@article {53417, title = {Reproduction and metamorphosis in the Myristica Swamp tree frog, Mercurana myristicapalustris (Anura: Rhacophoridae)}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {6}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-01-2018}, pages = {e5934}, abstract = {

The reproductive biology of the Myristica Swamp tree frog (Mercurana myristicapalus- tris), a monotypic rhacophorid frog endemic to the foothills of the Western Ghats mountains of India, has remained unknown since the description of the genus and species. We monitored individuals from parental generation amplexus to the comple- tion of offspring generation tadpole metamorphosis. Surprisingly, our observations revealed that this species exhibits many previously unknown characteristics, including the first ever record of the female, and a diverse call repertoire, consisting of five different call types (the functions of which remain incompletely known). We were also able to determine that reproductive activity peaked during the late pre-monsoon season, that males engaged in intraspecific aggressive encounters to occupy and to defend desirable territories, and that oviposition took place in terrestrial nests made by females. Embryonic development in the unattended nest was followed by tadpole development, which concluded within 40 days. The specific breeding mode employed by Mercurana, which restricts its range to the endangered Myristica swamp ecosystem, likely renders it susceptible to multiple threats, which should be considered jointly in future conservation planning.

}, keywords = {Amphibia, Animal Behavior, Conservation biology, Developmental Biology, ecology, India, Myristica swamp, Reproductive mode, Rhacophoridae, zoology}, doi = {10.7717/peerj.5934}, url = {https://peerj.com/articles/5934}, author = {Abraham, Robin Kurian and Mathew, Jobin Kuruvilla and Raju, David Valiaparampil and Rao, Ramprasad and Zachariah, Anil} } @article {53378, title = {A new species and a new record of genus Hexacentrus Serville, 1831 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Hexacentrinae) from India}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4526}, year = {2018}, month = {Mar-12-2018}, pages = {547}, abstract = {

The paper deals with a new record Hexacentrus japonicus Karny, 1907 and a new species Hexacentrus bifurcata sp. nov. from India. Necessary and important illustrations with SEM images of stridulatory file of Hexacentrus japonicus and Hexacentrus bifurcata sp. nov. are provided. A key to the Indian species of Hexacentrus and morphometric ranges of all the species have also been included. Type specimens have been preserved for further investigation in Zoology Department, Aligarh Muslim University (ZDAMU).

}, keywords = {Hexacentrinae, India, new species, Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae}, issn = {1175-5326}, doi = {10.11646/Zootaxa.4526.410.11646/zootaxa.4526.4.7}, url = {https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/issue/view/Zootaxa.4526.4https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4526.4.7} } @article {53096, title = {Review of genus Conocephalus Thunberg, 1815 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) with one new species from India}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4461}, year = {2018}, month = {Oct-08-2019}, pages = {381}, abstract = {

The present paper includes description of one new species Conocephalus (Anisoptera) rentzi sp. nov. and some known species of genus Conocephalus Thunberg, 1815 from India. Brief diagnosis of genus and subgenus with a key to species of subgenus Anisoptera and morphometric ranges of all the species are provided. The distributional map and illustrations of all the described and reported species with SEM photography of stridulatory files of C. (Anisoptera) maculatus \& C. (Anisoptera) rentzi sp. nov. have also been included. All type specimens have been deposited for posterity in the Zoology Department, Aligarh Muslim University, India (ZDAMU).

}, keywords = {Conocephalinae, Conocephalus, India, new species, Tettigoniidae}, issn = {1175-5326}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4464.3.4}, url = {https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4464.3.4}, author = {Mohd Kaleemulla Farooqi and Mohd Kamil Usmani} } @article {53029, title = {Description and classification of Indian Ocean humpback dolphin ( Sousa plumbea ) whistles recorded off the Sindhudurg coast of Maharashtra, India}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {34}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-07-2018}, pages = {755 - 776}, abstract = {

The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea), a common cetacean species in India, has a diverse vocal repertoire, which to date has not been described in detail. This study focused on analyzing their whistle vocalizations. Humpback dolphins were recorded off the Sindhudurg coast of Maharashtra, India, and 2,260 whistles were analyzed for their acoustic characteristics. Whistles spanned a wide frequency range between 2.3 kHz and 33.0 kHz, with durations ranging from 0.01 s to 1.60 s. Whistles were categorized into seven contour classes based on their qualitative prop- erties. A classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to quantify vari- ability between the seven contour classes using the measured acoustic features. Based on the CART analysis, frequency gradient, minimum slope, maximum slope, begin- ning and ending slope accounted for most variability between whistle types. CART resulted in an overall classification accuracy of 89.5\%. This study provides a detailed description of acoustic features and qualitative properties of humpback dolphin whis- tles from the northwestern coast of India. Further comparisons of acoustic data from Sousa populations along the Indian coast are necessary to determine possible geo- graphic variations in whistle characteristics and whether the variations are driven by environmental or genetic factors or a combination of both.

