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Publication Species boundaries in Philippine montane forest skinks (Genus Sphenomorphus): three new species from the mountains of Luzon and clarification of the status of the poorly known S. beyeri, S. knollmanae, and S. laterimaculatus(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2010-10-13) Brown, Rafe M.; Linkem, Charles W.; Diesmos, Arvin C.; Balete, Danilo S.; Duya, Melizar V.; Ferner, John W.Recent collections of Sphenomorphus beyeri Taylor 1915 from the type locality (Mt. Banahao, Luzon Isl., Philippines) serve as the basis for a thorough analysis of topotypic variation in external morphology within the species, and allow for detailed comparisons to other taxa. We clarify the taxonomic status of S. beyeri with respect to other, phenotypically similar species and evaluate species boundaries between allopatric populations referred to this taxon. The high elevation (1400–1700 m) population of Sphenomorphus (Brown et al., 1995a) from the Zambales Mountains and Bataan Peninsula of Luzon Island (previously referred by us to S. beyeri) is a new species that we describe here. We also describe two additional new species from the isolated, high elevation (1650–1750 m) forests of the Northern Cordillera and the Sierra Madre of Luzon, specimens of both of which had been previously identified as S. beyeri. All three new species differ from each other and all other Sphenomorphus species by scalation, body size, and coloration and all have non-overlapping distributions, associated with separate, isolated, geological components of Luzon Island. In this paper we also formally redescribe S. beyeri on the basis of a large series of specimens from the type locality (Mt. Banahao, southern Luzon Island) that we have accumulated over the last 15 years. We place S. knollmanae Brown, Ruedas, and Ferner 1995 in synonymy with S. laterimaculatus (Brown and Alcala, 1980) and redescribe the latter species on the basis of the holotype and 20 additional newly collected specimens from six localities on the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon Island and Marinduque Island. These and other data suggest that species boundaries in Philippine Sphenomorphus are poorly understood and that taxonomic diversity is substantially underestimated and in need of comprehensive taxonomic review.Publication Trophic Ecology of a Tropical Anuran Assemblage(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 1999-03-12) Parmelee, Jeffrey R.I examined the diets of 867 anurans of 58 species from Cuzco Amaz6nico, Peru. A total of 6393 prey items in 62 prey categories was identified from the 610 anurans (70%) with prey in their gastrointestinal tracts-4316 (77%) from the stomach, 2077 from the intestines. Anuran species differ greatly in average number of prey per individual and the relative size of prey consumed. Bufonids, microhylids, and dendrobatids eat large numbers of relatively small prey (a high percentage of ants). Most hylids eat a few large prey, and leptodactylids are intermediate in number and size of prey eaten. Larger hylid species eat primarily orthopterans, roaches, and moths, whereas smaller hylids eat primarily spiders, beetles, and larvae. Most leptodactylids have large niche breadths and eat a great diversity of prey. Beetles, orthopterans, and millipedes are important prey items volumetrically, and ants and beetles are most important numerically. Most morphological variation (corrected for size) among species (71 % ) was accounted for by two principal component axes and seems to be associated with phylogeny, and to a lesser extent, diet. The two hylids that differ most from other members of their family, Sphaenorhynchus lacteus (differs in diet), and Phyllomedusa atelopoides (differs in microhabitat and diet) differ in morphology as well. Microhylids and dendrobatids have narrower heads and shorter jaws than hylids or leptodactylids. Maximum, and to a lesser extent, minimum prey size is correlated with frog size, but different families exhibit different relationships. Head shape is important in the number and size of prey consumed regardless of overall size; anurans with narrower heads and shorter jaws eat more, and smaller prey items. Most diet overlaps are low and terrestrial species have lower diet overlap values than arboreal species. The anurans exhibit guild structure in their diet. The terrestrial species are distributed in two distinctive feeding guilds-an ant/termite guild and a larger-prey guild. The arboreal community has only one ant specialist; many of the other species of hylids do not include ants in their diets.Publication The Bee Genus Chilicola in the Tropical Andes, with Observations