ZooKeys

A new genus and species of the family Pseudocyclopidae, Sipadantonius roihani gen. et sp. nov., was described based on specimens collected using a light trap in the marine cave of Sipadan Island, Sabah, Malaysia. The new genus is most related to Pinkertonius, primarily based on the similarity observed in the armament of ancestral segment IV of the male antennules, the armament of the female P5 Exp-3, the segmentation of the male P5, the armament of the maxillular basal exite, and the relative length of the ancestral segment XXVII of the antennules. Nevertheless, it distinguishes itself from Pinkertonius and all other genera of the family by the absence of the lateral seta of the basis of all swimming legs, the presence of an inner seta on the coxa of the female P5, the reduction of furcal setae I and III, as well as the specific armament of the ancestral segment XX of the antennules and the maxillular coxal endite. The female of Sipadantonius roihani gen. et sp. nov. has aesthetascs on the ancestral segments IV and XX of the antennules, as well as six setae on the maxillular coxal endite, exhibiting the most plesiomorphic characteristics of the family Pseudocyclopidae. The latter characteristic has not been recorded in the order Calanoida. It was hypothesised that the new species was a particle feeder living in the pelagic zone of the marine cave. The existence of the new species supported the assumption that the regional distribution of the family Pseudocyclopidae exhibited the Tethyan track, which might have been the subsequent result of the colonisation of the habitats prior to the closure of the Tethys Sea.

Four new species of the genus Trilacuna Tong & Li, 2007, Trilacuna guangwu Ma & Tong, sp. nov. (♂), Trilacuna qingliangfeng Ma & Tong, sp. nov. (♂♀), Trilacuna taoyuanyu Ma & Tong, sp. nov. (♂) and Trilacuna yunmeng Ma & Tong, sp. nov. (♂), are described from China. Descriptions, diagnoses, and photographs are provided.

A new species Allopachria nigrocatta sp. nov. from Guangxi, China is described. New records are provided for the following Allopachria species: A. dudgeoni Wewalka, 2000 and A. weinbergeri Wewalka, 2000 from Zhejiang, and A. yiae Bian, Guo & Ji, 2013 from Guizhou. Additional records are also given for some other Chinese species. The habitus and male genitalia of the new species are illustrated. An updated key and a checklist of all Chinese species of Allopachria are provided.

Although the status of Parascorpaena moultoni (Whitley, 1961) is now well established, the morphology of the species has been re-examined, with new diagnostic features identified. Typically 15 or 16 pectoral-fin rays are present, together with two suborbital ridges, each with a single spine and the origin of the first ridge posterior to the second, well-developed interorbital ridges forming a loop, an undeveloped occipital pit, no scales on the dorsal- and anal-fin soft ray bases. The known range of the species includes Taiwan, the Philippines, Micronesia, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji in addition to previously reported Australia, New Caledonia, and Japan.

The complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic analysis for Leiognathus equula from the South China Sea was performed using shallow genome skimming. For accurate species identification and redescription, morphometric and meristic characters were examined and compared with previous descriptions. To facilitate the identification of species and to enable comparison with the mitochondrial genome phylogeny, molecular comparisons were conducted using three mitochondrial genes: large ribosomal RNA ( 16S rRNA), cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ( COX1 ), and NADH dehydrogenase ( ND5 ). The mitogenome (16 398 bp) comprised 38 mitochondrial genes, similar to most bony fishes: 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA and 22 transfer RNA genes, and 1 non-coding region. The complete mitogenome comprised 30.7% A, 24.2% T, 15.0% G, and 30.1% C. The A+T content (54.9%) was higher than the G+C content (45.1%). All PCGs started with the typical ATG codon, except COX1 , which started with GTG. Seven PCGs ended with incomplete stop codons (TA or T). The Ka/Ks ratios of all PCGs were < 1, indicating purifying selection. The phylogenies of Leiognathidae, both based on the amino acid sequences of the 13 PCGs and the single genes 16S RNA and COX1 , were monophyletic with high nodal support (> 75%). L. brevirostris (NC 026232) is believed to be a Nuchequula species, whereas L. ruconius (NC 057225) is not classified under Leiognathus in the NCBI database. The phylogenetic trees divided the Leiognathidae family into three clades. The mitogenome phylogeny suggested that the Leiognathidae and Chaetodontidae clades are sister groups. These findings provide important genetic data for population genetics research and a phylogenetic analysis of Leiognathidae.

