Auguste Ghiesbreght’s natural history explorations in Oaxaca and other parts of Mexico until 1854

The authors review the zoological and botanical collections by Auguste Ghiesbreght from “Oaxaca” and other areas between 1838 and 1854. Taxonomically relevant are, for instance, the holotype of the Racer Coryphodon oaxaca Jan (Coluber constrictor L.), one of various amphibian and reptile species (coll. Ghiesbreght) not on record for Oaxaca, or a number of birds from southern Mexico implicitly attributed to Ghiesbreght but in fact gathered by other collectors. Zoological items and a plethora of plants from “Oaxaca” (coll. 1841–1854) encompassing many type specimens were obtained elsewhere, in particular the inland Gulf region between Hidalgo and the Orizaba Range. These results entail consequences regarding type localities or distribution, and possibly systematics, in different animal groups and botanical fields.Los autores revisan las colecciones de historia natural hechas por Auguste Ghiesbreght de “Oaxaca” y otras áreas entre 1838 y 1854. Especímenes de relevancia taxonómica son por ejemplo el holotipo de la ‘corredora’ Coryphodon oaxaca Jan (Coluber constrictor L.), una entre varias especies de anfibios y reptiles (col. Ghiesbreght) no registradas en el Estado de Oaxaca, o bien algunas aves de México meridional atribuidas implícitamente a Ghiesbreght pero en realidad recolectadas por otros naturalistas. Material zoológico y una multitud de plantas de “Oaxaca” (col. 1841–1854) incluyendo muchos especímenes tipo provienen de otras partes y particularmente de las regiones interiores del Golfo de México desde Hidalgo hasta el área del Pico de Orizaba. Estos resultados tienen consecuencias respecto a localidades tipo, distribución y posiblemente la sistemática en diferentes grupos de animales y campos de la botánica

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Platyceps rhodorachis (JAN, 1863) - a study of the racer genus Platyceps BLYTH, 1860 east of the Tigris (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae)

Platyceps rhodorachis (Jan, 1863) is a euryoecious polytypic racer distributed from NE Iraq to Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan) and the Himalayas (probably westernmost Nepal). The nominotypical subspecies, occupying most of the species’ range, is polymorphic. The typical (striped) phenotype is absent from certain peripheral areas. Notable geographic variation is observed in the number of ventrals, subcaudals, dorsal scales, or maxillary teeth and in the colour pattern. P. r. ladacensis (Anderson, 1871) is only found from the eastern Hindu Kush into northern Himachal Pradesh (India). Its presence south of the Zanskar Range requires confirmation and the status of the Ladakh Cliff Racer is debatable. The identity and systematic position of racers from the vicinity of Ahvaz (Khuzestan) as well as Arabian and southern Red Sea populations commonly assigned to P. rhodorachis pend further investigation. Platyceps semifasciatus Blyth, 1860 is a senior subjective synonym of P. rhodorachis (nomen protectum, valid type species of Platyceps Blyth). P. ventromaculatus (Gray, 1834) from the Makran coast to low-lying NW India and Nepal, for a long time confused with Jan’s Cliff Racer (P. rhodorachis sensu stricto), is a mostly parapatric species. Two new taxa of the rhodorachis species group from montane NE Baluchistan Province (P. noeli sp. nov.) and the southern Indus Plain (P. sindhensis sp. nov.) are described. Another racer taxon from northern Azad Jammu and Kashmir remains undesignated. Distinctive morphological character states for P. rhodorachis vis-à-vis the southeast Mediterrano-Iranian P. najadum (Eichwald, 1831), P. karelini (Brandt, 1838) from Libya to the Lake Balqash area and inland SW Pakistan (hybridises in places with P. r. rhodorachis), Baluch endemics including P. mintonorum (Mertens, 1969), and Sindian species (sindhensis, ventromaculatus) are elaborated. An identification key embracing the Indian P. bholanathi (Sharma, 1976) and P. gracilis (Günther, 1862) as well as a review of Platyceps Blyth are provided. This genus is currently comprised of twenty-three mainly southern Palaearctic and Afrotropical as well as two Indian species referred to three (florulentus, najadum, rhodorachis-ventromaculatus) evolutionary lineages

Nominal taxa of Spalerosophis diadema (Schlegel, 1837) from Iraq to Pakistan — two centuries of confusion (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubrinae)

Volume: 117Start Page: 637End Page: 66

Pituophis deppei (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) or a reassessment of Mexican bullsnakes (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae)

