[Botany • 2021] Ophioglossum trilokinathii (Ophioglossaceae) • A New Species of Adder’s Tongue Fern from India with Comparative Analysis of Morphological and Molecular Attributes

Ophioglossum trilokinathii B. L. Yadav, M. K. Meghvansi, K. Meena & C. B. Gena, 

in Yadav, Meghvansi, Meena & Gena, 2021.

DOI :10.1038/s41598-021-03231-w

Abstract

Eusporangiate fern genus Ophioglossum L. is commonly known as Adder’s tongue fern as its fertile frond gives the appearance of snake tongue. A new species in this fern genus, O. trilokinathii belonging to Ophioglossaceae family has been discovered from the plateau region of Rajasthan State of northwestern India. The new species can be distinguished from other taxa of this genus by its smaller habit, subglobose-tuberous rhizome, basipetal emergence of young roots, aggregation of old decaying roots on rhizome apex, fertile stalk as well as spike short and thick, trophophylls in rosette, ovate or orbicular and a unique sporoderm sculpture pattern under SEM having broad reticulations with thick and raised muri enclosing large hexagonal or irregular areas on the distal and proximal faces of the spores hitherto unreported in any of the presently known taxa of Ophioglossum. In addition, comparative study of stomatal structure, foliar anatomy and nucleotide sequence data of its three chloroplast DNA markers (trnL-F, rbcL and psbA-trnH) was carried out. In view of all the attributes including habitat, ecology, morphology, foliar anatomy, stomatal features, palynology and molecular phylogenetic data, the present study suggests that the Ophioglossum specimen collected from plateau region of Rajasthan represents a hitherto undescribed species thereby warranting its establishment as O. trilokinathii sp. nov. A detailed comparative account of the new taxon with its allied species has also been provided.

Ophioglossum trilokinathii sp. nov.
 (A) Habitat. (B) Entire plant with aggregation of roots of previous season (older roots) at rhizome apex. (C) Rhizome showing basipetal emergence of roots. (D) Trophophyll-size, shape and venation.

Ophioglossum trilokinathii B. L. Yadav, M. K. Meghvansi, K. Meena & C. B. Gena sp. nov.  

Diagnosis: Ophioglossum trilokinathii sp. nov. is unique among the species of this genus in having basipetal emergence of roots, aggregation of old decaying roots at rhizome apex, trophophylls in rosette touching the substratum, peculiar broad reticulate spore wall ornamentation with thick and raised muri enclosing large hexagonal or irregular areas, granulose perine (perispore), differentiation of mesophyll cells into palisade and spongy tissues and elliptic stomata with thin and smooth inner margin of outer stomatal ledge.

 

Etymology: The specific epithet has been chosen in honour of Professor Triloki Nath Bhardwaja (Professor T. N. Bhardwaja), Former Vice-Chancellor, V. M. Open University, Kota, Rajasthan, India for his commendable work in the field of pteridology.

 

B. L. Yadav, Mukesh K. Meghvansi, Kanta Meena and C. B. Gena. 2021. Discovery of A New Species of Adder’s Tongue Fern from India with Comparative Analysis of Morphological and Molecular Attributes. Scientific Reports. 11; 24396. DOI :10.1038/s41598-021-03231-w

[Botany • 2021] Decaisnina samaense (Loranthaceae) • A New Mistletoe Species from Simunul Island, Philippines

Decaisnina samaense Tahil, 

in Tahil, 2021. 

 HUH.harvard.edu 

Abstract

 Decaisnina samaense, a new species of Loranthaceae from the Island of Simunul, Southern Philippines, is hereby described and illustrated. It is distinguished from all Decaisnina species by having narrowly lanceolate and narrowly ovate-lanceolate leaf laminae with a remarkable acuminate apex, flower buds being globularly inflated at the base with corolla color being yellow in the lower half and pastel green in the upper half and often blackish at the tip, and inflorescence consistently produce both triads and peduncles along the axis. It is related to Decaisnina stenopetala and D. zollingeri by exhibiting globular inflation at the base of the flower buds but differs from the two by having longer bracts, longer anthers, and the free part of the filament shorter. Decaisnina samaense is hereby assessed as Critically Endangered (CR B1, B2a&c, D). 

Keywords: Decaisnina, globular inflation, Loranthaceae, Mistletoe, Simunul Island, taxonomy

Decaisnina samaense Tahil.
A, plant showing a branch with leaves and and inflorescences; B, close-up view showing the number of pairs of inflorescences. Based on the holotype.

Decaisnina samaense Tahil.
A, young flower buds showing globular inflation at the base; B, flower buds at anthesis; C, adaxial view of reflexed flower buds; D, a pair of inflorescences; E, abaxial view of the inflorescence showing five pairs of triads and two pairs of peduncles (arrows) along the axis; F, dissected flower bud (a, Globular inflated base; b, Corolla; c, Corolla lobes; d, Free part of the filament; e, Anther; f, Stigma; g, Style). Based on the holotype.

