New genus and two new species of Hyaliodini from the Philippines (Miridae, Deraeocorinae)

Philicoris, a new genus of the mirid subfamily Deraeocorinae, tribe Hyaliodini, is described from the Philippines. New species Philicoris mayon sp. n. and Philicoris palali sp. n. from the island of Luzon are documented with photographic images of the dorsal habitus and male genital structures.We thank the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for facilitating collecting and export permits necessary for this and related studies; we are particularly grateful to M. Lim, C. Custodio, J. de Leon, and A. Tagtag. Fieldwork was conducted under the Sam Noble Museum’s existing Memorandum of Agreement with the BMB of the Philippines (2015–2020), Gratuitous Permits to Collect No. 247 (2016) and 260 (Renewal; 2017), and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approved protocols R13-012 and R17-019. Financial support for fieldwork was provided by National Science Foundation, Division of Integrative Organismal Systems grant (NSF IOS 1353683) to CDS. Preston Larson is thanked for assistance with preparing and imaging the specimens using the SEM at the Samuel Roberts Noble Microscopy Laboratory. For access to the Sam Noble Museum Invertebrate Paleontology Stacking Photography Lab, S. Westrop and R. Burkhalter are appreciated. In the field Jason Fernandez and the Philippine Field Team were critical for field assistance during faunal surveys of Mt. Mayon and Mt. Palali on Luzon Island, and Dr. Thomas Henry and Dr. Michael Schwartz are thanked for their advice on dissections of Deraeocorinae to prepare the figures. Lastly, we thank members of the Menard and Siler labs, and Dr. Alfred Wheeler for his helpful critiques of the manuscript. Open access fees fees for this article provided whole or in part by OU Libraries Open Access Fund.Ye

Conservation genetics of Australasian sailfin lizards: Flagship species threatened by coastal development and insufficient protected area coverage

a b s t r a c t Despite rampant coastal development throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific, studies of conservation genetics and ecology of vulnerable, coastal species are rare. Large bodied vertebrates with highly specialized habitat requirements may be at particular risk of extinction due to habitat degradation and fragmentation, especially if these habitats are naturally patchily distributed, marginal, otherwise geographically limited, or associated in space with high human population densities or heavy anthropogenic disturbance. Particularly telling examples of these conservation challenges are large Australasian reptiles with obligate habitat requirements for lowland, coastal and mangrove forests. Plagued by habitat destruction due to high human densities along coastlines, sprawling rural development, and rapidly developing estuarine fisheries industry, coastal forest reptiles are experiencing rapid declines. And yet studies of population biology, genetics, and habitat requirements of species depending on these environments are few. We undertook the present study in order to take a multifaceted approach to understanding a poignant conservation problem. We identify significant evolutionary units for conservation in large-bodied sailfin lizards (genus Hydrosaurus), model suitable habitat in the Philippines from extensive occurrence data and evaluate the efficacy of the current protected area network, and identify the source of hydrosaurs in the illegal pet trade. We determine that the extent of the species' habitat coincident with protected areas is low. Our forensic evaluation of the illegal pet trade in the Philippines determines the existence of a natural population that is at risk of systematic exploitation by traders. Together, this integrative study characterizes a conservation urgency of particular significance: the genetically distinct sailfin lizards of the Bicol faunal region, with suitable habitat virtually unprotected, and clear evidence of heavy exploitation for illegal trade. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first conservation genetic study to evaluate the potential effectiveness of the protected landscape coverage in the Philippines, a Megadiverse nation and Biodiversity Hotspot

Testing the phylogenetic affinities of Southeast Asia’s rarest geckos: Flap-legged geckos (Luperosaurus), Flying geckos (Ptychozoon) and their relationship to the pan-Asian genus Gekko

Some of Southeast Asia’s most poorly known vertebrates include forest lizards that are rarely seen by field biologists. Arguably the most enigmatic of forest lizards from the Indo Australian archipelago are the Flap-legged geckos and the Flying geckos of the genera Luperosaurus and Ptychozoon. As new species have accumulated, several have been noted for their bizarre combination of morphological characteristics, seemingly intermediate between these genera and the pan-Asian gecko genus Gekko. We used the first multilocus phylogeny for these taxa to estimate their relationships, with particular attention to the phylogenetic placement of the morphologically intermediate taxa Ptychozoon rhacophorus, Luperosaurus iskandari, and L. gulat. Surprisingly, our results demonstrate that Luperosaurus is more closely related to Lepidodactylus and Pseudogekko than it is to Gekko but that some species currently classified as Luperosaurus are nested within Gekko. The Flying Gecko genus Ptychozoon is also nested within Gekko, suggesting that higher-level taxonomic revision of the generic boundaries within Southeast Asian gekkonines will be a priority for the immediate futur

