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HerpVet Services, c/o Hilltop Vets, The Barn, Hinksey Heights, Oxford (2024)

Q: What is the address?

C/o Hilltop Vets, The Barn, Hinksey Heights

11/12/2024

𝑈𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑔𝑖𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑠, a new species of estuarine moray eel is described from Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, southern Indonesia, and Fiji. The new moray eel is named after Hades, the ancient Greek god of the underworld, in reference to its habitation in turbid estuarine waters, high sensitivity to light, and its uniformly dark colouration, reminiscent of the underworld god.

Open-access - https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/129685/

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
Description of a new uniformly brown estuarine moray eel (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae) from the Central Indo-Pacific Ocean

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Huang W-C, Hibino Y, Balisco RA, Liao T-Y (2024) Description of a new uniformly brown estuarine moray eel (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae) from the Central Indo-Pacific Ocean. In: Ho H-C, Russell B, Hibino Y, Lee M-Y (Eds) Biodiversity and taxonomy of fishes in Taiwan and adjacent waters. ZooKeys 1220: 15-34. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1220.129685

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
A new estuarine moray eel, 𝑈𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑔𝑖𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑠 sp. nov., is described based on 14 specimens from Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, southern Indonesia, and Fiji. It is a small-bodied, slender, uniformly dark-brown moray separated from congeners within the 𝑈. 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑟 species complex.

The new species can be distinguished from congeners by the anteriorly positioned small eyes (5.0–7.2% of head length), absence of branchial pores, and extended inner rows of teeth which reach the posterior end of the jaws. 𝑈𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑔𝑖𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑠 sp. nov. represents a rare species of moray eel that inhabits turbid estuarine environments, preferring soft, muddy substrates, and burrowing and hiding among rocks or in fallen mangrove leaves.

Additionally, 𝑈𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑔𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠 Huang, Balisco, Evacitas & Liao, another species recently separated from the 𝑈. 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑟 species complex, is reported for the first time from Iriomote Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago based on two specimens; this new record expands the geographic range of 𝑈. 𝑚𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠 from the central Philippines to southern Japan.

𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
The new moray eel is named after Hades, the ancient Greek god of the underworld, in reference to its habitation in turbid estuarine waters, high sensitivity to light, and its uniformly dark coloration, reminiscent of the underworld god. A noun in apposition.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
Top - Live photos of 𝑈𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑔𝑖𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑠 sp. nov. A NMMB-P039570, holotype, 349 mm TL, male B PNM 15806, paratype, 313 mm TL, female.
Bottom - Different habitats of 𝑈𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑔𝑖𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑠 sp. nov. A Oura River, Okinawa Island, photographed by Koki Takatsuki B Live photo of a U. hades sp. nov. hiding in gaps among mangrove aerial roots, taken at night at the edge of a mangrove forest zone along the Oura River, Okinawa Island, photographed by Hirozumi Kobayashi C Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Palawan, photographed by Wei-Cheng Jhuang D Zhuan River, northeastern Taiwan, photographed by Shan-Yu Yang.

Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published in ZooKeys journal. This paper is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

11/12/2024

Three further cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 have been confirmed as follows:

• At a premises near Dereham, Mid Norfolk, Norfolk.
• At a second premises near Watton, Mid Norfolk, Norfolk (this was a slaughter on suspicion case initially declared on 09 December 2024).
• At a premises near Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire.

3km Protection Zones and 10km Surveillance Zones have been put in place around the premises.. All bird keepers should remain vigilant and follow stringent biosecurity measures to prevent future outbreaks.

Please check GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/bird-flu for the latest information about these cases.

09/12/2024

⁉️ I've disturbed an amphibian from hibernation, what shall I do with it? 🐸🦎
Amphibians are dormant in winter, taking advantage of milder patches of weather to come out and forage. For this reason, if you do disturb an animal in winter, it should be unharmed if covered up and left undisturbed. If you are unable to put the animal back where you found it, place it somewhere that offers protection from frost and garden predators like cats. Suitable places include log piles, under sheds or within your compost heap; it should not be somewhere 'warm', just a place that keeps free of frost.

