[Botany • 2011] ภูมิพลินทร์ • Paraboea bhumiboliana (Trisepalum bhumibolianum) | นครินทรา • P. sangwaniae – 2 new Trisepalum (Gesneriaceae) from Karst landscape in Northern Thailand

2 new Paraboea (Gesneriaceae) from Karst landscape in Northern Thailand

– ภูมิพลินทร์ • Paraboea bhumiboliana (Trisepalum bhumibolianum) | นครินทรา • B. sangwaniae –

2 new Paraboea (Gesneriaceae) from Karst landscape in Northern Thailand

พรรณไม้พระปรมาภิไธย • ชนิดแรกของไทย ชนิดใหม่ของโลก:

พรรณไม้ที่ได้รับพระราชทานพระบรมราชานุญาติให้อัญเชิญ พระปรมาภิไธยเป็นชื่อวิทยาศาสตร์เป็นพรรณไม้ในวงศ์ชาฤๅษี (Family Gesneriaceae) พบบนเขาหินปูนทางภาคเหนือ

ภูมิพลินทร์ • Paraboea bhumiboliana Triboun & Chuchan

- 'พรรณไม้ที่เป็นศรีสง่าแด่พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาภูมิพลอดุลยเดช'

- พืชหายาก และเป็นพืชถิ่นเดียวของประเทศไทย สำรวจพบ บริเวณแก่งหินปูนในเขื่อนภูมิพล จังหวัดตาก และอุทยานแห่งชาติแม่ปิง จังหวัดลำพูนรายงานการค้นพบพร้อมกับ

นครินทรา • Paraboea sangwaniae Triboun 

- 'พรรณไม้ที่เป็นศรีสง่าแด่สมเด็จพระศรีนครินทราบรมราชชนนี'

- พืชหายาก และเป็นพืชถิ่นเดียวของประเทศไทย สำรวจพบที่เขาหินปูนบริเวณดอยตุง อำเภอแม่ฟ้าหลวง จังหวัดเชียงราย• พรรณพืช ๒ ชนิดใหม่ของโลก ในวงศ์ชาฤๅษี

http://bit.ly/2NewTrisepalum, http://chm.forest.go.th/th/?p=1287
http://www.siamensis.org/webboard/topic/7375
http://www.magnoliathailand.com/webboard/index.php?topic=9995.0

2 new species of  Paraboea (Family Gesneriaceae) from Karst landscape in Northern Thailand;  Paraboea  bhumiboliana & P. sangwaniae, named after H.M. the King and H.R.H the Princess Mother of Thailand, respectively.

 ภูมิพลินทร์ • Paraboea bhumiboliana Triboun & Chuchan

Vernacular. Bhumibolin (ภูมิพลินทร์), name given by His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the collection locality in the Bhumibol Dam area in Lamphun and Tak Provinces in Thailand. The name also honours His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand who has taken a keen interest in the conservation of forests and the relationship between people and the environment. This species is dedicated to him on the occasion of his 84th Birthday.

นครินทรา • Paraboea sangwaniae Triboun 

Vernacular. Nagarinthra (นครินทรา), name given by His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand.

Etymology. The specific epithet honours Princess Sangwan (1900–1995), the late Princess Mother of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), under whose initiative the conservation and reforestation of the collection locality at Doi Tung in Chiang Rai in Thailand was established.


Pramote Triboun and David J. Middleton. 2012. Twenty new species of Paraboea (Gesneriaceae) from Thailand. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore. 64(2): 333–370.
https://www.sbg.org.sg/images/4_4_Research_Gardens_Bulletin/4_4_64_2_pdf_Vol_64_Part2_2012/4.4.64.2.05_y2012_V64P2_GBS_pg.333.pdf

http://www.forest.go.th/orip/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=449%3Aparaboea-bhumiboliana-triboun-a-chuchan&catid=68%3A2012-01-24-03-m-s&Itemid=484&lang=en

ภูมิพลินทร์   Paraboea bhumiboliana Triboun & Chuchan วงศ์ Gesneriaceae
Trisepalum bhumibolianum

[Botany • 2002] สร้อยสยาม Bauhinia siamensis • an extraordinary new species (Leguminosae - Caesalpinioidea) form Thailand

ภาพ ราชันย์ ภู่มา (หอพรรณไม้ BKF)

สร้อยสยาม

Bauhinia siamensis K. & S.S. Larsen

in Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 50(1): 99. 2002.

