Zootaxa

Sponge fauna of the Aegean coast of Türkiye with new records for the eastern Mediterranean Sea

2025-04-30T12:04:23+12:00

This study was conducted to determine the taxonomic, ecological and distributional characteristics of sponge species distributed along the Aegean Sea coast of Türkiye. Samples were collected from 36 coastal and 7 offshore stations of different depths (35–400 m) and biotopes. Benthic sampling was performed by diving at coastal stations and by bottom-trawling at offshore stations. As a result of the faunistic analysis of the samples, a total of 114 species belonging to 3 classes, 17 orders and 44 families were identified, of which 9 species were new to the eastern Mediterranean, 10 species were new to the Aegean Sea, and 13 species were new to the coasts of Türkiye. Among the biotopes, rocky shores were characterized by the highest number of sponge species (85 species), while the stony coral Cladocora caespitosa was represented by the lowest number of species (3 species). The majority of sponge species (73 species) were found in the depth interval 10–20 m. Among the sponges identified, only one invasive alien species, namely Paraleucilla magna, was found on artificial substrata at one station in the inner part of İzmir Bay. The majority of the species (71% of the total number of species) found in the study area have the Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution pattern.

The World Catalog of Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae): Additional Updates and Errata

2025-04-30T12:05:29+12:00

A list of corrections and the addition of new taxa described since Borkent & Dominiak (2020) published a catalog of the Ceratopogonidae of the world and Borkent et al. (2022) provided an update of corrections and new taxa is provided. We record a further 66 extant and 3 fossil species and 2 new fossil genera, as well as four new tribes that have also been proposed by Borkent (2024). A table recording the number of species in each genus and subgenus indicates that the family now includes 6346 extant and 303 fossil species and 107 extant and 23 fossil genera. The number of species names regarded as nomina dubia is now 189.

Atrichopogon wirthi Szadziewski & Borkent, 2003 is considered a junior synonym of A. wirthorum Delécolle & Braverman, 1997, syn. nov. The fossil genus Nelohelea Szadziewski & Sontag is here placed in the tribe Washingtonheleini.

**Three new grasshopper species in the Florida Melanoplus Puer group (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae)**

2025-04-30T12:06:34+12:00

Three new grasshopper species in the Melanoplus Puer Group sensu lato (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae) are described from Florida, United States, bringing the total number of described species in the group to 27 while the number of species in the Puer Group sensu stricto is increased to nine. 1) M. amphora sp. nov. Woller, Kelly, and Orfinger is described from a relatively small region of southeastern Florida across four counties: Okeechobee, Brevard, Indian, and St. Lucie, with the latter three being along the east coast; 2) M. spiracor sp. nov. Woller and Kelly is described from a small region of southwestern Florida across three counties: Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota, all of which are along the west coast; and 3), M. ferrarius sp. nov. Woller, Kelly, and Orfinger is described from a single location in southeastern Florida within Martin County: Jonathan Dickinson State Park, which is along the east coast. Taxonomic placement of these species is justified based on distinct morphology, primarily of the internal genitalia (especially the shape of the aedeagus), which are sufficiently divergent from conspecifics and consistently unique enough across their known geographic ranges to be considered new species. Comparisons with some geographically close congeneric species in the Puer Group are also provided.

Pseudophlepsius binotatus (Signoret, 1880) sensu lato (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Opsiini) is a complex of biological species

2025-04-30T12:07:35+12:00

A study of the male vibrational calling signals, host plants, and morphological characters of Pseudophlepsius binotatus sensu lato showed that in Russia and adjacent countries this taxon includes three biological species. P. binotatus is distributed in the semi-deserts and deserts of the Lower Volga region and Central Asia and feeds on camel thorn (Alhagi spp.). P. abdykulovi sp. nov. described from southeastern Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan was collected from Glycyrrhiza spp., Caragana sp., and Halimodendron halodendron. P. septentrionalis stat. nov. inhabits the mixed-grass steppes of southern Russia and Kazakhstan and penetrates into the low mountains and forest zone; it was found on Hamaecytisus ruthenicus and Calophaca soongorica. P. binotatus and P. abdykulovi sp. nov. are indistinguishable by the shape of the male genitalia and differ from each other only by the shape of the teeth on the 2^nd valvulae of the ovipositor. P. septentrionalis stat. nov. differs from the other two species by the shape of aedeagus and subgenital plates.

**Description of a new species of Lasiocesa Koçak from miombo woodlands in Malawi (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae, Lasiocampinae, Pinarini)**

2025-04-30T12:08:42+12:00

New Lasiocesa Koçak, 2013 species, Lasiocesa ladislavi sp. nov., is described from the Central Zambezian wet miombo woodlands ecoregion of Malawi. The new species is compared with four other known Lasiocesa species. Adults, their genitalia, distribution maps and photos of the habitat of the new species are illustrated.

