Triturus anatolicus, Wielstra, B. & Arntzen, J. W., 2016

Wielstra, B. & Arntzen, J. W., 2016, Description of a new species of crested newt, previously subsumed in Triturus ivanbureschi (Amphibia: Caudata: Salamandridae), Zootaxa 4109 (1), pp. 73-80 : 74-79

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4109.1.6

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E2CABF95-7527-42BD-B895-CD5A2B5F7CD1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5674936

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/163C2C30-006E-FF8D-FF35-F80F3F6A0423

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Triturus anatolicus
status

sp. nov.

Triturus anatolicus View in CoL sp. nov.

Type material. Holotype. RMNH. RENA.48232, an adult male ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ) from Gölköy, near Kalecik, Turkey (coordinates: 40.077°N, 33.341°E, elevation: 1230 meter a.s.l.; Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ), collected 6 April 2014 and donated to Naturalis Biodiversity Center by Kurtuluş Olgun from the Department of Biology at Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey. Paratypes. Six males ( RMNH. RENA.48233-48238), six females ( RMNH. RENA.48239-48245), and a juvenile ( RMNH. RENA.48246), with collection details identical to the holotype. For imagery, see Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 and online Appendix 1 and 2.

Diagnosis. The new species is assigned to the genus Triturus because it possesses the characteristics of crested newts (the T. cristatus superspecies), in particular the combination of a denticulated crest (in males in breeding costume), a dark brown dorsal coloration and an orange ventral side covered with black spots. Based on mtDNA sequence data, crested newts from the type locality are firmly placed in the genus Triturus , within the distinct ‘central T. karelinii sensu lato ’ mtDNA lineage (Wielstra et al., 2010). Although identification based on mtDNA is possible across the majority of the range of the new species, mtDNA derived from T. ivanbureschi has introgressed at the western part of the range (Wielstra et al., submitted; Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). The pattern of asymmetric introgression is mirrored by certain individual nuclear DNA markers and we consider this to represent a genomic footprint of hybrid zone movement (Wielstra et al., submitted; Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). As yet only multilocus nuclear DNA sequence data distinguish T. anatolicus sp. nov. unambiguously from T. ivanbureschi – and from T. karelinii , with which both T. anatolicus sp. nov. and T. ivanbureschi were until recently considered conspecific (Wielstra et al., submitted). No morphological features are currently known to distinguish the three species comprising T. karelinii sensu lato. How to separate T. anatolicus sp. nov., T. ivanbureschi and T. karelinii from the other crested newt species is discussed in Wielstra et al. (2013b).

Description of holotype. A relatively robust crested newt, with a broad head (wider than neck) and well developed limbs. Four fingers and five toes. Toes fringed but interdigital webbing absent. Relative length of fingers left 1 <4 <2 <3, right 4 <1 <3 <2 (3 and 4 possibly regenerated). Relative length of toes on both sides 1 <5 <2 <4 <3. Skin granulated on dorsal and lateral sides, tail base and throat; tail and venter smooth. Gular fold inconspicuous. Swollen cloaca with papillae bordering cloacal slit. Denticulated crest, indented over the position of the legs and cloaca. Laterally compressed tail with evident dorsal fin and less conspicuous ventral fin. In life a brownish-blackish base color on the dorsolateral side, with scattered black flecks, most pronounced and marbled on the head. Bluish-white streak along the lateral side of the tail along the caudal vertebrae. A deep-orange ventral side and throat, dotted with small angular black spots; throat spots smaller and denser than belly spots. In the preserved state colors have slightly faded (see online Appendix 1).

The number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae (NRBV) is 13, as determined from X-ray photographs (see online Appendix 2). The following measurements are in millimeters and have been determined with plastic Vernier calipers. Snout-vent length up to and including the hind-legs 53; Snout-vent length up to and including the cloaca 61; Total length 108; Inter-limb distance 27; Head length 16.2; Head width 10.6; Length of the right arm including the third finger 18.7; Length of the right third finger 5.6; Length of the right leg including the fourth toe 22.1; Length of the right fourth toe 9.5.

Description of paratypes. The morphology of the paratypes resembles that of the holotype in general, but the pattern of black spots on the ventral side is highly variable among individuals (online Appendix 1). Compared to males (such as the holotype), adult females have non-swollen cloacae, lack the denticulated crest and possess a less pronounced tail fin. All paratypes have an NRBV count of 13 except one, which has an NRBV count of 12 ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ; online Appendix 2). In Table 1 View TABLE 1 the same measurements as taken for the holotype are provided for the paratypes.

Distribution. The distribution encompasses Asiatic Turkey south of the Black Sea, reaching up to c. 200 kilometers inland (usually less), but not into inner Anatolia. To the west the new species reaches the Bosphorus at the northern side of the Marmara Sea. On the southern side of the Marmara Sea it meets T. ivanbureschi sensu stricto, east of Lake Ulubat and west of the city of Bursa. The two species form a hybrid zone here (Wielstra et al., submitted). To the east the new species reaches the town of Yomra, just east of the city of Trabzon. The nearest known Triturus localities further east are from the extreme NE of Turkey, over 150 km away, and probably concern T. karelinii sensu stricto ( Wielstra et al., 2013a). An outline of the distribution of the new species is provided in Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 . A database of distribution records is provided in Wielstra et al. (2014b).

Etymology. The specific epithet reflects the distribution of the new Triturus species. Triturus anatolicus sp. nov. is endemic to Anatolia. It is the only Triturus species to which this applies. It should be noted that the range of T. ivanbureschi sensu stricto covers western Anatolia ( Wielstra et al., 2013a; Wielstra et al., submitted) and the range of T. karelinii sensu stricto probably protrudes into northeastern Anatolia (Wielstra et al., 2010).

Proposed vernacular name. We propose to use the vernacular name Anatolian Crested Newt for T. anatolicus sp. nov. This name highlights its status as an Anatolian endemic. We suggest to use the vernacular name Balkan Crested Newt for T. ivanbureschi sensu stricto (rather than Balkan-Anatolian Crested Newt previously applied to T. ivanbureschi sensu lato). Although T. ivanbureschi sensu stricto also partially occurs in Anatolia, the main part of its range is in the Balkan Peninsula.

TABLE 1. Number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae and measurements (in millimeters) for the holotype and paratypes of Triturus anatolicus sp. nov.

Museum number Sex Material NRBV SVL1 SVL2 TL ILD
RMNH.RENA.48232 male holotype 13 53 61 108 27
RMNH.RENA.48233 male paratype 13 63 71 126 34
RMNH.RENA.48234 male paratype 12 53 60 110 29
RMNH.RENA.48235 male paratype 13 53 61 109 26
RMNH.RENA.48236 male paratype 13 50 58 100 27
RMNH.RENA.48237 male paratype 13 56 64 115 30
RMNH.RENA.48238 male paratype 13 53 60 110 29
RMNH.RENA.48239 female paratype 13 57 62 118 31
RMNH.RENA.48240 female paratype 13 62 68 133 32
RMNH.RENA.48241 female paratype 13 58 63 122 33
RMNH.RENA.48242 female paratype 13 58 62 123 30
RMNH.RENA.48243 female paratype 13 62 67 117 ** 33
RMNH.RENA.48244 female paratype 13 65 70 131 36
RMNH.RENA.48245 female paratype 13 56 60 111 31
RMNH.RENA.48246 juvenile paratype 13 51 55 102 29

continued.

RMNH

National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Amphibia

Order

Caudata

Family

Salamandridae

Genus

Triturus

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