The 100 most-cited articles in Zootaxa, 2019

When listing the tardigrade species found in a study, the general practice is to sort the list alphabetically or taxonomically by genus. The first time a genus name is used it is spelled out and then it is abbreviated with the first letter of the genus followed by a full stop (period) until a different genus is encountered. This practice works for both a paragraph and a table listing and has been used by tardigrade researchers as far back as Schultze (1834). In the last monograph, Ramazzotti Maucci (1983) presented a listing of the 52 generic abbreviations they used. We present an updated list of unambiguous abbreviations consistent with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) for the now 137 recognized tardigrade genera.

Knowledge of the tick fauna of continental Southeast Asia is either patchy or, in some cases, for example Cambodia and Myanmar, poor. Nevertheless, 97 species have been recorded from this region, making it one of the most diverse for ticks worldwide. Throughout Southeast Asia, work on tick-borne diseases of stock and companion animals, as well as of humans, is in its infancy, and the medical, veterinary and socio-economic importance of these diseases is largely unknown. Here we review current knowledge of Southeast Asian ticks and tick-borne diseases, with the aim of stimulating further research on this subject.

Intra- and interspecific variability, being at the very core of alpha taxonomy, has been a long-standing topic of debate among tardigrade taxonomists. Early studies tended to assume that tardigrades exhibit wide intraspecific variation. However, with more careful morphological studies, especially those incorporating molecular tools that allow for an independent verification of species identifications based on phenotypic traits, we now recognise that ranges of tardigrade intraspecific variability are narrower, and that differences between species may be more subtle than previously assumed. The taxonomic history of the genus Milnesium, and more specifically that of the nominal species, M. tardigradum described by Doyère in 1840, is a good illustration of the evolution of views on intraspecific variability in tardigrades. The assumption of wide intraspecific variability in claw morphology led Marcus (1928) to synonymise two species with different claw configurations, M. alpigenum and M. quadrifidum, with M. tardigradum. Currently claw configuration is recognised as one of the key…

Adopting the name Canis dingo for the Dingo to explicitly denote a species-level taxon separate from other canids was suggested by Crowther et al. (2014) as a means to eliminate taxonomic instability and contention. However, Jackson et al. (2017), using standard taxonomic and nomenclatural approaches and principles, called instead for continued use of the nomen C. familiaris for all domestic dogs and their derivatives, including the Dingo. (This name, C. familiaris, is applied to all dogs that derive from the domesticated version of the Gray Wolf, Canis lupus, based on nomenclatural convention.) The primary reasons for this call by Jackson et al. (2017) were: (1) a lack of evidence to show that recognizing multiple species amongst the dog, including the Dingo and New Guinea Singing Dog, was necessary taxonomically, and (2) the principle of nomenclatural priority (the name familiaris Linnaeus, 1758, antedates dingo Meyer, 1793). Overwhelming current evidence from archaeology and genomics indicates that the Dingo is of recent origin in Australia and shares immediate ancestry with…

An updated revision of Afrotropical Dryinidae is presented. Nine subfamilies, 23 genera and 430 species (including 60 new species) are treated. Six new species-level synonymies and three new combinations are proposed. Descriptions, geographic distribution, known hosts, natural enemies and type material of each species are presented, together with illustrations of the main morphological characters and keys to the subfamilies, genera and species. A complete list of references concerning the Afrotropical Dryinidae and their hosts is provided. The following new species are described: Anteon ambrense, sp. nov. (Madagascar), Anteon beankanum, sp. nov. (Madagascar), Anteon elongatum, sp. nov. (Madagascar), Anteon hoekense, sp. nov. (South Africa), Anteon mabibiense, sp. nov. (South Africa), Anteon majunganum, sp. nov. (Madagascar), Anteon malagasy, sp. nov. (Madagascar), Anteon musmani, sp. nov. (Kenya), Anteon nigropictum, sp. nov. (South Africa), Anteon nimbense, sp. nov. (Guinea), Anteon pseudohova, sp. nov. (Madagascar), Anteon sakalavense, sp. nov. (Madagascar), Anteon tulearense, sp.…

Armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Diaspididae) are major economic pests and are among the world's most invasive species. Here we describe a system of specimen and identification management that establishes a basis for well-vouchered molecular identification. We also present an expanded Bayesian phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated fragments of 4 genetic loci: the large ribosomal subunit (28S), elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α), cytochrome oxidase I and II (COI‒II), and the small ribosomal subunit (16S) of the primary endosymbiont, Uzinura diaspidicola (Bacteroidetes: Flavobacteriales). Our sample includes 1,389 individuals, representing 11 outgroup species and at least 311 described and 61 undescribed diaspidid species. The results broadly support Takagi's 2002 classification but indicate that some revisions are needed. We propose a revised classification recognizing 4 subfamilies: Ancepaspidinae Borchsenius, new rank, Furcaspidinae Balachowsky, new rank, Diaspidinae Targioni Tozzetti, and Aspidiotinae Westwood. Within Aspidiotinae, in addition to the existing…

The taxonomic status and systematic nomenclature of the Australian dingo remain contentious, resulting in decades of inconsistent applications in the scientific literature and in policy. Prompted by a recent publication calling for dingoes to be considered taxonomically as domestic dogs (Jackson et al. 2017, Zootaxa 4317, 201-224), we review the issues of the taxonomy applied to canids, and summarise the main differences between dingoes and other canids. We conclude that (1) the Australian dingo is a geographically isolated (allopatric) species from all other Canis, and is genetically, phenotypically, ecologically, and behaviourally distinct; and (2) the dingo appears largely devoid of many of the signs of domestication, including surviving largely as a wild animal in Australia for millennia. The case of defining dingo taxonomy provides a quintessential example of the disagreements between species concepts (e.g., biological, phylogenetic, ecological, morphological). Applying the biological species concept sensu stricto to the dingo as suggested by Jackson et al. (2017) and…

We present information on primary type specimens for 13,282 species and subspecies of reptiles compiled in the Reptile Database, that is, holotypes, neotypes, lectotypes, and syntypes. These represent 99.4% of all 13,361 currently recognized taxa (11,050 species and 2311 subspecies). Type specimens of 653 taxa (4.9%) are either lost or not located, were never designated, or we did not find any information about them. 51 species are based on iconotypes. To map all types to physical collections we have consolidated all synonymous and ambiguous collection acronyms into an unambiguous list of 364 collections holding these primary types. The 10 largest collections possess more than 50% of all (primary) reptile types, the 36 largest collections possess more than 10,000 types and the largest 73 collections possess over 90% of all types. Of the 364 collections, 107 hold type specimens of only 1 species or subspecies. Dozens of types are still in private collections. In order to increase their utility, we recommend that the description of type specimens be supplemented with data from…

This overview of the Luciolinae addresses the fauna of S. E. Asia including India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Australopacific area of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.Of the 28 genera now recognised in the Luciolinae we address 27 genera from the study area as defined above, including three new genera which are described herein, and 222 species including 13 species newly described herein. Photuroluciola Pic from Madagascar is the only Luciolinae genus not addressed here. A key to genera is presented. Keys to species are either included here or referenced in existing literature. Twelve genera have had no new taxonomic decisions made nor are any new species records listed, and are addressed in an abbreviated fashion, with short diagnoses and plates of features of life stages: Aquatica Fu et al. 2010, Australoluciola Ballantyne 2013, Convexa Ballantyne 2009, Emeia Fu et al. 2012a, Inflata Boontop 2015,…

Gryllus field and wood crickets of the United States, mostly west of the Mississippi River, are reviewed and revised. We validate the following 18 Gryllus cricket names: G. armatus, G. assimilis, G. brevicaudus, G. cayensis, G. cohni, G. firmus, G. fultoni, G. integer, G. lineaticeps, G. multipulsator, G. ovisopis, G. pennsylvanicus, G. personatus, G. rubens, G. texensis, G. veletis, G. vernalis, and G. vocalis. We synonymize G. alogus under G. vocalis. We designate a lectotype for G. armatus. We describe the following 17 new Gryllus species: G. chisosensis, G. leei, G. lightfooti, G. longicercus, G. makhosica, G. montis, G. navajo, G. planeta, G. regularis, G. saxatilis, G. sotol, G. staccato, G. thinos, G. transpecos, G. veintinueve, G. veletisoides, and G. vulcanus. We present biology, distribution, and genetic analysis of all taxa and discuss their nearest relatives.

Waidelotus hoffeinsorum gen. et sp. nov. is described from Eocene Baltic amber and assigned to Waidelotinae subfam. nov. within family Pyrochroidae (Coleoptera). The new subfamily differs from the other subfamilies by the following combination of features: penultimate tarsomere of all tarsi deeply bilobed, antepenultimate tarsomere of each pro- and mesothoracic tarsus slightly bilobed, antepenultimate tarsomere of metathoracic tarsi slightly widened apically; pronotum laterally margined in basal half; eyes emarginate; pretarsal claws appendiculate; prosternal intercoxal process incompletely separating prothoracic coxae; pronotum with fine posterior submarginal groove; head without distinct constriction behind eyes; posterior pronotal pits absent; and elytral pubescence homogenous. It is the only authentic species of Pyrochroidae (Coleoptera) from Baltic amber, pending final placement of Palaeopyrochroa crowsoni Abdullah, 1965. Additionally, the available data on stratigraphy of amber-bearing strata on the Sambian peninsula, and the age and location of Eocene amberiferous forests are…

Phylogenetic relationships of snailfishes of the family Liparidae were analyzed on the basis of two sets of molecular sequence data: one from the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit one gene (COI) and another from restriction-site associated genome-wide sequences (RADseq). The analysis of COI sequence data from at least 122 species of 18 genera from the Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern oceans resulted in a moderately well-resolved phylogeny among the major clades, albeit with significant polytomy among central clades. Nectoliparis was the sister of all other members of the family, followed by Liparis. Liparis, Careproctus, and Paraliparis were paraphyletic. Liparis was recovered in two closely related clades, with L. fucensis sister of all other liparids except Nectoliparis, and both Careproctus and Paraliparis were each recovered among at least three widely separated clades. The RADseq analysis of 26 species of 11 genera from the eastern North Pacific strongly confirmed the overall results of the COI analysis, with the exception of the paraphyly of Liparis due to the…

Based on morphological and molecular data, Ino budensis var. mollis Grum-Grshimailo, 1893, from China, so far treated as a synonym of Jordanita (Roccia) paupera (Christoph, 1887), is here recognized as a good species, Jordanita (Roccia) mollis (Grum-Grshimailo, 1893), stat. nov. This species is recorded as new for the fauna of Russia and Korea. An identification key for this species is provided.

Distribution and host data from published literature and previously unpublished collection records are provided for all 37 species of soft ticks, family Argasidae, that are known to occur in Mexico, including Ornithodoros dugesi, which is generally regarded as a junior synonym of Ornithodoros talaje, and Ornithodoros marinkellei, a new record for Mexico. Parasite-host and host-parasite lists are presented, together with keys to adults and larvae, and a gazetteer of collection localities supplemented by maps showing each species' distribution in Mexico.

