Pleurodeles nebulosus ( Guichenot, 1850 )

Carranza, Salvador & Wade, Edward, 2004, Salamandridae) using molecular and morphological data. Revalidation of the taxon Pleurodeles nebulosus (Guichenot, 1850), Zootaxa 488, pp. 1-24 : 11-14

Pleurodeles nebulosus ( Guichenot, 1850)

Lacerta palustris: Poiret (part), 1789: 290

Triton Poireti Gervais (part), 1835: 112. Gray, 1850: 18

Glossoliga Poireti : Bonaparte (part), 1839: unnumbered. Gervais, 1853: 312 Euproctus Rusconii : Guichenot (part), 1850: 29

Euproctus Poireti : Duméril & Bibron (part), 1854: 160 Glossoliga Poireti Lataste, 1881: 26

Molge poireti: Boulenger, 1882: 26 . 1891: 93

Triturus poireti: Camerano, 1885: 419 . Noble, 1924: 304 Triton (Pleurodeles) Poireti : Wolterstorff, 1901: 9

Pleurodeles Poireti subsp. Poireti : Wolterstorff, 1905: 263 Pleurodeles poireti: Pasteur (part) 1958: 160. Schleich et al. 1996: 94

Diagnosis: A medium size Pleurodeles usually up to 180 mm in total length but exceptionally reaching 230 mm (BMNH 1.1.3.1.a. This very large P. n e b u l o s u s was discovered among P. w a l t l specimens at the NHM, london. The results of the x­rays clearly showed that it has 14 presacral vertebrae and that it lacks the typical P. w a l t l tubercular process on rib 3 and traces of this structure on ribs 1 and 2. Moreover, as in P. nebulosus the specimen also lacks the typical P. waltl sharp rib tips and a row of glandular swellings on the flanks. It was identified as P. nebulosus and not P. p o i re t i by means of its bigger size). Distributed across northern Algeria and Tunisia, except in the Edough Peninsula and surrounding lowland areas (Carranza and Arnold, 2003; Veith et al. 2004; see Fig. 1 ). Unique DNA sequences of the cytochrome b and 12S rRNA mitochondrial genes with low intraspecific variability (sequences submitted to Genbank for comparison; see Table 1 for accession numbers). Differentiated from the closely related P. p o i re t i on account of its bigger total size (t­ value = –4.50078; P = 0.00006; total size range of P. nebulosus 94 – 230 mm) and an average uncorrected genetic distance of approximately 7.7% for the cytochrome b and 3.7% for the 12S rRNA mitochondrial regions sequenced for the present study. Genetic variability within P. nebulosus is 0.5% for the cytochrome b and 0.8% for the 12S rRNA (21 specimens analysed covering almost the whole distributional range of the species; see Table 1 and Fig. 1 ). Males of P. nebulosus differ from males of P. poireti in having larger snout­vent length (53–69 mm versus 39.8–49.5 mm) head with (10–13.56 mm versus 8.06 –9.67 mm), interorbital width (4.28–5.8 mm versus 3.34–3.94 mm), tail length (62–90 mm versus 50–73 mm), anterior arms length (17.2–24 mm versus 11.8–17 mm), 3rd toe length (5.2–7.13 mm versus 4.22–6.4 mm) and length from the elbow to the third toe (14.1–18 mm versus 10.76–15.3 mm) (see Table 4 for statistics on all measurements). Females of P. nebulosus are differentiated from females of P. p o i re t i by their larger interorbital width (4.35–5.76 mm versus 3.7–4.35 mm) and anterior arms (13–22 mm versus 11.9–16.2 mm) (see Table 5 for statistics on all measurements). Some specimens of P. nebulosus have a clearly U shaped row of palatine teeth; none of the specimens studied presents clearly V shaped row of palatine teeth (see Table 1 and Fig. 4 ). Differentiated from P. w a l t l by its smaller size, in having usually 14 instead of 15 presacral vertebrae, in lacking sharp rib tips that project through a row of glandular swellings on the flanks and a tubercular process on rib 3 and often traces of this structure on ribs 1 and 2. It also differs from P. w a l t l in 9.7% of the cytochrome b and 4.8% of the 12S rRNA mitochondrial regions sequenced for the present study.

The type series of P. nebulosus consists of skeletal material and one partially dissected spirit specimen (MNHNP 1442), which we designate as the lectotype.

Description of lectotype: MNHNP 1442 (see Fig. 3 ; specimen 13). Female collected in Algiers by Guichenot; lower jaw and throat dissected, tip of the tail missing; 147.5 mm in total length; head moderately depressed; dorsally and dorsolaterally moderately to strongly rugose/ turberculate; tubercles tend towards disposition in transverse irregular series separated by creases becoming progressively smaller and more numerous vertebrally and on the belly; the head is smoother; gular fold present.

Colour in alcohol: dorsum very dark, tubercles little paler (if at all) becoming increasingly paler towards the belly; throat and palmar aspects of hands paler of yellowish ochre coloration; lateral glandular protuberances barely noticeable; dorsal protuberances inconspicuous anteriorly, slightly evident posteriorly, coalescing at the level of the cloaca to a continuous line on the tail.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map of North Africa showing localities of Pleurodeles used in the present study. See Table 1 and Fig. 5 for further details. The dashed line delimits the approximate distribution range of P. poireti. We refer to it in the text as the Edough Peninsula.

FIGURE 3. Photograph showing nine specimens of P. p i o i re t i (above) and four P. nebulosus (below). A 23 centimetres scale bar is shown on the left­hand side of the picture; black rectangles and intermediate white spaces all represent 1 cm. Numbers above the specimens refer to: 1. BMNH 1920.1. 20.1327. 2, largest specimen of P. p oireti included in the present study. Female from Bône (Annaba); 2. BMNH 1946.9. 6.77, male of P. poireti from Mount Edough; 3. BMNH 1946.9. 6.78, male of P. p o i re t i from Mount Edough; 4. BMNH 1946.9. 6.79, male of P. poireti from Mount Edough; 5. BMNH 1946.9. 6.80, male of P. p o i re t i from Mount Edough; 6. BMNH 1946.9. 6.81, male of P. p o i re t i from Mount Edough; 7. BMNH 1946.9. 6.79, male of P. poireti from Mount Edough; 8. MNHNP 4744, female, paralectotype of P. p o i re t i from Bône (Annaba); 9. MNHNP 4744 A, male, lectotype of P. p o i ret i from Bône (Annaba); 10. BMNH 1.1.3.1. a, largest specimen of P nebulosus recorded to date. Male from N. Africa; 11. BMNH 88.4. 9.3, female of P. nebulosus from Algiers; 12. BMNH 88.4. 4, male of P. nebulosus from Algiers; 13. MNHNP 1442, female, lectotype of P. nebulosus from Algiers.

FIGURE 4. Schematic diagrams of the palatine teeth of P. p o i re t i and P. nebulosus obtained with plasticine casts (see material and methods). Numbers inside the drawings refer to specimens codes from Table 1. The position of the choanae was also obtained in the casts and it has been highlighted above the palatine teeth. Every drawing has a scale bar to the left, which corresponds to 2 mm.