Pseudoeurycea nigromaculata

Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyGeological Science

A new species of Craugastor (Anura: Craugastoridae) from the montane rainforest of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica

A new species of Craugastor (Anura: Craugastoridae) from the montane rainforest of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. A new dirt frog of the Craugastor podiciferus Species Group is described from Costa Rica; it is restricted to elevations between 2330 and 2700 m a.s.l. in the montane rainforest of the Cordillera de Talamanca. Analysis of DNA sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA (16S) and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) genes reveals a distinct lineage within the C. podiciferus Species Group. Additional morphological and morphometric analyses support the distinctiveness of this lineage that is described as a new species herein. The species is distinguished from other members of the C. podiciferus Species Group by its unique coloration: a violet-brown to blackish brown venter with white pigment forming blotches, and dark brown palmar surfaces with prominent white folds between subarticular tubercles in the adults. The genetic divergence of the species from other members of the C. podiciferus Species Group is signifcant (higher than 9.2% in 16S and 13.3% in COI). Although not closely related, it resembles C. podiciferus morphologically, a species that also inhabits montane rainforest. The discovery of this new species highlights the importance of montane rainforest as a center of species richness and endemism.Uma nova espécie de Craugastor (Anura: Craugastoridae) do bosque montano chuvoso da Cordilheira de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Descrevemos aqui uma nova espécie do grupo de Craugastor podiciferus para a Costa Rica, restrita a altitudes entre 2330–2700 m acima do nível do mar no bosque montano chuvoso da Cordilheira de Talamanca. Análises das sequências de DNA dos genes mitocondriais16S ARNr (16S) e da citocromo oxidase 1 (COI) revelaram uma linhagem distinta dentro do grupo de espécies de C. podiciferus. Análises morfológicas e morfométricas complementares apoiaram a diferenciação desta linhagem, que descrevemos aqui como uma espécie nova. Essa espécie distingue-se dos membros do grupo de espécies de C. podiciferus por sua coloração única: ventre marrom-violeta a marrom enegrecido com pigmento branco formando manchas e superfície palmar nos adultos marrom escura com pregas brancas proeminentes entre os tubérculos sub-articulares. Geneticamente esta nova espécie é signifcativamente divergente dos demais membros do grupo de espécies de C. podiciferus (maiores em 9.3% no 16S e 13.3% no COI). Ainda que não estejam estreitamente relacionadas, a nova espécie é morfologicamente similar a C. podiciferus, que também habita o bosque montano chuvoso. A descoberta dessa nova espécie ressalta a importância do bosque montano chuvoso como um centro de riqueza de espécies e endemismos.Una especie nueva de Craugastor (Anura: Craugastoridae) del bosque montano lluvioso en la Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Se describe una especie nueva para Costa Rica de rana de hojarasca perteneciente al grupo de especies Craugastor podiciferus, restringida a elevaciones entre 2330–2700 m s.n.m. en el bosque montano lluvioso de la Cordillera de Talamanca. Análisis de las secuencias del ADN de los genes mitocondriales 16S ARNr (16S) y citocromo oxidasa 1 (COI) reveló un linaje distinto dentro del grupo de especies C. podiciferus. Los análisis complementarios de morfología y morfometría apoyaron la diferenciación de este linaje, el cual describimos aquí como una especie nueva. Esta especie se distingue de los miembros del grupo de especies C. podiciferus por su coloración única: vientre violeta-marrón a marrón negruzco con pigmento blanco formando manchas, la superfcie palmar en adultos es marrón oscuro con pliegues blancos prominentes entre los tubérculos subarticulares. Geneticamente esta nueva especie es signifcativamente divergente de los demás miembros del grupo de especies C. podiciferus (mayores a 9.3% en el 16S y 13.3% en COI). Aunque no están estrechamente relacionadas, la nueva especie es morfológicamente similar a C. podiciferus, especie que también habita en el bosque montano lluvioso. El descubrimiento de esta nueva especie resalta la importancia del bosque montano lluvioso como un centro de riqueza de especies y endemismos

Distribution of Verodes aequalis (Coleoptera: Zopheridae), a Poorly Known Species from Cloud Forests of Mexico

Verodes aequalis (Champion) was previously known only from its type locality (“Parada, Mexico”, likely close to Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca, Mexico). We provide several new localities from the mountains of northern Oaxaca and neighboring Veracruz representing a major range extension. All specimens were captured in pine and pine-oak forests in the cloud zone above 2130 m asl.Peer reviewe

Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans’ Amphibian Host Species and Invasion Range

Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), a species related to the destructive pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), was found and identified in Europe in 2013. Now, a decade later, a large amount of information is available. This includes data from studies in the field, reports of infection in captive amphibians, laboratory studies testing host susceptibility, and data from prospective studies that test for Bsal’s presence in a location. We conducted a systematic review of the published literature and compiled a dataset of Bsal tests. We identified 67 species that have been reported positive for Bsal, 20 of which have a threatened conservation status. The distribution of species that have been found with infection encompasses 69 countries, highlighting the potential threat that Bsal poses. We point out where surveillance to detect Bsal have taken place and highlight areas that have not been well monitored. The large number of host species belonging to the families Plethodontidae and Salamandridae suggests a taxonomic pattern of susceptibility. Our results provide insight into the risk posed by Bsal and identifies vulnerable species and areas where surveillance is needed to fill existing knowledge gaps

Catálogo taxonómico-geográfico de los coleópteros de la familia Meloidae de México

