[Botany • 2020] Polystichum asia-minoris (Dryopteridaceae) • A New Fern from Kastamonu, Turkey

Polystichum asia-minoris Tunçkol & Li-Bing Zhang

in Tunçkol, Yaşayacak, ... et Zhang, 2020.

 DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.447.4.8

Abstract

A new fern of Polystichum (Dryopteridaceae), Polystichum asia-minoris, is described and illustrated from Horma Canyon in the borders of Küre Mountains National Park in Kastamonu Province located in the north of Turkey. Polystichum asia-minoris is distinguishable from the morphologically similar P. obliquum by having pinnae abaxially densely covered with broad-type microscales. It is not certain to which lineage the new species closely allied. The new species has extremely narrow distribution and is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) following IUCN Red List Criteria.

Keywords: IUCN Red List, Polystichum obliquum, Pteridophytes

Bilge Tunçkol, Hasan Yaşayacak, Zhen-Long Liang, Necmi Aksoy and Li-Bing Zhang. 2020. Polystichum asiae-minoris (Dryopteridaceae), A New Fern from Kastamonu, Turkey. Phytotaxa. 447(4); 293-300. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.447.4.8

discoverandshare.org/2020/12/18/10-new-plant-species-described-by-the-missouri-botanical-garden-in-2020

[Botany • 2020] Cyanea heluensis (Lobelioideae, Campanulaceae) • A New Species of Cyanea Gaud. from Maui, Hawai`i

Cyanea heluensis H. Oppenheimer 

in Oppenheimer, 2020. 

DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.167.55107

 

Abstract

Cyanea heluensis H. Oppenheimer, sp. nov., a new, narrowly distributed endemic species, is herein described and illustrated with line drawings and digital field photos. It is currently known from a single mature plant and is restricted to the upper Helu planeze on leeward Mauna Kahalawai, West Maui, Hawaiian Islands. It differs from all other species of Cyanea Gaudich. with its narrow, shallowly lobed leaves, gently curved muricate corollas, and undulate sepals caducous in fruit. A key to the new species and its congeners on Mauna Kahalawai is provided. Its conservation status and efforts to propagate the species are discussed.

Keywords: conservation, Hawaiian Islands, IUCN Red List, Plant Extinction Prevention Program

Figure 1. Cyanea heluensis H. Oppenheimer
A habit B close up of flower buds prior to anthesis. Note murications on petioles and corolla.

Photos by H. Oppenheimer. 

Figure 2. Cyanea heluensis H. Oppenheimer 
A flowering stem B close-up of flowers.

Photos by H. Oppenheimer.

 

Cyanea heluensis H.Oppenh., sp. nov.

 

Diagnosis: Species allied to C. asplenifolia (H. Mann) Hillebr., but differs in its very shallowly lobed leaves (vs. deeply lobed to pinnate-pinnatifid), longer and wider corolla, and larger, undulate sepals (Fig. 3).

Etymology: The specific name honors Helu, a peak on Mauna Kahalawai (aka West Maui Mountains) Lit. scratch or count (Pukui et al. 1966); + Latin suffix -ensis, indicating a place of origin or growth.

Figure 4. Cyanea heluensis H. Oppenheimer 
A seedling at Olinda Rare Plant Facility. Plant is approximately 1 year old
B distribution Cyanea heluensis of on Maui, Hawai`i.

Photo by H. Oppenheimer.

Hank Oppenheimer. 2020. A New Species of Cyanea Gaud. (Lobelioideae, Campanulaceae) from Maui, Hawai`i. PhytoKeys. 167: 1-11. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.167.55107

[Entomology • 2020] Wide-nosed Pygmy Grasshoppers (Cladonotinae: Cladonotini, Xerophyllini) of India and Sri Lanka: Catalogue with An Identification Key and Description of A New Species of the Genus Tettilobus

 

Tettilobus trishula Skejo, Bhaskar et Stermšek 

in Bhaskar, Stermšek. ... et Skejo, 2020. 

