26 research outputs found
A molecular phylogeny of Equatorial African Lacertidae, with the description of a new genus and species from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
No full textFigure 3. Photographs of Congolacerta in life. Dorsal (A) and ventral (B) view of Congolacerta asukului holotype UTEP 20263 [adult male, 58.3 mm snout–vent length (SVL)], dorsal view (C) of C. asukului paratype UTEP 20265 (adult male, 53.7 mm SVL), dorsal view (D) of C. asukului paratype UTEP 20267 (subadult male, 42.7 mm SVL), and dorsal (E) and ventral (F) view of Congolacerta vauereselli UTEP 20289 (adult male, 54.4 mm SVL).Published as part of Greenbaum, Eli, Villanueva, Cesar O., Kusamba, Chifundera, Aristote, Mwenebatu M. & Branch, William R., 2011, A molecular phylogeny of Equatorial African Lacertidae, with the description of a new genus and species from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, pp. 913-942 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 163 (3) on page 929, DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00732.x, http://zenodo.org/record/544207
Systematics and Conservation Status of Two Distinct Albertine Rift Treefrogs, Leptopelis karissimbensis and Leptopelis kivuensis (Anura: Arthroleptidae)
No full textThe De Intellectu Revisited
No full textL’auteur du De Intellectu connaît le De Anima d’Alexandre d’Aphrodise et il offre une interprétation néoplatonicienne de ce texte dans sa considération de la doctrine noétique d’Aristote du De Anima 3.5. Cette interprétation révèle précisément cette autonomie philosophique par opposition à un examen purement philologique des textes aristotéliciens que le présent volume explore. Le De Intellectu, en raison de son caractère néoplatonicien, doit dater de quelque deux à quatre siècles après Alexandre. Il ne contient aucune référence à un Aristote de Mytilène, maître d’Alexandre, contrairement à ce qui a été suggéré.The author of the De Intellectu is acquainted with the De Anima of Alexander of Aphrodisias and offers a Neoplatonic interpretation of that document in its consideration of the noetic doctrine at Aristotle, De Anima 3.5. That interpretation reveals that philosophical independence from a purely philological examination of Aristotelian texts which the present volume is exploring. The De Intellectu, because of its Neoplatonic character, is to be dated some two to four centuries after Alexander. There is no reference to an Aristotle of Mytilene, teacher of Alexander, as has been supposed
Toxicodryas vexator Greenbaum & Allen & Vaughan & Pauwels & Wallach & Kusamba & Muninga & Aris- Tote & Mali & Badjedjea & Penner & Rödel & Rivera & Sterkhova & Johnson & Tapondjou & Brown 2021, sp. nov.
No full textToxicodryas vexator sp. nov. (Table 1, Figs. 1, 8–10) We hypothesize that this new, cryptic species occurs east of the confluence of the Congo and Ubangi rivers, and it has been considered to be conspecific with Toxicodryas blandingii since it was first documented to occur east of these rivers in DRC (Boulenger 1919). The recognition of this new species is supported by molecular data (Fig. 2), several significant differences in scale counts (see Results), and less toxic venom in comparison to its sister taxon T. blandingii (see Venom). Diagnosis. A species of Toxicodryas restricted to east-central and East Africa (east of the confluence of the Congo and Ubangi rivers), defined by the following combination of characters: maximum SVL> 1 meter (vs. maximum SVL <1 meter in T. pulverulenta and T. adamanteus sp. nov.); DSRN 23–29 (vs. 19–21 in T. pulverulenta and 18–23 in T. adamanteus sp. nov.); DSRM 21–25 (vs. 19–21 in T. pulverulenta and 18–21 in T. adamanteus sp. nov.); cloacal plate divided or undivided (vs. usually divided in T. blandingii, and always undivided in T. pulverulenta and T. adamanteus sp. nov.); adult males glossy or velvety black with a yellow venter, and adult females light brown, gray, or yellowish-brown with light-brown or cream cross-bars on the flanks, with yellowish-brown venters (vs. both sexes brown to pink with darker cross-bars that often enclose a whitish spot, and the dorsum and venter sprinkled with fine dark brown or black spots in T. pulverulenta and T. adamanteus sp. nov.); hemipenis relatively short and massive (i.e., broad), proximal third covered with spines, distal two-thirds dimpled with a flattened apex (vs. relatively long with long spines mid-way along the shaft that decrease in size towards the apex and base, and with a domed apex in T. pulverulenta and T. adamanteus sp. nov.); venom toxicity LD 50 = 4.88 mg /kg in mice (vs. venom toxicity LD 50 = 2.85–3.55 mg /kg in mice for T. blandingii). Holotype. UTEP 22196 (field number MUSE 10341; Fig. 10), adult male collected in Mulisi, Nzovu Est, Kahuzi-Biega National Park (02.447291° S, 28.2825378° E, 1101 m), South Kivu Province, DRC, collected by Guillain M. Mitamba, Deo Kujirakwinja, Emmanuel Muhindo, Radar Nushili, Wandege M. Muninga, and Andrew J. Plumptre on 13 November 2015. Paratypes. UTEP 22195 (field number EBG 1362; Figs. 1B, 9C), adult female collected in the vicinity of Irangi (01.8780° S, 28.4524° E, 811 m), South Kivu Province, DRC, collected from a tree by a resident and brought to Maurice Luhumyo, Chifundera Kusamba, Mwenebatu M. Aristote, Wandege M. Muninga, and Eli Greenbaum on 30 August 2007; RBINS 2698 (formerly RBINS 8621) (field no. Leloup #27), adult male from Bunyakiri (2.075630° S, 28.573194° E, 1000 m), South Kivu Province, DRC, collected by Paul Leloup on 6 March 1958. Description of the holotype. Adult male, 1438 mm SVL; head strongly triangular and distinct from the neck, 2.1% of SVL (30.9 mm); interocular distance 21.7 mm, pupil elliptical, maximum horizontal eye diameter 7.5 mm; loreal near-rectangular, longer (3.0 mm) than high (2.4 mm), slightly tapering superiorly; body triangular; tail moderately long (32.1% of SVL). Supralabials 9/9, 4 th, 5 th, and 6 th /4 th, 5 th, and 6 th contacting orbit; infralabials 14/14, 1 st on each side in contact behind mental, 1 st –4 th /1 st –4 th contacting anterior chin shields, 5 th –8 th /5 th –8 th contacting posterior chin shields, and 1 cuneate between the 5 th and 6 th left infralabials; 2/2 preoculars; 2/2 postoculars; temporals 2 + 2/2 + 2; 2 internasals; nasal divided on both sides; frontal slightly wider (10.1 mm) than long (9.2 mm); dorsal scale rows 23 one head length posterior to jaw rictus, 21 at midbody, 15 one head length anterior to vent, smooth and oblique with apical pits visible on the neck, vertebral scales broad and apically flattened; ventrals 261 (standard), 260 (Dowling); cloacal plate undivided; paired subcaudals 136 (terminal spine missing); both hemipenes everted. Coloration (in life) of the holotype. Solid black over the entire length of the dorsum, and black ventrally except for the anterior half of the body, where the ventral scales are pale yellow with a black posterior edge that increases in thickness in correlation with increased distance from the head. The head is black dorsally and laterally except for yellow on the lower, anterior region of the 5 th –9 th supralabials, and yellow ventrally except for thin black rims on the posterior edges of the infralabials. Coloration (in preservative) of the holotype. The specimen’s coloration in preservative is nearly the same as in life, although the ventral yellow coloration has dulled to a yellowish off-white; some scales also seem cloudy under close lighting, indicative of some stage of ecdysis in life. Variation. For years, the size record for this species was attributed to Goodman (1985), who recorded a total length of 2515 mm for an adult female collected in Uganda. However, Hedges (1983:20) measured a specimen from Kenya that was 2707 mm total length, and said it “is reputed to exceed 3300 mm.” Weinstein et al. (2011) noted the species may exceed 3.5 meters. Spawls & Branch (1995, 2020) listed the maximum size as “about 2.8 m ” (no specific location provided), but Weinstein (pers. comm.) estimated a captive specimen from Kakamega was approximately 3.0 meters total length. Schmidt (1923:104) remarked that two specimens from DRC had fused prefrontals, creating a single transverse scale. Five of his 20 DRC specimens had a divided cloacal plate, “with indications of a groove in two others,” and as a result, he stated that the condition of the cloacal plate is “obviously useless” as a diagnostic character. Laurent (1956) noted that, with the exception of DRC specimens from Mayombe (north of the Congo River in Kongo Central Province and thus