Decaisnina samaense Tahil, sp. nov. 

Species nova affinis Decaisnina stenopetala (Oliver) Barlow et Decaisnina zollingeri (Tieghem) Barlow similis, sed foliis paene lanceolatis et paene ovatis-lanceolatis apud praeclarum acuminatae apex, alabastra quod globosam inflatam apud quod fundamen apud corolla color flavor in minus medium et pastellus viridi in superiores medium, saepe nigricans apud apex et inflorescentiae fructus tum triadorum et pedunculus secus axis constantius, bracteis 3–4.5 mm longis, antheris 5–6.5 mm longis et liberis pars autem filamentorum 2–2.2 mm longis distinguita.

Habitat and distribution: Decaisnina samaense is known only from the small Island of Simunul. All the collections were found in the secondary forest of the island at 0-5 m above sea level. The area is dominated by Psychotria sp. (Rubiaceae) and Melicope sp. (Rutaceae). The species was found infecting and growing only on Melicope sp.

Etymology: The epithet of this taxonomic novelty honors the indigenous Sama people of the Simunul Island.

Arkady A. Tahil. 2021. Decaisnina samaense (Loranthaceae): A New Mistletoe Species from Simunul Island, Philippines. Harvard Papers in Botany. 26(2); 471–474. DOI: 10.3100/hpib.v26iss2.2021.n13  HUH.harvard.edu/pdf-downloads

[Paleontology • 2021] An Exquisitely Preserved in-ovo Theropod Dinosaur Embryo sheds Light on Avian-like Prehatching Postures

in Xing, Niu, Ma, ... et Brusatte, 2021.

 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103516  

Artwork by Julius Csotonyi facebook.com/JuliusCsotonyi 

Highlights:

• A Late Cretaceous oviraptorid theropod dinosaur embryo is preserved in-ovo

• Its head lies ventral to the body, and the back curled along the egg's blunt pole

• Its posture is similar to that of a late-stage modern bird embryo

• Avian tucking behavior possibly originated among non-avian theropods

Summary

Despite the discovery of many dinosaur eggs and nests over the past 100 years, articulated in-ovo embryos are remarkably rare. Here we report an exceptionally preserved, articulated oviraptorid embryo inside an elongatoolithid egg, from the Late Cretaceous Hekou Formation of southern China. The head lies ventral to the body, with the feet on either side, and the back curled along the blunt pole of the egg, in a posture previously unrecognized in a non-avian dinosaur, but reminiscent of a late-stage modern bird embryo. Comparison to other late-stage oviraptorid embryos suggests that prehatch oviraptorids developed avian-like postures late in incubation, which in modern birds are related to coordinated embryonic movements associated with tucking — a behavior controlled by the central nervous system, critical for hatching success. We propose that such pre-hatching behavior, previously considered unique to birds, may have originated among non-avian theropods, which can be further investigated with additional discoveries of embryo fossils.

 

Lida Xing, Kecheng Niu, Waisum Ma, Darla K. Zelenitsky, Tzu-Ruei Yang and Stephen L. Brusatte. 2021. An Exquisitely Preserved in-ovo Theropod Dinosaur Embryo sheds Light on Avian-like Prehatching Postures. iScience.  DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103516

   facebook.com/JuliusCsotonyi/posts/10158048449631396

[Botany • 2021] Carpotroche caceresiae (Achariaceae) • A New Species of Carpotroche from Honduras and Nicaragua

 

Carpotroche caceresiae D. Santam.,  

in Santamaría-Aguilar, Coronado, Liesner & Monro, 2021. 

  twitter.com/AlexMonro

Abstract

 Carpotroche caceresiae, a newly delimited species from the Caribbean drainage of Honduras and Nicaragua, is described and illustrated and its extinction threat assessed as Near Threatened (NT) according to IUCN criteria. Carpotroche caceresiae has previously been confused with C. platyptera, a species characterized by a densely pubescent lower leaf surface and red fruits lacking crests between the wings; in contrast, C. caceresiae has sparsely pubescent lower leaf surface and green fruits with crests between the wings. Carpotroche crassiramea and C. glaucescens, typified with Costa Rican material, and hitherto included in the synonymy of C. platyptera, are treated here as distinct morphological identities; a list of the specimens examined and referred to these names are provided. 

Keywords: Carpotroche platyptera, Flacourtiaceae, Herbaria, Malphigiales, Mesoamerica, Taxonomy, Ecuador 

Carpotroche caceresiae D. Santam. A, hermaphrodite flowers; B, branch with hermaphrodite flower and fruits, insent stem and fruits).
Carpotroche longifolia Benth. C, hermaphrodite flowers; D, flowers on the stem; E, fruits showing conspicuously lacerated wings.

