Coluber korros Lesson, 1831 and Coluber korros Schlegel, 1837 (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae): there is a korros too many in the family.

The purpose of this paper is to solve an overlooked nomenclatural problem involving two taxa of Colubridae, both described as Coluber korros. The first one is Coluber korros Schlegel, 1837, now Ptyas korros, a well-known and widespread species in south-east Asia. Its senior homonym is Coluber korros Lesson, 1831, a long forgotten taxon. Furthermore, these taxa are undoubtedly non-conspecific. We tentatively identify the holotype of this latter taxon as a large specimen of Coelognathus radiatus (F. Boie, 1827) and we specify its type locality as "Region of Kolkata, West Bengal State, eastern India" (the same specification of type-locality can hence be applied to the elapid Naja kaouthia Lesson, 1831). Nevertheless, following the strict principle of priority, Coluber korros Lesson, 1831 has priority over Coluber korros Schlegel, 1837. Based on the Code, we use Article 23.9 on reversal of precedence in order to preserve the use of the well-known taxon Coluber korros Schlegel, 1837 (now Ptyas korros) against its senior primary homonym Coluber korros Lesson, 1831. Finally, we consider Coluber boncorage Lesson, 1831 to be a nomen dubium.

Translating a clade based classification into one that is valid under the international code of zoological nomenclature: the case of the lizards of the family Dactyloidae (Order Squamata).

In a tour-de-force for anole biology, Poe et al. (2017) provide the most complete phylogenetic analysis of members of the family Dactyloidae yet attempted. The contribution is remarkable in the completeness of sampled taxa and breath of included characters. It is equally remarkable in the concordance of their consensus tree with the topology of previous phylogenetic inferences. Thus, the creation of a near-complete data matrix of extant taxa demonstrates that an asymptote in tree topological stability likely was reached in previous studies with more limited sampling (e.g. Alfoldi 2011, Jackman et al. 1999, Nicholson et al. 2012). Such a result provides hope that major lineages within the anole radiation can be examined consistently by scientists interested in parsing evolutionary patterns emerging within and among them.

An enigmatic frog of the genus Atelopus (Family Bufonidae) from Parque Nacional Chirripó, Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica.

A distinctive new species of Atelopus is described from Parque Nacional Chirrip6 Grande, Cordillera de Talamanca (3,400-3,500 m). It closely resembles populations of the Atelopus ignescens complex from the Andes of northern Ecuador and southern Colombia. It differs most significantly from these frogs in the pattern of spiculae and coni development on the throat, chest, hands and feet. The Costa Rican species appears to be an outlier of the complex inexplicably separated geographically from its nearest allies by an over land distance of about 1,600 km.

An enigmatic frog of the genus Atelopus (Family Bufonidae) from Parque Nacional Chirripó, Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica

A distinctive new species of Atelopus is described from Parque Nacional Chirripó Grande, Cordillera de Talamanca (3 400-3 500 m). It closely resembles populations of the Atelopus ignescens complex from the Andes of northern Ecuador and southern Colombia. it differs most significantly from these frogs in the pattern of spiculae and coni development on the throat, chest, hands and feet. The Costa Rican species appears to be an outlier of the complex inexplicably separated geographically from its nearest allies by an over land distance of about 1 600 km. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (1-2): 381-386. Epub 2009 June 30.

Se describe una nueva especie de Atelopus del Parque Nacional Chirripó Grande, Cordillera de Talamanca (3 400-3 500 m sobre el nivel del mar). Se parece a poblaciones del complejo de Atelopus ignescens de los Andes del norte de Ecuador y del sur de Colombia. Principalmente difiere de estas ranas en el patrón de desarrollo de espículas y conos en la garganta, pecho, manos y pies. La especie de Costa Rica es atípica dentro del complejo por estar inexplicablemente separada geográficamente de sus más cercanos representantes por una distancia aproximada de 1 600 km por tierra.

A new species of Celestus from west-central Panama, with consideration of the status of the genera of the Anguidae: Diploglossinae (Squamata)

A recently discovered new species of diploglossine lizard is described from west-central Panama. The distinctiveness of the nominal genera Celestus and Diploglossus is confirmed; the new form represents the southernmost record for the genus Celestus. A summary of selected characteristics and general distribution is presented for all recent species of diploglossines, including members of the Antillean genera Saurisia and Wetmorea and the South American genus Ophiodes. A systematic key to mainland members of the genus Celestus is provided. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2): 845-859. Epub 2008 June 30.

Se describe una especie nueva de lagarto diploglossino recientemente descubierta en el centro-oeste de Panamá. Confirmamos la peculiaridad de los géneros nominales Celestus y Diploglossus. La nueva especie representa el registro más al sur del género Celestus. Se presenta un resumen de características selectas y de la distribución general de todas las especies recientes de diploglossinos, incluyendo a los miembros de los géneros antillanos Saurisia y Wetmorea y del género suramericano Ophiodes. Se provee una clave sistemática para los miembros de tierra firme del género Celestus.

A new species of Celestus from west-central Panama, with consideration of the status of the genera of the Anguidae: Diploglossinae (Squamata).

A recently discovered new species of diploglossine lizard is described from west-central Panama. The distinctiveness of the nominal genera Celestus and Diploglossus is confirmed; the new form represents the southernmost record for the genus Celestus. A summary of selected characteristics and general distribution is presented for all recent species of diploglossines, including members of the Antillean genera Saurisia and Wetmorea and the South American genus Ophiodes. A systematic key to mainland members of the genus Celestus is provided.

Amphibian and reptile declines over 35 years at La Selva, Costa Rica.

Amphibians stand at the forefront of a global biodiversity crisis. More than one-third of amphibian species are globally threatened, and over 120 species have likely suffered global extinction since 1980. Most alarmingly, many rapid declines and extinctions are occurring in pristine sites lacking obvious adverse effects of human activities. The causes of these "enigmatic" declines remain highly contested. Still, lack of long-term data on amphibian populations severely limits our understanding of the distribution of amphibian declines, and therefore the ultimate causes of these declines. Here, we identify a systematic community-wide decline in populations of terrestrial amphibians at La Selva Biological Station, a protected old-growth lowland rainforest in lower Central America. We use data collected over 35 years to show that population density of all species of terrestrial amphibians has declined by approximately 75% since 1970, and we show identical trends for all species of common reptiles. The trends we identify are neither consistent with recent emergence of chytridiomycosis nor the climate-linked epidemic hypothesis, two leading putative causes of enigmatic amphibian declines. Instead, our data suggest that declines are due to climate-driven reductions in the quantity of standing leaf litter, a critical microhabitat for amphibians and reptiles in this assemblage. Our results raise further concerns about the global persistence of amphibian populations by identifying widespread declines in species and habitats that are not currently recognized as susceptible to such risks.

A new species of rainfrog of the Eleutherodactylus milesi species group (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from Guatemala

A new rainfrog of the Eleutherodactylus milesi group is described from the Sierra de Xucaneb, Guatemala. It is compared to the other 11 upland species from southern Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras referred to the group. Within the milesi group the new species differs from the other five forms which also have toe fringes in size of the finger disks, the snout shape in profile and the amount of toe webbing and dorsal tuberculation. Difficulties in distinguishing among the character states for the tympanum (distinct, indistinct and hidden) and between toe ridges and fringes indicate that very subtle differences separate recognized species.