Taxonomy

Heptophylla gongshana Bezděk & Král, n. sp. from Yunnan, China, is described. The new species, conspicuous in the genus Heptophylla Motschulsky, 1858, by its black body and octomerous antennal club in males, is compared with similar congeners. An iconography including the male genitalia of the new species and the type material of the Heptophyllini taxa described by You-Wei Zhang and found in the Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, is provided. An updated checklist of Heptophyllini (Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) is presented, and the validity of the tribe is discussed. Full article

The Order Polycladida comprises a diverse yet understudied group of free-living flatworms, traditionally divided into Cotylea and Acotylea based on the presence or absence of a ventral adhesive organ known as a cotyl. Species identification, particularly within Acotylea, is often challenging due to the need for histological examination of reproductive structures and the scarcity of molecular data. The Tropical Western Atlantic, especially the Caribbean Sea, hosts high polyclad diversity but remains poorly surveyed. This study updates the checklist of Acotylea from the Colombian Caribbean, combining new collections from Santa Marta with the literature records. Field work yielded 22 acotylean species from 14 genera and 10 families, with DNA sequences (28S rDNA and/or COI mtDNA) obtained for 20 species. 11 species are new records for Colombia, and five for the Caribbean Sea: Latocestus brasiliensis Hyman, 1953, Notocomplana martae (Marcus, 1948), Interplana evelinae (Marcus, 1952), Triadomma curvum Marcus, 1949, and Adenoplana evelinae Marcus, 1950. In total, 29 species are now documented from the region. We provide photographs of live specimens, whole mounts, and histological sections; DNA barcodes for most species; and the first dichotomous key for Colombian Caribbean acotyleans, based primarily on external traits, providing a practical tool to support further taxonomic, ecological, and biodiversity research. Full article

Mascagnia (Malpighiaceae) is the lianescent genus with the most convoluted taxonomic history and polyphyly of Malpighiaceae, formerly comprising eight unrelated accepted genera and over 300 species. This genus currently encompasses 48 accepted Neotropical species, of which 20 are reported for Brazil in the taxonomic treatment presented herein. This synopsis was based on the morphological study of specimens deposited in over 80 herbaria using a stereomicroscope, the specialized literature, and consulting type specimens for all accepted species. A total of 20 species of Mascagnia are found in all biomes of Brazil. A taxonomic synopsis is presented for these species, including an identification key, notes on distribution, conservation and taxonomy, and photographic plates for 12 species. Two main morphological groups were identified based on the inflorescence architecture and petal color, and four species were identified as under a conservation threat. Full article

Tetrigidae is a caeliferan family of Orthoptera constituting a diverse and relatively ancient lineage of small Orthopterans, which has its greatest diversity in tropical and subtropical areas. However, to date, few studies have been conducted on the identification and description of Tetrigidae species in Ethiopia, and even fewer molecular data are available. Hence, we performed the first species delimitation study via DNA barcoding of species belonging to the genera Paratettix, Leptacrydium, Dasyleurotettix, and Morphopoides from Ethiopia. We provide 35 new sequences of the COI gene belonging to six species of these genera. We show that Ethiopian Tetrigidae can be successfully delineated using DNA barcodes, even in cryptic genera such as Paratettix: species delimitation on the basis of this gene was strongly congruent with the phylogenetic tree and morphological assignments. We report three species: Dasyleurotettix infaustus (Walker, 1871), Morphopoides tessmanni (Günther, 1939), and M. folipes (Hancock, 1908) from Ethiopia for the first time. In addition, we describe three new species, which were confirmed with morphological, phylogenetic, and species delimitation methods: Paratettix tanai sp. nov., Paratettix geminus sp. nov., and Leptacrydium naqamteensis sp. nov. Further, we studied Paratettix macrostenus, which is considered a new synonym of P. subpustulatus. Future integrative taxonomic studies, including more material from diverse regions, additional genetic loci and more comprehensive taxon sampling, need to be performed to understand the diversity of Tetrigidae across Africa. Full article

