Taxonomic Revision of Species of Haematoloechus Looss, 1899

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Taxonomic Revision of Species of Haematoloechus Looss, 1899 Zootaxa 4526 (3): 251–302 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2018 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4526.3.1 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4DF63CE5-4838-46CA-BB0E-2F91841D5CB1 Taxonomic revision of species of Haematoloechus Looss, 1899 (Digenea: Plagiorchioidea), with molecular phylogenetic analysis and the description of three new species from Mexico VIRGINIA LEÓN-RÈGAGNON1, 2 & JANET TOPAN2 1Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 21, San Patricio, Jalisco, México, CP 48980. E-mail: [email protected] 2Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada Abstract Lung flukes of the genus Haematoloechus Looss, 1899 are common parasites of anurans worldwide, but the taxonomy of the group has been confusing. In this taxonomic revision, 89 species of Haematoloechus (= Pneumonoeces Looss, 1902, Ostioloides Odening, 1960, Ostiolum Pratt, 1903, Skrjabinoeces Sudarikov, 1950, Neohaematoloechus Odening, 1960, Metahaematoloechus Yamaguti, 1971) are listed. Of these, 70 are considered valid, three are species inquirendae (H. legrandi Mañé–Garzón & Gil, 1959, H. latoricensis Kozák, 1968 & H. vitelloconfluentum (Rai, 1962) Saeed, Al–Barwari & Al-Harmni, 2007), one is a nomen nudum H. sudarikovi Belouss, 1962, 14 are junior synonyms and one belongs to Osti- oloides. This publication also describes three new species, H. occidentalis n. sp., H. veracruzanus n. sp. and H. mexicanus n. sp., parasitizing species of Rana Linnaeus in Mexico and redescribes Haematoloechus caballeroi (Skrjabin & Antipin, 1962) Yamaguti, 1971. The phylogenetic hypotheses based on sequences of mitochondrial and ribosomal DNA of Hae- matoloechus spp. show that genera proposed on the basis of morphological characters are not supported. The host records for species of Haematoloechus, together with the phylogenetic hypothesis of the genus, suggest that this host-parasite as- sociation predates the ranid diversification in the Cretaceous. Key words: 28S rDNA, Amphibia, Biogeography, Coevolution, COI, Haematoloechidae, Haematoloechus mexicanus n. sp., Haematoloechus occidentalis n. sp., Haematoloechus veracruzanus n. sp., host list, Mexico, Platyhelminthes, Rani- dae, Phylogram, species list Introduction Members of the genus Haematoloechus Looss, 1899 are parasites in the lungs of anurans, known from every continent except Antarctica. First reported in the early 19th Century, the type species was originally named Distomum variegatum Rudolphi, 1819 but was transferred to the newly erected genus Haematoloechus by Looss (1899), who also described two European species, H. similis Looss, 1899, and H. asper Looss, 1899. In 1902, the genus was renamed as Pneumonoeces Looss, 1902 because a hemipteran genus had previously been named Haematoloecha Stal. Although Harwood (1932) and Ingles (1932) independently reinstated Haematoloechus, some other authors continued to use Pneumonoeces (Skrjabin & Antipin 1962). Some current members of this genus were placed in other genera mostly based on the varying arrangement of the uterine loops. Ostiolum Pratt, 1903 was, for example, proposed for species lacking extracecal longitudinal uterine loops (Pratt 1903), Pneumobites Ward, 1917 for those with longitudinal uterine loops extending to the pre-acetabular region of body, with H. longiplexus as its type species (Ward 1917). Skrjabinoeces Sudarikov, 1950 was proposed for species with the vitelline follicles placed anteriorly to testes with H. similis as its type species (Sudarikov 1950). Odening (1958) recognized the genus Ostiolum and three subgenera within Haematoloechus: Haematoloechus, Anomolecithus Odening, 1958 and Skrjabinoeces Odening, 1958 based on the arrangement of the vitelline follicles, and later erected Neohaematoloechus Odening, 1960 for those species lacking ventral sucker, with H. neivai (Travassos & Artigas, 1927) Ingles, 1933 as its type species (Odening 1960). This author also erected the genus Accepted by N. Dronen: 17 Oct. 2018; published: 30 Nov. 2018 251 Ostioloides Odening, 1960 to include Haematoloechus rappiae (Szidat, 1932) Yamaguti, 1958. Skrjabin & Antipin (1962) continued to use the name Pneumonoeces, and recognized Ostiolum, Skrjabinoeces and Neohaematoloechus as distinct genera. From the previous taxonomic proposals, Yamaguti (1971) only recognized Neohaematoloechus, Ostioloides and erected a new genus, Metahaematoloechus Yamaguti, 1971, for species with extracecal testes, with H. exoterorchis Rees, 1964 as the type species. He placed all other species within Haematoloechus, recognizing two subgenera: Haematoloechus and Skrjabinoeces. Based on extensive studies of the host use and geographic distribution of North American species of Haematoloechus, Kennedy (1980a; 