Images by Indiana Coronado 

(A–B, from I. Coronado and A. Fernández 4408, B inset from I. Coronado and A. Fernández 4736-A); and Robin Foster (C–E).

. Carpotroche caceresiae D. Santam.
A, leaf and margin detail; B, fruits.

 Illustration by Isler. F. Chinchilla,

A from a image of the specimen I. Coronado et al. 1953 (MO); 

B of photography I. Coronado et al. 4636.

Carpotroche caceresiae D. Santam., sp. nov. 

This new species is morphologically similar to Carpotroche longifolia (Poepp.) Benth. with respect to its whitish to greenish fruits that are longitudinally winged and possessing numerous crests between the wings, and the leaves, whose abaxial surface is short-pubescent. Carpotroche caceresiae can be distinguished from C. longifolia by the wings of the fruit having an entire or weakly sinuate margin (vs. deeply lacerate).

Berta Isabel Cáceres Flores (1971–2016).

Courtesy by Michelle Meola.

Eponymy: This species is named in memory and recognition of the bravery of Berta Isabel Cáceres Flores (1971–2016), one of 123 environmental activists assassinated in retaliation for their opposition to environmental destruction and loss of indigenous land in Honduras, between 2009 and 2016 (Global Witness, 2017). Berta Cáceres (Fig. 7), in particular, was murdered because of her opposition to the Agua Zarcas hydroelectric project. She won the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2015.

Daniel Santamaría-Aguilar, Indiana M. Coronado, Ronald L. Liesner and Alexandre K. Monro. 2021. A New Species of Carpotroche (Achariaceae) from Honduras and Nicaragua. Harvard Papers in Botany. 26(2); 455–469. DOI: 10.3100/hpib.v26iss2.2021.n12 

 huh.harvard.edu/files/herbaria/files/26_2_455_santamariua-aguilar_etal.pdf

  twitter.com/AlexMonro/status/1472210124538322948

[Ichthyology • 2021] Obliquogobius eptactis • A New Species of Obliquogobius (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the Andaman Sea (northeastern Indian Ocean)

Obliquogobius eptactis

 Fujiwara, Psomadakis, Swe & Motomura, 2021 

 

RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 69 

Abstract

 Obliquogobius eptactis, new species (Teleostei: Gobiidae) is described on the basis of four specimens (40.7–50.1 mm in standard length) collected by the R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen from the Andaman Sea, off Myanmar, in depths of 181–184 m. The new species is characterised by the following combination of characters: 2nd dorsalfin rays I, 9 or 10; head somewhat large, length 32.9–34.4% of SL; lateral surface of nape scaled; postorbital pore G present (in anterior oculoscapular canal); gill opening relatively narrow, anteroventral point extending slightly forward to vertical level of preopercle margin; caudal fin dorsoventrally asymmetrical, rays in upper half much longer than those in lower half, giving obliquely pointed appearance; seven bright yellow bars (pale whitish in preserved specimens) on body, two under 1st dorsal-fin base, remainder under 2nd dorsal fin (from origin) and on caudal peduncle; dorsal fins pale brown with bright yellow barred pattern; 1st dorsal fin without broad black margin; pectoral fin bright yellow; three bright yellow vertical bars on upper part of caudal fin; distinct black spot on centre of caudal-fin base absent. Although the new species is similar to Obliquogobius yamadai Shibukawa & Aonuma, 2007, the former can be distinguished from the latter by having seven bright yellow bars on the body [vs. five bars (rarely six, including indistinct partial bar located above anus) in O. yamadai], a bright yellow barred pattern on the dorsal fins (vs. 1st and 2nd dorsal fins lacking barred patterns: 1st dorsal fin with distinct broad black margin, 2nd dorsal fin generally faint yellow), bright yellow pectoral fins (vs. translucent white or faint yellow), no distinct small black spot centrally on the caudal-fin base [vs. a small black spot (variable in size) with following indistinct yellow partial bar present], three bright yellow irregular vertical bars restricted to upper part of caudal fin (vs. three longitudinal yellow stripes on entire fin; stripes faded out soon after capture), and larger head, length 32.9–33.3 (vs. 28.3–32.2) and 34.4 (vs. 29.1–33.5) % of SL in males and females, respectively. 

Key words. Obliquogobius eptactis, Obliquogobius yamadai, deepwater goby, R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, trawl surveys, Myanmar, Indian Ocean

Fresh colouration of Obliquogobius eptactis, new species.
A, B, SAIAB208554, male, 50.1 mm SL;
C, SAIAB 208473, male, 47.0 mm SL;
D, SAIAB 208484, female, 40.7 mm SL.
A, C, D, lateral views; B, dorsal view.

