Pinda shrirangii,a new elegant species of Apiaceae from the northern Western Ghats,India

A new species, Pinda shrirangii Gosavi & Chandore, is described and illustrated from a high-elevation region of northern Western Ghats, India. The new species is closely allied to the only other species in the genus, Pinda concanensis (Dalzell) P.K.Mukh. & Constance which was also described from the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra state of India. Coloured photographs and illustrations are provided to facilitate the identification.     

A unique radiation of marine littorinid snails in the freshwater streams of the Western Ghats of India: the genus Cremnoconchus W.T. Blanford, 1869 (Gastropoda: Littorinidae)

The caenogastropod family Littorinidae is almost exclusively marine, but a unique freshwater genus, Cremnoconchus, is known from India. Its members are restricted to montane streams on the western escarpment of the Western Ghats, at altitudes between 300 and 1400 m. Four species and several varieties were described in the 19th century, but no taxonomic study has been carried out for over 120 years and the last anatomical report was in 1935. Nevertheless, they are of unusual evolutionary interest and also of conservation concern as a genus endemic to the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Based on anatomical study of newly collected material and examination of historical and type specimens, we present a systematic revision of Cremnoconchus, illustrating shells, radulae, and reproductive anatomy. The very large eggs, invaginated penial filament, and calcified operculum are unique among Littorinidae. Three valid, described species (C. syhadrensis, C. conicus, C. canaliculatus) are recognized in the northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra state, where all can occasionally be found sympatrically. We describe an additional six new species from the central Western Ghats in a small area (linear distance 80 km) of Karnataka state, over 500 km south of the previously known range of the genus. Here the species each appear to be restricted to a single drainage system. Because of their highly restricted distribution and fragile habitat, this radiation of nine species is judged to be endangered. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

Ecological niche modeling for conservation planning of an endemic snail in the verge of becoming a pest in cardamom plantations in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot

Conservation managers and policy makers are often confronted with a challenging dilemma of devising suitable strategies to maintain agricultural productivity while conserving endemic species that at the early stages of becoming pests of agricultural crops. Identification of environmental factors conducive to species range expansion for forecasting species distribution patterns will play a central role in devising management strategies to minimize the conflict between the agricultural productivity and biodiversity conservation. Here, we present results of a study that predicts the distribution of Indrella ampulla, a snail endemic to the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, which is becoming a pest in cardamom (Ellettaria cardamomum) plantations. We determined the distribution patterns and niche overlap between I. ampulla and Ellettaria cardamomum using maximum entropy (MaxEnt) niche modeling techniques under current and future (2020–2080) climatic scenarios. The results showed that climatic (precipitation of coldest quarter and isothermality) and soil (cation exchange capacity of soil [CEC]) parameters are major factors that determine the distribution of I. ampulla in Western Ghats. The model predicted cardamom cultivation areas in southern Western Ghats are highly sensitive to invasion of I. ampulla under both present and future climatic conditions. While the land area in the central Western Ghats is predicted to become unsuitable for I. ampulla and Ellettaria cardamomum in future, we found 71% of the Western Ghats land area is suitable for Ellettaria cardamomum cultivation and 45% suitable for I. ampulla, with an overlap of 35% between two species. The resulting distribution maps are invaluable for policy makers and conservation managers to design and implement management strategies minimizing the conflicts to sustain agricultural productivity while maintaining biodiversity in the region.     

Phylogeny of the freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats (Brachyura,Gecarcinucidae)

The Western Ghats mountain range in India is a biodiversity hotspot for a variety of organisms including a large number of endemic freshwater crab species and genera of the family Gecarcinucidae. The phylogenetic relationships of these taxa, however, have remained poorly understood. Here, we present a phylogeny that includes 90% of peninsular Indian genera based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA and nuclear histone H3 gene sequences. The subfamily Gecarcinucinae was found to be paraphyletic with members of two other subfamilies, Liotelphusinae and Parathelphusinae, nesting within. We identify a well‐supported clade consisting of north Indian species and one clade comprising mostly south Indian species that inhabit the southern ‘sky islands’ of the Western Ghats. Relationships of early diverging genera, however, were resolved with low support. This study also includes newly sampled material from an isolated mountain plateau in the northern part of the Western Ghats, representing a new species of Gubernatoriana, which we describe here as Gubernatoriana basalticola sp. n. The new species is immediately distinguished from its congeners and the related genera Ghatiana and Inglethelphusa by its carapace and cheliped morphology, which are unique among Indian freshwater crabs. This study highlights the urgent need for continued faunistic studies to assess the true diversity of gecarcinucid crabs on the Indian subcontinent, to fully understand the basal phylogenetic relationships within the freshwater crab family Gecarcinucidae, and to evaluate the conservation threat status and biogeography of the montane freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriocaulon belgaumensis</Emphasis>: a new species of Eriocaulaceae from the Western Ghats of India

