[Botany • 2021] Aeschynanthus rejieae (Gesneriaceae) • A New Species of Lipstick Vine from Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Aeschynanthus rejieae  S. Olimpos & Mansibang 

in Olimpos & Mansibang, 2021.

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.487.1.7 

facebook.com/ShieOlimpos

  facebook.com/phtaxa

Abstract

Aeschynanthus rejieae from Panglima Sugala, one of the few remaining forested areas in Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, is illustrated and described as a new species. It resembles A. obconicus and A. ovatus by the ovate leaves and dense indumentum in the external calyx and corolla. However, A. rejieae is distinguished by having leaves that have persistent sparse pubescence, campanulate calyx with dense hirsute indumentum both internally and externally, and ovary with a glandular cilia. This species is named after Rejie Sahali-Generale, who initiated the biodiversity conservation in Panglima Sugala. This new discovery further highlights the urgent need to study and conserve the remaining forests of Tawi-Tawi.

Keywords: taxonomy, Sulu, Panglima Sugala, novel, epiphyte, Eudicots

 

    

Aeschynanthus rejieae 

Shiella Mae B. Olimpos and Jayson A. Mansibang. 2020. Aeschynanthus rejieae (Gesneriaceae), A New Species of Lipstick Vine from Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. Phytotaxa. 487(1); 83–90. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.487.1.7

 facebook.com/ShieOlimpos/posts/4281732971841938

facebook.com/phtaxa/posts/3508371079292431

    

     

[Entomology • 2014] Pycnotarsobrentus inuiae • A New Genus and Species of Myrmecophilous Brentid Beetle (Coleoptera: Brentidae) Inhabiting the Myrmecophytic Epiphytes in the Bornean Rainforest Canopy

 Pycnotarsobrentus inuiae 

Maruyama & Bartolozzi, 2014   

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3786.1.5

Abstract

Pycnotarsobrentus inuiae Maruyama & Bartolozzi, gen. nov. and sp. nov. (Brentinae: Eremoxenini) is described from the Lambir Hills National Park, Borneo (Sarawak, Malaysia) based on specimens collected from Crematogaster difformis F. Smith, 1857 ant nests in the myrmecophytic epiphytic ferns Platycerium crustacea Copel. and Lecanopteris ridleyi H. Christ. A second species of Pycnotarsobrentus is known from Malaysia but is represented by only one female and consequently not yet described pending discovery of a male. Pycnotarsobrentus belongs to the tribe Eremoxenini and shares some character states with the African genus Pericordus Kolbe, 1883. No species of Eremoxenini with similar morphological modifications are known from the Oriental region.

Keywords: Myrmecophily, Crematogaster difformis, Eremoxenini, Malaysia

Pycnotarsobrentus Maruyama & Bartolozzi, gen. nov. 

Type species. Pycnotarsobrentus inuiae Maruyama & Bartolozzi, sp. nov., by present designation.

Differential diagnosis. This genus is close to the African genus Pericordus Kolbe, 1883, in the head and rostrum lacking depression or carinae, short antennae, laterally compressed femora and tibiae, and rather thick and short tarsi, but clearly distinguished from it by the antennal segments being cylindrical, rugose and rather compressed, with the apical segment rounded at apex, by the mesorostrum being not convex, by the tarsi being shorter, with parallel-sided segments and extremely short tarsal segment IV. 

Etymology. The generic name is derived from Greek words meaning “stout tarsi-bearing brentid” for one its important character states: the thick, short tarsi. Gender masculine. 

Pycnotarsobrentus inuiae Maruyama & Bartolozzi, sp. nov. 

Differential diagnosis. No species of Eremoxenini with similar morphological modifications are known from the Oriental region and the new taxon is easily distinguishable from all other Asian Eremoxenini by the generic diagnosis. 

Etymology. Dedicated to Dr. Yoko Inui, one of the collectors, for her invaluable contribution to the knowledge of tree canopy ant communities.

 Bionomics. The beetles were found exclusively inside the nests of C. difformis in the domatia of the epiphytic ferns (Figs. 8, 9). They were observed to walk slowly when the nests were excavated (Fig. 10, 11), and the ants did not pay any attention to them. Ecological studies on the communities of the myrmecophiles in the nests of C. difformis are in progress by the Japanese authors. 