Find answers to this and other frequently asked questions at www.arc-trust.org/FAQs

06/12/2024

𝐺𝑒𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎 𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑖 and 𝐺𝑒𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎 𝑛𝑖𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑠, two new species of vampire crabs are described from Java, Indonesia. These two semi-terrestrial freshwater crabs are well known in the aquarium trade and have been collected and sold in large numbers for several years under various trade names. However, their exact provenances were only recently established.

Open-access (direct PDF) -https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/11/RBZ-2024-0034.pdf

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
Two new species of vampire crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Sesarmidae: 𝐺𝑒𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎 De Man, 1892) from Java, Indonesia

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Peter K. L. Ng & Daisy Wowor, Two new species of vampire crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Sesarmidae: 𝐺𝑒𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎 De Man, 1892) from Java, Indonesia, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 72: 469–478, 27 November 2024, DOI: https://doi.org/10.26107/RBZ-2024-0034

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
Two new species of vampire crabs (𝐺𝑒𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎: Sesarmidae) are described from West and Central Java, Indonesia. The two species are well known in the aquarium trade and have been collected and sold in large numbers for several years, although their exact provenances were only recently established.

The two species are closely related to several other 𝐺𝑒𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎 species from Java, including two that are also widely traded, 𝐺. 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑒 and 𝐺. ℎ𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑛. The new species can be distinguished from all congeners by their distinctive colours and pattern in life as well as structures of the carapace, male chela, male pleon, and gonopods.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
Live colouration of males. A–D, 𝐺𝑒𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑎 𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑖 new species; E–H, 𝐺. 𝑛𝑖𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑠, new species. All specimens not preserved. Photographs: A, E, F, Achmad Rian Dietra; B, Oliver Mengedoht; C, D, G, H, Chris Lukhaup.

Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology journal. This paper is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

06/12/2024

An outbreak of Avian Influenza (birdflu) has been confirmed at a premises near Watton, Mid Norfolk, Norfolk.

If you fall within the 3km protection zone or 10km surveillance zone, we need to know about you.

Please make sure you have registered your birds with APHA and your details are up-to-date so we can keep you informed of the risk from bird flu and so that essential surveillance activities can be carried out.

Find advice on how to prevent Avian influenza, register and protect your birds at: https://www.gov.uk/bird-flu

04/12/2024

Three-quarters of Australia’s freshwater fish species are found nowhere else. A team of 52 Australian freshwater fish experts undertook the first comprehensive assessment of these unique fishes, examining extinction risks and drivers of decline, before reviewing existing conservation measures.

Paywall - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320724004051
Sci-comm post - https://theconversation.com/troubled-waters-how-to-stop-australias-freshwater-fish-species-from-going-extinct-242950

The authors of this study found that more than one-third of Australia's freshwater fish are at risk of extinction, including 35 species not even listed as threatened. Dozens of species could become extinct over the next decade.

"The study also reveals Australia has been putting its eggs in the wrong basket for conservation by taking actions that don’t address immediate threats, such as pest species and changes in stream flows. Our research points to more effective solutions if governments are willing to step-up their efforts."

Factsheet from Biodiversity Council (AU) - Preventing extinctions of Australian freshwater fishes: A national assessment - https://biodiversitycouncil.org.au/resources/factsheet-preventing-extinctions-of-australian-freshwater-fishes

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
Troubled waters in the land down under: Pervasive threats and high extinction risks demand urgent conservation actions to protect Australia's native freshwater fishes

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Mark Lintermans, Maiko Lutz, Nick S. Whiterod, Bernd Gruber, Michael P. Hammer, Mark J. Kennard, David L. Morgan, Tarmo A. Raadik, Peter Unmack, Steven Brooks, Brendan C. Ebner, Dean Gilligan, Gavin L. Butler, Glenn Moore, Culum Brown, Rob Freeman, Adam Kerezsy, Chris M. Bice, Matthew C. Le Feuvre, Stephen Beatty, Angela H. Arthington, John Koehn, Helen K. Larson, Rhys Coleman, Rupert Mathwin, Luke Pearce, Zeb Tonkin, Andrew Bruce, Tom Espinoza, Pippa Kern, Jason A. Lieschke, Keith Martin, John Sparks, Daniel J. Stoessel, Scotte D. Wedderburn, Hugh Allan, Pam Clunie, Bernie Cockayne, Iain Ellis, Scott Hardie, Wayne Koster, Karl Moy, David Roberts, David Schmarr, Joanne Sharley, David Sternberg, Sylvia Zukowski, Chris Walsh, Brenton Zampatti, James J. Shelley, Catherine Sayer, David G. Chapple, Troubled waters in the land down under: Pervasive threats and high extinction risks demand urgent conservation actions to protect Australia's native freshwater fishes, Biological Conservation, Volume 300, 2024, 110843, ISSN 0006-3207, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110843.