attributable to T. blandingii as recognized herein) with consistently divided cloacal plates, 13 of 31 snakes from other areas of DRC had an undivided cloacal plate. Our examined specimens confirm this sentiment, because 17/ 92 specimens have a divided cloacal plate, and an additional five specimens have a partially divided cloacal plate. Hellmich (1957b) noted maximum sizes of Angolan males (1740 mm SVL; 523 mm TL) and females (1730 mm SVL; 505 mm TL), and aberrant individuals that had 11 supralabials and 9–14 infralabials. De Witte (1966) noted that the species has 17 scale rows at midbody, but this datum is so aberrant that it is likely an error (Pitman 1974; Table 1). Skinner (1973) provided ranges of scale counts (161–274 ventrals, 86–147 subcaudals) that are so aberrant that they are clearly erroneous (at least for lower counts), and noted a maximum length of about 3 meters. For Uganda snakes, Pitman (1974) listed ventral scale counts from 240–260 (males) and 240–259 (females). De Witte (1975) noted a single individual with 25 scale rows at midbody, and Broadley et al. (2003) also noted 25 scale rows as the maximum amount of variation. Based on two specimens from Lukolela, Belgian Congo (AMNH 45907) and Akenge, Belgian Congo (AMNH 12243), Bogert (1940:61) described their maxillary teeth as “ten in number, followed after a short diastema by three enlarged, grooved fangs, the posterior one of which is smaller than the other two.” Schmidt (1923:105) described two color phases of DRC specimens, including (1) a black phase with the anterior portion of the venter yellow, each ventral scale bordered with black on its posterior edge, the border increasing in width until the yellow color disappears on the posterior two-thirds of the venter; and (2) a brownish phase, “with more or less distinct wide dark cross-bars, confluent anteriorly, alternate posteriorly on the vertebral line.” Pitman (1938:211) described an unsexed individual from Uganda as “darkish gunmetal with a purplish mottling towards the tail, belly pale yellow from head to tail but with slight brown markings on the posterior half increasing in occurrence towards and on the tail.” A female from Uganda was described as rich chestnut dorsally and ventrally, with handsome chocolate blotches on the flanks, each one containing a small white spot. On the posterior part of the body, including most of the tail, these blotches were confluent with pale edging. The ventral aspect of the head and the first 50 ventrals were “paly yellowish tinged green.” The dorsum of the head was dark brown, and the posterior supralabials were dull greenish grey. The supralabials had black edging posteriorly, except for the last one. There were two elongated dark brown blotches behind the eye, which was iridescent hazel. Bogert (1940:61) provided data for a specimen (AMNH 45907; determined to be a subadult male based on photographs examined by EG) that had been described by James P. Chapin as “olive-brown, with dark brown patches; below grayish brown.” Hellmich (1957b) described the coloration of several individuals from Angola, including an adult male that had a blue-reddish-black dorsum with a venter that was pale yellow in the front half of the body, with an ever-widening blue-black border that eventually enclosed the entire ventral scales towards the posterior side. Another adult male had a dark black-brown dorsum, and light yellow venter on the first third of the body, but starting on the 5 th ventral, there was a dark gray-blue spot that increased in size posteriorly until it covered the entire venter towards the posterior end of the body. An adult female’s dorsum was described as clay yellow with mostly alternating dark transverse bars and a pale yellow venter. A second adult female had similar coloration to the latter specimen, but the transverse bands were only faintly visible on the posterior sixth of the body and tail. A juvenile dorsum was described as gray-brown with transverse black-brown spots that converge in the anterior part of the body, but then alternate posteriorly, with a light yellowish-white spot in the lower center of the spots. Laurent (1956:195) listed a section about possible sexual dimorphism for this species, but stated that nothing glaring appears in his data. Pitman (1974:125) described several individuals from Uganda that were similar to the descriptions above, and added that both color phases “exhibit a handsome suede effect.” He noted that although subadult males might retain the brown phase, black females are unknown, and the black and brown color phases have “sexual significance.” The dark blotches of juveniles were noted to vary from “blackish, chocolate, reddishbrown or dark or bright chestnut,” with interspaces ranging from light gray, pale brown or chestnut, sometimes with a pinkish tinge. Goodman (1985:56) described two adult females from Uganda as “dingy olive-brown.” Hughes (2000) noted that Laurent (1964) seemed to imply that his largest male specimen from Dundo, Angola was not black, but this is not clear, because the latter author only mentioned in passing that a smaller male from Andrada, Angola represented the black phase. Spawls & Branch (1995, 2020) remarked that the yellow ventral pigmentation might form a stripe in the middle of the venter. In the brown color morph, the skin between the scales is bluish gray, and especially visible when the snake inflates its body during a threat display. The eye can be yellowish or brown. The black phase snakes are usually male, whereas the brown phase ones are usually female. Based on photos of an adult male from Banalia, DRC (individual shown in Fig. 9A), the base of the tongue is bluish black, and the forked tip is silvery gray. Hemipenis. Bogert (1940:61) described the hemipenis of an individual, presumably from DRC, as “not bifurcate, extending to the tenth caudal, the undivided sulcus deeply buried between two fleshy fold [sic]. The basal half is heavily armed with stout spines but distally the organ is calyculate, the edges of the calyces crenulated.” Hemipenes of our examined specimens had a simple, subcylindrical shape, simple sulcus spermaticus, and spinose ornamentation with a rough apical structure, as also noted for T. blandingii. Because only two specimens with everted hemipenes were available for both T. blandingii and T. vexator sp. nov., any finer-scale differences cannot be attributed to species-level differentiation (Dowling & Savage 1960; Doucet 1963). Diet. Laurent (1964) noted a juvenile snake contained the remains of a bird. In snakes from Uganda, Pitman (1974) noted the diet included weaver finches, robber birds’ eggs, small rodents, bats, frogs, large agamids, and chameleons. Hedges (1983) described a Kenyan snake that regurgitated a Nectarinia famosa sunbird. Spawls & Branch (1995, 2020) described the diet as birds, bird eggs, arboreal lizards, frogs, arboreal rodents, and bats. Nagy et al. (2011) documented an adult female from DRC that predated a Short-palated Fruit Bat (Casinycteris argynnis) from a bat net in secondary forest. Another male specimen from DRC was captured with a nestling bushshrike (Laniarius sp.) in its stomach. Parasites. Loveridge (1937) noted a tick on the scales of a specimen (ANSP 20504) from Belgian Congo. Parasites of Ugandan snakes included internal nematodes (Kalicephalus sp.) and cestodes, ectoparasites (ticks, including Aponomma latum), and captive specimens had bacterial infections, including mouth rot (Pitman, 1974). Goodman (1985:56) documented dozens of ticks, “probably Aponomma sp.,” and linguatulid worms from the posterior saccular lung cavity of an adult female from Uganda. Behavior. Spawls & Branch (1995, 2020) described the snake as arboreal, sometimes climbing to heights of 30 meters in trees, but also descending to the ground to cross open spaces and roads. It is mostly nocturnal, sheltering in leaf clumps and tree hollows during the day. When threatened, it will open its mouth widely and expose the pink lining inside, inflate its body, flatten the head, lift the anterior part of its body off the ground and into C-shaped coils, and strike at perceived threats. It is adept at smelling sleeping birds in nests at night, and will make a slow, deliberate approach to attack them. Reproduction. A personal communication from “Leakey” (most likely Richard Leakey) to Pitman (1974) noted that a female from Kakamega (Kenya) laid 9 eggs that were approximately 20 x 40 mm on 9 January. Spawls & Branch (1995) reported an average of 7– 14 eggs in this species (3–14 in Spawls & Branch 