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The genus of Neotropical frogs Pithecopus includes 11 species occurring east of the Andes from southern Venezuela to northern Argentina. Recent genetic approaches pointed out an unusual genetic diversity among populations from localities in north-eastern Brazil recognized as P. nordestinus. In fact, one of these studies confirmed the hypothesis that the São Francisco River acted as an effective geographical barrier during vicariant events in the evolutionary history of P. nordestinus, resulting in two principal, highly divergent clades. Herein we formally describe this divergent clade as a new cryptic species of Pithecopus from north-eastern Brazil, the sister clade of P. nordestinus. It differs from other species of Pithecopus, except for P. azureus and P. nordestinus, by its small body size, lack of the reticulate pattern on flanks, smaller head width, and advertisement calls generally composed of a three-pulsed core.
The Neotropical frog genus Pseudopaludicola includes 25 species distributed throughout South America. Herein we review the taxonomic status of P. parnaiba relative to P. canga and the specific identity of the population treated in previous studies as Pseudopaludicola sp. 3 from Barreirinhas in the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The lack of differentiation in advertisement call, morphology, and mitochondrial markers from topotypes and different populations rejects the status of P. parnaiba and Pseudopaludicola sp. 3 from Barreirinhas as distinct species. For these reasons, we suggest to formally consider P. parnaiba as a junior synonym of P. canga. We also found that a population previously reported as P. facureae from central Brazil (Palmeiras de Goiás, Goiás) corresponds to a cryptic species that we describe here as a new species. Lastly, we provide for the first time the phylogenetic positions of P. giarettai, P. llanera and P. pusilla.
The genus of Neotropical frogs Pseudopaludicola Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 includes 23 species, which occur throughout South America. Herein we describe a new species of Pseudopaludicola from the central region of the state of Minas Gerais (southeastern Brazil). This new species is distinguished by the adult morphology, the advertisement call, and molecular data. It is diagnosed mainly by its small size, terminal phalanges knobbed (lack of any expansion of the digital tips), proportionally short hind limbs, and its advertisement call composed of series of two-pulsed notes, emitted at a high repetition rate. In addition, we report the occurrence of the new species in the southern foothills of the Serra do Cipó National Park, at elevations lower than 800 m above sea level (a.s.l). The sister species of this new taxon is P. mineira Lobo, 1994, which occurs in rupestrian grasslands above 1200 m a.s.l. at the Serra do Cipó National Park and in Serra do Cabral, both in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. We also redescribe the advertisement call of P. mineira based on recordings from topotypical males and compare it to calls of related species.
Lycosa Latreille, 1804 (Araneae, Lycosidae) of Israel, with a note on Geolycosa Montgomery, 1904
(2022)
Lycosa (Araneae, Lycosidae) is a wolf spider genus typical of subtropical latitudes in the western Palearctic. Despite being erected over 200 years ago, the taxonomy of Lycosa is still unclear. Many species formerly ascribed to it are currently being moved to other genera, while new species are still being described. The species of Lycosa of the western Mediterranean basin are relatively well known, yet the Levantine region, the easternmost part of the Mediterranean basin, has not received much attention since the early 20th century. Here, we study Lycosa from the southern Levant using morphological, molecular and behavioral characteristics, to delimit the species found in this region. We describe two new species: L. hyraculus sp. nov. and L. gesserit sp. nov. We re-describe the widespread and polymorphic species, Lycosa piochardi Simon, 1876. Lycosa piochardi infraclara Strand, 1913 is synonymized with Lycosa piochardi. By adding novel data to the molecular phylogeny of Lycosa created by Planas et al. (2013) and re-analyzing it, we explore the relationship of the Levantine species to other Mediterranean species of Lycosa. We discuss habitat preferences of the two species of Lycosa. Additionally, we report the burrowing species Geolycosa vultuosa (C.L. Koch, 1838) as a new record to Israel, thus extending the distribution of this species and genus into the Levant.
Mangroves of the Indo-West Pacific have remained poorly explored, so even the diversity of the onchidiid slugs, which are some of the most abundant animals in mangroves of the Indo-West Pacific, is not well known. Thanks to several years spent exploring mangroves in the Indo-West Pacific (more than 260 stations), especially in South-East Asia, the diversity of mangrove gastropods can now be addressed through revisions following an integrative taxonomy approach (nomenclature, field observations, comparative anatomy and DNA sequences). A new genus of onchidiid slugs is described, Paromoionchis Dayrat & Goulding gen. nov., which includes five species, three of which are new: Paromoionchis boholensis Dayrat & Goulding gen. et sp. nov., P. daemelii (Semper, 1880) com. nov., P. goslineri Dayrat & Goulding gen. et sp. nov., P. penangensis Dayrat & Goulding gen. et sp. nov. and P. tumidus (Semper, 1880) comb. nov. Paromoionchis gen. nov. is distributed from western India to the subtropical waters of Japan (33° N) and southeastern Australia (33° S). The creation of new taxon names is supported by rigorous nomenclature: the types of all existing species names in the family were examined, the original descriptions carefully studied and nomenclatural issues addressed. The diversity and biogeography of this new genus is discussed in a broader context.
