Article
Zoology
Alex Slavenko, Karin Tamar, Oliver J. S. Tallowin, Fred Kraus, Allen Allison, Salvador Carranza, Shai Meiri
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive revision of the skink genus Lobulia and its related genera in New Guinea. The findings suggest that Lobulia, as currently defined, is polyphyletic, leading to the establishment of four new genera and the description of nine new species. The study also highlights the biogeographic history of Lobulia and its radiation in the accreted terranes of New Guinea. These findings emphasize the uniqueness and importance of New Guinea's montane herpetofauna to tropical biodiversity.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Geoff B. Patterson, Rodney A. Hitchmough
Summary: The newly described Oligosoma kahurangi species is found in montane tussock grassland in Kahurangi National Park, New Zealand, known from a single small site. This species is distinguished by its extremely long tail, unique scale rows, head length/head width ratio, and color pattern. It is poorly known, likely highly threatened, and recommended to be listed as Nationally Critical in New Zealand and Data Deficient in the IUCN red-list, with predation by introduced mammals such as mice assumed to be a threat.
Article
Zoology
Benjamin P. Barr, David G. Chapple, Rodney A. Hitchmough, Geoff B. Patterson, Ngatiwai Trust Board
Summary: This article describes a new species of skink, Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov., from New Zealand, considered conspecific with a previously known species. The new skink can be distinguished by unique eye markings, lateral stripes, and ventral coloration. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that sea level changes during the Pliocene may have contributed to the divergence between this new species and its closest relative.
Article
Zoology
Kevin M. Moran, Jeffrey H. Skevington
Summary: This study reviews the genus Romaleosyrphus, describing seven new species and transferring Romaleosyrphus arctophiloides to the genus. It provides descriptions, habitat and genitalia photographs, distributions, an illustrated key, and DNA barcode data for all nine Romaleosyrphus species, with a gene tree for eight species.
Article
Entomology
Pavel Starkevich, Chen W. Young
Summary: In this study, the taxonomy of Tipula (Vestiplex) subgenus in Taiwan was revised, and 18 species, including six new species, were recognized. The DNA barcode sequences were also provided. Sixteen out of the 18 species are endemic to Taiwan, and the species group shows closest biogeographic relationships to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manuela da Silva, Philippe Desmeth, Stephanus N. Venter, Yogesh Shouche, Andrey Yurkov
Summary: Restrictions imposed by countries like India, South Africa, or Brazil on the distribution of biological material prevent the use of strains as type material for validating or publishing prokaryotic species names. This issue extends beyond prokaryotic taxonomy and has implications for other areas of biological research.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Zoology
Serguei V. Triapitsyn
Summary: This study redescribed two Australian species of Polynema Haliday and related species, defined a new species group, and described new species. Keys and taxonomic notes are provided in the article.
Article
Zoology
Manh Van Le, Vu Dang Hoang Nguyen, Hoa Thi Phan, Attapol Rujirawan, Anchalee Aowphol, Thi-Dieu-Hien Vo, Robert W. Murphy, Sang Ngoc Nguyen
Summary: The new species Subdoluseps vietnamensis sp. nov. from southern Vietnam is characterized by specific morphological features, such as medium size, tail length relative to snout-vent length, and four distinct black stripes on the dorsum. It genetically differs from its closest congeners, but clusters into the same matriline on the phylogenetic trees.
Article
Zoology
Johei Oku, Yositaka Sakamaki, Toshiya Hirowatari
Summary: This study provides detailed descriptions and illustrations of six Japanese species of the genus Lecithocera, including two new species. One species is reported for the first time in Japan, with illustrations of male and female genitalia, wing venation, and adult appearance for all species.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Marco Antonio Ribeiro, Karin Tamar, Erez Maza, Morris Flecks, Philipp Wagner, Boaz Shacham, Marta Calvo, Philippe Geniez, Pierre-Andre Crochet, Claudia Koch, Shai Meiri
Summary: We examined the taxonomy and molecular diversity of minute desert geckos, specifically Tropiocolotes nattereri species complex. We identified two species within this complex, T. nattereri and a newly discovered species T. yomtovi sp. n. With this discovery, the total species diversity in the genus Tropiocolotes has increased to 15.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar, Kohar Garo Varjabedian, Mona Fol, Noha Talal, Saleh Al Quraishy, Rewaida Abdel-Gaber
Summary: Twenty-one Pharyngodon mamillatus were found in the large intestine of 4 out of 12 ocellated skink Chalcides ocellatus collected from the South Sinai desert, Egypt. The infection rate was 33.33% with an intensity of 2-4. The morphology of the recovered pharyngodonid was described, showing no intraspecific variations but slight biometric differences. These variations may be influenced by the host and environmental factors.
MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Hiva Faizi, Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani, Eskandar Rastegar-Pouyani, Mahdi Rajabizadeh, Cetin Ilgaz, Kamil Candan, Yusuf Kumlutas
Summary: A molecular phylogenetic study was conducted on the E. schneiderii group, revealing the monophyly of E. schneiderii subspecies and Eumeces persicus. Differences in habitat preferences were observed among the groups. Molecular-clock dating suggested that most speciation events occurred during the Upper Miocene to Lower Pliocene.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Mariana P. Marques, Diogo Parrinha, Arthur Tiutenko, Manuel Lopes-Lima, Aaron M. Bauer, Luis M. P. Ceriaco
Summary: A new species of legless skink, Acontias mukwando sp. nov., was discovered in the Serra da Neve inselberg in southwestern Angola. Molecular and morphological data analysis revealed its close relation to other species, leading to its classification as a separate species.
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Tomohisa Makino, Takafumi Nakano, Taku Okamoto, Tsutomu Hikida
Summary: The scincid lizard Ateuchosaurus pellopleurus has been recognized as a single species distributed in the Ryukyu Archipelago. However, a recent study suggested dividing it into two species: one in the Osumi to Amami Groups and another in the Okinawa Group. By confirming the syntypes collected from the Amami Group, A. pellopleurus sensu stricto was identified for the former, while A. okinavensis was resurrected for the latter based on its type locality on Okinawajima Island. The two species can be differentiated by their characteristics.
ZOOSYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Uri O. Garcia-Vazquez, Carlos J. Pavon-Vazquez, Manuel Feria-Ortiz, Adrian Nieto-Montes de Oca
Summary: Recent studies have identified a population from the Sierra Madre del Sur of eastern Guerrero, Mexico, as a new species within the Plestiodon brevirostris group. This new species, closely related to P. ochoterenae, is distinguished by its morphological features and evolutionary independence. The study further highlights the Sierra Madre del Sur as a hotspot of endemism and undescribed diversity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Anna F. Senior, Nick Clemann, Michael G. Gardner, Katherine A. Harrisson, Geoffrey M. While, David G. Chapple
Summary: The threatened swamp skink (Lissolepis coventryi) has experienced significant habitat loss in the last 150 years, leading to the separation of populations into distinct lineages. Populations in the Melbourne metropolitan area showed signs of limited genetic diversity, likely due to geological and climate influences causing isolation of populations. Management strategies such as translocations, habitat restoration, and protection are important for the conservation of L. coventryi.
CONSERVATION GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah Legge, John C. Z. Woinarski, Ben C. Scheele, Stephen T. Garnett, Mark Lintermans, Dale G. Nimmo, Nick S. Whiterod, Darren M. Southwell, Glenn Ehmke, Anne Buchan, Jenny Gray, Dan J. Metcalfe, Manda Page, Libby Rumpff, Stephen van Leeuwen, Dick Williams, Shane T. Ahyong, David G. Chapple, Mitch Cowan, Md Anwar Hossain, Mark Kennard, Stewart Macdonald, Harry Moore, Jessica Marsh, Robert B. McCormack, Damian Michael, Nicola Mitchell, David Newell, Tarmo A. Raadik, Reid Tingley
Summary: This study discusses the approach taken by Australia to manage biodiversity in response to major fires, prioritizing fire-affected animal species for urgent management to prevent extinctions and facilitate long-term recovery. The assessments identified 92 vertebrate and 213 invertebrate species for urgent management response, with an additional 147 invertebrate species placed on a watchlist for further information. Multiple expert networks were utilized to quickly complete the assessments, revealing data gaps and the need for capacity-building in conservation science and management sectors.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Rodolfo O. Anderson, Craig R. White, David G. Chapple, Michael R. Kearney
Summary: This study examines the relationship between physiological traits in lizards and environmental conditions across different spatial scales and finds that microclimatic and biophysical predictors are more explanatory than macroclimatic predictors for most traits. It discovered that standard metabolic rate is negatively related to maximum temperatures while field metabolic rate is positively related to minimum temperatures. The study suggests that using proximal environmental predictors can offer more insights in comparative physiological analyses and help in understanding physiological evolution.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mahalia Barter, Luke R. Bonifacio, Andressa Duran, Celine T. Goulet, Reid Tingley, Glenn M. Shea, Shai Meiri, David G. Chapple
