@article {104895, title = {The delusion of stripes: A century-old mystery of five-lined sun skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae: Eutropis) of Peninsular India elucidated}, journal = {Zoologischer Anzeiger}, volume = {296}, year = {2022}, month = {01/2022}, pages = {71-90}, abstract = {

We re-evaluate the taxonomic identities of five-lined skinks of the genus Eutropis (E.\ trivittata, E. beddomei, E. nagarjunensis, and E.\ bibronii) inhabiting the Indian subcontinent. Previously it has been considered that E.\ trivittata is distributed in the western India and E. dissimilis in the northern India (from north-eastern India up to Pakistan). Based on our analysis, we revealed that the illustration (iconotype) of the untraceable type specimen of E. trivittata depicted by Hardwicke in Gray (1834) from {\textquotedblleft}Dumdum{\textquotedblright} near Kolkata, West Bengal matches the typical E. dissimilis, also described from {\textquotedblleft}Bengal{\textquotedblright}. The senior synonym, E. trivittata is a morphologically unique species, which is also supported by divergence in the mitochondrial 12S and 16S regions. E. trivittata is clearly separated with divergences of 5{\textendash}7\% from E. beddomei, E. vertebralis and E. nagarjunensis for 16S rRNA. After placing E.\ dissimilis with the synonymy of E.\ trivittata, the taxonomic status of the western Indian {\textquoteleft}E.\ trivittata{\textquoteright} required to be clarified. Therefore, we resurrect Mabuia vertebralis Boulenger, 1887, a junior synonym of western Indian E. trivittata, and redescribe its holotype collected from {\textquotedblleft}Belgaum{\textquotedblright}, Karnataka. Although, morphologically closest to E. beddomei, Eutropis vertebralis comb. nov. is a sister taxon to E. nagarjunensis with divergence of 4\% in the same mitochondrial regions. Based on our update of the currently confirmed localities for E. vertebralis comb. nov. and E. trivittata, we conducted a Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) using the Maximum Entropy algorithm to predict their distribution range, and we discuss their conservation status.

}, doi = {10.1016/j.jcz.2021.11.004}, author = {Amarasinghe, AA Thasun and Ganesh, S.R. and Mirza, Zeeshan A and Campbell, Patrick D. and Pauwels, Olivier S.G. and Schweiger, Silke and Kupfer, Alexander and Patel, Harshil and Karunarathna, Suranjan and Deuti, Kaushik and Ineich, Ivan and Hallermann, Jakob and Abinawanto, A. and Supriatna, Jatna} } @article {105471, title = {A new ancient lineage of ablepharine skinks (Sauria: Scincidae) from eastern Himalayas with notes on origin and systematics of the group}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {10}, year = {2022}, month = {01/2022}, pages = {e12800}, abstract = {

The Himalayas represent a renowned biodiversity hotspot and an important biogeographic realm that has influenced origin and diversification of multiple taxa. A recent herpetological investigation of the eastern Himalayas of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh led to the discovery of a unique lineage of ablepharine skink, which is herein described as a new genus along with a new species. The findings are based an integrated taxonomic approach incorporating data from external morphology, microCT scans of the skull and molecular data. The molecular phylogeny of ablepharine skinks is also presented that suggests taxonomic amendments. Discovery of this unique lineage of skinks further highlights the biogeographic importance of the eastern Himalayas as a source for origin of several relic biota.

}, doi = {10.7717/peerj.12800}, author = {Mirza, Zeeshan A and Bragin, Andrey M. and Bhosale, Harshal and Gowande, Gaurang and Patel, Harshil and Poyarkov, Nikolay A.} } @article {109299, title = {A new species of bent-toed geckos of the genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 from western Arunachal Pradesh, India}, journal = {HERPETOZOA }, volume = {35}, year = {2022}, month = {03/2022}, pages = {65-76}, abstract = {

A new species of bent-toed geckos of the genus Cyrtodactylus is described from western Arunachal Pradesh. The new species is a member of the Indo-Burma clade and is embedded within the {\textquoteleft}peguensis" group, a relationship deduced contingent on a partial fragment of mitochondrial NADH subunit 2 gene. Cyrtodactylus kamengensis sp. nov. is morphologically similar to C. himalayicus from which it differs in bearing a distinct ventrolateral fold and 6-8 basal lamellae on digit IV of pes. Genetically, the new species is sister to the Indian lineage of the {\textquoteleft}peguensis" group containing C. bhupathyi and C. gubernatoris. The Indian lineage of the {\textquoteleft}peguen-sis" group diverged from its Burmese relatives during the mid-Oligocene likely followed by the beginning of the Himalayan uplift, highlighting the role of the Himalayas in the diversification of biota.

