Eric Nelson Smith

We describe a new species of Dipsas Laurenti, 1768 from the inter-Andean valley of the Mantaro River in southern Peru based on external morphology and DNA sequences. The new species is most similar to coastal and Andean species from Ecuador and Peru, such as: D. georgejetti, D. jamespetersi, D. oligozonata, D. oneilli, D. oswaldobaezi, D. vagrans, D. vagus, and D. williamsi. Many of these species had previously been assigned to the genus Sibynomorphus. The new species is easily distinguished from congeneric species by lacking preoculars and by its unique scalation and coloration patterns. In addition, we assess its conservation status, categorizing the species as Least Concern, and discuss species richness of the genus Dipsas in Peru, with particular emphasis on the taxonomic status of D. peruana.

Coralsnakes of the genus Micrurus Wagler, 1824 contain approximately 89 species distributed from the United States to Argentina. The genus Micrurus comprises numerous species and presents important taxonomic challenges, particularly in lineages where morphological similarity among species complicates species delimitation. Many species have been described based on subtle morphological differences and/or inadequate molecular analyses. In this study, we focused on cis-Andean monadal coralsnakes using an integrative taxonomic approach that combines a multilocus dataset of mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear (nDNA) gene fragments with morphological data, ecological niche models (ENMs), and extent of occurrence (EOO) analyses to assess species boundaries and infer phylogenetic relationships. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies revealed discrepancies between morphology-based taxonomy and molecular data. Among our findings, we support the junior synonymization of M. petersi Roze, 1967, M. peruvianus Schmidt, 1936, M. steindachneri (Werner, 1901), and M. tikuna Feitosa, Da Silva Jr., Pires, Zaher & Prudente, 2015, with M. ornatissimus (Jan, 1858), and of M. albicinctus Amaral, 1926, M. annellatus annellatus (Peters, 1871), M. a. balzani (Boulenger, 1898), and M. bolivianus Roze, 1967, with M. corallinus (Merrem, 1820). In contrast, our results confirm the distinctiveness of M. langsdorffi (Wagler, 1824) and M. medemi Roze, 1967 as separate evolutionary lineages, warranting their recognition as valid species. Multivariate analyses of morphometric traits showed limited differentiation among the three focal species in both sexes. Discriminant analysis of localities in environmental niche space showed an overall classification accuracy of 92.2%. The distributions of M. langsdorffi and M. ornatissimus broadly overlap, indicating sympatry, whereas both species are allopatric with respect to M. corallinus. Both occur between the Amazon and Negro rivers, whereas M. corallinus is distributed south of the Amazon River, with an isolated population in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. These disjunctions are consistent with Wallace’s Riverine Barrier Hypothesis, suggesting river systems as major isolating factors. Micrurus medemi occurs along the eastern Andean foothills of Colombia. These results indicate that past morphology-based and/or organellar DNA-based taxonomic studies have overestimated species diversity. Our study highlights the importance of integrative taxonomy for accurately delimiting species and improving our understanding of the evolutionary history of monadal coralsnakes.

A review of the taxonomic status of the Ingerophrynus parvus species complex, based on morphological, bioacoustic, and molecular data, revealed a new species from southern Thailand, which we describe as Ingerophrynus сhrysolophussp. nov. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following morphological characters: parotoid elongate, narrow, and sharply raised; warts on flanks less elevated than those of dorsum; cranial crests not thickened behind eyes; lores vertical; tympanum distinct, its diameter slightly exceeding two-thirds of eye length; tibia short; first finger longer than second; tip of third toe not reaching median subarticular tubercle of fourth toe; subarticular tubercles not enlarged; tarsal spine bases small; nuptial pads present; venter with low warts; ground color of flanks and dorsum light brown; dark brown stripes along the midline of the back; cranial ridges well-developed, bright orange. Phylogenetic analysis of the mtDNA fragment, including the 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and ND1 gene sequences (up to 4,479 bp), confirms the placement of the new species as a sister of Ingerophrynus parvuss. str. (p-distance 5.37%). The genetic distinctiveness of Ingerophrynus сhrysolophussp. nov. and I. parvuss. str. is further confirmed by not sharing haplotypes of three nuclear genes (POMC, BDNF, and RAG1). Bioacoustic analysis revealed stable differences between the male advertisement calls of the two species. Furthermore, ecological modeling shows that the new species is allopatric with respect to I. parvuss. str.; their ranges are likely separated by a biogeographical boundary of the Kangar-Pattani Line. The new species is currently known from low- to mid-elevations (ca. 65–1,000 m a.s.l.) in tropical forests of southern and western Thailand, southern Myanmar, and southwest Cambodia. We suggest the new species be considered Least Concern (LC) according to the IUCN Red List criteria. Our study further underscores the urgent need for intensified integrative taxonomic research of the genus Ingerophrynus to clarify the taxonomy of wide-ranging species complexes and to elaborate effective conservation measures.