The parasitic isopod family Cymothoidae Leach, 1818 of the India exclusive economic zone is reviewed. A total of 56 nominal species corresponding to 48 valid species belonging to sixteen genera are reviewed from 73 host species belonging to 35 families. Mothocya plagulophora (Haller, 1880), Nerocila depressa Milne Edwards, 1840, Nerocila loveni Bovallius, 1887, Nerocila trichiura (Miers, 1877), Norileca triangulata (Richardson, 1910) and Ryukyua globosa Williams Bunkley-Williams, 1994 are redescribed. Indusa pustulosa Pillai, 1954 is synonymised with Agarna malayi Tiwari, 1952; Cymothoa krishnai Jayadev Babu Sanjeeva Raj, 1984 is synonymised with Cymothoa eremita (Brünnich, 1783) and Nerocila priacanthusi Kumari, Rao Shyamasundari, 1987 is synonymised with Nerocila arres Bowman Tareen, 1983. Ourozeuktes bopyroides (Lesueur, 1814) is revised and excluded from the Indian fauna. The Indian cymothoid species Agarna bengalensis Kumari, Rao Shaymasundari, 1990, Cymothoa asymmetrica Pillai, 1954 and Nerocila hemirhamphusi Shyamasundari, Rao Kumari, 1990 are regarded here as species…

We updated a previous database that compiled all the information available in 2010 for the species distribution of spiders (Araneae) in the Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands (Illes Balears) included. By the end of 2018 a total of 30834 records were compiled. These belong to 1493 species, 282 of those endemic to the peninsula, across 56 families and 402 genera. This represents an increase of approximately 14% in the number of species in the last nine years. From all families found in the Iberian Peninsula, Araneidae represent the highest number of records (3315), Linyphiidae the highest species richness (302) and Dysderidae the highest endemic richness (58). When considering only the 2010 decade, Linyphiidae lead in both number of records (1417) and species (49), but Gnaphosidae have the highest newly described endemic richness (18). When looking at the full data per province, the largest number of records are located in Illes Balears (1864), followed by Barcelona (1287). When it comes to species, Huesca (474) and Barcelona (470) are the richest provinces. However, it is Illes…

The bumblebees of the subgenus Alpinobombus of the genus Bombus are unusual among bees for specialising in many of the most northerly vegetated arctic habitats on Earth. Most named taxa in this group (37 available names from a total of 67 names) were described originally from differences in the colour patterns of the hair. Previous revisions have shown unusually little agreement, recognising a range of 6‒9 species, in part because of pronounced intraspecific variation in both skeletal morphology and in the colour patterns of the hair. Here we examine variation among 4622 specimens from throughout the group's global range. Bayesian inference of the gene tree for the fast evolving mitochondrial COI gene combined with Poisson-tree-process analysis of this tree shows support for 10 gene lineages as candidates for being putative species lineages. Integrative assessment shows that the interpretation of these results is not straightforward. Evidence from the fast evolving mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene supports two of the COI gene alleles (from the samples B. kluanensis s. str. and…

Lobotes, Datnioides and Hapalogenys are assigned to a newly defined Acanthuriformes on the basis of their pattern of tooth replacement (termed posterolateral tooth replacement), where new teeth form at the posterolateral ends of series. Posterolateral tooth replacement is shown to be a synamorphy of the order. The order is expanded to include Chaetodontidae, Pomacanthidae, Drepaneidae, Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Antigonia, Scatophagidae and Capros, along with the more traditional members, Siganidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae. Three-item analysis of 63 adult and larval morphological characters yields two optimal trees that differ only in the relative positions of Capros and Siganidae. The intersection tree of the two optimal trees is: (((Hapalogenys (Datnioides, Lobotidae)) (Pomacanthidae (Drepaneidae (Chaetodontidae (Ephippidae (Leiognathidae (Scatophagidae (Antigonia (Siganidae, Capros (Luvaridae (Zanclidae, Acanthuridae)))))))))))). This cladogram is compared with recent phylogenies based on analyses of sequence data, and few differences are found once the…

An integrative taxonomic analysis using color pattern, morphology, and 1449 base pairs of the ND2 mitochondrial gene and its five flanking tRNAs demonstrated that eight species-level lineages occur within the Cyrtodactylus intermedius complex (Cyrtodactylus intermedius sensu stricto, C. phuquocensis and related populations) of the Cardamom mountains and associated highlands that have a sequence divergence ranging 3.4-8.9%. Additionally, each lineage is discretely diagnosable from one another based on morphology and color pattern and most occur in specific geographic regions (upland areas, karst formations or islands) that prevent or greatly restrict interpopulation gene flow. Six of these lineages were masquerading under the nomen C. intermedius and are described as the following: Cyrtodactylus auralensis sp. nov. endemic to Phnom Aural, the highest mountain in Cambodia; C. bokorensis sp. nov. endemic to the Bokor Plateau, Cambodia; C. cardamomensis sp. nov. from the main block of the Cardamom mountains; C. thylacodactylus sp. nov. endemic to Phnom Dalai the northernmost peak of the…

The taxonomic diversity of species and genera of Staphylinidae and their distribution in Latin America are discussed and listed/tabulated based on published literature. In total, 11,675 species in 1075 genera are reported from Latin America. South America has the most recorded species for Latin America, 7773 including 7079 endemic species. The four subfamilies with the highest total number of genera including endemic genera are Aleocharinae, Staphylininae, Pselaphinae, and Paederinae. All recorded genera and their synonyms are listed alphabetically within the subfamilies of Staphylinidae, providing a catalog of published genera for Latin America. Two hundred forty-four color or black and white images of species representing different genera are provided.

The catshark genus Scyliorhinus belongs to the family Scyliorhinidae, the most diverse family of sharks, and currently presents 16 valid species according to most modern accounts. The long history of taxonomic rearrangements and inaccurate descriptions of many species have contributed to misidentification of specimens and lack of information on the distributional range and diagnostic characters of its species. Species of Scyliorhinus are reviewed and redescribed here, with detailed descriptions on external morphology, neurocranium, claspers, dermal denticles, and tooth morphology provided for the first time for all species. Sixteen species are recognized as valid: Scyliorhinus boa (Goode Bean, 1896), S. cabofriensis Soares, Gomes de Carvalho, 2016, S. canicula (Linnaeus, 1758), S. capensis (Müller Henle, 1838), S. cervigoni Maurin Bonnet, 1970, S. comoroensis Compagno, 1988, S. duhamelii (Garman, 1913), S. garmani (Fowler, 1934), S. haeckelii (Miranda Ribeiro, 1907), S. hesperius Springer, 1966, S. meadi Springer, 1966, S. retifer (Garman, 1881), S. stellaris (Linnaeus, 1758), S.…

Identities of elasmobranchs from Sri Lanka encountered during collections conducted in an intensive nine-day survey of fish markets and landing sites at 11 localities in the North Western, Northern, and Eastern Provinces in March of 2018 were assessed. In total, 111 specimens representing 34 elasmobranch species were examined. Sequence data for the NADH2 gene were generated for all specimens. Independent Neighbor-Joining analyses, which included data for related taxa, were conducted for 25 subgroups of elasmobranchs to help confirm specific identifications. Five of the 34 species encountered are likely new to science. These consist of one species each of the batoid genera Brevitrygon, Narcine, and Torpedo, and the selachian genera Centrophorus, and Chiloscyllium. The specific identities of 12 species previously known to occur in Sri Lanka are updated to conform to current taxonomy; four of these (Gymnura cf. poecilura 2, Carcharhinus cf. limbatus, Echinorhinus sp. 1, and Iago cf. omanensis 1) represent what appear to be undescribed species reported previously from other localities.…

In this study, we take the Onthophagus chevrolati species group, likely a monophyletic species group as an example to analyze the processes that led to the biogeographic integration of the Holarctic fauna in the mountains of the Mexican Transition Zone to test our biogeographic hypotheses. We propose a change from the status of subspecies to species for O. oaxacanus Zunino Halffter, 1988 new status; O. howdeni Zunino Halffter, 1988 new status; O. jaliscensis Zunino Halffter, 1988 new status; O. longecarinatus Zunino Halffter, 1988 new status; O. omiltemius Bates, 1889 revised status; and O. retusus Harold, 1869 revised status. Consequently, the O. chevrolati group of species is currently made up of 47 species belonging to four species lines: O. vespertilio, O. hippopotamus, O. cyanellus and O. chevrolati. The diversification of the Onthophagus chevrolati species group in this region resulted from three hypothetical stages of evolution. In the first, the penetration and expansion of the ancestor of the O. chevrolati species group occurred before the Miocene and the Trans-Mexican…

Uberabatitan ribeiroi is a Late Cretaceous titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from southeastern Brazil. Here we provide a detailed revision of all its available specimens, including new elements from the type-locality. One new autopomorphy is added to diagnosis of the taxon: astragalus with a well-developed anteroposterior crest that mediodistally delimits the tibial articulation. Linear regressions were conducted in an attempt to circumscribe specimens within the type-series, revealing that it is composed of several individuals, with inferred total body lengths varying from 7 to 26 meters. Phylogenetic analyses including U. ribeiroi show that the Brazilian taxon corresponds to a non-saltasaurid lithostrotian titanosaur.

