One Extinct Turtle Less: Turtle Species in the Seychelles Never Existed

Apr. 4, 2013 — The turtle species Pelusios seychellensis regarded hitherto as extinct never existed. Scientists at the Senckenberg Research Institute in Dresden discovered this based on genetic evidence. The relevant study was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

Turtles are the vertebrates under the greatest threat. Among the approximately 320 turtle species, the species confined to islands have been especially hard hit -- humans have caused the extinction of a whole number of species. One of them -- or at least it was thought so -- is the Seychelles mud turtle Pelusios seychellensis. Just three specimens were collected at the end of the 19th century; they are still kept at the Natural History Museum in Vienna and the Zoological Museum in Hamburg.

Despite an intensive search for this species, which was declared as "extinct" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), no further specimens have been found since those in the 19th century. "Consequently, it was assumed the species had been exterminated," says Professor Uwe Fritz, director of the Museum of Zoology at the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden. The Dresden biologist states quite clearly that this is not true. "We have examined the DNA of the original specimen from the museum in Vienna and discovered that these turtles are not a separate species."

The genetic analyses have shown that this supposed Seychellois species is in reality another species, Pelusios castaneus, that is widespread in West Africa. "The species Pelusios seychellensis has therefore never existed," adds Fritz. "In fact, for a long time researchers were amazed that the supposed Seychelles turtles looked so deceptively similar to the West African turtles. But due to the great geographic distance, it was thought this had to be a different species, which is why the assumed Seychelles turtles were also described as a new species in 1906."

The West African mud turtle Pelusios castaneus acquired an “extinct Doppelganger” from the Seychelles due to a scientific error.

Continued:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130404072916.htm

Scientists say Vietnam's elusive bat species never existed - via Chad Arment

A group of Vietnamese and foreign scientists have concluded that a bat species found and identified more than 60 years ago has never existed in the country.

The VnExpress newswire reported Friday that the group feels French scientists failed to conduct a careful study when announcing the Vietnamese Leaf-nosed bat (Paracoelops megalotis) as a new species in 1947. The announcement was based on a bat found in the central province of Nghe An two years before, and has since been searched by scientists without success.

They said the specimen, prepared by André David-Beaulieu from a bat he collected in the province's Vinh Town was not complete, as its tail had been removed during the process.

Later, based on the specimen, Jean Dorst, then director of the French National Museum of Natural History, gave an incorrect description of the species when announcing it, the VnExpress reported, citing findings by Dr. Vu Dinh Thong of the Hanoi-based Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources and his partners.

Dorst identified it as belonging to the family Hipposideridae. He said while it looked quite similar to the genus Coelops due to the absence of tail, its tail membrane was more developed.

However, Thong and his partners found that the specimen had characteristics and measurements identical to those of Pomona Leaf-nosed Bat (Hipposideros Pomona), which was common in Vietnam and other countries like Myanmar.

According to the news report, the Vietnamese scientist visited the French museum two years ago to check the specimen in an attempt to solve the mystery around the species, once categorized as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The latest conclusion was reached after collaboration with scientists from France, Germany, Ireland and the UK. It was presented in the international journal Zootaxa on October 3.
http://www.thanhniennews.com/index/pages/20121013-scientists-say-vietnam-mysterious-bat-species-never-exists.aspx