[Paleontology • 2025] Falciscaris mumakiana • A New giant nektobenthic radiodont benthivore (Radiodonta: Hurdiidae) from the Early Ordovician Fezouata Biota in Morocco

 

Falciscaris mumakiana 

Potin, Claisse, Trébaol, Gueriau, Wu, Pates & Daley, 2025

 DOI: doi.org/10.4202/app.01278.2025 

 Researchgate.net/publication/398154837

Artwork by Alexis Trébaol

The Fezouata Shale Formation is an Early Ordovician Lagerstätte that preserved exceptionally detailed records of complex marine ecosystems, making it crucial for understanding the early evolution of animal life. It has yielded the youngest known community of radiodonts to date. This group is particularly well known from the Cambrian, with iconic representatives such as Anomalocaris, which are emblematic of the Cambrian explosion. Here we describe a new radiodont from the Fezouata Biota, Falciscaris mumakiana gen. et sp. nov. based on seven specimens of isolated frontal appendages. These appendages bear long endites with large and robust auxiliary spines, suggesting they were adapted for foraging through sediment in search of prey. The appendages of F. mumakiana gen. et sp. nov. can be relatively large compared to the majority of radiodont appendages, with endites reaching up to 11.4 cm in length, suggesting a total body size exceeding one meter for this Ordovician radiodont. In contrast, smaller specimens can be up to 10 times smaller, indicating ontogenetic stages during which the frontal appendage morphology changes little. Following the “Ordovician Plankton Revolution”, the proliferation of planktonic resources and enhanced pelagic-benthic coupling during this period likely allowed for the rise of giant suspension-feeding radiodonts, such as the Aegirocassisinae and F. mumakiana gen. et sp. nov., the new giant benthivore. In term of taxonomic diversity, benthivores radiodonts remain a minor component of radiodont diversity in the Fezouata Biota compared to the more dominant suspension feeders.

Key words: Panarthropoda, Radiodonta, Hurdiidae, gigantism, benthivores, feeding evolution, Fezouata Shale, Early Ordovician.

Superphylum Panarthropoda Nielsen, 1995 

Order Radiodonta Collins, 1996 

Family Hurdiidae Lerosey-Aubril & Pates, 2018

Hurdiid radiodont Falciscaris mumakiana gen. et sp. nov. frontal appendage, 
from the Fezouata Shale Formation, Lower Ordovician, Morocco.
YPM IP 516782a/b, holotype and paratypes 

 Genus Falciscaris nov.

Etymology: From Latin falx (genitive falcis), scythe, in recognition of the strongly curved shape of the endites tips; and Latinised Greek caris, crab, commonly used in arthropod taxonomy.

Falciscaris mumakiana sp. nov.  

 Etymology: Mûmak (plural mûmakil) is a fantasy elephant-like animal from the Tolkien universe Lord of the Rings. They are described as giant animals and are depicted in the third part of the movie trilogy as having 4 long curved tusks equipped with spines, looking like the curved and spiny endite of Falciscaris mumakiana gen. et sp. nov. 

Diagnosis.—Hurdiidae frontal appendage with at least seven podomeres: one proximal, five intermediate and one distal. Proximal podomeres rectangular, taller than long. At least six laminiform endites are present, long ones on five intermediate podomeres and a shorter one distally. Intermediate endites over twice the height of podomeres, all ending in a strongly curved, hook-like tip. Each endite bears dorsally curved auxiliary spines in at least three sizes, alternating such that spines of the same size are never adjacent.

Artistic life reconstruction of the hurdiid radiodont Falciscaris mumakiana gen. et sp. nov. 
Apart from the frontal appendages, the reconstruction is based on other related hurdiids.

by Alexis Trébaol

Gaëtan J.-M. Potin, Pénélope Claisse, Alexis Trébaol, Pierre Gueriau, Yu Wu, Stephen Pates, and Allison C. Daley. 2025. A New giant nektobenthic radiodont benthivore from the Early Ordovician Fezouata Biota in Morocco. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 70(4). 709-722. DOI: doi.org/10.4202/app.01278.2025 

 Researchgate.net/publication/398154837_A_new_giant_nektobenthic_radiodont_benthivore_from_the_Early_Ordovician_Fezouata_Biota_in_Morocco

[Herpetology • 2024] Leiolepis glaurung • the First Rock-dwelling Species of Butterfly Lizard Leiolepis Cuvier, 1829 (Squamata: Agamidae) from the Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand

 

Leiolepis glaurung 

Wanchai, Rujirawan, Murdoch, Aksornneam, Promnun, Kaatz, Gregory, Nguyen, Iderstein, Quah, L. L. Grismer, J. L. Grismer & Aowphol, 2024

