Sunday, October 31, 2021

[Botany • 2020] Impatiens quintadecimacopii (Balsaminaceae) • A New Species and A Newly Recorded Species of Impatiens from Yunnan, China



Impatiens quintadecimacopii G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang, 

in Zhang, Peng, Tian, Hu & Wang, 2020. 

Abstract  
Impatiens quintadecimacopii G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang sp. nov. is described and I. porrecta is reported as a new record from southwestern Yunnan province of China. These two species are close in morphology but can be distinguished by color of flowers, shape of lateral sepals and upper petals, and color of capsules. Morphological characters of these two species indicate they belong to sect. Uniflora in I. subg. Impatiens. Phylogenetic analysis of a combined dataset from nuclear ITS and plastid atpB-rbcL sequences confirmed their close relationship and their phylogenetic placement in sect. Uniflora.

Key words: Impatiens, New species, New record, Phylogeny, Taxonomy, China   





Impatiens quintadecimacopii G. W. Hu & Q. F. Wang sp. nov.

Etymology: The specific epithet "quintadecimacopii" is derived from the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15). This species is named for this upcoming conference which will be hold in Kunming, Yunnan, China in 2021. 



    



Zhang Cai-Fei, Peng Shuai, Tian Jing, Hu Guang-Wan and Wang Qing-Feng. 2020. A New Species and A Newly Recorded Species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from Yunnan, China.  Plant Science Journal.  38 (4); 437-447. DOI: 10.11913/PSJ.2095-0837.2020.40437
    


[Botany • 2021] Cymbilabia sourioudongii (Orchidaceae) • A New Species from Lao PDR



Cymbilabia sourioudongii Souvann. & Lanors.,

in Souvannakhoummane, Lanorsavanh, et al., 2021. 
ເອື້ອງຊໍ່ມ່ວງ  ||  Rheedea.in  
photos a–c by S. Lanorsavanh; d–e by P. Rakthai

Abstract
Cymbilabia sourioudongii, a new species of epiphytic orchid is described and illustrated from Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area of Laos PDR. 

Keywords: Illegal orchid trade, New species, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area, Vandopsis.


Cymbilabia sourioudongii Souvann. & Lanors.
a. Plant in habitat; b. Flowering plant; c. Flower in habitat; d. Flower of plant growing in nursery; e. Flower–lateral view;
f. Flowers of Cymbilabia undulata (Lindl.) D.K.Liu & M. H.L.
Scale bars 2 cm. 
(a–c from S. Lanorsavanh & Souvannakhoummane SL1982; d–f from cultivated plants; 
photos a–c by S. Lanorsavanh; d–e by P. Rakthai; f by W. Buddhawong).

Cymbilabia sourioudongii Souvann. & Lanors., sp. nov. 
 Similar to C. undulata but differs in having a more compact habit, narrowly elliptic-oblong to lanceolate leaves that are 2–3.7 cm long and 0.8–1.7 cm wide (vs. oblong, 9–15 cm long and 1.5–3 cm wide), smaller sepals and petals that are 7–18 mm long and 3–8 mm wide (vs. 24–40 mm long and 8–14 mm wide), a shorter labellum that is 5–9 mm long, which has semi-orbiculate side lobes (vs. 15–20 mm long with sub-ovate to triangular side lobes), a verrucose epichile (vs. muricate with papillae).

Habitat: Growing on small trees and boulders in full sun in mixed semi-deciduous broad-leaved and coniferous forest at around 1100 m elevation. 

Distribution: Cymbilabia sourioudongii is so far known only from the type locality in Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area in Bolikhamxai province, central Laos.

 Etymology: The name for this species honors His Excellency Dr. Sourioudong Sundara, Vice Minister of Education and Sport, Lao PDR, who is an experienced scientific researcher of Lao PDR.

Vernacular name: Ueang Sor Mouang ເອື້ອງຊໍ່ມ່ວງ (Purple flower orchid).  


