Amphibian Genus

Kurixalus absconditus sp. nov., a new species of tree frog of the genus Kurixalus, described from West Kalimantan on the basis of molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of following morphological characters: having smaller body size, more prominent of mandibular symphysis, skin smooth on throat, vomerine odontophores two oblique series touching anterior corner of choanae and widely separated, vomerine teeth thick, buccal cavity narrow and deep, choanae with teardrop shaped, single vocal slit, weakly crenulated dermal fringe on fore- and hindlimbs.

amphibian genus

Adam Striegel, a senior liberal studies major in Pitt's College of General Studies from White Oak, Pa., found a fossilized skull of an ancient meat-eating amphibian with a vicious set of teeth. The fossil is only the third 300-million-year-old amphibian skull ever found in the world, according to David Berman, curator of vertebrate paleontology at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Scientists from the museum went back and searched the area where Striegel had found the fossil, hoping to find the rest of the amphibian's body, but they didn't find it. "We'll do it again in the spring, when the vegetation's down," said Berman. "I hate to think that we left the rest of the animal in the roadside."

Striegel will receive a cast of the fossil. He intends to keep it on his desk when he becomes an elementary school teacher. "I would use it as a way to get the students interested when we get to fossils," he says. "I think some kids would find it really interesting that there's a whole species [and genus] named after their teacher."

This review summarizes the current status of the known extant genuine polyploid anuran and urodelan species, as well as spontaneously originated and/or experimentally produced amphibian polyploids. The mechanisms by which polyploids can originate, the meiotic pairing configurations, the diploidization processes operating in polyploid genomes, the phenomenon of hybridogenesis, and the relationship between polyploidization and sex chromosome evolution are discussed. The polyploid systems in some important amphibian taxa are described in more detail.

Abstract:We propose to erect a new genus of terrestrial-breeding frogs of the Terrarana clade to accommodate three species from the Province La Convención, Department of Cusco, Peru previously assigned to Bryophryne: B. flammiventris, B. gymnotis, and B. mancoinca. We examined types and specimens of most species, reviewed morphological and bioacoustic characteristics, and performed molecular analyses on the largest phylogeny of Bryophryne species to date. We performed phylogenetic analysis of a dataset of concatenated sequences from fragments of the 16S rRNA and 12S rRNA genes, the protein-coding gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), the nuclear protein-coding gene recombination-activating protein 1 (RAG1), and the tyrosinase precursor (Tyr). The three species are immediately distinguishable from all other species of Bryophryne by the presence of a tympanic membrane and annulus, and by males having median subgular vocal sacs and emitting advertisement calls. Our molecular phylogeny confirms that the three species belong to a new, distinct clade, which we name Qosqophryne, and that they are reciprocally monophyletic with species of Microkayla. These two genera (Qosqophryne and Microkayla) are more closely related to species of Noblella and Psychrophrynella than to species of Bryophryne. Although there are no known morphological synapomorphies for either Microkayla or Qosqophryne, the high endemism of their species, and the disjoint geographic distribution of the two genera, with a gap region of 310 km by airline where both genera are absent, provide further support for Qosqophryne having long diverged from Microkayla. The exploration of high elevation moss and leaf litter habitats in the tropical Andes will contribute to increase knowledge of the diversity and phylogenetic relationships within Terrarana.Keywords: amphibian; Andes; Cusco; high elevation; Neotropical; Qosqophryne; tropical mountain; systematic; taxonomy

The species name, franki, is a Latin genitive honoring evolutionary biologist Prof Franky Bossuyt (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), recognizing his role in global amphibian research and education, and particularly for his contribution to the study of Indian amphibians.