2020), presumably based mostly on East African data, which is substantially more than clutch sizes reported for T. blandingii by Luiselli et al. (1998a). Habitat. Laurent (1954) remarked that an adult female from Dundo, Angola was captured after it fell out of a mango tree. Laurent (1960) stated that his colleague M. Leloup often encountered the species in eastern DRC. De Witte (1962) listed the habitats for DRC snakes as equatorial forest and gallery forest, a classification that was repeated by Thys van den Audenaerde (1965). Pitman (1974) also limited the species to forest in Uganda, but he remarked that the species frequently enters houses (where it hunts for bats), and one individual was killed in a tree over 20 meters above the ground. Broadley & Cotterill (2004) stated the species inhabits forests and wooded savannas. Spawls & Branch (1995, 2020) noted the species from forest, woodland, forest-savanna mosaic, riverine woodland, and human habitations from sea level to about 2,200 m elevation. The holotype was found basking on a shrub (ca. 4 meters above ground) in a clearing created by a fallen tree in primary forest. The Irangi paratype was found in secondary forest near a road. Geographic distribution. Based on molecular data from Allen et al. (in press) and patterns of our morphometric data (Table 1), we hypothesize that this species occurs east of the Congo and Ubangi Rivers in CAR, DRC, Angola, Zambia, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Although Boulenger (1896) listed a specimen from “ Zanzibar,” the locality likely referred to mainland records (Parker et al. 1940; Loveridge 1957; Pitman 1974). Venom. Wakeman (1966) documented a 2.59 m (presumably total length) captive adult from Uganda that struck an adult rat, which died after 8.5 minutes. Pitman (1974:127) described the case of a young European who was bitten on the thumb three times in rapid succession by a small (305 mm) individual (erroneously reported as 350 mm by Goodman 1985); only “initial smarting” at the puncture sites occurred. Spawls (1979) described the bite of a captive 2.1 meter snake on a man, including three fang punctures on his thumb, which resulted in mild swelling of his hand. Anecdotal observations of a bite by a captive snake on a mouse resulted in death in under a minute. Hedges (1983:20) was bitten, “and although it drew a considerable amount of blood, I felt no effects whatsoever.” He also remarked that this species “chews” when biting, ostensibly to ensure the rear fangs penetrate the flesh to inject venom. Based on venom collected from a snake originating from Kenya, Weinstein & Smith (1993) estimated the LD 50 value as 4.88 mg /kg in mice. Weinstein & Smith (1993:88) also noted “the differences in lethal potencies between the two samples of B. blandingi [compare with LD 50 = 2.85–3.55 mg /kg in T. blandingii from West Africa] demonstrate variation of secretion toxicity in this species,” suggesting possible species-level differences in venom composition of these sister taxa (Weinstein & Kardong 1994). Immunological cross reactivity with elapid venom antisera was demonstrated, but Weinstein & Smith (1993) did not distinguish between samples originating from West Africa (i.e., T. blandingii) or East Africa (i.e., T. vexator sp. nov.). Branch (2005) suggested bites cause nausea and headaches, but fatalities are unknown. Dashevsky et al. (2018) included a Toxicodryas from Tanzania in their proteomics study, and they noted its venom is dominated by three-finger toxins. Scott Weinstein (pers. comm., October 2020) clarified that a snakebite mentioned by Weinstein & Smith (1993) and a second one that occurred one year after this publication were caused by snakes originating from Kakamega forest, Kenya. “The bite mentioned in the paper was delivered by [an approximately] 3.0 m jet black male that was a favourite member of my collection for nearly 7 years. He typically performed the whole gamut of open mouthed posturing and mock strikes, but was also a very aggressive feeder, and although I tried to condition him to receiving food (freeze-thawed chicks and rodents) out of his enclosure, he still occasionally would ‘pour’ out when he detected food nearby. The bite occurred just after I opened the front [of] the cage (a tall arboreal habitat); he ‘poured’ out and delivered what was clearly a feeding strike with firm attachment on the ulnar zone, dorsal aspect [of the right] wrist. Attachment lasted approximately 30–40 seconds with attempted jaw advancement; I was able to detach him by gently [maneuvering] his head. Pain was akin to several punctures with a sewing needle; immediate bleeding was proportional to the wounds and transient (<3 min). I developed some very slight edema also proportional to the extent of physical trauma, but did have some persistent erythema (lasting approximately 36 hr), and some slight pruritus that also lasted a couple of days. The second bite was from an approximately 45 cm male and was [a] quick bite and release delivered to the lateral aspect of the [right] index finger, consistent with a brief defensive bite. I only experienced some sharp punctures, very brief, slight bleeding (lasting barely a minute) and a few minor lacerations from a few of the teeth inflicting a ‘dragging’ effect; there were no other effects. It should be noted that although most of the minor effects of the first bite (the second was too brief to assess) could be assigned to local effects of low volume venom inoculation, some contribution of local hypersensitivity is certainly possible. I was sensitised in the 1970s during the beginning of my venom research.” Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, invariable, from the Latin noun vexator, meaning harasser or stalker, in reference to the fact that this snake stalks prey when they are sleeping, and to its aggressiveness when disturbed.Published as part of Greenbaum, Eli, Allen, Kaitlin E., Vaughan, Eugene R., Pauwels, Olivier S. G., Wallach, Van, Kusamba, Chifundera, Muninga, Wandege M., Aris- Tote, Mwenebatu M., Mali, Franck M. M., Badjedjea, Gabriel, Penner, Johannes, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Rivera, Jacqueline, Sterkhova, Viktoria, Johnson, Grant, Tapondjou, Walter P. & Brown, Rafe M., 2021, Night stalkers from above: A monograph of Toxicodryas tree snakes (Squamata Colubridae) with descriptions of two new cryptic species from Central Africa, pp. 1-44 in Zootaxa 4965 (1) on pages 17-21, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4965.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/472302
Systematics of the Thirteen-scaled Green Snake <i>Philothamnus carinatus</i> (Squamata: Colubridae), with the description of a cryptic new species from Central and East Africa
No full textRecent molecular phylogenies of African green snakes suggested the geographically widespread species Philothamnus carinatus includes at least two distinct lineages. We utilised an integrative taxonomic approach with morphological and genetic data to reconcile the taxonomic status of these cryptic lineages, including the recently described taxon P. brunneus from West Africa. We sequenced three mitochondrial (16S, cyt b and ND4) and two nuclear (c-mos and RAG1) genes from several Central African populations of P. carinatus and combined our data with other closely related species to infer a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree with IQ-TREE. Our results are consistent with previous studies that showed P. cf. carinatus populations from Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) represent a cryptic lineage that is distinct from P. carinatus sensu stricto in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea (including Bioko Island), Gabon, eastern Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, and extreme western DRC. In our preferred tree, P. brunneus (limited to 16S molecular data) was recovered as a relatively long branch in a moderately supported clade with P. carinatus sensu stricto, whereas P. cf. carinatus populations from northern Angola, most of DRC, and East Africa (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) were described as a new species. A possible hybrid population between south-eastern Cameroon and north-western DRC is consistent with an increasing body of evidence suggesting the Ubangi River might represent a hybrid zone area.</p
Toxicodryas adamanteus Greenbaum & Allen & Vaughan & Pauwels & Wallach & Kusamba & Muninga & Aris- Tote & Mali & Badjedjea & Penner & Rödel & Rivera & Sterkhova & Johnson & Tapondjou & Brown 2021, sp. nov.