on Nesting Biology and a Phylogenetic Analysis of the Subgenera (Hymenoptera: Colletidae, Xeromelissinae)1(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2002-07-11) Michener, Charles DuncanThis is a revision of the species of the genus Chilicola found in the South American Andes, Peru to Venezuela, above elevations of 1000 m. In addition to the four previously described species known from this area, 23 new species are recognized and described. They fall into three groups: (1) The C. ashmeadi group of the subgenus Anoediscelis, for C. ashmeadi (Crawford) and the following new species: C. colombiana, mistica, venezuelana, wygodzinskyi, xanthostoma, xanthognatha, cooperi, pedunculata; (2) Subgenus Hylaeosoma for C aequatoriensis Benoist and the following new species: C. involuta, umbonata, canei, belli, smithpardoi; (3) The new subgenus Oroediscelis (type species, Chilicola styliventris) for C. styliventris Friese, quitensis Benoist, and the following new species: C. espeleticola, brooksi, benoistiana, cuzcoensis, bigibbosa, maculipes, transversaria, gibbosa, brzoskai, simplex. Phylogenetic analyses are presented for the subgenera of Chilicola and for the species of the subgenus Oroediscelis. Aspects of nesting biology are presented for C. espeleticola and C. styliventris.Publication An Annotated Taxonomic Catalogue of the Hoplandriini of the World (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)1(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2003-04-16) Hanley, Rodney S.An annotated taxonomic catalogue of the Hoplandriini of the world is presented. The proposed classification of the Hoplandriini contains three subtribes, 18 genera, seven subgenera and 214 species. Lectotypes have been designated for 90 species, and a holotype is designated for one species.Publication Population Structure and Biomass of Some Common Snakes in Central North America(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2000-07-28) Fitch, Henry S.Samples of 113 to 1762 individuals were obtained from local populations of 11 common species of snakes in Kansas and one in Oklahoma. An age-size correlation was established for each species from the records of marked individuals that were recaptured. Each snake in the samples was tentatively allocated on the basis of its snout-vent length (or alternatively on its rattle string in Crotalus). Local populations were interpreted to consist of from eight (Thamnophis sirtalis) to 18 (Crotalus atrox) annual age cohorts. In samples of Coluber constrictor, Nerodia sipedon, and Thamnophis sirtalis, females outnumbered males and attained larger mean size. In Nerodia and Thamnophis, females survived longer than males; in Coluber the sexes were similar in longevity. In Agkistrodon contortrix, Crotalus atrox, C. horridus, C. viridis, Elaphe obsoleta, Lampropeltis calligaster, L. triangulum, and Pituophis catenifer, males outnumbered females, grew larger,-and survived longer on average. In Diadophis punctatus, males were more numerous than females and survived longer, but females had average larger size. In each species sample, first-year young were poorly represented, with only 4 to 46% of expected numbers, and it seemed that their cryptic behavior and markings caused them to be overlooked much more often than adults, regardless of the method of sampling. Biomasss calculations indicated that Diadophis punctatus constituted nearly half of the total, with Coluber constrictor, Elaphe obsoleta, Thamnophis sirtalis, Lampropeltis calligaster, and Agkistrodon contortrix making up from 18% to 5%, whereas Crotalus horriidus, Lampropeltis triangulum, Nerodia sipedon, and Pituophis catenifer made up only very small percentagesPublication A Revision of the Genus Elmas Blackwelder, 1952 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xanthopygina), with a Preliminary Reconstructed Phylogeny of the Species1(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2003-04-29) Ashe, James S.; Chatzimanolis, StylianosThe staphylinid genus Elmas Blackwelder 1952 (type.species: Selma modesta Sharp 1876 from Chontales, Nicaragua) is revised for the first time. The two previously described species, E. modesta (Sharp) from Nicaragua and E. strigella (Bernhauer) from Brazil, are redescribed. Fifteen species are described as new: Elmas brooksi from Ecuador; Elmas costaricensis from Costa Rica; Elmas elassos from Ecuador; Elmas esmeraldas from Ecuador; Elmas falini from Suriname; Elmas gigas from Peru; Elmas guianas from-French Guiana; Elmas hanleyi from Costa Rica; Elmas hibbsi from Ecuador; Elmas lambas from Brazil; Elmas lescheni from Peru; Elmas panamaensis from Panama; Elmas patillas from Costa Rica; Elmas spinosus from Bolivia; and Elmas