Anannotated Checklist of the Lizards of Kenya
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Extreme Miniaturization of a New Amniote Vertebrate and Insights Into the Evolution of Genital Size in Chameleons
www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Extreme miniaturization of a new amniote vertebrate and insights into the evolution of genital size in chameleons Frank Glaw1*, Jörn Köhler2, Oliver Hawlitschek3, Fanomezana M. Ratsoavina4, Andolalao Rakotoarison4, Mark D. Scherz5 & Miguel Vences6 Evolutionary reduction of adult body size (miniaturization) has profound consequences for organismal biology and is an important subject of evolutionary research. Based on two individuals we describe a new, extremely miniaturized chameleon, which may be the world’s smallest reptile species. The male holotype of Brookesia nana sp. nov. has a snout–vent length of 13.5 mm (total length 21.6 mm) and has large, apparently fully developed hemipenes, making it apparently the smallest mature male amniote ever recorded. The female paratype measures 19.2 mm snout–vent length (total length 28.9 mm) and a micro-CT scan revealed developing eggs in the body cavity, likewise indicating sexual maturity. The new chameleon is only known from a degraded montane rainforest in northern Madagascar and might be threatened by extinction. Molecular phylogenetic analyses place it as sister to B. karchei, the largest species in the clade of miniaturized Brookesia species, for which we resurrect Evoluticauda Angel, 1942 as subgenus name. The genetic divergence of B. nana sp. nov. is rather strong (9.9‒14.9% to all other Evoluticauda species in the 16S rRNA gene). A comparative study of genital length in Malagasy chameleons revealed a tendency for the smallest chameleons to have the relatively largest hemipenes, which might be a consequence of a reversed sexual size dimorphism with males substantially smaller than females in the smallest species. -
Sphaerodactylus Samanensis, Cochran, 1932) with Comments on Its Morphological Variation and Conservation Status
New distributional records of the Samana least gecko (Sphaerodactylus samanensis, Cochran, 1932) with comments on its morphological variation and conservation status Germán Chávez1,2, Miguel A. Landestoy T3, Gail S. Ross4 and Joaquín A. Ugarte-Núñez5 1 Instituto Peruano de Herpetología, Lima, Perú 2 División de Herpetología, CORBIDI, Lima, Perú 3 Escuela de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 4 Independent Researcher, Elko, NV, USA 5 Knight Piésold Consulting, Lima, Peru ABSTRACT We report here five new localities across the distribution of the lizard Sphaerodactylus samanensis, extending its current geographic range to the west, in the Cordillera Central of Hispaniola. We also report phenotypic variation in the color pattern and scutellation on throat and pelvic regions of males from both eastern and western populations, which is described below. Furthermore, based on these new data, we confirm that the species is not fitting in its current IUCN category, and in consequence propose updating its conservation status. Subjects Biodiversity, Biogeography, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Zoology Submitted 5 August 2020 Keywords New localities, Geographic range, Phenotypic variation, IUCN category, Conservation Accepted 31 October 2020 status Published 11 January 2021 Corresponding author Joaquín A. INTRODUCTION Ugarte-Núñez, Lizards of the genus Sphaerodactylus (107 recognized species, Uetz, Freed & Hosek, 2020), [email protected], [email protected] have diversified remarkably on Caribbean islands, and occur in Central and Northern Academic editor South America and in the Pacific Island of Cocos (Hass, 1991; Henderson & Powell, 2009; Richard Schuster Hedges et al., 2019; Hedges, 2020). This is a clade of small geckos (geckolet) containing also Additional Information and one of the smallest amniote vertebrates in the world with a maximum snout-vent length of Declarations can be found on 18 mm (Hedges & Thomas, 2001). -
Sediment Dynamics and Improvised Control Technologies in the Athi River Drainage Basin, Kenya
