Colour and size reveal hidden diversity of <i>Necturus</i> (Caudata: Proteidae) from the Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States

Recent data from the mitochondrial genome reveal six lineages of Gulf Coast Waterdogs traditionally classified as Necturus beyeri. Here, we use patterns of colour and body size, along with previously published data, to reveal a large, heavily spotted phenotype with an unstriped larva possessing numerous white spots; we re-describe N. beyeri to correspond to this phenotype. We also reveal a small, weakly spotted phenotype possessing an unstriped larva lacking numerous white spots. This phenotype characterises the Apalachicola and Escambia lineages, which current evidence suggests are paraphyletic. We reject taxonomies that place these two lineages in N. lodingi because the type specimen of this species appears to be a melanistic member of N. beyeri. Therefore, we describe the Apalachicola and Escambia lineages as independent new species. http://ww.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C8508CCB-F54F-4DC8-B61D-56966A3F1CC8 http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F044B2CC-55F0-4FFA-A312-9CAD9E73CD69基于线粒体基因组（mitochondrial genome）的最新研究数据显示，传统上被归为贝氏泥螈（Necturus beyeri）的海湾沿岸泥螈（Gulf Coast Waterdogs）共包含6个支系。本研究结合体色模式、体型数据与已发表文献资料，发现一类体型硕大、斑点浓密的表型：其幼体无条纹且密布白色斑点，我们据此重新描述贝氏泥螈（Necturus beyeri），使其对应该表型。同时本研究还发现另一类体型小巧、斑点稀疏的表型，其幼体无条纹且无大量白色斑点。该表型对应阿巴拉契科拉（Apalachicola）支系与埃斯坎比亚（Escambia）支系，现有证据显示这两个支系为并系群（paraphyletic）。我们反对将这两个支系归入洛丁泥螈（N. lodingi）的分类系统，因为该物种的模式标本看似为贝氏泥螈的黑化个体。因此，本研究将阿巴拉契科拉支系与埃斯坎比亚支系确立为独立新物种。 http://ww.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C8508CCB-F54F-4DC8-B61D-56966A3F1CC8 http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F044B2CC-55F0-4FFA-A312-9CAD9E73CD69