 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4894.3.12 

  facebook.com/JosipMarkovSkejo

Abstract

Wide nosed pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae: Cladonotinae) are grasshoppers in which the frontal costa bifurcates into strongly divergent facial carinae, between which there is wide scutellum. Altogether seven genera and thirteen species inhabit India and Sri Lanka. Tribe Cladonotini is represented in this region by five genera and nine species (Cladonotus—4 spp., Deltonotus—2 spp., Gignotettix—1 sp., Hancockella—1 sp., and Yunnantettix—1 sp.), while the tribe Xerophyllini by two genera, Tettilobus (3 sp.) and Potua (1 sp.). For this Potua species it is not clear if it belongs to this genus. A simple identification key to Cladonotinae of India and Sri Lanka is provided. New synonyms are: Deltonotus humilis syn. nov., Epitettix tamilus syn. nov. and Potua aptera syn. nov., synonymous with Deltonotus gibbiceps. Deltonotus cristatus should be regarded nomen nudum. A new species, assigned to the genus Tettilobus is described from the Western Ghats of Kerala, Tettilobus trishula Skejo, Bhaskar et Stermšek sp. n. Furthermore, we present the first records of D. subcucullatus from India (Kerala).

Keywords: Cladonotinae, Cladonotini, Xerophyllini, Western Ghats, rainforest, endemism, synonyms

FIGURE 1. Tettilobus trishula sp. n. Female holotype deposited in MNCN. A-left lateral view; B-dorsal view; C-dorsal view on the head; D-head in frontal view. (Photo Mercedes París). Scale bar 1 mm.

Tettilobus trishula Skejo, Bhaskar et Stermšek sp. n. 

FIGURE 3. Habitat of Tettilobus trishula sp. n. Mountainous forests of Eravikulam NP at 2200 m elevation. The species inhabits wet, humid habitat with trees fully covered in moss. (Photo Dhaneesh Bhaskar).

Dhaneesh Bhaskar, Sara Stermšek. P. S. Easa, Damjan Franjević and Josip Skejo. 2020. Wide-nosed Pygmy Grasshoppers (Cladonotinae: Cladonotini, Xerophyllini) of India and Sri Lanka: Catalogue with An Identification Key and Description of A New Species of the Genus Tettilobus. Zootaxa. 4894(3); 474–500. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4894.3.12 

  facebook.com/JosipMarkovSkejo/posts/10223621336751055

Researchgate.net/publication/346875282_Wide-nosed_pygmy_grasshoppers_of_India_and_Sri_Lanka

[Arachnida • 2020] Japanese Spiders of the Genus Theridiosoma (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) with the Description of Four New Species

 

Habitus of Theridiosoma species when alive.  
A-D, Theridiosoma epeiroides; E-H, T. dissimulatum sp. nov.; 
I-L, T. paludicolum; M-O, T. fulvum. P, T. alboannulatum sp. nov. 

in Suzuki, Serita & Hiramatsu, 2020.

 DOI: 10.2476/asjaa.69.133 

 twitter.com/Sasagani_ya 

 

Abstract

Japanese spiders of the genus Theridiosoma (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) were revised with redescription of T. epeiroides Bösenberg & Strand 1906 and description of four new species, namely: T. dissimulatum sp. nov., T. paludicolum sp. nov., T. fulvum sp. nov., and T. alboannulatum sp. nov. The internal morphology of the female genitalia of T. epeiroides is illustrated in this study for the first time. Males of the new species can be distinguished from their congeners by the morphology of the embolic apophyses or the posterior edge of the embolic division on the male palp. Females of the former three species can be differentiated from their related species by the shape of the contour formed by interior edges of a pair of sclerotized processes on the posterior edge of the genital plate. The latter species can be distinguished from the allied species by the angular lateral corners of the genital plate and overall shape of the genitalia (longer than wide).

Keywords: Conductor projection, embolic apophysis, epigyne, morphology, new species, process, taxonomy

Habitus of Theridiosoma species when alive. 
 A, Theridiosoma epeiroides, male (Ibaraki Pref.); B–C, same, female (Ibaraki Pref.); D, same, female (Tokyo); E, T. dissimulatum sp. nov., female (Amami-ohshima Is.); F same, female (Okinawa-jima Is.); G–H, same, female (Iriomote-jima Is.); I, T. paludicolum, male (Chiba Pref.); J, same, male lacking white markings on abdomen (Kochi Pref.); K, same, female (Chiba Pref.); L, same, female with light brown colored body (Kochi Pref.); M, T. fulvum, male and female (Ibaraki Pref.); N, same, female (Saitama Pref.), O, same, female with light colored markings on abdomen (Ibaraki Pref.). P, T. alboannulatum sp. nov., female (Iriomote-jima Is.). Note that all the photographs are not identical to type materials except that of T. alboannulatum (paratype female).