Summary: The study found that the geographic range size of Australian skinks is influenced by climatic and geographic factors, with less correlation to intrinsic factors like body size and clutch size. Widespread skink species share similar morphology and clutch sizes with narrow-ranged congeners, but typically inhabit more arid regions.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Rachel Schwarz, Liat Dror, Gavin Stark, Eran Gefen, Noga Kronfeld-Schor, David G. Chapple, Shai Meiri
Summary: Despite the contrasting climatic conditions between the opposing slopes of Nahal Oren canyon in Israel, geckos from both sides did not show differences in ecophysiological traits. However, individuals from the north-facing slope were generally more active in earlier hours of the afternoon. This suggests that gene flow or behavioral plasticity may hinder local adaptation, resulting in similar physiological traits among populations.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stephen T. Garnett, Brittany K. Hayward-Brown, R. Keller Kopf, John C. Z. Woinarski, Kerry A. Cameron, David G. Chapple, Peter Copley, Alaric Fisher, Graeme Gillespie, Peter Latch, Sarah Legge, Mark Lintermans, Adrian Moorrees, Manda Page, Juanita Renwick, Jessica Birrell, Dave Kelly, Hayley M. Geyle
Summary: A study revealed that there is a high chance of extinction for 9 highly imperilled species within the next 20 years in Australia, with over 50% likelihood. Additionally, there are 16 species considered to be extant under Australian legislation that have over 50% probability of already being extinct. Most of these species occur within conservation areas in south-eastern Australia, where human population density is highest.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alyson M. Stobo-Wilson, Brett P. Murphy, Sarah M. Legge, Hernan Caceres-Escobar, David G. Chapple, Heather M. Crawford, Stuart J. Dawson, Chris R. Dickman, Tim S. Doherty, Patricia A. Fleming, Stephen T. Garnett, Matthew Gentle, Thomas M. Newsome, Russell Palmer, Matthew W. Rees, Euan G. Ritchie, James Speed, John-Michael Stuart, Andres F. Suarez-Castro, Eilysh Thompson, Ayesha Tulloch, Jeff M. Turpin, John C. Z. Woinarski
Summary: This study assesses the predation of two introduced predators, red foxes and feral cats, on terrestrial vertebrates in Australia. The results show that foxes kill more reptiles, birds, and mammals than cats in most unmodified temperate and forested areas of mainland Australia. However, cats kill more animals than foxes in the arid central and tropical northern regions of the continent. Overall, this study highlights the significant and ongoing impact of introduced predators on Australian reptiles, birds, and mammals, posing a challenge to conservation efforts in the country.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alex Slavenko, Liat Dror, Marco Camaiti, Jules E. Farquhar, Glenn M. Shea, David G. Chapple, Shai Meiri
Summary: This study used phylogenetic comparative methods to examine the evolutionary history of diel activity in skinks. The results showed the association between diel patterns and microhabitat, ambient temperatures, and morphology. The study also revealed the relationship between nocturnal habits and fossorial activity, limb reduction and loss, and warm temperatures.
Article
Ecology
Sarah Legge, Libby Rumpff, John C. Z. Woinarski, Nick S. Whiterod, Michelle Ward, Darren G. Southwell, Ben C. Scheele, Dale G. Nimmo, Mark Lintermans, Hayley M. Geyle, Stephen T. Garnett, Brittany Hayward-Brown, Miki Ensbey, Glenn Ehmke, Shane T. Ahyong, Caroline J. Blackmore, Deborah S. Bower, Diego Brizuela-Torres, Allan H. Burbidge, Phoebe A. Burns, Gavin Butler, Renee Catullo, David G. Chapple, Christopher R. Dickman, Katherine E. Doyle, Jason Ferris, Diana Fisher, Rachael Gallagher, Graeme R. Gillespie, Matt J. Greenlees, Rosie Hohnen, Conrad J. Hoskin, David Hunter, Chris Jolly, Mark Kennard, Alison King, Diana Kuchinke, Brad Law, Ivan Lawler, Susan Lawler, Richard Loyn, Daniel Lunney, Jarod Lyon, Josephine MacHunter, Michael Mahony, Stephen Mahony, Rob B. McCormack, Jane Melville, Peter Menkhorst, Damian Michael, Nicola Mitchell, Eri Mulder, David Newell, Luke Pearce, Tarmo A. Raadik, Jodi J. L. Rowley, Holly Sitters, Ricky Spencer, Roozbeh Valavi, Matt West, David P. Wilkinson, Sylvia Zukowski
Summary: The 2019-2020 Australian megafires have caused significant population losses and ecological damage to wildlife. This study assessed the population declines and recovery of fire-affected species in order to inform conservation efforts. The results indicate that 70-82 taxa may be eligible for listing as threatened and another 21-27 taxa may be eligible for uplisting. It is predicted that a majority of the assessed taxa will not recover to their pre-fire population size within 10 years or three generations.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Marco Camaiti, Alistair R. Evans, Christy A. Hipsley, Mark N. Hutchinson, Shai Meiri, Rodolfo O. Anderson, Alex Slavenko, David G. Chapple
