Stephen Mahony

Field Museum of Natural History · Negaunee Integrative Research Center

Molecular dating studies typically need fossils to calibrate the analyses. Unfortunately, the fossil record is extremely poor or presently non-existent for many species groups, rendering such dating analysis difficult. One such group is the Asian horned frogs (Megophryinae). Sampling all generic nomina, we combined a novel ∼5kb dataset composed of...

Megophrys parva is currently considered to be among the most widely dispersed species within the genus, however, recent studies have provided compelling evidence that this species represents a complex of morphologically similar, deeply divergent taxa. The focus of this paper is to take a closer look at species from Northeast India (NEI) and Banglad...

A new species of Cyrtodactylus is described from Tamenglong District in northwestern Manipur State, northeast India. The new species is diagnosed from other congeners based on a combination of morphological characters and molecular data (NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene, ND2). Molecular analyses placed the new species as the sister taxon to C. mon...

Seven species of the Asian torrent frogs (genus Amolops) have previously been reported from the eastern Himalayan country of Bhutan. Species identifications from the region have been largely based on photographed animals with few voucher specimens available and no molecular sampling. Understanding the taxonomic status of Bhutan’s torrent frogs has...

Although the differentiation of clades at the species level is usually based on a justifiable and testable conceptual framework, the demarcation of supraspecific boundaries is less objective and often subject to differences of opinion. The increased availability of large-scale phylogenies has in part promulgated a practice of what we consider exces...

The red-spotted tokay gecko Gekko gecko (Linnaeus, 1758) is a widely distributed Asian gecko that has established outside of its native range in Florida, USA. This study used genotypic and phenotypic data to determine whether multiple, distinct forms of red-spotted tokay gecko are present in Florida, specifically the morphologically distinct " G. g...

A known haven of amphibian diversity, South Asia is also a hotspot of taxonomic confusions. Vastly distributed from Saudi Arabia to Myanmar, the dicroglossid genus Euphlyctis (“skittering” or “skipper” frogs) is a representative example. Combining phylogenetic analyses with 16S barcoding and genome size variation of 403 frogs from 136 localities, w...

This article talks about the Amolops species in Bhutan and also describes new to science species from Bhutan.

The article "Mahony S and Kamei RG (2022) A new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Manipur State, northeast India, with a critical review highlighting extensive errors in literature covering bent-toed geckos of the Indo-Burma region" (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2021.1994667) was originally published online without a n...

Tak Horned Toad Megophrys takensis has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2020. Megophrys takensis is listed as Endangered under criteria B1ab(iii).

Recent taxonomic and systematic research on Cyrtodactylus khasiensis has found that this nomen comprises a large number of superficially similar but deeply divergent species-level taxa from throughout northeast India and surrounding countries. In this study we focus on the taxonomic status of recently surveyed populations from the East Garo Hills a...

Northeast Indian biodiversity has long been considered to have a stronger affinity to Southeast Asian rather than Peninsular Indian fauna, however, few molecular phylogenetic studies have explored this hypothesis. In Asia, the polyphyletic gekkonid genus Cnemaspis sensu lato is comprised of two distantly related groups; one primarily from South Asi...

The genus Megophrys is known to harbour morphological cryptic species diversity. During field work on Vietnam’s third highest peak, Mount Ky Quan San, north-west Vietnam, we collected specimens of a new species of Megophrys at two locations more than 2000 m above sea level (asl). Phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial markers place the new speci...

The montane agamid lizard genus Oriocalotes is currently considered monotypic, represented by the species, O. paulus. The systematic status of this taxon has remained questionable since its initial descriptions in the mid-1800s. A detailed molecular and morphological study was carried out to assess the validity of this genus, and its systematic pos...

"Submission abstract" In zoology, each genus-level name must be unique in order to prevent confusion. Instances where taxonomists unintentionally provide a name for their newly discovered animals that is already in use is relatively rare. When discovered, the oldest application of the name is generally preserved, and the more recently named genus m...

We use mitochondrial sequence data to identify divergent lineages within the gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus in northeast India and use morphological data to describe six new species from within the Indo-Burma clade of Cyrtodactylus. The new species share an irregular colour pattern but differ from described species from the region in morphology and m...