Yuya Suzuki, Ryohei Serita and Takehisa Hiramatsu. 2020. Japanese Spiders of the Genus Theridiosoma (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) with the Description of Four New Species. Acta Arachnologica. 69(2): 133–150. DOI: 10.2476/asjaa.69.133  

 twitter.com/Sasagani_ya/status/1341944992453967875

[Herpetology • 2020] Toropuku inexpectatus • Earning Your Stripes: A Second Species of Striped Gecko in the New Zealand Gecko Genus Toropuku (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae)

Toropuku inexpectatus 

 Hitchmough, Nielsen & Bauer, 2020

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4890.4.9 

Photos by D. van Winkel.

 twitter.com/StuartVNielsen

Abstract

The New Zealand diplodactylid gecko genus Toropuku is currently monotypic, but the sole member of the genus, T. stephensi, is distributed in two disjunct, geographically distant regions of New Zealand – the islands of Cook Strait (which includes the type locality, Stephens Island), between New Zealand’s North and South Islands, and the Coromandel Peninsula, in the northeastern North Island. Previously published phylogenetic results, based on three total individuals, recognized substantial—possibly species-level—diversity between these disparate localities, although no taxonomic decisions were made at that time. More recently, additional animals have been found on the Coromandel Peninsula. We here present phylogenetic and morphological evidence based on this expanded dataset to formally describe the populations on the Coromandel Peninsula as a new species, Toropuku inexpectatus sp. nov. The specific epithet refers to the species’ surprise discovery in a herpetologically well-surveyed area. The recognition of T. inexpectatus sp. nov. as a distinct species has implications for the conservation status of T. stephensi, which is now considered restricted to three islands in Cook Strait.

Keywords: Gekkota, taxonomy, Toropuku inexpectatus sp. nov., Toropuku stephensi, mainland relics, disjunct, conservation

FIGURE 1. Map of New Zealand illustrating the approximate distributions of the two species-level populations of Toropuku. Inset: A maximum likelihood phylogeny of Toropuku (pruned to just the ingroup) based on the concatenated mtDNA dataset, analyzed using RAxML. A black dot at each node indicates high support (e.g. maximum likelihood bootstrap>70).

FIGURE 5. Specimens of Toropuku inexpectatus sp. nov. photographed in the wild (not vouchered).

Photos by D. van Winkel.

 Rodney A. Hitchmough, Stuart V. Nielsen and Aaron M. Bauer. 2020. Earning Your Stripes: A Second Species of Striped Gecko in the New Zealand Gecko Genus Toropuku (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae). Zootaxa. 4890(4); 578–588. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4890.4.9

  twitter.com/StuartVNielsen/status/1334944953844293634

[Herpetology • 2020] Adenomera glauciae • A New Forest-Dwelling Frog Species of the Genus Adenomera (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Northwestern Brazilian Amazonia

Adenomera glauciae

de Carvalho, Simões, Gagliardi-Urrutia, Rojas-Runjaic, Haddad & Castroviejo-Fisher, 2020

DOI: 10.1643/CH-19-329

  facebook.com/FernandoRojasRunjaic

 twitter.com/IchsAndHerps 

Abstract

We describe a new species of the South American frog genus Adenomera, based on external morphology, color patterns, advertisement call, and mtDNA sequences. The new species was collected from the Japurá River basin in northwestern Brazilian Amazonia and is distinguished from all congeners by the combination of large snout–vent length (SVL), toe tips unexpanded, presence of antebrachial tubercle on underside of forearm, and by a multi-note advertisement call composed of non-pulsed notes. This new species is part of the A. lutzi clade together with a candidate new species known as Adenomera sp. P and A. lutzi. The three species have the largest SVL in the genus. The presence of toe tips fully expanded and a single-note advertisement call distinguish A. lutzi from the new species. Acoustic and morphological data are still required to assess the taxonomic identity of Adenomera sp. P. Our new species of Adenomera is the third anuran species described from the Solimões-Japurá interfluve. This flags this poorly known region of lowland forests as an important area of species richness in northwestern Amazonia.

A male paratype of Adenomera glauciae, new species (MCP 13891, SVL = 27.6 mm), photographed in life at the type locality (Igarapé da Fartura, ESEC Juami-Japurá, state of Amazonas, northern Brazil).