A comprehensive taxonomic catalogue of the Mexican representatives of the family Meloidae is presented. The catalogue includes a revised synonymical list including type localities and published geographical records for all known species. The Mexican Fauna of Meloidae currently includes 255 extant species, plus one only known from the fossil record, arranged in 21 genera within the subfamilies Meloinae, Nemognathinae and Tetraonycinae. The last comprehensive catalogue published (Blackwelder, 1945) recorded the presence of 160 species of Meloidae in México, almost 100 species less than the current known number. However the current number of species seems to be far below the actual number, since many species widely distributed along the northern border, within the United States, are likely to be found also in Mexico. Regarding taxonomic and nomenclatural changes, in this catalogue we propose the use of the names Epicauta dugesi Werner, 1957 and Tegrodera erosa extincta Beauregard, 1890; we propose three new synonymies for Nemognatha chrysomeloides (Linnaeus, 1763) (N. atra Beauregard, 1890; N. pallidicollis Beauregard, 1890 and N. violacea Beauregard, 1890) and one for E. dugesi (Epicauta tamara Adams & Selander, 1979); we designate lectotype for Lytta koltzei var. minor Haag-Rutenberg, 1880 with the goal of resolving the taxonomic problem generated by the previous invalid designation of lectotype for L. k. var. cyanescens; and finally we consider Cissites maculata (Swederus, 1787) and Tetraonyx (Tetraonyx) bimaculatus (Klug, 1825) as species to be possibly excluded from the Mexican checklist.Se presenta un catálogo taxonómico de los representantes mexicanos de la familia Meloidae que incluye un listado revisado de sinonimias, localidades típicas y registros geográficos publicados de cada una de las especies. La fauna mexicana incluye en la actualidad 255 especies vivientes y una fósil, distribuidas en 21 géneros de las subfamilias Meloinae, Nemognathinae y Tetraonycinae. En el último catálogo general, Blackwelder (1945) recogió la presencia en México de 160 especies de esta familia, casi 100 especies menos de las que se conocen en la actualidad y sin embargo, la cifra actual parece encontrarse aún lejos de la real, ya que existen muchas especies ampliamente distribuidas al norte de la frontera con los Estados Unidos cuya presencia es muy probable en territorio mexicano. En cuanto a la taxonomía y nomenclatura de las especies, en este catálogo se propone el uso de los nombres Epicauta dugesi Werner, 1957 y Tegrodera erosa extincta Beauregard, 1890; se incluyen tres sinonimias nuevas de Nemognatha chrysomeloides (Linnaeus, 1763) (N. atra Beauregard, 1890; N. pallidicollis Beauregard, 1890 y N. violacea Beauregard, 1890) y otra de E. dugesi (Epicauta tamara Adams & Selander, 1979); se designa lectotipo para Lytta koltzei var. minor Haag-Rutenberg, 1880 con el propósito de solucionar el problema taxonómico generado tras la designación inválida de lectotipo de L. k. var. cyanescens; y finalmente se consideran como especies posiblemente a excluir del listado de Meloidae de México a Cissites maculata (Swederus, 1787) y Tetraonyx (Tetraonyx) bimaculatus (Klug, 1825)

New occurrence records of Eleutherodactylus syristes in Guerrero and Oaxaca, Mexico

AbstractThe Sierra Madre del Sur (SMS) of southern Mexico is known for its exceptionally high levels of amphibian endemism, but knowledge of species’ ranges in the region is incomplete. Here, we report new locality records for Eleutherodactylus syristes (Hoyt, 1965) from the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero. Previously, this species was known only from the Pacific slopes of the Sierra de Miahuatlán and Mixteca Alta in Oaxaca. These new occurrence records extend the known range of this species by approximately 335km from the type locality and increase the elevational range, indicating it is more widespread in the SMS. Eleutherodactylus syristes is currently listed as endangered by the IUCN based on its limited distribution and ongoing threats to its persistence

The role of Central American barriers in shaping the evolutionary history of the northernmost glassfrog, Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni (Anura: Centrolenidae)

The complex geological history of Central America has been useful for understanding the processes influencing the distribution and diversity of multiple groups of organisms. Anurans are an excellent choice for such studies because they typically exhibit site fidelity and reduced movement. The objective of this work was to identify the impact of recognized geographic barriers on the genetic structure, phylogeographic patterns and divergence times of a wide-ranging amphibian species, Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni. We amplified three mitochondrial regions, two coding (COI and ND1) and one ribosomal (16S), in samples collected from the coasts of Veracruz and Guerrero in Mexico to the humid forests of Chocó in Ecuador. We examined the biogeographic history of the species through spatial clustering analyses (Geneland and sPCA), Bayesian and maximum likelihood reconstructions, and spatiotemporal diffusion analysis. Our data suggest a Central American origin of H. fleischmanni and two posterior independent dispersals towards North and South American regions. The first clade comprises individuals from Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and the sister species Hyalinobatrachium tatayoi; this clade shows little structure, despite the presence of the Andes mountain range and the long distances between sampling sites. The second clade consists of individuals from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and eastern Honduras with no apparent structure. The third clade includes individuals from western Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico and displays deep population structure. Herein, we synthesize the impact of known geographic areas that act as barriers to glassfrog dispersal and demonstrated their effect of differentiating H. fleischmanni into three markedly isolated clades. The observed genetic structure is associated with an initial dispersal event from Central America followed by vicariance that likely occurred during the Pliocene. The southern samples are characterized by a very recent population expansion, likely related to sea-level and climatic oscillations during the Pleistocene, whereas the structure of the northern clade has probably been driven by dispersal through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and isolation by the Motagua–Polochic–Jocotán fault system and the Mexican highlands