The Megophrys major species group (MMSG) is composed of typically medium to large sized frogs. Within the genus, it is the most geographically widespread clade ranging from the western Himalayas to southern Indochina. In this study, we examined in detail the extent of cryptic diversity within the MMSG-Indian populations based on molecular data (up...

Megophrys are a group of morphologically conserved, primarily forest-dependent frogs known to harbour cryptic species diversity. In this study, we examined populations of small-sized Megophrys from mid- and high elevation locations in the Hoang Lien Range, northern Vietnam. On the basis of morphological, molecular and bioacoustic data, individuals...

Two new species of the genus Cyrtodactylus are described based on collections from Northeast India, and descriptions and diagnoses of previously described species and synonyms from the region are provided. One of the new species from lowland habitats in Tripura is medium sized, with a continuous series of precloacal pores, and is allied to C. ayeya...

The Asian frog genus Megophrys is a diverse group of morphologically conserved, forest-dwelling frogs. The genus harbours highly localised species diversification and new species continue to be described on a regular basis. We examined the taxonomic status of a population of Megophrys frogs from the Hoang Lien Range in northern Vietnam and southern...

Asian Mountain Toads (Ophryophryne) are a poorly known genus of mostly small-sized anurans from southeastern China and Indochina. To shed light on the systematics within this group, the most comprehensive mitochondrial DNA phylogeny for the genus to date is presented, and the taxonomy and biogeography of this group is discussed. Complimented with e...

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).

Despite renewed interest in the biogeography and evolutionary history of Old World tree frogs (Rhacophoridae), this family still includes enigmatic frogs with ambiguous phylogenetic placement. During fieldwork in four northeastern states of India, we discovered several populations of tree hole breeding frogs with oophagous tadpoles. We used molecul...

Lectotype of Polypedates jerdonii (= Frankixalus jerdonii), NHM 1947.2.7.84 (ex BMNH 1872.4.17.189). (A) dorsal view, (B) ventral view, (C) lateral view of head, (D) ventral view of hand, (E) ventral view of foot, (F) schematic illustration of webbing on foot. (PDF)

Snout shapes of Frankixalus and Kurixalus eiffingeri. A–C, K. eiffingeri (AMNH A14498, an adult female from Taiwan). (A) rounded in dorsal view, (B) rounded and protruding in ventral view, (C) rounded in lateral view; D–F, Frankixalus jerdonii (SDBDU 2009.1163). (D) truncate in dorsal view, (E) non-protruding semi-circular in ventral view, (F) vert...

Abbreviations. (A) Material and methods adult morphology, (B) Material and methods larval morphology, (C) Museum and people. (DOC)

Description of the lectotype of Polypedates jerdonii (= Frankixalus jerdonii), NMH 1947.2.7.84 (ex BMNH 1872.4.17.189), and additional specimens of F. jerdonii examined. (A) Description of lectotype (all measurements in mm), (B) Specimens of Frankixalus jerdonii examined. (DOC)

List of taxa and DNA sequences included in this study. (DOC)

Bayesian consensus phylogram of the total dataset showing phylogenetic relationships among 86 taxa representing all known rhacophorid genera and one outgroup species. Numbers above and below the branches represent Bayesian Posterior Probabilities obtained for the nuclear and mitochondrial datasets, respectively. (PDF)

Morphometric measurements (in mm) of the specimens used in this study. Status of specimens is given after the Museum number: LT- Lectotype, PL-Paralectotype, RS- Referred specimens. (DOC)

A systematic revision of the genus Hylarana in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot is presented. Species de-lineation in Hylarana is complicated due to a lack of distinct colour differences or striking morphological characters, leading to potential misidentification. We conducted extensive surveys throughout the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka...

Abstract Northeast India is a well-established region of biological importance but remains poorly understood with regards to the species level identifications of many of its extant amphibians. In this study we examined small sized frogs from the genus Megophrys recently collected from remote and suburban forests in the northeast Indian states of Me...

A taxonomic revision of the Western Ghats species from the genus Rhacophorus is presented. Based on museum studies and new collections from localities spanning the known range of Western Ghats Rhacophorus, we review the four known species of this genus, their type specimens, current taxonomic status and their geographic distribution on the basis of...

ast Indian amphibian systematics and taxonomy is receiving increasing interest from herpetologists in recent years as remote, previously unexplored areas become more accessible for surveying. Even locations nearby cosmopolitan cities have the potential to produce taxonomic novelties. Herein we describe a new species of Megophrys from the foot-hills...