A new species of horned toad, Megophrys ombrophila sp. nov., is described based on specimens found from Guadun village from Mount Wuyi in northwestern Fujian Province, China. The species is distinguished from other described Megophrys by morphology, bioacoustics, and molecular data of the 12S and 16S mitochondrial loci. The species is characterized by its rotund stature, head length approximately equal to head width, canthus rostralis well developed, tympanum large and distinct, vomerine teeth absent, margin of tongue smooth, not notched from behind, heels of the feet not meeting when femurs are held at 90° to the axis of the body and tibias are depressed against the femur, toes weakly webbed at base, dorsal skin mostly smooth with scattered granules and ridges, usually the presence of two discontinuous dorsolateral ridges, supratympanic fold distinct and well-developed, and with females ranging from 32.8-35 mm snout-to-vent length, and males ranging from 27.4-34.5 mm SVL. In its type locality, the species is sympatric with M. boettgeri and M. kuatunensis; and phylogenetically, the…

The Pig-footed Bandicoot, Chaeropus ecaudatus, an extinct arid-adapted bandicoot, was named in 1838 based on a specimen without a tail from the Murray River in New South Wales. Two additional species were later named, C. castanotis and C. occidentalis, which have since been synonymised with C. ecaudatus. Taxonomic research on the genus is rather difficult because of the limited material available for study. Aside from the types of C. castanotis and C. occidentalis housed at the Natural History Museum in London, and the type of C. ecaudatus at the Australian Museum in Sydney, there are fewer than 30 other modern specimens in other collections scattered around the world. Examining skeletal and dental characters for several specimens, and using a combination of traditional morphology, morphometrics, palaeontology and molecular phylogenetics, we have identified two distinct species, C. ecaudatus and C. yirratji sp. nov., with C. ecaudatus having two distinct subspecies, C. e. ecaudatus and C. e. occidentalis. We use palaeontological data to reconstruct the pre-European distribution of…

Thirty seven new talitrid genera are described: Albidiator gen. nov.; Amphiatlantica gen. nov.; Asiaorchestia gen. nov.; Bulychevia gen. nov.; Calviator gen. nov.; Canariorchestia gen. nov.; Chevreuxiana gen. nov.; Dallwitzia gen. nov.; Defeo gen. nov.; Dendrorchestia gen. nov.; Derzhavinia gen. nov.; Dracorchestia gen. nov.; Fleuria gen. nov.; Galaporchestia gen. nov.; Hermaniator gen. nov.; Houlia gen. nov.; Hurleyella gen. nov.; Ignamborchestia gen. nov.; Indiorchestia gen. nov.; Insulariator gen. nov.; Kaalorchestia gen. nov.; Kellyduncania gen. nov.; Laniporchestia gen. nov.; Laurenia gen. nov.; Leslieorchestia gen. nov.; Lutruwitiator gen. nov.; Morinoia gen. nov.; Oamaru gen. nov.; Omaiorchestia gen. nov.; Opunorchestia gen. nov.; Pickorchestia gen. nov.; Sinbadorchestia gen. nov.; Snaresorchestia gen. nov.; Speziorchestia gen. nov.; Swaziator gen. nov.; Tasmanella gen. nov.; and Wairua gen. nov. The superfamily Hyaloidea Bulycheva 1957 stat. nov. is established. Caribitroides Bousfield, 1984, Dana Lowry, 2011, Makawe Duncan, 1994, Mexitroides Lindeman, 1990, Parorchestia…

One hundred forty-six species of Gelechiidae including 36 new records are reported from Israel. Anarsia balioneura Meyrick, 1921 and Polyhymno chionarcha Meyrick, 1913 are recorded for the first time in the Palaearctic region. Two new species are described: Metzneria freidbergi sp. nov., and Scrobipalpa aravensis sp. nov. Six new synonyms are established: Stygmatoptera Hartig, 1936 syn. nov. of Polyhymno Chambers, 1874; Eulamprotes Bradley, 1971 syn. nov. of Oxypteryx Rebel, 1911; Polyhymno abaiella Amsel, 1974 syn. nov. of Polyhymno chionarcha, Meyrick, 1913; Gelechia haifella Amsel, 1935 syn. nov. of Athrips rancidella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1854); Sophronia catharurga Meyrick, 1923 and Sophronia parahumerella Amsel, 1935 syn. nov. of Pseudosophronia exustellus (Zeller, 1847). The following new combinations are proposed: Anacampsis karmeliella (Amsel, 1935) comb. nov., Stomopteryx tesserapunctella (Amsel, 1935) comb. nov., Aproaerema languidella (Amsel, 1936) comb. nov., Aproaerema telaviviella (Amsel, 1935) comb. nov., Acompsia (Telephila) ballotellus (Amsel, 1935) comb. nov.,…

The monotypic genus Dravidogecko, represented by its type-species D. anamallensis, is singular amongst peninsular Indian gekkonid lineages in its endemism to the Western Ghats. Molecular species delimitation approaches reveal at least seven species-level lineages within the genus from its distribution range across the mid-high elevations of the southern Western Ghats of India. These lineages, albeit superficially cryptic, are patently diagnosable from each other by employing a limited but precise set of morphological characters. Six of these lineages that were obscured under the nomen D. anamallensis are herein recognized as distinct species. A reappraisal of the genus Dravidogecko is provided based on external morphology and osteological characters, along with a detailed redescription of the holotype of D. anamallensis. A key to the species based on diagnostic characters is presented. Gene-trees based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data recovered marginally disparate topologies and were consequently coalesced into a species-tree for phylogenetic inference. Timetree analysis…

Meloscaphander grandis is a little-known species missing from databases and papers on taxonomic revision and phylogenetic analysis of Scaphandridae. This species is redescribed herein, based on the type specimen and specimens from the abyssal plain adjacent to the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench. A phylogenetic analysis of COI, 16S, and 28S markers show M. grandis to nest within the Scaphander clade. Additionally, Scaphander lignarius and S. bathymophilus are suggested to be a complex of cryptic species. Morphological differences between the genera Meloscaphander and Scaphander are of dubious significance and, when coupled with molecular data, give a strong reason for reconsidering Meloscaphander as a junior synonym of Scaphander. Thus, according to an integrative taxonomic analysis, Meloscaphander grandis has been transferred to the genus Scaphander. The diagnosis of the genus Scaphander is expanded. We propose new combinations as follows: Scaphander grandis (Minichev, 1967) comb. n. for Meloscaphander grandis, Scaphander sibogae (Schepman, 1913) comb. n. for Meloscaphander sibogae, and…

The Socotra Archipelago, located in the eastern Gulf of Aden, has a unique marine environment which combines tropical and 'pseudo-temperate' elements. Studies on the fish biogeography of the archipelago, partially framed in regional studies, have substantially outpaced critical elementary research on the archipelago's fish diversity. The present study seeks to close this gap and identifies the Socotra Archipelago as a major hotspot of coastal fish diversity in the Indian Ocean. The archipelago supports unique coastal fish assemblages which are predominantly composed of coral-associated ("reef") species, in spite of the limited biogenic reef frameworks. A Preliminary Checklist comprises 682 species with confirmed records and a "Working List" includes an additional 51 records, totalling 733 faunal records in 108 families. The family Labridae is the most speciose, followed by Gobiidae, Pomacentridae, Serranidae and Chaetodontidae. The species richness of the archipelago is the highest when compared to adjacent Arabian ecoregions. The richness of the Acanthuridae, Chaetodontidae,…

In this contribution to the study of gryllacridines or raspy crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae), a new proposal for classification of this family is provided, dividing it into two subfamilies and ten tribes that includes most of the 114 known genera to date (including the new genera described here). It describes and redefines two subfamilies: Hyperbaeninae n. subf. and Gryllacridinae n. sensu, ten tribes: Phryganogryllacridini n. trib., Capnogryllacridini n. trib., Asarcogryllacridini n. trib., Hyperbaenini n. trib., Paragryllacridini n. trib., Ametrini n. trib., Ametroidini n. trib., Gryllacridini n. sensu., Eremini n. trib. and Progryllacridini n. trib.; ten genera: Claudiagryllacris n. gen., Griffinigryllacris n. gen., Gorochovgryllacris n. gen., Ingrishgryllacris n. gen., Rentzgryllacris n. gen., Willemsegryllacris n. gen., Karnygryllacris n. gen., Brunnergryllacris n. gen., Bianigryllacris n. gen. and Hugelgryllacris n. gen.; seven genera groups: Gryllacrae n. group. (placed under Gryllacridini n. trib. comprising ten genera: Caustogryllacris, Eugryllacris, Gryllacris,…

We describe a new species of Megophryidae frog, Megophrys shunhuangensis sp. nov., from Hunan Province, Southern China. It can be distinguished from other known species in the subgenus Panophrys by morphological characters, bioacoustic data and a molecular divergence in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene similar to that found among other species of Panophrys. M. shunhuangensis sp. nov. is characterized by a relatively small body size, with adult females measuring 37.6 mm and adult males measuring 30.3-33.6 mm in snout to vent length; maxillary teeth present, vomerine teeth absent; tongue smooth, not notched behind; hindlimb slender, heels overlapping, tibio-tarsal articulation reaches forward between the nasal and tip of snout. Molecular phylogenetic analyses also show that M. sp. 6 from (Mao'er Shan, China) from Chen et al. (2017) and M. sp. 24 (Anjiangping and Mao'er Shan, China) from Liu et al. (2018) may be the same species as M. shunhuangensis sp. nov., we consequently speculate that the new species also distributed in Anjiangping and Mao'er Shan, China. At present, the genus…

A new species Ypsolopha rhinolophi Corley is described from northern Portugal and south-east France. It resembles Y. alpella (Denis Schiffermüller, 1775) and Y. lucella (Fabricius, 1775) but shows clear differences from both species in DNA barcode and in male and female genitalia. Male genitalia of Y. lucella are illustrated for the first time. The new species has been collected at light, reared from larvae on Quercus pyrenaica Willd. and recognised from DNA barcode fragments obtained from droppings of horseshoe bats.

Amolops shuichengicus sp. nov., a new species of the A. mantzorum group is described from Guizhou, southwest China, on the basis of significant molecular divergences in 16S + CO1 genes and the combination of morphological characteristics: small body size, SVL 34.6-39.6 mm in adult males and 48.5-55.5 mm in adult females; dorsal skin relatively smooth; presence of vomerine teeth; presence of cream maxillary gland from lower edge of eye to the anterior of supratympanic fold; presence of supratympanic folds and glandular dorsolateral folds; tympanum indistinct; absence of a circummarginal groove on the disk of the first finger; presence of supernumerary tubercles below the base of fingers III and IV; absence of outer metatarsal tubercle and tarsal glands; males without vocal sacs. In addition, evidenced by the phylogenetic analyses in this study and literature data, we suggest that A. liangshanensis should be synonymized with A. loloensis and the records of A. marmoratus in Yunnan, China should be referred to A. afghanus. Following our proposal, the genus Amolops contains 57 species,…

While records of Carybdea marsupialis in the literature suggest a worldwide distribution of this species, the validity of some of these records has been questioned recently, as has the validity of some nominal Carybdea species. We inspected material of all known species of Carybdea from multiple locations (i.e. Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Puerto Rico, California, Hawaii, Australia, South Africa, and Japan) using morphological and genetic tools to differentiate Carybdea species as well as understand their evolutionary relationships. We observed morphological differences between adult medusae of Mediterranean and Caribbean C. marsupialis; the most obvious differences were the structure of the phacellae, the structure of the pedalial canal knee bend, and the number and structure of the velarial canals. The characters of the adult Mediterranean specimens agree with the description provided by Claus (1878) for individuals of C. marsupialis from the Adriatic Sea (Italy); specimens from the Caribbean (Puerto Rico) agreed with the description of C. xaymacana by Conant (1897). Significant…

Three new species of the xenodermatid genus Achalinus are described from northern Vietnam based on morphological and molecular evidence: Achalinus juliani sp. nov. is characterized by a combination of the following characters: 1) maxillary teeth 28; 2) suture between the internasals distinctly longer than that between the prefrontals; 3) internasal not fused to prefrontal; 4) loreal not fused with prefrontal; 5) infralabials 6; 6) mental separated from anterior chin shields; 7) two elongated anterior temporals, in contact with the eye, and two posterior temporals; 8) dorsal scales in 25-23-23 rows, keeled; 9) ventrals 173-179; 10) subcaudals 77-91, unpaired; 11) a total length of at least 413 mm (with a maximum tail length of 109 mm, and a tail/total length ratio of 0.22-0.37); 12) dorsum in preservative reddish to greyish brown above, with the lower and posterior head sides being paler; venter greyish cream, with the underside of the tail being somewhat darker. Achalinus timi sp. nov. is characterized by a combination of the following characters: 1) maxillary teeth 27; 2) suture…

Mexico is a megadiverse country, however its tardigrade fauna is poorly known and to date 44 species have been reported from this region. In the present paper, an update of the reported Mexican tardigrades is presented, increasing the number of recorded tardigrades to 55 species (11 new records). Moreover, we describe Milnesium cassandrae sp. nov. from State of Nuevo León in northern Mexico. The new species is most similar to Mil. krzysztofi Kaczmarek Michalczyk, 2007 and Mil. beasleyi Kaczmarek, Jakubowska Michalczyk, 2012, but it differs from them mainly by details of the dorsal sculpture and some morphometric characters. We also discuss the taxonomic value of a recently described feature, 'pseudoplates', for differentiating the taxa within the genus Milnesium Doyère, 1840. [Zoobank URL: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0684AE18-0510-4F7B-B75D-AE5177FBF2A2].

