Dark Markings Research Articles

Two Unrecorded Species of the Snapper (Perciformes: Lutjanidae) Collected from Jeju Island, Korea

Two unrecorded species of the snapper, Lutjanus malabaricus (296.0 mm standard length [SL]) and L. stellatus (350.0 mm SL) belonging to the family Lutjanidae, were first collected from the western coastal waters of Jeju Island, Korea. L. malabaricus is characterized by having a dark marking on the upper half of the caudal peduncle, a band of vomerine teeth that does not protrude posteriorly at the middle, and nine anal soft rays. Compared to its Korean relative, L. malabaricus is distinguishable by having rows of scales that run obliquely in the dorsal-posterior direction above the lateral line (vs. parallel to the lateral line in L. argentimaculatus). L. stellatus can be identified by the absence of wavy blue lines on the head (vs. many blue lines in L. rivulatus) and presence of a white spot above the lateral line (vs. a black blotch on the lateral line in L. rivulatus). We propose new Korean names, “Jin-hong-tung-dom” and “Huin-jeom-tung-dom,” for L. malabaricus and L. stellatus, respectively.

A new species of Trichonotus (Perciformes: Trichonotidae) from Somalia and redescription of Trichonotus cyclograptus (Alcock, 1890) with designation of a lectotype

A new sand diver Trichonotus somaliensis n. sp. (Trichonotidae) is described on the basis of 13 specimens collected offthe coast of Somalia at a depth of 38−78m. The new species is most similar to T. arabicus and T. cyclograptus in lackingelongated anterior dorsal-fin spines and having dark markings on the lateral body surface in males. However, the new spe-cies differs from the others in having the following characters: lateral-line scales 54−57; gill rakers on first arch5−6+18−24; 12–14 blotches on upper half of body in both sexes; first dorsal-fin soft ray length in males 19–28% of stan-dard length; and no free dorsal pterygiophores. Trichonotus cyclograptus, a poorly known species, is redescribed on the basis of the newly-designated lectotype and paralectotypes.

Facial markings in the hover wasps: quality signals and familiar recognition cues in two species of Stenogastrinae

Both recognition and conventional signals are widespread in the animal kingdom. Chemical communication plays a major role in invertebrates, and especially in social insects. In the last decade, observational and experimental evidence has shown the existence of visual quality signals and individual recognition cues in Polistes paper wasps, meaning that visual communication might also be common in insect societies. Here we show that two species of facultatively eusocial hover wasps (Vespidae, Stenogastrinae) use the visual channel for social communication. By combining morphoanatomical measurements and behavioural assays, we found that the size of the dark facial markings was related to reproductive status and dominance in colonies of Liostenogaster vechti, thus representing a badge of status. By contrast, no correlation between facial coloration and reproductive status was found in Liostenogaster flavolineata, which instead used facial markings as familiar visual recognition cues. Our results reveal that visual communication in social insects might be more widespread than previously thought and has evolved independently in distinct wasp taxa facing similar selection pressures.

White Coat, Dark Matter

Hastings Center ReportVolume 42, Issue 6 p. 45-46 Review White Coat, Dark Matter Mark Gindi, Mark GindiSearch for more papers by this author Mark Gindi, Mark GindiSearch for more papers by this author First published: 08 November 2012 https://doi.org/10.1002/hast.95Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume42, Issue6November-December 2012Pages 45-46 RelatedInformation

A new species of Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from central Vietnam

We describe a new species of Leptolalax from central Vietnam. Leptolalax firthi sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners bya combination of the following characters: an absence of distinct dark brown or black dorsolateral markings; toes with rudimen-tary webbing and wide lateral dermal fringes in males and weak or absent lateral dermal fringes in females; most males withwide lateral dermal fringes on Finger II; medium size (26.4–29.2 mm in 21 adult males, 25.7–36.9 mm in 14 females); and nearimmaculate white chest and belly. The male advertisement call of the new species, consisting of 2–5 notes with a dominant fre-quency of 5.4–6.6 kHz (at 18.3–21.2º C) is also unique among Leptolalax species for which calls are known. Uncorrectedsequence divergences between L. firthi and all homologous 16S rRNA sequences available were >10%. At present, the newspecies is known from montane evergreen forest between ~860–1720 m elevation in Kon Tum and Quang Nam Provinces. Theextreme sexual dimorphism observed in L. firthi in terms of lateral dermal fringing, a morphological character often used to dis-tinguish Leptolalax species, highlights the importance of ensuring interspecific comparisons in the genus are performed separately for each sex.