windsori from Panama. A key and illustrations of structural features and aedeagi are provided for identification of the known species. The phylogenetic relationships of the species of Elmas species are only weakly resolved by the available dataset. Elmas is strongly supported to be a monophyletic lineage, and E. strigella is the most basal species followed by E. lambos and E. guianas respectively. E. spinosus + E. falini + E. gigas are strongly supported to be a monophyletic . group; E. hfbbsi is weakly supported to be the sister group to these three species. The lineage (E. windsori · + E. costaricensis) + (E. panamaensis + E. patillas) is weakly supported in all trees. The lineage E. elassos + E. hanleyi + E. esmeraldas is also weakly supported, and the successive approximation analysis hypothesizes that E. modesta is also a member of this lineage.Publication The herpetofauna of the Babuyan Islands, Northern Philippines(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2011) Oliveros, Carl Hirang; Ota, Hidetoshi; Crombie, Ronald I.; Brown, Rafe M.We document 52 species of amphibians and reptiles from the Babuyan Islands in the northern Philippines. Among these records, 12 species are endemic to the Babuyan Islands and another 18 are endemic to the Philippines. Prevalence of endemic forms in the island group is high, with 1–3 island-endemic species present in each of the major islands. The present-day assemblage of herpetofauna in the island group is attributed to dispersal from Luzon and subsequent diversification. No evidence of successful southward colonization of species from Taiwan is found. Based on data from our own surveys, and to enable future work, we provide an updated list of the species from the Babuyan and Batanes Island groups. Molecular phylogenetic studies are recommended to gain more insights into the evolutionary history of the island-endemic forms and the biogeography of the small islands between Luzon and Taiwan.Publication A Cladistic Analysis and Classification of the Subgenera and Genera of the Large Carpenter Bees, Tribe Xylocopini (Hymenoptera: Apidae)(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 1998-08-07) Minckley, Robert L.Phylogenetic analyses of the genera and subgenera of the tribe Xylocopini (Large Carpenter Bees) were made using morphological characters coded for 51 species of the ingroup. These species represented all but three of the previously recognized subgenera. Twenty species of bees constituting the outgroup also were examined to evaluate primitive and derived character states within the Xylocopini. Four different analyses were made because of uncertainty in hypotheses of character transformations and among the relationships of the outgroup taxa. Cladistic parsimony analyses showed that previous classifications were based on combinations of characters and not unique synapomoiphies. Three major clades were supported in most analyses presented here; two are from the Old World, and one is from the New World. A biogeographically mixed group of subgenera are not clearly placed in this analysis; among this group are likely to be found the basal members of the tribe. A new generic and subgeneric classification is proposed for the Xylocopini. I conclude that recognition of Pwxylocopa Maa and testis Lepeletier and Servile as genera creates a paraphyletic genus o'i Xylocopa: these should be recognized as subgenera of an expanded Xy/oco/ja. A new subgenus. Maaiana. is proposed here for X. hentoni and related species formerly recognized as members of the subgenus Nodiila. The following subgeneric synonymies also are proposed: Xylomelissa Hurd & Moure is expanded to include Epixylocopa Hurd & Moure, AUoxylocopa Hurd & Moure, Dinoxylocopa Hurd & Moure and Acroxylocopa Hurd & Moure; Ancylocopa Maa is synonymized with Proxylocopa Maa; Schonnherria Lepeletier is expanded to include loxylocopa Hurd & Moure and Xylocospila Hurd & Moure; Stenoxylocopa Hurd & Moure is expanded to include Xylocopina Hurd & Moure; Neoxylocopa Michener is expanded to include Megaxylocopa Hurd & Moure; Bomboixylocopa Maa is expanded to include Minioxylocopa Hurd & Moure; Mesotrichia Westwood is expanded to include Platynopoda Westwood, Hoplitocopa Lieftinck and Hoploxylocopa Hurd & Moure, and; Koptortosoma Gribodo is expanded to include Ow.wlocopa Hurd & Moure, CyphoxYlocopa Hurd & Moure. Cycmcoderes Hurd & Moure and Afroxxlocopa Hurd & Moure. A key to identify the subgenera is provided.Publication Geographic Variation in Bufo valliceps (Anura: Bufonidae), a Widespread Toad in the United States and Middle America(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 1998-07-24) Mendelson, Joseph R., IIIThe common lowland toad Bufo