We present a critical evaluation of the taxonomy, stratigraphy and biogeography of the turritellid gastropods of the Miocene Paratethys Sea. 159 species-level names and 6 infrasubspecific names have been used for Paratethyan Turritellidae since 1848. Of these, only 35 species are accepted herein as valid species, with some uncertainties due to poor preservation or limited access to type material. Maximum diversities occurred during the early middle Miocene (Langhian, Badenian) coinciding with the Miocene Climatic Optimum. Whilst early Miocene turritellid assemblages are characterized by large to very large species of Peyrotia, Turritella and Allmonia, middle Miocene assemblages are predominated by medium-sized species of Archimediella, Helminthia, Oligodia and Ptychidia. The taxonomic composition of these faunas, with representatives of Archimediella, Helminthia, Mesalia and Vermicularia suggests a biogeographic affiliation with Atlantic and especially West African faunas. Turritellinella new gen. is established as new genus for the eastern Atlantic-Mediterranean Turritella…

A new species of rupicolous girdled lizard is described from Serra da Neve Inselberg, Namibe Province, southwestern Angola. We sequenced two mitochondrial gene regions (16S and ND2) for the new species and compared these data with those previously published for other Cordylus species. The new species is genetically divergent from the closely related Cordylus machadoi and C. namakuiyus and morphologically distinguished by head scale arrangement, coloration, and osteological characters. Serra da Neve is the second highest peak in Angola and one of the most understudied areas of the country. The discovery of this new species highlights the importance of this inselberg for regional endemism and emphasizes the high conservation importance of the area.

The Neotropical family Mesembrinellidae is revised. A total of 53 valid, extant species are included in the family, including 15 described as new and 38 redescribed based on study of type and non-type material and of the literature. A total of 18 primary types were examined. An additional ca. 2300 specimens, belonging to 47 species, were studied in detail, including dissection and photographic documentation of terminalia, with many females illustrated for the first time. Keys to subfamilies, genera, species-groups and species are provided. Type specimens of six species housed in South American institutions could not be obtained for study, i.e., M. bequaerti Séguy, 1925 and the five recently described species M. andina (Wolff et al., 2014), M. carvalhoi (Wolff et al., 2013b), M. cordillera (Wolff Ramos-Pastrana in Wolff et al., 2017), M. obscura (Wolff in Wolff et al., 2017) and Laneella patriciae (Wolff, 2013). We accept the synonymy, proposed by previous authors, of Eumesembrinella Townsend, 1931 with Mesembrinella Giglio-Tos, 1893. In addition, we synonymize the genera…

An update on "Annotated catalogue of Stigmaeidae (Acari: Prostigmata), with a pictorial key to genera" published in October 2016 is presented. The type species of the genus Ledermuelleriopsis Willmann, 1951 is changed from Ledermuelleriopsis triscutata to Ledermuelleriopsis plumosa Willmann, 1951. Newly published species and new information on old species are provided. Some other informamtion including an erratum is also added.

Specimens of Bipalium adventitium (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) were found in Montréal, Québec, Canada. The specimens showed the typical colour pattern of the species and barcoding (Cytochrome Oxidase I) demonstrated near-identity with a sequence of the same species from the USA. This is the first record of the species in Canada.

This checklist of the oribatid fauna of Canada and Alaska (excluding Astigmata) includes 580 identified species in 249 genera and 96 families. The known fauna of Canada includes 556 identified species in 247 genera, and that of Alaska includes 182 species in 95 genera; 39 of the 42 oribatid superfamilies are represented. We further list ~ 300 species that are currently unidentified, and possibly undescribed. In addition, we list 42 genera that are represented only by unidentified and probably undescribed species. For each species we give combinations and synonymies, specific locations in Alaska and the Provinces and Territories of Canada, habitats, and biogeography. There are 182 identified species known for Alaska, 152 for Yukon, 122 for Northwest Territories, 58 for Nunavut; 210 for British Columbia, 213 for Alberta, 15 for Saskatchewan, 84 for Manitoba, 167 for Ontario, 210 for Québec, 110 for Nova Scotia, 77 for New Brunswick, 84 for Newfoundland and 6 for Prince Edward Island. The known fauna of Canada is smaller than that of Austria, and is approximately equivalent to that of…

It is now generally accepted that we are going through a major mass extinction event that is causing biodiversity loss at alarming rates (Barnosky et al. 2011). We also know that many species remain to be formally described (e.g. Huber 2014), and concerns have been raised as to whether we will be able to document these before they go extinct (Costello et al. 2013). On one hand, the number of recognized species increases exponentially (e.g. Agnarsson et al. 2013; Sangster Luksenburg 2015). On the other, taxonomic descriptions are becoming more complete and detailed, which is necessarily more time-consuming, leading to an overall decline in the number of species described per taxonomist (Sangster Luksenburg 2015). In this scenario, any method or protocol that increases efficiency in taxonomic descriptions is welcome.

We present an expanded ND2 phylogeny of the brookii and prashadi groups of Indian Hemidactylus. While relationships within the clades are not well resolved, we recover many well supported subclades and a number of deeply divergent lineages within each clade. We use morphological data to describe three of these divergent lineages as new species; Hemidactylus kolliensis sp. nov., a member of the prashadi group from high elevation in the Kollimalai Massif in Tamil Nadu, Hemidactylus chikhaldaraensis sp. nov. and Hemidactylus sankariensis sp. nov., both members of the brookii group, are described from high elevation of the Satpuras in Maharashtra and low elevation of Tamil Nadu, respectively. The three new species exhibit >15% divergence for the ND2 gene from their phylogenetic sisters and differ in a number of morphological characters from all Indian congeners. The discovery of three more endemic Hemidactylus species from rocky habitats suggests that many more remain to be discovered across India.

An ongoing survey for novel phytoplasmas and viruses that affect palms (Arecaceae) is being conducted in Costa Rica along with potential vectors. During that survey, a new species of derbid planthopper (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) in the genus Omolicna Fennah was detected from Heredia and Limón State and is here described as Omolicna xavieri sp. n. This new taxon was first found on declining coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) and subsequently on healthy coconut palms in Tortuguero National Park. Also, two additional species of Omolicna, O. brunnea and O. triata, were collected on coconut in the same habitat and represent new country records. There are no previously published records of Omolicna from Costa Rica. Sequence data for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the 18S ribosomal RNA gene were obtained. In addition, novel 18S primers specific to auchenorrhynchan insects were developed and presented. The molecular data show high pairwise distances between O. xavieri sp. n. and other Omolicna species (24% to 31% and 10% using COI and 18S, respectively). Based on both morphological…

Succinoraphidia radioni sp. nov. (Raphidiidae) is described from the late Eocene Rovno amber, Ukraine. The genus also includes two species from contemporaneous Baltic amber, i.e., S. exhibens Aspöck Aspöck, 2004 and S. baltica (Carpenter, 1957), comb. nov. The venation of Succinoraphidia is analysed. It possesses several plesiomorphic character states at the family level, and the monotypic subfamily Succinoraphidinae represents a basal group within the family or possibly even a potential stem group of Raphidiidae. All diagnostic character states of Succinoraphidia (except the structure of the pterostigma) are found in a few Cretaceous species of the paraphyletic Mesoraphidiidae, but some of these are not found in the extant Raphidiidae.

Since the book-formatted, monographic treatment of the lizards of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and their adjacent islands by Grismer (2011), 47 additional species have been added to that fauna bringing the total to 174. One species, Cyrtodactylus stresemanni, was removed from the lizard fauna based on its likely mislabeled type locality; 44 species were described as new-29 gekkonids, 11 scincids, five agamids, and one dibamid; and three others, Cnemaspis narathiwatensis, Cyrtodactylus brevipalmatus, and Scincella melanosticta were recently discovered in northern Peninsular Malaysia. Taxonomic changes for seven previously described species occurring after 2011 are noted and significant, new locality records are documented here for additional species. The intent of this review is to provide an up to date peer-reviewed checklist for the lizard species of this region prior to a pending updated book monograph.

We describe a new species of Microhyla from Tram Lap forest, Gia Lai Province, Central Vietnam based on morphological, molecular, and acoustic data. The new species resembles M. butleri morphologically, but differs from all congeners by a combination of the following morphological attributes: (1) medium-sized adult snout-vent length 25.2-27.0 mm in 15 males and 30.5 mm in a single female; (2) body habitus moderately stocky; (3) head flat, snout rounded, slightly prominent in ventral profile; (4) dorsum and flanks slightly shagreened with evenly scattered tiny tubercles, ventral skin smooth; (5) first finger well developed, more than one-half the length of the second finger; (6) tips of three outer fingers slightly enlarged, forming weak disks and tips of all toes distinctly dilated into wide disks with narrow peripheral grooves; (7) finger and toe disks with dorsal median longitudinal grooves; (8) three palmar tubercles and two metatarsal tubercles; (9) tibiotarsal articulation of adpressed limb reaching slightly beyond the orbit; (10) webbing formula: I 1¾-2 II 1½-2¾ III 2-31/3 IV…

Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the sister species Sphenomorphus stellatus and S. praesignis based on the mitochondrial genes 12S and 16S rRNA recover the former as paraphyletic with respect to the latter in that a specimen of S. stellatus from the type locality in Peninsular Malaysia is more closely related to S. praesignis than to Indochinese populations of S. stellatus. Furthermore, the phylogeny indicates that the Indochinese populations represent two species, thus resulting in four major lineages within this clade. These relationships are consistent with multivariate and univariate analyses of morphological and discrete color pattern data which statistically define and diagnose the four lineages and together with the molecular data, provide the foundation for robust, testable, species-level hypotheses. As such, S. stellatus is herein restricted to Peninsular Malaysia; S. annamiticus is resurrected for the circum-continental populations ranging through southeastern Thailand, southern Cambodia, and southern Vietnam; a new species-S. preylangensis sp. nov.-is described from an…