 

Obliquogobius eptactis, new species 

[New English name: Seven-striped deepwater goby]

Diagnosis. A species of Obliquogobius (Fig. 1) distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: 2nd dorsal-fin rays I, 9 or 10; head somewhat large, length 32.9–34.4% of SL; lateral surface of nape scaled; postorbital pore G present (in anterior oculoscapular canal); gill opening relatively narrow, anteroventral point extending slightly forward to vertical level of preopercle margin; caudal fin asymmetrical dorsoventrally, rays in upper half much longer than those in lower half, giving obliquely pointed appearance; seven bright yellow (pale whitish in preserved specimens) bars on body, two located under 1st dorsal-fin base, remainder under 2nd dorsal-fin (from origin) and on caudal peduncle; dorsal fins pale brown with bright yellow barred pattern; 1st dorsal fin without broad black margin; pectoral fin bright yellow; three bright yellow vertical bars on upper part of caudal fin; distinct black spot on centre of caudal-fin base absent.

Distribution. Currently known only from four specimens trawled between 181–184 m off the Myeik Archipelago, Andaman Sea. 

Etymology. The specific name “eptactis”, a combination of the New Greek “epta” and “aktis”, means “seven light rays”, in reference to the seven characteristic yellow bars on the body.

 

 Kyoji Fujiwara, Peter N. Psomadakis, Thet Yu Yu Swe and Hiroyuki Motomura. 2021. Description of A New Species of Obliquogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the Andaman Sea (northeastern Indian Ocean). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 69; 541–547. DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2021-0070

 twitter.com/FishInTheNews/status/1471831699663335431

[Botany • 2021] Ponerorchis wolongensis (Orchidaceae: Orchidoideae: Orchidinae) • A New Species with Variable Labellum from Hengduan Mountains, western Sichuan, China

Ponerorchis wolongensis  G.W. Hu, Yue H. Cheng & Q.F. Wang, 

in Peng, Cheng, Mutie, ... et Wang, 2021. 

卧龙无柱兰 || DOI: 10.1111/njb.03295

Abstract

Ponerorchis wolongensis, a new orchid species from the Hengduan Mountains, western Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated here based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Morphologically, the new species is similar to P. capitata, but they can easily be differentiated by the number of leaves and flowers, the shape of leaves, and the mid-lobe of the labellum. Phylogenetically, based on seven DNA sequences, the new species is more close to P . sichuanica, but these two species are very different in both growth habit and morphological characteristics.

Keywords: Flora of Sichuan, new taxon, Orchidaceae, Ponerorchis, taxonomy

Ponerorchis wolongensis G.W. Hu, Yue H. Cheng & Q.F. Wang sp. nov. 

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘wolongensis' refers to the locality of the type specimen, Wolong National Nature Reserve, Wenchuan county, Sichuan, China.

Vernacular name: Wò Lóng Wú Zhù Lán (卧龙无柱兰).

Distribution and habitat: Ponerorchis wolongensis is currently known only from the type locality in Wolong National Nature Reserve, Western Sichuan, China. It grows on mossy stones, under mixed coniferous broad-leaved forest, at an elevation of ca 2680 m a.s.l.

Shuai Peng, Yue-Hong Cheng, Fredrick Munyao Mutie, Jia-Xin Yang, Jun-Jie Wang, Hong-Qiang Lin, Ting-Mei He, Guang-Wan Hu and Qing-Feng Wang. 2021. Ponerorchis wolongensis (Orchidaceae, Orchidinae), A New Species with Variable Labellum from Hengduan Mountains, western Sichuan, China. Nordic Journal of Botany.  DOI: 10.1111/njb.03295

武汉植物园在四川再次发现兰科植物新物种

 jiyinzaixian.com/news/k3261b9417ece90b

    

[PaleoOrnithology • 2021] Brevirostruavis macrohyoideus • Novel Evolution of A Hyper-elongated Tongue in A Cretaceous Enantiornithine from China and the Evolution of the Hyolingual Apparatus and Feeding in Birds

Brevirostruavis macrohyoideus

Li, Wang, Stidham, Zhou & Clarke, 2021

DOI: 10.1111/joa.13588

 

Abstract

The globally distributed extinct clade Enantiornithes comprises the most diverse early radiation of birds in the Mesozoic with species exhibiting a wide range of body sizes, morphologies, and ecologies. The fossil of a new enantiornithine bird, Brevirostruavis macrohyoideus gen. et sp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in Liaoning Province, northeastern China, preserves a few important skeletal features previously unknown among early stem and extant birds, including an extremely elongate bony hyoid element (only slightly shorter than the skull), combined with a short cranial rostrum. The long hyoid provides direct evidence for the evolution of specialized feeding in this extinct species, and appears similar to the highly mobile tongue that is mobilized by the paired epibranchials present in living hummingbirds, honeyeaters, and woodpeckers. The likely linkage between food acquisition and tongue protrusion might have been a key factor in the independent evolution of particularly elongate hyobranchials in early birds.

Aves Linnaeus, 1758. 

Enantiornithes Walker, 1981. 

Photograph and line drawing of the skull of the holotype specimen of  Brevirostruavis macrohyoideus (IVPP V13266).