วงศ์ Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae

วิสัย ไม้เถาเนื้อแข็ง มีมือจับ กิ่งอ่อนมีขนสีน้ำตาลแดง หูใบรูปทรงกลมถึงรูปไข่กลับ ยาว 0.6-1 ซม. ใบรูปไข่ กว้าง 4-7 ซม. ยาว 4-7.5 ซม. ปลายแยกเป็น 2 แฉก แฉกลึก 1/3 ถึง 2/5 ก้านใบ ยาว 1-3 ซม. ช่อดอกแบบช่อกระจะ ห้อยลง ยาวถึง 75 ซม. แกนกลางมีขนสั้นนุ่มสีน้ำตาลแดงเมื่ออ่อน กลีบเลี้ยงรูปปากเปิด กลีบดอกมี 5 กลีบ ขนาดไม่เท่ากัน รูปไข่กลับถึงรูปรี สีชมพูอมขาวถึงสีชมพู กว้าง 0.8-1 ซม. ยาว 1.5-2 ซม. ปลายกลม โคนสอบเรียว เกสรเพศผู้มี 3 อัน เกสรเพศผู้ที่เป็นหมันมี 6 อัน รังไข่มีก้านยาวประมาณ 0.4 ซม. ผลแบบฝัก รูปขอบขนาน กว้าง 3-4 ซม. ยาว 16-18 ซม. มีจะงอยยาวประมาณ 0.5 ซม. ก้านผลยาวประมาณ 0.6 ซม. เมล็ดรูปไข่ แบน สีน้ำตาลเข้มยาว 1.5-2 ซม.

การกระจายพันธุ์ พืชถิ่นเดียวของไทย พบเฉพาะที่ภูเมี่ยง จ. พิษณุโลก ขึ้นในป่าเบญจพรรณที่มีไผ่หนาแน่น ระดับความสูงประมาณ 300 เมตร

ABSTRACT

Bauhinia siamensis sp. novo from Phitsanulok Province. Thailand. is described and illustrated. A description of the pollen morphology is included.

Key words: Flora of Thailand, new species, systematics, pollen, Bauhinia, Leguminosae - Caesalpinioidea

Diagnosis: Bauhinia siamensis K. & S. S. Larsen sp. novo subgeneris Phanerae (Lour.)

Kurz sectionis Phanerae (Lour.) Wunderlin, Larsen & Larsen, a specie bus ceteris omnibus

sectionis differt inflorescentia pendula ad c. 75 cm longa, calyce bilabiate findenti.

Type: Th. Wongprasert 012-01, Thailand, Phitsanulok Province, Charttrakam District, north of Ban Dong Forest Protection Station, all. c. 300 m. near a stream, granitic soil on slope in mixed deciduous forest, rich with bamboo. 2. 2. 2001 (holotype, BKF, isotypes, AAU, E, K, L and MO). Colour slides (AAU & BKF).

Larsen, K. & S.S. Larsen. 2002. Bauhinia siamensis (Leguminosae-Caesalpinoideae), an Extraordinary New Species from Thailand. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society (Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. ). 50: 99-104. [PDF File]

Plant of the month December, 2005:

สร้อยสยาม Bauhinia siamensis via DNP.go.th/botany

[Palaeontology • 2005] Bauhinia larsenii • fossil legume from Guangxi, China

Bauhinia larsenii • a fossil legume from Guangxi, China

Fossil leaves and a branch with a leaf and a pod attached have been discovered from Ningming County, Guangxi Autonomous Region, China, and are described as Bauhinia larsenii sp. nov. (Leguminosae: Cercideae). The strata from which the Bauhinia fossils were collected, namely the Ningming Formation, were dated as Late Eocene–Oligocene based on a combination of pollen, fauna and flora. The affinity of the new species to Bauhinia section Micralvesia subsection Viridescentes species is also discussed.

KEYWORDS: Caesalpinioideae, Cercideae, Leguminosae, Oligocene

Chen, Y. F. & Zhang, D. X. 2005 Bauhinia larsenii, a fossil legume from Guangxi. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society (Bot. J. Linn. Soc.). 147: 437-440. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2005.00373.x / [PDF file]

[Botany • 2007] เปราะทองลาร์เซน | Cornukaempferia larsenii P. Saensouk • Phu Rua & Na Haeo National Parks, Loei Province, NE Thailand

Cornukaempferia larsenii P. Saensouk sp. nov.

Cornukaempferia larsenii sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae): A New Species from Thailand

ABSTRACT
A new species of Cornukaempferia, C. larsenii P. Saensouk is described, illustrated and the key to the three species of the genus is given.