Adenomera glauciae, new species

Etymology.— The specific epithet is a matronymic derived from Glaucia M. Funk Pontes, Brazilian herpetologist and former curator of the amphibian and reptile collections of MCT-PUCRS from 2007 to 2019. We name this species in honor of our dear friend in recognition of her scientific and curatorial contributions to the Brazilian herpetofauna and as a tribute to the many hours of work shared through the years. 

Thiago R. de Carvalho, Pedro I. Simões, Giussepe Gagliardi-Urrutia, Fernando J. M. Rojas-Runjaic, Célio F. B. Haddad and Santiago Castroviejo-Fisher. 2020. A New Forest-Dwelling Frog Species of the Genus Adenomera (Leptodactylidae) from Northwestern Brazilian Amazonia. Copeia. 108(4); 924-937. DOI: 10.1643/CH-19-329

facebook.com/groups/mhnls/permalink/3782731961777075/

 twitter.com/IchsAndHerps/status/1341765149091377153

[Herpetology • 2020] Levitonius mirus • A New, Miniaturized Genus and Species of Snake (Cyclocoridae) from the Philippines

Levitonius mirus 

Weinell, Paluh, Siler & Brown, 2020

 DOI: 10.1643/CH2020110 

Waray Dwarf Burrowing Snake || twitter.com/JeffWeinell

Abstract

The Philippine archipelago is an exceptionally biodiverse region that includes at least 112 species of land snakes from 41 genera and 12 families. Recently, Cyclocoridae (formerly Lamprophiidae: Cyclocorinae) was proposed as a distinct, Philippine-endemic family, containing four genera: Cyclocorus, Hologerrhum, Myersophis, and Oxyrhabdium. Here, we describe an additional cyclocorid genus and species, Levitonius mirus, new genus and species, from Samar and Leyte Islands, Philippines. Molecular data support Levitonius, new genus, to be most closely related to Myersophis and Oxyrhabdium, and it shares multiple skeletal characteristics with these genera; Levitonius, new genus, differs from all of these taxa in body size, scalation, and other characters. Skeletal and other phenotypic data suggest that Levitonius, new genus, is fossorial and likely has a diet that is specialized on earthworms. Levitonius mirus, new genus and species, has a maximum total length of 172 mm and is at present the smallest known species in Elapoidea. Our results highlight the need for future work on Samar and Leyte Islands, which have received relatively little attention from systematists, in part because of a prevailing biogeographic paradigm that predicted (not necessarily correctly) that these islands would simply have a nested faunal subset of the Mindanao faunal region land vertebrates. The discovery of a strikingly distinct and phylogenetically divergent snake lineage on these landmasses joins numerous related studies calling for a wholesale reconsideration of the Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex model (the PAIC paradigm of diversification) biogeographic framework.

Fig. 1 (A) Elevation map of the Philippines, showing location of islands and PAICs mentioned in this article; B.I. = Babuyan Island Group, Sb. = Sibuyan Island, Sq. = Siquijor Island, C.S. = Camiguin Sur, Tb. = Tablas.
(B) Samar, Leyte, and nearby islands; red star indicates the type locality of Levitonius mirus, new genus and species; blue circle indicates a second occurrence locality;
(C) karst rainforest habitat at the L. mirus, new genus and species, type locality (Barangay San Rafael, Municipality of Taft, Samar Island).

Fig. 4 Comparison of selected cranial bones of cyclocorid species. (A) Skull of Levitonius mirus, new genus and species, showing the position of bones i–iv; from left to right: bones of L. mirus, new genus and species, Myersophis alpestris, Oxyrhabdium leporinum, Hologerrhum philippinum, and Cyclocorus lineatus; i = postorbital bone, ii = supratemporal bone, iii = quadrate bone, and iv = maxilla. White scale bars = 1 mm.

Levitonius, new genus

 Dwarf Burrowing Snakes 

Type species.— Levitonius mirus, new species.

Diagnosis.— Members of the genus Levitonius can be distinguished by the possession of five supralabial scales, 15 longitudinal rows of dorsal scales throughout the length of the body, and subcaudal scales unpaired.

 

Etymology.— The new generic appellation Levitonius is a masculine noun and a patronym in the genitive singular, honoring the numerous contributions and life-long dedication of Alan E. Leviton to the study of the systematics of Philippine snakes.