A new species of the Marphysa sanguinea group, M. iloiloensis n. sp. (Annelida: Eunicida: Eunicidae), is described from the Marine Annelids Hatchery of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC- AQD), Iloilo Province, Philippines. It represents the first record of this group in the Philippines. The new species is most similar morphologically to M. hongkongensa Wang, Zhang Qiu, 2018, but can be distinguished from it by having fewer branchial filaments, a pair of faint eyes (absent in M. hongkongensa), and in slight differences in jaw morphology and chaetation. The embryos of the new species develop inside a jelly cocoon attached to the entrance of the adult burrow; this is the first time that egg-containing cocoons have been found in any species of the sanguinea-group. Phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) revealed that Marphysa iloiloensis n. sp. is genetically distinct from all other analysed Marphysa species and forms a sister group to M. hongkongensa. A revised identification key to…

The montane agamid lizard genus Oriocalotes is currently considered monotypic, represented by the species, O. paulus. The systematic status of this taxon has remained questionable since its initial descriptions in the mid-1800s. A detailed molecular and morphological study was carried out to assess the validity of this genus, and its systematic position within the Asian agamid subfamily, Draconinae. Freshly collected and historical museum specimens from the type locality of O. paulus were examined morphologically, along with additional samples collected from localities in Mizoram state, Northeast India. Utilising newly generated molecular sequences (two mitochondrial and three nuclear genes), combined with those previously published for representative genera from the subfamilies Draconinae and Agaminae, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic trees were constructed. Phylogenetic results suggest that Oriocalotes is part of the widespread South and Southeast Asian radiation of Calotes. Comparative morphological studies (including external morphology, hemipenis and osteology)…

The Oxynoemacheilus tigris species group is reviewed, resulting in the recognition of six species, of which two are described herein as new. Oxynoemacheilus tigris is known from the endorheic Qweik River and the Merziman River, which is a tributary of the western Euphrates. Oxynoemacheilus ercisianus is endemic to the endorheic Lake Van basin and O. hazarensis is endemic to Lake Hazar basin in the upper Tigris drainage. Oxynoemacheilus kaynaki is widespread in the Euphrates drainage. The two undescribed species occur in the Euphrates drainage. Oxynoemacheilus arsaniasus, new species, from the Murat River and the upper Karasu (Muş) River drainage, is distinguished from other species of the O. tigris group by having a bold, black, irregularly-shaped bar at the caudal-fin base, an incomplete lateral line and a scaleless body. Oxynoemacheilus muefiti, new species, from the upper Murat River drainage and a tributary to the Atatürk reservoir, is most similar to O. ercisianus, from which it is distinguished by a more slender body and a shallower dorsal adipose crest. According to our…

We describe a new species of pitviper of the genus Bothrops from the Peruvian Pampas del Heath, in the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. Pampas del Heath is an area of seasonally flooded savannas and a northwestern extension of the Gran Chaco Boliviano-Paraguayo. The new species is easily distinguished from its congeners by the exclusive combination of dorsal color pattern of body consisting of small C-shaped blotches, postocular stripe originating posteriorly to the eye, covering posterior supralabials, dorsum of the head with paired markings arranged symmetrically, venter cream heavily speckled with brown, prelacunal scale discrete in contact with second supralabial, three to five prefoveals, subfoveal single usually present, postfoveals absent to two, canthals two, seven intersupraoculars, one or two suboculars, two or three postoculars, seven or eight supralabials, nine to eleven infralabials, 26-27 interrictals, 23-25 middorsal scales, 172 ventrals in the female and 169-173 in males, 45 subcaudals in the female and 50 in males. We performed separate and combined phylogenetic…

Based on the first molecular phylogenetic analyses of samples from northeast India, specimens referred to Rhabdops from this region are more closely related to the southeast and east Asian natricine genera Opisthotropis Günther, 1872 and Sinonatrix Rossman Eberle, 1977 (as well as to New World and western Palearctic natricines) than to peninsular Indian (true) Rhabdops. Morphologically, these northeast Indian populations differ from other natricines by having a single ('fused' or unpaired) internasal shield and a single prefrontal shield. Given the morphological and phylogenetic distinctiveness of these northeast Indian populations, we refer them to a new genus, Smithophis gen. nov., and transfer Rhabdops bicolor (Blyth, 1854) to Smithophis bicolor comb. nov. Based on morphological and molecular variation within our northeast Indian sample, we additionally describe Smithophis atemporalis sp. nov. from the state of Mizoram.

This study describes a new member of the genus Leptobrachella, Leptobrachella shangsiensis sp. nov., based on morphological, acoustic and molecular analyses from southern Guangxi, China. L. shangsiensis sp. nov. differs from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: (1) SVL 24.9-29.4 mm in 11 males and 30.8-35.9 mm in 5 females, (2) black supratympanic fold with dark reddish rim, (3) ventrolateral glands distinct, forming a broken line, (4) ventral surface yellowish creamy-white with marble texture, (5) iris copper in the upper and silver in the lower fifth and (6) toe webbing basal and narrow lateral fringes. The male advertisement call of L. shangsiensis sp. nov. consists of one note per call, lacking an introductory note, with a mean dominant frequency of 5.5-6.5 kHz at the ambient temperature of 21.5ºC. Uncorrected sequence divergences between L. shangsiensis sp. nov. and all homologous DNA sequences available for the 16S rRNA gene were found to be > 5.9%. L. shangsiensis sp. nov. occurs in an evergreen forest in Shiwandashan National Nature Reserve located at…

Identification keys are provided for the final (4th) instar larvae of genera of Chironomidae (Diptera), from aquatic habitats in Australia and New Zealand. Morphological features of taxonomic utility are discussed and illustrated by line drawings. Summaries of described species for each genus and their distribution is provided, with reference to means of further identification where available. In the subfamily Podonominae, 5 genera are keyed of which 3 are recorded from New Zealand; the 4 genera of Aphroteniinae are from Australia (absent from New Zealand); in Diamesinae 1 genus is Australian, 2 are from New Zealand; in the Tanypodinae 21 genera are found in Australia and 4 are from New Zealand; in Orthocladiinae 31 genera are reported from Australia, 14 from New Zealand; and in Chironominae 43 genera are keyed from Australia, 9 from New Zealand. Larvae of Axarus Roback, Chernovskiia Sæther and Omisus Townes (Chironomini) are recognised in Australia for the first time. The undescribed larva of Paucispinigera Freeman, endemic to New Zealand, is keyed and several other New Zealand…

Sixty species of hydroids, assigned to 24 families and 39 genera, are recognized and discussed in a collection of material from the southwest coast of Florida. One new species (Clytia joycei) is described from turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) and reported as well from the Caribbean coast of Panama. Under provisions of the First Reviser Principle in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Antennopsis nigra Nutting, 1900 is assigned precedence over its simultaneous synonym A. longicorna Nutting, 1900. Also included as a synonym of A. nigra is A. sinuosa Fraser, 1947b. The species is now assigned to Nemertesia Lamouroux, 1816, as N. nigra. Following Reversal of Precedence provisions in the code, the well-known name Halecium nanum Alder, 1859 is designated as valid and conserved as a nomen protectum, while Hydra articulata Bosc, 1797 is relegated to a nomen oblitum. The genus Monotheca Nutting, 1900 is upheld as valid on the basis of both morphological and molecular evidence. Sertularia pourtalesi Nutting, 1904, a seldom-reported species, is assigned to Dynamena Lamouroux,…

The genus Homalictus Cockerell has not been taxonomically reviewed in the Fijian archipelago for 40 years. Here we redescribe the four known species and describe nine new ones, bringing the number of endemic Homalictus in Fiji to 13 species. We provide identifications keys to all species. Most of the species diversity (11 species) have their distributions over 800 m asl (meters above sea level; highlands), and with only two species under 800 m asl (lowlands). We highlight the vulnerability of the highland-restricted species to a warming climate, and document the potential extinction of one highland species. The new species described here are H. atritergus sp. nov., H. concavus sp. nov., H. groomi sp. nov., H. kaicolo sp. nov., H. nadarivatu sp. nov., H. ostridorsum sp. nov., H. taveuni sp. nov. H. terminalis sp. nov. and H. tuiwawae sp. nov.. [Zoobank URL: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:71318BEC-40CD-470F-A1E7-0E1FD18A6459].

A checklist of the marine and estuarine fishes of New Ireland Province is presented, with special emphasis on Kavieng District, combining both previous and new records. After the recent KAVIENG 2014 expedition, a total of 1325 species in 153 families were recorded from the region. The largest families are the Gobiidae, Pomacentridae, Labridae, Serranidae, Apogonidae, Lutjanidae, Chaetodontidae, Blenniidae, Carangidae, Acanthuridae, Scaridae, Holocentridae, Syn-gnathidae, Lethrinidae and Scorpaenidae. A total of 810 fish species (61.1 % of the total marine and estuarine fish fauna) are recorded from New Ireland for the first time.The fish fauna of New Ireland includes 142 species in transitional waters and 1264 species in marine habitats, and 54 species species in freshwater habitats. Zoogeographically, 1179 species have a wide distribution range, most frequently a broad Indo-West Pacific distribution. Among the remaining species, just 12 are endemic to New Ireland.

Chromadoridae is a widespread family of mostly free-living marine nematodes. This systematic review provides for each genus: a historical background, an updated diagnosis and a list of species. Our review recognizes 37 valid genera, 395 valid species, 57 descriptions without enough morphological information for accurate identification (species inquirenda) and 10 species incerta sedis. We also recognize 21 species as nomena nuda. Additionally, polytomous keys were constructed for the subfamilies and for the genera of the three major subfamilies (Chromadorinae, Euchromadorinae and Hypodontolaiminae) using the most important diagnostic characters. A phylogenetic analysis based on rDNA sequences of species available in the GenBank was also conducted. Phylogenetic trees based on the 18S and 28S rDNA confirmed the classification into three subfamilies (Spilipherinae, Hypodontolaiminae and Chromadorinae), despite the absence of defined synapomorphies. Phylogenetic relationships at lower taxonomic level are problematic given the large number of sequences not identified to species level.

