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We review morphology of Sunda Shelf Gonocephalus with an emphasis on Sumatran and Javan species. At least 15 species and subspecies inhabit Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and adjacent smaller continental islands. Following analysis of external morphology, we provide a dichotomous key to Sunda Shelf Gonocephalus and resolve two taxonomic problems with this group of lizards. Three populations of Gonocephalus doriae on Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra are recognized as subspecies, because they lack concordance of multiple morphological differences and have low genetic divergence in a 556 base-pair fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. Described as new herein, G. doriae brevis from Aceh and North Sumatra differs from G. d. abbotti and G. d. doriae in usually having more scales around midbody and a relatively shorter tail with fewer dark bands. Though previously reported as lost, a syntype of G. d. doriae (MSNG 29152) is designated as lectotype, illustrated, and described. Also described as new, G. inauris from high elevations of the Bukit Barisan Range of Bengkulu, Sumatra, is a species of the G. megalepis Group differing from all congeners in having 7/6 (vs. 8–19) loreals separating the last canthal and supralabials, 8/8 (11–27) infraorbitals, and 58 (73–153) scales around midbody. In this new species, distinctly enlarged suboculars broadly contact its supralabials, whereas 1–4 lorilabials separate the suboculars and supralabials in congeners. High genetic divergence in the new species mirrors its high level of morphological divergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Craugastor mexicanus series (Anura: Craugastoridae) includes six species of direct-developing frogs that occur in Mexico and Guatemala. Notably, two of these species have small adult body sizes (<18 mm snout to vent length) and several have intraspecific polymorphism in color pattern. Using a geographic sampling focused on eastern Mexico (the location of most type localities), we conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis of two mitochondrial (12S, 16S) and two nuclear (RAG1, TYR) gene fragments. This analysis revealed two widespread species, C. mexicanus and C. pygmaeus, along with evidence of multiple undescribed taxa from the states of Oaxaca, Mexico, Guerrero, and Jalisco. Interestingly, the widespread species have stratified geographic distributions with the larger bodied clade restricted to high elevations and the smaller bodied clade to low elevations. We also identify regions of Guerrero and Oaxaca where multiple species co-occur. To reevaluate the quality of characters that have been previously used to diagnose species, we tested for heterochrony and sexual dimorphism using microcomputed tomography and linear measurements. We found evidence for paedomorphosis as the mechanism of miniaturization in small-bodied taxa. Linear measurements confirmed that tympanum and body size are sexually dimorphic traits in both small- and large-bodied species. We used this enhanced understanding of morphological variation in the group to describe six new species. Despite this progress, we suspect that additional species await discovery, particularly in western Mexico and east of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec where our sampling efforts were limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new species of the Gonocephalus megalepis group and provide new morphological and distribution data for the three other species of the group. The combination of a wide gap between the nuchal and dorsal crests, distinctly heterogenous scales on the flanks, a gular crest, two large tubercular scales ventral to the tympanum, and 97–125 scales around midbody will distinguish the new species from all congeners. The new species occurs above 1100 m on mountains of Sumatra's southern Bukit Barisan Range below 3°S latitude. Head scales of some specimens were infested by a green, filamentous symbiont, which we tentatively identify as an epizoic plant. Gravid females develop crimson stripes on their gular pouch as an apparent social signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review morphology and systematics of Phoxophrys using new specimens of previously rare species. In addition to external characters, we relied heavily on skull morphology visualized using computed tomography data of all currently recognized species in this genus. Phylogenetic analysis of ND4, 12S, and 16S mDNA sequences reveal that Ph. tuberculata is sister to a clade containing Dendragama, Lophocalotes, and insular Pseudocalotes. Phoxophrys tuberculata is only distantly related to Bornean congeners. Phylogenetic analysis of 29 morphological characters scored for all the species of Phoxophrys and a diverse set of 22 outgroup taxa found four well-supported lineages: Ph. tuberculata, a