}, keywords = {humpback dolphin, India, passive acoustic monitoring, Sousa plumbea, whistles}, doi = {10.1111/mms.v34.310.1111/mms.12479}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.v34.3}, author = {Bopardikar, Isha and Sutaria, Dipani and Sule, Mihir and Jog, Ketki and Patankar, Vardhan and Klinck, Holger} } @article {51469, title = {First record of subfamily Mecopodinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Bihar along with description of Indian species}, journal = {Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2017}, volume = {5}, year = {2017}, pages = {803-807}, chapter = {803}, abstract = {The present study was based on the specimens of Mecopodinae during the course of a survey from (01/03/2015 to 30/03/2015) from various agricultural areas of different regions of Bihar. Four male specimens were collected from different localities and identified as a species Mecopoda elongata elongata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), was newly recorded from Bihar, India. The description was based on both conventional morphological and genitalic characters. The identifying features of the species were body very large, brown in color, tibial tympana opened on both the sides, stridulatory file having 98 teeth arranged in lamelliform manner under the side of left tegmen, male subgenital plate developed conically from region of bifurcation with short styli and hind femur \& tibiae very long and large. A morphological description, as well as detailed illustrations of this species is presented. Distribution and morphometrically data is also provided.}, keywords = {India, Mecopoda elongata elongata, new record, Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae}, author = {Mohd Kaleemulla Farooqi and Mohd Kamil Usmani} } @article {47964, title = {Description of four new species of Burrowing Frogs in the Fejervarya rufescens complex (Dicroglossidae) with notes on morphological affinities of Fejervarya species in the Western Ghats}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4277}, year = {2017}, month = {Aug-06-2018}, pages = {451}, abstract = {

The Rufescent Burrowing Frog, Fejervarya rufescens, is thought to have a wide distribution across the Western Ghats in Peninsular India. This locally abundant but secretive species has a short breeding period, making it a challenging subject for field studies. We sampled 16 populations of frogs morphologically similar to F. rufescens in order to understand the variation among populations found across the Western Ghats. Our study shows significant morphological and genetic differences among the sampled populations, suggesting that F. \‘rufescens\’ is a complex of several undescribed species. Using evidence from morphology and genetics, we confirm the presence of five distinct species in this group and formally describe four as new. The new species were delineated using a phylogeny based on three mitochondrial genes (16S, COI and Cytb) and a haplotype network of a nuclear gene (Rag1). Hereafter, the distribution of F. rufescens is restricted to the state of Karnataka and adjoining regions of northern Kerala. Three new species (Fejervarya kadar sp. nov., Fejervarya manoharani sp. nov. and Fejervarya neilcoxi sp. nov.) are from regions south of Palghat gap in the state of Kerala, and one (Fejervarya cepfi sp. nov.) from the northern Western Ghats state of Maharashtra. These findings indicate that Fejervarya frogs of the Western Ghats are more diverse than currently known. Our results will also have implications on the conservation status of F. rufescens, which was previously categorized as Least Concern based on its presumed wide geographical distribution. Furthermore, in order to facilitate a better taxonomic understanding of this region\’s fejervaryan frogs, we divide all the known Fejarvarya species of the Western Ghats into four major groups\—Fejervarya nilagirica group, Fejervarya rufescens group, Fejervarya sahyadris group and Fejervarya syhadrensis group, based on their morphological affinities.

}, keywords = {amphibians, bioacoustics, India, integrative taxonomy, molecular phylogeny, multi-gene DNA barcoding, new species, species diversity, Western Ghats}, issn = {1175-5326}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4277.410.11646/zootaxa.4277.4.1}, url = {https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/issue/view/zootaxa.4277.4https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4277.4.1}, author = {Sonali Garg and S. D. Biju} }