Prevalence and Distribution of Ranavirus in Amphibians From

Several infectious diseases are threatening amphibian species worldwide and have resulted in massmortality events across the globe. An emerging group of viral pathogens (ranaviruses) are documented to cause die-offs in amphibian populations worldwide, including in several regions of the U.S. Unfortunately, large gaps remain in our understanding of the distribution of this systemic pathogen in the U.S., including within the state of Oklahoma. To address this gap in our understanding, we carried out surveys of this infectious pathogen across 14 sites in seven southeastern Oklahoma counties in spring 2015, screening 17 amphibian species from this region. Using liver and tail tissue samples collected from individual amphibians, we screened for the presence and infection load of ranavirus. Of the 390 samples, 84 (21.5%) tested positive for ranavirus, with infection prevalence varying among species surveyed. Notably, the family Bufonidae had no samples that tested positive for ranavirus, whereas the remaining families had an infection prevalence ranging from 14–50%. Despite an overall infection prevalence of 21.5%, we detected no clinical signs of ranavirosis and all sampled individuals appeared outwardly healthy. These results provide data on the geographic and host distribution of ranavirus in southeastern Oklahoma, as well as the first documented cases of the pathogen in three species of anurans: Gastrophryne carolinensis (Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad), G. olivacea (Western Narrow-mouthed Toad), and Pseudacris fouquettei (Cajun Chorus Frog). With widespread ranavirus infection, there is potential for transmission from abundant, widespread species to more vulnerable, state-threatened amphibians

Range extension of the rare agamid, Pseudocalotes austeniana (Annandale, 1908) (Reptilia, Sauria, Draconinae) in the East Himalaya, with comments on its ontogenetic shift

Despite its recognition since the early 1900s, the agamid lizard Pseudocalotes austeniana remains known based on 3 vouchered specimens only from the East Himalaya, and little is known about its general biology. During herpetological surveys of Tibet, China, we collected 3 specimens of P. austeniana from Medog County, southeastern Tibet, including the first juvenile specimen ever vouchered. We provide a detailed description based on new material of this enigmatic species, report on a range extension of 400 km northeastward from its type locality, its ontogenetic shift, and clutch size

Additions to Philippine slender skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) IV: Resurrection and redescription of Brachymeles burksi

The diversity of Philippine amphibians and reptiles has increased over the last few decades, in part due to re-evaluation of species formerly believed to be widespread. Many of these investigations of widespread species have uncovered multiple closely related cryptic lineages comprising species complexes, each restricted to individual Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complexes (PAICs). One group in particular for which widespread cryptic diversity has been common is the clade of Philippine skinks of the genus Brachymeles. Recent phylogenetic studies of the formerly recognized widespread species Brachymeles bonitae have indicated that this species is actually a complex distributed across several major PAICs and smaller island groups in the central and northern Philippines, with numerous species that exhibit an array of digit loss and limb reduction patterns. Despite the recent revisions to the B. bonitae species complex, studies suggest that unique cryptic lineages still exist within this group. In this paper, we resurrect the species Brachymeles burksi Taylor 1917, for a lineage of non-pentadactyl, semi-fossorial skink from Mindoro and Marinduque islands. First described in 1917, B. burksi was synonymized with B. bonitae in 1956, and has rarely been reconsidered since. Evaluation of genetic and morphological data (qualitative traits, meristic counts, and mensural measurements), and comparison of recently-obtained specimens to Taylor’s original description support this species’ recognition, as does its insular distribution on isolated islands in the central portions of the archipelago. Morphologically, B. burksi is differentiated from other members of the genus based on a suite of unique phenotypic characteristics, including a small body size, digitless limbs, a high number of presacral vertebrae, the absence of auricular openings, and discrete (non-overlapping) meristic scale counts. The recognition of this central Philippine species further increases the diversity of non-pentadactyl members of the B. bonitae complex, and reinforces the biogeographic uniqueness of the Mindoro faunal region

Development and validation of an environmental DNA protocol to detect an invasive Caribbean freshwater fish, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

