[Entomology • 2018] Socoflata gen. nov. • described for Two New Planthopper Species (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Flatidae) from the Mountains in Socotra Island

 Socoflata histrionica

 Stroiński, Malenovský & Świerczewski, 2018

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4379.3.3 

Abstract

A new genus of flatid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Flatidae) is described from the island of Socotra (Yemen): Socoflata gen. nov., for Socoflata aurolineata sp. nov. and Socoflata histrionica sp. nov. (type species). Habitus, male and female external and internal genital structures of the new species are illustrated and diagnosed. Both Socoflata species are abundant and syntopic in the evergreen montane woodland and dwarf shrubland at high elevations in the Hagher mountains in central Socotra and are likely endemics of this area.

Keywords: Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea, systematics, taxonomy, Afrotropical region

 Adam Stroiński, Igor Malenovský and Dariusz Świerczewski. 2018.  Socoflata gen. nov., described for Two New Planthopper Species from the Mountains in Socotra Island (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Flatidae).  Zootaxa. 4379(3); 388–406.  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4379.3.3

[Botany • 2017] Carex socotrana • A New Endemic Species (Cyperaceae) from Socotra Island

 Carex socotrana  Rěpka & Maděra

in Řepka, Maděra, Čermák & Forrest, 2017.  
 @CMEPorg  ||  DOI: 10.3417/D-16-00004   

ABSTRACT

We describe Carex socotrana Rěpka & Maděra, a new endemic species found in the Hajhir Mountains on Socotra Island. It differs from the morphologically similar African continental species C. steudneri Boeckeler in having a shorter stem, smaller leaf length and width, completely smooth leaf blades and margins, and pistillate scales without a whitish membranous margin and with distinctive awns at the apex. The spike clusters are smaller and more scattered on the stem, and the perigynium and its beak are smaller than in C. steudneri. So far only one small and one large population have been found near the highest mountain peak, Mount Scand. The new taxon is 1370 km from the closest known site of C. steudneri.

Keywords: Carex, Cyperaceae, IUCN, Socotra

Radomír Řepka, Petr Maděra, Martin Čermák and Alan Forrest. 2017. Carex socotrana, A New Endemic Species from Socotra Island. Novon: A Journal for Botanical Nomenclature. 25(4); 467–472.  DOI: 10.3417/D-16-00004 

ResearchGate.net/publication/321198484_Carex_socotrana_a_New_Endemic_Species_from_Socotra_Island

 twitter.com/CMEPorg/status/934055316542640128

[Mammalogy • 2011] Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Asellia (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) with A Description of A New Species, Asellia arabica, from southern Arabia

  Asellia arabica  

Benda, Vallo & Reiter, 2011

from Ain Jarziz, Dhofar, SW Oman, photo by A. Reiter  || DOI:  10.3161/150811011X624749 

Two species are currently recognised within the genus Asellia, a typical inhabitant of arid areas of northern Africa and south-western Asia. Most of the distribution range of the genus is covered by Asellia tridens, while the other species, A. patrizii, is restricted to Ethiopia, Eritrea and several Red Sea islands. We analysed the morphological variation in an extensive set of Asellia samples covering the range of the genus, including most of the available type material. In a representative subset of samples, we employed molecular genetic analysis to infer the phylogenetic relationships within the broadly distributed A. tridens. Morphological comparisons revealed four distinct morphotypes. Except for the endemic A. patrizii, almost all African Asellia were found to belong to the same morphotype as most of the Middle Eastern specimens. This morphotype was unambiguously identified as A. tridens. Two other morphotypes of tentative A. tridens were further recognised based on skull shape differences; one in the southern Arabian region of Dhofar, the other in Socotra and Somalia. Phylogenetic analysis of complete sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene yielded three main monophyletic groups, which corresponded to the morphotypes revealed for A. tridens. Significant genetic divergences reaching over 5% and 12%, respectively, were discovered between them. Based on the morphological and molecular data obtained, we propose a split of the current A. tridens into three separate species: A. tridens in northern Africa and most of the Middle East, A. italosomalica in Socotra and Somalia, and Asellia sp. nov. in southern Arabia. Molecular dating, along with the available paleontological information and geological history of the Arabian Peninsula, supports an Arabian origin of the contemporary Asellia. While profound divergence of the Socotran form may be linked to the split of Socotra from the southern Arabian coast in the Middle Miocene, the low sequence variation of Asellia in most of Africa and the Middle East suggests a relatively recent colonisation of this vast area during the Pleistocene. The newly described form from southern Arabia most likely represents a relic of aridisation during the Miocene-Pliocene transition.