Sediment Dynamics in Changing Environments (Proceedings of a symposium held 485 in Christchurch, New Zealand, December 2008). IAHS Publ. 325, 2008. Sediment dynamics and improvised control technologies in the Athi River drainage basin, Kenya SHADRACK MULEI KITHIIA Postgraduate Programme in Hydrology, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Nairobi, PO Box 30197, 00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya [email protected] Abstract In Kenya, the changing of land-use systems from the more traditional systems of the 1960s to the present mechanized status, contributes enormous amounts of sediments due to water inundations. The Athi River drains areas that are subject to intense agricultural, industrial, commercial and population settlement activities. These activities contribute immensely to the processes of soil erosion and sediment transport, a phenomenon more pronounced in the middle and lower reaches of the river where the soils are much more fragile and the river tributaries are seasonal in nature. Total Suspended Sediments (TSS) equivalent to sediment fluxes of 13 457, 131 089 and 2 057 487 t year-1 were recorded in the headwater areas, middle and lower reaches of the river, respectively. These varying trends in sediment transport and amount are mainly due to the chemical composition of the soil coupled with the land-soil conservation measures already in practice, and which started in the 1930s and reached their peak in the early 1980s. This paper examines trends in soil erosion and sediment transport dynamics progressively downstream. The land-use activities and soil conservation, control and management technologies, which focus on minimizing the impacts of overland flow, are examined to assess the economic and environmental sustainability of these areas, communal societal benefits and the country in general. -
AHN-48-2009 Type
AFRICAN HERP NEWS Number 48 AUGUST 2009 African Herp News CONTENTS EDITORIAL .............. ................ ........................... .................... Newsletter of the Herpetological Association of Africa ARTICLES GOLDBERG, S.R. Reproduction in Speke's Sand Lizard, Heliobolus spekii (Squamata: Lacertidae) from Kenya . ... ... .. ... .. ........ 2 GOLDBERG, S.R. Reproduction of Jackson's Forest Lizard, Ado/fus jacksoni (Squamata: Lacertidae) . ... .. ........... .. .... 5 JAUCH, H. Captive propagation of Python anchietae in Namibia . .. 8 NATURAL HISTORY NOTES GOLDBERG, S.R. Rhoptropus barnardi. Reproduction ... ... ... ... .. 15 GOLDBERG, S.R., &BURSEY, C.R. Ado/fusjacksoni. Endoparasites ...... ..... 16 PHELPS, T. Cordy/us cordylus. Fire survival . 18 BOYCOTT, R.C. Amblyodipsas concolor. Size, defensive behaviour, and lepidosis . .. 20 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTIONS BATES, M.F., & WHITTINGTON-JONES, C. Pseudocordylus m. melanotus (A. Smith, 1848) . 23 INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS . .. ... .. 26 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM . .. .. .. .. ....... .. ......... 28 I l Number48 AUGUST 2009 ISSN 107-6187 AFRICAN HERP NEWS 48, AUGUST 2009 HERPETOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF AFRICA http://www.wits.ac.za/haa FOUNDED 1965 EDITORIAL The HAA is dedicated to the study and conservation of African reptiles and amphibians. Member- ship is open to anyone with an interest in the African herpetofauna. Members receive the Associa tion's journal, African Journal of Herpetology, which publishes review papers, research articles, We apologise to the members of the -
Kenya, Groundwater Governance Case Study
WaterWater Papers Papers Public Disclosure Authorized June 2011 Public Disclosure Authorized KENYA GROUNDWATER GOVERNANCE CASE STUDY Public Disclosure Authorized Albert Mumma, Michael Lane, Edward Kairu, Albert Tuinhof, and Rafik Hirji Public Disclosure Authorized Water Papers are published by the Water Unit, Transport, Water and ICT Department, Sustainable Development Vice Presidency. Water Papers are available on-line at www.worldbank.org/water. Comments should be e-mailed to the authors. Kenya, Groundwater Governance case study TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE .................................................................................................................................................................. vi ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................ viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................................ xi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................... xiv 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. GROUNDWATER: A COMMON RESOURCE POOL ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2. CASE STUDY BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................. -
