Search

Niche shifts and environmental non-equilibrium in invading alien species undermine niche-based predictions of alien species’ potential distributions and, consequently, their usefulness for invasion risk assessments. Here, we compared the realized climatic niches of four alien amphibian species (Hylarana erythraea, Rhinella marina, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus, and Kaloula pulchra) in their native and Philippine-invaded ranges to investigate niche changes that have unfolded during their invasion and, with this, assessed the extent of niche conservatism and environmental equilibrium. We investigated how niche changes affected reciprocal transferability of ecological niche models (ENMs) calibrated using data from the species’ native and Philippine-invaded ranges, and both ranges combined. We found varying levels of niche change across the species’ realized climatic niches in the Philippines: climatic niche shift for H. rugulosus; niche conservatism for R. marina and K. pulchra; environmental non-equilibrium in the Philippine-invaded range for all species; and environmental non-equilibrium in the native range or adaptive changes post-introduction for all species except H. erythraea. Niche changes undermined the reciprocal transferability of ENMs calibrated using native and Philippine-invaded range data. Our paper highlights the difficulty of predicting potential distributions given niche shifts and environmental non-equilibrium; we suggest calibrating ENMs with data from species’ combined native and invaded ranges, and to regularly reassess niche changes and recalibrate ENMs as species’ invasions progress.

In our recent publication (Sharma et al., 2017), we tested the hypothesis that eggs attached to the legs of male Podoctidae (Opiliones, Laniatores) constituted a case of paternal care, using molecular sequence data in tandem with multiple sequence alignments to test the prediction that sequences of the eggs and the adults that carried them would indicate conspecific identity. We discovered that the sequences of the eggs belonged to spiders, and thus rejected the paternal care hypothesis for these species. Machado and Wolff (2017) recently critiqued our work, which they regarded as a non-critical interpretation and over-reliance on molecular sequence data, and defended the traditional argument that the eggs attached to podoctids are in fact harvestman eggs. Here we show that additional molecular sequence data also refute the identity of the eggs as conspecific harvestman eggs, using molecular cloning techniques to rule out contamination. We show that individual gene trees consistently and reliably place the egg and adult sequences in disparate parts of the tree topology. Phylogenetic methods consistently place all egg sequences within the order Araneae (spiders). We submit that evidence for the paternal care hypothesis based on behavioral, morphological, and natural history approaches is either absent or insufficient for concluding that the eggs of podoctids are conspecific.

We performed the first host-parasite survey of the Philippine crocodile, Crocodylus mindorensis, a critically endangered species for which ecological information is lacking. We collected by gastric lavage samples of the stomach contents of crocodiles (n = 10) residing at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. The only parasite detected was an acanthocephalan, which was identified as Neorhadinorhynchus nudus (n = 68), a parasite typically found in the marine fish species consumed by three crocodile individuals. Given the known hosts of N. nudus, its parasitism of C. mindorensis in captivity is likely established by consumption of marine fish. Our findings have implications for the conservation management of C. mindorensis, particularly in terms of preventing introduction of parasites that could lead to development of infectious disease or alter the fitness of captive animals.

The Philippine archipelago harbours a remarkable diversity of harvestmen, with respect to both taxonomy and complexity of biogeographic origins. Among the armoured harvestmen (suborder Laniatores), six families of distantly related groups occur in this archipelago. Here, we describe a new species of the family Tithaeidae, Tithaeus odysseus sp. nov., discovered during a collecting campaign on the island of Mindanao. The description of this species expands the known distribution of the family and demonstrates another exception to the zoogeographic boundary known as Huxley’s Line which putatively separates the biota of the Philippines (excluding the Palawan island group) from the Sunda Shelf biota. Given the coincident distributions of Tithaeidae and the mite harvestman family Stylocellidae (Cyphophthalmi), a group renowned for its poor dispersal ability, we inferred phylogenetic relationships and divergence times of the Philippines lineages of both families by using a comprehensive molecular dating analysis of all Opiliones. The internal phylogeny of Tithaeidae mirrored the biogeography of Philippine Stylocellidae, showing a close affinity between the Philippine and Bornean species. Molecular dating showed contemporaneous colonisation of Mindanao by both families in the Cretaceous. We infer these patterns to reflect faunal connections between the southern Philippines and Borneo via the Zamboanga Peninsula. To render the genus Tithaeus monophyletic, we synonymise Metatithaeus with Tithaeus (new synonymy).

