Revision of Chactopsis.

121 pages : illustrations (some color), maps ; 26 cmThe Neotropical chactid scorpion genus Chactopsis Kraepelin, 1912, is revised. New diagnoses are presented for all previously described species, most of which have not been revised since their original description. The trichobothrial pattern is reinterpreted and the hemispermatophore described for the first time. Chactopsis is restricted to eight species, two of which are new: Chactopsis chullachaqui, n. sp., from Peru and Chactopsis curupira, n. sp., from Brazil. Chactopsis insignis Kraepelin, 1912, is redescribed and supplementary data on pedipalp trichobothria and hemispermatophore (where known) provided for Chactopsis amazonica Lourenço and Francke, 1986, Chactopsis barajuri González-Sponga, 1982, Chactopsis buhrnheimi Lourenço, 2003, Chactopsis siapaensis González-Sponga, 1991, and Chactopsis sujirima González-Sponga, 1982. Two new genera are created to accommodate the remaining species, formerly assigned to Chactopsis, based on a cladistic analysis of morphological characters. Chactopsoides, n. gen., accommodates Chactopsoides anduzei (González-Sponga, 1982), n. comb. (type species), and Chactopsoides marahuacaensis (González-Sponga, 2004), n. comb., Chactopsoides gonzalezspongai, n. sp., from Venezuela, and Chactopsoides yanomami (Lourenço et al., 2011), n. comb., from Brazil. Chactopsoides anduzei, n. comb., is redescribed and Chactopsis carolinae Botero-Trujillo, 2008, synonymized with it. Supplementary data on pedipalp trichobothria are provided for C. marahuacaensis, n. comb. Megachactops, n. gen., accommodates Megachactops coriaceo (González-Sponga, 1991), n. comb., and Megachactops kuemoi, n. sp. (type species), from Venezuela. Supplementary data on pedipalp trichobothria and hemispermatophore are provided for M. coriaceo, n. comb. A key to identification of the species of Chactopsis, Chactopsoides, n. gen., and Megachactops, n. gen., is provided, their morphology illustrated, and distribution records mapped

Evolution in the Genus Rhinella: A Total Evidence Phylogenetic Analysis of Neotropical True Toads (Anura: Bufonidae)

True toads of the genus Rhinella are among the most common and diverse group of Neotropical anurans. These toads are widely distributed throughout South America, inhabiting a great diversity of environments and ecoregions. Currently, however, the genus is defined solely on the basis of molecular characters, and it lacks a proper diagnosis. Although some phenetic species groups have traditionally been recognized within Rhinella, the monophyly of some of them have been rejected in previous phylogenetic analyses, and many species remain unassigned to these poorly defined groups. Additionally, the identity and taxonomy of several species are problematic and hinder the specific recognition and description of undescribed taxa. In this work, we first perform phylogenetic analyses of separate mitochondrial and nuclear datasets to test the possible occurrence of hybridiza-tion and/or genetic introgression in the genus. The comparative analysis of both datasets revealed unidirectional mitochondrial introgressions of an unknown parental species into R . horribilis (“ghost introgression”) and of R . dorbignyi into R . bernardoi; therefore, the mitochondrial and nuclear data-sets of these species were considered separately in subsequent analyses. We performed total-evidence phylogenetic analyses that included revised molecular (four mitochondrial and five nuclear genes) and phenotypic (90 characters) datasets for 83 nominal species of Rhinella, plus several undescribed and problematic species and multiple outgroups. Results demonstrate that Rhinella was nonmono-phyletic due to the position of R . ceratophrys, which was recovered as the sister taxon of Rhaebo nasicus with strong support. Among our outgroups, the strongly supported Anaxyrus + Incilius is the sister clade of all other species of Rhinella. Once R . ceratophrys is excluded, the genus Rhinellais monophyletic, well supported, and composed of two major clades. One of these is moderately supported and includes species of the former R . spinulosa Group (including R . gallardoi); the mono-phyletic R . granulosa, R . crucifer, and R . marina Groups; and a clade composed of the mitochondrial sequences of R . horribilis. The other major clade is strongly supported and composed of all the spe-cies from the non-monophyletic R . veraguensis and R . margaritifera Groups, the former R . acrolophaGroup, and R . sternosignata. Consistent with these results, we define eight species groups of Rhinella that are mostly diagnosed by phenotypic synapomorphies in addition to a combination of morpho-logical character states. Rhinella sternosignata is the only species that remains unassigned to any group. We also synonymize nine species, treat three former subspecies as full species, and suggest that 15 lineages represent putative undescribed species. Lastly, we discuss the apparently frequent occurrence of hybridization, deep mitochondrial divergence, and “ghost introgression”; the incomplete phenotypic evidence (including putative character systems that could be used for future phy-logenetic analyses); and the validity of the known fossil record of Rhinella as a source of calibration points for divergence dating analyses.Peer reviewe