Khorat Plateau Butterfly Lizard  | ยาบ, แย้ภู  ||  DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1210.127557

Abstract

A new species of rock-dwelling Leiolepis is described from the Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand. Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov. can be differentiated from all other sexual species of Leiolepis by a combination of having a black gular region with a wide medial yellow stripe, a yellow ventrum with black mottling, bright red to orange subcaudal coloration, having reduced to no expandable flanks, and having only one black transverse bar on the flanks. This is the first rocky habitat-adapted Leiolepis. Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov. demonstrates numerous ecological adaptations to survive in these rocky habitats. Leiolepis are known for their expandable flanks with bright display colors, however Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov. has reduced or no ability to expand its flanks. We hypothesize this is an adaptation to reduce their body diameter to better fit into smaller rocky burrows unlike the larger and deeper burrows constructed in looser soils by other Leiolepis species. This discovery increases the number of Leiolepis species in Thailand to six, and worldwide to 11.

Key words: Conservation, Indochina, Leiolepis, phylogenetics, rock-dwelling

Dorsal and ventral views of the holotype and paratypes of Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov 
A male holotype THNHM 30909 B female paratype THNHM 30908
C male paratype THNHM 30910, and D male paratype THNHM 30911.

A Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov. Male paratype THNHM 30911 displaying the dorsal and lateral display colors and its rocky habitat in the background
B adult male Leiolepis rubritaeniata from southeastern Cambodia
C male paratype THNHM 30911 of Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov.

Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov.  

A Female paratype THNHM 30908 B male paratype THNHM 30911 

 Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov.

Suggested English name: Khorat Plateau Butterfly Lizard, 

ยาบ, แย้ภู 

Diagnosis: Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov. can be diagnosed from all sexual species of Leiolepis by having a black gular region with a wide medial yellow stripe, a yellow ventrum with black mottling, bright red to orange ventral tail coloration, having reduced to no expandable flanks, and having a maximum of one black transverse bar on the flank (Suppl. material 1). Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov. can be further diagnosed from all other sexual species by having the combination of a AG of 61.0–88.0 mm; BL of 11.0–16.8 mm; CW of 22.3–33.1 mm; DN of 4.3–6.7 mm; FA of 14.4–19.0 mm; HE of 5.6–7.1 mm; HH of 14.0–21.3 mm; HL of 28.8–41.9 mm; HW of 19.2–29.7 mm; PW of 10.5–17.0 mm; TIB of 24.34–29.0 mm; TE of 14.0–18.0 mm, RH of 9.7–14.3 mm; three dorsal stripes; 28–29 ventral scales; 21–24 dorsal caudal scales; 19–26 non-pore bearing scales between the pore-bearing femoral scales across the pelvis; maximum number of seven keeled scale rows across the forearm; 17–20 femoral pores per side; 6–8 scales across the frontal bone; maximum of nine subtibial scales; seven scales long the dorsal surface of the first toe; three enlarged subdigital lamellae on the third toe; and 32–34 scales along the dorsal surface of the fourth toe (Figs 7, 8).

Etymology: The specific epithet glaurung is in reference to the large, terrestrial, golden-colored, non-winged dragon, Glaurung in Middle-earth – a character created by J.R.R. Tolkien in The Silmarillion (1977). Glaurung the Golden is the father of all dragons and tunneled into the sides of mountains forming burrows. The reduced expandable lateral flanks, yellow ventral and dorsal colors, with the construction of burrows beneath rocky outcrops is similar to the descriptions of Glaurung mentioned above, from ‘The Silmarillion’ and ‘The Children of Húrin’ (Tolkien 1977, Tolkien and Tolkien 2007). Additionally, in Thailand the word “Yae” is used to refer to Leiolepis belliana, L. ocellata, and L. rubritaeniata. However, on the Khorat Plateau the populations of Leiolepis glaurung sp. nov. are called “Yarb - ยาบ”. 

 Pratyaporn Wanchai, Attapol Rujirawan, Matthew L. Murdoch, Akrachai Aksornneam, Pattarapon Promnun, Amanda Kaatz, Jeren J. Gregory, Eddie Nguyen, William Van Iderstein, Evan S. H. Quah, L. Lee Grismer, Jesse L. Grismer and Anchalee Aowphol. 2024. The Description of the First Rock-dwelling Species of Butterfly Lizard Leiolepis Cuvier, 1829 (Squamata, Agamidae) from the Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand. ZooKeys. 1210: 299-324. DOI:  doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1210.127557

   

[Ichthyology • 2024] Myloplus aylan & M. sauron • Integrative Taxonomy of the Black-barred Disk Pacus (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae), including the Redescription of Myloplus schomburgkii and the Description of Two New Species

