[Ornithology • 2024] Museum Specimens, Photographs, and Sightings of White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae (Passeriformes: Hirundinidae)

White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae  Thonglongya, 1968

in Bond & Berryman, 2024.

DOI: 10.25226/bboc.v144i2.2024.a9

Abstract

White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae was described in 1968 and there have been no confirmed sightings since the 1970s. It is known only from Bueng Boraphet in central Thailand. Here, we compile the most comprehensive summary of museum specimens, photographic records (including two previously unpublished images) and sightings for this poorly known species. Specimens are held mainly in the Thailand Natural History Museum near Bangkok, with others at the Natural History Museum (Tring), American Museum of Natural History (New York) and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC). At least three other mounts exist, all in Thailand, some of which may be composites from captive birds collected in the early 1970s. Photographs unearthed at Tring, and in unpublished reports, show birds that differ from the four previously known images and may represent individuals that are now museum specimens. With no confirmed sightings for more than 40 years, despite reasonable search effort (especially increasing citizen science data), it is very likely that White-eyed River Martin is now extinct.

Photographs of the White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae caught in November 1968 published by Tobias (2000) and deposited in the Macaulay Library, Cornell University; the bird is presumably an adult given the presence of tail-streamers and is believed to be THNHM B-07481 (H. E. McClure, © BirdLife International)

  

Photographs of White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae taken in the field in February 1968; it is now NHMUK 1968.68.1; the prints were sent by K. Thonglongya to NHMUK in April 1968 and Fig. 17 was also reproduced for an article in the newspaper Khaosod on 27 May 1992 about the species' discovery (Photographer unknown)

(left). Immature male White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae, paratype USNM 533542, collected on 28 January 1968, alongside the removed left central rectrix from USNM 510428 (adult, unknown sex; see Fig. 7) (© C. Milensky)

 

Alexander L. Bond and Alex J. Berryman. 2024. Museum Specimens, Photographs, and Sightings of White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club. 144(2):162-182. DOI: 10.25226/bboc.v144i2.2024.a9

[Paleontology • 1964] Chilantaisaurus tashuikouensis • theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Alanshan, People's Republic of China

Chilantaisaurus tashuikouensis Hu, 1964

Hu, S.-Y. (1964). "Carnosaurian remains from Alashan, Inner Mongolia." Vertebrata PalAsiatica, 8: 42–63. [In Chinese, with English summary]

Benson, R.B.; and Xu, X. (2008). "The anatomy and systematic position of the theropod dinosaur Chilantaisaurus tashuikouensis Hu, 1964 from the Early Cretaceous of Alanshan, People's Republic of China". Geological Magazine published online (6). doi:10.1017/S0016756808005475.

[Herpetology • 1965] Asian caecilian Ichthyophis | New Asiatic and African caecilians with redescriptions of related species

Long Bloee Caecilian | Ichthyophis atricollaris Taylor, 1965 (Borneo)

Angular Caecilian | Ichthyophis biangularis Taylor, 1965 (Borneo)

Billiton Island Caecilian | Ichthyophis billitonensis Taylor, 1965 

(Billiton 'Belitung' - Sumatra)

Elongated Caecilian | Ichthyophis elongatus Taylor, 1965 (Sumatra)

Pattipola Caecilian | Ichthyophis orthoplicatus Taylor, 1965 (Sri Lanka)

Taylor's Caecilian | Ichthyophis pseudangularis Taylor, 1965 (Sri Lanka)

Taylor, E.H. 1965. New Asiatic and African caecilians with redescriptions of related species. University of Kansas Science Bulletin: 253-302.

http://biostor.org/reference/1118

[Herpetology • 1960] Asian caecilian Ichthyophis | On the caecilian species Ichthyophis glutinosus and Ichthyophis monochrous, with descriptions of related species

Elongate-headed Caecilian | Ichthyophis acuminatus Taylor, 1960 

Bombay Caecilian | Ichthyophis bombayensis Taylor, 1960 

Mount Dulit Caecilian | Ichthyophis dulitensis Taylor, 1960 

Javan Caecilian | Ichthyophis javanicus Taylor, 1960

Koh Tao Island Caecilian | Ichthyophis kohtaoensis Taylor, 1960

Mindanao Island Caecilian | Ichthyophis mindanaoensis Taylor, 1960

Siantar Caecilian | Ichthyophis paucisulcus Taylor, 1960

Sikkimese Caecilian | Ichthyophis sikkimensis Taylor, 1960

Singapore Caecilian | Ichthyophis singaporensis Taylor, 1960

Sumatra Caecilian | Ichthyophis sumatranus Taylor, 1960

Supachai's Caecilian | Ichthyophis supachaii Taylor, 1960

Doi Suthep Caecilian | Ichthyophis youngorum Taylor, 1960

Taylor, E.H. 1960. On the caecilian species  Ichthyophis glutinosus and Ichthyophis monochrous, with descriptions of related species. University of Kansas Science Bulletin: 37-120.

http://biostor.org/reference/1004

[Herpetology • 1966] Ansonia tiomanica | Pulau Tioman Stream Toad • Observations on the Fauna of Pulau Tioman and Pulau Tulai. 6, The Amphibians

Ansonia tiomanica Hendrickson, 1966 | Pulo Tioman Stream Toad

photo from http://amphibia.my/

 Ansonia tiomanica is a species of toad in the Bufonidae family native to Malaysia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, inland karsts, and caves. It is threatened by habitat loss, and is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because it is known from only one location on Tioman Island, Malaysia.