No full text<i>Toxicodryas adamanteus</i> sp. nov. <p>(Table 2, Figs. 8, 12–13)</p> <p> We hypothesize that this new, cryptic species occurs in western, central and eastern Africa, east of the Niger Delta, and it has been considered to be conspecific with <i>Toxicodryas pulverulenta</i> since it was first documented to occur in Angola by Peters (1877). The recognition of this new species is supported by evidence from molecular data (Fig. 2) and significant differences in subcaudal scale counts (see Results).</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> A species of <i>Toxicodryas</i> restricted to West, Central and East Africa, east of the Niger Delta, defined by the following combination of characters: maximum SVL <1 meter (vs. maximum SVL> 1 meter in <i>T</i>. <i>blandingii</i> and <i>T</i>. <i>vexator</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>), DSRN 18–23 (vs. 23–25 in <i>T</i>. <i>blandingii</i> and 23–29 in <i>T</i>. <i>vexator</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>), DSRM 18–21 (vs. 21–25 in <i>T</i>. <i>blandingii</i> and <i>T</i>. <i>vexator</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>); cloacal plate undivided (vs. usually divided in <i>T</i>. <i>blandingii</i>, and divided or undivided in <i>T</i>. <i>vexator</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>); both sexes brown to pink with darker cross-bars that often enclose a whitish spot, and the dorsum and venter sprinkled with fine dark brown or black spots (vs. adult males glossy or velvety black with a yellow venter, and adult females light brown, gray, or yellowish-brown with light-brown or cream cross-bars on the flanks, with yellowish-brown venters in <i>T</i>. <i>blandingii</i> and <i>T</i>. <i>vexator</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>); hemipenis relatively long with long spines mid-way along the shaft that decrease in size towards the apex and base, with a domed apex (vs. hemipenis relatively short and massive [i.e., broad], proximal third covered with spines, distal twothirds dimpled with a flattened apex in <i>T</i>. <i>blandingii</i> and <i>T</i>. <i>vexator</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>).</p> <p> <b>Holotype.</b> UTEP 22204 (field no. ELI 2213; Figs. 8, 12–13), adult male from Npenda village, NE of Lake Tumba (00.7465° S, 18.2243° E, 311 m), Equateur Province, DRC, collected by local Twa people and brought to Eli Greenbaum, Chifundera Kusamba, Wandege M. Muninga, and Mwenebatu M. Aristote on 8 July 2013.</p> <p> <b>Paratopotype.</b> UTEP 22203 (field no. ELI 2212) adult female with same collection details as the holotype.</p> <p> <b>Paratype.</b> RBINS 2699 (formerly RBINS 9127) (field no. Paul Leloup #26), adult female from Région Tshabondo (2.690861° S, 27.341972° E), South Kivu Province, DRC, collected by Paul Leloup on 11 October 1958.</p> <p> <b>Description of the holotype.</b> Adult male, 812 mm SVL; head weakly triangular and moderately distinct from neck, 2.4% of SVL (19.3 mm); interocular distance 13.4 mm, pupil elliptical, eye diameter 5.2 mm; loreal nearrectangular, shorter (1.7 mm) than high (2.0 mm), slightly tapering superiorly and vertically; body semi-triangular; tail moderately long (27.7% of SVL). Supralabials 8/8, 3 rd –5 th /3 rd –5 th contacting orbit; infralabials 13/12, 1 st on each side in contact behind mental, 1 st –5 th /1 st –5 th contacting anterior chin shields and 5 th –7 th /5 th –7 th contacting posterior chin shields; 1/1 preocular; 2/2 postoculars; temporals 2 + 3 + 3/2 + 3 + 3; 2 internasals; nasal divided; frontal width and length equal (6.6 mm); dorsal scale rows 21 one head length posterior to jaw rictus, 19 at midbody, 15 one head length anterior to vent, smooth and oblique with apical pits visible on the neck, vertebral scales broad and apically flattened; ventrals 264 (standard), 262 (Dowling); cloacal plate undivided; paired subcaudals 117; both hemipenes everted.</p> <p> <b>Coloration (in life) of the holotype.</b> Silvery gray-brown over the entire length of the dorsum including the head, with similarly colored but darker diamonds occurring laterally over the full length of the neck, body, and tail. These diamonds are elongated vertically, have pale gray centers, and often have black spots at the top and bottom corners. Between each diamond on the body and neck is a more vaguely defined, pale gray diamond or stripe. The lateral and antero-dorsal sides of the head are speckled, as is the ventral side of the head, neck, body, and tail. The venter is otherwise white, with the speckles forming two pale stripes running down either side of the ventrals and subcaudals. The base of the tongue is orangish red, and the forked tip is silvery white with black edging.</p> <p> <b>Coloration (in preservative) of the holotype.</b> This specimen’s coloration has become slightly darker and browner than it was in life, with less pronounced patterning on the flanks, but otherwise the appearance is similar to the coloration in life.</p> <p> <b>Variation.</b> Morphometric variation of <i>Toxicodryas adamanteus</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is shown in Table 2. We observed extensive temporal scale variation, including 1 + 1, 1 + 2, 2 + 2 (most commonly), 2 + 3, 2 + 5, 3 + 2, 3 + 3, and 4 + 3. Chabanaud (1917c) described a male from Gabon with supralabials 3–6 contacting the eye, and this specimen seems to be the size record at 1,225 mm total length (995 mm SVL, 230 mm tail length). Schmidt (1923) listed ventral counts of 251–269 in snakes from DRC, and noticed one individual that had a preocular fused to the supraocular on one side, and in two individuals, the loreal was fused to the lower portion of the preocular and thus contacted the eye. Laurent (1956) noticed that snakes from DRC (i.e., <i>T</i>. <i>adamanteus</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>) had more subcaudals than snakes from West Africa (i.e., <i>T</i>. <i>pulverulenta</i>). Skinner (1973) noted ventral scale counts range from 240–269, subcaudal scale counts range from 105–126 (identical to Pitman 1974), and the maximum size is about 2 meters, substantially larger than all other published records, and thus, highly doubtful. De Witte (1975) provided data for ventral scale counts of DRC snakes ranging from 235–242 (males) and 239–249 (females), and subcaudal counts of 112–120 (both sexes). Spawls & Branch (2020) listed the maximum size as “about 1.25 m ” but no specific locality or record was provided. Although most of our examined specimens and literature records noted the 3 rd to 5 th supralabial in contact with the eye, some individuals have the 4 th to 6 th supralabial in contact with the eye (e.g., Loveridge 1937) and one specimen from Gabon (CAS 258155) had only the 4 th and 5 th supralabial in contact with the eye. In snakes from Uganda, Pitman (1974) reported ventral scale counts of 240–269 and subcaudal counts of 105–126 (not distinguished by sex). In de Witte’s (1975) study of snakes from Virunga National Park in eastern DRC, he noted ventrals range from 235–242 in males and 239–249 in females; subcaudals ranged from 112–120 in both sexes. Rasmussen (1997b:106) described individuals with 3 or 4 postoculars, 7–9 supralabials, 9–13 infralabials, 236–278 ventrals, and 96–132 subcaudals (sometimes undivided). In general, he noted this species has sloping and smooth scales with apical pits, and the vertebral row is more or less enlarged.