Four new species of the genus Tapinocyba Simon, 1884 are described from Jiangjin, Chongqing: T. centralis sp. nov. (♂), T. denticulata sp. nov. (♂♀), T. triangularis sp. nov. (♂♀), and T. virga sp. nov. (♂♀). The new species exhibit distinctive genital features, such as a bifurcated embolus tip in the male palp of T. denticulata sp. nov. and T. virga sp. nov., and embolus tip unbifurcated in T. centralis sp. nov. The epigynes display more unique characteristics, such as epigynal plate with a pit ventrally on its frontal face in T. triangularis sp. nov. and T. virga sp. nov., which is absent in all other known Tapinocyba species. Detailed descriptions, along with photographs of genital characters, somatic features, and a distribution map, are provided.

Two new janiroid isopod species, Heterosignum behbehanii sp. nov. and Uromunna alyamanii sp. nov. , are described from the Kuwaiti waters, representing the first record of the genera in the western Indian Ocean. Heterosignum behbehanii sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by pereonites 2–7 with a pair of short single lateral spine-like processes; the relatively short length of the anterior part of its pleotelson, which accounts for about 0.1 of the total length of the pleotelson; and the stylet with an elongate, downwardly curved, and distally pointed apex. Uromunna alyamanii sp. nov. is equally unique, with the pleotelson bearing two denticles on each lateral margin, pleopod 2 endopod stylet extending beyond the apex of the protopod, and pleopod 4 exopod distal tip with a long plumose seta. This discovery of unique characteristics of the new species significantly enhances our understanding of marine biodiversity in the western Indian Ocean and underscores the importance of further research in this area. The identification keys are provided to all known species of Heterosignum and Indian Ocean Uromunna species.

A new species of Osedax is described here using molecular and morphological data. It was found at the depth of 550 m off the Brazilian coast through experimental deployment of cow bones. Osedax nataliae sp. nov. is the second Osedax species from the Southwest Atlantic Ocean and had been previously reported as Osedax ‘BioSuOr-4’. Phylogenetic analysis of five concatenated genetic makers (28S rDNA, Histone H3, 18S rDNA, 16S rDNA, and cytochrome c oxidase I) placed Osedax nataliae sp. nov. within a well-supported Osedax Clade V, nested within a clade of Pacific Ocean Osedax though with poor support. The minimum interspecific COI distance between O. nataliae sp. nov. and another known Osedax was 13.92% (closest to O. ‘sagami-3’). The maximum intraspecific COI diversity (uncorrected) within O. nataliae sp. nov. sampled here was 2.44% and population structure was visualized via haplotype network analysis. Morphologically, O. nataliae sp. nov. is characterized by its reddish orange crown of palps and a ventral yellowish collar on the anterior trunk where it meets the base of the crown. Osedax nataliae sp. nov. shares features with other Clade V species, notably pinnules inserted on the outer margin of palps. Additionally, the presence of dwarf males within the tube lumen of females was documented. Further sampling and research in the Southern Hemisphere are needed to understand the diversity and biogeography of Osedax across the world’s oceans.

The male genitalia characters of four species, Botys iopasalis Walker, 1859, Pleuroptya obfuscalis Yamanaka, 1998, Botys plagiatalis Walker, 1859 and Patania shompen Singh et Ahmad, 2022, placed in the genus Patania Moore, 1888 before the present study, do not conform to the diagnosis of Patania . A new genus, Purpurata gen. nov. , is established for these four species, and two new species, Purpurata directa sp. nov. and Purpurata lurida sp. nov. are described based on their external morphology and genitalia characters. Purpurata directa sp. nov. is designated as the type species of the new genus. Five species of the new genus were clearly separated from Patania species in the Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree constructed based on COI sequence data. Compared to Patania , the new genus Purpurata exhibits distinctive characters in male genitalia: the uncus is short, broad, and arc-shaped posteriorly; the gnathos is present and setose, or reduced; and the fibula is very small and setose. In addition, Patania clava (Xu & Du), syn. nov. is synonymized with Purpurata iopasalis comb. nov. An identification key to species of the new genus is presented based on morphological characters of habitus and genitalia. Images of the habitus and genitalia are provided.

