A molecular and ecological study of Macracanthorhynchus ingens (von Linstow, 1879) (Acanthocephala: Archiacanthocephala), in its paratenic and definitive hosts in southeastern Mexico and the Eastern USA.

The acanthocephalan Macracanthorhynchus ingens (von Linstow 1879) (Acanthocephala: Archiacanthocephala) is a parasite that infects the gut of carnivores (racoons, coyotes, wolves, foxes, badgers, skunks, opossum, mink and bears) as an adult and the body cavity of lizards, snakes, and frogs as a cystacanth in the Americas. In this study, adults and cystacanths of M. ingens from southeastern Mexico and southern Florida, USA, were identified morphologically by having a cylindrical proboscis armed with 6 rows of hooks each with 6 hooks. Hologenophores were used to sequence the small (SSU) and large (LSU) subunits of ribosomal DNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox 1) from mitochondrial DNA. Phylogenetic analysis of the new SSU and LSU sequences of M. ingens placed them in a clade with other sequences available in GenBank identified as M. ingens. The cox 1 tree showed that the nine new sequences and six previously published sequences of M. ingens from the USA form a clade with other sequences previously identified as M. ingens from GenBank. The intraspecific genetic divergence among isolates from the Americas ranged from 0 to 2%, and in combination with the phylogenetic trees confirmed that the isolates belonged to the same species. The cox 1 haplotype network inferred with 15 sequences revealed 10 haplotypes separated from each other by a few substitutions. Rio Grande Leopard Frogs and Vaillant´s Frogs harbored cystacanths with low prevalence, 28% and 37% respectively, in Mexico. Brown Basilisks, an invasive lizard in Florida, USA, had high values of prevalence, 92% and 93% in males and females, respectively. Females harbored more cystacanths than males (0-39 vs 0-21) for unknown reasons that may, however, be related to ecological differences.

Phylogeography of montane dragons could shed light on the history of forests and diversification processes on Sumatra.

Biogeographical evidence, both, for and against the "regional endemism paradigm" hypothesis has been uncovered across the Greater Sunda Region (Sundaland) of Southeast Asia. Additionally, there are competing hypotheses regarding how Pleistocene forests may have impacted biological patterns and processes in Sumatra. Using montane agamid lizards from Sumatra, we derived and analyzed a phylogenetic dataset, genetic divergence estimates, and contemporary distributional patterns among species. We tested whether (1) Sumatra's highland Draconinae diversification fits the regional endemism paradigm hypothesis and (2) Draconinae phylogeography provides biological evidence for Pleistocene forest extent at various points in history. Our results suggest in situ diversification was the main driver behind montane Draconinae lizard diversification in Sumatra, rejecting the "regional endemism paradigm". Contemporary distribution of endemic species and their genetic relationships may potentially provide biologicalevidence for determining more precise elevational lower limits of montane forests during the Pleistocene epoch. Our data suggests montane forests did not retreat more than 700-750 m during glacial maxima because lower retreating forests would have become interconnected, allowing for widespread dispersal, exchange of gene flow and sympatric distributions contemporarily. To the contrary, our divergence estimates show that cloud forest dragons have been isolated for millions of years, suggesting there may have been a continuous disconnect between some areas, predating the Pleistocene. There may also be other ecological and evolutionary factors that impacted Draconinae distributions, such as competition, making this an excellent system for testing questions regarding montane biogeography. Additionally, we provide the first phylogeny for a wide range of Sundaland agamid species and identify some biogeographic pressures that may have triggered montane Draconinae diversification in Sumatra.

A new species of Noblella (Anura: Craugastoridae) from the Amazonian Slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes with Ccomments on Noblella lochites (Lynch).

We describe a new species of Noblella from wet, montane forest at the Sardinayacu Lake Complex between 1600-1920 m elevation in Morona Santiago, Ecuador. The new species differs from congeners in having three phalanges in the fourth finger, finely tuberculate skin on the dorsal body, pointed digital tips with marginal grooves on the fingers, a yellow to pale yellow venter, and a reduced facial mask not extending beyond the arm. The new species also lacks the pair of inguinal spots on the dorsal flanks of most congeners. Since its discovery in 1976, N. lochites has remained poorly known. We describe variation, color in life, and basic ecology of N. lochites based on a large series from the Cordillera del Condor.

