We redescribe the type material of Phyllodactylus siamensis Boulenger, 1899, type species of the Southeast Asian gekkonid genus Dixonius Bauer, Good & Branch, 1997, using external morphology and cranial osteology (by Micro-Computed Tomography, µ-CT). There is some evidence that the type series contains more than one species; we hence designate a lectotype in order to stabilize nomenclature and provide more precision on the geographical location of the type locality. Because the current concept of Dixonius siamensis auctorum is incomplete and composite, we provide a revised diagnosis based on the presently designated lectotype and a paralectotype from the same locality, as well as observations on new material from the type locality and the first photographs of live topotypical individuals. We regard Dixonius siamensis as probably geographically restricted to the Dong Phaya Yen mountain range in central Thailand, and the numerous published mentions of this species from outside this range likely refer to other or undescribed taxa. We treat Phyllodactylus burmanicus Annandale, 1905 from Tavoy, southern Myanmar, as a valid species, as Dixonius burmanicus comb. nov.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2024
A significant part of the collection of mid- and Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian, Campanian and Maastrichtian) gastropods, bivalves and worms described and/or illustrated by de Ryckholt in his seminal work Mélanges paléontologiques between 1854 and 1862, has recently been retraced in the historical collections at Liège University. Of the original collection, more than 206 specimens, including 196 nominal types (lectotypes and genotypes), all considered lost, are now available. The genotypes of the gastropod genera Tudicula de Ryckholt, 1862a and Prosopostoma de Ryckholt, 1862a are photographically illustrated for the first time. Prosopostoma bucculans, from the Cenomanian Bernissart Formation (formerly ‘Tourtia de Tournai’), is here chosen as the type species of the genus Prosopostoma, a possible stromboid. We also reassess the stratigraphic age of the type localities under the revised stratigraphic framework of Belgium and a detailed account on the research history of this material, in order to provide a thorough scientific background for future study of this formidable collection.
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