1980b) concluded that most characters used to differentiate species were examples of intraspecific variation. As a result, he synonymized 9 of the 15 species known at that time from the U.S.A. and Canada (Kennedy 1981). Unfortunately, the limited detail in the original descriptions (Stafford 1902; Seely 1906), and the lack of type material for some species, has led to confusion in the identification and delineation of taxa. More recent research, using molecular characters to complement morphology, has revalidated species once relegated to synonymy. These studies aided the identification of morphological characters valuable in differentiating species, and revealed that some genera erected to include species of Haematoloechus are polyphyletic (León-Règagnon et al. 1999, 2001; Snyder & Tkach 2001; León-Règagnon & Paredes-Calderón 2002; León-Règagnon & Brooks 2003; Bolek & Janovy 2007a; León- Règagnon 2010; Zamparo et al. 2011). Molecular evidence has also shown that H. complexus (Seely, 1906) a species prevalent in the eastern U.S.A. (Bolek & Janovy 2007a) and previously thought to occur in Mexico (Caballero 1942b; León-Règagnon 1992; Pérez-Ponce de León et al. 2000) is actually a complex of sibling species whose conserved morphology makes their differentiation difficult (León-Règagnon et al. 1999; León-Règagnon 2003, 2010). The present study revises the taxonomy of the genus in the light of recent molecular and morphological studies, describes three new species of Haematoloechus that parasitize frogs in Mexico, and provides a list of the species historically assigned to Haematoloechus and related genera. Materials and methods Original descriptions and taxonomic literature related to the genus were reviewed while voucher and type material were examined from the following collections: Colección Nacional de Helmintos (CNHE), Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Canadian Museum of Nature Parasite Collection (CMNPA); U. S. National Parasite Collection at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH); Natural History Museum, UK (NHM); and the Colecão Helmintológica do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil (IOC). Host nomenclature and higher classification of anurans was based on the Amphibian Species of the World 6.0 (http://research.amnh.org/vz/ herpetology/amphibia/) (Frost 2018). Classification and nomenclature of the Ranidae Batsch was based on Hillis & Wilcox (2005) and Bossuyt et al. (2006). Considering the length of this manuscript, the genera Haematoloechus and Rana are not spelled out for each species the first time it is presented, but rather the abbreviations H. and R. are used to avoid excessive repetition. From 1997 to 2017, specimens of Lake Lerma salamander Ambystoma lermaense (Taylor), Rio Grande leopard frog Rana berlandieri Baird, Brown´s leopard frog R. brownorum Sanders, American bullfrog R. catesbeiana Shaw, green frog R. clamitans Latreille, Patzcuaro leopard frog R. dunni Zweifel, Forrer´s leopard frog R. cf. forreri, big–footed leopard frog R. megapoda Taylor, Montezuma leopard frog R. montezumae Baird, Transverse Volcanic leopard frog R. neovolcanica Hillis & Frost, Amazon River frog R. palmipes Spix, showy leopard frog R. spectabilis Hillis & Frost, common marsh frog R. vaillanti Brocchi, and Zweifel´s frog R. zweifeli Hillis, Frost & Webb were collected from varied localities in Mexico and Canada under scientific collection permits FAUT0056 (Mexico) and AUP3762 (Canada) issued to VLR and Paul D. N. Hebert. Amphibians were captured manually or using dip nets and killed by an overdose of sodium pentobarbital or double pithing. Helminthological examination was completed within 24 hours of capture. Digeneans recovered from these frogs were initially placed in saline (0.65%) solution, examined for preliminary identification and separated by morphotypes. For detailed morphometric study they were fixed by sudden immersion in hot 4% formaldehyde, and then preserved in 70% ethanol. Specimens were stained with Mayer's paracarmine or Gomori´s trichrome, dehydrated, cleared in methyl salicylate, and mounted in Canada balsam. Some specimens were permanently mounted between cover slips and held in Cobb slides. Measurements are presented as the range with means in parentheses and expressed in micrometers, unless otherwise stated. Figures were drawn with the aid of a drawing tube. 252 · Zootaxa 4526 (3) © 2018 Magnolia Press LEÓN-RÈGAGNON & TOPAN Total DNA was extracted from whole digeneans using standard glass fibre methods (Ivanova et al. 2006) or standard phenol extraction (Hillis et al. 1996). After purification, 2 µL of DNA was added to a PCR reaction
Recommended publications
  • Species Assessment for the Northern Leopard Frog (Rana Pipiens)