 Keywords: Asellia, morphology, morphometry, mfDNA, taxonomy, phylogeny

FIG. 10. Portrait of   Asellia arabica sp. nov. from Ain Jarziz, Dhofar, SW Oman

photo by A. Reiter

Asellia arabica sp. nov.

Synonymy: 

Asellia tridens (Geoffroy, 1813): Pockock, 1935: 442; Harrison, 1964: 98; Harrison, 1980: 390; Kingdon, 1990: 37; Harrison and Bates, 1991: 55.

Asellia tridens tridens (Geoffroy, 1813): Harrison, 1957: 5; Kock, 1969: 129; Nader, 1990: 340; Al-Jumaily, 1998: 483.

Asellia patrizii De Beaux, 1931: Al-Jumaily, 2004: 60.

Type locality: Republic of Yemen, Province of Al Mahra, oasis of Hawf (easternmost edge of the country), 16°39’N, 53°03’E, 410 m a.s.l.

Derivatio nominis: The name arabica (Arabian) reflects the area of occurrence of the new species, i.e. the southern part of Arabia

Distribution: Coastal areas of southern Arabia stretching from the Hadramaut Province in south-eastern Yemen (ca. 49°E) to the Dhofar Province in south-western Oman (ca. 55°E), i.e., ca. 650 km of a narrow coastal strip.

Petr Benda, Peter Vallo and Antonín Reiter. 2011. Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Asellia (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) with A Description of A New Species from southern Arabia. Acta Chiropterologica. 13(2); 245–270. DOI:  10.3161/150811011X624749

http://www.nm.cz/admin/files/PM/download/zivotopisy-publikace/benda2011ac.pdf

[Herpetology • 2014] Hemidactylus minutus • Systematics and Biogeography of Hemidactylus homoeolepis Blanford, 1881 (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the Description of A New Species from Arabia

Hemidactylus minutus  

Vasconcelos & Carranza, 2014

   DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3835.4.4  

Abstract

A new species of gecko of the genus Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) is described from Oman and extreme eastern Yemen. Hemidactylus minutus sp. nov. is characterized morphologically by its very small size, being the smallest Hemidactylus in mainland Arabia, absence of enlarged tubercles anywhere on the body, expanded subcaudal scales beginning some way from tail base, number of preanal pores, number of lamellae under the first and fourth toes, and weakly contrasted black and white banded pattern on the ventral part of tail. It is also genetically distinct from H. homoeolepis to which it has previously been referred, and from all other closely related Hemidactylus from the arid clade in DNA sequence data for mitochondrial (12S, cyt b, ND4) and three nuclear (RAG1, MC1R, c‑mos) markers. An adult female from southern Yemen and a badly preserved juvenile from southwestern Saudi Arabia previously assigned to H. homoeolepis are morphologically differentiated from this species and from H. minutus sp. nov. and temporarily referred to as Hemidactylus sp. 12 and Hemidactylus sp. 13, respectively until more specimens are collected and analyzed.

