A HISTORY OF HERPETOLOGY AT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

On the identity of the tamarin AMNH 98303 (“<i>Saguinus fuscicollis tripartitus</i>”; Primates: Haplorrhini: Simiiformes: Platyrrhini: Callitrichidae)

The American Museum of Natural History houses the skin of a tamarin (AMNH 98303) labelled as Saguinus fuscicollis tripartitus. However, the specimen does not match the phenotype of this taxon, now named Leontocebus tripartitus, nor that of any other known species or subspecies of Leontocebus. In this note, we review past taxonomic revisions of the genus Saguinus – revisions that were largely driven by the contentious species or subspecies status of the golden-mantled saddleback tamarin S. fuscicollis tripartitus – and compare the phenotype of AMNH 98303 with those of other tamarins in the same genus to discuss the possible status of this specimen.

Historical biogeography of the genus Rhadinaea (Squamata: Dipsadinae)

Multiple geological and climatic events have created geographical or ecological barriers associated with speciation events, playing a role in biological diversification in North and Central America. Here, we evaluate the influence of the Neogene and Quaternary geological events, as well as the climatic changes in the diversification of the colubrid snake genus Rhadinaea using molecular dating and ancestral area reconstruction. A multilocus sequence dataset was generated for 37 individuals of Rhadinaea from most of the biogeographical provinces where the genus is distributed, representing 19 of the 21 currently recognized species, and two undescribed species. Our analyses show that the majority of the Rhadinaea species nest in two main clades, herein identified as "Eastern" and "Southern". These clades probably diverged from each other in the early Miocene, and their divergence was followed by 11 divergences during the middle to late Miocene, three divergences during the Pliocene, and six divergences in the Pleistocene. The ancestral distribution of Rhadinaea was reconstructed across the Sierra Madre del Sur. Our phylogenetic analyses do not support the monophyly of Rhadinaea. The Miocene and Pliocene geomorphology, perhaps in conjunction with climate change, appears to have triggered the diversification of the genus, while the climatic changes during the Miocene probably induced the diversification of Rhadinaea in the Sierra Madre del Sur. Our analysis suggests that the uplifting of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and Chiapan-Guatemalan highlands in this same period resulted in northward and southward colonization events. This was followed by more recent, independent colonization events in the Pliocene and Pleistocene involving the Balsas Basin, Chihuahuan Desert, Pacific Coast, Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre del Sur, Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, and Veracruz provinces, probably driven by the climatic fluctuations of the time.

Hemipenial morphology of nine South American species of Mabuya (Scincidae: Lygosominae) with comments on the morphology of the family

Species of the genus Mabuya are barely recognizable because of their highly conservative external morphology, resulting in unstable systematic and taxonomic status. Considering that hemipenial morphology has been extensively used as a source of systematic information for several groups of Squamata, we described the hemipenial morphology of nine species of Mabuya, searching for diagnostic features useful to taxonomic and systematic studies. To have comparative parameters within the family, we also presented the description of the hemipenes of two other Scincidae species (i.e., Trachylepis atlantica and Tiliqua rugosa). This information, together with the available literature, was analyzed in a comparative framework, allowing us to define some variation for the genus and family. The hemipenial morphology of the species of Mabuya studied is very conservative; features that show subtle variation were the shape of the protuberances present on the asulcate face of the hemipenial body and the presence and type of a lateral fold, on the body. Also, within the family, some variation was found in the shape and length of lobes, length of branches of the sulcus spermaticus, and in the kind of folds and protuberances in both faces of the lobes and hemipenial body. Although these features were not tested in a systematic context, this information suggested variations in hemipenial morphology that could contribute to taxonomic diagnostics and phylogenetic characters. The importance of obtaining proper preparations for gathering accurate information is emphasized, and the use of fresh-killed specimens that shows fewer difficulties for the procedures of preparation is highly recommended.

A catalog of bird specimens associated with Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied and potential type material in the natural history collection in Wiesbaden

Bird specimens collected by 19^th century explorer and ornithologist Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied form one of the foundation collections of the American Museum of Natural History in New York. However, parts of his collection remained in Germany and came to the Museum Wiesbaden. Since Wied described numerous new species without designating types, some of these specimens might be type material. Here we present a catalog of the 30 Wiesbaden specimens associated with him and discuss their potential type status. We conclude that 17 individuals in 11 species are potential type specimens that should be considered in future taxonomic work.

A new bush anole (Iguanidae, Polychrotinae, Polychrus) from the upper Marañon basin, Peru, with a redescription of Polychrus peruvianus (Noble, 1924) and additional information on Polychrus gutturosus Berthold, 1845

We herein describe a new colorful species of Polychrus with a conspicuous sexual dimorphism from the dry forest of the northern portion of Región de La Libertad, Peru. The new species differs from all other Polychrus species, in that this species has very small dorsal scales and thus a higher number of scales around midbody and in the middorsal line from behind the occipital scales to the level of the posterior edge of the thigh. Furthermore, we redescribe Polychrus peruvianus whose original description is short and lacks information on intraspecific variation and sexual dimorphism. Also, we add some information on intraspecific variation and ecology of Polychrus gutturosus. Finally, we synonymize Polychrus spurrelli Boulenger with Polychrus gutturosus.

Redescription of Leptophis Cupreus (Cope) (Serpentes, Colubridae), a rare south American Colubrine Snake

Leptophis cupreus is redescribed on the basis of 18 specimens, including the holotype. The species is characterized by having a uniformly copper-colored dorsum, which distinguishes it from all other known species of Leptophis. We present photographs of the holotype and a living specimen of L. cupreus, describe and illustrate the everted hemipenis, and plot its known distribution.