Description of two new species of Hemiphyllodactylus(Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from karst landscapes in Yunnan, China, highlights complex conservation needs

Karst habitats are hotspots of diversity and endemism. Their naturally fragmented distributions across broad geographic landscapes have led to the complex array of smaller evolutionary ecosystems that present unique challenges from a conservation perspective.Comprehensivebiodiversity assessments of karst habitats have revealed that these ecosystems contain an almost unparalleled level of endemism, and many site-restricted species remain undescribed, thus posing considerable challenges for effective conservation management.Small rock-dwelling species, such as geckos, may be particularly prone to such isolation. In this paper, we discuss one such genus, i.e.,Hemiphyllodactylus, and explore its diversity across karst landforms in Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Based on morphological and genetic data, we describe two new species of Hemiphyllodactylus from karst habitats in Simao District and Yanshan County. A phylogenetic tree for Hemiphyllodactylus was constructed using 1?039 base pairs(bp) of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene(ND2). The Simao and Yanshan specimens can be distinguished from all other congeners within their respective subclades based on uncorrected genetic pairwise distances greater than 6.3% and 4.3%respectively, as well as significant morphological differences. The discovery and description of these two new species brings the total number of described Hemiphyllodactylus species in China to 14and indicates many more undescribed species from unsurveyed karst regions await discovery.Our findings suggest that karst ecosystems in Yunnan support a higher diversity of Hemiphyllodactylus than previously known.This study also highlights the importance of karst ecosystems as refugia for sitespecific endemic species and the need for heightened conservation efforts.

BIODIVERSITY IN THE KARST REGION OF SOUTHEAST ASIA AND ITS CONSERVATION:The forgotten limestone ecosystems of Southeast Asia

When we think about biodiversity in Southeast Asia,we generally think about the verdant forests.However,one special part of the S outheast Asian landscape is frequently forgotten:the limestone hills that make up around 800,000 square kilometers of Southeast Asia and host a suite of rare and endemic species unable to survive anywhere else.

A solution scan of societal options to reduce transmission and spread of respiratory viruses:SARS-CoV-2 as a case study

Societal biosecurity–measures built into everyday society to minimize risks from pests and diseases–is an important aspect of managing epidemics and pandemics.We aimed to identify societal options for reducing the transmission and spread of respiratory viruses.We used SARS-CoV-2(severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2)as a case study to meet the immediate need to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually transition to more normal societal conditions,and to catalog options for managing similar pandemics in the future.We used a‘solution scanning’approach.We read the literature;consulted psychology,public health,medical,and solution scanning experts;crowd-sourced options using social media;and collated comments on a preprint.Here,we present a list of 519 possible measures to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission and spread.We provide a long list of options for policymakers and businesses to consider when designing biosecurity plans to combat SARS-CoV-2 and similar pathogens in the future.We also developed an online application to help with this process.We encourage testing of actions,documentation of outcomes,revisions to the current list,and the addition of further options.