Fig. 7 Photographs of Levitonius mirus, new genus and species, type specimens (alcohol preserved): holotype PNM 9872 (A), and paratypes KU 311288 (B) and KU 305488 (C).

Dorsal view of body (A, top left; B–C, left); ventral view of body (A, bottom left; B–C, center); dorsal view of head (A–C, top right); lateral view of head (A–C, center right); ventral view of head (A–C, bottom right). Thick black scale bars = 10 mm; thin black scale bars = 1 mm.

     

Fig. 8 Head scalation of Levitonius mirus, new genus and species, holotype (PNM 9872); (A) ventral, (B) lateral, and (C) dorsal views of head.

 Illustrations by Errol D. Hooper (2019). Black scale bar = 1 mm.

Levitonius mirus, new species

 Waray Dwarf Burrowing Snake

 

Diagnosis.— Levitonius mirus can be distinguished from all other SE Asian snake species by having the following combination of characters: small size (largest total length known 172.1 mm); five supralabial scales; 15 longitudinal rows of dorsal scales throughout length of body; subcaudal scales unpaired; pair of internasal scales present; anterior temporal scale present; preocular scale absent; loreal scale present, not in contact with eye; mental scale broadly in contact with anterior chin shields; scales smooth, iridescent; dorsum ground color may be light brown to nearly black; one pale transverse band present on posterior of head, crosses parietals, temporals, and posterior supralabials; pale midventral line present or absent.

Distribution.— The new species is currently only known from Samar and Leyte Islands, southeastern Philippines.

Etymology.— The species epithet mirus is a Latin adjective, meaning unexpected finding or surprise—a fitting specific epithet for the miniaturized, phylogenetically unique evolutionary lineage represented by the new genus and species described here. The suggested common name, the Waray Dwarf Burrowing Snake, honors the Waray-waray people of the eastern Visayas, in particular the Samareños who live in vicinity of the type locality, among the forested mountains of Samar Island, and the Leyteños who inhabit the new genus' only other documented locality in the montane forests of Leyte Island.

     

 

Jeffrey L. Weinell, Daniel J. Paluh, Cameron D. Siler and Rafe M. Brown. 2020. A New, Miniaturized Genus and Species of Snake (Cyclocoridae) from the Philippines. Copeia. 108(4); 907-923. DOI: 10.1643/CH2020110

  twitter.com/JeffWeinell/status/1341769082719363072

  twitter.com/KUNHM/status/1341872038638661634

  twitter.com/IchsAndHerps/status/1341762537889665024

     

     

[Botany • 2020] Corybas boholensis (Orchidaceae) • A New Jewel Orchid Species from Bohol Island, Central Visayas, Philippines

Corybas boholensis Tandang, R.Bustam. T. Reyes Jr. & S.P. Lyon 

in Tandang, Reyes, Bustamante, ... et Lyon, 2020.  

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.477.2.10  

  photo by : J.Callado  facebook.com/PhTaxa

Abstract

A new, critically endangered jewel orchid species, Corybas boholensis, is described and illustrated from forest over limestone on Bohol Island, Philippines. This diminutive species, belonging to the C. pictus complex, is distinct in having a deep red flower and a truncate, warty dorsal sepal with 9–11 veins at its widest point near the apex. This is the fifth species of Corybas recorded for the Philippines.

Keywords: Monocots, Diurideae, Acianthinae, Malesia, karst, taxonomy, micro-endemic

Corybas boholensis Tandang, R.Bustam. T. Reyes Jr. & S.P. Lyon

    

Danilo N. Tandang, Tomas Jr. Reyes, Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante, John Rey C. Callado, Edwin R. Tadiosa, Esperanza Maribel Agoo and Stephanie P. Lyon. 2020. Corybas boholensis (Orchidaceae): A New Jewel Orchid Species from Bohol Island, Central Visayas, Philippines. Phytotaxa. 477(2); 261–268. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.477.2.10  

 facebook.com/PhTaxa/photos/3357279347734939

𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔: Tandang, R.Bustam. T. Reyes Jr. & S.P. Lyon, A new species of Orchid that is found in forest over limestone in Bohol. The discovery was formally published by researchers from the Philippine National Museum of Natural History, Philippine Taxonomic Initiative Inc. (PTI), Univeristy of the Philippines—Los Baños, and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, USA , in the peer-reviewed journal Phytotaxa. Dec 2020