Indochinese Species Research Articles

Phylogenetic Systematics of the Amolops monticola Group (Amphibia: Ranidae), with Description of a New Species from Northwestern Laos

Abstract The Amolops monticola group contains approximately 12 morphologically similar species distributed across much of mainland Southeast Asia. Approximately half of the species in the group were described only during the past 6 yr, and several have been erroneously placed in the genus Odorrana. A molecular phylogenetic analysis is performed using three mitochondrial and two nuclear genes sequenced from eight of the 12 putative members of the group. The group is shown to be monophyletic within the genus Amolops. The Indochinese species A. daorum is removed from the synonymy of A. mengyangensis, is shown to be a member of the genus Amolops and not Odorrana, and is found to be paraphyletic with respect to A. iriodes. A newly discovered population in northwestern Laos is described as a new species on the basis of its morphological and molecular distinctiveness.

Discovery of a second species of Aesalini from continental China, with description of the new species and its third instar larva (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Lucanidae)

Aesalus zhejiangensis Huang & Bi, sp. nov. is described from Mt. Fengyangshan, southern Zhejiang, China. It is the second species of the lucanid genus Aesalus Fabricius known from continental China. This new species is similar to the Indo-Chinese species Aesalus satoi, but can be distinguished by the longer canthus, male with shorter non-sclerotized distal portion of penis (medial lobe of parameres), and female genitalia with longer styli. A checklist of Aesalini and a key to the Old World species are given. Female genitalia and larval morphology are described in detail for the new species and discussed for the higher classification of Aesalini. The current state of Aesalini systematics and phylogeny is discussed.

The Indochinese–Sundaic zoogeographic transition: a description and analysis of terrestrial mammal species distributions

AbstractAim We describe the distributions of mammal species between the Indochinese and Sundaic subregions and examine the traditional view that the two faunas show a transition near the Isthmus of Kra on the Thai–Malay peninsula.Location Species distributions are described along a 2000‐km transect from 20° N (northernmost Thailand) to 1° N (Singapore).Methods For the 325 species of native non‐marine mammals occurring along the transect we used published records to provide a database of their distributional records by degree of latitude.Results Along the transect we found 128 Indochinese species with southern range limits, 121 Sundaic species with northern range limits, four un‐assignable endemics and 72 widespread species. In total, 152 southern and 147 northern range limits were identified, and their distribution provides no evidence for a narrow faunal transition near the Isthmus of Kra (10°30′ N) or elsewhere. Range limits of both bats and non‐volant mammals cluster in northernmost peninsular Malaysia (5° N) and 800 km further north, where the peninsula joins the continent proper (14° N). The clusters of northern and southern range limits are not concordant but overlap by 100–200 km. Similarly, the range limits of bats and non‐volant mammals cluster at slightly different latitudes. There are 30% fewer species and range limits in the central and northern peninsula (between 6 and 13° N), and 35 more widely distributed species have range gaps in this region. In addition, we found 70 fewer species at the southern tip of the peninsula (1° N) than at 3–4° N.Main conclusions The deficiencies of both species and species range limits in the central and northern peninsula are attributed to an area effect caused by repeated sea‐level changes. Using a new global glacioeustatic curve developed by Miller and associates we show that there were > 58 rapid sea‐level rises of > 40 m in the last 5 Myr that would have resulted in significant faunal compression and local population extirpation in the narrow central and northern parts of the peninsula. This new global sea‐level curve appears to account for the observed patterns of the latitudinal diversity of mammal species, the concentration of species range limits north and south of this area, the nature and position of the transition between biogeographical subregions, and possibly the divergence of the faunas themselves during the Neogene. The decline of species diversity at the southern end of the transect is attributed to a peninsula effect similar to that described elsewhere.

Phylogeny and biogeography of water skinks of the genus Tropidophorus (Reptilia: Scincidae): a molecular approach

Phylogenetic relationships of the Oriental semiaquatic lygosomine skinks of the genus Tropidophorus were inferred from 1219 base positions of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes. Results of the phylogenetic analyses incorporating data for representatives of other lygosomine genera indicated that the basal phylogenetic split within Tropidophorus separated a clade of continental Indochinese species exclusive of T. cocincinensis and T. microlepis from one comprising T. cocincinensis, T. microlepis and species from Borneo, Sulawesi and the Philippines. Of the latter group, the two continental species form the sister taxon to a clade comprising the island species. Diversification among species in Indochina and among Borneo, the Philippines and Sulawesi was likely concentrated in the Miocene, with no apparent dispersal among these regions during the Pleistocene. The body depression recognized in several Indochinese species is likely to have occurred twice in parallel as an adaptation to saxicolous habitats.

Review of the genus Dilophotes Waterhouse (Coleoptera: Lycidae) of the Palaearctic Region and Indochina

The Palaearctic and Indochinese species of the genus Dilophotes Waterhouse, 1879 are reviewed. Stenolycus Ohbayashi, 1956 is considered a junior synonym of Dilophotes. Stenolycus ohirai Ohbayashi, 1956 and Stenolycus vandykei Nakane, 1970 are transferred to Dilophotes. Twelve new species are described here: Dilophotes anthracinus sp. n., D. bhutanensis sp. n., D. bolavensis sp. n., D. holzschuhi sp. n., D. jendeki sp. n., D. kubani sp. n., D. laosensis sp. n., D. lizipingensis sp. n., D. luteus sp. n., D. moxiensis sp. n., D. pacholatkoi sp. n., and D. sausai sp. n. Most previously known species are redescribed and a key to all species is provided. Male genitalia and important external characters are illustrated.

Indian and Indochinese species of Balitora (Osteichthyes: Cypriniformes) with descriptions of two new species and comments on the family-group names Balitoridae and Homalopteridae

Indian and Indochinese species of Balitora (Osteichthyes: Cypriniformes) with descriptions of two new species and comments on the family-group names Balitoridae and Homalopteridae

Amorphophallus nicolsonianus (Araceae), a new species from India

Amorphophallus nicolsonianus species nova, with cylindrical or napiform corms, is the only representative of the sect.Rapyogkos in India. All the other hitherto known species of this region have globose or depressed globose corms. The new species is related to some Indochinese species and toA. hildebrandtii (Engl.)Engl. & Gehrm. from Madagascar.

Notes on the systematics of Drosophila jambulina.

Two different species which were originated from India and Indochina have been called Drosophila jambulina as the same species. They were compared genetically, cytologically and electrophoretically, as well as morphologically. From these results it was concluded that the Indian species was the realD. jambulinaand that the Indochinese species seemed to be a new species and was tentatively namedD. punjabiensis-likebecause it was closer to the sibling species, D. punjabiensis. D. jambulinashowed a color dimorphism in a terminal tergite of female. A light-type gene controlling the dimorphism was dominant over a dark-type gene. The heterozygote segregated into 3 light: 1 dark in the next generation.

The Philippine, Chinese, and Indo-Chinese Species of the Grass Genus Garnotia Brongniart

The Philippine, Chinese, and Indo-Chinese Species of the Grass Genus Garnotia Brongniart

The Chinese and Indo-Chinese Species of Ormosia

The Chinese and Indo-Chinese Species of Ormosia