I.S. and C.D.S. contributed to study conception and design. I.S. secured funding for assay development, testing, and field survey work. I.S., K.-A.B., and S.B. conducted field surveys in Jamaica; I.S. and J.L.W. oversaw collection of positive and negative control samples in Oklahoma. Assay design was undertaken by E.D.H. DNA extractions, in vitro assay tests, and assessment of assay performance was overseen by S.N.S. Data analysis and summary of qPCR screening results was performed by S.N.S. and C.D.S., with contributions from J.L.W. The first draft of the manuscript was written by S.N.S., with contributions and reviews by C.D.S., I.S., J.L.W., E.D.H., K.-A.B., and S.B. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.We describe the development and validation of a qPCR assay to detect Poecilia reticulata, a highly invasive species of freshwater fish invasive to the Caribbean islands, through environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. Originating from Trinidad, this species is invasive and detrimental to countless native tropical fish communities. A qPCR assay, consisting of a set of primers and a fluorescent probe, amplifying a 214 base pair target region of the mitochondrial Cytochrome B gene was designed for P. reticulata from existing DNA sequence data. The assay was assessed for target specificity, with no evidence of amplification in closely related or sympatrically distributed non-target species. In vitro tests indicate that the assay consistently detects P. reticulata down to concentrations of 2.0 × 10−5 ng/μl. The developed assay provides a new, practical tool for monitoring freshwater habitats throughout the Caribbean, allowing for early and rapid detection of invasive fish species of conservation concern.This research was supported by the University of Oklahoma, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, and the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. Research was conducted in accordance with field permits in Jamaica (NEPA#18/27) and the University of Oklahoma Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols R17-031 and R19-006. The authors thank M. Gordon, H. Bennett, E. Bennett and S.-M. Bennett-Monroe for field and laboratory assistance. Funding support for this work was provided by the University of Oklahoma and the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History to C.D.S and I.S.Ye

Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the <i>Brachymeles bonitae </i>Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) III:a new species from Tablas Island

Davis, Drew R., Geheber, Aaron D., Watters, Jessa L., Penrod, Michelle L., Feller, Kathryn D., Ashford, Alissa, Kouri, Josh, Nguyen, Daniel, Shauberger, Kathryn, Sheatsley, Kyra, Winfrey, Claire, Wong, Rachel, Sanguila, Marites B., Brown, Rafe M., Siler, Cameron D. (2016): Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) III: a new species from Tablas Island. Zootaxa 4132 (1), DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4132.1.

Amphibian and reptile diversity along a ridge-to-reef elevational gradient on a small isolated oceanic island of the central Philippines

Despite multiple recent field studies, herpetological species diversity of the Romblon Island Group in the central Philippines&amp;mdash;particularly Sibuyan Island&amp;mdash;has remained underestimated. Recently, we investigated the diversity of the herpetofauna of Mount Guiting-Guiting Natural Park, based on an elevational transect (10&amp;ndash;1557 m a.s.l.). Our surveys resulted in a total of 47 species of amphibians and reptiles, including 14 new island records and one atypical occurrence of a snake species recorded for the first time from a high elevation (939 m a.s.l). These new records constitute a notable increase (21%) in Sibuyan&amp;rsquo;s herpetological species diversity as compared to surveys from a decade ago. We also provide updates of the taxonomy and identification of species endemic to this island (e.g., members of the genera Platymantis G&amp;uuml;nther, 1858, Brachymeles Dum&amp;eacute;ril &amp;amp; Gibron, 1839, and Pseudogekko Taylor, 1922), and discuss the importance of continued surveys and field-derived data to inform conservation status assessments of Sibuyan&amp;rsquo;s unique assemblage of amphibians and reptiles

The amphibians and reptiles of Mindanao Island, southern Philippines, II: the herpetofauna of northeast Mindanao and adjacent islands

We summarize all available amphibian and reptile species distribution data from the northeast Mindanao faunal region, including small islands associated with this subcenter of endemic vertebrate biodiversity. Together with all publicly available historical information from biodiversity repositories, we present new data from several major herpetological surveys, including recently conducted inventories on four major mountains of northeast Mindanao, and adjacent islands of Camiguin Sur, Dinagat, and Siargao. We present species accounts for all taxa, comment on unresolved taxonomic problems, and provide revisions to outdated IUCN conservation status assessments in cases where our new data significantly alter earlier classification status summaries. Together, our comprehensive analysis of this fauna suggests that the greater Mindanao faunal region possesses distinct subcenters of amphibian and reptile species diversity, and that until this area is revisited and its fauna and actually studied, with on-the-ground field work including targeted surveys of species distributions coupled to the study their natural history, our understanding of the diversity and conservation status of southern Philippine herpetological fauna will remain incomplete. Nevertheless, the northeast Mindanao geographical area (Caraga Region) appears to have the highest herpetological species diversity (at least 126 species) of any comparably-sized Philippine faunal subregion