Myloplus sauron Pereira, Ota, Machado, Collins, Ândrade, Garcia-Ayala, Jégu, Farias & Hrbek, 
Myloplus aylan Pereira, Ota, Machado, Collins, Ândrade, Garcia-Ayala, Jégu, Farias & Hrbek, 
Myloplus schomburgkii (Jardine, 1841) 

in Machado, Pereira, Ota, Collins, Ândrade, Garcia-Ayala, Jégu, Farias et Hrbek, 2024

DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0095 

Abstract

Presently, Myloplus schomburgkii is the most easily recognized species among the serrasalmids by having a vertical black bar in the middle of the body. However, through a broad taxonomic review, including DNA barcoding and morphological analyses, we were able to identify and describe two new species that also share a dark vertical bar on the flank. In addition, we redescribe M. schomburgkii, designating a neotype and restricting the type-locality to rio Negro in Barcelos, Amazonas State, Brazil. The three lineages of black-barred pacus present high molecular divergences (7.9–11%) and can be distinguished by differences in the shape of the vertical bar, shape of females’ anal fin, number of total vertebrae, number of total branched dorsal-fin rays, among other characters. Although the existence of these two new species has been hidden due to many morphological similarities, mainly the presence of the black bar, the three lineages do not compose a monophyletic group, with one of the new species being recovered as sister to Ossubtus xinguense. This result reinforces the necessity of the redefinition of the Myleini genera.

Keywords: Amazon basin; COI; DNA barcoding; Myleini; Neotype

 

Myloplus sauron, color pattern in life. Young specimen from Xingu River basin, specimen not preserved.

Myloplus schomburgkii, color pattern immediately after capture. 

A. INPA 60149, neotype, 203.9 mm SL, male, with second lobe well developed and remarkable breeding coloration. 

B. INPA 52507, 197.1 mm SL, female. Both from Amazonas, Barcelos municipality, rio Negro.

Myloplus aylan, coloration immediately after capture. Mature female, lago Uauaçu, Purus River basin. Photographed by Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel.

Myloplus aylan Pereira, Ota, Machado, Collins, Ândrade, Garcia-Ayala, Jégu, Farias & Hrbek, new species

Diagnosis. Myloplus aylan can be distinguished from all congeners, except M. schomburgkii and M. sauron n. sp. (described below), by the presence of a vertical black bar on the flank commonly extending from the dorsal-fin base to the pelvic-fin distal end (vs. absence of any conspicuous mark on the flank in the rest of the congeners). The new species can be diagnosed from M. schomburgkii and M. sauron by the following characters: parietal bone with dorsal surface markedly concave in lateral view (vs. straight to slightly concave), 82–95 (mode 84) total perforated scales on lateral line [vs. 68–87 (mode 79) in ...

Etymology. The specific name honors the late Aylan Moraes Andrade, Carine Moraes and Marcelo Andrade’s son, born on December 23, 2022, who passed away prematurely on July 6, 2023. Marcelo is one of the authors of this manuscript and this is a tribute to record all the love and dedication of his parents who will never forget him. A noun in apposition.

Myloplus sauron Pereira, Ota, Machado, Collins, Ândrade, Garcia-Ayala, Jégu, Farias & Hrbek, new species

Etymology. The specific name sauron alludes to the Eye of Sauron, from J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”. The elliptical body of Myloplus sauron, marked with a vertical, black bar tapering toward both ends, resembles the famous vertical-pupilled eye from the novel. A noun in apposition.

Sympatric occurrence of Myloplus schomburgkii (left) and M. aylan (right) in rio Água Boa do Univini, tributary of rio Branco. Both specimens are mature males, the specimens has not being preserved.

Myloplus schomburgkii (Jardine, 1841) 

Etymology. Myloplus schomburgkii was described in honor of Robert H. Schomburgk, who, during an expedition to English Guyana, collected individuals of the species, took notes, and illustrated (Fig. 14) the specimen used by Jardine (1841) to describe the new species. A genitive noun.

 

  Valéria N. Machado, Victória D. Pereira, Rafaela P. Ota, Rupert A. Collins, Marcelo Ândrade, James R. Garcia-Ayala, Michel Jégu, Izeni P. Farias and Tomas Hrbek. 2024. Integrative Taxonomy of the Black-barred Disk Pacus (Characiformes: Serrasalmidae), including the Redescription of Myloplus schomburgkii and the Description of Two New Species.   Neotrop. ichthyol. 22 (2); DOI: 10.1590/1982-0224-2023-0095 

[Ichthyology • 2023] Chiloglanis fortuitus & C. frodobagginsi • Two New Species of Suckermouth Catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) from Upper Guinean Forest Streams in West Africa

   

Chiloglanis frodobagginsi Schmidt, Friel, Bart & Pezold,

Schmidt, Bragança, Friel, Pezold, Tweddle & Bart, 2023.