    SPECIES ASSESSMENT FOR THE NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG (RANA PIPIENS ) IN WYOMING prepared by 1 2 BRIAN E. SMITH AND DOUG KEINATH 1Department of Biology Black Hills State University1200 University Street Unit 9044, Spearfish, SD 5779 2 Zoology Program Manager, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave, Dept. 3381, Laramie, Wyoming 82071; 307-766-3013; [email protected] prepared for United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office Cheyenne, Wyoming January 2004 Smith and Keinath – Rana pipiens January 2004 Table of Contents SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................... 3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 3 NATURAL HISTORY ........................................................................................................................... 5 Morphological Description ...................................................................................................... 5 Taxonomy and Distribution ..................................................................................................... 6 Taxonomy .......................................................................................................................................6 Distribution and Abundance............................................................................................................7
    [Show full text]
  • Bioseries12-Amphibians-Taita-English
    0c m 12 Symbol key 3456 habitat pond puddle river stream 78 underground day / night day 9101112131415161718 night altitude high low vegetation types shamba forest plantation prelim pages ENGLISH.indd ii 2009/10/22 02:03:47 PM SANBI Biodiversity Series Amphibians of the Taita Hills by G.J. Measey, P.K. Malonza and V. Muchai 2009 prelim pages ENGLISH.indd Sec1:i 2009/10/27 07:51:49 AM SANBI Biodiversity Series The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) was established on 1 September 2004 through the signing into force of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA) No. 10 of 2004 by President Thabo Mbeki. The Act expands the mandate of the former National Botanical Institute to include responsibilities relating to the full diversity of South Africa’s fauna and ora, and builds on the internationally respected programmes in conservation, research, education and visitor services developed by the National Botanical Institute and its predecessors over the past century. The vision of SANBI: Biodiversity richness for all South Africans. SANBI’s mission is to champion the exploration, conservation, sustainable use, appreciation and enjoyment of South Africa’s exceptionally rich biodiversity for all people. SANBI Biodiversity Series publishes occasional reports on projects, technologies, workshops, symposia and other activities initiated by or executed in partnership with SANBI. Technical editor: Gerrit Germishuizen Design & layout: Elizma Fouché Cover design: Elizma Fouché How to cite this publication MEASEY, G.J., MALONZA, P.K. & MUCHAI, V. 2009. Amphibians of the Taita Hills / Am bia wa milima ya Taita. SANBI Biodiversity Series 12. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
    [Show full text]
  • Petition to List the Relict Leopard Frog (Rana Onca) As an Endangered Species Under the Endangered Species Act
    BEFORE THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR PETITION TO LIST THE RELICT LEOPARD FROG (RANA ONCA) AS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY SOUTHERN UTAH WILDERNESS ALLIANCE PETITIONERS May 8, 2002 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The relict leopard frog (Rana onca) has the dubious distinction of being one of the first North American amphibians thought to have become extinct. Although known to have inhabited at least 64 separate locations, the last historical collections of the species were in the 1950s and this frog was only recently rediscovered at 8 (of the original 64) locations in the early 1990s. This extremely endangered amphibian is now restricted to only 6 localities (a 91% reduction from the original 64 locations) in two disjunct areas within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada. The relict leopard frog historically occurred in springs, seeps, and wetlands within the Virgin, Muddy, and Colorado River drainages, in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. The Vegas Valley leopard frog, which once inhabited springs in the Las Vegas, Nevada area (and is probably now extinct), may eventually prove to be synonymous with R. onca. Relict leopard frogs were recently discovered in eight springs in the early 1990s near Lake Mead and along the Virgin River. The species has subsequently disappeared from two of these localities. Only about 500 to 1,000 adult frogs remain in the population and none of the extant locations are secure from anthropomorphic events, thus putting the species at an almost guaranteed risk of extinction. The relict leopard frog has likely been extirpated from Utah, Arizona, and from the Muddy River drainage in Nevada, and persists in only 9% of its known historical range.
