Black-spotted longnose gudgeon (Microphysogobio punctatus) as new species and M. elongatus as synonym of M. tungtingensis

NEWS - Researchers have established the black-spotted longnose gudgeon (Microphysogobio punctatus) as a new species and redescribed M. elongatus (Yao & Yang, 1977) as a junior synonym of M. tungtingensis (Nichols, 1926) based on morphological analysis and molecular evidence supported by mitochondrial gene sequences.

M. tungtingensis has been considered valid since its description, but its morphology is still vague especially when compared to another similar species, M. elongatus. In this study, researchers examined both species and compared several lots of specimens from a wide geographical range.

There was no significant morphological difference between the two. Molecular evidence supported by mitochondrial gene sequences also showed low genetic distance and suggested that M. elongatus is a junior synonym of M. tungtingensis. At the same time, M. punctatus was found to have a similar distribution to both.

M. punctatus is distributed in the Guijiang and Liujiang rivers, two northern tributaries of the Xijiang River system, which belong to the Pearl River basin. The specimen was also found in the upper Xiangjiang River flowing into the middle Yangtze River basin.

The new species inhabits slow-flowing river water with a width of 30-40 meters and usually in sandy areas with gravel and rocks. They coexist with Opsariichthys bidens, Acheilognathus tonkinensis, Squalidus argentatus, Sarcocheilichthys sp. Microphysogobio zhangi and Cobitis spp.

The name punctatus is derived from the Latin punctum, meaning spot. The name refers to the many black spots on the scales and fins. The suggested Chinese name for the species is “斑点小鳔鮈”.

A total of 37 haplotypes from 43 Microphysogobio individuals for the Cyt b gene were included in the molecular phylogenetic study and the new species is sister to M. bicolor (Nichols, 1930) which together is sister to the clade M. luhensis (Huang, Chen, Zhao & Shao 2018), M. kachekensis (Oshima, 1926) and M. yunnanensis (Yao & Yang, 1977).

Original research

Sun Z-X, Tang W-Q, Zhao Y-H (2024) Redescription of Microphysogobio tungtingensis (Nichols, 1926) with the description of a new species of the genus (Cypriniformes, Gobionidae) from southern China. ZooKeys 1214: 161-186, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1214.127061

Dlium theDlium

Philippine spinach (Talinum fruticosum)

Philippine spinach ( Talinum fruticosum ) is a species of plant in the Talinaceae family. It is an erect, non-woody herb, growing up to 100 cm tall. The leaves are radially arranged, up to 15 cm long and 5 cm wide, with a large central vein. The surface is smooth, shiny, dark green, and pinnate at the base. The inflorescences are in clusters. The flowers are fan-shaped with five red or white petals, with yellow anthers. Fruit round, up to 5 mm wide. This plant grows wild in colonies on forest floors, agricultural lands, roadsides, and abandoned areas. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Talinaceae Genus: Talinum Adans. in Fam. Pl. 2: 245, 609 (1763) Species: Talinum fruticosum (L.) Juss. in Gen. Pl.: 312 (1789) HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS Portulaca fruticosa L. in Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2 (1759) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Ruelingia triangularis (Jacq.) Ehrh. in Beitr. Naturk. Verw. Wiss. 3 (1788) Calandrinia andrewsii ...

Srigati morning glory (Ipomoea trifida)

Srigati morning glory or threefork morning glory ( Ipomoea trifida ) is a species of plant in the Convolvulaceae family. It is a herbaceous, climbing, twining, cylindrical plant with green stems when young and brown when mature, and white hairs. The leaves are heart-shaped, plain or three-lobed, up to 9 cm long and 9 cm wide. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, reddish-white or purplish, with red or purple inner lobes, up to 4 cm long and 3.5 cm wide. This species grows as a ground cover and climbs into the forest canopy. It grows in forests, agricultural lands, roadsides, and abandoned areas. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Solanales Family: Convolvulaceae Subfamily: Convolvuloideae Tribe: Ipomoeeae Genus: Ipomoea L. in Sp. Pl.: 159 (1753) Species: Ipomoea trifida (Kunth) G.Don in Gen. Hist. 4: 280 (1837) HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS Convolvulus trifidus Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 3: 1...

Java milkwort (Polygala javana)

Java milkwort ( Polygala javana ) is a species of plant in the Polygalaceae family. It has erect, woody, branched stems with brown to black stems and white hairs or powdery hairs. The leaves are opposite and alternate. The leaves are oval, up to 30 mm long and up to 9 mm wide, and green. The inflorescences are arranged in panicles, arranged in rows and radially. The flowers are butterfly-shaped, yellow, green, and purple, with white hairs, up to 8 mm wide. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Polygalaceae Tribe: Polygaleae Genus: Polygala Tourn. ex L. in Sp. Pl.: 701 (1753) Species: Polygala javana DC. in Prodr. 1: 327 (1824) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Polygala ceylanica B.Heyne ex Wall. in Numer. List: n.° 4183 (1831) Polygala javana var. angustifolia Thwaites in Enum. Pl. Zeyl.: 22 (1864) Polygala raoi R.N.Banerjee & L.K.Banerjee in Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., B 82: 218 (1975) PUBLICATIONS Aung, Y.L., Aung, M.H....

Dlium