}, doi = {10.3897/herpetozoa.35.e80610}, author = {Mirza, Zeeshan A and Bhosale, Harshal and Ansari, Faizan and Phansalkar, Pushkar and Sawant, Mandar and Gowande, Gaurang and Patel, Harshil} } @article {104887, title = {A new species of geckos of the genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 from Arunachal Pradesh, India}, journal = {Evolutionary Systematics}, volume = {5}, year = {2021}, month = {01/2021}, pages = {13-23}, abstract = {

We here describe a new species of bent-toed geckos from the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is widespread across the Dafla and Mishmi hills, occurring at elevations ranging from 179 m to 1400 m. The new species is recovered as sister to the Cyrtodactylus khasiensis clade based on a molecular phylogeny inferred from mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase, subunit 2 gene. Intraspecific uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence (p-distance) for the new species was found to be between 0 and 5\%, whereas the interspecific divergence from the closely-related congeners was between 19 and 30\%. The new species can be differentiated from members of the C. khasiensis clade using a suite of morphological characters: moderate body size (SVL 64.9{\textendash}81.7); 8{\textendash}11 supralabials; 8{\textendash}10 infralabials; 24{\textendash}26 bluntly conical, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles; 50{\textendash}60 paravertebral tubercles; ~38 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; no precloacal groves; 6{\textendash}10 precloacofemoral pores in a continuous series; 10{\textendash}16 distal subdigital lamellae on IV of pes; subcaudal scalation of original tail without enlarged plates. This is the fourth reptile species described from Arunachal Pradesh from the expedition led by the team, and this further highlights the need for further herpetological investigations into the region.

}, doi = {10.3897/evolsyst.5.61667}, author = {Mirza, Zeeshan A and Harshal Bhosale and Ansari, Faizan and Phansalkar, Pushkar and Sawant, Mandar and Gowande, Gaurang and Patel, Harshil} } @article {104891, title = {A new species of snake of the genus Oligodon Boie in Fitzinger, 1826 (Reptilia, Serpentes) from the Western Himalayas}, journal = {Evolutionary Systematics}, volume = {5}, year = {2021}, month = {11/2021}, pages = {335-345 }, abstract = {

A new species of Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 is described based on specimens collected from Churah Valley of Himachal Pradesh. The new species is related to O. arnensis based on molecular as well as morphological data, however differs from it in several aspects. The new species shows a pairwise sequence divergence of 6{\textendash}20\% from congeners for mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Lack of pterygoid and palatine teeth of the new species suggests that the diet may largely comprise of eggs. Discovery of the new species is not surprising, as the Western Himalayas has been poorly explored in terms of its herpetofaunal diversity. Considerable genetic divergence in the sampled sequence suggests Oligodon arnensis is a species complex, likely represents multiple species and a revision of the group would be desirable.

}, doi = {10.3897/evolsyst.5.72564 }, author = {Mirza, Zeeshan A and Bhardwaj, Virender Kumar and Patel, Harshil} } @article {88387, title = {A new species of snail-eating snakes of the genus Pareas Wagler, 1830 (Reptilia: Serpentes) from eastern Himalayas, India}, journal = {EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TAXONOMY}, volume = {729}, year = {2020}, month = {12/2020}, pages = {54-73}, abstract = {

A new species of snail-eating snakes of the genus Pareas Wagler, 1830 is described from the eastern Himalayas. The species Pareas kaduri sp. nov. differs from all known species of the genus in bearing the following suite of characters: SVL 455-550 mm, TaL/TL 0.184-0.207, brown dorsum with black transverse bands throughout the body, 15 dorsal scale rows throughout the body and mid-dorsal vertebral scale rows enlarged, 8 rows keeled in males, loreal not touching orbit, ventrals 160-183, subcaudals 65-70 in males, 52 in one female specimen, hemipenis short, unilobed and 6-7 maxillary teeth. Molecular data for mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome b genes further attest the distinctness of the new species, which was recovered as a member of the Pareas hamptoni clade. Our work brings the total number of species recognized within the genus Pareas to 20.