Souvannakhoummane K., Lanorsavanh S., Rakthai P., Kumar P. and S.W. Gale. 2021. Cymbilabia sourioudongii (Orchidaceae), A New Species from Lao PDR. RHEEDEA: Journal of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy. 31(3); 186–190. Rheedea.in/journal/eT2qVxA1

    

ທີມງານນັກຄົ້ນຄວ້າ ວິທະຍາສາດ ຈາກມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລແຫ່ງຊາດ ທີ່ໄດ້ຄົ້ນພົບ ດອກເຜີ້ງຊະນິດໃໝ່ຂອງໂລກ ຄົ້ນພົບຢູ່ເຂດປ່າສະຫງວນແຫ່ງຊາດ ພູເຂົາຄວາຍ ຢູ່ ສປປ ລາວ ໄດ້ໃຫ້ກຽດ ນໍາເອົາ ຊື່ຂອງທ່ານ ປອ. ສຸລິອຸດົງ ສຸນດາລາ (Dr. Sourioudong Sundara), ອາດີດ ອາຈານສອນ ແລະ ນັກຄົ້ນຄວ້າ  ທາງດ້ານ ວິທະຍາສາດ Biotechnology ຢູ່ມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລແຫ່ງຊາດ ຜູ້ນໍາພາທີມນັກສຶກສາ ຄົ້ນຄວ້າກ່ຽວກັບດອກເຜິ້ງປ່າ, ປະຈຸບັນ ເປັນ ຮອງລັດຖະມົນຕີກະຊວງສຶກສາທິການ ແລະ ກິລາ, ມາຕັ້ງເປັນຊື່ວິທະຍາສາດດອກເຜິ້ງຊະນິດໃໝ່ຂອງໂລກ ໃນຊື່ Cymbilabia sourioudongii Souvann. & Lanors.


[Botany • 2021] Cirsium taiwanense (Asteraceae) • A New Species of Cirsium (sect. Onotrophe, subsect. Australicirsium) from Taiwan


Cirsium taiwanense Y.H.Tseng & Chih Y.Chang, 

in Chang, Tzeng & Tseng, 2021.

Abstract
A new species of CirsiumCirsium taiwanense Y.H.Tseng & Chih Y.Chang from central-northern Taiwan is reported in this article. This species is similar to C. hosokawae Kitam. in having a densely cobwebby abaxial leaf surface, but differs in its yellow (vs. vivid purplish red) corolla and the angle between the midrib and the lateral veins of the leaf, which is acute as opposed to nearly at a right angle in C. hosokawae. Cirsium taiwanense has 2n = 32 chromosomes, which is different from the other species in the Taiwanese subsect. Australicirsium Kitam. (2n = 34). An identification key to the Cirsium taxa of Taiwan is presented.

Keywords: Australicirsium Kitam., central-northern Taiwan, Cirsium, karyotype analysis, pollen morphology, 

Cirsium taiwanense Y.H.Tseng & Chih Y.Chang
 A habitat B habit C basal rosette D variations of rosette leaves E variations of cauline leaves F inflorescences G, H capitulum I floret I’ floret (pappus removed) J achenes.

Line drawings of Cirsium taiwanense Y.H.Tseng & Chih Y.Chang
  A habit B rosette leaf C cauline leaf D capitulum E floret E’ floret (pappus removed) F phyllaries G style branches H achene.


Cirsium taiwanense Y.H.Tseng & Chih Y.Chang, sp. nov.
 
Diagnosis: Differs from C. hosokawae in having a yellow corolla (vs. vivid purplish red corolla), a narrower angle between the midrib and lateral veins of the cauline leaves ((44–)52–73° vs. 82–90°), and usually more florets (101–135(–194) vs. 54–111) and phyllaries (90–127 vs. 68–109) per capitulum. Differs from C. arisanense by its nodding mature capitula (vs. erect), erect corolla lobes (vs. revolute), and a densely cobwebby abaxial leaf surface (vs. without cobwebby indumentum).