DOI: 10.1643/i2022067

 twitter.com/IchsAndHerps

 twitter.com/Friel

Photographs by S. Raredon.

Abstract

Suckermouth catfishes of the genus Chiloglanis are found throughout tropical Africa. Recent studies highlighted the diversity within this genus remains incompletely documented and nearly 20 new species have been described in the past ten years. Here we describe two new species of Chiloglanis from streams in the Upper Guinean Forest. Chiloglanis fortuitus, new species, is only known from one specimen collected in the St. John River drainage in Liberia and is readily distinguished from other species of Chiloglanis by the number of mandibular teeth and the length of the barbels associated with the oral disc. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, new species, from the upper Niger River was previously considered to be a disjunct population of C. micropogon. A combination of several characters diagnoses C. frodobagginsi, new species, from topotypic C. micropogon in the Lualaba River (Congo River basin) and from Central African populations of Chiloglanis cf. micropogon in the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River drainages. The biogeographical implications of the recognition of C. frodobagginsi, new species, the likelihood of finding additional diversity in the streams of the Upper Guinean Forests, and the taxonomy of C. micropogon and C. batesii are also discussed.

Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of the holotype of Chiloglanis fortuitus, SAIAB 202292, 35.0 mm SL, Liberia, St. John River drainage, Nimba County, Dayea River, above Yekepa, 7.579333°N, 8.516889°W. Scale bar equals 2 mm.

 Photographs by P. H. N. Bragança.

Chiloglanis fortuitus, Schmidt, Bragança, and Tweddle, new species

Diagnosis.—Chiloglanis fortuitus is distinguished from all known species of Chiloglanis, including all species in the Upper Guinean Forest, except C. disneyi, C. microps, C. niger, and C. orthodontus, in having 18 mandibular teeth in the functional row (vs. 6–15 teeth; Table 1). Chiloglanis fortuitus is easily distinguished from C. disneyi, C. microps, and C. niger in having longer mandibular barbels whereas these are absent or reduced in the latter species. Chiloglanis fortuitus is distinguished from C. orthodontus in having a more robust oral disc and its length equal to its width versus length much shorter than width (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011). Chiloglanis fortuitus is further distinguished from C. orthodontus in having a longer dorsal spine (12.8 versus 4.1–7.8 % SL) and shorter maxillary barbels (7.2 versus 9.4–14.8 % SL).

Etymology.—The specific epithet is “fortuitus,” referring to the fortuitous aspect of collecting this one specimen at the type locality. The collector, D. Tweddle, sampled fishes at 36 localities in the upper St. John River drainage in Liberia and collected 69 specimens of Chiloglanis at ten of these localities. Additionally, the lot that contained C. fortuitus was one of the three lots borrowed by the lead author to aid with the description of C. tweddlei (Schmidt et al., 2017). The discovery and formal description of C. fortuitus is fortuitous in several aspects.

Dorsal, lateral, and ventral views of Chiloglanis frodobagginsi holotype, TU 203552, 24.1 mm SL, Guinea, Niger River drainage, Niger River, North of Faranah, on road N29, 10.28382°N, 10.76925°W. Scale bar equals 2 mm.

Photographs by S. Raredon.

Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, Schmidt, Friel, Bart, and Pezold, new species

Diagnosis.—Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is distinguished from all known species of Chiloglanis in the Upper Guinean Forests, and most of the other described species (except C. disneyi, C. harbinger, C. marlieri, C. micropogon, C. microps, C. mongoensis, and C. niger) by the very reduced, or absent, mandibular barbels on the oral disc. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi can be distinguished from C. disneyi, C. harbinger, C. marlieri, C. microps, C. mongoensis, and C. niger in having fewer mandibular teeth in one row (10–12 versus 16–20, 26–30, 26–28, 16–18, 28, and 16–20 respectively). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is distinguished from C. batesii in having two prominent papillae on the roof of the oral cavity; versus the absence of papillae in C. batesii. This species is further distinguished from C. batesii in having shorter and more blunt mandibular teeth arranged in bunched rows; versus sharper, more elongate, and disordered mandibular teeth. Chiloglanis frodobagginsi also has a fleshy unpapillated ridge posterior to the mandibular teeth versus several large papillae in C. batesii (Friel and Vigliotta, 2011).

