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    Is morphological-based taxonomy still effective in modern times? A response to Parrinha et al. (2025)

    Authors
    Lobón-Rovira, J.
    Vaz Pinto, P.
    Cael, G.
    Conradie, W.
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    Discipline
    Biological sciences
    Subject
    Natural heritage Collections
    Audience
    Scientific
    Date
    2025
    Metadata
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    Description
    We reevaluate the recent species description of Holaspis ngalangi from Angola by Parrinha et al. (2025), which was based solely on variable morphological characters, through comparative analysis of specimens across the genus' range, including material previously examined but not reported by the original authors. Our analysis demonstrates that the proposed diagnostic traits of this species (precloacal scale morphology and ventral scale arrangement) are hyper-variable within both H. guentheri and H. laevis, showing neither biogeographic nor morphological consistency. Notably, specimens from Angola's Dundo Museum, though examined by Parrinha et al. (2025), were omitted from their analysis despite exhibiting the same variable characteristics, strongly indicating these represent intraspecific variation rather than diagnostic species-lineage features. Consequently, we formally place Holaspis ngalangi Parrinha, Marques, Gon-çalves, Tuitenko, Bauer & Ceríaco, 2025 as a junior synonym of Holaspis guentheri Gray, 1863, representing the second recent case of an Angolan reptile species description based solely on morphological data being synonymised within the last decade. These repeated cases highlight the inherent risks of morphology-only taxonomy, particularly when: (1) diagnostic characters show extensive overlap among taxa, and (2) multiple lines of evidence are not incorporated. Our findings also emphasize the critical need for robust, integrative species delimitation approaches in understudied regions like Angola, where high levels of cryptic diversity and phenotypic plasticity are likely to complicate taxonomic assessments.
    Citation
    Lobón-Rovira, J.; Vaz Pinto, P.; Cael, G.; Conradie, W. (2025). Is morphological-based taxonomy still effective in modern times? A response to Parrinha et al. (2025). , Salamandra, Vol. 61(3), 320-328, ISSN: 0036-3375,
    Identifiers
    issn: 0036-3375
    uri: https://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/14314
    url: https://www.salamandra-journal.com
    Type
    Article
    Peer-Review
    No
    Language
    eng
    Links
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