Phylogeny and biogeography of Sumatra´s cloud forest lizards of the genus Dendragama and status of Acanthosaura schneideri.

Lizards of the genus Dendragama are endemic to the highland cloud forests of Sumatra's Barisan Mountain Range in western Indonesia, and recent studies have uncovered widespread diversity within the genus. Here, a suite of morphological characters and mitochondrial DNA are used to compare three geographically isolated populations of D. boulengeri from (1) Mount Kerinci in Jambi province, (2) Mount Marapi of west Sumatra, and (3) the Karo Highlands of north Sumatra. Additional phylogeographic analyses with two recently described sister species, D. australis and D. dioidema were conducted. Five genetically distinct clades of Dendragama, all distributed allopatrically of one another were identified and some are suspected to inhabit small distributions. Morphological and genetic data confirm the Karo Highlands population D. schneideri (previously Acanthosaura schneideri Ahl, 1926) should be revalidated from the synonymy of D. boulengeri. Dendragama schneideri is endemic to montane forests of the Karo Highlands surrounding Lake Toba in Sumatra Utara province. Pairwise genetic distances of 6-11% separate D. schneideri from congeners. Two distinct clades of D. boulengeri from Mount Kerinci and Mount Marapi were identified, which are 5.0% genetically distant from one another. Using morphological characters, we provide the first key for distinguishing between species of Dendragama. Based on biogeographic patterns and levels of genetic variation it is suspected that at least 18 other isolated cloud forest locations may hold new species or divergent populations of Dendragama but lack survey work. Collectively, these comparisons among populations of montane lizards further elucidate the complex biogeographic history of Sumatra's montane forest species and the first phylogeny of the genus Dendragama.

Spinicauda sumatrana sp. nov. (Nematoda: Heterakidae) from Ludeking's Crested Dragon, Lophocalotes ludekingi (Agamidae), from the Bukit Barisan Range of Sumatra.

Spinicauda sumatrana sp. nov. is described from the large intestine of Ludeking's Crested Dragon, Lophocalotes ludekingi (Agamidae) from the Bukit Barisan Range of Sumatra. The new species is assigned to Spinicauda based on the presence of off-set lips in both male and female and a ventrally directed sucker combined with the absence of caudal alae in males. It is the 17th species assigned to the genus and differs from all congeners in the combination of spicule length, presence of a gubernaculum, presence of a tail filament and fourteen pairs of caudal papillae.

A new species of Pseudocalotes (Squamata: Agamidae) from the Bukit Barisan Range of Sumatra with an Estimation of its phylogeny.

We describe a new species of Pseudocalotes from montane forests of the central, western coast of Sumatra. The combination of 3 or 4 interoculabials, slightly enlarged and heavily keeled scales on the lower flanks, a white scapular spot, a relatively long fifth toe, bicarinate lamellae at the base of Toe III, absence of a postrictal modified scale, and three rows of paravertebrals directed dorsally and posteriorly distinguishes the new species from its congeners on Sumatra and Java. Among the new characters defined in this study, counts of subdigital lamellae within the "span of Toe V" proved particularly useful for diagnosing species of Pseudocalotes. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences identified a monophyletic group containing the Sumatran and Javan Pseudocalotes. Based on the phylogeny, we define a P. cybelidermus Group containing P. cybelidermus and P. guttalineatus and a P. tympanistriga Group containing P. tympanistriga, P. rhammanotus, and the new species. Combinations of five morphological characters define each of these two clades. As currently defined, Pseudocalotes is polyphyletic; Javan and Sumatran species are more closely related to other draconines such as Dendragama boulengeri than they are to some mainland species.

Redescription Cyrtodactylus lateralis (Werner) (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and Phylogeny of the Prehensile-tailed Cyrtodactylus.