Cretaceous Fossil Gecko Hand Reveals a Strikingly Modern Scansorial Morphology: Qualitative and Biometric Analysis of an Amber-Preserved Lizard Hand
Cretaceous Research 84 (2018) 120e133 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Cretaceous Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/CretRes Cretaceous fossil gecko hand reveals a strikingly modern scansorial morphology: Qualitative and biometric analysis of an amber-preserved lizard hand * Gabriela Fontanarrosa a, Juan D. Daza b, Virginia Abdala a, c, a Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucuman, Argentina b Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, 1900 Avenue I, Lee Drain Building Suite 300, Huntsville, TX 77341, USA c Catedra de Biología General, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tucuman, Argentina article info abstract Article history: Gekkota (geckos and pygopodids) is a clade thought to have originated in the Early Cretaceous and that Received 16 May 2017 today exhibits one of the most remarkable scansorial capabilities among lizards. Little information is Received in revised form available regarding the origin of scansoriality, which subsequently became widespread and diverse in 15 September 2017 terms of ecomorphology in this clade. An undescribed amber fossil (MCZ Re190835) from mid- Accepted in revised form 2 November 2017 Cretaceous outcrops of the north of Myanmar dated at 99 Ma, previously assigned to stem Gekkota, Available online 14 November 2017 preserves carpal, metacarpal and phalangeal bones, as well as supplementary climbing structures, such as adhesive pads and paraphalangeal elements. This fossil documents the presence of highly specialized Keywords: Squamata paleobiology adaptive structures. Here, we analyze in detail the manus of the putative stem Gekkota. We use Paraphalanges morphological comparisons in the context of extant squamates, to produce a detailed descriptive analysis Hand evolution and a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based on 32 skeletal variables of the manus. -
Industrialization of Athi River Town
\l INDUSTRIALIZATION OF ATHI ( f RIVFR TOWN ' BY CALEB (m o * MIRERI This Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requ i rements of the degree of Masters of Arts in Planning in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Development of the University of Nairobi. May 21st., 1992 DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other university. Cand idate---- 's“-— ^ ------ ignature ) Caleb Mc’Mireri DEPARTMENT OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING Faculty of Architecture. Design and Development P. 0. Bex 3 0 19 7 . Tel. 2 7 4 41 UNIVERSITY Of NAIROBI. This thesis has been submitted for examination with my approval as the University Supervisor. S i g n e d -^*3^l __ Dr. George Ngugi (Supervisor) June 21st, 1992. ITT DEDICATION In Memorium of Jaduong’ James Mireri IV Acknowledgement A great many people helped me develop this thesis most of whom I cannot mention their names here. 1 am indebted to them all but in particular to my Supervisor Dr. George Ngugi of the University of Nairobi. His comments were consistently thoughtful and insightful and he persistently sought to encourage and support me. Also, Dr. Peter Ngau of the University of Nairobi gave me a far reaching support throughout the time of this thesis writing, by his incisive comments. T also want to thank all academic members of staff and students of D.U.R.P, who listened to the early versions of this study in seminars and the information they offered was of great help. -
An Annotated Type Catalogue of the Dragon Lizards (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) in the Collection of the Western Australian Museum Ryan J
RECORDS OF THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM 34 115–132 (2019) DOI: 10.18195/issn.0312-3162.34(2).2019.115-132 An annotated type catalogue of the dragon lizards (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) in the collection of the Western Australian Museum Ryan J. Ellis Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, Western Australia 6986, Australia. Biologic Environmental Survey, 24–26 Wickham St, East Perth, Western Australia 6004, Australia. Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT – The Western Australian Museum holds a vast collection of specimens representing a large portion of the 106 currently recognised taxa of dragon lizards (family Agamidae) known to occur across Australia. While the museum’s collection is dominated by Western Australian species, it also contains a selection of specimens from localities in other Australian states and a small selection from outside of Australia. Currently the museum’s collection contains 18,914 agamid specimens representing 89 of the 106 currently recognised taxa from across Australia and 27 from outside of Australia. This includes 824 type specimens representing 45 currently recognised taxa and three synonymised taxa, comprising 43 holotypes, three syntypes and 779 paratypes. Of the paratypes, a total of 43 specimens have been gifted to other collections, disposed or could not be located and are considered lost. An annotated catalogue is provided for all agamid type material currently and previously maintained in the herpetological collection of the Western Australian Museum. KEYWORDS: type specimens, holotype, syntype, paratype, dragon lizard, nomenclature. INTRODUCTION Australia was named by John Edward Gray in 1825, The Agamidae, commonly referred to as dragon Clamydosaurus kingii Gray, 1825 [now Chlamydosaurus lizards, comprises over 480 taxa worldwide, occurring kingii (Gray, 1825)]. -
A Novel Colour Morph of Sphaerodactylus Sabanus Cochran 1938 from Sint Eustatius
Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 1035-1039 (2020) (published online on 14 December 2020) A novel colour morph of Sphaerodactylus sabanus Cochran 1938 from Sint Eustatius Michael L. Yuan1,2,3,*, Jeffrey H. Frederick2,4, and Rayna C. Bell3,5 Abstract. Reptiles often display substantial intraspecific variation in dorsal colouration and pattern. Such variation is often, but not always, genetically or geographically structured. In particular, the Sphaerodactylus geckos of the Caribbean display considerable intraspecific variation in dorsal patterning. Here, we describe a previously unreported colour and pattern morph of the Saint Kitts Bank Geckolet, Sphaerodactylus sabanus, restricted to the island of Sint Eustatius. We surveyed dorsal patterns throughout the range of S. sabanus using both field surveys and museum collections. For field samples, we sequenced the mitochondrial 12S gene to confirm the identity of each specimen and to examine genetic structuring of pattern morphs. Additionally, we compared the relative ratios of each morph across the four main islands within its range: Saba, Sint Eustatius, Saint Kitts, and Nevis. Although relative abundances of each dorsal pattern varied across islands, we found no evidence of either geographic or genetic structure related to dorsal pattern. Thus, Sphaerodactylus sabanus may provide a compelling system to study alternative drivers of intraspecific colour and pattern variation. Keywords. Caribbean, Lesser Antilles, Reptile, Gecko, Sphaerodactylidae, Intraspecific Variation Introduction not correspond with mitochondrial genetic structure or geography (Thorpe et al., 2008; Surget-Groba and Native to Central America and the Caribbean, several Thorpe, 2012; but see Daza et al., 2019). species of Sphaerodactylus exhibit dramatic variation in Sphaerodactylus sabanus Cochran 1938 is native dorsal colour and patterns throughout their ranges (e.g., to the islands of the Saint Kitts Bank (Sint Eustatius, King, 1962; Thomas, 1964; Thorpe et al., 2008; Daza et Saint Kitts, and Nevis) and Saba. -
Preliminary Analysis of Correlated Evolution of Morphology and Ecological Diversification in Lacertid Lizards
Butll. Soc. Cat. Herp., 19 (2011) Preliminary analysis of correlated evolution of morphology and ecological diversification in lacertid lizards Fèlix Amat Orriols Àrea d'Herpetologia, Museu de Granollers-Ciències Naturals. Francesc Macià 51. 08402 Granollers. Catalonia. Spain. [email protected] Resum S'ha investigat la diversitat morfològica en 129 espècies de lacèrtids i la seva relació amb l'ecologia, per mitjà de mètodes comparatius, utilitzant set variables morfomètriques. La mida corporal és la variable més important, determinant un gradient entre espècies de petita i gran mida independentment evolucionades al llarg de la filogènia dels lacèrtids. Aquesta variable està forta i positivament correlacionada amb les altres, emmascarant els patrons de diversitat morfològica. Anàlisis multivariants en les variables ajustades a la mida corporal mostren una covariació negativa entre les mides relatives de la cua i les extremitats. Remarcablement, les espècies arborícoles i semiarborícoles (Takydromus i el clade africà equatorial) han aparegut dues vegades independentment durant