Maruyama, Munetoshi, Luca Bartolozzi, Yoko Inui, Hiroshi O. Tanaka, Fujio Hyodo, Usun Shimizu-Kaya, Yoko Takematsu, Takuo Hishi and Takao Itioka. 2014. A New Genus and Species of Myrmecophilous Brentid Beetle (Coleoptera: Brentidae) Inhabiting the Myrmecophytic Epiphytes in the Bornean Rainforest Canopy.
  Zootaxa. 3786(1); 73–78.  DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3786.1.5

ResearchGate.net/publication/261570186_A_new_genus_and_species_of_myrmecophilous_brentid_beetle_Coleoptera_Brentidae_inhabiting_the_myrmecophytic_epiphytes_in_the_Bornean_rainforest_canopy

  

[Herpetology • 2015] Dendropsophus bromeliaceus • The First Bromeligenous Species of Dendropsophus (Anura: Hylidae) from Brazil's Atlantic Forest

Dendropsophus bromeliaceus 

Ferreira, Faivovich & Beard, 2015

Teresensis’ Bromeliad Treefrog || DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142893

Abstract

We describe a new treefrog species of Dendropsophus collected on rocky outcrops in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Ecologically, the new species can be distinguished from all known congeners by having a larval phase associated with rainwater accumulated in bromeliad phytotelms instead of temporary or lentic water bodies. Phylogenetic analysis based on molecular data confirms that the new species is a member of Dendropsophus; our analysis does not assign it to any recognized species group in the genus. Morphologically, based on comparison with the 96 known congeners, the new species is diagnosed by its small size, framed dorsal color pattern, and short webbing between toes IV-V. The advertisement call is composed of a moderate-pitched two-note call (~5 kHz). The territorial call contains more notes and pulses than the advertisement call. Field observations suggest that this new bromeligenous species uses a variety of bromeliad species to breed in, and may be both territorial and exhibit male parental care.

Dendropsophus bromeliaceus sp. nov. 

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6C332786-14DC-4314-B064-47B54B81A977

Etymology. The specific epithet “bromeliaceus” refers to the reproductive habit of the new species, which deposits eggs in bromeliads and spends the larval phase in the rainwater accumulated in these plants. The suffix “aceus” is Latin, meaning “belonging to”.

Common names. We suggest Teresensis’ Bromeliad Treefrog or Pererequinha-de-bromélia-teresensis (in Portuguese). Teresensis refers to the people born in the municipality of Santa Teresa.

Holotype. MNRJ 85852, adult male, collected in the surroundings of the Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi (19°54’27”S, 40°31’05”W; 878 m a.s.l.), Santa Teresa, State of Espírito Santo, Brazil, on 3 December 2012 by R. B. Ferreira and team (see Acknowledgments).

Fig 3. Dendropsophus bromeliaceus sp. nov. in life.
(A) froglet (MNRJ 85855), and (B and C) male paratopotype (MBML 7712).

 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142893

Distribution. Dendropsophus bromeliaceus sp. nov. is currently only known from three rocky outcrops in the area surrounding the Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi in the Municipality of Santa Teresa, a mountainous region of the State of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil (Fig 6). The new species was not found in any of the seven forested sites investigated.

Natural history. Dendropsophus bromeliaceus sp. nov. has exclusively been found on rocky outcrops with sparse trees of low to medium heights; the ground covered with dense layer of bromeliads and herbaceous plants. Epiphytic bromeliads almost completely covering the tree branches. This vegetation pattern is distinct from that of the surrounding forested areas, which are shaded due to higher densities of large trees.

Dendropsophus bromeliaceus sp. nov. is a nocturnal frog with males calling in both the rainy (October through December) and dry season (June and July). However, choruses were less pronounced during the dry season with fewer individuals calling and less frequent calls. Tadpoles and juvenile froglets were only found in the rainy season. No amplectant pair or eggs were found during our surveys.