        Up to now, H. homoeolepis was the only non-endemic native species of the Socotra Archipelago. With the description of H. minutus sp. nov., all native reptile species of Socotra are now endemic, such that this archipelago has one with the highest number of endemic reptiles in relation to its small size. In addition, as a result of our taxonomic change, the area of occupancy and extent of occurrence of H. homoeolepis have changed dramatically and thus its conservation status should be updated. Although H. minutus sp. nov. seems widely distributed and relatively abundant, its conservation status should also be re-evaluated.

Keywords: gecko, DNA, morphology, taxonomic revision, Socotra, Oman

FIGURE 5. Type localities, general dorsal views and details of Hemidactylus minutus sp. nov. from mainland Arabia. 
A) and C) type locality (Asylah, Oman) of H. minutus sp. nov.; B) dorsal view of Hemidactylus minutus sp. nov. holotype (voucher code: NHMUK2013.901; sample code: S7676); D), E), F) and G) details of the head, tail underside pattern, preanal pores, and lamellae of the 1st and 4th toes of the holotype. 

Etymology. The species epithet “minutus” is a Latin adjective that refers to the small size of this species, the smallest Hemidactylus in mainland Arabia. 

Diagnosis. A small Hemidactylus characterized by the following combination of morphological characters: (1) maximum recorded snout-vent length, SVL 34.6 mm (mean 29.2 ± 3.4 mm); (2) absence of enlarged tubercles anywhere on the body; (3) expanded subcaudal scales beginning some way from tail base; (4) head narrow and low (4.2–6.7 mm in width and 2.4–3.7 mm in height); (5) relatively short snout (2.0–2.9 mm nostril–eye); (4) 4–6 preanal pores, PAP (mean 5.8 ± 0.5); (6) four or five lamellae under the first posterior toe, LP1st (4.5 ± 0.5); (7) seven to nine, but most usually eight lamellae under the fourth posterior toe, LP4th (mean LP4th 8.0 ± 0.2); (8) weakly contrasted black and white banded pattern on the ventral part of tail.

......

Distribution. Distributed along the Arabian Sea coast, from northeastern Oman to extreme eastern Yemen (Fig. 1; Appendix I, II). In Dhofar it is found more than 70 km inland, as far as Thumrait. Although the population of Hemidactylus “homoeolepis” from the Hasikaya Island in the Hallaniyat Archipelago may belong to this species, a detailed genetic and morphological analysis is needed to assess whether this population is H. minutus sp. nov., H. paucituberculatus, (also present in coastal Dhofar) or a new species. Previous reports of Hemidactylus “homoeolepis” from Masirah Island and from Jazirat Hamar an Nafur Island have been recently assigned to H. masirahensis and H. inexpectatus, respectively (Carranza & Arnold 2012; pers. observ.). Hemidactylus minutus sp. nov. can be considered nearly endemic to Oman.

 Natural history. The new species is a ground dwelling strictly nocturnal gecko, usually found in dry places with stony, gravely or even sandy substrates with rocky outcrops (Fig. 5A, C). It is abundant in many parts of its distribution range. Observations of specimens of H. minutus sp. nov. carried out by Arnold (1980) at Wadi Ayoun and Thumrait indicated that almost all the specimens (63/64) were first sighted either on the ground (38/64) or lower than 60 cm from it (25/64), and only one was found on a rock above this height. At Wadi Sayq, eighteen individuals reported also by Arnold (1980) were at heights of between 50 cm and 2 m on rock faces, but this may have been because the ground here was covered by dense vegetation following the monsoon. Hemidacytlus minutus sp. nov. is very agile, often proceeding in a series of leaps when pursued. Gravid females, each carrying a single egg, have been recorded in late September at Khawr Sawli (Arnold 1980). 

FIGURE 5. Type localities, general dorsal views and details of Hemidactylus minutus sp. nov. from mainland Arabia.
A) and C) type locality (Asylah, Oman) of H. minutus sp. nov.; B) dorsal view of Hemidactylus minutus sp. nov. holotype (voucher code: NHMUK2013.901; sample code: S7676); D), E), F) and G) details of the head, tail underside pattern, preanal pores, and lamellae of the 1st and 4th toes of the holotype.