The region of Borneo is very interesting in its diversity of gekkonid lizards of the genus Cyrtodactylus. Until now, it is known to harbor 14 described species. Herein, we described a new member of this genus from the adjacent island of Maratua. Cyrtodactylus tehetehe sp. nov. is named after the specialty of the traditional cuisine of the Derawan Islands (sticky rice with coconut milk and a little salt wrapped in sea urchin skin, Echinoidea spp.). The new species forms a tight phylogenetic clade with Philippine taxa allied to C. annulatus and is sister to the Palawan species C. tautbatorum, a biogeographic surprise, given that C. jambangan and C. annulatus occur closer geographically, in the Sulu Archipelago. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by a combination of characters including maximum SVL, number of supralabials, infralabials, longitudinal dorsal tubercle rows, paravertebral tubercles, ventral scale rows, subdigital lamellae on fourth toe, by having tubercles on ventrolateral body folds, a single precloacal pore and enlarged precloacal scales, lacking tubercles on upper arm, enlarged femoral scales and respective pores, precloacal depression, and transversely enlarged median subcaudals.

Among direct-developing rain frogs of the genus Craugastor is a clade of 19 described species (bocourti series) that occur in Mexico and northern Central America. Many of these 19 species have been described based on subtle morphological differences and have never been examined using molecular data. Here, we used a multilocus dataset (one mitochondrial (mtDNA) and four nuclear (nDNA) gene fragments, totalling 3,048 concatenated base pairs) to investigate species limits and phylogenetic relationships among 60 northern rain frogs referable to 12 species, with a focus on species from Guatemala. We inferred phylogenies using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses on separate mtDNA and nDNA datasets. Concatenated and coalescent species-tree analyses support the monophyly of multiple species, with interspecific relationships mostly unresolved. These mtDNA and nDNA trees were often incongruent with morphology-based taxonomy. For example, two genetically shallow clades contained individuals referable to at least five described species, whereas a single described species contained deep divergences indicative of multiple cryptic species. These findings indicate that morphology-based taxonomy has both overestimated and underestimated actual species diversity (depending on the species), an interpretation supported by two molecular species-delimitation procedures. Based on these findings, we synonymise C. glaucus (Lynch, 1967) and C. stuarti (Lynch, 1967) with C. xucanebi (Stuart, 1941). We also synonymise C. nefrens (Smith, 2005) and C. cyanochthebius McCranie & Smith, 2006 with C. campbelli (Smith, 2005). The molecular data also support multiple undescribed species, notably within C. decoratus (Taylor, 1942). Overall, we show how morphology-based species delimitation can both underestimate and overestimate species richness in morphologically conservative groups.

Eprilurahman R, Atmaja VY, Munir M, Ubaidillah R, Arisuryanti T, Smith EN, Hamidy A. 2023. Phylogeny and taxonomic status evaluation of Dark-sided Narrow-mouthed Frog, Microhyla heymonsi, (Anura: Microhylidae) from Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 1092-1103. Microhyla heymonsi (Dark-sided narrow-mouthed frog) was once known to be widespread along the continent of Asia from Taiwan to the mainland of east and southeast to Nicobar Islands and Sumatra. Recent studies identified that this species is cryptic species consisting of M. heymonsi itself and several newly described species, i.e., M. daklakensis, M. heymonsi, M. nakkavaram, M. ninhthuanensis, and the possibility of unnamed lineage. In Sumatra, M. heymonsi is not only distributed from the north to south of the mainland but also in the adjacent islands in Nias. Regarding the taxonomic status of Sumatran population, here we used molecular and morphological data to evaluate the taxonomic status of the Sumatran M. heymonsi. The phylogenetic analyses show that the Sumatran M. heymonsi is closest to M. nakkavaram and strongly supported as a member of subgroup M. heymonsi along with other recognized species, i.e., M. daklakensis, M. heymonsi, M. nakkavaram, and M. ninhthuanensis. The morphological assessment of Sumatran M. heymonsi shows that they are suitable with the morphological characteristic of M. nakkavaram. Both molecular and morphological data strongly support that Sumatran M. heymonsi is identical to the M. nakkavaram from Nicobar Islands. Our results expanded the distribution of M. nakkavaram, not only in Nicobar Islands but also in Sumatra and its adjacent islands. In addition, the phylogenetic tree showed the supported clade of Nicobar and Sumatran M. nakkavaram as sister taxa of the possibly undescribed species from Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. Further study of this undescribed species is urgent.

We describe Sceloporus huichol sp. nov., a new species of spiny lizard of the genus Sceloporus, that is found in the mountainous regions of Jalisco and Nayarit in western Mexico. The new species belongs to the torquatus species group and has previously been confused with Sceloporus melanogaster, from which it differs by its smaller size, head color and nuchal collar. Additionally, Sceloporus huichol sp. nov. is different from the rest of its congeners by relevant genetic and morphologicall data. Despite having a complete nuchal collar, characteristic of Sceloporus torquatus, S. huichol sp. nov. is more closely related phylogenetically to S. melanogaster. Recognition of this new species brings the number of species in the torquatus group to nine.

A new snake species of the genus Rena is described from northern Jalisco, Mexico. The new species represents an isolated member of the R. dulcis group in the extreme southwest Mesa Central of the country. We redefine the R. dulcis and R. humilis groups within the genus Rena. The status of the other species allocated to these groups is discussed.