In specific altitude ranges, biotic and abiotic factors can impact vector mosquitoes’ adaptation capacity, affecting their population differentiation. This study analyses if there exist morphological and genetic differences in four Anopheles (Kerteszia) populations in specific altitude ranges from the Colombian pacific coast to the premontane humid forests in Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Likewise, it is compared if the vector mosquito groups analyzed were genetically similar to the ones available in the region. Traditional and geometric morphometric analysis and the molecular marker CO-I were used. The research found that vector mosquitoes’ littoral populations differentiated morphologically according to their cross veins wing shapes compared to the other three groups in higher altitudes. Their genetic distances fluctuate between 4.95% and 6.84%, indicating that vector mosquitoes’ littoral populations belong to Anopheles neivai s.s. while the ones of higher altitudes are related to An. neivai 8—a lineage previously proposed based solely on molecular data. The study concludes that vector mosquitoes at the pacific Colombian coast from the littoral area in lower altitudes maintain a vast genetic variability with uniform populations; however, in higher altitudes, vector mosquitoes acquire molecular and morphological differences that may include the settlement of other lineages. Full article

Tabanid species of the Andean genus Agelanius Rondani are revised herein based on an examination of the external morphology of the type material of ten species and specimens from Argentina and Chile. A new species, A. augustus sp. nov., is described, and a new key to the known species is provided. Diagnoses, detailed distributional data for the species of Agelanius, and photographs are included to facilitate species identification. Full article

In this paper, Nanocnide simingshanensis is described as a new species based on morphological and molecular analyses, and its taxonomic relationships are discussed. The new species is currently known only from the Siming Mountain region of Yuyao County and the Yaolin National Forest Park of Tonglu County, both in Zhejiang Province, eastern China, where it grows in shrubs at an elevation of about 650 m under deciduous broad-leaved forests and at a limestone cave entrance. Morphological analysis strongly supports that N. simingshanensis should be classified into the genus Nanocnide. This species is distinguished from the related species N. pilosa and N. lobata by having long straight hirsute hairs perpendicular to the stem, petioles and peduncles, longer petioles, larger leaf blades, and female inflorescences developing on branchlets. It differs from N. zhejiangensis and N. japonica by having glomerulate male inflorescences shorter than leaves (vs. cymose inflorescences longer than leaves). Nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that N. pilosa and N. lobata are the closest extant relatives to the new species. Full article

The genera: Lerniana Delicado et Hauffe, 2022, Trichonia Schütt, 1980, and two clades (“Radomaniola” elongata Radoman, 1973, and an unnamed clade referred to as “Radomaniola” sp. 1, sp. 2) whose assignment to any genus remains unknown, form sister group with the genus Radomaniola Szarowska, 2007 (Hydrobiidae W. Stimpson, 1865, subfamily Horatiinae D. W. Taylor, 1966). The paper deals with all these clades sister to Radomaniola. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences have been used to infer phylogenetic relationships between the snails collected at 15 localities in southern Greece and one in Montenegro. Thirty-two haplotypes represent eight Molecular Taxonomical Units (mOTUs) of the species level, four of them within the genus Lerniana: L. seminula (Frauenfeld, 1863), L. tritonum (Bourguignat, 1852), and two other of these four species are both described as new. First of them has been found at seven localities in Peloponnese, Attica and southern Thessaly, the second only at one locality, sympatrically with the former species. “Radomaniola” elongata does not belong to Radomaniola, and its relationships remain unknown, similarly as in other unnamed clade, whose genus-level assignment cannot currently be resolved. The shells, protoconchs, radulae, female reproductive organs and penes are presented, also for Trichonia trichonica Radoman, 1973, for which the genus assignment remains undecided based on our molecular results. The study clearly illustrates how fragmentary is our knowledge is on the real biodiversity of the minute truncatelloid gastropods, whose morphology—simple and variable—makes species distinction hardly possible. Informed decisions on species and habitat protection should consider the above. Full article