A unique combination of characters distinguishes C. frodobagginsi from the closely related C. micropogon and C. cf. micropogon from Central Africa. As compared to C. micropogon from the Lualaba River, C. frodobagginsi has a larger eye diameter (4.2–6.5 versus 4.7–5.5 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), longer maxillary barbels (3.8–7.2 versus 3.4–6.5 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), a narrower mandibular tooth row (1.6–2.8 versus 2.4–3.1 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility), a longer distance between dorsal fin and adipose fin (14.4–21.5 versus 14.9–18.8 % SL; Fig. 4A), and a shorter anal-fin base length (8.0–10.8 versus 9.7–12.7 % SL; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is further distinguished from C. micropogon in having fewer premaxillary teeth (36–70 versus 62–103) scattered in three rows versus four (Fig. 4B; Table 2). While the ranges of these measurements and counts overlap, these distinctions hold true when comparing similar sized species (Fig. 4; Supplemental Fig. A; see Data Accessibility). Compared to Chiloglanis cf. micropogon from the Benue, Ndian, and Cross River basins Chiloglanis frodobagginsi has a narrower occipital shield (3.0–4.0 versus 4.0–5.4 % SL), a shorter dorsal fin to adipose fin distance (14.5–21.5 versus 19.3–24.2), and a narrower mandibular tooth row (1.6–2.8 versus 1.8–3.2 % SL).

Etymology.—Chiloglanis frodobagginsi is named after another diminutive traveler, Frodo Baggins, a fictional character well known from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. Roughly 3,000 miles (4,800 km) separate C. frodobagginsi in the upper Niger River drainage and C. micropogon, the sister species, found in the Congo River basin. Another seemingly closely related species, Chiloglanis cf. micropogon, is found in the southern Benue drainage and in several small coastal rivers about 3,000 km from the upper Niger River drainage (e.g., Cross and Ndian Rivers). It is unclear whether these species are descended from a more widespread species, or the result of dispersal from the Congo River basin into the Niger River drainage, via the Benue River, and then up to the headwaters of the Niger River. This was an incredible journey for such a small and seemingly non-vagile fish.

Ray C. Schmidt, Pedro H. N. Bragança, John P. Friel, Frank Pezold, Denis Tweddle and Henry L. Bart Jr. 2023. Two New Species of Suckermouth Catfishes (Mochokidae: Chiloglanis) from Upper Guinean Forest Streams in West Africa. Ichthyology & Herpetology. 111(3); 376-389. DOI: 10.1643/i2022067

 twitter.com/IchsAndHerps/status/1686091726081892352

 twitter.com/Friel/status/1686095483125583872

[Herpetology • 2023] Hyloscirtus tolkieni • A New Stream Treefrog of the Genus Hyloscirtus (Anura: Hylidae) from the Río Negro-Sopladora National Park, Ecuador

 

Hyloscirtus tolkieni  

Sánchez-Nivicela, Falcón-Reibán & Cisneros-Heredia, 2023

 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1141.90290 

 twitter.com/CisnerosHeredia 

Abstract

Recent surveys in the Río Negro-Sopladora National Park revealed a striking new species of Hyloscirtus. The new species is easily diagnosed from all other congeners by its large body size (64.9 mm SVL in adult female); broad dermal fringes in fingers and toes; prepollex not projected into a prepollical spine and hidden under thenar tubercle; dorsum greyish-green, with paler-hued reticulum, yellow spots and black speckles; throat, venter, flanks and hidden surfaces of limbs golden-yellow with large black blotches and spots; fingers, toes and webbing yellow with black bars and spots; iris pale pink with black periphery. It is currently known only from its type locality, in the high montane forest on the southern slopes of the Cordillera Oriental of the Andes, southeastern Ecuador. The new species might be related to the H. larinopygion species group based on its morphology.

Keywords: Hylid frogs, Hyloscirtus larinopygion species group, Morona-Santiago, mountain forest, new species, taxonomy

“In a stream in the forest there lived a Hyloscirtus. Not a nasty, dirty stream, with spoor of contamination and a muddy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy stream with nothing in it to perch on or to eat: it was a Hyloscirtus-stream, and that means environmental quality.”

(adapted from the opening of “The Hobbit” by J. R. R. Tolkien)

  

Holotype of Hyloscirtus tolkieni sp. nov. (SVL = 64.9 mm) in life:
 a fronto-lateral view b lateral view of head c frontal view d dorso-lateral view.

Photographs by Juan C. Sánchez-Nivicela.

 Hyloscirtus tolkieni sp. nov.