A new species of Eriocaulon, E. belgaumensis (Eriocaulaceae) is described and illustrated from the Western Ghats, India.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriocaulon epedunculatum</Emphasis>, a new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriocaulaceae</Emphasis> from the Western Ghats,India

Summary  A new species of Eriocaulon, E. epedunculatum (Eriocaulaceae) is described and illustrated from the Western Ghats, India.     

A new species and a new variety of Glyphochloa (Poaceae) from the Western Ghats of India

A new species, Glyphochloa maharashtraensis, and a new variety, Glyphochloa maharasthraensis var. hirsuta are described and illustrated from the Western Ghats of India.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlorophytum gothanense</Emphasis>, a new species of Anthericaceae from the Western Ghats of India

A new species of Chlorophytum is described and illustrated. It is adapted to grow on the open, exposed lateritic plateaus in the Northern Western Ghats of India. The chromosome number of the species is 2n = 28.     

A new species ofAristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) from India with co-evolutionary notes onA. indica and papilionid butterflies

Aristolochia krisagathra, a new species from the Western Ghats of Peninsular India is described, illustrated and included into a key to the four Indian species of the genus. Notes on the host-relationships of these species are also provided, paticularly ofA. indica to papilionid butterflies.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Strobilanthes pothigaiensis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acanthaceae</Emphasis>) — a new species from southern Western Ghats,India

Summary   Strobilanthes pothigaiensis, a new species of Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae) allied to S. foliosus T. Anderson from southern Western Ghats, India, is described and illustrated.     

A new species of Beilschmiedia (Lauraceae) from the Western Ghats,India

Beilschmiedia tirunelvelica is described and illustrated as a new species from the Western Ghats of Agasthiyamalai Biosphere Reserve, India. The differences to similar taxa are provided with dichotomous key and table.     

Distribution Patterns of Slender Loris Subspecies (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Loris lydekkerianus</Emphasis>) in Kerala,Southern India

Gray slender lorises (Loris lydekkerianus) are 1 of 2 nocturnal primate genera occurring in India. Although the distribution and abundance of the species is known for some parts of southern India, the relative distribution of the 2 subspecies, Loris lydekkerianus lydekkerianus and L. l. malabaricus, and their comparative densities and extent of overlap between their distributions remains largely unknown. We investigated the distribution pattern and relative density of slender lorises in the Western Ghats mountain range in the state of Kerala in southern India. We surveyed 36 forest ranges in 17 forest divisions of northern and central Kerala from February to November 2009 for the presence of lorises. We sighted slender lorises in 22 forest ranges in a variety of vegetation types, and the relative abundance of the species ranged from 0.02 to 1.44 lorises/km. Our results confirm that both loris subspecies are present in Kerala: Mysore slender lorises have a narrow patchy distribution on the eastern edges of the Western Ghats mountain range, and Malabar slender lorises have a fairly contiguous distribution on the western slopes of the Western Ghats. We recommend more detailed surveys in southern Kerala to identify the distribution patterns of the subspecies in these areas.     

Isachne edamalayarensis sp. nov. (Poaceae: Micrairoideae) from southern Western Ghats,India

Isachne edamalayarensis, a new species from southern Western Ghats in Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. This species is similar to Isachne oreades (Domin) Bor but can be distinguished by its large and glabrous leaves, unequal glumes, and shape and size of lower and upper glumes.     