l'evolució dels lacèrtids i es caracteritzen per cues extremadament llargues i extremitats anteriors relativament llargues en comparació a les posteriors. El llangardaix arborícola i planador Holaspis, amb la seva cua curta, constitueix l’única excepció. Un altre cas de convergència ha estat trobat en algunes espècies que es mouen dins de vegetació densa o herba (Tropidosaura, Lacerta agilis, Takydromus amurensis o Zootoca) que presenten cues llargues i extremitats curtes. Al contrari, les especies que viuen en deserts, estepes o matollars amb escassa vegetació aïllada dins grans espais oberts han desenvolupat extremitats posteriors llargues i anteriors curtes per tal d'assolir elevades velocitats i maniobrabilitat. Aquest és el cas especialment de Acanthodactylus i Eremias Abstract Morphologic diversity was studied in 129 species of lacertid lizards and their relationship with ecology by means of comparative analysis on seven linear morphometric measurements. -
Journal of the East Africa Natural History Society and National Museum
JOURNAL OF THE EAST AFRICA NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY AND NATIONAL MUSEUM 15 October, 1978 Vol. 31 No. 167 A CHECKLIST OF mE SNAKES OF KENYA Stephen Spawls 35 WQodland Rise, Muswell Hill, London NIO, England ABSTRACT Loveridge (1957) lists 161 species and subspecies of snake from East Mrica. Eighty-nine of these belonging to some 41 genera were recorded from Kenya. The new list contains some 106 forms of 46 genera. - Three full species have been deleted from Loveridge's original checklist. Typhlops b. blanfordii has been synonymised with Typhlops I. lineolatus, Typhlops kaimosae has been synonymised with Typhlops angolensis (Roux-Esteve 1974) and Co/uber citeroii has been synonymised with Meizodon semiornatus (Lanza 1963). Of the 20 forms added to the list, 12 are forms collected for the first time in Kenya but occurring outside its political boundaries and one, Atheris desaixi is a new species, the holotype and paratypes being collected within Kenya. There has also been a large number of changes amongst the 89 original species as a result of revisionary systematic studies. This accounts for the other additions to the list. INTRODUCTION The most recent checklist dealing with the snakes of Kenya is Loveridge (1957). Since that date there has been a significant number of developments in the Kenyan herpetological field. This paper intends to update the nomenclature in the part of the checklist that concerns the snakes of Kenya and to extend the list to include all the species now known to occur within the political boundaries of Kenya. It also provides the range of each species within Kenya with specific locality records . -
The Geomorphology of Southeast Kenya
THE GEOMORPHOLOGY OF SOUTHEAST KENYA A. P. Oosterom STELLINGEN 1. Bij de vorming van de uitgestrekte planatievlakken in Oost-Kenia heeft marine en lacustrine abrasie een belangrijke rol gespeeld. Dit proefschrift. 2. De schaarste aan fossielen van hominiden in Oost-Afrika over de periode van ongeveer 500 000 tot 50 000 jaar BP is schijnbaar. 3. Voor de toepassing van geografische informatiesystemen op bedrijfsniveau in reliefrijke gebieden is het essentieel om programmatuur te ontwikkelen die identificatie van de geologische en geomorfologische positie van een gekozen punt mogelijk maakt. 4. De klink van het Basis- en het Hollandveen is er medeverantwoordelijk voor dat er in Nederland geen aanwijzingen worden gevonden voor hoge holocene zeestanden. 5. De geringschatting van het belang van onderwijs en onderzoek in de geologie en geomorfologie aan de Landbouwuniversiteit te Wageningen is een uiting van onwetenschappelijk doe-het-zelf-denken. 6. Zolang de programmatuur voor het opnemen, opslaan en opvragen van kaarteringsgegevens minder flexibel is dan een veldboekje staat het gebruik van handterminals en veldcomputers vernieuwing in de weg. 7. De betrouwbaarheidsgrens van 25 000 jaar voor de datering van organische carbqnaten met behulp van de 14C-methode is te hoog.. Dit proefschrift. 8. Het woord automatisering wekt onjuiste verwachtingen als het gaat om de invoering en het gebruik van computers. 9. Kerkelijke liedboeken behoren losbladig te zijn. 10. De stelligheid waarmee waarheden worden verdedigd is eerder een maat voor onkunde dan voor inzicht. Stellingen behorende bij het proefschrift: The Geomorphology of Southeast Kenya. A.P. Oosterom Wageningen, 20 april 1988 THE GEOMORPHOLOGY OF SOUTHEAST KENYA Promotoren: Dr.