Trichomycterus macrophthalmus (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae), a new species of catfish from the Paraíba do Sul river basin, southeastern Brazil

Trichomycterus macrophthalmus, new species is described from the upper Paraíba do Sul river basin, southeastern Brazil. It differs from all species of Trichomycterus from southeastern Brazil by possessing nine pleural ribs. Trichomycterus macrophthalmus is similar to T. travassosi from the same basin by both owning short nasal barbel, but the new species can be easily distinguished from it by head width, eye size, and colour pattern. The new species belongs to the T. travassosi species complex by displaying transverse dark marks on the dorsum.

A new species of gravel-dwelling loach (Ostariophysi: Nemacheilidae) from the Nepalese Himalayan foothills

Turcinoemacheilus himalaya, new species, is described from the Koshi and Gandaki River basins of Nepal. The new species is distinguished from its hypothesised congener, Turcinoemacheilus kosswigi, from the Euphrates, Tigris and Karoun basins of the Middle East, by the presence of small scales on the posterior half of its body (v. absence of all scales), its shorter caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle length 12-15% standard length, L(S) v. 16-23), its shorter snout (snout length 28-36% head length, L(H) v. 40-49) and by features of its colour pattern, including the presence of small irregularly shaped dark grey markings over the lateral body surface. Turcinoemacheilus himalaya is known to date only from Nepal.

Kortlægning af marksystemer fra jernalderen – En kildekritisk vurdering af luftfotografiers anvendelighed

Kortlægning af marksystemer fra jernalderen – En kildekritisk vurdering af luftfotografiers anvendelighed

Evolutionary losses of facial stripes in New World pitvipers

Associations between the evolutionary loss or gain of colours and habitat can be informative about how environment drives colour evolution, and provide insight into their functions. Despite a wealth of studies on colours, the function of many colour patches are not well understood. This is especially the case for dark facial markings. Dark facial stripes are common in snakes, including many pitvipers, which possess facial stripes that extend from the eye towards the corner of the mouth. We investigated whether the evolutionary loss or gain of facial stripes in New World pitvipers is associated with activity period and habitat, hoping to shed light on their function. First, we examined whether evolutionary loss or gain of facial stripes is associated with nocturnal or diurnal activity. It has been suggested that facial stripes may protect the venom from ultraviolet radiation, which would be higher in diurnal species. Similarly, snakes in open habitats may experience higher ultraviolet radiation than those in closed habitats. Alternatively, we examined whether evolutionary loss or gain of facial stripes is associated with terrestrial or non-terrestrial habitat use. Studies on similar facial markings in other vertebrates indicated that they have a signalling function. If facial stripes in pitvipers have a signalling function, arboreal or saxicolous habitat use may limit signal effectiveness. Hence, we hypothesized that there may be an association between facial stripe evolution and habitat use. Using combined phylogenies that included almost every New World pitviper species, we tested correlations between facial stripes and ultraviolet exposure (activity period and habitat openness) and habitat use (terrestrial or non-terrestrial) using concentrated-changes tests and Pagel’s correlation tests. Our data did not support the hypothesis that ultraviolet exposure influenced facial stripe evolution. Instead, the evolutionary loss of facial stripes was associated with non-terrestrial habitat use, such as arboreal and saxicolous habitats. In these habitats, we suggest the effectiveness of facial stripes as a signal would be limited, leading to their evolutionary loss. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 104, 923–933. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: aposematic warning – rattlesnakes – signals – ultraviolet radiation.

A New Species of the Geophis sieboldi Group (Squamata: Colubridae) Exhibiting Color Pattern Polymorphism from Guerrero, Mexico

Abstract A new species of the colubrid genus Geophis is described from the Sierra Madre del Sur of Guerrero, Mexico. The new species possesses all of the diagnostic characters of the sieboldi group, but differs from all of the other species in the group by having dorsal scales arranged in 17 rows, 133–139 ventrals in females and 130–137 in males, 24–31 subcaudals in females and 34–39 in males, keeled dorsal scales on at least the posterior three-fourths of the body, apparently no apical pits, and a light nuchal collar in juveniles. The new species fills a gap in the distribution of the sieboldi group between Michoacan and Oaxaca, and is the first Mexican species of the genus reported to exhibit both a unicolor (uniformly dark) and a bicolor (with dark markings on a red background color) body and tail dorsal patterns, a polymorphism similar to that previously documented in few lower Central American species.