A new species of Chromis (Teleostei, Pomacentridae) is described from four specimens collected between 95 and 110 m depth in mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Maldives, Indian Ocean. Chromis abadhahsp. nov. can be distinguished from all of its congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays XIII, 12–13; anal-fin rays II,11–12; pectoral-fin rays 17–18; tubed lateral-line scales 17; gill rakers 7+17–18 = 24–25; pearly white body with a large black marking covering the anterior two-thirds of the anal fin. The closest DNA barcode sequence (5.1% average uncorrected genetic distance on the mitochondrial COI gene), among those available, is Chromis woodsi, a similar mesophotic species known from the coastal western Indian Ocean (Somalia to South Africa). The new species is easily distinguished from C. woodsi by having 13 dorsal spines (versus 14 in C. woodsi), the absence of a black band on the base of the tail (present in C. woodsi), and by the genetic difference.

Smilidarnis is fixed as the correct original spelling. Smilidarnis similifasciatus, sp. nov., from Bolivia and French Guiana, closely resembles S. fasciatus Andrade in being brightly colored but differs in the metathoracic tibial chaetotaxy, the male pygofer, first anal segment, aedeagus, and color pattern. In this new species, which is larger than S. fasciatus, females are larger than males. Photographs of the male and female adults and genitalia of the new species are provided. Bolivia is a new country record for the genus. A key to all species is provided.

Currently 19 species of Aradidae (flat bugs) are known from the Cretaceous deposits of Burma (Burmese/Kachin amber). In reviewing unidentified aradid species from this deposit, an unnamed species was located. This aradid includes a unique combination of features from several Cretaceous aradid genera coupled with apomorphic antennae morphology allows easy differentiation from other aradids. Therefore, a new genus and species is herein described as Sauronaradus meganaegen. et. sp. nov. to accommodate these unique features.

Herpetological inventories conducted in the Pui Pui Protected Forest in the central Peruvian Andes between 2012 and 2014 revealed unusually high local anuran richness and endemism. Herein, we describe a new species of Pristimantis discovered in the buffer zone of the protected area between 1550 and 1730 m a.s.l. The description is based on one subadult male (snout–vent length 14.4 mm), one adult female (snout–vent length 26.4 mm), and six juvenile specimens collected in the montane forest between 1550 and 1730 m a.s.l. DNA barcoding placed P. vrazisp. nov. as the sister taxon to P. rhabdocnemus and in the clade also containing P. lindae, P. sinschi, P. quaquaversus, and one still unnamed Pristimantis species. Pristimantis vrazisp. nov. differs from all these closely related species by the combination of the following characters: tuberculate dorsum, presence of the tympanum, presence of dentigerous processes on the vomer, absence of vocal slits, a red median horizontal streak across the iris, a narrow black median vertical streak on the lower half of the eye, cream to dark brown dorsal ground coloration, and cream to gray ventral ground coloration.

A new scytinopterid species, Mesoscytina tongchuanensissp. nov., is established based on a tegmen collected from the Middle Triassic Tongchuan Formation in Shaanxi Province, NW China. The new species can be easily separated from its congeners by the narrow tegminal apex, less curved terminal branches of stems RP, M and CuA and crossvein r-m connected to long vein M1+2. This discovery represents the first record of Mesoscytina from the Tongchuan Formation in China and suggests that the genus Mesoscytina spread much more widely from Gondwana to northern Pangea in the Middle Triassic.