Despite being the subgenus with the highest number of species within Chimarra Stephens, 1829 in Brazil, information about Chimarra (Curgia) Walker, 1980 is scarce in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Beyond the discussion about the quantity of species reported for this region, there is also a temporal gap concerning original descriptions of this subgenus in Brazil. Thus, 15 years after the last description of C. (Curgia) in Brazil, we diagnosed, described, and illustrated two new species based on adult males collected in the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes in the state of Piauí, viz., Chimarra (Curgia) opala sp. nov. and Chimarra (Curgia) prata sp. nov. They can be recognized mainly by the morphology of tergum X, preanal appendage, and phallotheca spines. Moreover, they do not conform to the characteristics of any species group traditionally known in the genus. While sharing similarities with the species compared in this study, these comparisons are limited to isolated characters and do not encompass all the features representing the groups of their respective species. Full article

I suggest two ways to make taxonomic diagnoses more useful: they should state overtly (1) what taxa the new one is diagnosed against, I term this the reference group; and (2) how to identify the reference group from others in the higher-level group to which it belongs, I call this more inclusive taxon the recognition group. Making the reference group identifiable within an as-large-as-possible recognition group increases the usefulness of a taxonomic paper. For diagnoses of 313 newly described insect genera, I assess the taxonomic level and number of genera in both reference and recognition groups. The two were identical in almost half of the cases and were at the same taxonomic level, but the reference group was geographically, ecologically or morphologically more restricted in less than 9%, and the recognition group was at a higher taxonomic level in the remainder. When authors explained how to identify the reference group from a larger recognition group, the number of genera from which the new one could be differentiated increased by a factor of more than four. I make a series of recommendations on how diagnoses can be improved based upon analyses of reference and recognition groups. Full article

The genus Raiamas currently comprises 18 valid species, only 2 of which occur in Asia; the remaining 16 are endemic to Africa. Raiamas harmandi was originally described by Sauvage in 1880 as Bola harmandi, which is distributed in the Great Lakes, Cambodia, the Mekong River Basin. It was considered a synonym of R. guttatus by later researchers. In this study, we examined 49 Raiamas individuals from the Mekong, Irrawaddy, and Salween river basins, recording both meristic counts and morphometric measurements. Based on the morphological evidence, we revised the taxonomy of Raiamas in the Mekong River Basin, confirming R. harmandi as a valid species and providing a comprehensive redescription. Raiamas harmandi can be distinguished from R. guttatus mainly by having more predorsal scales (25–28 vs. 21–23) and a different color pattern on the lateral body. Utilizing a total of 44 aligned COI and Cyt b sequences—including eight newly sequenced individuals of Raiamas from three river basins—we reconstructed its phylogenetic relationships. The analysis strongly supported four R. harmandi individuals from the Mekong River Basin forming a distinct clade, which was the sister to the clade comprising five R. guttatus individuals from the Irrawaddy and Salween river basins. Genetic distances between R. harmandi and R. guttatus ranged from 14.0 to 14.9% for COI and 16.1 to 17.0% for Cyt b. Distributionally, R. harmandi occurs throughout the Mekong River Basin, as evidenced by combined voucher specimens and molecular sequence data. Full article

Woodcreepers (Dendrocolaptinae) constitute a subfamily of Neotropical passerines currently recognized as a monophyletic group within Furnariidae. Although Furnariidae is one of the most diverse avian families in the Neotropics, cytogenetic data remain scarce. In this study, we present the first cytogenetic analysis of Lepidocolaptes falcinellus using conventional (Ag-NOR, C-banding) and molecular (hybridization in situ fluorescence—FISH with telomeric and 18S rDNA probes) approaches. The species exhibits a karyotype with 2n = 80 chromosomes, predominantly acrocentric macrochromosomes, and heterochromatin restricted to centromeric regions. Telomeric repeats were confined to terminal regions, and 18S rDNA sites (NORs) were detected on the short arm of chromosome pair 1. This pattern, also observed in other Dendrocolaptinae species, contrasts with the ancestral avian condition of NORs on microchromosomes, suggesting a derived, lineage-specific chromosomal signature. These results support the cytogenetic cohesion of Dendrocolaptinae and reinforce the potential of NOR localization as a phylogenetic marker within the group. Our findings contribute novel cytotaxonomic data that enhance the understanding of chromosomal evolution and systematics in Furnariidae. Full article

