Roger Bour

Evolutionary distinctiveness of the extinct Yunnan box turtle (Cuora yunnanensis) revealed by DNA from an old museum specimen

Cuora yunnanensis is an extinct turtle known from 12 specimens collected from Yunnan, China, before 1908. We used ancient DNA methods to sequence 1723 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA from a museum specimen of C. yunnanensis. Unlike some rare ‘species’ recently described from the pet trade, C. yunnanensis represents a lineage that is distinct from other known turtles. Besides C. yunnanensis, two other valid species (C. mccordi, C. zhoui) are unknown in the wild but are supposedly from Yunnan. Intensive field surveys for surviving wild populations of these critically endangered species are urgently needed.

Turtles and Tortoises of Togo: Historical Data, Distribution, Ecology, and Conservation

Abstract The chelonian fauna of Togo (West Africa) has been scarcely studied to date. In this article, we review and summarize all available data on the distribution, ecology, and conservation status of the chelonian species of Togo and present a short historical perspective on the development of studies on these reptiles. Overall, 13 chelonian species are found in Togo, 4 being marine, 3 terrestrial, and 6 freshwater. Among the marine species, only 2 of them nest on Togolese beaches (Lepidochelys olivacea and Dermochelys coriacea). Two species (Chelonia mydas and L. olivacea) are still locally common. Concerning the terrestrial and freshwater species, they differed remarkably in terms of their distribution by ecological zone. Cluster analyses revealed the existence of 3 clusters of species, 1 that contains the “forest” species, 1 accommodating the Sudanese savannah species, and a third cluster for the generalist savannah species. The conservation status of the various species and their dissimilarities in terms of threat score categories were assessed through a multivariate model following published work on African chelonian species in general. The results of this model indicate that the potentially most threatened species in Togo are Kinixys erosa, Kinixys homeana, and the 2 Cyclanorbis species (C. senegalensis and C. elegans), with Trionyx triunguis also being possibly seriously threatened. Overall, using the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List criteria, the concurrent presence of 2 Critically Endangered (K. homeana, C. elegans), 1 Endangered (K. erosa), and several Vulnerable species shows that the chelonian fauna of Togo should be of priority relevance for the competent international agencies.

Liste inédite des Reptiles et Amphibiens récoltés par Alcide dˈOrbigny en Amérique méridionale

Abstract The complete list of Reptiles and Amphibians collected by dˈOrbigny in South America (Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia) is published for the first time. The list consists of six species of Chelonians, 26 of Saurians, 22 of Ophidians and 16 of Amphibians (one Gymnophiona and 15 Anura). In this list, 31 species were new and are still valid. The plates were published separately and prior to the publication of the ‘Reptiles’ chapter in the Voyage dans lˈAmerique meridionale , and sometimes before the corresponding volume of the Erpetologie generale of Dumeril and Bibron 〚3〛 . The publication dates of the plates change the known name, author(s) and dates of the several figured species.

Nomenclatural availability of preliminary electronic versions of taxonomic papers: in need of a clear definition

Abstract. The question of the nomenclatural availability of preliminary electronic versions of taxonomic papers, distributed online ‘ahead of print’ by some journals and publishing companies, is addressed again. We disagree with Krells suggestion to ‘distinguish between content and bibliographical metadata’. The concept of ‘bibliographical metadata’ does not exist in the Code and should not be incorporated into it. The citation of publication date, issue and page numbers are part of the relevant information that is useful in bibliographic references, in text citations and in synonymic lists that appear in taxonomic publications (which have a much longer life than most other publications), and should be considered part of the ‘content’ of a taxonomic paper. In particular, the page of first appearance of a name or of a nomenclatural act is traditionally cited in taxonomic revisions, monographs, faunas and catalogues, whether printed or stored in online databases, and this information is very useful for serious taxonomists. Having two different sets of information in this respect, in a first version of the work first published online but then discarded from the website of the journal, and in a subsequent one included into a journal issue, would be an indisputable source of confusion, which would not be solved by calling artificially both these versions the ‘version of record’ as if they were identical. The fact that ‘pagination is not regulated’ by the Code is fully irrelevant here: many aspects of taxonomic works are not regulated by the Code but are of crucial importance for the discipline of taxonomy. Krells proposal is motivated, according to his own words, by some publishers’ desire to make their publications more ‘attractive as outlets of taxonomic research’. But the purpose of the Code is not to make some journals more attractive than others; it is to help working taxonomists in their daily work, to make it easier, more straightforward, efficient, reliable and useful, and less prone to ambiguity. We recommend rejecting Krells suggestion. On the other hand, we make the new proposal of the creation of a ‘label’ to which some online journals and publishing companies might adhere, taking the engagement to publish online only one single version of each paper, with its final date, issue number and pagination. Authors will then have the possibility to choose their publication outlet among those having this label or those following the practice of ‘early view’. Currently, such preliminary versions of papers are unavailable under the 2012 Amendment of the Code.