</p> <p> Bogert (1940:fig. 8) illustrated the maxillary teeth of a specimen (AMNH 50590) from former French Cameroon, noting “ five specimens examined show variation from eleven to thirteen anterior subequal teeth followed after a very short diastema by two larger grooved fangs and a smaller fang, the total number of teeth being fourteen to eighteen.” Because only two of his examined specimens originated from former French Cameroon, at least three of these specimens are from Liberia, which are attributable to <i>T</i>. <i>pulverulenta</i>.</p> <p> Schmidt (1923:103) quoted field notes of Herbert Lang for DRC snakes as “coloration, in life, reddish brown above, head darker brown. Irregular dark gray lateral bars, wider in the middle, extend from the vertebral line to the venter, tipped above and below with black. A cream-colored central spot in the broad portion of each lateral bar. Faint narrow grayish crossbars between the wider ones, disappearing posteriorly. The wider crossbars are usually alternate, sometimes confluent on the back. Venter pinkish gray, heavily dotted with brown which forms two lines at the inner edges of the ventral edges of the ventral angle. These lines are more distinct beneath the tail.” Hellmich (1957b) described several individuals from Angola with a reddish brown to reddish blue-gray dorsum, with varying degrees of contrasting rhombic patterns and spots. Pitman (1974) provided a similar description for specimens from Uganda, noting they range from pinkish-brown to reddish-brown. Hedges (1983:21) described Kenyan specimens as, “a rather pretty pattern of coffee coloured diamond shaped markings on a mushroom pink body.” Rasmussen (1997b) described coloration in this species (presumably based on examined specimens from Nigeria and Cameroon) as reddish brown on the dorsum of the body; dorsum of the head darker brown; irregular, dark gray, diamondshaped spots on the flanks that are widest at mid-body; spots edged in black on superior and inferior edges with a cream spot in the center that sometimes fuse together in the midline; faint grayish transverse bands between spots that fade and disappear posteriorly; venter pinkish-gray, with dense brown spots that form a line just inside and parallel to the keeled ventrals, most salient on the tail. Pauwels <i>et al</i>. (2019b) noted a specimen from Gabon with an orange tongue in life. Spawls & Branch (2020:239) noted the dorsal color can range from pinkish to brown, redbrown or pinky gray with “darker” cross-bars that enclose a “pale” spot. The dorsum and venter are “finely dusted” with brown or black specks, whereas the venter is pale pink with “dashed dark lines” on each side of the ventrals. Contrary to Pauwels <i>et al</i>. (2019b), they noted the tongue is pink with a white tip. Based on our photographs of DRC snakes (e.g., Fig. 12G), the tongue is orangish red, and the forked tip is silvery white with black edging, which is consistent with the coloration of the holotype in life (EG pers. obs.). An unsexed individual from Banalia, DRC (Fig. 12F) is unique in having a golden yellow mid-dorsal stripe.</p> <p> <b>Diet.</b> Pitman (1938) mentioned a juvenile from Uganda that had a small mouse in its stomach. In Kenya, Hedges (1983) noted the species eats small chameleons, geckos, and frogs. Butler & Reid (1990) described an adult female from Nigeria that contained the remains of an <i>Agama</i> sp. lizard (<i>sensu</i> Leaché <i>et al</i>. 2017). Spawls & Branch (2020) listed the diet as arboreal lizards and rodents.</p> <p> <b>Parasites.</b> Pitman (1938) noted a juvenile from Uganda with numerous ticks.</p> <p> <b>Behavior.</b> Pitman (1974:128) described the species as “arboreal, nocturnal... amiable disposition,” and suggested that it might rely on camouflage to avoid predation, a sentiment also suggested by Gans (1961). Chirio & LeBreton (2007) suggested the species is shy and rarely bites. Spawls & Branch (2020) noted that when threatened, it elevates the anterior part of its body, “flickers its red tongue,” hisses, and strikes.</p> <p> <b>Reproduction.</b> Schmidt (1923) described a DRC female collected in June 1914 with an unspecified number of eggs that measured 11 x 29 mm. Butler & Reid (1990) described an adult female from Nigeria (captured 21 January 1988) that contained two developing eggs (34–35 mm long, 11 mm wide). Branch (2005) noted the species lays 2– 5 eggs.</p> <p> <b>Habitat.</b> Parker (1936) noted this species is restricted to rain forest and “its outliers.” Perret (1961) listed the species from forest in Cameroon. De Witte (1962) listed the habitats for DRC snakes as equatorial forest and gallery forest, and this classification was repeated by Thys van den Audenaerde (1965). Blackwell (1967) listed the species from forest, thickets, and gardens in Nigeria. Pitman (1974:128) described this snake as a “forest species” in Uganda, but also noted one individual from a “fowl house,” and another from an epiphytic fern (<i>Platycerium angolense</i>) on a forest tree. Butler & Reid (1986) listed the species only from forest in Nigeria. Lawson (1993) documented the species from forest and “farmbush” in Cameroon. Rasmussen (1997b) described the species as nocturnal and restricted to forest. Chirio & LeBreton (2007) recorded the species from forests and savanna-forest mosaic in Cameroon. Spawls & Branch (2020) included forest, woodland, and forest-savanna mosaic from sea level to about 2,000 m elevation. Among the 19 snake species recorded within the garden of a villa in Yenzi <i>(</i> 2.77261° S, 10.03403° E), Gamba, Nyanga Province, southwestern Gabon (forest-savanna mosaic), inhabited by one of the authors from 2004 to 2011 (OSGP, unpubl. data), <i>T. adamanteus</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> was among the most rarely encountered species.</p> <p> <b>Geographic distribution and habitat.</b> Based on molecular data from Allen <i>et al</i>. (in press) and patterns of our morphometric data (Table 2), we hypothesize that this species occurs east of the Niger Delta in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, CAR, Republic of Congo, DRC, Angola, Uganda, South Sudan, and Kenya. Ullenbruch & Böhme (2017) recently listed the species from South Sudan.</p> <p> <b>Venom.</b> Based on a specimen from Cameroon, Taub (1967) described the histological morphology of the Duvernoy’s gland. Venom composition and effects are unknown (Weinstein <i>et al</i>. 2011).</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The specific epithet <i>adamanteus</i> is a Latin adjective referring to the diamond-shaped marks on the flanks and dorsum of this species.</p>Published as part of <i>Greenbaum, Eli, Allen, Kaitlin E., Vaughan, Eugene R., Pauwels, Olivier S. G., Wallach, Van, Kusamba, Chifundera, Muninga, Wandege M., Aris- Tote, Mwenebatu M., Mali, Franck M. M., Badjedjea, Gabriel, Penner, Johannes, Rödel, Mark-Oliver, Rivera, Jacqueline, Sterkhova, Viktoria, Johnson, Grant, Tapondjou, Walter P. & Brown, Rafe M., 2021, Night stalkers from above: A monograph of Toxicodryas tree snakes (Squamata Colubridae) with descriptions of two new cryptic species from Central Africa, pp. 1-44 in Zootaxa 4965 (1)</i> on pages 27-32, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4965.1.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4723024">http://zenodo.org/record/4723024</a>
