An initial molecular resolution of the mantellid frogs of the Guibemantis liber complex reveals three new species from northern Madagascar

The small arboreal frog Guibemantis liber (Anura: Mantellidae) has served as an example for the existence of deep conspecific lineages that differ by a substantial amount in mitochondrial DNA but are similar in morphology and bioacoustics and thus are assigned to the same nominal species. During fieldwork in northern Madagascar, we identified additional such lineages and surprisingly, observed close syntopy of two of these at various sites. In-depth study based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from 338 specimens of G. liber sensu lato from across its range, sequences of four nuclear-encoded markers for 154‒257 of these specimens, a phylogenomic dataset obtained by the FrogCap target capture approach, and additional mitochondrial genes for representatives of most mitochondrial lineages, as well as bioacoustic and morphological comparisons, revealed concordant differentiation among several lineages of the G. liber complex. We identify nine lineages differing by 5.3‒15.5% in cytochrome b and 2.4‒10.1% in the 16S rRNA gene, and find that several of these lack or have only limited allele sharing in the nuclear-encoded genes. Based on sympatric or parapatric occurrence without genetic admixture, combined with differences in bioacoustic and morphological characters, we scientifically name three lineages from northern Madagascar as new species: G. razoky sp. nov., G. razandry sp. nov., and G. fotsitenda sp. nov. Of these new species, G. razoky sp. nov. and G. razandry sp. nov. show widespread syntopy across northern Madagascar and differ in body size and advertisement calls. Guibemantis fotsitenda sp. nov. is sister to G. razandry sp. nov., but appears to occur at lower elevations, including in close geographic proximity on the Marojejy Massif. We also detected subtle differences in advertisement calls among various other mitochondrial lineages distributed in the Northern Central East and Southern Central East of Madagascar, but the status and nomenclatural identity of these lineages require further morphological and bioacoustic study of reliably genotyped individuals, and assignment of the three available names in the complex: Rhacophorus liber Peracca, 1893, Gephyromantis albogularis Guibé, 1947, and Gephyromantis variabilis Millot and Guibé, 1951. We discuss the identity and type material of these three nomina, designate a lectotype for Gephyromantis variabilis from Itremo, and flag the collection of new material from their type localities, Andrangoloaka and Itremo, as paramount for a comprehensive revision of the G. liber complex

A new species of Trachylepis (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Amhara Region Ethiopia, and a key to the Ethiopian Trachylepis

Koppetsch, Thore (2020): A new species of Trachylepis (Squamata: Scincidae) from the Amhara Region Ethiopia, and a key to the Ethiopian Trachylepis. Zootaxa 4859 (1): 113-126, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4859.1.

A new species of Dibamus Duméril & Bibron, 1839 (Squamata: Dibamidae) from Pulau Manado Tua, Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia

Koppetsch, Thore, Böhme, Wolfgang, Koch, André (2019): A new species of Dibamus Duméril & Bibron, 1839 (Squamata: Dibamidae) from Pulau Manado Tua, Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Zootaxa 4555 (3): 331-345, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4555.3.

A new chameleon of the Trioceros affinis species complex (Squamata, Chamaeleonidae) from Ethiopia

A new species of chameleon, Trioceros wolfgangboehmei sp. nov., inhabiting the northern slopes of the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia, is described. It differs from its Ethiopian congeners by a combination of the following features: presence of a prominent dorsal crest with a low number of enlarged conical scales reaching along the anterior half of the tail as a prominent tail crest, a casque raised above the dorsal crest, heterogeneous body scalation, long canthus parietalis, rugose head scalation, high number of flank scales at midbody and unique hemipenial morphology. Based on morphological characteristics, phylogenetic discordances of previous studies and biogeographical patterns, this new species is assigned to the Trioceros affinis (Rüppell, 1845) species complex. An updated comprehensive key to the Trioceros found in Ethiopia is provided

FIGURE 1 in A new species of Dibamus Duméril & Bibron, 1839 (Squamata: Dibamidae) from Pulau Manado Tua, Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia

FIGURE 1. Map of Sulawesi showing the type locality of Dibamus manadotuaensis sp. nov., which is restricted to Pulau (= island) Manado Tua off the coast of Manado, the capital of Sulawesi Utara Province on the northern Minahassa Peninsula

FIGURE 3 in A new species of Dibamus Duméril & Bibron, 1839 (Squamata: Dibamidae) from Pulau Manado Tua, Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia

FIGURE 3. Head of the holotype of Dibamus manadotuaensis sp. nov. (MZB Lace. 14728, ex-ZFMK 95558) in dorsal (A), lateral (B) and ventral (C) views (f: frontal; fn: frontonasal; ip: interparietal; if: first infralabial; l: labial suture; m: mental; n: nasal suture; o: ocular; po: postocular; sl: supralabial). Drawings by Thore Koppetsch based on photos by André Koch

Nomenclatural and morphological notes on the rare agamid lizard pseudocophotis sumatrana (Hubrecht, 1879) (squamata : Agamidae: Draconinae)

The earless, nose-horned agamid lizard Pseudocophotis sumatrana is only represented by a few specimens in collections worldwide. We discovered a historical publication from 1855 by van der Hoeven where the species was described as Calotes nasicornis before the currently accepted original description by Hubrecht in 1879. In order to uphold nomenclatural stability, we provide proof that Calotes nasicornis is a nomen oblitum and that Pseudocophotis sumatrana is to be treated as a nomen protectum. Our investigations into historical records put the type locality on Sumatra in question and we conclude that P. sumatrana is most probably restricted to Java. Through examination of all known specimens, including the synonymised Calotes aberrans, we discuss taxonomic characters and add further details to the species diagnosis with respect to external and internal morphology. In particular by means of μ-computer-tomography we show that only the distal part of the tail is prehensile and for the first time we examine the cranial skeleton and dentition of P. sumatrana