    [Show full text]
  • Aspects of the Ecology and Conservation of Frogs in Urban Habitats of South Africa
    Frogs about town: Aspects of the ecology and conservation of frogs in urban habitats of South Africa DJD Kruger 20428405 Thesis submitted for the degree Philosophiae Doctor in Zoology at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University Supervisor: Prof LH du Preez Co-supervisor: Prof C Weldon September 2014 i In loving memory of my grandmother, Kitty Lombaard (1934/07/09 – 2012/05/18), who has made an invaluable difference in all aspects of my life. ii Acknowledgements A project with a time scale and magnitude this large leaves one indebted by numerous people that contributed to the end result of this study. I would like to thank the following people for their invaluable contributions over the past three years, in no particular order: To my supervisor, Prof. Louis du Preez I am indebted, not only for the help, guidance and support he has provided throughout this study, but also for his mentorship and example he set in all aspects of life. I also appreciate the help of my co-supervisor, Prof. Ché Weldon, for the numerous contributions, constructive comments and hours spent on proofreading. I owe thanks to all contributors for proofreading and language editing and thereby correcting my “boerseun” English grammar but also providing me with professional guidance. Prof. Louis du Preez, Prof. Ché Weldon, Dr. Andrew Hamer, Dr. Kirsten Parris, Prof. John Malone and Dr. Jeanne Tarrant are all dearly thanked for invaluable comments on earlier drafts of parts/the entirety of this thesis. For statistical contributions I am especially also grateful to Dr. Andrew Hamer for help with Bayesian analysis and to the North-West Statistical Services consultant, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • EDGE of EXISTENCE 1Prioritising the Weird and Wonderful 3Making an Impact in the Field 2Empowering New Conservation Leaders A
    EDGE OF EXISTENCE CALEB ON THE TRAIL OF THE TOGO SLIPPERY FROG Prioritising the Empowering new 10 weird and wonderful conservation leaders 1 2 From the very beginning, EDGE of Once you have identified the animals most in Existence was a unique idea. It is the need of action, you need to find the right people only conservation programme in the to protect them. Developing conservationists’ world to focus on animals that are both abilities in the countries where EDGE species YEARS Evolutionarily Distinct (ED) and Globally exist is the most effective and sustainable way to Endangered (GE). Highly ED species ensure the long-term survival of these species. have few or no close relatives on the tree From tracking wildlife populations to measuring of life; they represent millions of years the impact of a social media awareness ON THE of unique evolutionary history. Their campaign, the skill set of today’s conservation GE status tells us how threatened they champions is wide-ranging. Every year, around As ZSL’s EDGE of Existence conservation programme reaches are. ZSL conservationists use a scientific 10 early-career conservationists are awarded its first decade of protecting the planet’s most Evolutionarily framework to identify the animals that one of ZSL’s two-year EDGE Fellowships. With Making an impact are both highly distinct and threatened. mentorship from ZSL experts, and a grant to set in the field Distinct and Globally Endangered animals, we celebrate 10 The resulting EDGE species are unique up their own project on an EDGE species, each 3 highlights from its extraordinary work animals on the verge of extinction – the Fellow gains a rigorous scientific grounding Over the past decade, nearly 70 truly weird and wonderful.