Water vapor near the cloud tops of Venus from Venus Express/VIRTIS dayside data

Observations of the dayside of Venus performed by the high spectral resolution channel (–H) of the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on board the ESA Venus Express mission have been used to measure the altitude of the cloud tops and the water vapor abundance around this level with a spatial resolution ranging from 100 to 10 km. CO 2 and H 2O bands between 2.48 and 2.60 μm are analyzed to determine the cloud top altitude and water vapor abundance near this level. At low latitudes (±40°) mean water vapor abundance is equal to 3 ± 1 ppm and the corresponding cloud top altitude at 2.5 μm is equal to 69.5 ± 2 km. Poleward from middle latitudes the cloud top altitude gradually decreases down to 64 km, while the average H 2O abundance reaches its maximum of 5 ppm at 80° of latitude with a large scatter from 1 to 15 ppm. The calculated mass percentage of the sulfuric acid solution in cloud droplets of mode 2 (∼1 μm) particles is in the range 75–83%, being in even more narrow interval of 80–83% in low latitudes. No systematic correlation of the dark UV markings with the cloud top altitude or water vapor has been observed.

A new leafhopper genus and four new species from the Grassland Biome of South Africa (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae)

A new endemic deltocephaline leafhopper, Tetramelasma gen.n. is described from the Grassland Biome of South Africa, comprising four new species: T. litopyx sp. n., T. nodosatha sp. n., T. scolosatha sp. n. and T. tanyphysis sp. n. Two paired dark markings on the vertex of the head are striking features of this genus and it is found in association with a number of grass species usually at high altitudes in the Grassland Biome. Species of this genus are characterized in the male by a short, truncated plate with a dorsal sclerotized process, the aedeagus with a long, slender shaft that is fused with the connective. Tribal placement in Deltocephalini is based on the fusion between the aedeagus and connective. The style has the posterior apophysis short and hollow or elongate and somewhat serrated. Females are characterized by the sternite 7 that is deeply invaginated along the posterior margin or only with a shallow notch, semicircular and sclerotized laterally.

First records of flower biology and pollination in African Annonaceae: Isolona, Piptostigma, Uvariodendron, Monodora and Uvariopsis

Seven species from five genera of Annonaceae were studied with regard to their flower biology and pollination in the Southwest Province of Cameroon, West Africa. They have protogynous hermaphroditic flowers, with exception of Uvariopsis species, which are monoecious. Fused petals of Isolona campanulata remain apically spreading and open during anthesis but form a deep basal urceolate tube around the reproductive organs. At anthesis the yellow pendent flowers emit a fruit-like scent and attracted small beetles, the likely pollinators. Piptostigma sp. flowers also emit a fruit-like scent but provide a closed pollination chamber formed by the three inner petals. Small staphylinid beetles attracted during the female stage of anthesis are released from the flowers at the end of the male stage 2–3 days later. Both species have diurnal anthesis, attracting and releasing the flower visitors during daytime. In contrast, Uvariodendron connivens and U. calophyllum have nocturnal anthesis with floral thermogenesis, produce spicy, aromatic and fruity scents and attract large Scarabaeidae beetles, the pollinators, along with many curculionid beetles, which were principally predators of the thick petals. The very large flowers of Monodora tenuifolia have yellowish petals which are spotted with dark red markings. Together with the sweetish, slightly disagreeable scent the flowers attract flies, principally dung flies. The two investigated Uvariopsis species are monoecious with pistillate and staminate flowers being functional at the same time. The violet red flowers of U. bakeriana visually seem to mimic the fruiting body of certain stinkhorn fungi (Phallaceae) although without producing their strong unpleasant carcass stench. Flower-visiting dung flies were rare. Conversely, U. congolana has a strong fungus-like scent, its flowers are presented at litter height and dung flies living in the litter were the flower visitors, albeit sporadic. The 4–5 days lasting anthesis of both Uvariopsis species appears to be an evolutionary consequence of their diffuse pollinator spectra. The studied African Annonaceae therefore have either cantharophilous or myiophilous/sapromyiophilous flowers with, in part, respectively, remarkably long anthesis, thermogenesis, and widely open, large flowers – all attributes unknown or rare in the hitherto better studied Neotropical Annonaceae.

