Jakob Hallermann

Leibniz Institute for the analyses of Biodiversity change · Zoological Museum Hamburg

Lankascincus dorsicatenatus is an endemic species of litter-skink distributed throughout the wet zone of Sri Lanka (elevations from 15 to 800 m a.s.l.). The recent resurrection of Lygosoma megalops by the recent description of its neotype designated by Batuwita (2019), presently lost, destabilized the taxonomic status of Lankascincus dorsicatenatus...

First results of a catch-recapture study on the green toad (Bufotes viridis) In a former gravel pit near Woltersdorf in Schleswig-Holstein The green toad (Bufotes viridis) is a rare amphibian in Germany. According to the Red List of Schleswig-Holstein and the IUCN red list category, it is critically endangered. Therefore, the study of the existing...

Annandale (1906) described Lygosoma megalops, now in the genus Lankascincus, based on two syntypes collected from Kitulgala and Puttalam in Sri Lanka. These syntypes have not been recognized since the original description. In 2019, Batuwita designated a neotype, WHT 6545, for Ly. megalops from Kitulgala. The number WHT '6545' does not exist in the...

Bronchocela jubata Duméril and Bibron, 1837 is one of the commonest species of the genus, known mostly from Java Island and southern parts of Sumatra. It is rare in Bali and Borneo. The juveniles are often confused with its morphologically similar congener, B. cristatella, which occurs widely throughout the Indonesian Archipelago and Peninsular Mal...

Bronchocela hayeki (Müller, 1928) is one of the rarest species of the genus, known only from a handful of museum specimens from five locations in North Sumatra, and often confused with its similar congener, B. cristatella, which occurs widely throughout the Indonesian Archipelago and Peninsular Malaysia. Here, we examined the morphology of B. hayek...

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 Pakist...

We review the taxonomic status of Oligodon waandersi sensu lato after examining all the name-bearing types (including synonyms) and morphological evidence. Oligodon waandersi sensu stricto is widely distributed (up to 1200 m above sea level) throughout the southern, some parts of the central, and the northern slopes of Central Sulawesi Island, Indo...

The taxonomic status of the São Tomé and Príncipe islands 'Cobras Jitas', genus Boaedon, has been a subject of confusion. Historically, these island populations have been referred to as part of either the Boaedon fuliginosus species complex or Boaedon capensis species complex, two of the most taxonomically challenging groups of African snakes, or c...

No central online repository exists for the collection of animal images; hence it remains unclear how extensively species have been illustrated in the published literature or online. Here we compiled a list of more than 8000 reptile species (out of 11,341) that have photos in one of six popular online repositories, namely iNaturalist (6,349 species...

The herpetological material of the 1905 Hamburg expedition to southwest Australia is redetermined and listed with precise locality data and habitat details. Of this material, 275 specimens of 57 species are still part of the herpetological collection of the Zoological Museum Hamburg (ZMH). A map showing 47 (out of 167) collecting points is provided...

An integrative taxonomic review of the genus Boaedon in Angola is provided. A molecular phylogeny, based on 99 genetic samples for which the mitochondrial markers 16S rRNA have been sequenced, reveals 23 monophyletic species-level groups in Africa and indicates the presence of nine species in Angola. Based on both phylogenetic and morphological dat...

Lophyrus spinosus Duméril & Duméril, 1851 has been considered synonymous with Bronchocela marmorata Gray, 1845 since its original description. The name-bearing type of Lophyrus spinosus is the specimen collected by Hombron and Jacquinot (MNHN 6896) by original designation and the holotype by monotypy of Bronchocela marmorata is the specimen deposit...

The tricarinate skink Scincus multifasciatus was described by Kuhl in 1820, without the subsequent designation of a type specimen or specific type locality. In 1930, Mertens assigned the type locality as Java, Indonesia, but still with no type specimen. Therefore, in order to stabilize the name with a recognized type specimen, we designate a neotyp...

Amphisbaena slateri is a rare species of worm lizard from Peru and Bolivia, known only from three specimens. We found two additional specimens of this taxon, housed at the herpetological collections of the Zoological Museum (Cenak), Universität Hamburg, and the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, updating its known geographic distribution...