We recorded natural history observations of 12 adults, four juvenile froglets, and 10 exotrophic tadpoles of Dendropsophus bromeliaceus sp. nov. found in the rainwater accumulated inside bromeliads (Table 2). Calling males and tadpoles were in bromeliads located on the ground and up to 5 m above ground. Males called from horizontal leaves outside the axils of bromeliads. All adults, froglets, and tadpoles were found in the median axils (i.e. basal tank and central axils were not used). Four calling males were collected from bromeliads containing no tadpole or froglet. Another three calling males were in bromeliads with conspecific tadpoles or froglets. The other five adult individuals were found in bromeliads that did not harbor tadpoles or juvenile froglets.

Vriesea ruschii is the dominant bromeliad on the outcrops, and was also the most commonly used plant by D. bromeliaceus sp. nov. (Table 2). The terrestrial bromeliads used by D. bromeliaceus sp. nov.had a wider diameter (F1,15 = 58.92; P < 0.001) and greater height (F1,15 = 28.12; P < 0.001) than the epiphytic bromeliads at the sites. A number of bromeliad species were present at the sites but not occupied by D. bromeliaceus sp. nov., including Bilbergia sp., Edmundoa lindenii, Quesnelia strobilispica, Neoregelia macrosepala, Neoregelia sp., Nidularium cariacicaense, Nidularium espiritosantense, Nidularium sp., Vriesea aff. atra, V. ensiformis, and V. vagans.

Adults of Dendropsophus bromeliaceus sp. nov. were not found in the same bromeliad with congeners. On one occasion, D. bromeliaceus sp. nov. shared the same plant (Alcantarea extensa) with another frog species (Thoropa miliaris), but they used different axil positions; D. bromeliaceus sp. nov. was in a median axil whereas T. miliaris was in a basal axil. Although D. bromeliaceus sp. nov. and Scinax arduous were the most abundant frogs at these sites and were frequently found in Vriesea ruschii, they did not share the same individual plant. In total, we found the following 12 frog species in syntopy with D. bromeliaceus sp. nov. inside bromeliads: Bokermannohyla caramaschii, F. fissilis, Fritziana goeldii, Gastrotheca megacephala, Hypsiboas pardalis, H. semilineatus, Ischnocnema abdita, I. epipeda, I. cf. parva, Scinax alter, S. arduous and Thoropa miliaris.

 Rodrigo Barbosa Ferreira, Julián Faivovich and  Karen H Beard. 2015. The First Bromeligenous Species of Dendropsophus (Anura: Hylidae) from Brazil's Atlantic Forest. PLoS One. 10(12)  DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142893

ResearchGate.net/publication/286414017_The_First_Bromeligenous_Species_of_Dendropsophus_(Anura_Hylidae)_from_Brazil's_Atlantic_Forest

Nova espécie de perereca que vive em bromélia é descoberta no ES 

http://g1.globo.com/espirito-santo/noticia/2015/12/nova-especie-de-perereca-que-vive-em-bromelia-e-descoberta-no-es.html

http://RodrigoBFerreira.weebly.com/publications.html

[Botany • 2015] Besleria macropoda (Gesneriaceae): Lectotypification, Distribution, Functional Epiphylly and Discordant Fruit Morphology of A Rare Costa Rican Endemic

FIGURE 2. Besleria macropoda, epiphyllous position of flowers and fruits.
A. Shoot. B. Inflorescence with open flowers. C. Infructescence showing fruits with split and reflexed carpel walls exposing red placentae and seeds. D. Sulcate petiole and leaf base clasping the peduncle above the sunken midrib.

(Photos by A. Berger; voucher: Berger & Etl 1443.).DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.233.2.2

Abstract

Besleria macropoda, a rare and poorly known gesneriad endemic to Costa Rica, was recently collected for the first time on the southern slopes of the Fila Costeña (Puntarenas Province, SE Costa Rica). The collection considerably widens the geographic distribution to the southeastern part of Costa Rica. Moreover, the following unique characters not previously addressed in the literature were observed and are documented here: (1) The elongate peduncles of the inflorescences are clamped in a channel formed by the sunken midrib of the leaf, rendering the flowers and fruits positioned in the center of the leaf blade. The epiphyllous appearance of the inflorescence on the leaf surface enhances contrasting colors that may aid the pollination and/or fruit dispersal. (2) The fruits split open irregularly, with the fleshy carpel lobes becoming reflexed. This fruit dehiscence deviates from the indehiscent berries that typically characterize Besleria. This results in displaying a globose head of red placental tissue covered by tiny, red seeds. A preliminary survey of Besleria fruits suggests that this peculiar fruit type is present in at least 15 species representing almost 8% of the genus. Fruit morphology of Besleria is therefore less uniform than previously recognized and the “indehiscent berry” can no longer serve as a distinctive generic character of Besleria, which necessitates consideration in floras and identification keys. In addition, a list of herbarium specimens, lectotypification, a distribution map, IUCN red list assessment and an amended key to diagnose Besleria relative to Gasteranthus are provided.