The diversity of Philippine amphibians and reptiles has increased over the last few decades, in part due to re-evaluation of species formerly believed to be widespread. Many of these investigations of widespread species have uncovered multiple closely related cryptic lineages comprising species complexes, each restricted to individual Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complexes (PAICs). One group in particular for which widespread cryptic diversity has been common is the clade of Philippine skinks of the genus Brachymeles. Recent phylogenetic studies of the formerly recognized widespread species Brachymeles bonitae have indicated that this species is actually a complex distributed across several major PAICs and smaller island groups in the central and northern Philippines, with numerous species that exhibit an array of digit loss and limb reduction patterns. Despite the recent revisions to the B. bonitae species complex, studies suggest that unique cryptic lineages still exist within this group. In this paper, we resurrect the species Brachymeles burksi Taylor 1917, for a lineage of non-pentadactyl, semi-fossorial skink from Mindoro and Marinduque islands. First described in 1917, B. burksi was synonymized with B. bonitae in 1956, and has rarely been reconsidered since. Evaluation of genetic and morphological data (qualitative traits, meristic counts, and mensural measurements), and comparison of recently-obtained specimens to Taylor’s original description support this species’ recognition, as does its insular distribution on isolated islands in the central portions of the archipelago. Morphologically, B. burksi is differentiated from other members of the genus based on a suite of unique phenotypic characteristics, including a small body size, digitless limbs, a high number of presacral vertebrae, the absence of auricular openings, and discrete (non-overlapping) meristic scale counts. The recognition of this central Philippine species further increases the diversity of non-pentadactyl members of the B. bonitae complex, and reinforces the biogeographic uniqueness of the Mindoro faunal region. KEYWORDS: biodiversity, endemism, faunal region, fossoriality, limb reduction

Information on species richness and community structure is invaluable for guiding conservation and management of biodiversity, but is rarely available in the megadiverse biodiversity conservation hotspot of Philippines – particularly for amphibians and reptiles. This study provides the first report and characterisation of amphibians and reptile communities across primary habitat types of the Victoria-Anepahan Mountain Range on Palawan Island along the western edge of the archipelago. A total of 41 amphibian and reptile species were recorded throughout our sampling sites (n = 27 species) or in targeted habitat searches (14 species). A species richness estimator predicted that 35 species may be present in our sampling sites, suggesting that a significant proportion of secretive species may continue to be unrecorded, especially for reptiles. Higher species richness was found in secondary growth than in mixed-use agricultural areas or even pristine forest. The low species richness recorded from pristine forest types may be due to these forests now being restricted to higher elevations where species diversity has been documented to decrease. Our results also show that complex community structures (species assemblages) are to be equally expected in both secondary growth and pristine forests. Together, our results show how species richness and community assemblages may vary across habitats, highlighting that old growth forest does not always support higher species richness, particularly in high elevations.