Infection of Arum Maculatum by the rust Puccinia sessilis at Carmel NNR, South Wales

rum maculatum is probably one of the most familiar plants of our native flora. It adorns our hedgerows and base-rich woodlands in spring and summer, the characteristic fruits lasting well into the autumn. Its common name is Lordsand-Ladies, although Prime (1960) records over a hundred English names for this plant throughout Britain, together with detailed information on its folklore, variation and ecology. It is very common throughout England and Wales, and according to Prime is frost sensitive. As a consequence its frequency declines northwards and it is local in Scotland (www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/main.php). It is an extremely variable plant with differences recorded between individuals and between populations. Prime records differences in the floral structure, leaf shape, venation and pigmentation, but the most striking visible difference is the presence in some plants of dark purple-black markings on the leaves (hence the specific epithet “maculatum”, which means “spotted”) whilst other plants are unspotted. The purple-spotted plants are very conspicuous (Fig. 1) and the dark blotches are usually irregular in shape and vary in size from small dots of a few millimetres to a few centimetres in diameter. This pigmentation is confined to the central layers of the leaf and was once thought to be the result of a virus infection but is now known to be due to anthocyanin production. Local and national floras have not generally formally distinguished these forms, though Sell & Murrell (1996), while not accepting the varieties as part of the formal description of taxa, do give varietal names for plants with spots (var. maculatum) and those without (var. immaculatum) in their discussion. Prime carried out a comprehensive study across Britain in the 1950s and he showed in general that spotted plants became less common towards the north and east of Britain. Puccinia sessilis is a rust fungus. Many rusts have life cycles which involve the production of up to five different spore stages and the participation of two different host plants. P. sessilis exhibits this type of life cycle. Two spore stages are produced on Arum and the other three spore stages are produced on the alternate host Phalaris arundinacea (Reed Canary-grass). Arum is infected by the rust in the early spring and this results in the formation of discrete orangeyellow pustules on the upper surface of the leaf (Fig. 2). Within these pustules minute spherical bodies called pycnia are produced which are the first spore stage of the rust. After about 10–14 days these develop into the next spore stage, which is produced on the underside of the leaf. These structures (called aecia) look like little coronets (Fig. 3) and produce aeciospores, which in turn infect another plant from a different family (the alternate host), which in this case is Phalaris arundinacea. Infection of Phalaris occurs during the summer months, and two different spore types are subsequently produced. The first of these (urediniospores) are produced continuously during the summer and are responsible for spreading the disease throughout the stand of Phalaris. During late summer/autumn yet another type of spore (teliospore) is produced which is the overwintering stage of the rust. The following spring these teliospores themselves germinate to produce the final spore stage in the life cycle (the basidiospore), and it is this spore stage that reinfects Arum in the spring thus completing the life cycle of the rust (Wilson & Henderson 1966). For the rust to survive, therefore, both host plants must be present to allow cross infection to take place to enable the rust to complete its life cycle.

A new species of Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Laos

We describe a new species of megophryid frog in the genus Leptolalax from southern Laos. Leptolalax aereus sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of size (25.1–28.9 mm in 28 adult males, 27.1–38.6 mm in 12 adult females), absence of distinct black or dark brown dorsolateral markings on head, near immaculate white chest and belly, head length greater than head width, no webbing or lateral fringing on fingers, rudimentary webbing between toes I–IV and no webbing between toes IV–V, toes with weak lateral fringing, and a call consisting of an average of 3–4 notes containing 1–2 pulses, and with a dominant frequency of 6187.5–7875 Hz. The new species is associated with rocky streams in semi-evergreen and evergreen forest between 284–511 m elevation.