English common name: Rio Negro Stream Treefrog 

Spanish common name: Rana de Torrente de Río Negro

 Diagnosis: Hyloscirtus tolkieni differs from other congeneric species by the following combination of characters: large body size (64.9 mm SVL in a single adult female); broad dermal fringes in fingers and toes; discs slightly expanded; head 7% wider than long; snout truncate in dorsal and lateral view; tympanic membrane and annulus evident, partially covered by supratympanic fold; dentigerous process of vomers slightly separated, with 9–13 vomerine teeth; forearm robust and slightly thicker than arm; discs slightly expanded; broad dermal fringes in fingers and toes; prepollex enlarged, hidden under thenar tubercle and not projected into a prepollical spine; subarticular tubercles on hands and feet rounded and poorly projected; calcar tubercle present; dorsum greyish-green, with paler-hued reticulum, yellow spots and black speckles; throat, venter, flanks and hidden surfaces of limbs yellow with large black blotches and spots; fingers, toes and webbing yellow with black bars and spots; iris pale pink with black periphery, sclera greyish-blue, and nictitating membrane yellow (Figs 2–4).

Etymology: The specific epithet tolkieni is in honour of the writer, poet, philologist, and academic John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (J.R.R. Tolkien, 1892–1973), creator of Middle-earth and author of fantasy works like “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”. The amazing colours of the new species evoke the magnificent creatures that seem to only exist in fantasy worlds.

Habitat of Hyloscirtus tolkieni sp. nov. General landscape (above, red arrow pointing to collection site); and at the collection site inside the forest (below).

Photographs by Juan C. Sánchez-Nivicela.

Dorsal colouration patterns in species of the northern clade of the Hyloscirtus larinopygion species group a H. antioquia b H. caucanus c H. criptico d H. larinopygion e H. lindae f H. pacha g H. pantostictus h H. princecharlesi i H. psarolaimus j H. ptychodactylus k H. sarampiona l H. sethmacfarlanei m H. staufferorum n H. tigrinus o H. tolkieni sp. nov.

Illustrations by José M. Falcón-Reibán.

Ventral colouration patterns in species of the northern clade of the Hyloscirtus larinopygion species group: a H. antioquia b H. caucanus c H. criptico d H. larinopygion e H. lindae f H. pacha g H. pantostictus h H. princecharlesi i H. psarolaimus j H. ptychodactylus k H. sarampiona l H. sethmacfarlanei m H. staufferorum n H. tigrinus o H. tolkieni sp. nov.

Illustrations by José M. Falcón-Reibán.

 Juan C. Sánchez-Nivicela, José M. Falcón-Reibán and Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia. 2023. A New Stream Treefrog of the Genus Hyloscirtus (Amphibia, Hylidae) from the Río Negro-Sopladora National Park, Ecuador.  ZooKeys. 1141: 75-92. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1141.90290 

 twitter.com/CisnerosHeredia/status/1616107750034968577

[Arachnida • 2021] Muscopilio onod • Phylogenetic Relationships of A New Genus of Basibiont Harvestmen (Opiliones: Agoristenidae) from Andean Rainforests, Central Colombia

 Muscopilio onod 

Villarreal & García, 2021

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2021.03.006

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Abstract

Based on the most recently published morphological cladistic analysis of the family Agoristenidae, the taxonomic position of an undescribed harvestman species was evaluated. According to the results of an updated phylogenetic analysis, the description of a new monotypic genus is proposed to accommodate this new species. The diagnostic characters of the new genus are: free tergites II and III with three large tubercles, and femora and tibiae of legs II–IV with longitudinal rows of conspicuous tubercles. Muscopilio onod gen. et sp. nov. inhabits Andean rainforests in Cundinamarca department, Central Colombia. Remarkably, almost all individuals collected in the field had at least three families of bryophytes, including mosses (Leucomiaceae) and liverworts (Plagiochilaceae, Lejeuneaceae), growing on their legs, and suggesting a mutualistic relationship between epizoic organisms and harvestmen.

 Keywords: Andes, Bryophytes, Epibiont, Laniatores, Leiosteninae, Mutualism

 Drawings of  Muscopilio onod gen. nov. and sp. nov. 
male holotype (MNRJ 19772) and female paratype (MNRJ 60284).
 (A) Habitus, dorsal view. (B) Habitus, lateral view. (C) Female, habitus, lateral view, showing sexual dimorphism in ocularium shape and size and chelicerae. (DeG). Leg IV of male, in dorsal, ventral, retrolateral and prolateral views. Scale bars: 1 mm.

 SEM images of the body of  Muscopilio onod gen. nov. and sp. nov. (MNRJ 60284), male paratype.
(A) Habitus, dorsal view. (B) Habitus, dorsolateral view. (C) Ocularium, dorsolateral view. (D) Habitus, ventrolateral view. (E) Anal operculum and sternites, ventrolateral view. (F). Coxa I, ventrolateral view. (G). Spiracle, ventral view. (H). Cuticle, mesotergal area I. (I) Setiferous tubercle, area III, detail.