Distribution and habitat: Endemic species of Taiwan. Cirsium taiwanense grows in open areas between Querus forest and Abies forest at 1400–3400 m a.s.l. in central-northern Taiwan. Cirsium taiwanense usually grows at sunny sites. Common companion species are Artemisia morrisonensis Hayata (Compositae), Lilium formosanum Wallace (Liliaceae), Salix fulvopubescens Hayata (Salicaceae) and Rubus pectinellus Maxim. (Rosaceae).

Chinese name: Tai-wan-ji (臺灣薊).



 Chih-Yi Chang, Hsy-Yu Tzeng and Yen-Hsueh Tseng. 2021. Cirsium taiwanense (Compositae, Cirsium sect. Onotrophe, subsect. Australicirsium), A New Species from Taiwan. PhytoKeys. 183: 35-53. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.183.70119


Friday, October 29, 2021

[PaleoAnthropology • 2021] Homo bodoensis • Resolving the “Muddle in the Middle”


Homo bodoensis 
Roksandic, Radović, Wu & Bae, 2021


Abstract
Recent developments in the field of palaeoanthropology necessitate the suppression of two hominin taxa and the introduction of a new species of hominins to help resolve the current nebulous state of Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian) hominin taxonomy. In particular, the poorly defined and variably understood hominin taxa Homo heidelbergensis (both sensu stricto and sensu lato) and Homo rhodesiensis need to be abandoned as they fail to reflect the full range of hominin variability in the Middle Pleistocene. Instead, we propose: (1) introduction of a new taxon, Homo bodoensis sp. nov., as an early Middle Pleistocene ancestor of the Homo sapiens lineage, with a pan-African distribution that extends into the eastern Mediterranean (Southeast Europe and the Levant); (2) that many of the fossils from Western Europe (e.g. Sima de los Huesos) currently assigned to H. heidelbergensis s.s. be reassigned to Homo neanderthalensis to reflect the early appearance of Neanderthal derived traits in the Middle Pleistocene in the region; and (3) that the Middle Pleistocene Asian fossils, particularly from China, likely represent a different lineage altogether.

Keywords: hominin taxonomy, Homo bodoensisHomo heidelbergensisHomo rhodesiensis, Middle Pleistocene

Homo bodoensis sp. nov. holotype partial cranium Bodo 1 (Middle Awash, Ethiopia). Frontal (a), left lateral (b), superior (c) inferior (d) views. Scale bar: 5 cm.

Order Primates Linnaeus 1758.
Suborder Anthropoidea Mivart 1864.

Superfamily Hominoidea Gray 1825.
Family Hominidae Gray 1825.

Tribe Hominini Gray 1825.

Genus Homo Linnaeus 1758.

Homo bodoensis sp. nov.

Etymology: The name bodoensis refers to the site of Bodo D'ar where the fossil specimen Bodo 1 was discovered.

Holotype: Bodo 1, a partial cranium of an adult (presumably male) individual, preserving the face and the anterior braincase, found in autumn 1976 by Alemayehu Asfaw, Paul Whitehead and other members of the Rift Valley Research Mission in Ethiopia headed by Jon Kalb.123, 124 The specimen is currently curated in the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  

Type locality: Bodo D'ar, the Middle Awash research area, Afar Depression, the northwestern part of the former Hararghe Province, Ethiopia.

Geological age and stratigraphic position: Upper Bodo Sand Unit.123 Dated to ca. 600 ka by laser-fusion 40Ar/39Ar technique (0.64 ± 0.03 Ma), biostratigraphy and tephrochronology.127

Archaeological context: The specimen is associated with an Acheulean stone tool assemblage.