Originally four species have been summarized by Duméril, Bibron & Duméril (1854) in their important work „Erpétologie Générale...“ in the newly created genus Boaedon. Two of them are described as new species. �The species are known as house snakes, and it s��uffered in the a�ftermath from a changing history around generic names. Apart from di�erent...

Eutropis rugifera has long been identified as a widespread species complex distributed in Nicobar, Peninsular Malaysia, Greater Sundaic Islands, Bali, Sulawesi and the Philippines. This skink was described by Stoliczka in 1870 from Nicobar Island based on a single specimen (holotype by monotypy). Later, Peters (1871), Bartlett (1895) and Werner (18...

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009;...

This plot is not part of the published stance but derives from it. The plot shows the number of authors by geographic region (courtesy of Dr. Diego Astua).

The original description of Anguis ruffa (now Cylindrophis ruffus) given by Laurenti in 1768 is not sufficiently comprehensive for the morphological identification of the species, and the type locality, given as “Surinami,” is in error. However, Schlegel in 1844 corrected the type locality as “Java in Indonesia.” There is also, currently, no proof...

A new species of agamid lizard, of the genus Calotes, is described based on morphological evidence. This species is restricted to the Knuckles massif (>900 m elevation) of Sri Lanka. The genus Calotes consists of seven species in Sri Lanka, five of which appear to form an endemic radiation. The new species most closely resembles C. liocephalus Günt...

Leioselasma czeblukovi (a junior synonym of Hydrophis geometricus), is a species of sea snake only known from north-west Australian waters. The first record of this rare sea snake in northern New Guinean waters is documented. This record significantly increases the distribution of the species. Major morphological features of all known specimens of...

A little-known sea krait Pseudolaticauda schistorhynchus from the northern waters of New Guinea Island (Bertrand Island) is described. We note the considerable remoteness of this record from the main species range and its closeness to the distribution area of the closely related species P. semifasciata, which some authors consider to be a northern...

The nasal capsule and nasal sac of Dibamus taylori are described based on a plate reconstruction of serially sectioned material and are compared with several other squamate taxa. The ethmoidal region of D. taylori is characterized by a short nasal vestibule, a well developed concha, a much reduced and nearly functionless Jacobson's organ, an incomp...

The type series of Acanthosaura fruhstorferi and Calotes brevipes are redescribed, lectotypes for both species are designated. A. fruhstorferi Werner, 1904 is synonymous with A. lepidogaster Cuvier, 1829. Calotes brevipes is placed in the genus Pseudocalotes. A taxonomic synopsis is presented. A key to the agamid genera Acanthosaura, Bronchocela, C...

A list of some poorly known, obscure or neglected type specimens of colubrids, elapids, and viperids from the ZMB collection is provided together with some specimens of questionable type status. The taxonomic status of the African species Mehelya baumanni, M. riggenbachi and M. rostralis, described by Sternfeld in 1908 and 1910, is discussed in mor...

We provide an annotated catalogue of all specimens of amphibians and reptiles collected by WILHELM EHRHARDT in Brazil and held at the Zoological Museum of the University of Hamburg (ZMH). EHRHARDT lived and operated as animal collector and taxidermist in Brazil between 1897 and 1936, and supplied several museums with numerous and often rare zoologi...

We report on the rediscovery of the type specimen of Phrynobatrachus monticola Fischer, 1884 and clarify its real taxonomic position within the sub‐Saharan ranid genus Tomopterna. We redescribe the type and compare it to the other four currently recognized East African Tomopterna species. However, based on usual morphological criteria, right now it...

We report on the rediscovery of the type specimen of Phrynobatrachus monticola Fischer, 1884 and clarify its real taxonomic position within the sub-Saharan ranid genus Tomopterna. We redescribe the type and compare it to the other four currently recognized East African Tomopterna species. However, based on usual morphological criteria, right now it...

We describe a new species of lizard of the genus Pseudocalotes from Bukit Larut in the state of Perak, West Malaysia. This represents the third species of Pseudocalotes known from the Malay peninsula. In scale counts and body proportions, it is most similar to P. floweri from Thailand and Cambodia, but it differs from that species in characteristic...

A new species of the genus Pseudocalotes (P. dringi n. sp.) from the mountain forest of Western Malaysia is described. The holotype of the new species was formerly regarded as a syntype of P. floweri. A review of all species of the genus is given including a differential diagnosis and a key to the species. Diagnostic characters for the genera Bronc...