KEY WORDS: Cornukaempferia, Zingiberaceae, new species, Thailand

INTRODUCTION

Cornukaempferia is a genus, with two species endemic to Northeastern Thailand namely, C. aurantiflora and C. longipetiolata.The genus Cornukaempferia was established by Mood and Larsen (1997) based on C. aurantiflora. Later Mood and Larsen (1999) described the second species, C. longipetiolata. During a floristic survey carried out by the first author in Phu Rua and Na Haeo National Parks, Loei Province, a morphologically distinct species of Cornukaempferia was discovered.

Saensouk, P., Theerakulpisut, P., & Chantaranothai, P. 2007. Cornukaempferia larsenii sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae): a new species from Thailand. The Natural History of Chulalongkorn University. 7: 169–173.: http://www2.biology.sc.chula.ac.th/web%20of%20NHJCU%20PDF/7-2,%20115-119.pdf
ResearchGate.net/publication/267959797_Cornukaempferia_larsenii_sp_nov_Zingiberaceae_A_New_Species_from_Thailand

[Ichthyology / Redescription • 2011] Silurus burmanensis Thant 1967 • Lake Inle, Myanmar

Silurus burmanensis Thant 1967: 250 mm SL specimen used in the redescription (top) and second specimen which wasn't preserved (bottom)

Silurus burmanensis Thant 1967 has just been redescribed based on a single specimen collected from Lake Inle, Myanmar. It's been considered a member of both Pterocryptis and Silurichthys over the last 20 years but this return to the original placement means it's now the most southwesterly-distributed member of the genus known in Asia. [via Seriously Fish]

Britz, R. & T. Win. 2010. Redescription of Silurus burmanensis Thant 1967: a Silurus not a Pterocryptis (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Siluridae). Zootaxa 2647: 61–68. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/list/2010/2647.html

[Ichthyology • 2011] ปลาค้อทองผาภูมิ | Schistura aurantiaca • A New Species (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from the Mae Khlong basin, western Thailand

Schistura aurantiaca  Plongsesthee, Page & Beamish 2011

Schistura aurantiaca, new species, is described from the Mae Khlong basin in western Thailand. It is distinguished from all other species of Schistura by a unique color pattern of 3-9 orange bars on the side of the body, with the 1st bar immediately behind the head and the 2nd bar near the dorsal-fin origin and widely separated so that most of the nape and the anterior side of the body are uniformly brown. The species reaches only 41 mm SL and inhabits shallow gravel and rubble riffles in small streams.

Etymology. The name, aurantiaca, Latin adjective for orange-colored, is in reference to the orange bars on this species.

Schistura aurantiaca

photo:  Nonn Panitvong | siamensis.org

Plongsesthee, R., Page, L.M. & Beamish, W. 2011. Schistura aurantiaca, A New Species from the Mae Khlong basin, Thailand (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 22 (2): 169-178. : http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/ief22_2_04.pdf

http://www1a.biotec.or.th/brt/index.php/newspecies/428-2012-06-05-05-38-43

[Ichthyology • 2011] Pteronemacheilus lucidorsum • New Genus from Irrawaddy basin of Myanmar

Pteronemacheilus nov. gen.

Pteronemacheilus lucidorsum nov. sp.

Abstract

Schistura callidora, new species, is described from the Myitnge River drainage, Irrawaddy basin (Myanmar). It is distinguished by dark bars on the body much thinner in the anterior half of the body than in the posterior half; a high dorsal crest on the caudal peduncle; 81/2-101/2 branched dorsal-fin rays; and the lateral line reaching behind the base of the anal fin. Pteronemacheilus, new genus, is characterised by the presence of elongated skinfolds onthe dorsal side of the second and third branched pectoral-fin rays in males. Pteronemacheilus lucidorsum, new species, is described from the Myitnge River drainage, Irrawaddy basin (Myanmar). It differs from its only congener, P. meridionalis, by having the dorsal midline without pigmentation and usually 8 + 8 branched caudal-fin rays.

Bohlen, J. & Šlechtová, V. 2011. A new genus and two new species of loaches (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Myanmar. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 22 (1): 1-10. : http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/ief22_1_01.pdf

[Ichthyology • 2011] Schistura callidora • from Irrawaddy basin of Myanmar

Schistura callidora nov. sp.

Abstract

Schistura callidora, new species, is described from the Myitnge River drainage, Irrawaddy basin (Myanmar). It is distinguished by dark bars on the body much thinner in the anterior half of the body than in the posterior half; a high dorsal crest on the caudal peduncle; 81/2-101/2 branched dorsal-fin rays; and the lateral line reaching behind the base of the anal fin. Pteronemacheilus, new genus, is characterised by the presence of elongated skinfolds onthe dorsal side of the second and third branched pectoral-fin rays in males. Pteronemacheilus lucidorsum, new species, is described from the Myitnge River drainage, Irrawaddy basin (Myanmar). It differs from its only congener, P. meridionalis, by having the dorsal midline without pigmentation and usually 8 + 8 branched caudal-fin rays.

