A new morphologically cryptic species of forest frog (genus Platymantis) from New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago

We describe two new species of forest frogs in the genus Platymantis from the Isabel Island group, Solomon Islands. One new species is a medium-sized, terrestrial form that is morphologically most similar to P. weberi (a widespread Solomon Islands species). The other new species is an arboreal frog that is morphologically similar to Platymantis neckeri (known from Bougainville, Choiseul, and Isabel islands). Both new species possess unique advertisement calls that distinguish them from all sympatric congeners. Because acoustic characteristics function as the primary mate-recognition signals for anuran species, and are therefore an excellent indicator of the status of unique evolutionary lineages, we recognize each as new species. We diagnose both new species on the basis of their distinctive advertisement calls and in the case of the terrestrial form, by differences in body size, body proportions and skin texture. The diversity of ceratobatrachid frogs of the Solomon islands and Bougainville is underestimated and in need of a comprehensive taxonomic review coupled with a standardized survey of acoustic characters.

We describe a new species of high-elevation rain-forest tree frog (genus Platymantis) from New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. It is characterized by moderate body size (males 27.4–30.7 mm), widely expanded finger and toe disks, smooth dorsal skin, a distinct reticulate dorsal color pattern, and numerous spectral and temporal characteristics of the advertisement call. The new species inhabits shrub layer vegetation in canopy gaps in primary montane rain forests of the Nakanai Mountain Range above 1500 m. We compare the new species to all known Platymantis from New Britain and to other morphologically similar species from the Bismarck archipelago, Solomon Islands, and Fiji. We also redescribe Platymantis macrosceles from the holotype and two new specimens from the Nakanai Mountains. We suspect that anuran species diversity on the large and topographically complex island of New Britain is currently underestimated.

We describe a new species of high-elevation rainforest tree frog (genus Platymantis) from the Nakanai Mountains, New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago, Southwestern Pacific. The new species is characterized by moderate body size (34.2–35.8 mm for four males), widely expanded terminal digital disks of the fingers and toes, smooth skin of the dorsum, a distinctive color pattern, and a complex, amplitude-modulated advertisement call produced in groups of 3–6 notes. We compare the new species to all known species of Platymantis from New Britain and to additional phenotypically similar species from the Solomon Islands and Fiji. It is most similar to P. nexipus, a species known previously from only a single specimen. We rediagnose and redescribe P. nexipus on the basis of the holotype and ten recently collected specimens, provide the first descriptions of the advertisement calls of both species, and comment on an additional suspected undescribed species from the Nakanai Mountains of New Britain Island.

We describe a new-species of high elevation rainforest shrub frog (genus Platymantis) from the Nakanai Mountains of eastern New Britain (Bismarck Archipelago), Papua New Guinea. The distinctive new species possesses a moderate body size (29.5-32.2 mm in four males), widely expanded finger and toe disks, smooth to slightly granular dorsal skin, low but distinctly protuberant supraocular and tarsal tubercles, a conspicuous series of bright yellow flank areolations, a low but distinct intraocular sagittal crest, bronze-brown iris, and a unique advertisement call. We compare the new species with congeneric New Britain taxa and to other phenotypically similar species from the Solomon-Bismarck-Admiralty archipelagos. The new species is phenotypically most similar to P macrosceles Zweifel 1975, and has been collected at only one high elevation site (Tompoi Camp). The available data suggest that the new species, known from 1700 m, is elevationally segregated from P. macroscles (to date, only recorded from 800-900 m in the Nakanai Mountains). New Britain Island has emerged as a major center of endemic ceratobatrachid species diversity. Additional species are anticipated to result from ongoing field work, especially in the western portion of the island, which remains largely unexplored.

We describe a new species of forest frog (genus Platymantis) from Mt. Malinao, Bicol Peninsula, southern Luzon Island, The Philippines. The new species is distinguished from congeners by a moderate body size (28.3–39.1 mm for eight males; 49.8–52.7 in two females), slightly expanded terminal finger and toe disks, a distinct color pattern, a unique microhabitat preference, and various spectral and temporal aspects of the advertisement call. The new species is known only from 950–1160 m above sea level on Mt. Malinao and, as such, accentuates this mountain's unrecognized conservation significance as a minor center of herpetological diversity and endemism on southern Luzon. We compare the new species to all presumably related (phenotypically similar) species of Platymantis from the Philippines and comment on apparent trends in morphological evolution and habitat preference in Philippine members of the genus Platymantis. Current understanding of Platymantis species diversity throughout this topograph...