Two new nematode species of the family Sphaerolaimidae (Nematoda, Monhysterida) from the Yellow Sea, China

2025-04-30T12:10:19+12:00

Two new species of free-living marine nematodes from the subtidal zone of the Yellow Sea were found and are described. Sphaerolaimus articulatus sp. nov. is characterized by circular amphidial fovea located at the level of the gymnostoma, the longest subcephalic setae 15–20 µm long, spicules arcuate, divided into two parts by a fine suture anterior to the middle, handle-shaped proximally and blunt distally and gubernaculum with two dorsally hook-shaped apophyses. The second new species, Parasphaerolaimus sinensis sp. nov. is characterized by amphidial fovea located at the level of the gymnostoma base, length of longest subcephalic setae 19–22 µm in males, 6–7 µm in females, cuticle with lateral longitudinal alae, 15 µm in males, 8 µm in females, slender and slightly curved spicules 1.3–1.8 cloacal body diameter, gubernaculum with dorsally straight apophyses, 9–11 µm long, position of the vulva very close to the anus, 84–87% of body length from anterior end and ovoviviparity.

**A new species, Diapromorpha flavolabiata sp. nov. and new record of Diapromorpha sexmaculata (Jacoby, 1889) from China (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae, Clytrini)**

2025-04-30T12:11:25+12:00

This paper describes one new leaf beetle species, Diapromorpha flavolabiata Zhou, Duan & Wang, sp. nov. from Yunnan, China. Diapromorpha sexmaculata (Jacoby, 1889) is recorded for the first time from Sichuan and Yunnan provinces of China. A key of all Chinese species of the genus Diapromorpha is included. For the new species and new record species we also provided color illustrations, line drawings of general habitus and other detailed structures to benefit identification and taxonomic studies in the future. All the types of the new species are deposited in the collection of Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZ-CAS).

**Descriptions of the immature stages of Microvelia pulchella Westwood, 1834 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae)**

2025-04-30T12:12:29+12:00

Microvelia Westwood, 1834 (Gerromorpha: Gerridae: Microveliinae) is a widespread genus of semiaquatic bugs with more than 100 species recorded from the Neotropical Region. Microvelia pulchella Westwood, 1834 is the type species of the genus and one of the most common throughout the American continents, ranging from Canada to Argentina. Although its life cycle has been studied repeatedly, the immature stages have not been described. Here, we provide descriptions, measurements, and illustrations of eggs and four nymphal instars of this species based on specimens collected and reared in southeastern Brazil.

Petrolisthes tanmayi sp. nov., a new species of the porcelain crab (Decapoda: Anomura: Porcellanidae) from G-Plot Island, Sundarbans, India

2025-04-30T12:13:31+12:00

A new species of porcelain crab Petrolisthes tanmayi sp. nov. is described from G-Plot Island, Sundarbans, West Bengal, India. The new species is morphologically close to P. kranjiensis Johnson, 1970 and P. cinctipes (Randall, 1840), but can be distinguished from those by differences in shape and colour of the carapace, proportions of cheliped articles and cheliped spinulation. Petrolisthes tanmayi sp. nov. differs from all other Indian species of Petrolisthes in the absence of spines in the anterior margin of P1 carpus. Phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial COI sequences suggests that P. tanmayi sp. nov. is closely related to P. ornatus Paulson, 1875 and P. armatus (Gibbes, 1850).

A new bark-gnawing beetle (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Trogossitidae) from Baltic amber

2025-04-30T12:14:36+12:00

A new extinct representative of the tribe Trogossitini, Ligaschonus succiniripae gen. et sp. nov., is described, diagnosed, and illustrated based on a well-preserved specimen from Eocene Baltic amber. The extinct beetle is compared with related extant genera of the tribe Trogossitini, from which the inclusion in Baltic amber can be distinguished by a unique combination of a comparatively small body size, elliptically convex eyes, tiny but distinct anterior pronotal angles, a pronotum narrowed at the base, finely and regularly punctate elytra without carinae, small spines along the outer margin of tibiae, and the absence of median longitudinal groove or a pair of distinctly projecting horns in frons. This represents only the second trogossitid species described from Baltic amber and the third bark-gnawing beetle from all fossil resins.

**The Palaearctic genus Belothrips Haliday (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), with new synonyms and new combinations**

2025-04-30T12:15:39+12:00

The two genera, Nigritothrips Bhatti and Rubiothrips Schliephake are placed as new synonyms of Belothrips Haliday. Belothrips acuminatus, the type species of this genus, is considered in detail to include Rubiothrips parisae Mirab-balou & Chen as a new synonym. The species Nigritothrips zurstrasseni Bhatti is considered a new synonym of Belothrips longistylosus Priesner. A checklist is provided of the 12 species now included in Belothrips, indicating two new combinations and eight revised combinations. The genus Belothrips is newly recorded for the fauna of both China and Iran.

**Two species of the genus Ancylodes Ragonot, 1887 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from Xinjiang, China**

2025-04-30T12:16:45+12:00

Two species of the genus Ancylodes are reported from Xinjiang, China. Ancylodes zhengi sp. nov. is described as new based on its external morphology and genitalia characters, and A. dealbatella (Erschoff, 1874) is newly recorded from Xinjiang. Images of adults and genitalia are provided.