “Dabie Mountains Ground Skink” and the Chinese common name is “Dà Bié Shān Huá Xī (大别山滑蜥)”.

 Hailin Zhang, Feng Yi, Lulu Yang, Xinjian Wang, Shihang Xu, Zhiqiang Zhan, Xinyi Zhai, Jun Chu, Minggen Hou, Yucai Zhang, Jing Wen, Caiwen Zhang, Baowei Zhang. 2026. A new Scincella species (Squamata, Scincidae) from the Dabie Mountains, China, with Delimitation of its closely related congeners. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 102(4): 1005-1022. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.187997 [24-07-2026]

[Herpetology • 2026] Megophrys praestes • A Comprehensive Review of the Megophrys (Brachytarsophrys) carinensis group (Amphibia: Megophryidae) reveals A New giant horned frog from Indochina and Evidence for Taxonomic Inflation in the feae Group

  

Megophrys praestes

Mahony, Phimmachak, Seateun, Sivongxay, Hoang, Le, Streicher, Rowley & Stuart, 2026

 

 DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5854.1.1  

  facebook.com/JodiRowley

Abstract

The Megophrys subgenus Brachytarsophrys includes the largest species of Asian horned frogs north of the Malay Peninsula. The subgenus comprises two clades known as the feae group and carinensis group. Though the Chinese members of the feae group have been the focus of recent taxonomic studies, little is known of the two members of the carinensis group, M. carinensis and M. intermedia, from Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Megophrys carinensis was long considered to be widespread in China until, relatively recently, some populations were found to represent species of the feae group, indicating that there is widespread confusion regarding the identification of M. carinensis. No sequence data have been available for M. carinensis and M. intermedia from their respective type localities to verify their genetic identities.

In this study, a near complete review of the global knowledge of the carinensis group is provided based on the literature, supplemented with multi-locus molecular phylogenetic analyses and a comprehensive morphological dataset for 35 adult specimens and five juveniles. Recently collected samples from 12 specimens of M. intermedia (including from the Langbiang Plateau) were sequenced, and a minimally destructive archival DNA Illumina protocol was used to obtain the complete mitochondrial genome for a 137-year-old ethanol preserved “topotype” of M. carinensis.

Molecular phylogenetic analyses identified two deeply divergent lineages in M. intermedia, one from the type locality of M. intermedia and a second representing all other previously sequenced populations of M. “intermedia” from outside the upper reaches of the Langbiang Plateau. The morphological data for adult frogs also strongly supported the recognition of two diagnosable taxa within M. intermedia sensu lato. Adults differed in morphometrics and qualitative characteristics, but the tadpoles differed slightly in morphometrics but not in any qualitative characteristics. Detailed taxonomic redescriptions are provided for both M. carinensis and M. intermedia, and a new species of Megophrys from the carinensis group is described. A comprehensive literature review of these three species is provided, identifications of populations are updated, and new information is given on behaviour and habitat association. A counter argument to the recent proposal to treat some of Malcolm Smith’s species epithets as nouns in apposition to the gender of the genus name is provided, clarifying the spelling of M. intermedia (and proposing to reject Alcalus pullus as the valid name for A. tasanae), and correcting the gender of M. carinensis and M. platyparieta. We highlight extensive misunderstandings in the literature regarding the identities of the type series of both M. carinensis and M. intermedia, and revise the geographic distributions of all species based on published and unpublished evidence (including online citizen science data).

Published records of M. “carinensis” from China, Laos, Vietnam, and India are individually reviewed to clarify the taxonomic identities of many of the populations. All Chinese and Vietnamese populations are suggested to represent feae group taxa, and we provide the most complete account of the distribution of this group. Fundamental errors are identified in the original descriptions of all recent feae group species (M. popei, M. orientalis, Megophrys guilinensis comb. nov., Megophrys qiannanensis comb. nov., Megophrys wenshanensis comb. nov., and Megophrys wui comb. nov.), surmising that there is currently insufficient evidence to morphologically diagnose the marginally genetically divergent named populations M. orientalis, M. guilinensis comb. nov. and M. wui comb. nov. as distinct from M. popei, and propose their synonymy. Beyond updates to the identification of populations resulting from this proposed synonymy, provisional updates are recommended for the identifications of more than 30 additional known Chinese populations.

Megophrys intermedia is now range-restricted to upper elevations on the Langbiang Plateau. Based on a review of the species’ extinction threat status, we recommend that it should potentially be considered Endangered, further highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive modern taxonomic redescriptions of historically described species in Southeast Asia.

Amphibia, Anura, Megophryinae, toad, taxonomy, systematics, nomenclature, literature review, natural history, phylogenetics, conservation, Endangered, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam

Megophrys praestes sp. nov. 

