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Descriptions of two new Spinomantis frogs from Madagascar (Amphibia, Mantellidae), and new morphological data for S. brunae and S. massorum ; American Museum novitates, no. 3618
No full text22 p. : ill. (some col.), map ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 20-21).New collections of Spinomantis frogs (Amphibia, Mantellidae, Mantellinae) have been made by us in northern Madagascar, and based on these collections we here describe two new species. One species, from northeastern Madagascar, has reduced dermal spines on the limbs and resembles S. massorum, but is diagnosed based on features including its shorter snout, proportionally longer hind limbs, reduced foot webbing, and different coloration. The other species, from the Tsaratanana Massif, is most similar to S. peraccae, but can be diagnosed based on features including its much larger body size, more extensive foot webbing and different coloration. We also redescribe two other poorly known species of Spinomantis: S. brunae and S. massorum. Both these rare species had been recently described based on a single and pair of type specimens respectively, and we here report on the morphology of new comparative material. For both the new and redescribed species, we summarize information on behavior, habits, individual variation, and distribution, and we also present a morphological identification key for the entire Spinomantis genus, which now includes 12 species. The new species from the Tsaratanana Massif is known only from a single site (Befosa River). Because this site is not protected within a reserve, we propose this forest be considered for inclusion within the ongoing protected area expansion program for Madagascar
Diagnoses for ponyfish genera
No full text11 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 10-11).Recent phylogenetic work on ponyfishes has delimited and revealed the interrelationships of major leiognathid clades. To begin to recognize a monophyletic taxonomy for Leiognathidae we diagnose, delimit, and describe a number of ponyfish genera to reflect our current knowledge of their phylogenetic history. Equula Cuvier, 1815, is resurrected from synonymy with Leiognathus Lacepède, 1802, and comprises E. fasciata and E. longispinis. Members of Equula, the sister group to all other members of Leiognathidae, are large-bodied ponyfishes characterized by conspicuous round yellow blotches on the flank. The genus Leiognathus Lacepède, 1802, the sister group to the remaining members of Leiognathidae less Equula, is herein restricted to a clade comprising Leiognathus equulus, L. robustus, and L. striatus. The subgenus Equulites Fowler, 1904, comprising E. leuciscus, E. klunzingeri, and E. laterofenestra, is removed from synonymy with Leiognathus and is elevated to generic rank. The subgenus Eubleekeria Fowler, 1904 is removed from synonymy with Leiognathus and is likewise elevated to generic rank. Eubleekeria encompasses the "Leiognathus" splendens species complex, which is recovered as the sister group to Photopectoralis. To remedy the paraphyly of the remaining species placed within Leiognathus we describe a new genus, Karalla, which is recovered as the sister group to Nuchequula
Isoptera from the Crato Formation
Get PDF30 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 29-30).The termite species from Brazil's early Cretaceous (Aptian-aged) Crato (Santana) Formation are evaluated on the basis of the degree of character variation seen in modern species, using a series of 56 specimens, scanning electron microscopy of minute structures, and a bivariate plot of the proportional sizes of sclerotized body structures. Of the previously described species only the following are considered valid: Mariconitermes talicei Fontes and Vulcano, Meiatermes araripena Krishna, Cratomastotermes wolfschwenningeri Bechly, Cratokalotermes santanensis Bechly, and Cretarhinotermes novaolindense Bechly. The combination M. araripena Krishna (once placed in Cretatermes) is restored, and Cretatermes pereirai Fontes and Vulcano is proposed as a junior synonym of M. araripena. The following new species is described: Meiatermes hariolus Grimaldi, new species. The following are considered nomina dubia based on superficial and even contradictory diagnoses: Caatingatermitinae