Efficiency of RAPD,ISSR and ITS markers in detecting genetic variability among Salacia species sampled from the Western Ghats of Karnataka

Diversity and phylogenetic relationship between four closely related Salacia species, i.e., Salacia chinensis, Salacia macrosperma, Salacia fruticosa and Salacia oblonga, collected from the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India, was assessed. Ten each of RAPD and ISSR primers generated a total of 76 and 68 loci, generating polymorphisms of 92.21 and 89.71%, respectively. Maximum likelihood analysis of the ITS sequences revealed three clades. Dendrogram analyses of RAPD and ISSR revealed two and four clusters, respectively. Overall polymorphism revealed by RAPD was 41.45?±?10%, ISSR was 33.58?±?6.52%, and ITS was 25.50?±?17.25%. Molecular variance revealed significant variance within and among the Salacia species. Tajima’s D neutrality test and Fu’s Fs were negative for all four species, implying presences of rare alleles and population expansion. Comparative study of RAPD, ISSR and ITS for Salacia species has given an insight into the efficiency of each technique in detecting diversity within and among the population sampled in the Western Ghats of Karnataka.

     

Impatiens brittoi (Balsaminaceae) sp. nov. from the southern Western Ghats,India

The new species Impatiens brittoi (Balsaminaceae) allied to I. herbicola Hook. f., is described from the Idukki biodiversity zone of the Western Ghats of India. Detailed notes on morphology, key diagnostic characters, distribution, pollen morphology, conservation status and colour photographs are provided for the identification of the new species.     

Strobilanthes kannanii – a new species of Acanthaceae from the Western Ghats,India

Strobilanthes kannanii, a new species of Acanthaceae from southern Western Ghats is described and illustrated. It shows similarity to S. sessilis in some vegetative, floral and palynological characters. Notes on the habitat, distribution, and affinities are also provided along with color images and line drawings.     

Granite boulders act as deep-time climate refugia: A Miocene divergent clade of rupicolous Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Mysore Plateau,India, with descriptions of three new species

We describe a divergent clade and three new rupicolous species of dwarf geckos of the genus Cnemaspis from the Mysore Plateau, southern India. Cnemaspis bangarasp. nov., C. graniticola sp. nov., and C.yelagiriensis sp. nov. differ from each other by 9%–18% uncorrected ND2 sequence divergence and other South Asian Cnemaspis by 17%–33% and are morphologically distinguishable from all regional congeners and each other. The new species are known from only granite boulders in montane habitats (>1,000 m asl.), just 60–120 km straight-line distance apart from each other. A fossil-calibrated timetree and ancestral area reconstructions indicate South Asian Cnemaspis originated in Western Ghats forests with initial divergence in the Paleocene-Eocene making it perhaps the oldest Indian squamate clade. Cnemaspis that occur in Peninsular India in the dry zone outside the Western Ghats form three independently derived clades that occur in significantly warmer and drier habitats than those in the Western Ghats. The discovery of a Miocene divergent clade from rocky hills on the southern edge of the Mysore Plateau reveals these habitats as novel, long-term climate refugia. This adds to the body of work revealing ancient origins of taxa in the Indian dry zone and supports the Mysore Plateau as an important and overlooked hot spot of lizard biodiversity.     

Echinops sahyadricus sp. nov. (Asteraceae: Cardueae), from the northern Western Ghats,Maharashtra, India

The new species Echinops sahyadricus is discovered and described from northern Western Ghats, India. It is endemic to the Maharashtra state and probably restricted to few high mountain peaks in Western Maharashtra. The new species is distinguished from the related E. echinatus by adaxially glabrous to sparsely elgandular hairy leaf surfaces, larger non-cornigerous synflorescences up to 9 cm in diameter and numerous (19–24) glabrous phyllaries up to 27 mm long. An identification key to all Indian taxa of Echinops, illustration and colour plates are provided.     

Selaginella lakkidiana sp. nov. (Selaginellaceae) from India

Selaginella lakkidiana Nisha, Nampy & Joby sp. nov. from Lakkidi, the Western Ghats of India is described and illustrated. The new species is closely allied to S. chrysorrhizos Spring, but differs by a serrate and smaller sporophyll, smooth megaspores, and reddish brown and pitted microspores.     

Psychotria henryana (Rubiaceae), a new species from the southern Western Ghats,India

Psychotria henryana (Rubiaceae), a new species from the hills of Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu at the core zone of Kalakad‐Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and Agasthiyamalai Biosphere Reserve on the southern Western Ghats of India, is described and illustrated.