Species diagnosis: The species is diagnosed by a unique combination of cranial traits. The Bodo specimen has already been described as showing a mix of H. erectus-like and H. sapiens-like features. The species is similar to H. erectus in having: a robustly built midface; total facial prognathism128; projecting tori and a flattened low frontal squama; sagittal keeling; a low vault profile; a prominent parietal angular torus; thick vault bones; no foramen lacerum is observable—it is presented as a narrow crevice.20, 128 These traits can be linked to the retention of the general cranial structure from H. erectus. Traits similar to other Middle Pleistocene and later hominin taxa include: increased cranial capacity and associated traits (broader frontal and mid-vault, reduced postorbital constriction, signs of parietal bossing, high and arched temporal squama), a vertical (rather than forward sloping) nasal margin, and the position of the incisive canal in front of the hard palate. Excessively thick and projecting, but segmented brow ridges, with the incipient division of the brow at mid-orbit and attenuated laterally may be considered a distinctive trait of the species.

A simplified model for the evolution of the genus Homo over the last 2 million years, with Homo bodoensis sp. nov. positioned as the ancestral (mostly African) form of Homo sapiens



Mirjana Roksandic, Predrag Radović, Xiu-Jie Wu and Christopher J. Bae. 2021. Resolving the “Muddle in the Middle”: The Case for Homo bodoensis sp. nov. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews. DOI: 10.1002/evan.21929

[Ichthyology • 2021] Cetopsorhamdia hidalgoi • A New Species of Cetopsorhamdia (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) from the Upper Amazon River Basin

 

Cetopsorhamdia hidalgoi
Faustino-Fuster & de Souza, 2021

 
Abstract
A new species of Cetopsorhamdia is described from material collected on rapid inventories and ichthyological expeditions in the Amazon region of Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. The new species can be differentiated from all other species of Cetopsorhamdia by the colouration pattern on fins, number of vertebrae, number of ribs, level insertion of dorsal fin, number of rays on dorsal and pectoral fin, osteological characters and several other morphometric characters. The new species is distributed along tributaries of the upper Amazon River basin in Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.

Keywords: fresh water, Neotropical, taxonomy, three-barbel catfish

Cetopsorhamdia hidalgoi. MUSM 69550, holotype, 30.7 mm LS, Peru, Loreto, Requena, Tapiche River tributary to Ucayali River basin.
 (a) Lateral view, (b) dorsal view and (c) ventral view. Black arrow indicates the urogenital papillae.
Scale bar = 1 cm

Cetopsorhamdia hidalgoi new species


Etymology: Named in honour of the authors’ colleague and friend Max Hidalgo, professor, and curator of the Ichthyology Department at the Museo de Historia Natural in the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (MUSM) for his devotion and dedication to Peru Ichthyology. Hidalgo collected the holotype, in addition to many specimens of the type series on expeditions including several rapid inventories in Peru that have led to the creation of multiple conservation areas.

 Geographic distribution: C. hidalgoi is known from the Ucayali, Marañón, Napo and Orteguaza rivers tributaries of the Upper Amazon River in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia and from the Madre de Dios River tributary of the Madeira River basin in Peru (Figure 6).

 Ecology: Found in clearwater streams with modest flow, substrate often with submerged leaves and sand.



Dario R. Faustino-Fuster and Lesley S. de Souza. 2021. A New  Species of Cetopsorhamdia (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) from the Upper Amazon River basin. Journal of Fish Biology. DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14914

[Botany • 2021] Oreocharis reticuliflora (Gesneriaceae) • A New Species from southeastern Sichuan, China


Oreocharis reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, 

in Yang & Shi, 2021.
 
Abstract
Based on morphological observation and literature consultation, a new species of Oreocharis (Gesneriaceae), O. reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, is described and illustrated. This new species resembles O. auricula, but differs by its conspicuous and reticular secondary veins, corolla with a network of violet stripes on each lip lobe, glandular-pubescent ovary, shorter capsule and being densely brown woolly on the abaxial leaf surface, outside of bracts and calyx lobes. A detailed morphological description and photographic illustration of the new species are presented.