Lacunicambarus diogenes (Girard 1852) was, until recently, considered to be one of the most widely distributed North American crayfish species, occurring in 31 U.S. States and one Canadian province east of the North American Rocky Mountains. Glon et al. (2018) investigated this claim and found that L. diogenes sensu lato was actually a species complex. The authors redescribed L. diogenes and restricted its range to the Atlantic Coastal Plain and Piedmont ecoregions of eastern North America. In doing so, they also revealed the existence of several probable undescribed species of Lacunicambarus that were previously considered to be L. diogenes. Here, we use morphological and molecular techniques to distinguish and describe one of these species: Lacunicambarus chimera sp. nov., a large primary burrowing crayfish found in parts of the Lower Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Upper Mississippi River Basins. Lacunicambarus chimera is morphologically similar to L. diogenes, from which it can be distinguished by the greater number of spines on the ventrolateral margin of its merus, its wider…

This paper presents a Catalogue of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) recorded from the Malay Archipelago covering 113 years from 1905 to the end of 2018. The Malay Archipelago comprises countries located in the maritime area of Southeast Asia between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, viz., Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor and the Philippines. Information compiled for each species includes references to the original description, subsequent re-combinations of specific name with other genera, and junior synonyms, if any, as well as the type locality, type habitat, later recorded habitats, and geographic distribution within and outside the Malay Archipelago. A historical review of explorations and taxonomic studies on oribatids in the various countries is also provided. A total of 1,030 valid species including subspecies and 6 doubtful species have been recorded from the Malay Archipelago from 1905 to 2018. The valid species belong to 323 genera, 98 families and 34 superfamilies in all of the five infraorders and two hyporders of the Suborder Oribatida. Among the…

A new species of the Mesobiotus harmsworthi group is described from Datanla Waterfall amusement park in Lâm Đồng Province, Vietnam. An integrative taxonomy approach was applied, by combining morphological and morphometric analyses using light contract microscopy (LCM)) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with genetic analysis (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-2 and COI markers), to cross-verify the status of the newly discovered population as a new species. By the presence of fully developed areolation around egg processes bases and well developed oral cavity armature (OCA), with all three bands of teeth visible under (LCM), the new species, Mesobiotus datanlanicus sp. nov., is most similar to seven taxa from the harmsworthi complex: M. barbarae (Kaczmarek, Michalczyk Degma, 2007), M. hieronimi (Pilato Claxton, 1988), M. insanis Mapalo, Stec, Mirano-Bascos Michalczyk, 2017, M. neuquensis (Rossi, Claps Ardohain, 2009), M. nuragicus (Pilato Sperlinga, 1975), M. pseudoliviae (Pilato Binda, 1996), M. pseudonuragicus (Pilato, Binda, Lisi, 2004), but differs from them mainly by some specific…

A new frog species of the genus Microhyla (Anura, Microhylidae) is described from riparian mid-elevation (860 m asl) evergreen forest in Namdapha National Park, located in the eastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The new species can be morphologically distinguished from other congeners by a suite of characters such as adult size, dorsal and lateral colouration and markings, snout shape, foot webbing, and digit tip morphology. Phylogenetically, the new species is more closely related to some of the smallest known members of the genus. It forms a deeply divergent sister lineage to the clade containing members of the Microhyla zeylanica species group that are restricted to Peninsular India and Sri Lanka, and shows sequential relationship with Southeast Asian species M. superciliaris, followed by clade containing M. aurantiventris + M. butleri. The discovery indicates that novel taxa representing distinct evolutionary lineages still remain to be formally described in the genus Microhyla, especially from less explored regions such as the eastern Himalayan forests in…

The Russian Far East (RFE) is an important hotspot of biodiversity whose insect fauna remains understudied, particularly its Microlepidoptera. Here we explore the diversity of leaf-mining micromoths of the family Gracillariidae, their distribution and host plant associations in RFE using a combination of field observations and sampling, DNA barcoding, morphological analysis and literature review. We collected 91 gracillariid specimens (45 larvae, 9 pupae and 37 adults) in 12 localities across RFE and identified 34 species using a combination of DNA barcoding and morphology. We provide a genetic library of 57 DNA barcodes belonging to 37 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs), including four BINs that could potentially represent species new to science. Leaf mines and leaf shelters are described and illustrated for 32 studied species, male or female genitalia as well as forewing patterns of adults are shown, especially for those species identified based on morphology. Three species, Micrurapteryx caraganella (Hering), Callisto insperatella (Nickerl), and Phyllonorycter junoniella (Zeller) are…

Recent molecular evidence has called into question the identity of skates collected in the waters off the Falkland Islands previously identified as Zearaja chilensis. NADH2 sequence data indicate that these specimens are not conspecific with those currently referred to as Z. chilensis from Chile and, in fact, represent a novel cryptic species. This study aimed to investigate this hypothesis based on morphological comparisons of specimens from the coasts of both western and eastern South America. In total, 50 specimens from Chile and 41 specimens from the Falkland Islands were collected and examined; morphometric data were generated for a subset of specimens from both areas. NADH2 sequence data were generated for a total of 19 specimens from both areas, as well as specimens of Z. nasuta from New Zealand, D. pullopunctatus from South Africa, D. oxyrinchus from the Azores, Okamejei hollandi, and O. cairae from Borneo, and O. kenojei from Japan. Based on morphological and molecular analyses, Zearaja is synonymized with Dipturus and species assigned to the former genus are transferred to…

The genera of the lance lacewing family Osmylidae (Neuroptera) and extinct allied families (Archeosmylidae, Saucrosmylidae) are reviewed. A key to living Osmylidae genera of the world is presented. Each genus is diagnosed and figured with a checklist of species included for each. New, revised or support for previous taxonomic changes include the following: Nuddsia Menon Makarkin, 2008 (= Burmaleon Myskowiak et al., 2016 syn. nov.); Kempynus Navás, 1912 (= Clydosmylus New 1983a syn. nov.); Osmylus Latreille, 1802 (= Hyposmylus McLachlan; Dictyosmylus Navás, 1910; Plesiosmylus, Makarkin, 1985; Plethosmylus Krüger, 1913a); Parosmylus Needham, 1909 (= Mesosmylus Krüger, 1913c; Phlebosmylus Navás, 1928 syn. nov.); Thaumatosmylus Krüger, 1913a (= Glenosmylus Krüger, 1913a syn. nov.). New classification changes include: Mesomylidus Jepson, 2012 and Petrushevkia Martynova, 1958 are transferred to Protosmylinae; Lahulus Navás, 1930 is placed in Osmylinae; Stenosmylina Jepson et al., 2009 is transferred to Eidoporisminae. Cratovoluptia Martins-Neto Rodrigues, 2009 is removed from Osmylidae…

To date, approximately 190 species of terrestrial isopods are known from Brazil and only 14 are considered troglobiotic. After the examination of a large collection from caves in Bambuí and Una geomorphological areas, along the states of Bahia, Minas Gerais and Goiás, two new troglobiotic species were recognized. Pectenoniscus liliae Campos-Filho, Bichuette Taiti sp. n. (Styloniscidae) is described from Serra do Ramalho karst area, and Benthana xiquinhoi Campos-Filho, Bichuette Taiti sp. n. (Philosciidae) from sandstone caves of Chapada Diamantina region. The latter constitutes the second troglomorphic species of the genus. Xangoniscus aganju (Styloniscidae) is also recorded from two caves in the Serra do Ramalho karst area. The systematic position of Iuiuniscus iuiuensis is briefly discussed and Venezillo congener (Armadillidae) is redescribed from São Domingos karst area.

The Onthophagus fuscus Boucomont, 1932 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Onthophagini) species complex has a total of eight species, one of which is a new species (Onthophagus orizabensis new species) and three are elevated from the subspecies level (O. canescens Zunino Halffter, 1988 new rank; O. mycetorum Zunino Halffter, 1988 new rank; O. parafuscus Zunino Halffter, 2005 new rank). Onthophagus navarretorum Delgado Capistan, 1996 is included, while Onthophagus semiopacus has been removed from the species complex. The distribution map and key for the identification of species in this species complex are updated. Habitat preferences, ecological tolerance, and the restriction of this species complex to the mountains of the Mexican Transition Zone are discussed.

Zoological nomenclature revisions are essential for biodiversity studies and indispensable to avoid naming and description of already described species and should be valued in all subsequent studies considering biology, molecular biology, ecology or habitat mapping of deep-sea species. Herein, a thorough revision of the taxonomic literature on Octocorallia since the beginning of deep-sea exploration in the Azores is provided. Since 1870, when the first octocoral, Virgularia mirabilis (Müller, 1776), was recorded in the Azores a cyclic pattern on the taxonomical study of octocorals reveals the deep-sea investigation efforts made on the region at different periods: Prince Albert I of Monaco, Biaçores and recent expeditions. The first decade of this millennium was the peak on taxonomic research of cold-water octocorals in the Azores with 11 publications targeting gorgonians and soft corals (Alcyonacea) and specific sub-orders within it. Ninety-eight names of Octocorallia were found to be given in the economic exclusive zone of the Azores. While 25 names were changed or added to the…

Following the description of Cacochroa rosetella Corley, 2018 it soon became clear that there was considerable confusion regarding the identity of Cacochroa permixtella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1854). In this paper the genus Cacochroa is revised and this confusion is resolved, a neotype is chosen for C. permixtella and nearly all records verified. Male and female genitalia of C. permixtella are remarkably different from those of the remaining species, which are here placed in Rosetea Corley Ferreira, gen. nov. The distributions of the three species previously described in Cacochroa are clarified. Cacochroa permixtella has a distribution limited to Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. Rosetea corfuella (Lvovsky, 2000), comb. nov., is recorded for the first time from Crete, Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey and Israel; the male of R. rosetella (Corley, 2018), comb. nov., is described for the first time and the species is recorded for the first time from Spain, France (mainland and Corsica), Italy (mainland and Sardinia), Greece (mainland and Crete), Croatia and Algeria. Rosetea sara sp. nov. is…

A new species of xenodermatid snake, Achalinus yunkaiensis J. Wang, Y. Li Y.Y. Wang, sp. nov. was described based on a series of specimens collected from Dawuling Forestry Station located in the Yunkai Mountains of western Guangdong Province. It can be distinguished from known congeners by a significant genetic divergence at the mitochondrial CO1 gene fragment examined (p-distance ≥ 12.0%) and the following combination of characters: (1) dorsal scales strongly keeled, in 23 rows throughout the body, the most outer row on each side smooth and significantly enlarged; (2) tail relatively shorter, TaL/TL ratio 18.5-20.0%; (3) maxillary teeth 20-22; (4) length of suture between internasals subequal to that between the prefrontals; (5) nasal divided into two sections by nasal cleft, posterior one half as long as anterior; (6) loreal elongated, nearly twice as wide as high; (7) supralabials six; (8) infralabials six; (9) temporals 2+2+3 (rarely 2+2+4), the two anterior temporals in contact with eye; (10) ventrals 151-162, subcaudals 49-56 arranged in single row, not paired; (11) cloacal…

A new sciaenid fish, Johnius taiwanensis, is described from the southeast coast of mainland China from Zhejiang to Guangdong, Hong Kong, and west coast of Taiwan. Johnius taiwanensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from other Johnius species by having a grayish dorsal half of body divided by a clear line from a whitish ventral half, and a black spot at the dorsal half of pectoral-fin axil, appearing as a distinct dot at the most dorsal point of the pectoral-fin base. First dorsal fin black tipped, other fins pale to dusky but never darkly pigmented. The species lacks distinctly enlarged teeth on upper and lower jaws. Body scales ctenoid, moderately large, with five or six rows between first dorsal-fin origin and lateral line. It is one of the most abundant sciaenids found in the shallow coastal waters (20 m) of southeast mainland China and the west coast of Taiwan. It has often been misidentified as J. macrorhynus in the region. Phylogenetic analysis from all 27 sciaenid species found in Chinese waters based on the complete COI and 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that the genus…