Keywords: Besleria, Gesneriaceae, fruit morphology, epiphylly, Eudicots, Costa Rica

Conclusions

The recent collection of Besleria macropoda widens the known distribution considerably and highlights two unique characters not previously addressed. The inflorescences/infructescences are functionally epiphyllous possibly aiding in pollination and/or fruit dispersal. Fruit dehiscence deviates from indehiscent berries that typically characterize Besleria: the fruits appear ruptured and split open irregularly, with the fleshy carpel lobes becoming reflexed. This results in displaying a globose head of red placental tissue embedded with tiny, red seeds. In addition to B. macropoda, this specific fruit type was found in 14 other species of the genus. Fruit morphology of Besleria is thus less uniform than previously understood, and the “indehiscent berry” can no longer serve as a distinctive generic character of Besleria, which necessitates consideration in generic keys such as in regional floras. However, further fieldwork is necessary to fully understand the distribution, phylogenetic context, and functional implications of this particular fruit type and fruit dehiscence.

Andreas Berger, John J. Clark and Anton Weber. 2015. Besleria macropoda (Gesneriaceae): Lectotypification, Distribution, Functional Epiphylly and Discordant Fruit Morphology of  A Rare Costa Rican Endemic. Phytotaxa. 233(2): 139–152. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.233.2.2

[Herpetology • 2014] Herpetofaunal Community of A High Canopy Tank Bromeliad Aechmea zebrina in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve of Amazonian Ecuador, with comments on the use of “arboreal” in the herpetological literature

Fig. 2. (B) A community of Aechmea zebrina bromeliads at ~38 m (in situ). 

Fig. 3. A collection of anurans collected from Aechmea zebrina bromeliads.
 (A) Pristimantis aureolineatus hiding in leaf axil, (E) Ranitomeya ventrimaculata and (F) Scinax ruber collected from A. zebrina bromeliads.

Abstract

Tank bromeliads provide microhabitat that supports a high diversity of organisms in the harsh environment of tropical forest canopies. Most studies of organisms occupying tank bromeliads have focused on invertebrates found within bromeliads near or at ground level. Few investigations of vertebrate communities utilizing this keystone resource are available. We describe the amphibian and reptile community occupying the high canopy tank bromeliad, Aechmea zebrina, in lowland rainforest of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve in the Amazon Basin of Ecuador. We used single-rope climbing techniques to sample a total of 160 A. zebrina bromeliads from 32 trees, at heights of 18.3 to 45.5 m above ground. We collected 10 metamorphosed anuran species, one gecko, one snake, and observed two species of lizard within bromeliads. Summary statistics for a suite of environmental factors associated with herpetofauna in A. zebrina bromeliads are reported. We estimated the density of anurans occupying A. zebrina communities and contrast these estimates with anuran densities from tropical forest floor anuran studies. Finally, we discuss the use of the term “arboreal” within the herpetological literature, and make recommendations for terminology used to describe the vertical space occupied by a species or assemblage.

Key words. Amphibian, anuran, epiphyte, forest, microhabitat, rainforest, reptile

Shawn F. McCracken and Michael R. J. Forstner. 2014. Herpetofaunal Community of A High Canopy Tank Bromeliad (Aechmea zebrina) in the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve of Amazonian Ecuador, with comments on the use of “arboreal” in the herpetological literature. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. 8(1) [Special Section]: 65–75 (e83).

http://amphibian-reptile-conservation.org/pdfs/Volume/Vol_8_no_1/ARC_8_1_%5bSpecial_Section%5d_65-75_e83_low_res.pdf