Zootaxa

Gobioid fishes (Teleostei, Gobiiformes) of Penang Island, Malaysia: a comprehensive inventory with new records for Peninsular Malaysia

2026-02-19T10:56:54+13:00

Penang Island in northern Peninsular Malaysia is undergoing rapid coastal development that threatens its intertidal and mangrove ecosystems, which support a high diversity of gobioid fishes. The only previous checklist for the island was published by Cantor in 1849, leaving major gaps in contemporary knowledge. This study provides an updated and comprehensive inventory of gobioid species based on surveys conducted across mudflats, brackish rivers, mangrove forests, and coastal marine habitats. A total of 46 species were collected, including 20 species newly recorded from Penang Island. Nine of these represent first records for Peninsular Malaysia and belong to the genera Eleotris, Butis, Favonigobius, Gobiopterus, Cryptocentrus, Mugilogobius, and Pseudogobius. When combined with Cantor’s account and other previous records, the gobioid fauna list of Penang Island comprises 61 species. This study highlights the substantial and previously undocumented diversity of gobioid fishes in the region and provides a foundation for future taxonomic, ecological, and conservation assessments.

Unearthing hidden diversity: two new moniligastrid earthworms (Clitellata, Moniligastridae) from Silent Valley National Park of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, Kerala, India

2026-02-19T10:57:43+13:00

New moniligastrid earthworms of the genera Moniligaster Perrier, 1872 and Drawida Michaelsen, 1900 are described from the specimens collected from the Silent Valley National Park, in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve of the Western Ghats mountain chain, Kerala State, India. M. girishi Narayanan, Paliwal & Julka, sp. nov., and D. reynoldsi Narayanan, Paliwal & Julka, sp. nov., were collected from the tropical wet evergreen forest and montane grassland, respectively. By the possession of single undivided spermathecal atrial gland at each side of the anterior body, M. girishi sp. nov., belonging to the gravelyi species-group and it can be distinguished from other group members by the condition of the prostate and especially the prostatic capsule. Drawida reynoldsi sp. nov., belongs to the D. robusta species-group, which is characterized by glandular prostates and bilobed spermathecal atria. D. reynoldsi sp. nov., can easily be differentiated from all the members of the robusta group by the sausage-like prostatic capsule and large erect spermathecal atrium. An updated key to species of the genus Moniligaster is also provided. With the inclusion of the two newly identified species, India’s moniligastrid fauna now comprises 95 recognized species, highlighting both the richness and continued discovery potential of this group.

Type specimens of ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in the “Neumann Collection” of the National Veterinary School of Toulouse, France

2026-02-19T10:58:46+13:00

The École National Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT) holds the Neumann’s collection of parasites. The depository, created by Louis Georges Neumann at the end of the 19^th century, contains a large number of ixodid specimens and primary types, all listed in an accession book by Neumann himself. In an effort to enhance the visibility and accessibility of this collection for the scientific community, the curatorial personnel of the collection recently transferred all accession data to an electronic database and began inventorying the specimens that are still available. This offered us with an opportunity to examine all remaining primary types of Ixodidae in the collection and write this catalogue.

**A new species of Amolops (Anura: Ranidae) from Vu Quang National Park—an ASEAN Heritage Park of Vietnam**

2026-02-19T10:59:46+13:00

A new species of Amolops is described from Vu Quang National Park, Ha Tinh Province, North-central Vietnam based on morphological and molecular differences. Morphologically, Amolops minhlei sp. nov. is distinguishable from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: SVL 31.8–35.8 mm in males, 36.7–45.8 mm in females; head longer than wide; vomerine teeth absent; snout long (SE/SVL 0.16–0.17 in males, 0.16 in females); tympanum distinct, round (TD/ED 0.41–0.42 in males, 0.40–0.43 in females); skin smooth; supratympanic fold indistinct; dorsolateral fold present; webbing formula I0–0II0–1/2III0–1/2IV1/2–0V; dorsum olive green or reddish brown with a few dark spots; a brown dorsolateral stripe extending from behind eye to above vent; dorsal surface of fore- and hind-limbs light grey with brown crossbars, throat, chest and belly white; males with external vocal sac and nuptial pad on finger I; and flanks grey brown with small white glandular spot. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species is strongly supported as a member of the A. monticola group. However, the new species differs from other members of the A. monticola group by 10.00–19.66% pairwise genetic divergence in the mitochondrial ND2 gene fragment and 1.56–6.67% in the mitochondrial 16S gene fragment.

**New records of Munidopsidae (Decapoda: Anomura) from Japan, with description of a new species of Galacantha A. Milne-Edwards, 1880**

2026-02-19T11:00:53+13:00

Two species of the deep-sea squat lobster family Munidopsidae are reported as new additions to the Japanese marine fauna on the basis of specimens collected from the Sea of Kumano (off Kii Peninsula), central Japan. Galacantha kumano sp. nov. is morphologically similar to G. subspinosa Macpherson, 2007, but distinguishable by the weaker armature on the dorsal surface of the carapace and pleon and proportionally wider thoracic sternite 3. An identification key to all species of the genus Galacantha A. Milne-Edwards, 1880 is provided. Munidopsis concava Macpherson, 2007 is re-redescribed to supplement diagnostic characters with re-examination of the type material. The identity of the Japanese specimens was verified with genetic data derived from the two mitochondrial markers (COI and 16S rRNA genes). The present Japanese material revealed association of M. concava with sunken wood, a trait observed in some congeneric species, including those with similar morphology.

**A review of Rheosmittia Brundin, 1986 (Diptera: Chironomidae) from China based on DNA barcodes and morphology**

2026-02-19T11:01:44+13:00

Rheosmittia Brundin, 1986 (Diptera: Chironomidae) from China is reviewed based on DNA barcodes and morphology. Two new species, Rheosmittia motuoensis Zhang & Lin, sp. nov. from Xizang and Rheosmittia wangi Zhang & Lin, sp. nov. from Yunnan, as well as an unidentified larva from Zhejiang, are described and illustrated. The first new species is characterized by its distinctive body coloration, smaller AR, and inferior volsella positioned at the midlength of the gonocoxite, while the second new species is distinguished by slightly curved gonostylus and longer costa extension. Given the distinctive morphology of the gonostylus in R. wangi within the genus, generic diagnosis is amended. A key to adult males of extant Rheosmittia is presented.

First record of the little-known family Ctenostylidae (Diptera: Tephritoidea) from India

2026-02-19T11:02:51+13:00

The family Ctenostylidae is reported from India for the first time, based on the specimens of Nepaliseta mirabilis Barraclough and Sinolochmostylia sinica Yang collected from Tamil Nadu and Arunachal Pradesh, respectively. A key to the Indian genera of Ctenostylidae is provided. The live habitus and various morphological characters of the specimens from India are illustrated. The involvement of citizen science through iNaturalist platform for scientific studies is briefly discussed.

**New genera of Black Fungus Gnats (Diptera: Sciaridae) from China—Part 1: Genus Shiara Shah, Heller & Huang gen. nov.**

2026-02-19T11:03:44+13:00

A new, monotypic genus is presented for one species Shiara unica Shah, Heller & Huang gen. et sp. nov., which is genetically and morphologically very unique. Genetically it is distant form all currently known subfamilies and morphologically it combines characters of different clades, by having bottleneck shaped flagellomeres, an undifferentiated tibial organ and non-setose posterior wing veins. The male genitalia exhibit an unusual accumulation of large teeth at the aedeagal field. The eggs per female are only few in number, very large, and with a granulate chorion.