Bohlen, J. & Šlechtová, V. 2011. A new genus and two new species of loaches (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Myanmar. Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 22 (1): 1-10. : http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/ief22_1_01.pdf

[Ichthyology • 2011] Kryptoglanis shajii • an enigmatic Subterranean-spring catfish (Siluriformes) from Kerala, India

This is the report of a new species of catfish, Kryptoglanis shajii nov. gen. and nov. sp., distinguished from all other genera of siluriform fishes by the combination of the following morphological characters: viz. the absence of dorsal fin; the presence of four pairs of barbels; an upwardly directed mouth, with a distinctly projecting lower jaw; subcutaneous eyes; anal fin completely confluent with the caudal fin; anal and caudal fins together carry 70–74 fin rays; and no spines in any of the fins. Kryptoglanis, which has a maximum recorded size of 59.1 mm in standard length, was collected from a well fed by subterranean springs. The type locality is a well located at the extreme western part of Western Ghats, near Chalakudy in Thrissur district, Kerala State, India.

Vincent, M. & Thomas, J. 2011. Kryptoglanis shajii, an enigmatic subterranean-spring catfish (Siluriformes, Incertae sedis) from Kerala, India. Ichthyological Research, 58 (2): 161-165.: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10228-011-0206-6

[Herpetology • 2003] Nasikabatrachus – Nasika - nose; brachus - frog • New frog family from Western Ghats of India, reveals an ancient biogeographical link with the Seychelles

Nasikabatrachus

– Nasika - nose; Brachus - frog

• New frog family from Western Ghats of India

New frog family from India reveals an ancient biogeographical link with the Seychelles

About 96% of the more than 4,800 living anuran species belong to the Neobatrachia or advanced frogs. Because of the extremely poor representation of these animals in the Mesozoic fossil record, hypotheses on their early evolution have to rely largely on extant taxa. Here we report the discovery of a burrowing frog from India that is noticeably distinct from known taxa in all anuran families. Phylogenetic analyses of 2.8 kilobases of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA unambiguously designate this frog as the sister taxon of Sooglossidae, a family exclusively occurring on two granitic islands of the Seychelles archipelago. Furthermore, molecular clock analyses uncover the branch leading to both taxa as an ancient split in the crown-group Neobatrachia. Our discovery discloses a lineage that may have been more diverse on Indo-Madagascar in the Cretaceous period, but now only comprises four species on the Seychelles and a sole survivor in India. Because of its very distinct morphology and an inferred origin that is earlier than several neobatrachian families, we recognize this frog as a new family.

Amphibia Linneaus, 1758

Lissamphibia Haeckel, 1866

Anura Rafinesque, 1815

Neobatrachia Reig, 1958

Nasikabatrachidae fam. nov.

Nasikabatrachus gen. nov.

Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology: Nasika (Sanskrit) meaning nose, batrachus meaning frog, and Sahyadri, being synonymous for the Western Ghats (the hills along the west coast of the Indian subcontinent).

Biju, S.D. & F. Bossuyt, 2003 - New frog family from India reveals an ancient biogeographical link with the Seychelles. Nature. 425: 711 - 714.: http://www.amphibia.be/pubs/Nature_2003.pdf

http://www.amphibia.be/Amphibia/Home.html

[Herpetology • 2008] Ghatixalus • new endemic Genus from the Western Ghats of India

Abstract: Since its original description, the Indian treefrog species Polypedates variabilis Jerdon, 1853 has been assigned variously to one of the widespread genera Polypedates Tschudi, 1832, Rhacophorus Kuhl & van Hasselt, 1822, and Philautus (Kirtixalus) Dubois, 1987. Here we present phylogenetic analyses based on 1.4 kb of mitochondrial DNA showing that P. variabilis and a previously undescribed relative are not nested within any of those genera, but stem from a lineage that originated relatively early in the rhacophorid radiation. We propose the name Ghatixalus gen. n. for this lineage, whose known members are restricted to high altitudes in the Western Ghats of India. The sister species of G. variabilis (Jerdon), comb. n. is described as Ghatixalus asterops sp. n. The morphological and ecological features of both species are discussed.

Keywords: Biodiversity; India; Molecular phylogenetics; New genus; New species; Old world treefrogs

Fig. 2. Ghatixalus gen. n. (A–C) G. variabilis: (A) brown colour variation, (B) green colour variation, (C) close-up of eye showing unicoloured golden iris. (D and E) G. asterops sp. n.: (D) brown colouration of adult frogs, (E) close-up of eye showing golden starlike pattern in iris.