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
We conducted the first comprehensive global assessment of the extinction risk of Australia's native freshwater fishes.

Using International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, 37 % (88 species) of the 241 assessed species were threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable), with one being Extinct. Lepidogalaxiidae and Neoceratodontidae had the highest level of threat (100 %, both single species families), followed by Galaxiidae (78 % of 40 species), Percichthyidae (62 % of 22 species) and Melanotaeniidae (53 % of 19 species). Northern Australia supported greater species richness, while a concentration of threatened species occurred in the more human-populated areas across southern and eastern drainage divisions, including South West Coast (55 % of species assessed as threatened), Tasmania (54 %) and South East Coast (Victoria) (45 %). Most threatened freshwater fishes qualified for listing based on their restricted geographic ranges (Criterion B: 70 % of all assessments; Criterion D2: 7 %) although population size reduction (Criterion A) was identified in 21 % of species assessments.

Key threats to species included invasive and other problematic native species, genes and diseases (92 % of threatened, Near Threatened or Data Deficient species), natural system modifications (82 %), and climate change and severe weather (54 %). Despite the high level of extinction risk, implemented conservation measures for threatened species are presently very limited. A further 17 species were assessed as Near Threatened.

This study highlights the imperilled nature of Australian native freshwater fishes and emphasises that targeted conservation measures are urgently needed to avoid imminent extinctions.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
Mapping freshwater fish extinction risk reveals fish are in danger right around Australia. M. Lintermans, N. Whiterod and J. Dielenberg, CC BY-SA.

Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published in Biological Conservation journal. This paper is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

02/12/2024

𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎ℎ, a new species of damselfish is described from the mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Maldives, Indian Ocean.

Open-access - https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/126777/

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎ℎ (Teleostei, Pomacentridae), a new species of damselfish from mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Maldives

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Rocha LA, Pinheiro HT, Najeeb A, Rocha CR, Shepherd B (2024) 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎ℎ (Teleostei, Pomacentridae), a new species of damselfish from mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Maldives. ZooKeys 1219: 165-174. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1219.126777

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
A new species of 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 (Teleostei, Pomacentridae) is described from four specimens collected between 95 and 110 m depth in mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Maldives, Indian Ocean.

𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎ℎ sp. nov. can be distinguished from all of its congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays XIII, 12–13; a**l-fin rays II,11–12; pectoral-fin rays 17–18; tubed lateral-line scales 17; gill rakers 7+17–18 = 24–25; pearly white body with a large black marking covering the anterior two-thirds of the a**l fin.

The closest DNA barcode sequence (5.1% average uncorrected genetic distance on the mitochondrial COI gene), among those available, is 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠𝑖, a similar mesophotic species known from the coastal western Indian Ocean (Somalia to South Africa).

The new species is easily distinguished from 𝐶. 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠𝑖 by having 13 dorsal spines (versus 14 in 𝐶. 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠𝑖), the absence of a black band on the base of the tail (present in 𝐶. 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑠𝑖), and by the genetic difference.

𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
The work that led to the discovery of this species was funded by the Rolex Perpetual Planet initiative through a Rolex Award for Enterprises to LAR. To honor this initiative, we name this species “𝐶𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎ℎ” (pronounced aa-BAH-duh), which means “perpetual” in Dhivehi, the local language of the Maldives. We also hope that this species and its habitat remain perpetual. To be treated as a noun in apposition.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎ℎ in its natural habitat in Faadhippolhu Atoll, Maldives, at approximately 110 m depth. Photo by Luiz Rocha.

Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published in Zookeys journal. This paper is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

27/11/2024

NEW guide to managing urban habitats for butterflies! 🦋

Get helpful tips and management advice to provide the best habitat conditions for butterflies.

Download your free guide today 👇
https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/reports-and-factsheets/urban-habitat-resources

Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund

18/11/2024

𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑒𝑘𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠, a new species of freshwater shrimp is described from the Mae Klong Basin, Thailand. This is the fifth endemic species of 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎 known from Thailand.

Open-access (direct PDF) -https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/11/RBZ-2024-0033.pdf

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑒𝑘𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠, a new landlocked freshwater shrimp species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Mae Klong Basin, Thailand

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Kongkit Macharoenboon, Varitsara Manonai & Ekgachai Jeratthitikul. 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑒𝑘𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠, a new landlocked freshwater shrimp species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) from the Mae Klong Basin, Thailand. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Vol 72: pg.450–468, Nov 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26107/RBZ-2024-0033

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
A newly discovered landlocked shrimp, 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑒𝑘𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠, new species, is described from the Mae Klong Basin, western Thailand. The morphology of the new species resembles 𝐶. 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠, from which it differs in possessing a shorter rostrum with fewer dorsal teeth, a small number of very large-sized eggs, and a greatly reduced posteromedian projection on the distal end of the telson. The molecular evidence of the mitochondrial16S rRNA gene also supports the species status of the newly described species. This is the fifth endemic species of 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎 known from Thailand.

𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
The specific name 𝑚𝑎𝑒𝑘𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠 is from its type locality, the Mae Klong Basin.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
A–D, 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑒𝑘𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠, new species: A, paratype male, MUMNH-CAR064-4; B, paratype female, MUMNH-CAR064-1; C, paratype female, MUMNH-CAR064-15; and D, paratype female, MUMNH-CAR064-13.

Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. This paper is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

18/11/2024

An outbreak of Avian Influenza (birdflu) has been confirmed at a premises near Rosudgeon, St Ives, Cornwall.

If you fall within the 3km protection zone or 10km surveillance zone, we need to know about you.

Please make sure you have registered your birds with APHA and your details are up-to-date so we can keep you informed of the risk from bird flu and so that essential surveillance activities can be carried out.

Find advice on how to prevent Avian influenza, register and protect your birds at: https://www.gov.uk/bird-flu

13/11/2024

By reporting dead wild birds, you are helping us understand:

🦆 the risk to different species groups of wild birds
🐓 the risk posed to poultry & other captive birds
🦊the risk of overspill into wild mammals.

If you spot dead wild birds in Great Britain, use the online service to report it https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds or call the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77

Reports are triaged and not all birds will be collected. Wild birds are susceptible to a range of diseases and injuries and most dead birds will not have been infected with avian influenza.

Find out more information on how and why we monitor avian influenza virus infection in wild birds and wild mammals on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-infection-in-wild-birds-and-wild-mammals

08/11/2024

An outbreak of has been confirmed at a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire.

Please make sure you have registered your birds with APHA and your details are up-to-date.

Find advice on how to prevent , register and protect your birds at gov.uk/birdflu

08/11/2024

𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑, 𝐼. 𝑘𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑎𝑖 and 𝐼. 𝑟𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑖, three new species of hill stream loach are described from peninsular India (Western & Eastern Ghats).

Open-access - https://recordsofzsi.com/index.php/zsoi/article/view/172675

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
Three new species of hill stream loach genus 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from peninsular India

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Jadhav, S., Karuthapandi, M., Jaiawal, D., Shankar, C. S., Dinesh, K. P., Raghunathan, C., & Banerjee, D. (2024). Three new species of hill stream loach genus 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from peninsular India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 124(1), 11–24. https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v124/i1/2024/172675

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
Fishes of the genus 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) are widely distributed and endemic to the peninsular India.

An integrative taxonomic approach-based study including morphology, geography, genetic distance and mt Cytb genebased molecular phylogenetic a**lysis resulted in the description of three new species of 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 namely, 𝐼. 𝑎𝑚𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑 sp. nov. from the Eastern Ghats, whereas 𝐼. 𝑘𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑎𝑖 sp. nov. and 𝐼. 𝑟𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑖 sp. nov. from the northern Western Ghats.