Acidobacteriota are difficult to cultivate but pervasively and copiously distributed across nearly all ecosystems, especially soils, such as agricultural, peat, arctic tundra and metal-contaminated soils. Most of the currently available isolates are affiliated with the family Acidobacteriaceae. However, the current taxonomic structure of Acidobacteriaceae was established based mainly on 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, and several described genera appear to be polyphyletic or taxonomically unresolved. To resolve these issues, genome sequence analyses (18 genomes sequenced in this study and 49 genomes obtained from the NCBI database) along with phenotypic data analysis were used in this study. Phylogenomic analysis and the overall genome relatedness indices (OGRIs)—average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI), percentage of conserved proteins (POCP)—were performed on 67 Acidobacteriota genomes. As a result, proposals for 13 novel combinations are made. Firstly, to resolve the polyphyly of the genus Granulicella, it is suggested that G. aggregans TPB6028^T, G. arctica MP5ACTX2^T, G. pectinivorans DSM 21001^T, G. rosea TPO1014^T, G. sapmiensis S6CTX5A^T, G. sibirica AF10^T and G. tundricola MP5ACTX9^T be reclassified to Edaphobacter genus. Secondly, Bryocella elongata is a deep phylogenetic branching pattern of Granulicella elongata comb. nov. Thirdly, due to their deeply phylogenetic branching and low ANI and AAI values, two novel genera, Alloterriglobus gen. nov. and Rhizacidiphilus gen. nov., are proposed, respectively, which encompass Alloterriglobus saanensis comb. nov., Rhizacidiphilus albidus comb. nov. and Rhizacidiphilus tenax comb. nov. Fourthly, Alloacidobacterium dinghuense 4Y35^T is placed into genus Pseudacidobacterium. Lastly, based on the phenotypic and genomic data, merging the Terracidiphilus into Occallatibacter genus is proposed. In addition, we describe two novel isolates from forest soil designated ZG23-2^T and 4G125^T, which are phylogenetically located within this family. Full article

This study presents a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus Dissomphalus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) in the southwestern Pacific, focusing on specimens from Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Dissomphalus is the most species-rich genus within Bethylidae, with a global distribution, yet it remains poorly documented in the Oceanian region. We examined 151 male specimens collected in these islands. As a result, we describe 27 new species, 25 from Fiji and 2 from the Solomon Islands. Diagnostic morphological features, detailed illustrations, and an identification key for all species are provided. These findings substantially expand the known diversity of Dissomphalus in Oceania. Our results underscore the importance of taxonomic research in underexplored regions and highlight the potential for high levels of species endemism in island ecosystems. This revision contributes to a better understanding of the genus’ biogeographical distribution and provides essential tools for future biodiversity assessments and conservation efforts in the southwestern Pacific. Full article

The Desmodium group is one of the three groups in the tribe Desmodieae distinguished by their lomentaceous fruits, trifoliolate leaves, presence of stipels, and hooked hairs. Due to recent generic circumscription in the Desmodium group, a taxonomic synopsis of the Nigerian members of Desmodium s.l. is presented, including an updated checklist, diagnostic characters, morphological descriptions, and distribution records. The Nigerian taxa of the Desmodium s.l. comprise six genera and nineteen species, of which six species are insufficiently known. Grona and Desmodium each include seven species, while Pleurolobus includes two species. The genera Sohmaea, Polhillides, and Hylodesmum are each represented by a single species. This synopsis aims to consolidate the available taxonomic information on the nineteen species and provide a foundation for future studies on the taxonomic revision, diversity, ecology, and conservation of the tribe Desmodieae in Nigeria. Full article

