Colleeneremia capitula (Tyler, 1968) is an insular pelodryadid endemic to the Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia, originally described from a single female specimen and lacking a population-level assessment of morphological variation. We examined 44 specimens (29 males, 15 females) from Lorulun Village, Yamdena Island, integrating detailed morphometrics and mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequence data. Two sympatric and consistently diagnosable morphotypes were identified, differing in iris coloration (golden to copper-brown vs. uniform black), dorsal pattern, body size, and multiple size-corrected morphometric characters. Univariate analyses revealed significant differentiation in 28 of 31 measured traits, and principal component analysis recovered two largely discrete clusters in morphospace. Phylogenetic analyses of a 432 bp fragment of 16S rRNA recovered both lineages as a well-supported clade within Colleeneremia, with shallow but structured mitochondrial divergence (0.3–1.4%) between morphotypes. The combination of sympatric occurrence, consistent phenotypic diagnosability, and concordant mitochondrial structuring supports recognition of the black-iris morphotype as a distinct species, described here as a new species. This study reveals previously unrecognized diversity within the Tanimbar pelodryadids and underscores the potential for rapid insular divergence in Wallacean amphibians.
We describe a new bufonid toad from Mawphlang in the Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, northeastern India, based on an integrative taxonomic assessment combining external morphology and mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequence data. Phylogenetic analyses recover the Khasi Hills specimens as a distinct and well-supported monophyletic lineage within Duttaphrynus, forming a clade sister to an undescribed lineage from Chin State, Myanmar, and clearly separated from the most closely related congeners, D. stuarti and D. chandai. Uncorrected mitochondrial 16S sequence divergence between the new species and these taxa ranges from 4.4–6.7%, consistent with interspecific differentiation in Asian bufonids. Morphometric analyses based on allometrically size-corrected measurements further support its distinctiveness. The new species is characterized by a small adult body size (male SVL 40.0–41.8 mm), absence of cranial ridges, a distinct but small tympanum, moderate toe webbing, specific digital length proportions, and a dorsum bearing numerous pointed keratinized warts. The concordant molecular, multivariate morphometric, and qualitative morphological evidence demonstrates that the Khasi Hills population represents a previously unrecognized evolutionary lineage. The species is currently known only from its type locality in montane habitats of the East Khasi Hills, highlighting the continued importance of the Meghalaya Plateau as a center of amphibian diversity and endemism within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
The fossorial reed snakes of the genus Calamaria are morphologically conservative, geographically structured, and frequently misidentified across broad regions, especially where historical names have been applied without explicit synonymy audits. During surveys in the Garo Hills, Meghalaya, Northeast India, we collected a series of Calamaria specimens referable to the “Calamaria pavimentata” concept historically used for the region. We evaluate these specimens using a morphology-first framework complemented by mitochondrial cytochrome b phylogenetic placement. Maximum-likelihood inference recovers the Meghalaya lineage as the strongly supported sister to C. mizoramensis, with an uncorrected p-distance of 6.3%; these mitochondrial values are treated as descriptive support rather than as threshold-based evidence. Morphologically, the Meghalaya lineage is diagnosable by a unique combination of scalation, tail morphology, and coloration, including a short tail that is not gradually tapering, an obtusely pointed tail tip, and a broad median black stripe on the tail venter. To stabilize name usage around the new taxon, we summarize the historical names associated with the C. pavimentata complex, emphasizing type localities and type material where known.
Bronchocela cristatella (Kuhl, 1820) has been a taxonomic wastebasket due to reliance on an iconotype and an imprecise type locality. We accept Figueroa’s (2021) lectotype designation and, to fix application, designate a neotype from Java (MZB 6989) that matches both the lectotype illustration and the original description. A comprehensive review of historical types and museum vouchers scored under a standardized morphometric/meristic regime, together with a 16S rRNA phylogeny sampling ten named species (six newly sequenced here), reveals three Indonesian lineages previously treated as B. cristatella sensu lato. Nomenclatural actions stabilize usage: we designate a lectotype for Calotes octospinosus (NMBE 10118463) and a neotype for Agama moluccana (NHMUK 1910.4.26.21), resurrecting them as B. octospinosa (North Sumatra–Peninsular Malaysia and parts of West Borneo), and B. moluccana (Buru and adjacent central Maluku), and we resurrect B. petersidoriai (SE Sulawesi). Molecular analyses (mitochondrial 16S) led to the recovery of three well-supported clades consistent with species-level divergences (e.g., 6.0–6.5% cristatella vs. burmana; 3.8–4.0% octospinosa vs. hayeki; 4.8–5.0% cf. moluccana vs. celebensis), although deeper relationships remain weakly supported. Halmahera populations are treated as B. cf. moluccana pending multilocus tests.
The Hylarana signata complex is species-rich in Indonesia but remains taxonomically unresolved, particularly across Sumatra, where morphological conservatism obscures lineage boundaries. We analyzed Sumatran populations using an integrative dataset comprising adult-male morphology (32 characters) and mitochondrial DNA (16S rRNA, 444 bp). Phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference, maximum-likelihood, and neighbour-joining methods revealed two distinct and well-supported lineages, here described as new species. The uncorrected p-distance between them (4.81%) exceeds typical species-level thresholds in anurans. Multivariate analyses (PCA) show partial morphometric overlap with congeners, but the new species are diagnosable by consistent combinations of external traits—including humeral gland size and placement, dorsolateral stripe pattern, and webbing formula—corroborated by mitochondrial divergence. We also confirm H. sundabarat in multiple Sumatran provinces, refining its known range in Sundaland. All localities were georeferenced and verified with voucher specimens or genetic data following GBIF citation standards. These findings clarify the composition of the H. signata complex in Sumatra and highlight the island’s cryptic amphibian endemism and the importance of protected montane forests for biodiversity conservation.