Brevirostruavis macrohyoideus gen. et sp. nov. 

Etymology: The genus name refers to its short rostrum (and bird), and the specific epithet refers to the particularly long hyoid apparatus. 

Locality and horizon: Xiaotaizi Village, Jianchang County, Liaoning Province, China; Jiufotang Formation, Lower Cretaceous. Age approximately 120 Ma (He et al., 2004).

 Brevirostruavis macrohyoideus with its mouth open to show its long tongue that was used to catch insects or obtain nectar from cone-bearing plants

Zhiheng Li, Min Wang, Thomas A. Stidham, Zhonghe Zhou and Julia Clarke. 2021. Novel Evolution of A Hyper-elongated Tongue in A Cretaceous Enantiornithine from China and the Evolution of the Hyolingual Apparatus and Feeding in Birds. Journal of Anatomy. DOI: 10.1111/joa.13588

 english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/life/202112/t20211215_294071.shtml

[Paleontology • 2021] Vectiraptor greeni • A New Dromaeosaurid Dinosaur from the Wessex Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Barremian) of the Isle of Wight, and Implications for European Palaeobiogeography

 

Vectiraptor greeni

 Longrich, Martill & Jacobs, 2021

DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105123  

 Researchgate.net/publication/357133076 

  facebook.com/NickLongrich

A B S T R A C T

The Lower Cretaceous of England has produced a diverse assemblage of dinosaurs, including ornithischians, sauropods, and theropods. The origins of this assemblage are poorly understood. Here, we describe a new dromaeosaurid, Vectiraptor greeni gen. et sp. nov., from the Barremian Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight. The animal is represented by associated dorsal vertebrae and a partial sacrum. Dorsal vertebrae are short, with pleurocoels, camellate pneumatization, stalked parapophyses and enlarged neural canals. Neural spines are tall, with large ligament scars. Sacral centra lack pleurocoels but have large neural canals and foramina suggesting pneumatization. These characters suggest affinities with Dromaeosauridae and specifically the derived, large-bodied Eudromaeosauria. Vectiraptor resembles Early Cretaceous eudromaeosaurs from North America, suggesting a faunal exchange between Europe and North America. The diverse Early Cretaceous dinosaur assemblage found in England and Europe resulted from dispersal from North America, Asia, and West Gondwana, likely involving both land bridges and oceanic dispersal. Europe served as a biotic crossroads in the Early Cretaceous, allowing faunal interchange between landmasses.

Keywords: Dinosauria, Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae, Biogeography, Barremian, United Kingdom

Vectiraptor greeni gen. et sp. nov.

   

Nicholas R. Longrich, David M. Martill and Megan L. Jacobs. 2021. A New Dromaeosaurid Dinosaur from the Wessex Formation (Lower Cretaceous, Barremian) of the Isle of Wight, and Implications for European Palaeobiogeography. Cretaceous Research. In Press, 105123. DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2021.105123 

  Researchgate.net/publication/357133076_A_new_dromaeosaurid_dinosaur_from_the_Wessex_Formation_of_the_Isle_of_Wight 

  facebook.com/NickLongrich/posts/10158872223129125

[Herpetology • 2021] Paraxenodermus borneensis • Phylogenetic Relationships of Xenodermid Snakes (Serpentes: Xenodermidae), with the Description of A New Genus

Paraxenodermus borneensis (Boulenger, 1899) 

(ZRC 2.5731), from Crocker Range, Sabah, in the north-western Borneo.

in Deepak, Lalronunga, Lalhmingliani, et al. 2021.

DOI: 10.3897/vz.71.e75967

Photograph by Indraneil Das.

Abstract

Xenodermidae is a generally poorly known lineage of caenophidian snakes found in South, East and Southeast Asia. We report molecular phylogenetic analyses for a multilocus data set comprising all five currently recognised genera and including new mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequence data for the recently described Stoliczkia vanhnuailianai. Our phylogenetic results provide very strong support for the non-monophyly of Stoliczkia, as presently constituted, with S. borneensis being more closely related to Xenodermus than to the Northeast Indian S. vanhnuailianai. Based on phylogenetic relationships and morphological distinctiveness, we transfer Stoliczkia borneensis to a new monotypic genus endemic to Borneo, Paraxenodermus gen. nov. We also present new morphological data for P. borneensis.

Key words: Borneo, endemic, morphology, Paraxenodermus gen. nov., phylogeny, taxonomy

Line drawings of Stoliczkia khasiensis (A, B),
Stoliczkia vanhnuailianai (C, D) and
Paraxenodermus borneensis (E, F)

based on ZSIK 14945, BNHS 3656 and BMNH 1946.1.15.58 respectively.