A new species of the Asian leaf litter toad genus Leptobrachella, L. dayaoshanensissp. nov., is described based on phylogenetic analysis, morphological characters, and bioacoustic data. This species occurs in the Dayaoshan National Nature Reserve located in Jinxiu County, Guangxi, China. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this new species is closely related to L. verrucosa, as demonstrated by phylogenetic trees. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: (1) medium size (mean snout–vent length (SVL) of 27.9 ± 0.7 mm, range 26.6–28.9 mm in males; 34.4 mm in female); (2) rough dorsal surface featuring small, raised tubercles and ridges; (3) flanks adorned with irregular black spots and creamy white glands; (4) creamy white ventral surface with sparse light-brown spots and irregular tiny textures; (5) brown throat and chest; (6) rudimentary toe webbing; (7) wide lateral fringes on toes; (8) distinct continuous ventrolateral glandular line; (9) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the midpoint of eye when the leg is extended forward; (10) heels that do not meet when thighs are appressed at right angles to body; (11) bicolored iris, with the upper half being copper and gradually transitioning to silver in the lower half; and (12) advertisement calls consisting of two model types, with dominant frequencies of 4.2–6.8 kHz at 21.0 °C. The new species has a breeding season that occurs from March to April and is found in evergreen forests at elevations between 1,000 and 1,600 m.

The genus Grouvellinus Champion, 1923 comprises 60 described species distributed across the Oriental and Palearctic regions. Species diversity is very high in mainland China, with 28 recorded species. Here, the results of the aquatic beetle survey in Guizhou Province are presented; they began in 2021, when we collected more than 5000 specimens of riffle beetle. All specimens come from small ravine streams where inhabited submerged stones. Using morphological characters of adults such as body form and size, coloration, elytral, pronotal and ventral surface structures, and forms of male and female genitalia, five new species were discovered and are described: Grouvellinus loongsp. nov., G. buyisp. nov., G. wangmoensissp. nov., G. lihaitaoisp. nov., G. muyinlinisp. nov. The species descriptions contain illustrations of diagnostic characters and measurements of metric characters such as body length, pronotal length, pronotal width, elytral length and width, and head length and width. The females are, on average, larger and have only slight differences in external morphology compared to the males. The comparative diagnoses discuss characters of the new and already known species. The results show that the existing species diversity requires more detailed research focusing on larger areas of South China in the future.

Three new species of the genus Cicurina Menge, 1871 are described from Daba Mountain National Nature Reserve, Chongqing, China: C. chengkousp. nov. (♂♀), C. dabashansp. nov. (♂♀) and C. longihamatasp. nov. (♂♀). Morphological descriptions, photos and illustrations of copulatory organs are provided.

Bothrial morphology was studied by SEM in 137 araneoid genera representing all 22 currently recognized extant families and all 42 conventional subfamilies of the Araneoidea. The ancestral type in the superfamily Araneoidea is a ‘hooded’ bothrium with a single well-developed transverse ridge, dividing its proximal and distal plates (‘Erigone-type’); the advanced type is a solid dome-like bothrium without vestiges of the ridge (‘Theridion-type’); there are several intermediate types reflecting various pathways and stages of the ridge reduction (united here as ‘Argiope-type’). The parallel trends in bothrial evolution, recognized as continuous series from the ancestral type up to the advanced one through some intermediate stages, are distinguished in each of the seven main phylogenetic lineages of the superfamily: ‘tetragnathoids’, ‘araneoids’, ‘cyatholipoids’, and ‘theridioids’ possess a complete set of the three types, while ‘malkariods’, ‘symphytognathoids’. and ‘linyphioids’ lack the advanced, dome-like type (‘Theridion-type’). Only three taxa have been proposed earlier as the sister group of the superfamily Araneoidea: Nicodamoidea, Deinopoidea, and Leptonetoidea; morphology of bothria, as well as other cuticular microstructures, clearly supports the araneoid-nicodamoid relationship hypothesis, purely ‘molecular’ to date. Bothrial morphology provides the additional arguments for several taxonomic acts, e.g., for the reranking the Agnarsson’s (2004) ‘clade 35’ (Theonoe, Carniella, Robertus, and Pholcomma) up to the Theonoeinae Simon, 1894, stat. nov., and for the revalidation the micropholcommatid Plectochetos Butler, 1932, gen. revalid. and zygiellid Parazygiella Wunderlich, 2004, gen. revalid.