valliceps has a large distribution in the southern United States, Mexico, and most of Central America; this ample distribution across diverse temperate and tropical habitats is unusual among frogs. Geographic variation in size, shape, skin texture, and color pattern among populations of this species was reviewed. Although there are great differences between extreme northern and southern populations, I did not find smooth clinal variation for any character examined. Nor is there a discrete break among these continuous morphological variables that separate the the northern and southern morphs. Variation in Biifo valliceps is characterized by a high degree of inter- and intrapopulational variation that cannot be attributed to simple trends associated with latitude, elevation, or climate. An analysis the relationship between body size and aridity, along a precipiation gradient on the Yucatan Peninsula, found no consistent covariation. Previous claims for a positive relationship between elevation and degree of development of the cranial crests were found not to be accurate. Although the several relatively distinct populations are referable to the taxa Bufo nebulifer and Bnfo valliceps wilsoni, 1 do not propose recognition of these taxa, pending further research.Publication Comments on the Identities of Certain Tantilla (Squamata: Colubridae) from Guatemala, with the Descriptions of Two New Species(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 1998-05-06) Campbell, Jonathan A.An examination of types representing Guatemalan species of Tantilla of the T. taeniata group reveals that current concepts for several species are incorrect and that several species remain undescribed. Tantilla taeniata Bocourt (1883) is a valid species occurring in the seasonally dry highlands of south-central and southeastern Guatemala; it is characterized by a broad pale middorsal stripe involving the vertebral scale row and adjacent portions of the paravertebral rows, a ventrolateral coloration that is not darker than the pigment of the dorsolateral stripe, and relatively few ventrals. This species does not occur o the mesic Atlantic versant of Guatemala as previously thought; the large species inhabiting the Atlantic versant is described as new. The name Tantilla jani may be associated with a small, but robust, species inhabiting the Pacific versant and characterized by an incomplete nuchal collar. Most individuals previously ascribed to T. jani are a gracile species having a complete collar; these represent an undescribed species.Publication New Species of Nototriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from Eastern Guatemala(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 1998-05-06) Campbell, Jonathan A.; Smith, Eric N.Three new species of Nototriton are described from eastern Guatemala. All of these diminutive species of salamanders occur in wet forest in the mountains (875-1150 m) near the Guatemala-Honduras border. Characteristics of size, proportion, and coloration distinguish these new species from each other and their congeners. Members of the genus Nototriton inhabiting Guatemala and Honduras may be placed in one of two distinctive morphotypes. One group appears to be adapted to a semifossorial existence and has small nares, a narrow head, short limbs, small hands and feet, and lacks a dark face mask; one of the new species belongs in this group. Members of the other group are adapted for climbing and have larger nares, broader heads, longer limbs, larger hands and feet and a conspicuous dark face mask; two of the new species belong in this group.Publication New Genera and Subgenera of Augochlorine Bees (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 1997-12-17) Engel, Michael S.; Brooks, Robert W.; Yanega, DouglasTwo new augochlorine genera, Chlerogelloides and Xenochlora, and three new Subgernera, Megalopta (Noctoraptor), Megommation (Stilbochlora), and Megommation (Cleptommation), are described and figured. Three new combinations are made: Megommation minutum (Friese), Xenochlora nigrofemorata (Smith), and Xenochlora ianthina (Smith). Six new species are described: Chlerogelloides femoralis, Xenochlora ochrosterna, Xenochlora chalkeos, Megalopta (Noctoraptor) byroni, M. (N.) noctifurax, and Megommation (Stilbochlora) eickworti. Megalopta (Noctoraptor) and Megommation (Cleptommation) are parasitic, possibly on other species of Megalopta and Megommation, respectively, and together increase the number or origins of cleptoparasitism in the tribe Augochlorini to three. For each genusgroup taxon, modified key couplets are provided for Eickwort's key to the genera of Augochlorini.Publication Redescription of the Paleogene Shelania pascuali from