Liopeltis tiomanica sp. nov. Liopeltis tricolor (part): J.L. Grismer et al. 2004: 275; Grismer 2011: 203. Liopeltis tricolour [sic] (part): Grismer et al. 2006: 178. Holotype. LSUHC 5037, adult female (Figs. 2���4), Peninsular Malaysia, Pahang State, Pulau Tioman (= Tioman Island), Gunung Kajang trail, 2.77900��N 104.15703��E (Datum WGS84), 618 m elev., coll. 11 August 2002 by Jesse L. Grismer, Perry L. Wood, Jr., and L. Lee Grismer. Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the new species��� type and only known locality on the island of Pulau Tioman. The specific epithet is feminine, in agreement with the gender of the genus (Poyarkov et al. 2019). Diagnosis. A species of Liopeltis having the combination of the nasal scale fused with the internasal scale; preoculars two; ventrals 161; distinct black lateral cephalic stripe extending from rostral through eye to approximately 30 mm behind neck before fading; four longitudinal stripes on dorsum; and venter immaculate, without stripes. Description of holotype (Figs. 2���3). Adult female; head slightly distinct from neck, triangular in dorsal view; snout weakly pointed in lateral view, projecting beyond lower jaw; eye large, pupil round; body slender; tail thin. Rostral wide, clearly visible from above; nasal partially divided, portion anterior to nostril continuous with internasal, portion posterior to nostril with horizontal suture; loreal absent; two preoculars, upper rectangular, approximately 25% size of lower, trapezoidal preocular; two postoculars, squarish or rounded, upper scale slightly larger than lower scale; eight supralabials, 4 th and 5 th in contact with eye, 2 nd��� 4 th in contact with lower preocular, 5 th (right side) and 5 th��� 6 th (left side) in contact with lower postocular, 7 th largest; eight infralabials, 5 th largest; one elongate anterior temporal; two subequal posterior temporals, shorter than anterior temporal; two internasals; two prefrontals; single frontal, approximately 63% length of parietals, with one supraocular on each side; two large, elongate parietals; anterior pair and posterior pairs of chin shields subequal in length, anterior pair broader; dorsal scales smooth, in rows 15:15:13, apical pits absent; 161 ventrals; cloacal plate divided; 119 paired subcaudals. Scale counts are summarized in Table 2. *Data from Taylor (1922: 164, ���No. 940, Bureau of Science Collection;��� specimen destroyed during World War II). Color of holotype in life (Fig. 2). Dorsal surface of head bronze-brown (Grayish Horn Color 268); chin, supralabials, and infralabials cream (Cream White 52); black stripe on lateral side of head and neck separates dorsal and ventral coloration, stripe slightly wider than one dorsal scale, extending from rostral though eye to approximately 30 mm posterior to neck, gradually fading; dorsum bronze (Grayish Horn Color 268) with four longitudinal brown (Olive-Brown 278) stripes, two dorsal stripes extending from neck to tail, two lateral stripes extending from area posterior of black head stripe to level of cloacal plate; venter uniform pale cream color (Cream White 52) with small dark spots on ventral scales. Color of holotype in preservative (Fig. 3). Dorsum faded to grayish green (Olive Horn Color 16); dorsal stripes faded to light brown (Clay Color 18). Molecular data. The standard deviation of split frequencies among the four Bayesian runs was 0.003717 and the Estimated Sample Sizes (ESS) of parameters were ��� 3,390. The holotype of Liopeltis tiomanica sp. nov. was recovered with strong support (Bayesian posterior probability 1.00) to be the sister taxon of L. philippina (Fig. 4). The L. tiomanica sp. nov. + L. philippina clade was recovered with strong support (Bayesian posterior probability 1.00) to be nested within a clade containing L. tricolor and L. stoliczkae, although the relationships among L. tricolor, L. stoliczkae, and the L. tiomanica sp. nov. + L. philippina clade were not resolved (Fig. 4). Liopeltis tiomanica sp. nov. had uncorrected p -distances in cyt b of 9.6% from L. philippina and 12.9���13.3% from L. tricolor. Distribution, natural history, and conservation. Liopeltis tiomanica sp. nov. is known only from the holotype specimen collected from Pulau Tioman (Fig. 1). The specimen was found in the afternoon while perched on a small tree branch 2 m above the ground in primary hill dipterocarp forest (J. Grismer et al. 2004, Fig. 5). Comparisons. Liopeltis tiomanica sp. nov. differs from all other species of Liopeltis, except its sister taxon L. philippina (Fig. 4), by having the nasal fused with the internasal and four longitudinal stripes on the dorsum (Weinell et al. 2019). Liopeltis tiomanica sp. nov. differs from L. philippina by having 161 ventral scales (vs. 139���150 in L. philippina); two preocular scales (vs. one in L. philippina); and a distinct black lateral cephalic stripe (vs. indistinct in L. philippina; Fig. 5). Liopeltis tiomanica sp. nov. further differs from the sympatric (and possibly syntopic) L. tricolor by having the prefrontal in contact only with the second supralabial (vs. second and third supralabials in L. tricolor); and immaculate ventral scales (vs. three gray ventral stripes in most L. tricolor). Scalation differences among these three species are summarized in Tables 2 and 3., Published as part of Som, Hannah E., Grismer, L. Lee, Grismer, Jesse L., Wood, Perry L., Quah, Evan S. H., Brown, Rafe M., Diesmos, Arvin C., Weinell, Jeffrey L. & Stuart, Bryan L., 2020, A new Liopeltis Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia, pp. 472-484 in Zootaxa 4766 (3) on pages 475-477, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4766.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/3765613, {"references":["Grismer, J. L., Grismer, L. L., Das, I., Yaakob, N. S., Liat, L. B., Leong, T. M., Youmans, T. M. & Kaiser, H. (2004) Species diversity and checklist of the herpetofauna of Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia, with a preliminary overview of habitat utilization. Asiatic Herpetological Research, 10, 247 - 279.","Grismer, L. L. (2011) Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Seribuat Archipelago, Peninsular Malaysia. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt, 258 pp.","Grismer, L. L., Youmans, T. M., Wood, Jr. P. L. & Grismer, J. L. (2006) Checklist of the herpetofauna of the Seribuat archipelago, West Malaysia with comments on biogeography, natural history, and adaptive types. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 54 (1), 157 - 180.","Poyarkov, N. A., Nguyen, T. V. & Vogel, G. (2019) A new species of the genus Liopeltis Fitzinger 1843 from Vietnam (Squamata: Colubridae). Journal of Natural History, 53, 1647 - 1672. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222933.2019.1656784","Taylor, E. H. (1922) The Snakes of the Philippine Islands. Bureau of Printing, Manila, Philippines, 312 pp. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 55346","Weinell, J. L., Hooper, E., Leviton, A. E. & Brown, R. M. (2019) Illustrated key to the snakes of the Philippines. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 66 (1), 1 - 49."]}

Som, Hannah E., Grismer, L. Lee, Grismer, Jesse L., Wood, Perry L., Quah, Evan S. H., Brown, Rafe M., Diesmos, Arvin C., Weinell, Jeffrey L., Stuart, Bryan L. (2020): A new Liopeltis Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia. Zootaxa 4766 (3): 472-484, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4766.3.6

Liopeltis is a genus of poorly known, infrequently sampled species of colubrid snakes in tropical Asia. We collected a specimen of Liopeltis from Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia, that superficially resembled L. philippina, a rare species that is endemic to the Palawan Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex, western Philippines. We analyzed morphological and mitochondrial DNA sequence data from the Pulau Tioman specimen and found distinct differences to L. philippina and all other congeners. On the basis of these corroborated lines of evidence, the Pulau Tioman specimen is described as a new species, L. tiomanica sp. nov. The new species occurs in sympatry with L. tricolor on Pulau Tioman, and our description of L. tiomanica sp. nov. brings the number of endemic amphibians and reptiles on Pulau Tioman to 12.