Summary: This study provides morphological, ecological, and literature data on limb-reduced skinks and their relatives. Limb reduction and loss are found in a total of 394 species worldwide, representing about 23% of all skink species and about 30% of genera. The distribution of limb-reduced and limbless forms differs from fully limbed forms, with their presence in all biogeographic realms except the Americas. The study estimates that limb reduction evolved more than 50 times and loss of at least one limb pair evolved at least 24 times in skinks.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Rodolfo O. Anderson, Shai Meiri, David G. Chapple
Summary: The study found that there was no clear latitudinal trend in the warming tolerance of lizards, but a weak negative correlation with altitude. Hours of activity were associated with latitude and altitude. Desert species showed narrower warming tolerance compared to tropical and temperate species. When warming tolerance was calculated from macroclimatic data, it showed a positive correlation with latitude and altitude, with species from tropical forested biomes displaying narrow warming tolerances.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Neil Cox, Bruce E. Young, Philip Bowles, Miguel Fernandez, Julie Marin, Giovanni Rapacciuolo, Monika Bohm, Thomas M. Brooks, S. Blair Hedges, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Michael Hoffmann, Richard K. B. Jenkins, Marcelo F. Tognelli, Graham J. Alexander, Allen Allison, Natalia B. Ananjeva, Mark Auliya, Luciano Javier Avila, David G. Chapple, Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia, Harold G. Cogger, Guarino R. Colli, Anslem de Silva, Carla C. Eisemberg, Johannes Els, Ansel Fong G., Tandora D. Grant, Rodney A. Hitchmough, Djoko T. Iskandar, Noriko Kidera, Marcio Martins, Shai Meiri, Nicola J. Mitchell, Sanjay Molur, Cristiano de C. Nogueira, Juan Carlos Ortiz, Johannes Penner, Anders G. J. Rhodin, Gilson A. Rivas, Mark-Oliver Rodel, Uri Roll, Kate L. Sanders, Georgina Santos-Barrera, Glenn M. Shea, Stephen Spawls, Bryan L. Stuart, Krystal A. Tolley, Jean-Francois Trape, Marcela A. Vidal, Philipp Wagner, Bryan P. Wallace, Yan Xie
Summary: Global assessments have shown that 40.7% of amphibians, 25.4% of mammals, and 13.6% of birds are threatened with extinction, but reptiles have been excluded from these assessments. This study provides a comprehensive extinction-risk assessment for reptiles and finds that at least 21.1% of species are threatened, with similar major threats as other tetrapods. Reptiles in forests are more threatened than those in arid habitats. Threatened reptiles tend to be isolated from other threatened tetrapods.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gabriel Henrique de Oliveira Caetano, David G. Chapple, Richard Grenyer, Tal Raz, Jonathan Rosenblatt, Reid Tingley, Monika Bohm, Shai Meiri, Uri Roll
Summary: The Red List of Threatened Species is a crucial tool for conservation decision-making, but many species are unassessed or lack sufficient data for classification. This study presents a machine learning-based method for automated extinction risk assessment, provides provisional assessments for reptiles, and examines the impact of human decision biases. The results show that unassessed and Data Deficient reptiles are more likely to be threatened and that the assessor's identity strongly affects the predictions. It is recommended to focus on regions and taxa identified as more threatened in new assessments and conservation planning.
Article
Ecology
Arman N. Pili, Reid Tingley, David G. Chapple, Nathan H. Schumaker
Summary: The cane toad (Rhinella marina) is a globally significant invasive species, and the development of decision support tools is important for managing its invasions. This study introduces virToad, an individual-based simulator that can forecast the population dynamics of cane toads and improve management responses. The simulation experiments demonstrated that moderate to high effort in capturing and trapping juvenile and adult cane toads can potentially suppress invasions.
Article
Ecology
Marco Camaiti, Alistair R. Evans, Christy A. Hipsley, Mark N. Hutchinson, Shai Meiri, Rodolfo de Oliveira Anderson, Alex Slavenko, David G. Chapple
Summary: The evolutionary trajectories of limb reduction in skinks are clade-specific and sometimes unique. The body shape and limb proportions of skinks vary across different substrates, indicating adaptation to different environments. Skinks with longer hindlimbs are more common in sandy and arid substrates, while skinks with shorter and equal limb lengths are more common in richer and more humid substrates.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