    [Show full text]
  • Breeding Activity of the Agile Frog Rana Dalmatina in a Rural Area M
    Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 41.2 (2018) 405 Breeding activity of the agile frog Rana dalmatina in a rural area M. Biaggini, I. Campetti, C. Corti Biaggini, M., Campetti, I., Corti, C., 2018. Breeding activity of the agile frog Rana dalmatina in a rural area. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation, 41.2: 405–413, Doi: https://doi.org/10.32800/abc.2018.41.0405 Abstract Breeding activity of the agile frog Rana dalmatina in a rural area. Rural landscapes can host many protected species that are constantly threatened by agriculture intensification and abandonment of traditional manage- ments. Amphibians are severely affected by both processes due to loss and alteration of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. We monitored the breeding activity of Rana dalmatina in a lowland rural area focusing on spawning sites in open habitats, namely ditches amid traditional arable lands and pastures with varying vegetation fea- tures, size, and distances from woodlots. Egg clump density and clump size differed between sites, probably depending on environmental and ecological factors (i.e., larval competition, food availability, and predation). The sites next to woodlots showed the highest clump density (up to 0.718 n/m2). Our observations indicate that the maintenance and correct management of water bodies connected to traditional rural activities can be key to amphibian conservation in agricultural areas. Key words: Agriculture, Amphibians, Breeding sites, Conservation, Rana dalmatina Resumen Actividad reproductiva de la rana ágil Rana dalmatina en una zona rural. Los territorios agrícolas pueden ser refugio de varias especies protegidas que, sin embargo, están constantemente amenazadas por la intensificación de la agricultura y el abandono de las prácticas tradicionales.
    [Show full text]
  • Species Summary
    Hoplobatrachus occipitalis Region: 10 Taxonomic Authority: (Gunther, 1858) Synonyms: Common Names: Crowned Bullfrog English Order: Anura Family: Ranidae Notes on taxonomy: This species is believed to consist of at least two species (Bogart and Tandy 1981), with tetraploid populations known from the islands of Lake Victoria and from Liberia. These have not yet been formally distinguished. General Information Biome Terrestrial Freshwater Marine Geographic Range of species: Habitat and Ecology Information: This species of the African savannah zone ranges from southern It lives in many habitats from dry savannahs to disturbed forest, using Mauritania to Ethiopia, south through East Africa to northern Zambia, logging roads and rivers to penetrate deep into lowland forest. It breeds southern and western Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and in small to medium-sized temporary waters, but not in permanent coastal Congo and Gabon. There are isolated populations in waters, since it cannot compete with fish. southwestern Libya, southeastern Western Sahara and nearby Mauritania, the Air mountains of Niger, and northern Mali [Adrar de Iforas]). Conservation Measures: Threats: It occurs in many protected areas. Human consumption is a problem locally, especially in West and Central Africa. However, it is an adaptable species, and overall it is not significantly threatened. Species population information: It is widespread and common over much of its range, with relict isolated populations in oases and wells in the Sahelian and Saharan regions. Native
    [Show full text]
  • Partial Report of Activities Carried out in the Masako Forest Reserve
    PARTIAL REPORT OF ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT IN THE MASAKO FOREST RESERVE PROJECT ID: 27590-1 By Franck Masudi Muenye Mali May 2019 The project is funded by the Rufford Foundation “Amphibian diversity and environmental education for local people and capacity building for decision makers for the survival of Masako Forest Reserve in the DRC” PROJECT ID: 27590-1 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 3 2. FIELD METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................................... 3 2.1. Investigation ............................................................................................................................ 