Overall, species diversity of the genus has increased from five species to eight species in peninsular India, wherein six species are known from the Western Ghats and two species from the Eastern Ghats. We also provide DNA a**lysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence to support the distinction of the new species.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
Top - 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑑ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑖i, paratype (ZSI/ FBRC/F/4042, 29.3 mm SL) in life.
Middle - 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑘𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑎𝑖, holotype (ZSI/ FBRC/F/4039, 44.3 mm SL) in life.
Bottom - 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑, holotype (ZSI/ FBRC/F/4036, 49.3 mm SL) in life.

Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published in Records of the Zoological Survey of India journal. This paper is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

08/11/2024

New research revises the taxonomy of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 catfish in the Lake Tanganyika basin. Before this a**lysis, thirteen species of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 were recognized from Lake Tanganyika and its tributaries. This study suggests a lower species diversity than previously recognized, supporting the distinction of ten 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 species in the lake basin.

Paywall - https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article-abstract/202/3/zlae130/7877276

Based on the author's findings, 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑜𝑝𝑠, 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑠, and 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑠 as treated as junior synonyms of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠, 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖, and 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑎, respectively.

The authors included redescriptions of all species and an updated identification key in this study.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
Revised taxonomy of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) from the Lake Tanganyika basin reveals lower species diversity than expected

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Gernot K Englmaier, Radim Blažek, Holger Zimmermann, Veronika Bartáková, Matej Polačik, Jakub Žák, Deogratias P Mulokozi, Cyprian Katongo, Heinz H Büscher, Lwabanya Mabo, Stephan Koblmüller, Anja Palandačić, Martin Reichard, Revised taxonomy of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 catfishes (Siluriformes: Mochokidae) from the Lake Tanganyika basin reveals lower species diversity than expected, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 202, Issue 3, November 2024, zlae130, https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae130

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 Cuvier, 1816 is a species-rich group of African catfishes. Prior to this a**lysis, 13 species of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 were recognized from Lake Tanganyika and its tributaries, composing the only extant lacustrine radiation of the genus, with a unique origin of obligate brood parasitism among all fishes. Species differentiation and phylogenetic relationships of this group remained largely unresolved.

Herein, the taxonomy of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 in the Lake Tanganyika basin is revised, including redescriptions of all species and an updated identification key. Genetic (mitochondrial and nuclear genomic markers) and morphological data suggest a lower species diversity than previously recognized, supporting the distinction of 10 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 species in the lake basin.

Based on our findings, we recognize 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑜𝑝𝑠, 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑠, and 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑠 as junior synonyms of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠, 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖, and 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑎, respectively. No recent material of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑑ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖 and 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑒 (with 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑠 as a synonym) was available. Morphometric/meristic data suggest their close relationship to 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑢𝑠. Sequencing of historical specimens inferred 𝑆. 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑒 as sister to 𝑆. 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑢𝑠 but with a 1.7% divergence based on mitochondrial data.

In contrast to previous studies, phylogenomic data support the lacustrine assemblage of 𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 in Lake Tanganyika as monophyletic.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
𝑆𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑢𝑠, Ben Lee Amiidae Lee.

© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Linnean Society of London. All rights reserved. This article is published and distributed under the terms of the Oxford University Press, Standard Journals Publication Model. (https://academic.oup.com/pages/standard-publication-reuse-rights)

05/11/2024

𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠, a new species of blind cave loach is described from Guangxi, China.

Open-access - https://zse.pensoft.net/article/133964/

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
Evolutionary history of Chinese karst loaches (Nemacheilidae, 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠): new insights from mitochondrial-based genomes and description of a new species from Guangxi, China

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Luo T, Luo F-W, Lan C-T, Xiao M-Y, Zhou J-J, Liao M, Xiao N, Zhou J (2024) Evolutionary history of Chinese karst loaches (Nemacheilidae, 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠): new insights from mitochondrial-based genomes and description of a new species from Guangxi, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(4): 1473-1486. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.100.133964

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
The genus 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 of blind fishes known as karst loaches from China was established in 2023 during a revision of the genus 𝑂𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 (Nemacheilidae).