clade of all Bornean congeners, Ph. nigrilabris, and a clade of the four large Bornean species. To resolve paraphyly of Phoxophrys, we revalidate Pelturagonia Mocquard for all Bornean species of this genus. As redefined, Phoxophrys contains a single species: Ph. tuberculata of Sumatra. We describe a new species of Pelturagonia from the Meratus Range of southeastern Kalimantan. The new species is the sister species of Pe. spiniceps. Like that species, it differs from congeners in having large, dorsally projecting scales between the dorsolateral caudal crests and a postorbital process of the frontal bone reaching the postciliary ornament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tricarinate skink Scincus multifasciatus was described by Kuhl in 1820, without the subsequent designation of a type specimen or specific type locality. In 1930, Mertens assigned the type locality as Java, Indonesia, but still with no type specimen. Therefore, in order to stabilize the name with a recognized type specimen, we designate a neotype for Eutropis multifasciata from western Java, and we accept Merten's type locality assignment. We examined all the available synonym type voucher specimens of E. multifasciata and associated subspecies deposited in museum collections throughout Europe, Indonesia, and India. Examination of the types of E. m. balinensis and E. m. tjendikianensis show nearly identical to the forma typica. Hence, we synonymize both subspecies to E. multifasciata. We compared the holotypes of E. macrophthalma (type locality: Java) and E. grandis (type locality: Sulawesi). Interestingly, the two species are morphologically and genetically nearly identical, and there are no diagnostic characters for their separation. Thus, we synonymize E. grandis with E. macrophthalma. The two type specimens of E. macrophthalma reached Europe from Java, through commercial animal trade, hence their type locality "Java" is suspicious. Eutropis macrophthalma has never been recorded from Java and the two type specimens probably originated in Sulawesi, from which museum vouchered specimens with precise locality are known. We consider E. macrophthalma to be a Sulawesi endemic, and conclude that the recorded type locality, Java, is erroneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new species of coralsnake from northern Dinagat Island, southeastern Philippines. The discovery of this new species comes as a surprise because it is phenotypically distinct from all other Philippine coralsnakes and has a close phylogenetic affinity to the blue coralsnakes of the Sunda Shelf. The new species is distinguished from all Philippine and other Southeast Asian taxa by its large body size and ventral scale counts; its black head and neck; an alternating, broadly banded color pattern of black and off-white; and a bright orange tail. We use DNA sequence data to investigate the phylogenetic placement of the new species and that of several other populations of Philippine coralsnakes with respect to other Southeast Asian and Australasian elapids. Our results corroborate the uniqueness of the new species with respect to all other Philippine and Sundaic taxa, including the species most closely related to it: Calliophis bivirgatus, C. bilineatus, C. philippinus, and C. suluensis. We summarize phylogenetic, biogeographic, and phenotypic character data that substantiate the elevation of Philippine species of Calliophis (formerly considered subspecies of C. intestinalis: C. bilineatus, C. philippinus, and C. suluensis) and Hemibungarus (formerly subspecies of H. calligaster: H. calligaster, H. gemianulis, and H. mcclungi) to the level of full species. The allopatric distributions of these taxa emphasize the systematic and biogeographical significance of the newly discovered taxon: a poorly understood and independent colonization of the Philippine Archipelago by elapid snakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the use of a concordance and a mitochondrial tree-morphological character congruence approach, we show that recently discovered populations of Lophocalotes represent a new species. Like its only known congener, the new species occurs only on Sumatra in montane forests above 1000 m. The new species differs from L. ludekingi in having more gulars, ventrals, and subdigital lamellae; in having males with a lower nuchal crest not supported by an arched flap of skin and white gular markings; and in having females with cream buccal epithelia. These agamids are slow-moving, arboreal, generalist predators and lay 2-6 eggs, multiple times per year. Lophocalotes exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism. Interestingly, coloration of the buccal epithelium is sexually dichromatic in the new species. The recently described nematode Spinicauda sumatrana infected most hosts in our sample, and parasite load increased with snout-to-vent length. Lophocalotes is closely