Keywords: Flora of Sichuan, morphology, new taxon, taxonomy


Figure 1. Oreocharis reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, sp. nov.
(A) habit, (B) front view of flower, (C) side view of flower, (D, G) opened corolla showing stamens and staminodes, (E) inflorescence, (F) pistil and calyx. Red arrows show the staminode.
Photo credit: Li-Hua Yang.

Figure 2. Holotype of Oreocharis reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z.Shi, sp. nov.

Figure 3. Oreocharis reticuliflora (A-C, E-G) and O. auricula (D, H-J).
(A) Habitat, (B) fruit, (C-D) habit, (E, H) front view of flower, (F, I) side view of flower, (G, J) abaxial leaf surface.
Photo credit: Li-Hua Yang.

Oreocharis reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, sp. nov.

A species that mainly differs from Oreocharis auricula (S. Moore) C.B. Clarke by its conspicuous and reticular secondary veins on the abaxial leaf surface (versus inconspicuous), corolla with a network of violet stripes on each lip lobe (versus without such color pattern), glandular-pubescent ovary (versus glabrous), shorter capsule (ca 2 cm long versus ca 4.5 cm long) and by being densely brown woolly on the abaxial leaf surface, outside of bracts and calyx lobes (versus sparely brown villous).

Etymology: The specific epithet, reticuliflora, is derived from the Latin words, reticulum and flora, referring to the network of violet stripes on corolla limb of this new species.
 Vernacular name: In Chinese mandarin ‘Wang Wen Ma Ling Ju Tai' (网纹马铃苣苔).


Figure 4. The species with similar leaves of Oreocharis reticuliflora.
(A) O. benthamii var. reticulata, (B) O. maximowiczii, (C) O. tubiflora,
(D) O. flavida, (E) O. dasyantha, (F) O. sinohenryi,
(G) O. jasminina, (H) O. xiangguiensis, (I) O. chienii.
Photo credit: (A-G) Li-Hua Yang; (H-I) Peng-Wei Li.

    


 Li-Hua Yang and Xi-Zuo Shi. 2021. Oreocharis reticuliflora (Gesneriaceae), A New Species from southeastern Sichuan, China. Nordic Journal of Botany.  DOI: 10.1111/njb.03322


[Herpetology • 2021] Amolops caelumnoctis Rao & Wilkinson, 2007, A Junior Synonym of Amolops splendissimus Orlov & Ho, 2007 (Anura: Ranidae)



 Amolops splendissimus Orlov & Ho, 2007

in Zhang, Rowley, Liu, ... et Yuan, 2021.
 
Abstract
Amolops splendissimus Orlov and Ho, 2007 and A. caelumnoctis Rao and Wilkinson, 2007 were described almost simultaneously from either side of the China-Vietnam border. The two species share a strong morphological resemblance, and their taxonomic distinctiveness has been questioned, yet no one has confirmed the taxonomic relationship and status between the two taxa. To resolve this taxonomic issue, we collected additional topotypic and near-topotypic specimens of A. splendissimus and A. caelumnoctis from both China (A. caelumnoctis: Wenshan County, Yunnan Province; type locality Luchun County, Yunnan Province), and Vietnam (A. splendissimus: Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province; type locality Mount Ky Quan San, Bat Xat, Lao Cai Province). Molecular analysis based on a 16S rRNA fragment revealed minimal genetic divergences between the two taxa (0.0%–0.4% uncorrected p-distance), and both species are closely related to A. viridimaculatus (2.1%–2.3%) and A. medogensis (3.5%–3.7%). Morphological comparisons between the newly collected specimens and the original descriptions of both species further support the lack of distinctiveness of the two species, hence, we conclude that A. caelumnoctis is a junior synonym of A. splendissimus.