Fig. 3. Ghatixalus gen. n. (A–D) G. variabilis: (A) dorsal view, (B) lateral view of head, (C) ventral view of left hand. (D) ventral view of left foot. (E–H) G. asterops sp. n.: (E) dorsal view, (F) lateral view of head, (G) ventral view of left hand, (H) ventral view of left foot. Scale bars ¼ 10 mm

Ghatixalus asterops Biju, Roelants & Bossuyt, 2008

Fig. 1. Phylogenetic relationships among rhacophorid genera, as supported by the maximum-likelihood tree. Type species names labelled ‘‘(T)’’. Branches in bold highlight phylogenetic position of Ghatixalus gen. n., proposed here for Polypedates variabilis Jerdon and a newly discovered species. Numbers above and below branches represent non-parametric bootstrap values under MP, and Bayesian posterior probabilities, respectively.

Fig. 4. Distribution map for Ghatixalus gen. n., showing disjunct distribution of its two known species, G. variabilis (circles) and G. asterops sp. n. (triangles).

Biju, Roelants & Bossuyt, 2008. Phylogenetic position of the montane treefrog Polypedates variabilis Jerdon, 1853 (Anura: Rhacophoridae), and description of a related species. Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 8:4, 267-276: http://www.amphibia.be/pubs/ODE_2008.pdf

[Herpetology • 2009] Ghatophryne • new endemic Genus of Toad (formerly India's "Ansonia") from the Western Ghats of India

Ghatophryne ornata specimen SDB 6361, adult male, SVL 29.2 mm, collected from Kurichiyarmala, 11°35'N, 75°58'E, Wayanad, Kerala.

Biju et al. BMC Research Notes 2009 2:241 doi:10.1186/1756-0500-2-241

Ansonia ornata Günther, 1876 "1875"

is transferred to Ghatophryne gen. nov.

Abstract

Background: Bufonidae are a large family of toads with a subcosmopolitan distribution. Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed a radiation of toads (Adenominae) with distinct adultand larval ecomorphs on the Southern parts of the Indian subcontinent. The Indian torrential species "Ansonia" ornata has a basal position in this clade and does not group with South-East Asian Ansonia. Additionally, the nested position of "Bufo" koynayensis and an undescribed sister species,and their distinct ecologies including a non-typical egg-laying strategy within bufonids, support the recognition of a second distinct genus. In this paper we describe two new genera and one new species from the Adenominae clade.

Findings: Ansonia ornata Günther, 1876 "1875" is transferred to Ghatophryne gen. nov., a genus of torrentially adapted toads that are endemic to the Western Ghats of India. On the basis of close morphological resemblance and distribution,Ansonia rubigina Pillai and Pattabiraman, 1981 is provisionally transferred to this new genus. The Western Ghats endemic toad Bufo koynayensis Soman, 1963 is transferred to a new genus Xanthophryne gen. nov. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, we additionally describe a new species, Xanthophryne tigerinus sp. nov., from Amboli in the Western Ghats.

Conclusion: The descriptions and subsequent taxonomic changes we propose result in three genera of bufonids recognised as being endemic to the Western Ghats (Ghatophryne gen. nov.,Xanthophryne gen. nov. and Pedostibes), and one to Sri Lanka (Adenomus). The spatial distribution, and arrangement of these lineages at the base of Adenominae diversification, reflectstheir Early Neogene isolation in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka hotspot.

Biju, Van Bocxlaer, Giri, Loader & Bossuyt, 2009 : Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India. BMC Research Notes, vol. 2, n. 241, p. 1-10 doi:10.1186/1756-0500-2-241

http://www.varadgiri.com/publications/scientific-publications/58-two-new-genera-of-toad-india

[Herpetology • 2009] Xanthophryne • new endemic Genus with a new species of toad from the Western Ghats of India

Holotype: Xanthophryne tigerinus Biju, Van Bocxlaer, Giri, Loader & Bossuyt, 2009

Bufo koynayensis Soman, 1963

is transferred to a new genus Xanthophryne gen. nov.

and a new species, Xanthophryne tigerinus sp. nov.,

from Amboli in the Western Ghats

Two new genera of toad - India

| Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India.