We investigated the morphology and distribution of Pituophis deppei (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854), Mexican populations of P .  catenifer (Blainville, 1835), and P . lineaticollis (Cope, 1861) from west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, examined the relevant and traceable type series of Mexican nominal taxa belonging to this species group, and appraised so far unattended contemporaneous documents related to the collector Ferdinand Deppe. Pituophis deppei and lineaticollis virtually coexist along the central Transvolcanic Belt and in the Puebla-Oaxaca-Veracruz border triangle (first state records for lineaticollis in Veracruz). The allegedly diagnostic neck pattern does not reliably distinguish deppei from lineaticollis in, for instance, Michoacán. Deppe’s bullsnake and the northern catenifer show largely parapatric ranges and are morphologically distinct. Supposed hybrids (catenifer × deppei) occur in a narrow sector across the Northern Plateau, and bullsnakes with in-between combinations of character states predominate along the Chihuahua-Sonora border north of the Sierra Tarahumara. Phenotypically intermediate specimens encompass part of the type series of P . mexicanus Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 (lectotype designation), a composite and long disused taxon including at least one original voucher akin to catenifer and one presumably from N Hidalgo (Huasteca). We recovered three syntypes of Elaphis pleurostictus Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 (syn. P . deppei) and unearthed a formerly neglected name-bearer of P . deppei pholidostictus Jan, 1863 (syn. P . lineaticollis). The study clarifies the origin of a limited number of Mexican amphibians and reptiles received from F. Deppe, re-establishes the type localities of E . [ Pituophis ] deppei, its simultaneous synonym E . pleurostictus D. B. & D., as well as the phrynosomatid lizard Sceloporus grammicus Wiegmann, 1828, and highlights resulting taxonomical complications. Also, it elucidates the origin of further zoological type material collected by this naturalist and addresses issues of nomenclatural relevance in the context of scientific names related to Deppe specimens

The real identity of Leptodira nycthemera Werner, 1901 from Ecuador: a junior synonym of Oxyrhopus petolarius (Linnaeus, 1758) (Serpentes, Dipsadidae)

Leptodira nycthemera Werner, 1901, was described from a specimen collected in Ecuador. No information on the holotype was published after its description. In the most recent review of Leptodeira, L. nycthemera was considered to be a synonym of L. a. annulata, although the author emphasized that the holotype was lost and did not include the pholidotic data from the original description in his account of L. a. annulata. Since this review, a number of authors have accepted this synonymy. Recently, analyzing specimens of Leptodeira in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany, we discovered the holotype of Leptodira nycthemera. This holotype is re-described here, and its correct identity is determined. Based on the analysis of meristic characters and the color of the holotype, we recognize Leptodira nycthemera as a junior synonym of Oxyrhopus petolarius

New records of the large-eyed green snake, Philothamnus macrops (Boulenger 1895), from Mozambique

Northern Mozambique is one of the most poorly known regions in south-eastern Africa and only in the last decade has it received attention through a series of multi-collaborative biodiversity surveys. These surveys have revealed numerous new species but also species hitherto unrecorded from Mozambique. One of these is the Large-eyed Green snake, Philothamnus macrops, which was previously restricted to Tanzania and south-eastern coastal Kenya. We present seven new records of P. macrops from northern and central Mozambique, the first collected as early as 1997. Additional material and genetic analysis confirmed the material to be P. macrops, which extend the species’ known range for more than 1000 km to the south. A historical overview of the species and its current known geographical distribution is also provided.Coastal Environmental Services (Moebase material), KEW/Darwin Initiative and FFI Mabu Forest Conservation Project (Mount Mabu specimens), Enviro-Insight (Palma specimen), Greg Carr, the Gorongosa Restoration Project, and the Prager Family (specimen from Coutada 12), and privately funded by JB (Mount Lico specimen).http://www.herpetologynotes.seh-herpetology.org/index.htmlam2020Zoology and Entomolog

A new stiletto snake (Lamprophiidae, Atractaspidinae, Atractaspis) from Liberia and Guinea, West Africa

We describe a new stiletto snake, Atractaspis, from western Liberia and southeastern Guinea. The new species shares with morphologically similar western African Atractaspis species, A. reticulata and A. corpulenta, the fusion of the 2nd infralabial with the inframaxillary. From A. corpulenta the new species differs by a more slender body (276–288 ventrals and 19 or 20 dorsal scale rows versus 178–208 ventrals with 23–29 dorsal scale rows), a divided anal plate and divided subcaudal scales (both non-divided in A. corpulenta). The new species differs from most A. reticulata by having 19 or 20 dorsal scale rows at midbody (versus 21–23, rarely 19), and a lower ventral count (276–288 versus 304–370). The new species thus has a relatively longer tail: snout-vent-length / tail-length in the female holotype (15.7) and paratype (21.5) versus a mean of 23.6 in seven female A. reticulata. The new Atractaspis likely is endemic to the western part of the Upper Guinea forest zone and thus adds to the uniqueness of this diverse and threatened biogeographic region