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The genus Chiropterotriton is endemic to Mexico with a geographical distribution along the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Sierra de Juárez. The recent use of molecular tools has shown that Mexico’s amphibian diversity is highly underestimated, including a large number of cryptic, unnamed species. Chiropterotriton has 18 described species including terrestrial, arboreal and cave-dwelling species. In previous molecular studies, the presence of multiple undescribed species was evident. We present a phylogenetic hypothesis based on mitochondrial data, which includes all described species and six undescribed taxa. Based on the morphological analyses and, when available, combined with molecular data, we describe five new species of the genus; Chiropterotriton casasi sp. nov., C. ceronorum sp. nov., C. melipona sp. nov., C. perotensis sp. nov. and C. totonacus sp. nov. In addition, we redescribe two others: Chiropterotriton chiropterus and C. orculus , and provide a comparable account of one additional sympatric congener. This increases the number of species in the genus to 23, which represent a considerable component of Mexican plethodontid richness.
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A review of Appalachian Dasycerus Brongniart and the recognition of cryptic diversity within Dasycerus carolinensis (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Dasycerinae)
Abstract Previous analyses have revealed deep divergences among populations of the relictual and enigmatic rove beetle, Dasycerus carolinensis Horn. New data from additional populations, molecular markers, and morphology unambiguously reveal this “species” to represent a complex of closely related species, distinguishable by characters of the male genitalia and corresponding closely to geographically coherent clades discovered by molecular analyses. Calibrated dating analyses show Appalachian Dasycerus to have been diverging in the region for more than 10 million years, yet largely respecting important biogeographic barriers in the region, such as the French Broad and Little Tennessee River drainages. In addition to discussing finer scale biogeographic patterns in the group, we formally recognize 9 new species from within what was formerly known as Dasycerus carolinensis: Dasycerus virginiensis sp. nov., Dasycerus tuckasegee sp. nov., Dasycerus pacolet sp. nov., Dasycerus chattooga sp. nov., Dasycerus itseyi sp. nov., Dasycerus unicoi sp. nov., Dasycerus nikwasi sp. nov., Dasycerus egwanulti sp. nov., and Dasycerus gadalutsi sp. nov. It was not, however, possible to assign all samples to one of these species, and specimens from some sparsely sampled outlying areas, northern Alabama and central Tennessee in particular, may represent additional species.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1916263
- PAR ID:
- 10501243
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Insect Systematics and Diversity
- Volume:
- 8
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2399-3421
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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