S.D. Biju, Ines Van Bocxlaer, Varad B. Giri, Simon P. Loader and Franky Bossuyt

Abstract

Background: Bufonidae are a large family of toads with a subcosmopolitan distribution. Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed a radiation of toads (Adenominae) with distinct adultand larval ecomorphs on the Southern parts of the Indian subcontinent. The Indian torrential species "Ansonia" ornata has a basal position in this clade and does not group with South-East Asian Ansonia. Additionally, the nested position of "Bufo" koynayensis and an undescribed sister species,and their distinct ecologies including a non-typical egg-laying strategy within bufonids, support the recognition of a second distinct genus. In this paper we describe two new genera and one new species from the Adenominae clade.

Findings: Ansonia ornata Günther, 1876 "1875" is transferred to Ghatophryne gen. nov., a genus of torrentially adapted toads that are endemic to the Western Ghats of India. On the basis of close morphological resemblance and distribution, Ansonia rubigina Pillai and Pattabiraman, 1981 is provisionally transferred to this new genus. The Western Ghats endemic toad Bufo koynayensis Soman, 1963 is transferred to a new genus Xanthophryne gen. nov. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, we additionally describe a new species, Xanthophryne tigerinus sp. nov., from Amboli in the Western Ghats.

Xanthophryne tigerinus eggs are laid in clutches in temporary puddles.

Conclusion: The descriptions and subsequent taxonomic changes we propose result in three genera of bufonids recognised as being endemic to the Western Ghats (Ghatophryne gen. nov.,Xanthophryne gen. nov. and Pedostibes), and one to Sri Lanka (Adenomus). The spatial distribution, and arrangement of these lineages at the base of Adenominae diversification, reflectstheir Early Neogene isolation in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka hotspot.

Xanthophryne tigerinus sp. nov (holotype, BNHS 5175). A, holotype in life; B, dorsal view of head showing prominent granular projections with horny spinules; C, lateral view of head; D, ventral view of hand; E, ventral view of foot; F. Xanthophryne koynayensis, dorsal view of the head, showing scattered granular projections with horny spinules.

Biju et al. BMC Research Notes 2009 2:241 doi:10.1186/1756-0500-2-241

Xanthophryne koynayensis, a male adult (SDB 6040) from the type locality.

Biju, Van Bocxlaer, Giri, Loader & Bossuyt, 2009 : Two new endemic genera and a new species of toad (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats of India. BMC Research Notes, vol. 2, n. 241, p. 1-10 doi:10.1186/1756-0500-2-241

http://www.varadgiri.com/publications/scientific-publications/58-two-new-genera-of-toad-india

[Herpetology • 2007] Nyctibatrachus minimus • A New Nightfrog (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae), the Smallest Frog of India from the Western Ghats

Nyctibatrachus minimus 

Biju, Van Bocxlaer, Giri, Roelants, Nagaraju & Bossuyt, 2007 

Abstract

 A new nightfrog, Nyctibatrachus minimus sp. nov.(Anura: Nyctibatrachidae) is described from Kurichiyarmala in the Western Ghats, India. Its most distinctive feature is the small adult snout-vent length,averaging only 12.3 mm in adult males (N = 15), makingit the smallest known frog from India. Analyses of afragment of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase1 gene indicate a minimum divergence of 22% withknown small-sized congeners. Miniaturization in Nyctibatrachus sp. seems to be associated with absence of webbing on toes and fingers, which may have resultedfrom evolutionary specialization to life in terrestrial habitats.

Keywords: NADH dehydrogenase 1, Nyctibatrachus minimus sp. nov., smallest Indian frog, Western Ghats.

Biju, S. D., Ines Van Bocxlaer, Varad B. Giri, Kim Roelants, J. Nagaraju and Franky Bossuyt (2007) A new nightfrog, Nyctibatrachus minimus sp. nov. (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae): The smallest frog from India. Current Science. Vol. 93, No. 6: 854-858 PDF | http://varadgiri.com/Nyctibatrachus minimus.pdf

[Herpetology • 2008] Hemidactylus aaronbaueri | Aaron Bauer's Rock Gecko • A New Rock-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Maharashtra, India

Aaron Bauer's Rock Gecko • Hemidactylus aaronbaueri Giri, 2008

Rock-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Maharashtra, India

Abstract

 A distinctive new species of rock dwelling gecko of the genus Hemidactylus is described from the forests of the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India. It is most similar in morphology to Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, 1871, but can be distinguished by its large size, dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 18–20 rows of irregularly arranged enlarged tubercles; 11–13 lamellae under fourth toe and 15–19 pairs of femoral pores in males.