The use of integrative taxonomy has confirmed the existence of a new distinct crab species, cryptic, within the group of the former genus Liocarcinus, now Polybius, closely related to P. holsatus, P. vernalis and P. marmoreus. Previous reports have considered it to be the Atlantic form of P. vernalis, or as a species “affinis” or “comparable to” P. holsatus. Diagnostic morphological characters are presented for identification and the morphological variability in these species, mainly within P. vernalis (the most related) is analysed. Furthermore, based on molecular and other previous data, a new combination (genus change) is proposed. This new species, Polybius dioscurus sp. nov., lives on infralittoral sandy bottoms, coexisting with the other species mentioned, in the temperate and subtropical zone of the North Atlantic Ocean, including the Alboran Sea (westernmost Mediterranean).
In the Indo-West Pacific, intertidal slugs of the genus Platevindex Baker, 1938 are common in mangrove forests, where they typically live on the roots and trunks of mangrove trees. These slugs are easily distinguished from most onchidiids by their hard notum and narrow foot, but despite their large size and abundance, species diversity and geographic distributions have remained a mystery. With the aid of new collections from across the entire Indo-West Pacific, the taxonomy of Platevindex is revised using an integrative approach (natural history field observations, re-examination of type specimens, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, and comparative anatomy). In this monograph, nine species of Platevindex are recognized, including one new to science: P. amboinae (Plate, 1893), P. applanatus (Simroth, 1920) comb. nov., P. aptei Goulding & Dayrat sp. nov., P. burnupi (Collinge, 1902) comb. nov., P. coriaceus (Semper, 1880), P. latus (Plate, 1893), P. luteus (Semper, 1880), P. martensi (Plate, 1893) and P. tigrinus (Stoliczka, 1869) comb. nov. Five species names are recognized as junior synonyms, four of which are new, and two Platevindex names are regarded as nomina dubia. One new subspecies is also recognized: P. coriaceus darwinensis Goulding & Dayrat subsp. nov. Most species were previously known only from the type material and many new geographic records are provided across the Indo-West Pacific, from South Africa to the West Pacific (Japan, New Ireland and New Caledonia).
Five new species of freshwater gastropods of the tateid genus Sulawesidrobia are described from the ancient Lake Matano on Sulawesi, Indonesia: S. wilsoni sp. nov., S. carsonae sp. nov., S. ehrlichi sp. nov., S. crutzeni sp. nov., and S. dinersteini sp. nov. The descriptions were based on shell morphology, anatomy as well as phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequence data of a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I. All three suits of characters were included into the diagnoses. The new species formed a clade with two species from Lake Towuti, but separate from already known species from Lake Matano. The species were discovered between 2003 and 2005. However, not a single specimen of Sulawesidrobia was found when several sites were revisited in 2018 and 2019. This may be a consequence of the release of South American flowerhorn cichlid fish into the lake, in combination with heavy eutrophication of the once ultra-oligotrophic lake. It seems likely that several populations or even entire species of Sulawesidrobia in Lake Matano may be extinct. The species names given reflect this by acknowledging important conservationists.
The genus Elaeidobius Kuschel, 1952 (Curculionidae, Curculioniae, Derelomini) is an Afrotropical genus associated with the male inflorescences of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacq. The activity of species in this genus is critical for pollen transportation and for the fruit set of this economically important palm. In this study, the genus Elaeidobius was revised using an integrative taxonomic approach, combining traditional taxonomic treatment of species and an analysis of sequences of mitochondrial genes (COI and COII). A total of eight species is now recognized: five now formally included within it [E. bilineatus Hustache, 1924) comb. nov., E. kamerunicus (Faust, 1898) comb. nov., E. plagiatus (Fåhraeus, 1844) comb. nov., E. singularis (Faust, 1898) comb. nov., E. subvittatus Faust, 1898)], one transferred here from the genus Prosoestus to the genus Elaeidobius, E. spatulifer (Marshall, 1950) comb. nov., and two newly described species (E. pilimargo Haran & Kuschel sp. nov., E. piliventris Haran & Kuschel sp. nov.). The following new synonymies are proposed: Prosoestus armatus Voss, 1956 = E. bilineatus (Hustache, 1924) comb. nov. and Derelomus uelensis Hustache = E. singularis (Faust, 1898). An illustrated key to the species is provided with photographs of the adult habitus and male genitalia.
The genus Armillipora Quate is recorded for the first time in Ecuador, with a new geographical record for Armillipora selvica Quate, 1996 and the descriptions of two new species, namely Armillipora muyu sp. nov. and Armillipora imitata sp. nov., doubling the total number of species in the genus. In addition, we make available the first DNA barcodes for the genus, providing a sequence of the 5´-end of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene for A. imitata, A. muyu, and, A. selvica. Moreover, we describe the second known female of the genus and we provide a taxonomical key for the known males of the world. Finally, we build Species Distribution Models and discuss the potential distribution of the genus in the Neotropical region.