High Levels of Diversity Uncovered in a Widespread Nominal Taxon: Continental Phylogeography of the Neotropical Tree Frog

Species distributed across vast continental areas and across major biomes provide unique model systems for studies of biotic diversification, yet also constitute daunting financial, logistic and political challenges for data collection across such regions. The tree frog Dendropsophus minutus (Anura: Hylidae) is a nominal species, continentally distributed in South America, that may represent a complex of multiple species, each with a more limited distribution. To understand the spatial pattern of molecular diversity throughout the range of this species complex, we obtained DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the 16S rhibosomal gene (16S) for 407 samples of D. minutus and closely related species distributed across eleven countries, effectively comprising the entire range of the group. We performed phylogenetic and spatially explicit phylogeographic analyses to assess the genetic structure of lineages and infer ancestral areas. We found 43 statistically supported, deep mitochondrial lineages, several of which may represent currently unrecognized distinct species. One major clade, containing 25 divergent lineages, includes samples from the type locality of D. minutus. We defined that clade as the D. minutus complex. The remaining lineages together with the D. minutus complex constitute the D. minutus species group. Historical analyses support an Amazonian origin for the D. minutus species group with a subsequent dispersal to eastern Brazil where the D. minutus complex originated. According to our dataset, a total of eight mtDNA lineages have ranges >100,000 km2. One of them occupies an area of almost one million km2 encompassing multiple biomes. Our results, at a spatial scale and resolution unprecedented for a Neotropical vertebrate, confirm that widespread amphibian species occur in lowland South America, yet at the same time a large proportion of cryptic diversity still remains to be discovered

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

EDITORIAL NUMERO ESPECIAL SOBRE TORTUGAS CONTINENTALES

Portada, Comité Editorial, Indice. Editorial especial sobre tortugas continentales de Venezuela

Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae, Chironius exoletus: distribution extension, new state record

Non

First record of the rain frog Pristimantis myersi (Goin & Cochran, 1963) (Anura, Craugastoridae) for Ecuador

Pristimantis myersi is a small Andean frog that inhabits paramos, sub-paramos and upper Andean forests at elevations between 2,900–3,275 m. It is known from about a dozen localities in the southern end of the Cordillera Central of the Colombian Andes. Herein, we report for the first time the presence of this species in Ecuador, based on ten specimens from three localities in the provinces of Imbabura and Sucumbíos. The species’ range is extended and a distribution map with the Ecuadorian records is provided

On the poorly known genus \u3cem\u3eMesotityus\u3c/em\u3e González-Sponga, 1981 (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

Examination of new available material (18 females and six males) of the rare Venezuelan scorpion Mesotityus vondangeli González-Sponga, 1981 (Buthidae) demonstrated that there are consistent taxonomic characters to consider it as a genus different from Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 sensu stricto. Nevertheless, it shares important characters with species of the Tityus clathratus group (=subgenus Archaeotityus Lourenço, 2006). An emended diagnosis of Mesotityus is given, as well as data on natural history, meristic and morphometric variation

New locality records and geographic distribution map of Dendropsophus meridensis (Rivero, 1961) (Anura: Hylidae) in the Andes of Venezuela

Dendropsophus meridensis is a medium-sized treefrog endemic to the Cordillera de Mérida in the Venezuelan Andes. The geographic distribution of this species is poorly known, and only 10 localities known in the literature. Most of these localities do not have associated geographic coordinates and altitude. In this note we provide eight new locality records and a geographic distribution map of D. meridensis, based on field work, revision of Venezuelan museum collections, and species distribution modeling. Three of these new localities were found after performing species distribution modeling. Additionally, some comments on natural history and color variation are included