Keywords: Amphibian, Ranidae, Species Identification, Taxonomy, China-Vietnam Border

  




 

Yinpeng Zhang, Jodi J. L. Rowley, Xiaolong Liu, Tao Thien Nguyen, Huy Quoc Nguyen, Benjamin Tapley, Luan Thanh Nguyen, Yun Yang, Timothy Cutajar, Ying Zhang and Zhiyong Yuan. 2021. Amolops caelumnoctis Rao & Wilkinson, 2007, A Junior Synonym of A. splendissimus Orlov & Ho, 2007 (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae). Zootaxa. 5057(2); 181-200. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5057.2.2

Thursday, October 28, 2021

[Herpetology • 2021] Rana wuyiensis • A New Species of the Genus Rana sensu lato Linnaeus, 1758 (Anura, Ranidae) from Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China


Rana wuyiensis 
Wu, Shi, Zhang, Chen, Cai, Hoang, Wu & Wang, 2021
 
Wuyi Brown Frog | 武夷林蛙 || DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1065.67005

Abstract
A new species of the frog genus Rana sensu lato from Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China is described. Molecular phylogenetic analyses clustered the new species into the R. johnsi group and indicated that it was genetically divergent from its closely related species. The new species could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: body size medium, SVL 41.4–45.6 mm (42.9 ± 1.9 mm, n = 4) in adult males and 47.6–50.3 mm (n = 2) in adult females; adult male with a pair of internal subgular vocal sacs; lateroventral grooves present on tip of toes; webbing on fourth toes reaching the tip of toe; transverse skin ridges distinctly present on the dorsal surface of thigh and tibia, the number large (mean 26.5 ± 2.7, range 22–29, n = 6); breeding males possess creamy white nuptial pad with tiny velvety spines on the dorsal surface of the first finger, divided into three parts.

Keywords: Molecular phylogenetic analyses, morphology, Rana, taxonomy

Figure 4. Photos of the holotype CIB WY20200913003 of Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. in life
 A dorsal view. B ventral view C lateral view D ventral view of hand E dorsal view of hand F ventral view of foot.

Rana wuyiensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. is distinguished by a combination of the following morphological characters: body size medium, SVL 41.4–45.6 mm (42.9 ± 1.9 mm, n = 4) in adult males, and 47.6–50.3 mm (n = 2) in adult females; lateroventral grooves present on tip of toes; transverse skin ridges distinctly present on the dorsal surface of thighs and tibias, the number large (mean 26.5 ± 2.7, range 22–29, n = 6); adult male with a pair of internal subgular vocal sacs; webbing on fourth toes reaching the tip of toe; breeding males possess creamy white nuptial pad with tiny hoar velvety spines on the dorsal surface of the first finger, divided into three parts.

Figure 6. Color variation in Rana wuyiensis sp. nov.
A dorsal view of the adult male specimen CIB WY20200913001 B ventral view of CIB WY20200913001 C dorsal view of the adult female CIB WY20200913002 D ventral view of CIB WY20200913002.

Etymology: The specific name wuyiensis is in reference to the type locality, Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China.
Suggested common name: Wuyi Brown Frog (in English), 
Wuyi Lin Wa (in Chinese; 武夷林蛙).

Distribution and ecology: Currently, Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. is known from Wuyishan National Park, Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, China. In our surveys from 2017 to 2021, the species was found only at one site. All individuals of the new species used in this work were collected from a stream and nearby grassland under the evergreen broad-leaf forest (Fig. 7). Six adult individuals and some very small tadpoles at early stages of development were found in the late August and early September. Only relative larger and middle-staged tadpoles were collected in the early November. This suggests that the breeding season of this species may begin in July or early August.

Figure 7. Habitats of Rana wuyiensis sp. nov. in the type locality, Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China
A landscape of montane forests in the type locality B a mountain stream in the type locality.


 Yanqing Wu, Shengchao Shi, Huiguang Zhang, Weicai Chen, Bin Cai, Van Chung Hoang, Jun Wu and Bin Wang. 2021. A New Species of the Genus Rana sensu lato Linnaeus, 1758 (Anura, Ranidae) from Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China. ZooKeys. 1065: 101-124. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1065.67005