We describe a new species of forest frog (genus Platymantis) from 180-300 m above sea level on Mt. Lihidan in the northwestern part of Panay Island, Philippines. It is assigned to the Platymantis dorsalis species group and is distinguished from congeners by external morphology, various spectral and temporal components of the advertisement call, and a preference for terrestrial, limestone microhabitat. Unique morphological characters include a moderately large body (27.7-34.3 mm SVL for 15 males), slightly expanded terminal finger and toe discs, distinctly rugose dorsal and lateral skin, pronounced supratympanic fold, protuberant rictal tubercle cluster, hidden dorsal and posterior edges of tympanum, and unique coloration.

We describe a fantastic new species of forest frog (Mantellidae: Gephyromantis: subgenus: Laurentomantis) from moderately high elevations in the vicinity of Andasibe, Madagascar. This region has been surveyed extensively and has a remarkably high anuran diversity with many undocumented species still being discovered. Surprisingly, by exploring areas around Andasibe that lacked biodiversity surveys, we discovered a spectacular and clearly morphologically distinct species, previously unknown to science, Gephyromantis marokorokosp. nov., documented for the first time in 2015. The new species is well characterised by a very rugose and granular dorsum, dark brown skin with bright red mottling, sparse light orange to white spots on the ventre, vibrant red eyes and femoral glands present only in males that consist of eight medium-sized granules. Bioacoustically, the new species has a quiet advertisement call that differs from related species by having a moderate call duration, 2–4 strongly pulsed notes and a slow note repetition rate. Furthermore, it has substantial differentiation in mitochondrial DNA, with pairwise distances of 7–9% to all other related species in sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA marker. Additional evidence is given through a combined four mitochondrial markers and four nuclear exons concatenated species tree, strongly supporting G. striatus as the sister species of the new species in both analyses. The discovery of this new species highlights the need for continued inventory work in high elevation rainforests of Madagascar, even in relatively well-studied regions.

Brown, Rafe M., Richards, Stephen J., Sukumaran, Jeet, Foufopoulos, Johannes (2006): A new morphologically cryptic species of forest frog (genus Platymantis) from New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago. Zootaxa 1334: 45-68, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.174282

Discussions of the evolution of sexual dimorphism in torso shape and the pectoral region assume that this dimorphism exists independently of body size. We test this assumption in two human populations and further examine what is needed to understand sexual dimorphism in the pectoral region. Modern human males have broad shoulders and narrow hips relative to females, lending males a more triangular torso. The wider female pelvis is commonly attributed to obstetric pressures while the broader male pectoral girdle has been argued to be an adaptation that improves hunting or intrasexual competition. While sexual dimorphism in the pelvic girdle is known to exist after adjusting for body size across human populations, most studies of sexual dimorphism in the pectoral girdle have not adjusted the data to account for sexual size dimorphism or compared different ancestral groups. The aforementioned hypotheses explaining sexual dimorphism in the clavicle and scapula as products of natural selection are predicated on the untested assumption that sex differences do not scale with body size. This study tests this assumption by comparing various measurements of the pectoral girdle, the pelvic girdle, and six pectoral-pelvic indices of black and white South Africans of known sex and height to test whether the sexes and ancestral groups will differ in these values after adjusting for differences in body size. Comparisons of ancestral groups reveal that white South Africans have larger pectoral and pelvic dimensions than black South Africans, but that blacks have larger index values than whites. Regardless of differences in ancestry and body size, males have significantly broader pectoral regions as indicated by comparisons of both individual pectoral measurements and pectoral-pelvic indices. This pattern of sexual dimorphism is reversed in the pelvic region where females have larger skeletal elements. In addition to finding both absolute and relative differences in mean values for the pectoral and pelvic skeleton, females and males and blacks and whites differ in the scaling relationship of these traits, suggesting different allometric trajectories for these bones that may be explained by their distinct evolutionary functions, their adaptations to specific environments, or by changes in lengths due to age. These results suggest that sexual dimorphism in the pectoral region is not a product of scaling and that differences in this region reflect adaptive forces acting in unique ways on each sex, consistent with the assumptions of earlier evolutionary explanations.