We redescribe Cyrtodactylus lateralis (Werner) on the basis of new specimens. Cyrtodactylus lateralis is a prehensile-tailed species, known from scattered lowland to mid-elevation localities in northern Sumatra. The prehensile-tailed Cyrtodactylus are more speciose and have a wider distribution than previously thought. This group includes a mainland SE Asian clade consisting of C. elok, C. interdigitalis, and C. brevipalmatus and an insular clade containing C. durio, C. lateralis, C. nuaulu, C. serratus, C. spinosus, and C. stresemanni. However, a distinctive color pattern in the Wallacean and Papuan species and uncertainty surrounding the type locality of C. stresemanni raise unresolved questions about the inclusiveness of the insular clade. DNA sequence data supports a close relationship between C. elok and C. interdigitalis, but also reveals that C. lateralis and C. durio are not closely related to these species.

Two new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Southern Bukit Barisan Range of Sumatra and an estimation of their phylogeny.

We describe Cyrtodactylus psarops sp. nov. and C. semicinctus sp. nov., two new species of bent-toed geckos from montane forests in the southern Bukit Barisan Range of Sumatra, Indonesia. The new species are closely related to one another and to C. semenanjungensis, a lowland species currently known only from Peninsular Malaysia. Three characters of the new species immediately distinguish them from most congeners in the Sunda Region: they lack transversely enlarged subcaudals, have a precloacal depression, and have a greatly enlarged scale positioned at the apex of a continuous series of femoral and precloacal pore-bearing scales. They differ from one another in cephalic pattern, tuberculation of the brachium, and in numbers of cloacal tubercles, dorsal bands, and ventrals in a transverse row. The greatly enlarged scale at the apex of the precloacal pores appears to be a rare apomorphy of these two species and C. agamensis.

Three new species of Pseudocalotes (Squamata: Agamidae) from southern Sumatra, Indonesia.

We describe three new species of Pseudocalotes from the Bukit Barisan Range of southern Sumatra, Indonesia. Pseudocalotes cybelidermus, P. guttalineatus, and P. rhammanotus differ from most congeners in having serrate dorsal crests that extend to the base of the tail and a dorsolateral series of enlarged heavily keeled scales. In these new species, subdigital lamellae of Toe III have prominent preaxial keels and lack or have greatly reduced postaxial keels. In contrast, P. rhammanotus resembles P. tympanistriga by having bicarinate subdigital lamellae at the base of Toe III. Like most congeners, these new species appear to be restricted to humid forests above 1000 m. We report several new morphological characters for Pseudocalotes and discuss their diagnostic value. Future systematic studies of this genus should assess presence/absence of interparietals, four different kinds of modified scales on the neck, a dorsolateral series of heavily keeled scales, and unicarinate lamellae under the distal phalanges of most fingers and toes. Our comparisons among congeners demonstrate the diagnostic value of width of the gap between the nuchal and dorsal crests and frequency data for contact between the nasal and supralabials and between the postmentals and infralabials. Finally, we discuss variation in morphology of subdigital lamellae at the base of Toe III and describe new conditions intermediate between the serrate fringe of most Indochinese species and the bicarinate lamellae of the P. tympanistriga. 

Mitochondrial DNA reveals a new species of parachuting frog (Rhacophoridae: Rhacophorus) from Sumatra.

The Indonesian island of Sumatra contains several endemic species of parachuting frog of the genus Rhacophorus. Most of these are known from small type series collected from only a few localities, and consequently, many Sumatran Rhacophorus species are poorly understood. Using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), we investigated relationships among a group of Rhacophorus species from southern Sumatra. Our molecular analysis was based on a fragment of the 16S ribosomal subunit gene (16S) and included data derived from type specimens of two species endemic to Sumatra: R. barisani and R. catamitus. Our analyses of these data reveal that the only known female specimen of R. catamitus possesses a divergent 16S sequence compared to male specimens (8.82%; uncorrected "p" distance). Based on phylogenetic reconstructions, we found that this female specimen belongs to an unnamed taxon related to R. margaritifer from Java. Consequently, we remove the specimen from R. catamitus and describe it as R. bengkuluensis sp. nov., a medium-sized slender tree frog with extensive brown hand webbing. We identified additional specimens referable to the new species using mtDNA and morphology. These specimens originate from low to intermediate elevations (ca. 600-1600 m) in the provinces of Bengkulu and Lampung, suggesting that R. bengkuluenis is widely distributed across the southwestern versant of the Bukit Barisan.