3 2.2. Amphibian inventory .................................................................................................................... 4 3. PRELIMINARY RESULTS .................................................................................................................... 5 3.1. Views and proposals collected from the local community on the destruction of the Masako forest reserve ...................................................................................................................................... 5 3.1.1. Summary of responses to questions submitted to the local community ....................... 5 3.1.2. Immediate consequences observed following the destruction of the Masako reserve . 5 3.2. List of direct consequences
    [Show full text]
  • Maritime Southeast Asia and Oceania Regional Focus
    November 2011 Vol. 99 www.amphibians.orgFrogLogNews from the herpetological community Regional Focus Maritime Southeast Asia and Oceania INSIDE News from the ASG Regional Updates Global Focus Recent Publications General Announcements And More..... Spotted Treefrog Nyctixalus pictus. Photo: Leong Tzi Ming New The 2012 Sabin Members’ Award for Amphibian Conservation is now Bulletin open for nomination Board FrogLog Vol. 99 | November 2011 | 1 Follow the ASG on facebook www.facebook.com/amphibiansdotor2 | FrogLog Vol. 99| November 2011 g $PSKLELDQ$UN FDOHQGDUVDUHQRZDYDLODEOH 7KHWZHOYHVSHFWDFXODUZLQQLQJSKRWRVIURP $PSKLELDQ$UN¶VLQWHUQDWLRQDODPSKLELDQ SKRWRJUDSK\FRPSHWLWLRQKDYHEHHQLQFOXGHGLQ $PSKLELDQ$UN¶VEHDXWLIXOZDOOFDOHQGDU7KH FDOHQGDUVDUHQRZDYDLODEOHIRUVDOHDQGSURFHHGV DPSKLELDQDUN IURPVDOHVZLOOJRWRZDUGVVDYLQJWKUHDWHQHG :DOOFDOHQGDU DPSKLELDQVSHFLHV 3ULFLQJIRUFDOHQGDUVYDULHVGHSHQGLQJRQ WKHQXPEHURIFDOHQGDUVRUGHUHG±WKHPRUH \RXRUGHUWKHPRUH\RXVDYH2UGHUVRI FDOHQGDUVDUHSULFHGDW86HDFKRUGHUV RIEHWZHHQFDOHQGDUVGURSWKHSULFHWR 86HDFKDQGRUGHUVRIDUHSULFHGDW MXVW86HDFK 7KHVHSULFHVGRQRWLQFOXGH VKLSSLQJ $VZHOODVRUGHULQJFDOHQGDUVIRU\RXUVHOIIULHQGV DQGIDPLO\ZK\QRWSXUFKDVHVRPHFDOHQGDUV IRUUHVDOHWKURXJK\RXU UHWDLORXWOHWVRUIRUJLIWV IRUVWDIIVSRQVRUVRUIRU IXQGUDLVLQJHYHQWV" 2UGHU\RXUFDOHQGDUVIURPRXUZHEVLWH ZZZDPSKLELDQDUNRUJFDOHQGDURUGHUIRUP 5HPHPEHU±DVZHOODVKDYLQJDVSHFWDFXODUFDOHQGDU WRNHHSWUDFNRIDOO\RXULPSRUWDQWGDWHV\RX¶OODOVREH GLUHFWO\KHOSLQJWRVDYHDPSKLELDQVDVDOOSUR¿WVZLOOEH XVHGWRVXSSRUWDPSKLELDQFRQVHUYDWLRQSURMHFWV ZZZDPSKLELDQDUNRUJ FrogLog Vol. 99 | November
    [Show full text]
  • The Herpetofauna of the Cubango, Cuito, and Lower Cuando River Catchments of South-Eastern Angola
    Official journal website: Amphibian & Reptile Conservation amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 10(2) [Special Section]: 6–36 (e126). The herpetofauna of the Cubango, Cuito, and lower Cuando river catchments of south-eastern Angola 1,2,*Werner Conradie, 2Roger Bills, and 1,3William R. Branch 1Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), P.O. Box 13147, Humewood 6013, SOUTH AFRICA 2South African Institute for Aquatic Bio- diversity, P/Bag 1015, Grahamstown 6140, SOUTH AFRICA 3Research Associate, Department of Zoology, P O Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031, SOUTH AFRICA Abstract.—Angola’s herpetofauna has been neglected for many years, but recent surveys have revealed unknown diversity and a consequent increase in the number of species recorded for the country. Most historical Angola surveys focused on the north-eastern and south-western parts of the country, with the south-east, now comprising the Kuando-Kubango Province, neglected. To address this gap a series of rapid biodiversity surveys of the upper Cubango-Okavango basin were conducted from 2012‒2015. This report presents the results of these surveys, together with a herpetological checklist of current and historical records for the Angolan drainage of the Cubango, Cuito, and Cuando Rivers. In summary 111 species are known from the region, comprising 38 snakes, 32 lizards, five chelonians, a single crocodile and 34 amphibians. The Cubango is the most western catchment and has the greatest herpetofaunal diversity (54 species). This is a reflection of both its easier access, and thus greatest number of historical records, and also the greater habitat and topographical diversity associated with the rocky headwaters.