Genus characteristics are highlighted in different colours: 1) some supralabials in contact with eye in Stoliczkia, separated by circumorbital scales in Paraxenodermus; 2) fewer supra- and infralabials in Stoliczkia than in Paraxenodermus; 3) single prefrontal in Stoliczkia versus 2–3 in Paraxenodermus, 4) fewer scales between parietal and supralabials immediately behind eye in Stoliczkia than in Paraxenodermus, and 5) small row of scales between frontal and prefrontals absent in Stoliczkia, present in Paraxenodermus.

Note small scales behind the temporals are indicative rather than precisely accurate. Pale grey coloured areas are bare skin exposed between scales.

Illustrations by V. Deepak and Surya Narayanan. Scale bars = 10 mm.

Systematics

Stoliczkia — (Jerdon, 1870)

Content— S. khasiensis (Fig. 3A–B) and S. vanhnuailianai (Fig. 3C–D)

Diagnosis: This genus can be diagnosed based on the combination of the following features: (1) maxillary teeth small and subequal, (2) head very distinct from (much wider than) ‘neck’, with large shields on dorsal aspect, (3) posterior one-third of the head and posterior temporal region covered with small scales like those of the anterior end of the body, (4) 3 small scales between parietal and supralabial shields immediately behind eye (5) 8–9 supralabials, (6) nostril in a large concave nasal, (7) body slender and somewhat laterally compressed, (8) ventrals large, and (9) dark dorsum and pale venter meet along a regular straight line ventrolaterally and subcaudals partially or completely darker than venter.

Distribution: This genus is restricted to Northeast India (Fig. 1). Stoliczkia khasiensis is thus far known only from Khasi hills, Meghalaya state, India and the recently described Stoliczkia vanhnuailianai is known only from Mizoram state, India.

Etymology: The genus is named after the Moravian-born Ferdinand Stoliczka (1838–1874). A geologist-natural historian, he was appointed as a palaeontologist with the Geological Survey of India in 1863. Stoliczka collected vertebrates and molluscs from northern India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Myanmar and the Malay Peninsula. He served as the official Naturalist with the Second Mission to Yarkand, in central Asia. A biography and a list of published works and reports by Stoliczka can be found in Kolmaš (1982).

Paraxenodermus borneensis in life (ZRC 2.5731), from Crocker Range, Sabah, in the north-western Borneo. Sequences for this specimen was published in Vidal and Hedges (2002) and used in this study.

Photograph by Indraneil Das.

Paraxenodermus, gen. nov. 

 

Type species: Paraxenodermus borneensis (Boulenger, 1899).

Type locality: Mount Kinabalu, North Borneo (4,200 ft / 1,280 m); the holotype is deposited in the Natural History Museum, London as BMNH 1946.1.15.58; collected by Richard Hanitsch in March, 1899.

Diagnosis: This genus can be diagnosed based on the combination of the following features: (1) maxillary teeth small and subequal, (2) head very distinct from (much wider than) ‘neck’, with large shields on dorsal aspect, (3) posterior one-third of the head and posterior temporal region covered with small scales like those of the anterior of the body, (4) numerous small scales between parietal and supralabial shields immediately behind eye, (5) a row of 4–6 small scales between the frontal and prefrontal shields, (6) 10–11 supralabials, (7) nostril in a large concave nasal, (8) body slender and somewhat laterally compressed, (9) ventrals large, and (10) dorsum with numerous dorsolateral and middorsal pale blotches, venter pale with brown patches and subcaudals dark grey.

Etymology: The generic name Paraxenodermus is composed of the modern Latin generic name Xenodermus and the Latin adjective par (paris), meaning, among other possibilities, “similar to”.

Paraxenodermus borneensis (Boulenger, 1899).

 V. Deepak, Samuel Lalronunga, Esther Lalhmingliani, Abhijit Das, Surya Narayanan, Indraneil Das and David J. Gower. 2021. Phylogenetic Relationships of Xenodermid Snakes (Squamata: Serpentes: Xenodermidae), with the Description of A New Genus. Vertebrate Zoology. 71: 747-763. DOI: 10.3897/vz.71.e75967

[Paleontology • 2021] Macroevolutionary Trends in Theropod Dinosaur Feeding Mechanics

Life reconstruction of the Late Cretaceous Iren Dabasu Formation fauna, Inner Mongolia, showing theropod dinosaurs of various diets.
Such dietary niche partitioning could have contributed to the diversification of theropod dinosaurs, which eventually led to the evolution of modern birds.
Depicted species: Gigantoraptor, Neimongosaurus and Velociraptor.

in Ma, Pittman, Butler & Lautenschlager, 2021. 

DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.060 

 twitter.com/FionMaWS 

 Artwork: Gabriel Ugueto.  twitter.com/SerpenIllus

Highlights: 

• A general trend of jaw strengthening is observed along all theropod lineages

• Carnivores and herbivores achieved this via different morphofunctional modifications

• Same jaw strengthening trend is also detected in tyrannosaurids ontogenetically

• This common trend is linked to functional peramorphosis of bone functional adaptation

Summary

Theropod dinosaurs underwent some of the most remarkable dietary changes in vertebrate evolutionary history, shifting from ancestral carnivory to hypercarnivory and omnivory/herbivory, with some taxa eventually reverting to carnivory. The mandible is an important tool for food acquisition in vertebrates and reflects adaptations to feeding modes and diets. The morphofunctional modifications accompanying the dietary changes in theropod dinosaurs are not well understood because most of the previous studies focused solely on the cranium and/or were phylogenetically limited in scope, while studies that include multiple clades are usually based on linear measurements and/or discrete osteological characters. Given the potential relationship between macroevolutionary change and ontogenetic pattern,23 we explore whether functional morphological patterns observed in theropod mandibular evolution show similarities to the ontogenetic trajectory. Here, we use finite element analysis to study the mandibles of non-avialan coelurosaurian theropods and demonstrate how feeding mechanics vary between dietary groups and major clades. We reveal an overall reduction in feeding-induced stresses along all theropod lineages through time. This is facilitated by a post-dentary expansion and the development of a downturned dentary in herbivores and an upturned dentary in carnivores likely via the “curved bone effect.” We also observed the same reduction in feeding-induced stress in an ontogenetic series of jaws of the tyrannosaurids Tarbosaurus and Tyrannosaurus, which is best attributed to bone functional adaptation. This suggests that this common tendency for structural strengthening of the theropod mandible through time, irrespective of diet, is linked to “functional peramorphosis” of bone functional adaptations acquired during ontogeny.

Keywords: dinosaur, functional morphology, feeding mechanics, diet, skull, peramorphosis, mesozoic, vertebrate palaeontology

 

Life reconstruction of the Late Cretaceous Iren Dabasu Formation fauna, showing theropod dinosaurs of various diets. Such dietary niche partitioning could have contributed to the diversification of theropod dinosaurs, which eventually led to the evolution of modern birds. Depicted species: Gigantoraptor, Garudimimus, Neimongosaurus and Velociraptor.

Artwork: Gabriel Ugueto.

 Waisum Ma, Michael Pittman, Richard J. Butler and Stephan Lautenschlager. 2021. Macroevolutionary Trends in Theropod Dinosaur Feeding Mechanics. Current Biology. In Press. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.060

  twitter.com/FionMaWS/status/1471507668590206977 

 twitter.com/SerpenIllus/status/1471522981918740484

    

[Diplopoda • 2021] Eumillipes persephone • The First True Millipede—1306 legs long—from Western Australia

Eumillipes persephone Marek, 

in Marek, Buzatto, Shear, ... et Rodriguez, 2021.

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02447-0

twitter.com/apheloria 

Abstract

The name “millipede” translates to a thousand feet (from mille “thousand” and pes “foot”). However, no millipede has ever been described with more than 750 legs. We discovered a new record-setting species of millipede with 1,306 legs, Eumillipes persephone, from Western Australia. This diminutive animal (0.95 mm wide, 95.7 mm long) has 330 segments, a cone-shaped head with enormous antennae, and a beak for feeding. A distant relative of the previous record holder, Illacme plenipes from California, it belongs to a different order, the Polyzoniida. Discovered 60 m below ground in a drill hole created for mineral exploration, E. persephone possesses troglomorphic features; it lacks eyes and pigmentation, and it has a greatly elongated body—features that stand in stark contrast to its closest surface-dwelling relatives in Australia and all other members of its order. Using phylogenomics, we found that super-elongation (> 180 segments) evolved repeatedly in the millipede class Diplopoda. The striking morphological similarity between E. persephone and I. plenipes is a result of convergent evolution, probably for locomotion in similar soil habitats. Discovered in the resource-rich Goldfields-Esperance region and threatened by encroaching surface mining, documentation of this species and conservation of its habitat are of critical importance.

Taxonomy  

Class Diplopoda de Blainville in Gervais, 1844

Subterclass Colobognatha Brandt, 1834

Order Polyzoniida Cook, 1895

Family Siphonotidae Cook, 1895

Tribe Rhinotini Hoffman, 1977

The leggiest animal on the planet, Eumillipes persephone, from Australia.
(A) female with 330 segments and 1,306 legs (paratype specimen, T147124). (B) ventral view of legs (male holotype, T147101). (C) dorsal view of head and ventral view of gonopods (male holotype, T147101). Scale bars, 0.5 mm.

Phylogenomic estimation of the evolutionary history of colobognath millipedes. Super-elongation (> 180 segments) is well known from the order Siphonophorida, including Illacme plenipes with 192 segments and 750 legs, but it has independently evolved in the Australian order Polyzoniida with Eumillipes persephone bearing up to 1,306 legs and 330 segments. This feature (dark branches) has evolved between two and four times in diplopods based on a character state reconstruction using parsimony. Maximum likelihood phylogeny of 312 orthologous sequences with Polydesmida, Stemmiulida, Chordeumatida, Spirostreptida, and Sphaerotheriida as outgroup taxa. Julida, Spirobolida, and other diplopod orders omitted from the analysis. Support values on nodes are bootstrap supports. Numbers in parentheses after species names are the maximum segment count for the taxon. Species with super-elongation present denoted in bold. Millipede silhouettes sized relative to one other.