 

STEPHEN MAHONY, Somphouthone PHIMMACHAK, Sengvilay SEATEUN, Niane SIVONGXAY, Huy Duc HOANG, Duong Thi Thuy LE, Jeffrey W. STREICHER, Jodi J. L. ROWLEY and Bryan L. STUART. 2026. A Comprehensive Review of the Megophrys (Brachytarsophrys) carinensis group (Amphibia: Megophryidae) reveals A New giant horned frog from Indochina and Evidence for Taxonomic Inflation in the feae Group.  Zootaxa. 5854(1); 1-166. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5854.1.1 [2026-07-24] 

 facebook.com/JodiRowley/posts/10162722793400952

  

[Paleontology • 2026] Tametara mirim • Exceptional Brain and Ecological Diversity in the earliest Snakes

 

Tametara mirim

Simões, Sobral, Macrì, Ebel, Fachini, Martinelli, Nava, Paixão, Chiappe, Di-Poï & Hsiou, 2026

DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10809-9

Abstract

Understanding the ecological origin of snakes has remained a century-old challenge, hindered by an extremely sparse early fossil record and conflicting interpretations of fossil ecologies. Here we describe an exceptionally preserved Cretaceous fossil snake, Tametara mirim gen. et sp. nov., from Brazil, representing one of the earliest-diverging stem snakes. High-resolution micro-CT scans reveal unprecedented details of cranial nerves, inner ear and brain anatomy, enabling the most integrated reconstruction of stem snake neuroanatomy to date. Quantitative and qualitative endocast analyses demonstrate that Tametara had a brain morphology distinct from both other stem and extant snakes, revealing substantial early neuroanatomical disparity—and probably sensory functions—in snake evolution. Independent evidence from telencephalon shape and bone microstructure converges on a fossorial lifestyle for Tametara and non-fossorial for another stem snake: Dinilysia. These results indicate that major ecological transitions occurred early in snake evolution, and that known stem species do not represent the ancestral condition of crown snakes. Early snake evolution thus involved complex shifts in habitat use and sensory ecology, revealing greater ecological and neuroanatomical diversity than previously thought.

 

Systematic palaeontology

Squamata Oppel, 1811

Serpentes Linnaeus, 1758

Holotype (MPM 420) of Tametara mirim. 
 a, Photograph of the whole specimen with the articulated skull and postcranium in dorsal view. Ant, anterior; Bl, block number; Ce.V., cervical vertebrae; Do.V., dorsal vertebrae; Post, posterior; Sk, skull. b,c, Photographs of the skull in lateral (b) and dorsal (c) view. CB, compound bone; F, frontal; Oto, otoccipital; P, parietal; PFr, postfrontal; Pro, prootic; Ptg, pterygoid; Q, quadrate; Soc, supraoccipital; St, supratemporal. d–g, 3D renderings of an anterior precloacal (‘cervical’) vertebra in lateral (d) and anterolateral (e) views, and mid-precloacal (‘dorsal’) vertebra in dorsal (f) and left lateral (g) views. h–j, 3D renderings of the skull in the right lateral view (h) and with exposed brain endocasts in the right lateral (i) and dorsal (j) views. Mes., mesencephalon; Rho., rhombencephalon; Tel., telencephalon. Scale bars, 100 mm (a), 5 mm (b,c,h–j) and 1 mm (d–g). Specimen photos were taken by A.S.H.

Tametara mirim gen. et sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Tametara mirim can be distinguished from all other snakes based on the following combination of characters: postfrontal present but parietal (posterior) process absent*; parietal with posteromedial process present*; supraoccipital with sagittal crest, posterolaterally projecting nuchal crests*, well-developed anterolateral processes* and strongly overlapped by the parietal dorsally; otoccipitals not contacting each other medially (separated by posterior process of supraoccipital); quadrates with quadrate conch, suprastapedial process and pterygoid lappet; posterior surangular foramen present; precloacal vertebrae with well-developed and ventrolaterally oriented ...

Etymology. Tametara, meaning ‘adorned’ (referring to the pronounced sagittal crest of the holotype); mirim, meaning small-sized, in the native Brazilian, Tupí-Guaraní language.

Holotype. MPM 420 (Museu de Paleontologia de Marília, Marília, State of São Paulo, Brazil). Posterior half of a 3D-preserved skull and mandibles articulated with the anterior portion of the postcranium, including 103 presacral vertebrae.

Locality and age. The fossil was discovered by W.R.N. and G.M.X.P. in 2020, in William’s Quarry 2 at Sítio Paleontológico ‘José Martin Suárez’ (Presidente Prudente municipality, State of São Paulo, Brazil); Adamantina Formation, Bauru Group, Bauru Basin, late Santonian to early Campanian age (approximately 85–75 million years ago (Ma))22.

 

Tiago R. Simões, Gabriela Sobral, Simone Macrì, Roy Ebel, Thiago S. Fachini, Agustín G. Martinelli, William R. Nava, Giovanna M. X. Paixão, Luis M. Chiappe, Nicolas Di-Poï and Annie S. Hsiou. 2026. Exceptional Brain and Ecological Diversity in the earliest Snakes. Nature. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10809-9 [22 July 2026]