Patagonia and Its Bearing on the Relationships of Fossil and Recent Pipoid Frogs(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 1997-10-29) Baez, Ana Maria; Trueb, LindaShdania pascuali Casamiquela, 1960, is redescribed on the basis of a series of 30 recently discovered specimens, which range in estimated snout-vent length from 30-100 mm, from the Paleogene of Patagonia. This large pipoid anuran is distinguished by possessing a long, narrow braincase; an hourglass-shaped frontoparietal; a robust antorbital process on the edentate maxilla; long, straight ilia that describe a V-shape in dorsal profile; and a trunk that is long relative to the lengths of the head and limbs. A phylogenetic analysis of 11 fossil and Recent pipoid taxa based on 51 osteological characters resulted in three equally most-parsimonious trees of 84 steps. In each arrangement, rhinophrynids and palaeobatrachids are successive sister groups to a clade composed of Saltenia, Shelania, Eoxeiiopoides, "Xenopus" romeri, xenopodines, and pipines. "Xenopus" romeri always clusters as a stem taxon with the xenopodines, as does Eoxenopoides with the pipines. The phylogenetic positions of Shelania and Saltenia remain unresolved. In two of the trees, these taxa are sister to the clade comprising the re- maining pipid taxa—either forming a clade or as successive sister taxa; in the other tree, Shelania is the sister taxon to ["Xenopus" romeri + xenopodines], and Saltenia is the sister to [Eoxenopoides + pipines]. Whereas the addition of fossil taxa did not affect previous hypotheses of the relationships among extant taxa of pipoid anurans, it did alter and supplement interpretations of character evolution. Moreover, owing to the inclusion of fossil taxa, several characters that previously had not been included in neontological studies were examined.Publication Systematics of the Bufo coccifer Complex (Anura: Bufonidae) of Mesoamerica(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2005-03-31) Mendelson, Joseph R., III; Williams, Becky L.; Sheil, Christopher A.; Mulcahy, Daniel G.Many populations of toads occuring between west-central Mexico and Panama have been referred to Bufo coccifer Cope, 1866. While the taxonomic status of these populations has been questioned for many decades, a thorough review of the B. coccifer complex never has been presented. Based on evidence from external morphology and a partial molecular data-set, we conclude that this complex consists minimally of six species. Herein, we recognize B. coccifer Cope, 1866, B. cycladen Lynch and Smith, 1966, and B ibarrai Stuart, 1954, and describe three new species.Publication The Herpetofauna of Upper Niger National Park, Guinea, West Africa(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2005-03-31) Greenbaum, Eli; Carr, John L.We conducted a preliminary survey of the herpetofauna in Upper Niger National Park at the end of tlie dry season in 2002. Museum holdings and literature records from localities within the park were combined with our data to obtain an overall picture of the herpetofauna. The park contains a mosaic of forest and savanna that straddles the Niger River. Twenty-two species of amphibians and 34 species of reptiles were recorded from the park; four species of amphibians and two of reptiles are the first records from Guinea. Seven species of reptiles are listed as threatened by the lUCN Red List or CITES, but according to the Global Amphibian Assessment, none of the amphibians is threatened. Stomach contents of an arboreal colubrid snake included a species of bat (Mops condylurus), which represents the first confirmed record from Guinea. Conservation of the park is paramount because: 1) it is the only protected area containing dry forest in Guinea; 2) gallery forest provides suitable habitat for amphibian, reptile, and mammal species otherwise restricted to tropical rainforest elsewhere in West Africa; and 3) .several species of threatened reptiles endemic to West Africa are in the park.Publication New Neotropical Species of the Genus Holotrochtis (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Osoriinae)(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2005-03-29) Irmler, UlrichExamination of collections of Holotrochus beetles (Staphylinidae: Osoriinae,) from the Neotropics has revealed 17 new species. Nine are from South America and nine from Central America. The species are: H. gandersoni (Costa Rica: Puntarenas), H. arcuatus (Costa Rica: Heredia), H. ashei (Peru: Madre de Dios), H. bolivianus (Bolivia: Cochabamba), H. brooksi (French Guyana: Cayenne), H. chilensis (Chile: Osorno and Chileo), H. chiriquensis ( Panama: Chiriqui, and Costa Rica: Puntarenas), H. crassicornis (Brazil: Minas Gerais), H. curtipennis (Ecuador: Azuay), H. decumanus (Honduras: Olancho, and Costa RicaL: Puntarenas), H. honduranus (Honduras: Santa Barbara), H. lescheni (Peru: Madre des Dios, and Bolivia: Cochabamba), H. loreti (Peru: Loreto), H. minax (Venezuela: Aragua), H. panamae (Panama: Chiriqui), H. rufomarginatus (Guatemala), and H. uncinatus (Mexico: Oaxaca). Keys are provided for the identification of the Holotrochus neotropicus group and the H. brasiliensis group including maps of distribution for the species of these groups.Publication Frogs of the Genus Colostethus (Anura; Dendrobatidae) in the Andes of Northern Peru(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2004-11-15) Duellman, William E.Seventeen species of the dendrobatid frog genus Colostethus are recognized in the Andes and adjacent lowlands in northern Peru. Nine of the species have been reported previously from the region and eight are described as new. Tadpoles of eight species are described and illustrated, and growth trajectories of six species of tadpoles are compared. The greatest diversity of Colostethus is in humid montane forests in the northern part of the Cordillera Central, where five species occur at elevations above 1600 m; six other species occur at elevations below 1000 m. Two of these also range into the valley of the Rio Maranon, where two additional species occur. Colostethus elachyhistus is widespread in the Andes in southern Ecuador and in the northern part of the Cordillera Occidental, including the Cordillera de Huancabamba, the higher parts of which are inhabited by C. sylvaticus. Colostethus elachyhistus and C. nexipus are the only species that occur in Ecuador and northern Peru. Seven instances of sympatry reveal slight differences in size between co-occurring species at most of these sites.Publication Phylogeny and classification of the parasitic bee tribe Epeolini (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Nomadinae)(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2004-10-06) Rightmyer, Molly GreerA generic-level cladistic analysis of the cleptoparasitic bee tribe Epeolini (Apinae: Nomadinae) is presented. One hundred and two characters of adult external morphology are identified and coded for 32 representatives of all genera and subgenera presently recognized within the tribe, along with five outgroup taxa. The resulting topology is used in the formation of a higher-level classification of the tribe. Four subtribes are characterized: Odyneropsina Handlirsch, Rhogepeolina new subtribe, Epeolina Robertson, and Thalestriina new subtribe. Pscudcpcoliis and Triepeolus are not supported as subgenera of Doeriiigielln and are elevated to generic rank. The subgenus Twphocleptrin renders Epeolus sensu stricto paraphyletic and is svnonymized. The group Paraniiiiobntcs is recognized as a subgenus of Odi/iiewpjsis. Triepeolus epeolurus new species (type locality, Michoacan, Mexico), is described and figured; it is remarkable for a number of autapomorphic traits, particularly those of the pseudopygidial area. A kev to the genera of the tribe is provided. The taxonomic history of the tribe, as well as available information on hosts and biology of epeolines, is summarized. A review of pertinent morphological terminology is presented, with special emphasis on the sting apparatus.Publication Two New Species of Marsupial Frogs (Anura: Hylidae: Gastrotheca) from the Cordillera Oriental in Central Peru(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2004-06-17) Duellman, William E.; Lehr, Edgar; Rodriguez, Daniel; May, Rudolf vonA distinctive new species of Gastrotheca from the Rio Chanchamayo Valley in the Cordillera Oriental in Peru is the only known member of the genus that lacks a tympanum. Another new species from the Cordillera de Carpish is distinctive in having a pair of lateral brood pouches and only basal webbing on the foot.Publication Four New Species Of The Genus Ophidion (Pisces: Ophidiidae) from The Western Atlantic Ocean(Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, 2003-07-18) Lea, Robert N.; Robins, C. RichardTwo common, unmarked species of Ophidion have been reported from the shallow coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean since the latter part of the 19th century. They are Ophidion holbrookii (Putnam, 1874) and Ophidion beani Jordan and Gilbert, 1883. Both names are based on the same species, and the species to which Ophidion beani was applied in the 1960's and later is undescribed. We also describe three additional species in this complex. This paper provides description to distinguish each of them from each other and from O. holbrookii, a species discussed in this paper only in a comparative sense.