    [Show full text]
  • THE AGILE FROG Species Action Plan Rana Dalmatina SUMMARSUMMARSUMMARYYY DOCUMENT
    THE AGILE FROG Species Action Plan Rana dalmatina SUMMARSUMMARSUMMARYYY DOCUMENT The agile frog Rana dalmatina is Despite the efforts of these distributed widely throughout much of organisations, the future of Jersey’s southern and central Europe, but is agile frog is still far from secure. The found in only a few northern locations factors which probably played a key including Jersey - the frog is not found role in the frogs decline are still very anywhere else in the British Isles. The much in evidence: Jersey population of the agile frog has been declining in both range and •water quality and quantity, as a result SSSpppecial pointsss ofofof numbers since the early 1900’s. In the of intensive agriculture, are still below inininteresteresteresttt::: 1970’s only seven localities were listed EU standards in many areas; The agile frog is protected where the frog could still be found, and •the continuing alteration, disturbance, under schedule 1 of the by the mid 1980’s this had fallen to and loss of potentially suitable Conservation of Wildlife only two sites. In 1987 one of the amphibian habitat; (Jersey) Law 2000. remaining two populations was lost as a •the growing numbers of predatory result of a lethal spill of agricultural ducks, cats, and feral ferrets. DESCRIPTION pesticide into the breeding pond. The The agile frog Rana dalmatina species is now believed to be confined These and other factors have combined is a European brown frog, to a single vulnerable population in the to reduce the frog population to the growing up to 90 mm (snout south-west of the island.
    [Show full text]
  • 8431-A-2017.Pdf
    Available Online at http://www.recentscientific.com International Journal of CODEN: IJRSFP (USA) Recent Scientific International Journal of Recent Scientific Research Research Vol. 8, Issue, 8, pp. 19482-19486, August, 2017 ISSN: 0976-3031 DOI: 10.24327/IJRSR Research Article BATRACHOFAUNA DIVERSITY OF DHALTANGARH FOREST OF ODISHA, INDIA *Dwibedy, SK Department of Zoology, Khallikote University, Berhampur, Odisha, India DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2017.0808.0702 ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article History: Small forests are often ignored. Their faunal resources remain hidden due to negligence. But they may be rich in animal diversity. Considering this, I have started an initial study on the batrachofauna Received 15th May, 2017 th diversity of Dhaltangarh forest. Dhaltangarh is a small reserve protected forest of Jagatsingpur Received in revised form 25 district of Odisha in India of geographical area of 279.03 acre. The duration of the study was 12 June, 2017 months. Studies were conducted by systematic observation, hand picking method, pitfall traps & Accepted 23rd July, 2017 th photographic capture. The materials used to create this research paper were a camera, key to Indian Published online 28 August, 2017 amphibians, binocular, & a frog catching net. The study yielded 10 amphibian species belonging to 4 families and 7 genera. It was concluded that this small forest is rich in amphibians belonging to Key Words: Dicroglossidae family. A new amphibian species named Srilankan painted frog was identified, Dhaltangarh, Odisha, Batrachofauna, which was previously unknown to this region. Amphibia, Anura, Dicroglossidae Copyright © Dwibedy, SK, 2017, this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
    [Show full text]