The leafhopper genus Renonus is one of the rarest genera in the leafhopper tribe Athysanini. The Mexican endemic monotypic species, Renonus rubraviridis DeLong, is historically known from few localities, and since the original description, no additional data has been provided. During an ongoing survey conducted in western Mexico over the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests, including the surroundings of the Estación de Biología Chamela (IB-UNAM), specimens of R. rubraviridis and others that do not morphologically fit with previously described species were collected. Herein, a new endemic species to Mexico, Renonus cuixmalensis sp. nov., is described and illustrated in detail. In addition, morphological notes of R. rubraviridis, the key to species, a map of distribution, a habitat description, and a discussion about the strong influence on distribution through the Seasonally Tropical Dry Forest are given. Full article

Two new miniature tetra species of the genus Priocharax Weitzman and Vari 1987 are described, raising the known species diversity to twelve. Priocharax is characterized by several paedomorphic features such as reductions in the laterosensory system, number of fin rays, ossification of parts of the skull and the presence of a larval rayless pectoral fin in adults. The species described are found in the Rio Purus and Solimões drainages, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil and are diagnosed among themselves and from other species of the genus by the combination of meristic and osteological characters. Furthermore, the two species differ in overall body shape, with one having a deeper body and the other a more streamlined form. Sexual dimorphism was observed in both species. Molecular species delimitation analyses support the distinctiveness of these species. Similarly to Priocharax britzi and to P. conwayi, the specimens analyzed here were collected within and around protected areas, highlighting the importance of these areas for conservation and biodiversity knowledge. Full article

This study on Mygalomorphs from Ecuador revealed an amazing unknown diversity, including the first record of the families Actinopodidae and Halonoproctidae. Here, 16 new species and one new genus are described in five families: in Actinopodidae, Actinopus saraguro n. sp. (♀); in Barychelidae, Paracenobiopelma vesca n. sp. (♀), Strophaeus pacificanus n. sp. (♀), S. real n. sp. (♀), S. elongata n. sp. (♂♀), S. josefita n. sp. (♂♀), S. peronii n. sp. (♂♀), S. kaiae n. sp. (♀), S. subterraneus n. sp. (♂), S. spiculum n. sp. (♂), and S. kawsay n. sp. (♀); in Halonoproctidae, Ummidia pupulae n. sp. (♂); in Idiopidae, Idiops clepsydra n. sp. (♀); and in Theraphosidae, Pululahua gen. n., Pululahua kunukyaku gen. n., n. sp. (♂♀), and Pululahua winku gen. n., n. sp. (♂♀); and Thalerommata yasuni n. sp. (♂). Furthermore, images of the type specimens of Actinopus nattereri (Doleschall, 1871) and Actinopus piceus (Ausserer, 1871) are presented. Finally, the synonymy of Idiops fulvipes under Idiops argus is rejected. Full article

Among European colubroids, scale sensilla—mechanoreceptors present in the head integument—are more expressed in natricids. The presence of protruded sensilla, observable with the naked eye, is found in the cephalic shields of all species belonging to the genus Natrix. The identification of these sense organs in this genus determines its correlation in aquatic and semi-aquatic species, in which these traits are more developed and recognizable than in terrestrial species. As hypothesized for elapoids, this differentiation could be due to the fact that in natricids, like sea snakes, these can perform a hydrodynamic function in addition to the mechanosensory one. In support of this thesis, within the genus Natrix, the most aquatic species of the five, Natrix tessellata, features the most expressed sensilla. This specificity represents a further analogy in the evolutionary convergences involving the cephalic region that this species shares with marine elapids. Still in the genus Natrix, a second trait involving the shields has been identified, expressing itself in the opposite condition to the protruded sensilla, occurring as a pitting arranged mainly within the shields along the upper portion of the labial arches. In vivo examinations and microscopy were performed on different species of the Natrix genus, and comparative analyses have been carried out on other natricid taxa from the New and Old World, where the presence of protruded scale sensilla has been found in several species. Full article