Differences in body size of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in four study areas in Denmark were investigated in relation to climate, soils, vegetation types and forest cultures, quality of available forage, population density of roe deer, and other environmental factors. Rumen samples, body weights and measurements, reproductive tissues, and lower jaws were obtained from 73 deer during the study. Body weights and measurements and sex and age data were available from several hundred deer from earlier studies. Field-dressed weight, length of the lower jaw, and femur length showed significant differences among the study areas. The largest deer and those with the most rapid growth were from the two areas that had lower soil fertility, lower ratios of agricultural land to the forest area, lower ratios of perimeter to total forest area, and lower densities of deer. Chemical ana]yses of washed and unwashed rumen contents indicated that the forage being consumed by the deer was of essentially equal quality on the four study areas. In Denmark, soil quality appears to be a primary factor determining density of roe deer or biomass but does not appear to directly regulate body size. Body size is most directly related to population density. The mechanisms by wllich density influences body size are apparently social pressures, which affect energy expenditure and food intake, and competition during spring and early summer when foods of high nutritive quality may be limited and physiological demands of the deer are greatest. Regional differences in growth and body size of roe deer have been observed throughout Europe. Selective hunting, practiced for long periods on numerous large estates in Europe, has failed to bring about increases in size of roe deer and their antlers the specific objectives of the prevailing system of game management. Bubenik (19i59), Hennig (1962), Stubbe (1966), Sagesser (1966), and others have described regional differences in body size and antler quality of roe deer. Ueckermann (1957) attempted to relate size differences to forest composition and to-the relationship of forest edge to field. He also emphasized the importance of the characteristics of the substrate as did Hesse (1921) and Sagesser ( 1966 ) . Bubtenik and Bubenik (1967) have pointed to the significance of environmental stress. Little attention, however, has been directed toward the effect of nutrition on the growth and size of roe deer, and little information is available in 1 Present address: Alaska Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Alaska, College. 64 comparison with the information available for North Ameriean deer. Speeulation by European workers on the possible eauses of regional differences in body size has usually been based on information about only one or a few of the environmental variables that might be involved (for example, vegetative coimposition, substrate, density, and similar factors). Suffieient data have not been available to allow a eonelusive appraisal of the faetors that may influenee body size. This study in Denmark was planned to investigate the influenee of variations in forage quality on the growth and size of roe deer, although it was neeessary to eonsider other faetors of the environment, sueh as vegetative eover types and roe deer density. Because it later beeame apparent that faetors other than forage quality might have a dominant influenee on bo!dy size, the seope of the study was broadened. We aeknowledge the eoolperation and assistanee of Count Ahlefeldt-Bille, J. Due, and P. Thaarup in the use of the study This content downloaded from 157.55.39.215 on Wed, 31 Aug 2016 04:23:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms GROWTH AND SIZE OF ROE DEER * Klein and Strandgaard 65 areas. We also appreciate the help of gamekeepers E. Holm and O. Poulsen and foresters O. Jacobsgaard, J. Nielsen, and A. Karlskov. H. Berthelsen did the food habits analyses of the rumen samples and the laboratory work. Chemical analyses of the rumen samples were done by Professor F. Sch,dnheyder and Grete Risgaard at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Aarhus. F. Christoffersen did much of the collecting of the specimen material, and B. Kristiansen assisted in the statistical analyses of the data. Christoffersen, Kristiansen, and J. Andersen were useful sources of information and ideas throughout the study.

The hypothesis that patterns of sexual dimorphism in transverse dimensions of the metacarpal only reflect sex differences in body size was investigated in a sample of 324 Mexican school children 6.00-10.99 years of age. Several patterns of sexual dimorphism in second metacarpal dimensions are seen with regard to stature and weight. Sex differences in medullary diameter and percent cortical area are not related to sexual dimorphism in body size, while sex differences in cortical thickness are related to, but not fully explained by, differences in body size. Dimorphism in metacarpal diaphyseal diameter is related to differences in body size, but, at a constant body size and age, boys still have significantly larger diaphyseal diameters than girls. Finally, sexual dimorphism in cortical area is closely associated with sex differences in body size.