吐痰的詩意 : 戈爾德斯<<夜晚就在森林前面>>之隱喻研究
No full text碩士《夜晚就在森林前面》為法國當代劇作家戈爾德思（Bernard-Marie Koltes）所寫的第一部劇本，其中只有一句長達六十多頁的獨白。本研究旨在探索此劇中作者所用的隱喻手法，於第一章定義隱喻一詞，同時探討戈爾德思劇中隱喻詮釋學的不同功能；接著於第二章拆解此劇標題之意涵再於第三章探究劇中有關肢體及粗暴、低俗的文字，最後再於第四章探討隱喻與翻譯之相似特性。
關鍵詞：隱喻、戈爾德思、詮釋學、翻譯This study deals with the play The Night just before the forests by the French author Bernard-Marie Koltes (1948-1989). It aims to rethink the functions of metaphor, then to exploit the metaphors in the title of the play, in the meeting scene, in those violent, vulgar, organic terms, and in the plight of the characters. We also focus on the Chinese translation of the play, since, like metaphor, translation is not a simple transfer, but the continuation of a process of meaning creation.
Key word: Metaphor, Bernard-Marie Koltes, hermeneutics, translationTABLE DES MATIERES
Introduction 1
Chapitre I : Approches theoriques de la metaphore 10
1. Les fondements theoriques de la metaphore 10
1.1. La metaphore chez Aristote : points de vue traditionnels 10
1.2. La metaphore selon Dumarsais et Fontanier : ecart paradigmatique 12
1.3. Vers une theorie ricœurienne : conception hermeneutique 15
2. La metaphore comme micro figure 18
3. La metaphore versus la comparaison 22
Chapitre II : La metaphore « juste avant le texte » 25
1. Le moment nocturne : motif de la nuit 28
2. Symbolique de la foret : detournements chez Koltes 33
3. La fulgurance de la rencontre 37
Chapitre III : Quelques anomalies semantiques 43
1. Le corps comme metaphore 43
1.1. L’image du corps morcele 44
1.2. L’image du corps organique : « Je pisse, donc je suis » 47
2. La marginalite des personnages 53
Chapitre IV : Autour de la reception : le lecteur et le decodage 59
1. La traduction comme metaphore 59
2. Traduire l’esthetique koltesienne 61
1.1. Le rythme 62
1.2. La repetition 64
Conclusion 68
Bibliographie 71學號: 600080013, 學年度: 10
Phylogeny and biogeography of the African burrowing snake subfamily Aparallactinae (Squamata: Lamprophiidae)
No full textInternational audienc
Conflito civil e liberdade no pensamento republicano de maquiavel
No full textTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Filosofia, Florianópolis, 2015Nosso propósito é refletir as condições da liberdade partindo da teoria do conflito civil em Maquiavel. Para cumprir essa finalidade, analisamos dois segmentos sociais que se confrontam em toda cidade, os grandes e o povo (grandi e plebe), aos quais correspondem dois humores (umori) de característica heterogênea: os grandes que desejam dominar o povo e o do povo que deseja unicamente viver em liberdade. Desse natural e ineliminável conflito, Maquiavel concebe as relações sociais em dissenso, ligeiramente distanciadas da concordia ordinum. Há, com esse pressuposto, uma relativa igualdade política na dinâmica do próprio enfrentamento desses humores que, ao serem acolhidos e recriados pelas instituições republicanas, se traduzem em leis e liberdade que beneficiam o conjunto da cidade. A teoria do conflito civil, ao esboçar certa autonomia em relação ao modelo polibiano da anacyclosis, ainda muito reproduzida pela tradição do pensamento político, acaba positivando o desejo do povo - ao lado do humor dos grandes - gerando reações aristocráticas diante de um presumível republicanismo popular do autor - Francesco Guicciardini confirma essa perspectiva. O desafio está em compreender que aspectos efetivamente concorrem nesse processo que vai, desde a anulação do bom e positivo conflito civil, para um convívio determinado por relações de subordinação e servidão (vivere servo). Mobilizando alguns capítulos centrais dos Discursos sobre a primeira década de Tito Lívio e de História de Florença - mas não sem remissões pontuais a outras obras do autor que subsidiem a discussão -, mostramos que a demanda por ações extraordinárias (straordinari) em situações de repúblicas corrompidíssimas, se deve à ingerência de relações desiguais e facciosas entre os distintos segmentos. À desigualdade nessas relações, atribui-se relativa inflexão do conteúdo político dos humores em direção a aspectos e fenômenos de natureza econômica. Trata-se de mostrar, em Maquiavel, que o próprio núcleo da teoria do conflito civil é permeado por uma clivagem social e econômica que sugere uma medida mais flexível de leitura de sua própria teoria do conflito civil e da liberdade.Abstract: Our purpose is to reflect the conditions of liberty based on the theory of civil conflict in Machiavelli. To accomplish this purpose, we analyzed two social sectors which are faced in every city, the big ones and the people (grandi and plebs), that correspond to two moods (umori) of heterogeneous feature: the big ones that wish to master the people and the people who only want to live in liberty. From this natural and non-eliminable conflict, Machiavelli conceives social relations in dissent, slightly away from concordia ordinum. There is, with this assumption, a relative political equality in the dynamics of the own confrontation of these moods that, when received and recreated by republican institutions, are translated into laws and liberty that benefit the entire city. The civil conflict theory, when showing certain autonomy from the Polybian model of anacyclosis, still very reproduced by the tradition of political thought, ended up achieving the will of the people - next to the big ones mood - generating aristocratic reactions to a presumable republicanism popular of the author - Francesco Guicciardini confirms this perspective. The challenge is to understand what aspects effectively compete in this process which is, since the abolishment of good and positive civil conflict, to a coexistence determined by relations of subordination and servitude (vivere servo). Mobilizing some central chapters of Discourses on Titus Livy's first ten books [Discorsi sopra la prima deca di Tito Livio] and Florentine Histories [Istorie Fiorentine] - but not without occasional references to other works of the author who subsidize the discussion - we showed that the demand for extraordinary actions (straordinari) in situations of corrupted republics, is due to the interference of unequal and unfair relations between different segments. To the inequality in these relations is attributed inflection of the political content of moods toward aspects and phenomena of an economic nature. This is to show, in Machiavelli, that the core of the civil conflict theory is permeated by a social and economic cleavage suggesting a more flexible measure of reading his own theory of civil conflict and liberty
Hemidactylus gramineus Ching & Tay & Brown & Mohareb & Sethi & Annamalai 2023, sp. nov.