Martins-Neto et al. (likely synonymous with Hodotermitinae); Araripetermes nativa Martins-Neto et al. (nomen incorrectum, recte: nativus), Caatingatermes megacephalus Martins-Neto et al., and Nordestinatermes obesa Martins-Neto et al. (nomen incorrectum, recte: obesus). These are probably all new synonyms of the Cretaceous genus Meiatermes Lacasa-Ruiz and Martínez-Delclòs and of M. araripena in particular, but this assertion cannot be verified without access to the type specimens. Of the six definitive species of Crato termites, reconstructions are provided for four. All species appear to be basal taxa, either a stem group to Isoptera, to Hodotermitidae sensu lato, or to Kalotermitidae. Despite very partial preservation, Cretarhinotermes appears to be within the hodotermitid grade and not a rhinotermitid. Some specimens have yielded detailed preservation of soft internal tissues, including the midgut, which has further phylogenetic implications
New records of fossil 'waterbirds' from the Miocene of Kenya ; American Museum novitates, no. 3610
No full text12 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references.We present a number of new fossil records of "waterbirds" (encompassing several of thetraditional living orders of birds) from three important Miocene deposits in western Kenya. These sites surround Lake Victoria--the Ngorora Formation and sediments at Maboko and Rusinga Islands (Kula Formation)--are well-known hominoid localities, and have yielded a diverse assemblage of contemporary fossil mammals. Previously identified avians from this area include amarabou stork (Leptoptilos sp.), the fossil flamingo Leakeyornis aethiopicus, as well as a number of additional unidentified phoenicopterid (flamingo) remains. We add records of an anhinga (Anhinga cf. pannonica), two storks (Ciconia minor, C. cf. ciconia/nigra), a night heron (Nycticorax cf. nycticorax) and a threskyornithid (the group that includes the ibises and spoonbills) to the known diversity of Kenyan Miocene waterbirds. We also illustrate, for the first time, the holotype and paratype material of the Kenyan Miocene flamingo Leakeyornis aethiopicus. Comparisons with other known sites of this age across northern Africa, the Mediterranean and northern Pakistan suggest that Miocene waterbird faunas in this region were very similar in their compositions. While Anhinga pannonica, Ciconia minor, and Ciconia ciconia are documented from other Miocene sites across the region, the osteologically distinct fossil flamingo Leakeyornis appears to have been restricted to East Africa. All the avian groups recorded from these Kenyan Miocene sites represent extant genera, in contrast to the described fossil mammals. As has been widely reported from other African sites of this age, fossil birds thus represent a valid mechanism for building hypotheses about palaeoenvironments
The Cretaceous scelionid genus Proteroscelio Brues (Hymenoptera, Platygastroidea) ; American Museum novitates, no. 3603
No full text7 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references.The genus Proteroscelio Brues is redescribed and P. gravatus, n. sp., is described from Lebanese amber (Aptian age, 112-122 mya). The relationships between Proteroscelio and other scelionids is discussed. The described species of fossil platygastroids are tabulated. The taxa represented by the unavailable names "Eopteromalites fushunensis" Hong, "Leptogasterites brunneus" Hong, "L. furvus" Hong, and "Sinilongicapito guchengziensis" Hong, recently described from Fushun, Liaoning, China (50 mya), should all be classified as scelionids. The replacement name Sinoprotelenomus Zhang n. name is proposed for Protelenomus Zhang, 1989 (preoccupied by Protelenomus Kieffer, 1906)
Phylogeny and systematics of Squamata (Reptilia) based on morphology ; Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 310