The plight of amphibians globally is becoming increasingly serious as the adverse impacts to their natural habitats caused by human development are being recognized. Throughout Europe and North America, formerly widespread indigenous amphibian species are becoming increasingly less common. The spatial distributions of some species, once considered ubiquitous throughout large regions of these continents, are becoming limited to progressively smaller and more isolated geographic areas. Where once, large expanses of undisturbed natural environments enabled amphibian populations to remain stable, human activities have resulted in extensive habitat fragmentation and reduced genetic diversity. The elimination of migratory routes between remaining habitats critical for the life cycle stages of amphibians has raised the significance of mitigating the impact of transportation corridors. While large mammals, such as deer, moose and elk have both the physical size and speed to avoid motor vehicles and trains; small, slow moving amphibians are completely vulnerable when attempting to cross transportation corridors. Large mammals can be protected from transportation corridors by the installation of wildlife exclusion fencing and critical habitat connectivity can be maintained to some degree by the construction of engineered crossing structures. Protecting amphibians is a more complicated task due to the greater number of species and their significantly wider range of physical sizes, movement patterns and life cycle characteristics. Consequently, species of amphibians co-existing in the same environments fragmented by transportation corridors may need a diverse range of mitigation strategies in order to survive. However, geographically distinct species from the same genus, with similar characteristics, such as physical size, migration radius, and migration patterns, may be protected with the same types of mitigation measures. In such cases, knowledge and experience collected while protecting a specific amphibian genus on one continent can effectively be used to protect the same genus on another continent. In August, 2007, the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation (BCMoT) was notified of an unpredicted and unexpected, large scale migration of Western toads (Bufo boreas) occurring across a major highway on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Although extensive wildlife assessments conducted prior to the design and construction of the highway did not identify the potential for Western toads, an estimated one million toadlets were discovered converging on the highway. The migration was successfully managed in part with expertise developed by researchers at the Hungarian Danube Research Station of the Institute of Ecology and Botany of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences working to protect the same genus in Hungary. Temporary amphibian fencing was immediately installed and a collection system was developed. Approximately 950,000 toadlets were successfully recovered and transported across the highway. As a result of the migration, BCMoT developed a wildlife migration response protocol and initiated Western toad monitoring in the area. Similar migration events, with the same and other amphibian species, have the potential to occur at other locations in Europe and North America. The collection and dissemination of best practices can promote and facilitate the expedient use of existing experience and knowledge developed to protect amphibians on either continent.

We describe a new species of narrow-mouthed frog of the genus Kaloula from the volcanic mountains of southern Luzon Island (Mt. Banahao, Mt. Isarog, and Mt. Mayon) and adjacent Polillo Island, Philippines. On the volcanoes of southern Luzon, the new species is found in habitats ranging from small dry stream beds to stationary pools of rivers in mid- to upper montane primary forest. On Polillo Island, the new species has been found near quiet streams in selectively logged primary forest and second growth near sea level. The new species presumably is allied to Kaloula rigida (a forest species endemic to northern Luzon Island) and to Kaloula picta (a more widespread Philippine endemic that is found in a variety of habitats) as indicated by possession of narrow disks on the digits and by the presence of supernumerary tubercles on the palmar surface of the manus. It differs from these species by its smaller body size, reduction of webbing on toes, absence or extreme reduction of outer metacarpal tubercles, and by characteristics of the advertisement call.

Rossi Batiz, M. F. and A.M.M. de Remes-Lenicov. 2011. A new genus and species of Saccharosydnini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Delphacidae) from Argentina. Zootaxa 3118: 62-68.

Atthis time of year other garden wildlife will already be preparing for winter.Bats will be looking for hibernation sites and becoming torpid forprogressively longer periods as the temperatures start to drop. Hedgehogs will be looking for hibernationsites, building winter nests and trying to build up reserves of body fat beforethey finally enter hibernation. You can help them by providing a regular sourceof specialist food and siting a Hedgehog House in a quiet, undisturbed corner. Amphibians will also be looking for a safeplace in which to await the spring. Malecommon frogs tend to hibernate in ponds but for other amphibians, undisturbedareas of long grass with refuges such as log piles or our Vierno Froglühibernation shelter. 041b061a72