No full textHemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. Figures 1, 2; Table 1 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8C27856D-9BAD-4880-930F-2503794734C3 Hemidactylus cf. nzingae: Ceríaco et al. (2020a: 14) Hemidactylus sp.: Ceríaco et al. (2020a: 19) Holotype.— UTEP 22208 (field number ELI 1645; Figs. 1, 2), adult male collected near bank of Lumene River, Bombo-Lumene Reserve (-4.42027 °, 16.04687 °, 548 m), Kinshasa Province, DRC, collected by Chifundera Kusamba and Wandege M. Muninga on 7 June 2013. Paratype.— UTEP 22209 (field number ELI 1674), adult male collected in Bombo-Lumene Reserve (-4.41843 °, 16.04420 °, 555 m), Kinshasa Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, collected by Chifundera Kusamba, Wandege M. Muninga, Mwenebatu M. Aristote, and Eli Greenbaum on 7 June 2013. Diagnosis.—A small-sized Hemidactylus, maximum SVL 39.5 mm, with a short, blunt snout (Fig. 1). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, with 12–14 irregularly arranged longitudinal rows of subtrihedral, striated, strongly keeled tubercles at midbody. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, the inner pair longer than the outer pair, about half the size of the mental, and in contact behind the mental. Ventrolateral folds distinct, 23– 25 scale rows across midventer. Five divided scansors beneath first digit of both manus and pes, seven beneath fourth digit of manus, seven beneath the fourth digit of pes. Males with a continuous series of eight precloacal pores. Body dorsum grayish brown, bordered by irregular, squiggly, dark brown markings that are interrupted by pairs of light gray spots, bordered by a cream/tan band that passes from the tip of the snout through the eye to the upper portion of the flanks and onto the tail, with numerous whitish tubercles on the flanks. Description of Holotype.—The holotype is an adult male in good condition (Fig. 1). The body shape is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened. Measurements and meristic characters of the holotype are presented in Table 1. Head large (HL/ SVL 0.30 mm), wide (HW/HL 0.60 mm), not depressed (HH/HL 0.38 mm), distinct from neck. Canthus rostralis moderately distinct. Snout short (SE/HL 0.43 mm), longer than eye diameter; scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and between eyes heterogeneous, juxtaposed, and weakly pointed; scales on snout, canthus rostralis and forehead twice the size of those on the occipital and interorbital regions. Eye small (ED/HL 0.18 mm), supraciliaries large, pointed, with those at the anterior end of orbit slightly larger. Ear opening oval (greatest diameter 0.7 mm); eyeto-ear distance greater than diameter of eye. Rostral wider than deep; three internasals, with the two outer ones enlarged and separated from each other by the smaller one in the middle; one supranasal on each side that is smaller than internasal, one pair of still smaller postnasals; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I, supranasal and internasal; nostrils small (> 1 mm), oval, each surrounded by supranasal, rostral, supralabial I and postnasal; one or two rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials. Mental triangular; two postmentals, smaller than the mental and in extensive contact with each other behind mental; outer pair about one third the size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair and four gular scales. Inner postmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by infralabials I and II, inner postmental, three to four small gular scales of which the outer one is enlarged and continue as a single row of enlarged scales below infralabials. Infralabials bordered by a double row of enlarged scales. Supralabials and infralabials to angle of jaw 10 (right and left) and 9 (right and left), respectively. Body relatively stout, moderately elongate (TRL / SVL 0.42 mm), ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, comprising conical, granular, striated scales intermixed with enlarged, fairly regularly arranged, longitudinal rows of 14 subtrihedral, strongly keeled, striated tubercles at midbody, extending from occipital region to tail, each enlarged tubercle roughly six to eight times longer than adjacent granules, surrounded by rosette of 10–12 small granules, 2 or 3 granules between two adjacent enlarged tubercles; enlarged tubercles on nape and shoulder small and pointed, those on occipital region heterogeneous. Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate; midbody scale rows across belly 25 (between ventrolateral folds); gular region with still smaller, subimbricate scales, those on lateral aspect of neck granular, anterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest. Eight precloacal pores. Scales on the palm and sole smooth, imbricate, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum, subimbricate and striated, dorsal aspect of forearm with smaller, striated, conical and granular scales, intermixed with a few enlarged conical tubercles; those on dorsal part of thigh and shank conical, granular, striated, intermixed with enlarged, striated, subtrihedral tubercles, which are numerous on shank compared with anterior aspect of thigh; posterior aspect of thigh lacks enlarged tubercles. Forelimbs and hind limbs relatively short, stout; forearm short (FL/ SVL 0.14 mm); tibia short (CL/ SVL 0.16 mm); digits moderately short, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I–IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except for distal and two basal scansors on digit I and one or two distal and basal scansors in all other digits that are single; scansors from proximal-most part of the toe at least twice diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 5-6-6-7-7 (right manus), 5-8-7-7-6 (right pes). Relative length of digits: III = IV> V> II> I (right manus); IV> III> V> II> I (right pes). The tail bears spinose tubercles dorsally, and subimbricate subcaudal scales, about one fourth of the width of the tail. Coloration (in Life and PreserƲatiƲe).—Vertebral region of dorsum grayish brown, bordered by irregular, squiggly, dark brown markings that are interrupted by pairs of light gray spots; the dark brown markings transition to chevrons on the tail. Crown of head with scattered, poorly defined brown markings that resemble irregular chevrons. A cream/tan band passes from the tip of the snout through the eye to the upper portion of the flanks and onto the tail, with numerous whitish tubercles on the flanks. The lower portion of the flanks has a grayish brown band that is bordered by numerous light gray or whitish tubercles. The lowest margin of the flanks is light brown with irregular brown markings, and transitions to the venter. Forelimbs and hind limbs grayish brown with irregular dark brown crossbars. Venter cream; palms and soles cream. In preservative the specimens look more brownish with the pattern not so clearly delimited. Variation.—Variation in scalation and body measurements of the paratype of Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. is reported in Table 1. The paratype agrees almost entirely with the holotype, although its coloration is less contrasting than that of the holotype. Coloration of a tentatively assigned third specimen (based on a photo of a live specimen) from Mayongongo village [-4.19, 14.96, 368 m a.s.l.], Pool Department, Republic of Congo (Fig. 4), is nearly identical to that of the holotype (Fig. 2). Comparison aeith West and Central African Congeners.—The newly described species can be morphologically distinguished from all of its regional congeners, including those occurring in the DRC and in the areas neighboring the western DRC: Gabon, Republic of the Congo, and Angola. Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. may be readily distinguished from H. ituriensis and Hemidactylus coalescens Wagner, Leaché and Fujita, 2014, by being much smaller (maximum [max] SVL 39.5 vs. 78 mm in H. coalescens and 89 mm in H. ituriensis) and in not having the typical dorsal crossbands that characterize these two species (and the H. fasciatus group as a whole). It may be distinguished from H. angulatus Hallowell, 1854 by having only 8 precloacal pores (vs. 20–46 uninterrupted precloacal-femoral pores in males), by having a lower number of tubercle rows on the dorsum (12–14 vs. 14–25), and by having small subcaudal scales (vs. transversely enlarged). Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. is readily distinguished from H. kamdemtohami Bauer and Pauwels, 2002, and H. richardsonii (Gray, 1845) by the lack of basal digital webbing and from H. matschiei (Tornier, 1902) by having spiny tubercles on the dorsum and small subcaudal scales. It may be distinguished from H. steindachneri by lacking a longitudinal row of keeled tubercles on the ventrolateral border of the flanks, and from H. hecqui by not having the nostril in contact with the first supralabial, by having a relatively larger head depth (vs. flat head in H. hecqui), lower number of tubercle rows on the dorsum (12–14 vs. 16), by having fewer rows of ventral scales (23–25 vs. 26), and a higher number of precloacal-femoral pores in males (8 vs. 6). Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. can be distinguished from H. longicephalus by having a lower number of tubercle rows on the dorsum (12–14 vs. 17–18), fewer granular scales between the dorsal tubercles (1–3 vs. 3–6), and fewer rows of ventral scales (23–25 vs. 30–33). It can be distinguished from H. paiƲae by its smaller size (max SVL 39.5 vs. 68.4 mm), a lower number of granular scales between the dorsal tubercles (1–3 vs. 4–9), and a lower number of rows of ventral scales (23–25 vs. 28–34). Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. may be distinguished from H. benguellensis by a much lower number of precloacal femoral pores in males (8 vs. 23–33) and fewer granular scales between the dorsal tubercles (1–3 vs. 4–9). The new species can be distinguished from H. bayonii and H. Ʋernayi by fewer granular scales between the dorsal tubercles (1–3 vs. 3–4), and fewer rows of ventral scales (23–25 vs. 28–32 in H. bayonii and 28–31 in H. Ʋernayi). Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. is easily distinguishable from H. mabouia by its smaller size (max SVL 39.5 vs. 67.4 mm), lower number of precloacal femoral pores in males (8 vs. 28–39), fewer granular scales between the dorsal tubercles (1–3 vs. 5–10), and lower number of rows of ventral scales (23–25 vs. 34–37). Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. can be distinguished from H. muriceus sensu stricto by a higher number of tubercle rows on the dorsum (12–14 vs. 7–12) and fewer granular scales between the dorsal tubercles (1–3 vs. 5–10). The new species can be distinguished from H. pseudomuriceus by having fewer precloacal femoral pores in males (8 vs. 14–17) and fewer granular scales between the dorsal tubercles (1–3 vs. 5–10). The newly described species can be distinguished from H. echinus by its lack of two rows of scattered spiny tubercles on the ventral side of the tail (a character that differentiates H. echinus from all other known Hemidactylus), and by being smaller (max SVL 39.5 vs. 68.0 mm). Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. differs from H. ansorgii by a lower number of precloacal femoral pores (8 vs. 10– 11) and a stockier body (H. ansorgii has a slender body and narrow head with a short interorbital distance). Hemidactylus ansorgii also has a row of pointed tubercles separating the venter and the flanks, which are completely devoid of any tubercles (see figures in Tornier, 1902; Perret, 1975), whereas in H. gramineus sp. nov. this ventrolateral row of tubercles is lacking, and its tubercles extend across the flanks and dorsum. Hemidactylus gramineus sp. nov. can be distinguished from H. nzingae by having a lower number of tubercle rows on the dorsum (12–14 vs. 16–21) and by having irregular, undulate, dark brown markings that are interrupted by pairs of dorsal light gray spots (vs. well-marked series of dark-brown continuous ‘‘W-shaped’’ transverse markings from occiput to sacrum in H. nzingae); the new species can be distinguished from H. hannasabinae by having a lower number of tubercle rows on the dorsum (12–14 vs. 16–18), by having strongly keeled, striated tubercles at midbody (vs. smoothly keeled in H. hannasabinae), and by being smaller (max SVL 39.5 vs. 47.4 mm). Distribution.—The new species is confirmed from Bombo-Lumene Reserve in Kinshasa Province, southwestern DRC (Fig. 3). A photo of a third specimen from Mayongongo village [-4.19, 14.96, 368 m a.s.l.], Pool Department, Republic of the Congo (Fig. 4) presents a remarkable morphological resemblance with the newly described species. The specimen is deposited in the laboratory of the Institut National des Sciences Exactes et Naturelles of the Republic of Congo in Brazzaville. We tentatively assign this specimen to the new species, but it was not possible to include it in our morphological or molecular datasets, and further research on this specimen and additional material are needed to confirm the presence of the species in the Republic of the Congo. Habitat and Natural History Notes.—The holotype was collected in the early evening while on the ground near the bank of the Lumene River. The paratype was collected in the early evening while it was crawling through grass in sandy soil near a small pond. Bombo-Lumene Reserve is located ~ 130–150 km east of Kinshasa, in a hilly area known locally as the Bateke Plateau (name derived from the local Bateke tribal people), at an elevation of ~ 400–960 m a.s.l. (Kayumba et al., 2015). It was originally created as a Game Reserve in 1968, but was elevated in 1976 to Natural Reserve International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category VI because of its ecological importance (Kayumba et al., 2015). The rainy season lasts for 8 mo from mid-September to mid-May, whereas the 4-mo dry season occurs from mid-May to mid-September. The rainfalls reach an annual range from 1,600 to 1,629.7 mm, and the average annual temperature is 24.4 ° C (Kayumba et al., 2015). Bombo-Lumene Reserve is a forest–savanna mosaic (i.e., western Congolian forest–savanna mosaic sensu Burgess et al. [2004]), with nearly all forest occurring as gallery forest adjacent to the Bombo or Lumene Rivers (Greenbaum, pers. obs.). We encountered the new species during the dry season that typically lasts for 4 mo (Milau et al., 2016), and we observed large brush fires during our (CK and EG) brief visit to the reserve. Other lizards encountered at the reserve included Hemidactylus mabouia (in or near human habitations), Trachylepis maculilabris Gray, 1845; Gerrhosaurus cf. nigrolineatus Hallowell, 1857; and Panaspis cabindae Bocage, 1866 (Medina et al., 2016; Allen et al., 2019). The specimen from Republic of Congo was collected in ‘‘savannah’’ near a village (K. Jackson, pers. com. 14 January 2009). Etymology.—The specific epithet ‘‘ gramineus ’’ refers to the grassy type of habitat from which the species was collected in the DRC and the Republic of the Congo (Fig. 5) and is applied here as an adjective in the genitive singular. We propose the French common name of ‘‘Gecko de l’herbe’’ and the English common name of ‘‘grass-dwelling tropical gecko.’’Published as part of Ching, Ann Hui, Tay, Tricia, Brown, Bryan, Mohareb, Amir M, Sethi, Aisha & Annamalai, Aniyizhai, 2023, Dermatologic conditions of adult refugees following resettlement in the United States, 2015 to 2018., pp. 105-111 in Journal of Herpetology 7 (7) on pages 105-111, DOI: 10.1670/20-094, http://zenodo.org/record/787712