The micromoth Cremastobombycia socoromaensissp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae, Lithocolletinae) from the arid highlands of the western slope of the Andes of northern Chile is described and illustrated. Larvae construct bulged leaf mines on the shrub Baccharis tola Phil. (Asteraceae). Pupation occurs in a silk cocoon constructed by the last instar larva inside the mine. The cocoon and the mine surface are pierced by the frontal process of the pupa to allow adult emergence. This discovery represents the first record of Cremastobombycia Braun, 1908 in South America.

The genus Thibetana Efetov & Tarmann, 1995 includes six species occurring in southwest China and Indian Sikkim. In the present paper, Thibetana weii Li & He, sp. nov., the seventh species of the genus encountered at the foot of Galongla Snow Mountain, southeast Xizang of China is described. Habitus of the adult and genitalia of the new species are illustrated, and a checklist and a key of all Thibetana species are provided.

Deer mice, Peromyscus, thrive in diverse environments and altitudes across North and Central America. The number of extant species continues to be debated with species counts ranging from 53 to 83. This study represents the first comprehensive historical and taxonomic account of the genus Peromyscus for Honduras. We systematically compiled records from all available sources, incorporating verified genetic and morphological evidence. We confirm the presence of P. beatae, P. cordillerae, P. nicaraguae, P. salvadorensis and P. stirtoni for Honduras. The distribution maps provided here include confirmed records and approximate localities in a few cases and offer insights into the geographical distribution of these species in Honduras. Conducting a comprehensive assessment of the taxonomic status of Peromyscus in Honduras is imperative to achieve accurate conservation assessments within the larger Mesoamerican landscape. The present review establishes the baseline for future research on deer mice in Honduras, aiding in the validation of distributions and ecological data for the poorly understood genus Peromyscus in the country.

We describe a new species in the Rhyacophila tristis group, Rhyacophila lignumvallis Graf & Rázuri-Gonzales, sp. nov., from the island of Corsica (France) based on a single male specimen. In addition to the morphological differences between the new species and the most similar species in the group, we also provide a phylogenetic tree based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI), including sequences from 16 out of the 28 currently recognized species in the group. These data, together with conspecific larval sequences, support the status of the new species and shed light on an additional potential new species near Rhyacophila pubescens. Using a low-cost next-generation sequencing approach, we generated the mito- and draft nuclear genome assembly of the holotype of R. lignumvallissp. nov. as well as that of R. tsurakiana. This genetic data represents an important additional characterization to the description of morphological features and is valuable for future investigations, such as population or phylogenomic studies.

Two new species of the genus Torodora Meyrick, 1894 are described from China: T. lichisp. nov. and T. micisp. nov. Additionally, T. silvatica Park, 2007 is newly recorded for China. Images of the adults and their genitalia are provided.

Descriptions of the following three new species of Macrotomoderus Pic, 1901 from continental China are provided: M. blinsteinisp. nov., M. hirsutussp. nov., and M. turpiculussp. nov. The available identification key to the Palaearctic Macrotomoderus species is supplemented and updated.

In this study, a morphological revision was conducted of Agroecotettix Bruner, a group of grasshoppers inhabiting open xeric desert scrub, shrublands, and plains, spanning central Texas to central Mexico. The genus was originally described by Bruner in 1908, with two taxa added by Hebard in 1922. Agroecotettix has remained unrevised despite numerous collections. This exploration, spurred by a novel discovery of significant male genitalia variation in Agroecotettix aristus aristus, suggests undescribed species. Through morphological specimen comparisons, sixteen new species are described from biologically rich regions of the South Texas Plains, Chihuahuan Desert, and Sierra Madre Oriental. The new taxa described here are A. silverheelsisp. nov., A. xiphophorussp. nov., A. glochinossp. nov., A. texmexsp. nov., A. cumbressp. nov., A. burtonisp. nov., A. mooreisp. nov., A. chiantiensissp. nov., A. dornisp. nov., A. chisosensissp. nov., A. turnerisp. nov., A. quitmanensissp. nov., A. vaquerosp. nov., A. forcipatussp. nov., A. idicsp. nov., and A. kahloaesp. nov. This discovery sheds light on desert biodiversity and hints at a Pleistocene radiation akin to other melanoplines, urging further exploration to enrich our understanding of this fascinating lineage and unravel the biogeographic history within these arid landscapes.