Anopheles hyrcanus群ハマダラカ雌成虫の翅脈暗斑・白斑の長さの種間差異への寄与

Anopheles hyrcanus群ハマダラカ雌成虫の翅脈暗斑・白斑の長さの種間差異への寄与

Variation in Elytral Macular Forms of Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in North America

Coccinella septempunctata L. is a widespread Palearctic species that has been introduced several times into North America within the last century. It is generally considered monomorphic with seven elytral maculae in North America. In this paper, we document variation in elytral macular patterns of C. septempunctata based on examination of 674 (567 North American and 107 Palearctic) specimens of C. septempunctata and 382 digital submissions of North American C. septempunctata. Two beetles lacked apical maculae, and 18 beetles had paired humeral markings. Humeral markings were consistent in position and typically had less-dense black pigmentation than maculae. Sixteen of the 18 beetles with paired humeral markings were from 11 states in the United States, one was from Alberta, Canada, and one was from Italy. Some specimens had asymmetrical elytral markings that included pock marks, irregular fuscous markings, or both. Nineteen specimens of C. septempunctata (19 North American, 1 Palearctic) and 16 C. septempunctata in digital images had asymmetrical markings. Some beetles with paired humeral markings also had dark pock marks or irregular fuscous markings. We recommend examining additional C. septempunctata from various locations to accurately estimate frequency and pattern of variation in elytral macular forms. Possible causes and implications of variation in the elytral maculae of C. septempunctata are discussed.

Casuarinicola, a new genus of jumping plant lice (Hemiptera: Triozidae) from Casuarina (Casuarinaceae)

A new genus, Casuarinicola Taylor gen. nov., comprising five new species of jumping plant lice (Hemiptera: Triozidae) from Casuarina s.s. (Casuarinaceae) from Australia and New Caledonia, is described. New species are: C. australis Taylor sp. nov., C. nigrimaculatus Taylor sp. nov., C. mucronalatus Taylor sp. nov., C. novacaledonica Taylor sp. nov. and C. warrigalensis Taylor sp. nov. The genus is characterised by the following combination of characters: antenna short, 1.1–1.5 times width of head, genal processes short, conical, 0.2–0.5 times length of vertex, fore wing with broadly rounded to subangular apex, mottled with dark markings (in females of most species) or clear (in males of most species), male proctiger short, with broad lateral expansions, parameres simple, and female proctiger short, broadly rounded, pointed apically and with a pair of broad, flange-shaped lateral lobes. A key to species is provided, together with notes on host associations and distribution.

A revision and redescription of the rock gecko Cnemaspis siamensis (Taylor 1925) (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Peninsular Thailand with descriptions of seven new species

A taxonomic revision of Cnemaspis siamensis (Smith 1925) revealed it to be a complex composed of four species: C. siamensis (Smith 1925) which occurs on Ko Tao Island, Surat Thani Province and on the peninsula ranges from Khao Mod, Surat Thani Province in the south, northward east of the Tenasserim Mountains to Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province; C. chanardi sp. nov. ranging from Tai Rom Yen National Park, Surat Thani Province in the north, southward through the western foothills of the Nakhon Si Thammarat and Sankalakhiri Mountains to Phuphaphet Cave, Satun Province and westward to Khlong Thom District, Krabi Province; C. vandeventeri sp. nov. ranging from Kapur District, Ranong Province southward to at least Khlong Had Sompen, District, Ranong Province west of the Tenasserim and Phuket Mountains and possibly all the way to Phuket Island; and C. kamolnorranathi sp. nov. restricted to the northwestern section of the Itshmus of Kra, ranging from Tham Khao Sonk, Thachana District, Surat Thani Province southward to Tai Rom Yen National Park, Surat Thani Province. These species are easily separated from one another on the basis of their unique combination of having or lacking precloacal pores, dark gular markings, a series of lightly colored bars on the flanks, and a lightly colored, prescapular crescent as well as other aspects of squamation. Four additional new species from western and southern Thailand are also described: C. huaseesom sp. nov. from Sai Yok National Park, Kanchanaburi Province; C. punctatonuchalis sp. nov. from Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province; C. narathiwatensis sp. nov. ranging from Waeng District, Narathiwat Province south to Bang Lang, Yala Province; and C. niyomwanae sp. nov. from Thum Khao Ting, Palean District, Trang Province, Thailand. These species are differentiated from each other and all other Cnemaspis on the basis of their unique combinations of color pattern and squamation characters. This brings the total number of species of Cnemaspis in Thailand from five to 12 and continues to illustrate that the unrealized diversity in this group is a function of unfocused collecting efforts coupled with poor taxonomy.

Unexplained recurrent features of the plumage of birds

Unexplained recurrent features of the plumage of birds