Search

Based on combined morphological and osteological characters and molecular phylogenetics, we describe a new species of the genus Elaphe that was discovered from the south slope of the Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi, China, namely Elaphe xiphodonta sp. nov. It is distinguished from the other congeners by a combination of the following characters: dorsal scales in 21-21-17 rows, the medial 11 rows keeled; 202-204 ventral scales, 67-68 subcaudals; two preoculars (including one subpreocular); two postoculars; two anterior temporals, three posterior temporals; reduced numbers of maxillary teeth (9+2) and dentary teeth (12); sharp cutting edges on the posterior or posterolateral surface of the rear maxillary teeth and dentary teeth; dorsal head yellow, three distinct markings on the head and neck; a distinct black labial spot present in supralabials; dorsum yellow, 46-49 complete (or incomplete) large black-edged reddish brown blotches on the body and 12-19 on the tail, two rows of smaller blotches on each ventrolateral side; ventral scales yellow with mottled irregular black blotches, a few irregular small red spots dispersed on the middle of the ventral. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, the new species forms the sister taxon to E. zoigeensis. The discovery of this new species increases the number of the recognized species in the genus Elaphe to 17. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new toad species of the genus Leptobrachella are described from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau of China, based on the combination of molecular and morphological data. The description of Leptobrachella aspera Wang, Lyu, Qi & Wang, sp. nov. from Huanglianshan Nature Reserve represents the thirteenth Leptobrachella species known from Yunnan Province, and the description of Leptobrachella dorsospina Wang, Lyu, Qi & Wang, sp. nov. from Yushe Forest Park represents the sixth Leptobrachella species known from Guizhou Province. These new discoveries further emphasize the extremely high diversity of the Leptobrachella toads in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of the genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925, L. bijie J. Wang, Y.L. Li, Y. Li, H.H. Chen & Y.Y. Wang, sp. nov. and L. purpuraventra J. Wang, Y.L. Li, Y. Li, H.H. Chen & Y.Y. Wang, sp. nov., were described from northwestern Guizhou Province, China based on a combination of acoustic, molecular, and morphological data. The new discoveries bring the total number of this genus to 73, with 16 congeners recorded in China, and represent the second and third species of the genus reported from Guizhou Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology, ecology, and phylogenetic relationships of specimens of the family Boletaceae from subtropical and tropical China were investigated. Four species, Butyriboletus huangnianlaii, Lanmaoa macrocarpa, Neoboletus multipunctatus, and Sutorius subrufus, are new to science. Chalciporus radiatus and Caloboletus xiangtoushanensis are redescribed. Caloboletus guanyui is proposed to replace Boletus quercinus Hongo, an illegitimate later homonym. The recently described Tylopilus callainus is synonymized with the Japanese Boletus virescens, and the new combination T. virescens (Har. Takah. & Taneyama) N.K. Zeng et al. is proposed. Moreover, Neoboletus is treated as an independent genus based on evidence from morphology and molecular phylogenetic data in the present study, and many previously described taxa of Sutorius are recombined into Neoboletus: N. ferrugineus (G. Wu et al.) N.K. Zeng et al., N. flavidus (G. Wu & Zhu L. Yang) N.K. Zeng et al., N. hainanensis (T.H. Li & M. Zang) N.K. Zeng et al., N. obscureumbrinus (Hongo) N.K. Zeng et al., N. rubriporus (G. Wu & Zhu L. Yang) N.K. Zeng et al., N. sanguineoides (G. Wu & Zhu L. Yang) N.K. Zeng et al., N. sanguineus (G. Wu & Zhu L. Yang) N.K. Zeng et al., and N. tomentulosus (M. Zang et al.) N.K. Zeng et al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]