Microstructure, ontogeny, and evolution of scale surfaces in xenosaurid lizards.

Both scanning electron and light microscopy were used to examine the epidermal structure of scales taken from several ontogenetic stages of Xenosaurus grandis and Shinisaurus crocodilurus. In addition, scales from all xenosaurid species were examined by scanning electron microscopy to determine scale surface variation among genera, species, and subspecies. A varied and phylogenetically informative morphology characterizes the scale surfaces of xenosaurid lizards. Scale surface morphology is conservative among the species and subspecies of Xenosaurus, but is more variable between the two xenosaurid genera. Their scale surfaces are characterized by folds in the oberhautchen, beta, mesos, and alpha epidermal layers, forming polygonal ridges of a type previously described for the Iguania. The three species of Xenosaurus possess lenticular scale organs, whereas Shinisaurus has scale organs with spikes (bristles). The spikes of Shinisaurus are formed by the beta and oberhautchen layers, with the alpha layer forming a dome-shaped cap over a dermal papilla. Shinisaurus crocodilurus exhibits a dramatic ontogenetic change in scale surface morphology, that is here reported for the first time in any lizard. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Microstructure, evolution, and ontogeny of scale surfaces in cordylid and gerrhosaurid lizards.

The distal oberhautchen and proximal beta layer of 41 species and every genus of cordylid and gerrhosaurid lizard were examined with a scanning electron microscope. Scale organs in these families are concentrated on the face, and scale organs occur singly or in pairs below the keel on the dorsals of cordylids but not gerrhosaurids. Most species examined possess primitive, lenticular scale organs. Unique and previously unknown, projecting scale organs occur in two species of Cordylus. Scale organs appear to be absent in species of Chamaesaura. The scale surfaces of cordylids are covered in macrohoneycomb. Individual compartments of cordylid macrohoneycomb are not intracellular structures but may be overlain by apparent oberhautchen cells. In some cordylid species, part of each cell is free and projects away from the scale surface as a pointed flap. Gerrhosaurids lack macrohoneycomb. Instead, their scale surfaces are covered in lamellae without dentate borders, 50-100 times as long as wide. The epidermis of Platysaurus is unique among cordylids in possessing lamellae 1-8 times as wide as long that overlap macrohoneycomb in some regions of the body. The scale surfaces of Cordylus cordylus undergo an ontogenetic change similar to that recently described for the xenosaurid genus Shinisaurus. Phylogenetic analysis of scale surface features allows the partitioning of Cordylus into three species groups and Chamaesaura into two species groups. Synapomorphies of the species of Chamaesaura, the species of Platysaurus, and the genera of the gerrhosaurids are also described. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Dos nuevas especies de Phrynopus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) de los bosques nublados de Bolivia / Two new species of Phrynopus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from the Bolivian cloud forests

We describe two new species of Phrynopus from cloud forests in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The new species are assigned to the P. peruanus group and are characterized by the presence of basal webbing, distinctive coloration, and by having the first finger shorter than the second. The first of these new species was collected near Montepunko in Parque Nacional Carrasco and is known from eight males and six females. Among its distinctive characteristics are round cream-colored glands on its flanks. A second species is known from one male and one female collected near "Zona de Aguirre" near the northwest border of the park. V and X-shaped blotches and a dorsum that is smooth except for dorsolateral and scapular folds characterize this species. Musculature has rarely been described for species of Phrynopus. The species from Montepunko has unusual gular and thigh musculature that is quite unlike other species of the genus.