Key Words:– Hemidactylus aaronbaueri, new species, Gekkonidae, Maharashtra, Western Ghats, India

Hemidactylus aaronbaueri Giri, 2008

http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Hemidactylus&species=aaronbaueri

© 2009 Zeeshan Mirza

© 2009 Zeeshan Mirza: Aaron Bauer's Rock Gecko • Hemidactylus aaronbaueri | http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=296343&one=T

Giri, V.B. 2008. A New Rock-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Maharashtra, India. Hamadryad. 32: 25–33: http://varadgiri.com/original_4_Hemidactylus_aaronbaueri.pdf

Wildlife Extra News - Another new species of lizard discovered in India http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/lizard-india924.html

[Herpetology • 2011] Hemidactylus graniticolus • Rock-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Karnataka, south India

Hemidactylus graniticolus

• Rock-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Karnataka, south India

Hemidactylus graniticolus Angarwal, Giri, & Bauer, 2011

| A new cryptic rock-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from south India.

Abstract

A new species of gecko, Hemidactylus graniticolus sp. nov. is described from Karnataka state, south India. This large sized (SVL to at least 110.6 mm), rupicolous gecko differs from congeners in having 16–18 longitudinal rows of fairly regularly arranged, subtrihedral, weakly keeled, striated tubercles at midbody; 9–11 and 12–13 subdigital lamellae on the first and fourth digits, respectively, of both manus and pes; tail with transverse series of four enlarged tubercles on each tail segment; 23–28 femoral pores on each side separated by 1–3 poreless scales; 12–14 supralabials and 9–11 infralabials. Molecular data support the distinctiveness of the new species and its affinities with large-bodied, tuberculate Hemidactylus spp. from India and Sri Lanka.

Key words: Hemidactylus graniticolus sp. nov., H. maculatus, H. hunae, H. prashadi group, cryptic species, India

Angarwal, I., Giri, V.B., & Bauer, A.M. 2011. "A new cryptic rock-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from south India." Zootaxa 2765: 21-37. : http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/z02765p037f.pdf

Photo: Hemidactylus graniticolus -- http://varadgiri.com/

[Herpetology • 2008] Hemidactylus sataraensis • A New Ground-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Maharashtra, with A Key to the Hemidactylus of India

The Holotype: Hemidactylus sataraensis sp. nov.

— showing the bold and highly contrasting life colours of this species.

Hemidactylus sataraensis Giri, & Bauer, 2008

Abstract

A distinctive new species of ground-dwelling gecko of the genus Hemidactylus is described from the plateaus of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India. It is a member of a group of chiefly terrestrial Indian Hemidactylus species that have undivided, or only partly divided subdigital lamellae. The new species is most similar in appearance to the lowland inhabiting Hemidactylus albofasciatus Grandison & Soman, 1963, but can be distinguished by its larger size and a suite of distinctive scalation and coloration characters. A key to the species of Hemidactylus currently known from the Republic of India is provided.

FIGURE 8. Life photograph of holotype of H. sataraensis sp. nov. showing the bold and highly contrasting life colours of this species.

FIGURE 9. Life photograph of paratype of H. sataraensis sp. nov. illustrating an equally complex but less contrasting general coloration pattern than the holotype

Giri, V.B., & Bauer, A.M. 2008. A New Ground-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Maharashtra, with A Key to the Hemidactylus of India. Zootaxa. 1700: 21–34.

 http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008/f/z01700p034f.pdf

http://lacertilia.com/--Bauer-401-Hemidactylus-sataraensis2.pdf Full text

Photo: Hemidactylus sataraensis -- http://varadgiri.com/

[Herpetology • 2009] Hemidactylus gujaratensis • Rock-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Gujarat, India

Hemidactylus gujaratensis

• Rock-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Gujarat, India

Abstract: A new species of Hemidactylus gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae) is described from Girnar in the Junagadh district of Gujarat, India. This medium-sized, chiefly rupicolous gecko may be distinguished from its south Asian congeners by having 12–16 rows of irregularly arranged, flattened to weakly conical dorsal tubercles, 7–9 subdigital lamellae on digit I of the pes and 10–11 on digit IV, and 12–14 femoral pores on each thigh separated by a median diastema. This is the second Hemidactylus currently regarded as endemic to Gujarat and the 10th member of the genus recorded for the state.