related to Dendragama and Pseudocalotes and shares two derived characters with Pseudocophotis sumatrana: a prehensile tail and reduced keels on the subdigital lamellae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe three new species of centipede-eating snakes in the Tantilla taeniata species group. These new species come from the vicinities of three river drainage valleys in Honduras. One of the new species has a narrow vertebral stripe and comes from foothills of Sierra de Botaderos and Sierra de Agalta, on both sides of the lower drainage of the Río Sico Tinto in the Agalta Valley. A second species, with a relatively high number of ventral scales, inhabits lowlands and foothills near the Río Ulúa drainage valley, from Lago de Yojoa, Cortés, to northwestern Atlántida. The third new species, with a relatively low number of ventral scales, inhabits the upper and middle drainage system in the vicinity of the Río Choluteca, from near Danlí, El Paraíso, to Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán. All three species can easily be distinguished morphologically from other members of the genus, and in particular from other members of the T. taeniata group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new genus and two new species of toads from the Sumatran volcanoes Gunung Sorikmarapi and G. Kunyit, in the provinces of Sumatera Utara and Jambi, respectively. The new taxa can be distinguished from other genera, and each other, based on genetic differentiation, morphology, and advertisement call structure. We employ both nuclear and mitochondrial data to provide a phylogenetic hypothesis of relationships for the bufonid genera of the Sunda Shelf. While broadly corroborating previous studies, our results also shed light on the phylogenetic position of Pseudobufo. The new genus, Duttaphrynus, and Pseudobufo are basal to other Sunda Shelf genera in our phylogenies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new species of Cnemaspis from southern Sumatra, Indonesia. The new species is the first Cnemaspis reported from Sumatra and is a large (52.6-58.7 mm in snout-vent length [SVL]) nocturnal species. A combination of the following characters distinguishes the new species from all other Southeast Asian congeners: adults reaching 58.7 mm SVL; supralabials 13 or 14; infralabials 11 or 12; tricarinate ventrals; precloacal pores absent; moderately prominent, randomly arranged, dorsal tubercles; 20 or 21 paravertebral tubercles; no tubercles on lower flanks; caudal tubercles encircling tail; subcaudals keeled; the median row of subcaudals not enlarged; two postcloacal tubercles on each side of tail base; no enlarged femoral, subtibial, or submetatarsal scales; subtibial scales keeled; 28-34 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; dark and light caudal bands distinct in both sexes. We tentatively assign the new species to the Cnemaspis kendallii group of the Southern Sunda clade of recent phylogenetic analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new species of colubrid snake of the genus Coniophanes from the Pacific coast of Michoacán, Mexico. This species is known from a single adult female collected near sea level in dry deciduous forests. The new species is most similar to C. piceivittis, C. schmidti and C. taylori. It shares with these three species 25 scale rows at midbody, a small sub-preocular scale, and a pattern of three dark brown stripes over a pale brown body. The new species differs most noticeably from the other three in possessing a narrower dark vertebral stripe. Coniophanes p. taylori is elevated to a species status, therefore the C. piceivittis group consists of four species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a new species of anole of the Norops schiedei group from western Guatemala. A distinctive suite of characters distinguish it from the remaining species of the group (e.g., prenasal scales fused to circumnasal; most midventral scales weakly keeled; all scales in prefrontal depression strongly keeled; scales comprising supraorbital semicircles about same size as scales between semicircles; all keels on dorsal surface of head oriented nearly longitudinally; hemipenis large and bilobate). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of frog of the Craugastor alfredi group is described from western Honduras. The new species is the first member of the C. alfredi group reported from Honduras. It inhabits the Montane Subtropical (Premontane) Wet Forest of Monta˜a del Cerro Azul, Sierra del Espíritu Santo. It differs from all other species in the group by the combination of having the fifth toe pad wider than the second, few melanophores on the abdominal area of the venter, a small number of vomerine teeth (0--8), and a rounded proximal subarticular tubercle on Toe V about one-half the size of the distal subarticular tubercle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]