The genus Scybalocanthon Martínez, 1948 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Deltochilini) is revised and now consists of 23 valid species. Eight new species are described: S. acrianus new species, S. adisi new species, S. arnaudi new species, S. chamorroi new species, S. federicoescobari new species, S. haroldi new species, S. martinezi new species, and S. papaxibe new species. Scybalocanthon uniplagiatus (Schmidt, 1922) new combination is placed in the genus for the first time. The following species previously assigned to Scybalocanthon are here placed in the genus Canthon Hoffmannsegg, 1817: Canthon arcabuquensis (Molano Medina, 2010) new combination, Canthon balachowskyi (Martínez Halffter, 1972) new combination, Canthon luctuosus Harold, 1868, Canthon magnus (Molano Parrales, 2015) new combination, and Canthon nigellus Schmidt, 1922. Scybalocanthon imitans (Harold, 1868) is a new junior subjective synonym of S. sexspilotus (Guérin-Méneville, 1855) and S. zischkai Martínez, 1949 is a new junior subjective synonym of S. aereus (Schmidt, 1922). Lectotypes are designated for S.…

A new species of the microhylid frog genus Microhyla is described from the Fanjing Mountain of Guizhou Province, China. Phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequences of the the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and COI genes supported the new species as an independent lineage, closely related to M. beilunensis, M. mixtura and M. okinavensis. The uncorrected genetic distance on 16S rRNA gene between the new species and its closest congeners M. beilunensis, M. mixtura and M. okinavensis are 3.5%, 4.6% and 4.6% respectively. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) body of medium size (SVL 19.0-22.7 mm in males and 22.5-23.0 mm in females); (2) disk and dorsal median longitudinal groove on finger tips absent; (3) toe with rudimentary webbing at base; (4) disk with dorsal median longitudinal groove present at toe tips except for the toe I; (5) two metatarsal tubercles on palm; (6) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level between eye to nostril when leg stretched forward; (7) a distinct V-shaped white stripe on…

Aenigmachanna gollum, new genus and species, is described from Kerala, South India. It is the first subterranean species of the family Channidae. It has numerous derived and unique characters, separating it from both the Asian Channa Scopoli and the African Parachanna Teugels Daget. Uniquely among channids, A. gollum has a very slender (maximum body depth only 11.1-11.3% SL), eel-like body (head length 20.8-21.6% SL), large mouth (jaw length 60.4-61.1 % HL), 43-44 anal-fin rays, 83-85 scales in a lateral series, an unusual colour pattern and it lacks pored lateral-line scales on the body and body buoyancy. In addition, it is distinguished by its DNA barcode sequence, which is 15.8-24.2% divergent from other species of the family Channidae. Morphological modifications usually associated with a subterranean life, such as reduction of eyes and enhancement of non-visual senses (taste, smell, mechanosensory systems) are absent in A. gollum. However, it shares with subterranean fishes a slight reduction of its pigmentation in comparison to epigean channids.

We describe the new species Amolops mengdingensis sp. nov. from southwestern Yunnan, China. It belongs to the Amolops monticola species group and phylogenetically clusters together with Amolops akhaorum and Amolops archotaphus with strong support, although the relationships between these three species are not resolved. Distance between the new species and A. akhaorum is 4.7% and distance between the new species and A. archotaphus is 5.2% for 16S rRNA sequences. The new species is characterized by the following characters: distinct dorsolateral folds; side of the head dark brown with a white upper lip stripe extending to the axilla; dorsal surface smooth, except white spinules on posterior part of dorsolateral folds and above vent; top of head and dorsum green with dark spots in life; loreal region dark brown and flanks brown without any coloration of green; SVL 36.9-40.2 mm in males and 64.3 mm in female; two external subgular vocal sacs in males; vomerine teeth in two oblique ridges, separated by a small distance; pineal body absent; snout longer than eye diameter; internarial…

The Neotropical genus Noctiliostrebla Wenzel (Diptera: Streblidae) is revised after examination of the types of all nominal species, and 11 species are recognized. Seven new species are described, and a lectotype is designated for Lipoptena dubia Rudow. Resulting information on species distributions and host records can be summarized as follows: Noctiliostrebla dubia (Rudow) is restricted to the Amazon region and is a parasite of Noctilio leporinus (Linnaeus) (Chiroptera: Noctilionidae); Noctiliostrebla traubi Wenzel is restricted to Central America and northern South America, being the only species of the genus parasitizing N. leporinus in Central America; the distribution ranges of N. maai Wenzel and N. traubi are similar, but the host of N. maai is N. albiventris Desmarest; Noctiliostrebla aitkeni Wenzel is restricted to northern South America and has only been recorded as parasitizing N. leporinus; Noctiliostrebla ecuadorensis sp. n. occurs only in Ecuador, on N. albiventris; Noctiliostrebla guerreroi sp. n. has only been recorded from the Amazon region on N. albiventris;…

Land leeches in the family Haemadipsidae are mostly from the humid tropical rainforest habitats and habitually take blood from the body of human and other animals. In the present study, we report a new species, Sinospelaeobdella wulingensis sp. n., from caves in the northern subtropical Wuling Mountains of central-south China that feeds blood exclusively on cave-dwelling bats. Based on morphological characteristics, COI gene sequence divergence, and phylogenetic analysis, a new genus Sinospelaeobdella gen. n. is established for the new species, to which a previously described species Haemadipsa cavatuses Yang et al., 2009 is transferred as S. cavatuses comb. n. We also provided extended discussion on phylogenetic relationship within the "Tritetrabdellinae" clade uncovered in a previous study, DNA taxonomy, morphological and behavioral adaptions, biogeography, and possible involvement of Sinospelaeobdella gen. n. in bat transmitted diseases of public concerns.

We describe a new species of Zhangixalus from southern Yunnan of China, Vietnam, and Thailand based on morphological and molecular evidence. The new species had been confused with Zhangixalus smaragdinus (Blyth, 1852) in the past. Zhangixalus pachyproctus sp. nov. can be distinguished from Z. smaragdinus morphologically by the protruding vent in adult males, large thick grey reticular mottles below the white stripe on flank, more oblique snout in profile and wider head, longer snout, greater internarial distance, larger tympanum and longer hindlimb. The new species can be distinguished from other species of Zhangixalus with green dorsum by the following combination of characters: body size larger (SVL of adult males: 74.2-83.3 mm; SVL of adult female: 102.4 mm); dorsum smooth; narrow white stripes along edge of the lower jaw, body sides, outer side of limbs and above the vent; absence of brown bands on canthus rostralis, upper eyelid and supratympanic fold; webbing between fingers and toes complete except between the first two fingers; and internal single subgular vocal sac.…

Thirty-eight species of moray eels (Muraenidae) from the Red Sea are reported in an updated review. A species account is provided for each species, along with a full synonymy of all nominal species described from the Red Sea. One species is new to science, G. pharaonis, and two species are new for the Red Sea, Gymnothorax phasmatodes (Smith) and Scuticaria tigrina (Lesson). Gymnothorax pharaonis n. sp. is a common species that has long been misidentified as G. undulatus (Lacepède), although it more closely resembles G. margaritophorus Bleeker, to which it is closely related phylogenetically. It is characterized by the following combination of characters: total vertebrae 123-128; body slender, depth at anus 17-28 in TL; maxillary teeth biserial, dentary and vomerine teeth in a single row; color brown with irregular dendritic pale markings, not interconnected or chain-like, with oblique, conspicuous, parallel streaks posteriorly in dorsal fin. The new record of the distinctive whitish G. phasmatodes is based on an underwater photograph taken at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The new record of…

The first comprehensive catalogue of the extant Neuropterida of Pakistan is presented, and the known distributions of all of these species from Pakistan are summarized. The fauna, as presently known, comprises 113 species in 63 genera and 11 families, but this certainly attributes to a significant under-representation of the true fauna. Eighteen species are presently known only from Pakistan and are possibly endemic. The biogeography and several related aspects of the fauna are discussed.

A checklist is provided for all 43 species of Trichogramma recorded in South America, including diagnoses, comments, hosts, and distributions. A key to the South American species based on males (external morphology and genitalia) is also presented. Trichogramma koehleri Blanchard is here placed as species inquirenda.

The small nurse frogs of the genus Allobates (Anura, Aromobatidae) represent one of the most challenging taxonomic issues of the Neotropics. During several amphibian surveys in the Middle Tapajós River region, state of Pará, Brazil, we collected phenotypic, ecological, and molecular data on species of this genus, leading to the identification of a new species included in the Allobates masniger-nidicola complex. The new species is characterized by a large body size (snout-vent length 19.2-21.7 mm in males and 19.3-22.0 mm in females), finger III not swollen in adult males; cryptic external coloration, with dorsum uniformly ochre; a dark brown lateral stripe and a pale cream ventrolateral stripe; limbs ranging from ochre to orange; throat and chest violaceous in males and yellowish in females. The advertisement call is usually arranged in bouts of four closely spaced notes, which we term 4-pulsed units of repetition (UR), 0.317 s long on average, followed by silent intervals, and an average dominant frequency of 4.163 kHz. The new species also has exotrophic tadpoles with a unique fin…

The Iberian species of the genera Coscinia Hübner, [1819] and Spiris Hübner, [1819], as well as three other species from the Mediterranean area, are revised based on morphological and molecular genetic data. Our results suggest the separation into four morphologically and phylogenetically different genera: Coscinia Hübner, [1819], Lerautia Kemal Koçak, 2006 stat. rev., Sagarriella Macià, Mally, Ylla, Gastón Huertas gen. nov. and Spiris Hübner, [1819]. We conclude that there are eight species of the Coscinia genus group present in the studied area: Coscinia cribraria (Linnaeus, 1758), Coscinia chrysocephala (Hübner, [1810]) stat. rev., Coscinia mariarosae Expósito, 1991, Sagarriella libyssa caligans (Turati, 1907) comb. nov., Sagarriella romei (Sagarra, 1924) (= romeii sensu auctorum) comb. nov., Spiris striata Hübner, [1819], Spiris slovenica (Daniel, 1939) and Lerautia bifasciata (Rambur, 1832) comb. rev. We consider Coscinia cribraria benderi (Marten, 1957) stat. nov., Coscinia c. rippertii (Boisduval, 1834) and Coscinia c. ibicenca Kobes, 1991 stat. rev. to be subspecies of C.…