Giri., V.B., Aaron M. Bauer, A.M., Vyas, R. and Patil, S. 2009. New Species of Rock-Dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Gujarat, India. Journal of Herpetology. 43(3): 385-393. doi: 10.1670/08-137R1.1 | http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.1670/08-137R1.1

Photo: Hemidactylus gujaratensis -- http://varadgiri.com/

[Mammalogy • 1999] Muntiacus putaoensis เก้งแคระ | Leaf Deer, Leaf Muntjac • A New Species of Muntjac from northern Myanmar

เก้งแคระ

 Muntiacus putaoensis • Leaf Deer, Leaf Muntjac

• new Species from northern Myanmar

Abstract

 In May 1998, an expedition into northern Myanmar obtained detailed descriptive data on a new species of muntjac called the leaf deer, first discovered on a survey the previous year and characterized primarily by its diagnostic DNA compared to other muntjac species. Weights, measurements, and physical data were obtained from 12 freshly killed leaf deer, along with partial measurements from 90 head pieces of leaf deer found in village huts. Except for the diminutive, unbranched antlers on males, averaging 3.2 cm long, older male and female leaf deer were similar in size and appearance, with average weights of 12.1 kg and 11.8 kgfor males and females, respectively. When compared with other species, leaf deer are one of the smallest,and perhaps one of the most primitive, extant muntjacs. Two of the most distinguishing characteristics of this new species are the relatively long, equal-sized canines in both older adult males (average 2.4 cm long) and older adult females (average 2.2 cm long), and the lack of spotting on the coats of a newborn and two juveniles estimated to be < 2 months old. All older males (n = 3) and 40% of older females (n = 5) had healed wounds on one or both ears. These wounds, in addition to the large canines in both sexes, may indicate that females as well as males compete actively for resources. Although still relatively abundant throughout mid-elevation dense evergreen forests, between the northern extremities of the Mai Kha and Mali Kha Rivers in north Myanmar, the currently known distribution of the leaf deer is outside any protected areas. Persistent hunting by local people with snares, dogs, and crossbows for a thriving market trade in deer leather, have caused noticeable decreases in numbers of leaf deer captured over recent yearsand could threaten the future survival of this new species.

Key words: muntjac, leaf deer, Muntiacus putaoensis, Myanmar

Rabinowitz, AR; T. Myint; ST Khaing & S Rabinowitz (1999) Description of the Leaf Deer (Muntiacus putaoensis), a new species of muntjac from northern Myanmar. J. Zool. 249:427-435: DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1999.tb01212.x
researchgate.net/publication/227670563_A_new_species_of_muntjac_Muntiacus_putaoensis_%28Artiodactyla_Cervidae%29_from_northern_Myanmar

Datta, A;J Pansa; MD Madhusudan & C Mishra (2003) Discovery of the Leaf Deer (Muntiacus putaoensis) in Arunachal Pradesh: an addition to the large mammals of India. Current Science. 84:454-458:

http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/feb102003/454.pdf

Photos: hundreds of new species discovered in Himalayan region, threatened by climate changehttp://t.co/mOGP0fS via @mongabay

WWF - Flying frog among hundreds of new species discovered in Eastern Himalayas: http://bit.ly/jjXSAf via @WWF

[Herpetology • 2007] Rhacophorus suffry • red-webbed Rhacophorus from Assam

Flying frog (Rhacophorus suffry). The bright green, red-footed tree frog Rhacophorus suffry, a so-called 'Flying frog' because long webbed feet allow the species to glide when falling, was described in 2007. Photo by: © Totul Bortamuli / WWF Nepal

Rhacophorus suffry Bordoloi, Bortamuli and Ohler, 2007

Distribution: India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland)


Abstract
The taxonomic status of Rhacophorus maculatus Anderson, 1871 and its replacement names (alloneonyms) Rhacophorus bimaculatus Boulenger, 1882 and Rhacophorus bipunctatus Ahl, 1927 is assessed and a lectotype (lectophoront) for this nomen is designated. Morphological evidence supports the nomen Rhacophorus htunwini Wilkinson et al., 2005 being a junior subjective synonym of Rhacophorus maculatus Anderson, 1871. Rhacophorus rhodopus Liu & Hu, 1960 is considered a valid nomen with a new junior subjective synonym, Rhacophorus namdaphaensis Sarkar & Sanyal, 1985. A new species of red-webbed Rhacophorus is described which can be distinguished by the other species by the presence of web between fingers, green dorsal coloration and red web on feet, the absence of blackish spots on web and on flanks, the absence of complete web between fingers and the absence of distinct dermal appendages on forelimbs, tarsi and feet. A key to the red-webbed species of Rhacophorus is given.

Key words: taxonomy, Amphibian, treefrogs, key, South-East Asia

Bordoloi, S., Bortamuli, T. and Ohler, A. 2007. Systematics of the genus Rhacophorus (Amphibia, Anura): identity of red-webbed forms and description of a new species from Assam. Zootaxa. 1653: 1-20.: http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/z01653p020f.pdf

Photos: hundreds of new species discovered in Himalayan region, threatened by climate changehttp://t.co/mOGP0fS via @mongabay