FIGURE 5. Type localities, general dorsal views and details of Hemidactylus homoeolepis from Socotra.
  I) of an unvouchered specimen (photograph by Edoardo Razzetti); J) habitat type of H. homoeolepis, generally dry places with rocky substrate; K), M) and N) details of the head, preanal pores, and lamellae of the 1st and 4th toes of the syntype, respectively; L) detail of the pattern of underside the tail of and unvouchered specimen. 

Raquel Vasconcelos and Salvador Carranza. 2014. Systematics and Biogeography of Hemidactylus homoeolepis Blanford, 1881 (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the Description of A New Species from Arabia. Zootaxa. 3835(4): 501–527.  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3835.4.4

researchgate.net/publication/263889330_Systematics_and_biogeography_of_Hemidactylus_homoeolepis_Blanford_1881_(Squamata_Gekkonidae)_with_the_description_of_a_new_species_from_Arabia

http://molevol.cmima.csic.es/carranza/pdf/Hemidactylus_minutus2014.pdf

http://www.philipdepous.com/systematics-and-biogeography-of-hemidactylus-homoeolepis-blanford-1881-squamata-gekkonidae-with-the-description-of-a-new-species-from-arabia

[Herpetology • 2015] Systematics and Biodiversity Multilocus Phylogeny and Taxonomic Revision of the Hemidactylus robustus species group (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) with Descriptions of Three New Species – Hemidactylus adensis and H. mandebensis from Yemen and H. awashensis from Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

The gecko genus Hemidactylus, with its 132 currently recognized species, ranks among the most species-rich reptile genera. Recent phylogenetic studies disclosed unexpectedly high genetic variability and complex biogeographic history within its arid clade distributed in the Mediterranean, Northeast Africa, Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Particularly, the species from the Arabian Peninsula have been lately the subject of many taxonomic revisions that have resulted in the descriptions of 16 new taxa. Yet not all detected cryptic lineages have been treated taxonomically and thoroughly investigated morphologically. Based on phylogenetic analyses of two mtDNA (12S, cytb) and four nDNA (cmos, mc1r, rag1, rag2) gene fragments of a total length of 4015 bp in combination with analysis of morphological characters, we reinvestigate the systematics of the H. robustus species group consisting of the widespread H. robustus and three undescribed species, two of which occur in Southwest Yemen and one in central Ethiopia. By comparing two phylogenetic inference methods, concatenated gene trees and species-tree estimation, we reconstruct the phylogeny of the H. robustus species group. The coalescent-based species-tree estimation resulted in different tree topology than the concatenation approach, being probably a result of incomplete lineage sorting of ancestral polymorphism, suggesting that the H. robustus species group is in a stage of incipient speciation. The degree of differentiation of the characters examined within the H. robustus species group allowed us to provide a redescription of H. robustus and formally describe three new species of Hemidactylus – H. adensis sp. nov. and H. mandebensis sp. nov. from Yemen and H. awashensis sp. nov. from Ethiopia.

Key words: Arabia, biogeography, diversity, geckos, Horn of Africa, incipient speciation, radiation, species tree

Jiří Šmíd, Jiří Moravec, Lukáš Kratochvíl, Abdul K Nasher, Tomáš Mazuch, Václav Gvoždík and Salvador Carranza. 2015. Systematics and Biodiversity Multilocus Phylogeny and Taxonomic Revision of the Hemidactylus robustus species group (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) with Descriptions of Three New Species from Yemen and Ethiopia.
Systematics and Biodiversity. 2015:1-23. DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2014.996264

researchgate.net/publication/272091403_Systematics_and_Biodiversity_Multilocus_phylogeny_and_taxonomic_revision_of_the_Hemidactylus_robustus_species_group_(Reptilia_Gekkonidae)_with_descriptions_of_three_new_species_from_Yemen_and_Ethiopia