Diagram created with Adobe Illustrator 2021 (adobe.com/products/illustrator.html).

Eumillipes, Marek new genus

 

Type species: Eumillipes persephone Marek, new species.

Generic placement and diagnosis: 

The genus Eumillipes is placed in the order Polyzoniida, family Siphonotidae, tribe Rhinotini based on the following characters10,20; whether the character is diagnostic for the order (O), family (F), or tribe (T) is denoted in parentheses. Head capsule small, conical, elongated into a sharp snout (O) (Fig. 1C, Supplementary Fig. S1A–C). Prozonites and metazonites of trunk rings the same width (O) (Supplementary Fig. S2A); prozonites not narrow as in the Siphonophorida. Rings smooth (Supplementary Fig. S2B), covered with neither cuticular ornaments nor long setae as in the Siphonophorida. Vertex of head with two macrosetae (O) (Supplementary Fig. S1C). Antennae thick with equally sized antennomeres (O) (Fig. 1C, Supplementary Fig. S3A); antennae not strongly elbowed between antennomeres 3, 4 as in the Siphonorhinidae (Siphonophorida). Gnathochilarium reduced to three sclerites: mentum; left, right stipes (O). Ozopores located far in from lateral edges of tergites; placed two-thirds the distance from midline laterally to tergal margins (F) (Supplementary Fig. S2D). Vasa deferentia open through small conical lobes (penes) on the posterior surfaces of the second leg coxae (F). Telson a complete ring around the anal valves (F) (Supplementary Fig. S2D). Tarsal claw with long sigmoid-shaped accessory claw at its base that exceeds the claw in length (F) (Supplementary Fig. S1D). The genus differs from other siphonotid genera by the following characters. Anterior gonopods (i.e., 9th leg pair) strongly modified with podomeres 3–4 fused, not leg-like as in Siphonotini genera (T) (Fig. 1C, Supplementary figs. S4, S5A). Apex of anterior gonopods distinctly bifurcated into two processes (Fig. 1C, Supplementary figs. S4, S5A), not a single process as in the genera Rhinotus Cook, 1896 and Siphonoconus Attems, 1930.

Eumillipes persephone Marek, new species

 

Diagnosis: Adults of Eumillipes persephone can be differentiated from other polyzoniidan genera and species (and commonly encountered millipedes co-occurring with E. persephone in Western Australia) based on the combination of the following characters. Body extremely long and thread-like (width: ♂ 0.92 mm; ♀ 0.95 mm; length: ♂ 54.7 mm; ♀ 95.7 mm). Exoskeleton uniformly pale, cream-colored (Fig. 1A, Supplementary figs. S6–S8)—with neither dark pigmentation nor longitudinal, nor transverse stripes as in surface-dwelling species (Supplementary Fig. S9). Adult millipedes with an exceptional number of rings and legs: ♀ up to 330 rings and 1,306 legs, and ♂ up to 208 rings and 818 legs (Supplementary tab. S1). Head cone-shaped and eyeless (Fig. 1C, Supplementary Fig. S1A–C)—lacking eyes as are present in surface-dwelling species. Ninth and 10th leg pairs modified into gonopods (Fig. 1C, Supplementary figs. S4, S5). Anterior gonopods (9th leg pair) highly modified, not leg like, and distinctly bifurcated into two processes (Fig. 1C, Supplementary figs. S4, S5A). Medial process of the anterior gonopods saddle-shaped—not pointed and recurved as in Siphonotus flavomarginatus Attems, 191121. Lateral process sheath-like and cupping the medial process. Posterior gonopods (10th leg pair) stylet-like, and in repose threaded through the bifurcated anterior gonopods (Fig. 1C, Supplementary figs. S4, S5B). Sterna of gonopods with four long, slender, curved setae apically studded with spinules (Supplementary figs. S4B, S5A).

Etymology: The genus is named because it is the first true millipede with more than 1000 legs. The name Eumillipes is a combination of the Greek eu-, meaning ‘true’; Latin mille, ‘thousand’; and Latin pes, ‘foot’. It is to be treated as a noun. The species epithet is derived from the Greek mythological goddess of the underworld, Persephone, who was originally from the surface but was taken to the underworld by Hades.

Paul E. Marek, Bruno A. Buzatto, William A. Shear, Jackson C. Means, Dennis G. Black, Mark S. Harvey and Juanita Rodriguez. 2021. The First True Millipede—1306 legs long. Scientific Reports. 11: 23126. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02447-0

 twitter.com/apheloria/status/1471513201812643843