The Hemidactylus brookii group taxon has received increased attention in recent years from systematists and taxonomists attempting to unravel the complicated issues of its synonyms. In this study, a morphological approach is adopted to reexamine the syntypes of Hemidactylus brookii and Hemidactylus subtriedroides. The syntype series of H. brookii i...

A taxonomic revision of the genus Nyctibatrachus is presented. As a result, we recognize 27 species, 12 of which are new to science and described herein. Three ‘lost’ species—Nyctibatrachus sanctipalustris, Nyctibatrachus sylvaticus and Nannobatrachus kempholeyensis are rediscovered after their original descriptions and the latter two species are n...

Abstract Two new species of the genus Megophrys are described from historical collections presented by Malcolm A. Smith to The Natural History Museum, London, in the early twentieth century. These specimens were previously misidentified as Megophrys parva, a widespread Asian species apparently comprised of a species complex. Megophrys damrei sp. no...

The systematic status of many Asian Draconine agamids has long been in dispute. Herein, four such species, Mictopholis austeniana, Japalura kaulbacki, Calotes kingdonwardi and Salea kakhienensis are examined on the basis of external morphological characters. The monotypic genus Mictopholis was compared to other Asian Draconine genera and found to b...

Two distinctive new species of torrent frogs, Amolops nidorbellus sp. nov. and Amolops kohimaensis sp. nov. are described from the state of Nagaland in northeast India. Both species are compared with all known congeners. Amolops nidorbellus sp. nov. morphologically belongs to a group of torrent frogs including A. caelumnoctis, A. splendissimus, A....

First record of Chiromantis doriae from Bangladesh

The genus Cyrtodactylus has previously been represented on checklists of Bangladesh herpetofauna by only one species, Cyrtodactylus khasiensis. Herein we propose that previous citations of this species were likely based on misidentifications of C. ayeyarwadyensis, a species that was considered endemic to southwestern Myanmar. We provide a northern...

We present here details of a collection of herpetofauna from Bangladesh, held at the Jahangirnagar University Herpetological Group, Dhaka. This collection is comprised of at least 58 species, six are tentatively identified to their nearest described species which themselves are recognised to consist of more than one cryptic species. Four species co...

Cyrtodactylus khasiensis tamaiensis was described based on a unique specimen from north-eastern Myanmar. The holotype is redescribed, and the taxon elevated to species status based on distinct and in part overlooked differences compared with the nominal form. Diagnostic characters of C. tamaiensis are as follows: 40 precloacalfemoral pores in an al...

A new species of the agamid genus Japalura is described, based on three specimens from Mizoram, northeast India. Japalura otai sp. nov. is most similar to J. planidorsata and J. sagittifera and can be distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: adult size (SVL male 46.4 mm, female 52.2-58.7 mm), tail length/SVL rati...

A new species of Hemidactylus herein is described from a small population in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is compared with all Indian congeneric species from which it differs by the following combination of characters; SVL 59.1 – 70.2 mm, 15 – 16 transverse rows of tubercles at midbody, 6 transverse rows of tubercles on the first segment of...

We question the historical records of Hemidactylus karenorum in India.

Range extension within Cambodia. LIPINIA VITTIGERA (Striped Tree Skink). CAMBODIA: SIEMREAP PROVINCE: Preah Khan Temple (13.4619444°N,103.8722222°E), Angkor

A herpetofaunal survey was conducted at a relatively disturbed area in Milonchari, central Chittagong Hill Tracts. A total of 24 species (11 frog, nine lizard and four snake species) from 21 different genera, were documented. Of these, at least two lizard species are new records for Bangladesh. One of these, Lygosoma lineolatum, was previously cons...

The species Rana mawphlangensis Pillai and Chanda, 1977, is placed in the genus Odorrana based on morphological characters of the holotype. The species is formally redescribed, with inclusion of notes on observations in the wild and photos of live specimens are made available for the first time. It differs from all currently recognized congenerics...

New country record. LYGOSOMA BOWRINGII (Bowring's Supple Skink).BANGLADESH: COMILLA DISTRICT: Lalmai-Tipperah Hills(23' 22'N,9 I'07'E),

First record of Kalophrynus interlineatus (/orangensis?) in Bangladesh.