We present a preliminary ND2 phylogeny of South Asian Cnemaspis, recovering a number of deeply divergent clades within Indian Cnemaspis, endemic to the southern and northern Western Ghats besides the Mysore Plateau and hills of Tamil Nadu. There are a number of unnamed lineages that are >5% divergent on ND2 across the phylogeny, including three from the gracilis clade on an elevation gradient (800-1400 m asl.) around Yercaud in the Shevaroy massif, Salem district, Tamil Nadu. We describe two of these as new species- Cnemaspis shevaroyensis sp. nov. and Cnemaspis thackerayi sp. nov. are both allied to Cnemaspis gracilis and can be diagnosed from all other Indian Cnemaspis by the absence of spine-like scales on flank, heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis, presence of femoral and precloacal pores, tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls, a median row of enlarged and smooth sub-caudals. They differ from C. gracilis and each other in body size, the number of tubercles around midbody, the number of tubercles in paravertebral rows, the number of femoral and…

The Lesser Antilles, in the Eastern Caribbean, were long considered to have only two species in the genus Iguana Laurenti 1768: the Lesser Antillean iguana Iguana delicatissima, which is endemic to parts of the Lesser Antilles, and the Common green iguana Iguana iguana, which also occurs throughout Central and South America. No subspecies are currently recognised. However, herpetologists and reptile collectors have pointed out strong physical differences between some of the island populations of Iguana iguana and those from the continent. Drawing on both morphological and genetic data, this paper describes two subspecies of the Common green iguana Iguana iguana from the southern Lesser Antilles, specifically the countries of Saint Lucia Iguana iguana sanctaluciae and Iguana iguana insularis from St Vincent the Grenadines, and Grenada. The form on the island of Saint Vincent has not been identified. The new subspecies are described based on the following unique combination of characters: Presence of high median and medium to small lateral horns on the snout; Small subtympanic plate…

Two rare and endemic psammophines (Serpentes: Psammophiinae) occur in Angola. The taxonomic status of Psammophylax rhombeatus ocellatus Bocage, 1873 and Psammophis ansorgii Boulenger, 1905 have long remained problematic, with both having varied past and present taxonomic assignments, and whose distributions may therefore present zoogeographic anomalies. Little was known of their biology, habitat associations, or phylogenetic relationships. New material was collected during biodiversity surveys of the Humpata Plateau, near Lubango, Angola. It allowed fuller descriptions of scalation and live coloration for both species, and resolution of their taxonomic status. Genetic analysis confirms that both are distinct at the specific level. In addition, within Psammophis, Jalla's Sand Snake (Psammophis jallae Peracca, 1896), of which P. rohani Angel, 1925, remains a synonym, is sister to P. ansorgii, and Boulenger's comment on similarities with P. crucifer are not supported. The status of an unusual skaapsteker from Calueque, Cunene Province, Angola, is discussed and its assignment to Ps.…

The trichomycterid catfish species Trichomycterus alternatus (Eigenmann, 1917) and Trichomycterus zonatus (Eigenmann, 1918) are reportedly among the most pervasive species in mid- to high-elevation coastal streams of Southeastern Brazil. Despite their apparent abundance and ecological ubiquity, the applicability of their names is still uncertain. Examination of the type material of the two species reveals that part of the confusion stems from a mixing of species in the T. zonatus type series. Other issues relate to reports of character conditions in the respective species that do not actually correspond to the situation in their type specimens. Such situation triggered a long-lasting chain of taxonomic misinterpretations and erroneous identification protocols and traditions so that even the taxonomic distinctiveness of the two species is nebulous. That situation is disentangled in detail on the basis of new information on the holotypes and remaining type specimens of each species by classical and new (stereo triplet radiography) morphology analyses for data acquisition. Results show…

Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are relatively unknown in terms of their herpetological diversity. Based on specimens collected in the Congolese region of the Katanga and the northeast of Angola during the first decades of the twentieth century, de Witte and Laurent independently suggested, based on morphological and coloration differences, that populations of T. megalura of these regions could belong a new "race". We compared specimens of T. megalura (including the type specimens of T. megalura and T. massaiana) with Angolan and Katangan museum specimens as well as newly collected specimens from Angola. Coloration pattern and morphological characters, in combination with substantial divergence in the 16S mitochondrial gene, confirm the distinctiveness of the west Central African form, and it is here described as a new species. Data regarding its natural history, ecology and global distribution are presented.

Seven species of the feather mite genus Trouessartia Canestrini, 1899 (Astigmata: Trouessartiidae) have been recorded on swallows and martins (Passeriformes: Hirundinidae) in Manitoba (Canada). Of them, five are described as new species: Trouessartia ampulicaudata sp. n. and T. petrochelidon sp. n. from the American cliff swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota (Vieillot), T. bochkovi sp. n. from the tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor (Vieillot), and T. cryptocaudata sp. n. and T. progne sp. n. from the purple martin Progne subis (Linnaeus). A new species group stelgidopteryx, incorporating Trouessartia species living on hirundinids of the genera Progne, Tachycineta and Stelgidopteryx, is established. Renewed diagnoses of four Trouessartia species groups (appendiculata, crucifera, minutipes, and stelgidopteryx) restricted to hirundinids and a key to species recorded so far and potentially expected on swallows of North America are proposed. Host associations of Trouessartia species with swallows in North America are briefly discussed.

Before this study, giant pill-millipedes (order Sphaerotheriida) were unknown from Laos despite their presence in all surrounding countries. As by-catch from collections by arachnologists, 31 specimens of Sphaerotheriida from Laos became available for study. The sample included 14 species. Three species were only represented by females, which are described but cannot be named. Of the remaining 11 species, a single species belongs to the genus Zephronia Gray, 1832: Z. laotica n. sp.; and the other ten belong to the genus Sphaerobelum Verhoeff, 1924: S. bolavensis n. sp., S. phouloei n. sp., S. denticulatum n. sp., S. spinatum n. sp., S. lachneeis n. sp., S. peterjaegeri n. sp., S. nigrum n. sp., S. splendidum n. sp., S. laoticum n. sp., and S. schwendingeri n. sp. This more than doubles the known diversity of Sphaerobelum. Here, I integratively describe these species, combining morphology and DNA barcodes with a molecular analysis including all Zephroniidae species deposited on GenBank-including the only giant pill-millipede species known from Cambodia, Zephronia dawydoffi Attems,…

Two new remarkable species of the genus Merodon Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) are described from biodiversity hotspots in the Middle East: Merodon eumerusi Vujić, Radenković et Likov sp. n. and Merodon mixtum Vujić, Radenković et Likov sp. n. Although M. eumerusi, from the Mountains of Central Asia, belongs clearly to the lineage of M. avidus-nigritarsis, it possesses some unique features within the genus that are also present in other Merodontini genera. M. mixtum, from the Irano-Anatolian mountains, has typical characters of different species groups within the M. albifrons lineage. Here, we discuss the unusual apomorphic characters of these newly discovered taxa and highlight the need for further analyses to ascertain the phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Merodontini and the genus Merodon.

A new species of the family Natricidae Bonaparte is described from a single specimen obtained in Arunachal State, northeastern India. On the basis of its external morphology and of its dentition on the upper maxilla, i.e. 24 + 3 distinctly enlarged teeth separated by a short diastema, it is referred to the genus Hebius Thompson. Hebius lacrima spec. nov. is distinguished from other species of the genera Hebius, Amphiesma Duméril, Bibron Duméril and Herpetoreas Günther, by the combination of an elongate body, 19 dorsal scale rows at midbody, a distinctive broad, white band on the supralabials interrupted by a dark blotch below the eye, absence of dorsolateral stripes replaced by series of transversally elliptical or divided dorsolateral spots, a cream venter with lateral dark blotches, and scales of the first dorsal scale row entirely smooth. The interrupted, broad, lateral stripe of the head differentiates Hebius lacrima spec. nov. from all other species of the genera Hebius and Herpetoreas inhabiting the Indo-Himalayan and Indochinese Regions. This new species is compared in detail…

Epeorus (Caucasiron) turcicus sp. nov. is described based on larvae from NE Turkey. The new species can be distinguished from other Caucasiron by a unique combination of several diagnostic characters: the presence of a rounded hypodermal medial femur spot, colouration of abdominal terga and sterna, narrow gill plate VII, fine hair-like setae on the surface of abdominal terga, and absence of postero-lateral projections on tergum X. In addition to morphological analysis, two single-locus analytical approaches are employed for delimiting the new species using COI sequences (Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery, ABGD; and General Mixed Yule Coalescent Model, GMYC). Both approaches unambiguously recognized E. (C.) turcicus sp. nov. as a distinct species. Our molecular dataset contains all Caucasiron species occurring in the Caucasus and the delimitation of individual species mostly follows the morphologically defined species. This study confirms the suitability of the GMYC approach for species delimitation within Caucasiron.

The genus Choeras Mason, 1981 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in northern Iran is studied taxonomically. Specimens were collected using Malaise traps during 2010 and 2011. A total of five species were identified, three being new species which are described and illustrated: Choeras formosus Abdoli Fernandez-Triana sp. nov., C. fulviventris Fernandez-Triana Abdoli sp. nov. and C. qazviniensis Fernandez-Triana Talebi sp. nov. Two species (i.e., C. taftanensis and C. tiro) are new provincial records. The number of Choeras species in Iran is now raised to seven. An identification key to all West Palaearctic species of Choeras is provided.

A check-list of the fishes of St Helena Island is presented. The following species are recorded for the first time from St. Helena Island: Rhincodon typus, Mobula tarapacana, Muraena melanotis, Caranx latus, Seriola rivoliana, Balistes capriscus, Lutjanus jocu, Centropyge aurantonotus, Acanthurus coeruleus, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum, Tetrapturus pfluegeri, Coelorinchus geronimo, Pentaceros richardsoni, Gephyroberyx darwinii, Brotula cf multibarbata, Poromitra crassiceps, Echiostoma barbatum, Malacosteus niger, Pachystomias microdon. Including these nineteen new records there are 189 fish species currently known from St Helena. Three of them appear to be undescribed. Eight species and two subspecies are currently considered endemic to St. Helena Island.

Myxia belinda gen. et sp. nov. is established for a new taxon of Cixiidae in the tribe Oecleini collected from palms in Costa Rica. The new taxon was discovered while surveying palms for potential phytoplasma vectors. Placement in a new genus is supported by a 1,383 bp sequence of 18S that differs by 2.77% from Haplaxius, 5.20% from Myndus taffini, and 2.80% from Nymphomyndus caribbea. Intrageneric variation for 18S was found to be approximately 0.5% to 0.6% within Haplaxius. Generic level differences within the Oecleini for COI ranged from 15% to 17% with the novel taxon differing by about 16% from other genera. The new genus is most similar in appearance to Haplaxius but possesses striking sexual dimorphism, and the aedeagus is only partially surrounded by the phallobase (versus entirely enveloped in Haplaxius). The discovery of a novel taxon of cixiid on palms that is similar to Haplaxius is important because of the role that Haplaxius crudus plays in phytoplasma transmission in palm agro- and natural ecosystems.