Scale bars: A,B,D,E = 500 um; D = 200 um; C,FeH = 100 um; I = 20 um.

 Muscopilio onod gen. nov. and sp. nov. (MNRJ 19772), male holotype.
 (A) Habitus, panoramic view. (B) Habitus, dorsal view. (C) Habitus, lateral view. (D) Habitus, frontal view. Photographs of epizoids on legs of some paratypes (ICN-Ao-1972). (E) Hyphae of fungus on femur II. (F) Liverwort on femur III. (G) liverwort on tibia IV.

Scale bars: A = 3 mm; B-G = 1 mm.

Fig. 9. Live specimens of Muscopilio onod gen. nov. and sp. nov. from Cundinamarca:
 (A) Parque Natural Chicaque, (B, D) Parque Natural Los Tunos (in D, the specimen is under UV light), (C) Reserva de la Sociedad Civil Tenasucá.

Pictures by: Ken-ichi Ueda (A), Andrés F. García (B, D) and Osvaldo Villarreal (C).

Muscopilio Villarreal & García gen. nov.

Type species. Muscopilio onod sp. nov., here designated by monotypy.

Etymology. From the Latin words muscus (= moss) + pre-existing genus Opilio. Gender masculine.

Muscopilio onod Villarreal & García sp. nov

 

  Etymology: In the fictional Sindarin language, created by J.R.R. Tolkien, Onod (plural Onodrim) is the name given to the giant tree-like beings, also known as Ents. For us, the new species, greenish in color and with the legs covered by bryophytes, resembles an Onod. Noun in apposition.

 

 Osvaldo Villarreal and Andrés F. García. 2021. On the Phylogenetic Relationships of Muscopilio, A New Andean Genus of Basibiont Harvestmen (Opiliones: Agoristenidae). Zoologischer Anzeiger. 292; 150-162. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2021.03.006

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[Herpetology • 2020] Goniurosaurus gollum • The Stoor Hobbit of Guangdong: A Cave-dwelling Leopard Gecko (Squamata, Eublepharidae) from South China

Goniurosaurus gollum 

 Qi, Wang, Grismer, Chen, Lyu & Wang, 2020

Gollum Leopard Gecko | 广东睑虎 || DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.991.54935

Abstract

A new species of the genus Goniurosaurus is described based on three specimens collected from a limestone cave in Huaiji County, Guangdong Province, China. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, the new species is nested within the Goniurosaurus yingdeensis species group. However, morphological analyses cannot ascribe it to any known species of that group. It is distinguished from the other three species in the group by a combination of the following characters: scales around midbody 121–128; dorsal tubercle rows at midbody 16–17; presence of 10–11 precloacal pores in males, and absent in females; nuchal loop and body bands immaculate, without black spots; iris orange, gradually darker on both sides. The discovery of yet another limestone-adapted species of Goniurosaurus in Guangdong Province underscores a growing body of evidence for the high biodiversity of limestone habitats and brings into sharp focus the urgent need for their conservation.

Keywords: Goniurosaurus gollum, sp. nov., karst, limestone cave, taxonomy, systematics

Figure 3. Type series of Goniurosaurus gollum sp. nov.
A holotype, male, SYS r002420 B paratype, male, SYS r002421 C paratype, female, SYS r002421; (1) dorsal view; (2) dorsal view of head; (3) ventral view of head; (4) close-up of the precloacal region, the Arabic number refer to the number of precloacal pores.

 Photographs by Shuo Qi.

Figure 2. A The general aspect of the adult male holotype of Goniurosaurus gollum sp. nov. (SYS r002420) in life B scalation and coloration characters of the head of the holotype.

Photographs by Shuo Qi.

 

Goniurosaurus gollum Qi, Wang, Grismer, Lyu & Wang, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Goniurosaurus gollum sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) adult body size moderate, 91.0–93.4 mm SVL; (2) nasal scales surrounding nares seven or eight; (4) internasal single; (5) eyelid fringe scales 59–63; (6) granular scales of upper eyelids similar in size to those on top of head; (7) scales around midbody 121–128; (8) longitudinal dorsal tubercle rows at midbody 16 or 17; (9) paravertebral tubercles between limb insertions 25 or 26; (10) claws sheathed by four scales, dorsal claw scales small, two lateral claw scales short and shell-shaped; (11) axillary pockets deep; (12) presence of 10 or 11 precloacal pores in males and absent in females; (13) dorsal ground color of head, body, and limbs in adults yellowish brown and mottled with irregularly shaped dark-brown blotches; (14) nuchal loop complete, rounded posteriorly; (15) presence of three or four thin dorsal body bands between nuchal loop and caudal constriction, with black anterior and posterior borders, bands usually irregularly shaped; (16) iris orange, gradually darker on both sides.