Six species are recorded in this study and some taxonomic progress has been made; however, the lack of genetic data for some species (e.g., 𝐾. 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑚𝑢𝑠) may have weakened our current understanding of 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠. This study reassessed the phylogeny and evolutionary history of 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 by integrating a combination of previously published and newly sequenced mitochondrial genomic data.

A phylogenetic tree was developed that was able to divide 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 into two clades corresponding to drainages and clarify the phylogenetic position of 𝐾. 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑚𝑢𝑠. Divergence times show that 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 originated at the Oligocene/Miocene boundary (~22.37 Mya), with the most recent common ancestor occurring in the early Miocene (~18.87 Mya) and interspecific divergence occurring in the late Miocene. Ancestral area reconstruction suggests that the most recent common ancestor of 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 most likely inhabited the Hongshui River basin and dispersed into the Zuojiang-Yujiang, Beipanjiang, and Youjiang river basins during the early Miocene (~18.87 Mya), middle Miocene (~12.78 Mya), and late Miocene (~6.71 Mya), respectively. The dispersal under the influence of orogenesis and a monsoon climate drove the speciation and diverse distribution of 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠.

Such findings are important for conservation considering that 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 strictly inhabits deep caves. Additionally, the taxonomic status of the distributed 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 population in Leiping Town, Daxin County, Guangxi, China was revised by combining genetic and morphological differences to describe this population as a new species, 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠 Luo, Zhou & Zhou, sp. nov.

The definition of the phylogenetic position of 𝐾. 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑚𝑢𝑠 emphasizes the importance of using type locality material for the identification of cryptic species.

𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
The specific epithet “𝑑𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠” refers to the type locality of the new species: Leiping Town, Daxin County, Chongzuo City, Guangxi, China. We propose the English common name “Daxin Chinese Karst Loach” and Chinese common name “Dà Xīn Zhōng Huá Kā Qiū (大新中华喀鳅).”

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
Lateral, dorsal, ventral views of 𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑠 sp. nov. In living.
Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published in Zoosystematics and Evolutionjournal. This paper is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

01/11/2024

𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑒, a new freshwater pipefish species is described from Java, Bali and Lombok (Sunda shelf islands), Indonesia.

Paywall - https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5536.1.5

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲
A new freshwater pipefish species (Syngnathidae: 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠) from the Sunda shelf islands, Indonesia

𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Haÿ, V., Mennesson, M. I., Dahruddin, H., Sauri, S., Limmon, G., Wowor, D., Hubert, N., Keith, P., & Lord, C. (2024). A new freshwater pipefish species (Syngnathidae: 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠) from the Sunda shelf islands, Indonesia. Zootaxa, 5536(1), 139–152. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5536.1.5

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁
A new species of freshwater pipefish, 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑒 sp. nov., is described from the West Indonesian Islands (Java, Bali and Lombok). This species is morphologically very close to 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑧𝑖𝑖 (Bleeker, 1856), which is found in the eastern Indonesian Islands (Sulawesi, Ceram, Ambon and Papua).

However, it can be distinguished by its in vivo coloration. Furthermore, genetic a**lysis of the partial COI gene (barcoding) indicates that it represents a distinct genetic lineage in the Indonesian region.

𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁
Top - Coloration in vivo of (A) 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑧𝑖𝑖 (male, BIF5345, Indonesia, Ceram) (Photo: N. Hubert), (B) 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑢𝑠 (Female, RTNC119, New Caledonia) (Photo: N. Charpin), and (C) 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑒 sp. nov. (male, MZB.26973, tag BIF4074, Indonesia, Lombok) (Photo: N. Hubert).
Bottom - Distribution of the species. 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑢𝑠 (in green), 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑒 (), 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑧𝑖𝑖 (in red) and 𝑀𝑖𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑒 sp. nov. (in blue). Type localities: 𝑀. 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑢𝑠 (■), 𝑀. 𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑒 (), 𝑀. 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑧𝑖𝑖 (■) and 𝑀. 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑒 (■). PNG: Papua New Guinea.

Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published in Zootaxa journal.