No full text182 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 144-164).Squamata (amphisbaenians, "lizards," mosasaurs, and snakes) is an extremely diverse clade with a rich fossil record. There is little consensus about the interrelationships of the major squamate clades (i.e., Iguania, Gekkota, Scincomorpha, Anguimorpha, Amphisbaenia, and Serpentes), or even the membership of some of these clades. Morphology-based cladistic analyses typically agree only that the major dichotomy in extant squamates is between Iguania and all other taxa. The phylogenetic placement of Amphisbaenia and Serpentes is particularly problematic. Incomplete taxon sampling is likely a major contributing factor to the absence of a consensus about squamate interrelationships. This study examines squamate relationships using 222 ingroup taxa scored for 363 morphological characters. Analysis of these data recovered 2,213 equally short trees with a length of 3,273 steps and a retention index of 0.7164. The results confirm the monophyly of the clades Scleroglossa (extant squamates exclusive of Iguania), Gekkota, Scincomorpha, Lacertoidea, Scincoidea, Anguimorpha, Carusioidea, Platynota, and Varanoidea. Novel results include the identification of a clade containing Scincidae sensu lato, Dibamidae, Amphisbaenia, and Serpentes; identification of a Mesozoic clade containing Bainguis, Eoxanta lacertifrons, Globaura venusta, and Myrmecodaptria; and identification of Dalinghosaurus as a basal shinisaur. A new taxonomic scheme is outlined. The names Iguanomorpha, Scincogekkonomorpha, Evansauria, and Mosasauriformes are applied to the stem-based groups including Iguania, Scleroglossa, Autarchoglossa, and Mosasauria, respectively. The importance of strict rigidity within taxonomy is questioned; taxonomy is most useful as a tool for communication about organisms or groups of organisms
Review of Solenoxyphus Reuter, 1875 (Heteroptera, Miridae, Phylinae) ; American Museum novitates, no. 3607
No full text44 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references.Key, descriptions, data on distribution and host plants are given for all 16 known species of Solenoxyphus Reuter, 1875, including three new ones: Solenoxyphus anabasius, n. sp. (Kazakhstan), S. salsolae, n. sp. (Mongolia), and S. kerzhneri, n. sp. (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan). The generic name Solenoxyphus Reuter, 1875 is synonymized with Leucopterum Reuter, 1879. The following new synonymies are established: L. candidatum (Reuter, 1879) = L. longicolle (Reuter, 1879), S. lepidus (Puton, 1874) = S. minor Wagner, 1969, and S. alkani Önder, 1975 = S. markevichi Putshkov, 1978. S. adspersus (Reuter, 1904) is removed from synonymy and considered a valid species
An unusual, primitive piesmatid (Insecta, Heteroptera) in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burma) ; American Museum novitates, no. 3611
No full text17 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references.Cretopiesma suukyiae, new genus and species, is described, based on a unique female specimen in mid-Cretaceous (c. 100 myo) amber from northern Myanmar. Features of C. suukyiae unique for the small Recent family Piesmatidae include a long, protrudent clypeus, a dorsal carina of thehead, lack of "jugal" lobes/appendices, widely separated coxae, very large scutellum, and the venation of the corium; some of these are plesiomorphic and shared with Aradidae. C. suukyiaepossesses the cuticular areolation and propleural cavities distinctive to Piesmatidae. Phylogeneticanalysis of Recent and fossil genera of piesmatids resulted in a cladogram with Cretopiesma assister group to the remainder of the family. Relationships of this unusual species and of Piesmatidae within Pentatomomorpha are discussed
Ultrastructure of Antoonops, a new, ant-mimicking genus of Afrotropical Oonopidae (Araneae) with complex internal genitalia ; American Museum novitates, no. 3614
Get PDF30 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 29-30).Antoonops, a new genus of the spider family Oonopidae, is described from West Africa. The genus contains four new species, all known from both sexes: A. corbulo (type species), A. bouaflensis, A. iita, and A. nebula. All species mimic ants and exhibit a pronounced sexual dimorphism. Several new ultrastructural features are reported, including putative gland pores associated with the coxal insertions, specialized cheliceral setae, and peculiarly modified male endites. The potential of these and other traits as phylogenetically informative characters is discussed. SEM investigation of the internal female genitalia of A. corbulo reveals the presence of two peculiarly shaped sclerites embedded in the walls of the uterus externus and a reproductive tract with an apparent flow-through design