Triturus anatolicus Wielstra & Arntzen, 2016, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Wielstra, B.
name: Arntzen, J. W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Caudata
Salamandridae
Triturus
Triturus anatolicus

description: Triturus anatolicus sp. nov.
Type material. Holotype. RMNH. RENA.48232, an adult male (Fig. 3) from Gölköy, near Kalecik, Turkey (coordinates: 40.077°N, 33.341°E, elevation: 1230 meter a.s.l.; Fig. 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 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). 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). 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).
continued.
Abbreviations used are: NRBV = Number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae; SVL1 = Snout-vent length up to and including the insertion of the hind-legs; SVL2 = Snout-vent length up to and including the cloaca; TL = Total length; ILD = Inter-limb distance; HL = Head length; HW = Head width; Arm = Length of the right arm including the third finger; Finger3 = Length of the right third finger; Leg = Length of the right leg including the fourth toe; Toe4 = Length of the right fourth toe. * Finger c3/4 regenerated; ** Deformed tail tip.
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; online Appendix 2). In 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. 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.
description: Published as part of Wielstra, B. & Arntzen, J. W., 2016, Description of a new species of crested newt, previously subsumed in Triturus ivanbureschi (Amphibia: Caudata: Salamandridae), pp. 73-80 in Zootaxa 4109 (1) on pages 74-79, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4109.1.6, http://zenodo.org/record/260655