Species New to Science

The poorly known Gracixalus medogensis (Ye and Hu, 1984) was originally described from the Medog region in Tibet, China based on a single specimen. Despite a recently reported new collection from the type locality, knowledge about the species remains limited. During our recent field surveys in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, India, we collected new populations of Gracixalus frogs from Tale Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiwarigaon. These were identified as belonging to G. medogensis based on external morphology and genetic evidence, constituting the first record of the species from India. Our matrilineal genealogy further recovers G. medogensis as having a deeply divergent phylogenetic position distinct from all other congeners. Additionally, we present a detailed morphological redescription of the species using multiple specimens. We also provide first insights into the male vocal repertoire in the species and compare it with call properties of other studied congeners. Furthermore, we report additional locality records in Namdapha National Park for G. patkaiensis, which was so far known as the sole representative of the genus in India. We also expand the knowledge on this species’ morphology, including colour variations, natural history, and habitat use. Our study additionally documents an interesting observation of green blood and turquoise bones in G. patkaiensis, making it the first report of this unique characteristic in a species of frog from India. Finally, our findings highlight the need to further investigate not only the diversity of Gracixalus in the northeastern region of India, but also the phylogenetic relationships among members, particularly of G. medogensis, and of Gracixalus sensu lato at large.

 

Keywords: Clusiaceae, Garcinia section Brindonia, new species, Northeast India

Jatindra Sarma and Hussain A. Barbhuiya. 2025. Garcinia kusumae (Clusiaceae): A New Species From Assam, India.  Feddes Repertorium. DOI: doi.org/10.1002/fedr.70018 [03 July 2025]

A new hemiparasitic species, Pedicularis rajeshiana (Orobanchaceae), from Rohtang in the Western Himalayas, India is described and illustrated. The new species differs from all the previously known species of Pedicularis by it’s corolla having deeply-incised labium lobes and unusual staminal insertion points at three levels on the corolla tube. Critical macro- and micro-morphological character analysis including the pollen morphology, supported this species delineation from all the other known species of Pedicularis L. and the new species is placed in the series Debiles of section Orthorrhynchae, subsection Euorthorrhynchae having plants with low grassy habit and the filaments inserted above middle of corolla tube. The new species is closely allied to the two species, P. porrecta and P. heydei but differs from both these by its tiny size, fewer-flowered inflorescence, fewer leaf-pinnae, deeply-incised labium lobes almost to the base, stamens inserted at three different levels on corolla tube and bicolpate, prolate pollen grains with crotonoid exine sculpture. Two flowers with twin (double) galea were observed which is an innovative floral trait never found earlier in this genus, suggesting acquired, adaptive and evolutionary transition towards more precise pollination.

 

 

Ayikkara Vivek Chandran, David Valiyaparambil Raju, Subin Kaniyamattathil Jose and Zeeshan Ayaz Mirza. 2023. A New Species of Epithemis Laidlaw, 1955 (Odonata: Libellulidae), from the Western Ghats, India. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 16(4); 597-604. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2023.08.006