Research Between 1950 and 1980 on Urban-Rural Differences in Body Size and Growth Rate of Children and Youths

A new species of forest frog of the genus Platymantis is described from an elevation of 140 m in the Taft Forest Reserve in eastern Samar Island, Philippines. It is assigned to the Platymantis guentheri Species Group, a group of primarily arboreal species, and is distinguished from these and other congeners by features of its external morphology and its preferred terrestrial, limestone microhabitat. Several striking morphological characters include a large body (34.2–39.1 mm SVL for 9 males and 44.3–49.8 mm SVL for 9 females), greatly expanded finger and toe discs, large eyes, spotted flanks, and sparsely-distributed, salmon-colored dorsal dermal tubercles. The new species represents the second largest Philippine Platymantis, the third terrestrial species in the P. guentheri Group, and the only known species of Platymantis from the Mindanao Faunal Region with a preference for forested, karst habitats.

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 624:213-226 (2019) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13036 Mechanisms for sex-based segregation in foraging behaviour by a polygynous marine carnivore Marcus Salton1,2,3,*, Roger Kirkwood2, David Slip1,4, Robert Harcourt1 1Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia 2Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Victoria 3922, Australia 3Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Energy and Environment, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia 4Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, New South Wales 2088, Australia *Corresponding author: marcussalton@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Sexual segregation in foraging is often attributed to constraints arising from sexual size dimorphism, such as differing physiological abilities and energy requirements, or to reproductive commitments including nutritional requirements and behavioural limitations such as parental care. In species with sexual size dimorphism and a polygynous mating system, there are sex differences in both body size and reproductive commitments, so distinguishing the mechanism underlying sexually segregated foraging is particularly difficult. We investigated movements of the sexually dimorphic, polygynous Australian fur seal Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus, and compared foraging strategies of juveniles to adults in order to investigate foraging constraints associated with differences in body size separately from those also associated with reproduction. Foraging trip duration, range, core area, and distance to core area from the breeding site were similar between the sexes in juveniles and adults, but juveniles were overall more constrained than adults. After foraging trips, juveniles and adult females were more likely to return to the breeding site than to other sites, probably because of physiological limitations (juveniles) or reproductive commitments (adult females). Freedom from reproductive commitments allowed adult males to reside in areas away from the breeding site and thereby meet the higher energy requirements arising from their larger body size, without competing with adult females. Consequently, intra-species differences in foraging strategies of Australian fur seals are shaped first by foraging constraints associated with body size, and to a lesser extent by reproductive behaviour. KEY WORDS: Intra-species competition · Ontogeny · Allometry · Sex segregation · Foraging · Otariid Full text in pdf format PreviousCite this article as: Salton M, Kirkwood R, Slip D, Harcourt R (2019) Mechanisms for sex-based segregation in foraging behaviour by a polygynous marine carnivore. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 624:213-226. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13036 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 624. Online publication date: August 15, 2019 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2019 Inter-Research.

BackgroundBioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) has the potential to be used widely as a method of assessing body fatness and composition, both in clinical and community settings. BIA provides bioelectrical properties, such as whole-body impedance which ideally needs to be calibrated against a gold-standard method in order to provide accurate estimates of fat-free mass. UK studies in older children and adolescents have shown that, when used in multi-ethnic populations, calibration equations need to include ethnic-specific terms, but whether this holds true for younger children remains to be elucidated. The aims of this study were to examine ethnic differences in body size, proportions and composition in children aged 5 to 11 years, and to establish the extent to which such differences could influence BIA calibration.MethodsIn a multi-ethnic population of 2171 London primary school-children (47% boys; 34% White, 29% Black African/Caribbean, 25% South Asian, 12% Other) detailed anthropometric measurements were performed and ethnic differences in body size and proportion were assessed. Ethnic differences in fat-free mass, derived by deuterium dilution, were further evaluated in a subsample of the population (n = 698). Multiple linear regression models were used to calibrate BIA against deuterium dilution.ResultsIn children <11 years of age, Black African/Caribbean children were significantly taller, heavier and had larger body size than children of other ethnicities. They also had larger waist and limb girths and relatively longer legs. Despite these differences, ethnic-specific terms did not contribute significantly to the BIA calibration equation (Fat-free mass = 1.12+0.71*(height2/impedance)+0.18*weight).ConclusionAlthough clear ethnic differences in body size, proportions and composition were evident in this population of young children aged 5 to 11 years, an ethnic-specific BIA calibration equation was not required.