}, doi = {10.5852/ejt.2020.729.1191}, author = {Bhosale, Harshal and Phansalkar, Pushkar and Sawant, Mandar and Gowande, Gaurang and Patel, Harshil and Mirza, Z.A} } @article {43854, title = {First appearance deceives many: disentangling the species complex using an integrated approach.}, journal = {PeerJ}, volume = {6}, year = {2018}, month = {2018}, pages = {e5341}, abstract = {

The gekkonid lizard genus Oken is the second most species-rich genus of geckos with greatest diversity in the tropical regions of the world. Some species of the genus are commensal and widespread; however, there are several endemic lineages with restricted distribution. India is home to at least 35 species, with 20 endemic species and the number is steadily increasing with exploration of new habitats and integrated taxonomic approach including molecular data. We made investigations into the molecular and morphological variation throughout the distribution of Daudin, 1802 based on fresh specimens, literature review, museum material and molecular data. Results from morphological, molecular and micro-CT based anatomical data are unequivocal and show that is a species complex represented by three species, sensu stricto and two undescribed taxa. Jerdon, 1854 syn. nov. was found to be morphologically similar to the type specimen of , and genetically embedded in a clade containing sensu stricto and is here treated as a junior synonym of , whereas Deraniyagala is referred to as given that the types are presently not traceable and the original description is inadequate in diagnosing the taxon. The populations from western-central India and parts of Pakistan, and from southern Karnataka are distinct and diagnosable, and are herein described as two new species, respectively. Morphological and molecular data support the distinctiveness of the new species. The present work resolves a taxonomic turmoil that lasted over two centuries highlighting the need for studies that integrate morphological and molecular data.

}, issn = {2167-8359}, doi = {10.7717/peerj.5341}, author = {Mirza, Zeeshan A and Gowande, Gaurang G and Patil, Rishikesh and Ambekar, Mayuresh and Patel, Harshil} } @article {12890, title = {Back from the dead! Resurrection and revalidation of the Indian endemic snake genus Wallophis Werner, 1929 (Squamata: Colubridae) insights from molecular data.}, journal = {Mitochondrial DNA A DNA Mapp Seq Anal}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Jan 27}, pages = {1-7}, abstract = {

The monotypic colubrid snake genus Wallophis is revalidated and rediagnosed. Partial sequence for nuclear gene Oocyte maturation factor Mos (c-mos), mitochondrial Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4) and cytochrome b (cyt b) were used to assess phylogenetic relationship. Wallophis brachyura type species for the genus was found to be a member of the Western Palearctic clade of Colubrinae and is recovered as a sister taxa to Wallaceophis gujaratensis. Wallophis differs from Wallaceophis in an uncorrected pairwise p-distance of 17\% for mitochondrial ND4 gene. Wallaceophis gujaratensis was described in three different spellings in the literature hence we here propose Wallaceophis gujaratensis as the correct spelling for the species based on provisions in the article 24.2.3. of the International Code for Zoological Nomenclature.

}, issn = {2470-1408}, doi = {10.1080/24701394.2016.1278536}, author = {Mirza, Zeeshan A and Patel, Harshil} } @article {5308, title = {A New Miocene-Divergent Lineage of Old World Racer Snake from India.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {11}, year = {2016}, month = {2016}, pages = {e0148380}, abstract = {

A distinctive early Miocene-divergent lineage of Old world racer snakes is described as a new genus and species based on three specimens collected from the western Indian state of Gujarat. Wallaceophis gen. et. gujaratenesis sp. nov. is a members of a clade of old world racers. The monotypic genus represents a distinct lineage among old world racers is recovered as a sister taxa to Lytorhynchus based on ~3047bp of combined nuclear (cmos) and mitochondrial molecular data (cytb, ND4, 12s, 16s). The snake is distinct morphologically in having a unique dorsal scale reduction formula not reported from any known colubrid snake genus. Uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence for nuclear gene cmos between Wallaceophis gen. et. gujaratenesis sp. nov. other members of the clade containing old world racers and whip snake is 21-36\%.

}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0148380}, author = {Mirza, Zeeshan A and Vyas, Raju and Patel, Harshil and Maheta, Jaydeep and Sanap, Rajesh V} }