Figure 4. Comparisons of iris color with three closely related congeners
A Goniurosaurus gollum sp. nov. (holotype, SYS r002420) B Goniurosaurus varius (holotype, SYS r002333)
C Goniurosaurus yingdeensis (holotype SYSr000504) D Goniurosaurus zhelongi (holotype, SYS r000770).

Photographs by Shuo Qi and Ying-Yong Wang.

Figure 5. The holotype of  Goniurosaurus gollum sp. nov. (SYS r002420) at its habitat: a barren limestone cave of Guangdong, China.

 Photograph by Shuo Qi.

Etymology The specific epithet “gollum” is named after the fictional character, Gollum, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings book series. This new species and Gollum have similar cave-dwelling habit and emaciated body. We suggest the common name as “Gollum Leopard Gecko”, and according to the type locality, we suggest the Chinese formal name as “guǎng dōng jiǎn hǔ” (广东睑虎).

Distribution and ecology: Currently, Goniurosaurus gollum sp. nov. is known only from Huaiji County, Guangdong Province, China. All individuals were found within a barren limestone cave approximately 50 m from the cave entrance at night after 2130 hrs (Fig. 5). The surface of the cave is covered with bat (unidentified) and bird (Apus pacificus) droppings. Stalactites are suspended from the roof and there is no vegetation. Duttaphrynus melanostictus was observed in the same area.

Shuo Qi, Jian Wang, L. Lee Grismer, Hong-Hui Chen, Zhi-Tong Lyu and Ying-Yong Wang. 2020. The Stoor Hobbit of Guangdong: Goniurosaurus gollum sp. nov., A Cave-dwelling Leopard Gecko (Squamata, Eublepharidae) from South China. ZooKeys. 991: 137-153. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.991.54935  

    

   

[Herpetology • 2020] Uroplatus fangorn & U. fivehy • Towards Completion of the Species Inventory of Small-sized Leaf-tailed Geckos: Two New Species of Uroplatus (Gekkonidae) from northern Madagascar

Uroplatus sp.

 Ratsoavina, Glaw, Raselimanana, Rakotoarison, Vieites, Hawlitschek, Vences & Scherz, 2020

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4895.2.5 

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Abstract

The northern part of Madagascar is well known for its high species diversity and endemism. Exceptional species richness is related to the existence of large forest blocks and mountain complexes. These areas shelter a diverse variety of habitats occupied by a wide diversity of species, including leaf-tailed geckos of the genus Uroplatus. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, we here formally name two evolutionary lineages as new species that previously had been considered as candidate species (Uroplatus spp. Ca3 and Ca4), both small-sized species of the Uroplatus ebenaui group. Genetically, both new species are related to U. finiavana with a genetic divergence (uncorrected pairwise distance) of 10.3–12.8% in a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, and separated from each other by 10.3–10.7%. Uroplatus fangorn sp. nov. is described from the Marojejy massif and is also known from Andrevorevo, Lohanandroranga and Sorata; it is similar to U. ebenaui and U. fetsy but is distinguishable by its rather short tail and only partially black pigmented oral mucosa. Uroplatus fivehy sp. nov. is described from the Sorata Massif and is wider-ranging, occurring in an area from Marotandrano and Makira to Sorata, comprising Marojejy, Anjanaharibe-Sud, Ankitsika and Betaolana; it is morphologically similar to U. finiavana but distinguishable by tail size and shape. Both newly described species are found in rainforest from mid to high elevation and range respectively from 840–1417 m for U. fivehy sp nov. and 1300–1800 m for U. fangorn sp. nov. According to their respective geographical distributions, we propose to classify the two new species as Vulnerable under the IUCN Red List criteria, due to their occurrence in some forests outside of the protected area network plus the continuing decline of forest patches in the north of Madagascar.

 Keywords: Reptilia, Squamata, Gekkonidae, Uroplatus fangorn sp. nov., Uroplatus fivehy sp. nov.

Fanomezana M. Ratsoavina, Frank Glaw, Achille P. Raselimanana, Andolalao Rakotoarison, David R. Vieites, Oliver Hawlitschek, Miguel Vences and Mark D. Scherz. 2020. Towards Completion of the Species Inventory of Small-sized Leaf-tailed Geckos: Two New Species of Uroplatus from northern Madagascar. Zootaxa. 4895(2); 251–271. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4895.2.5

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