Pulau Tioman stream toad | Ansonia tiomanica, dorsal view

http://arkive.org/pulo-tioman-stream-toad/ansonia-tiomanica/

Hendrickson, J.R. 1966. Observations on the Fauna of Pulau Tioman and Pulau Tulai. 6, The Amphibians. Bulletin National Museum, Singapore: 72-84.

[Herpetology • 1960] A review of the Oriental toads of the genus Ansonia Stoliczka

Ansonia hanitschi | Ansonia longidigita

Ansonia malayana | Ansonia minuta

All photo from: http://frogsoftheworld.webs.com/

Ansonia malayana from: http://amphibia.my/

INTRODUCTION 

The genus Ansonia Stoliczka has been distinguished from Bufo on the basis of larval and adult morphological characters, some of which are clearly related to the profound ecological differences between these genera (Inger, 1954). Conspicuous among these diagnostic and adaptive characters of Ansonia are: membranous webbing; slender body and long legs; streamlining of tadpoles; sucker- type oral disk of tadpoles; and relatively large and pigmentless ova. These modifications adapt Ansonia to a life in and along swift, rocky streams. Weak subarticular tubercles and lack of parotoid glands also distinguish Ansonia from Bufo, though they do not seem to be part of the adaptive complex. 

Dr. Joseph Tihen, University of Notre Dame, has examined most of the species of Ansonia included in this paper in connection with his own studies on Bufonidae and has called attention to several other differences between Ansonia and Bufo (Tihen, 1960) . Most of the species of Ansonia have very long tensor fasciae latae, whereas in Bufo this muscle is short. The quadratojugal, which in Bufo always touches the maxilla, is reduced in Ansonia and rarely reaches the maxilla. Finally, a well-developed sharp ridge crosses the posterior portion of the parasphenoid in Ansonia but is absent in Bufo. 

The tadpoles of Ansonia differ radically from those of Pedostibes Gunther and Pelophryne Barbour, the other abundant genera of Malaysian bufonids. The tadpole of Pedostibes has the subspherical body form and non-specialized oral disk of Bufo larvae. Larval Pelophryne, however, are extremely specialized for rapid development in very small pools of rain water; they apparently subsist during the entire larval period on yolk, have a degenerate oral disk, and lack a spiracle (Inger, 1960). 

Adult Pelophryne differ from Ansonia in having the coccyx fused to the sacrum (movable joint in Ansonia) and provided with a broad, horizontal, flattened plate (coccyx laterally compressed in Ansonia). 

In addition, the hands and feet of Pelophryne have a peculiarly thickened web. Adult Pedostibes differ from Ansonia in the possession of distinctly webbed outer fingers, dilated finger tips, well-developed subarticular tubercles, and parotoid glands. Pedostibes has marked arboreal tendencies. 

Ansonia malayana Inger, 1960

Type locality: "4,000 feet in the Larut Hills, Perak, Malaya", Malaysia.

Holotype: BM 1900.9.26.16.

Ansonia longidigita Inger, 1960

Type locality: "4,200 feet on Mount Kina Balu, North Borneo", Malaysia (Borneo).

Holotype: BM 99.8.19.12.

Ansonia hanitschi Inger, 1960

Type locality: "Kadamaian River at 4,200 feet on Mount Kina Balu, North Borneo", Malaysia (Borneo).

Holotype: BM 99.8.19.13.

Ansonia platysoma Inger, 1960

Type locality: "Luidan River near Bundu Tuhan at 3,300 feet on Mount Kina Balu, North Borneo", Sarawak, Malaysia.

Holotype: FMNH 28213.

Ansonia albomaculata Inger, 1960

Type locality: "1,400-2,000 feet above sea level, in the headwaters of the Baleh River, Third Division, Sarawak", Malaysia (Borneo).

Holotype: FMNH 81975.

Ansonia minuta Inger, 1960

Type locality: "in primary forest at 450 feet above sea level at Matang, First Division, Sarawak", Malaysia (Borneo).

Holotype: FMNH 77424.

Inger, R.F. 1960. A review of the Oriental toads of the genus Ansonia Stoliczka. Fieldiana: Zoology: 473-503.

http://www.archive.org/stream/reviewoforiental3943inge/reviewoforiental3943inge_djvu.txt

http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Ansonia