Zootaxa

**DNA Barcoding of west European Strachiini questions the validity of several species of the genus Eurydema (Hemiptera. Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)**

2025-12-02T12:18:26+13:00

The pentatomid tribe Strachiini includes numerous crop pests, notably the genus Eurydema Laporte, 1833, which comprises Palaearctic species feeding on cruciferous plants. In a context of reduced pesticide use and increased biological invasions, the damage caused by Strachiini to European crops has increased over the past few years. Rapid identification of these pests at all stages of their development is therefore becoming crucial. In this context, we investigated whether DNA barcoding can reliably distinguish all developmental stages of Western European Strachiini species and invasive congeners. We analysed 325 specimens collected worldwide, using both newly generated in-home and publicly available COI sequences. Species boundaries were assessed through distance-based and phylogenetic tree-based methods, including Neighbor-Joining (NJ) and Maximum Likelihood (ML). Morphological identification of Strachiini was generally consistent and reached a consensus, except for a few challenging species pairs such as Eurydema fieberi Schummel, 1837 / E. rotundicollis (Dohrn, 1860) and Eurydema spectabilis Horváth, 1882 / E. eckerleini Josifov, 1961. We therefore used as reference material in this study, specimens preserved in institutional or private collections, consensually identified by several generations of specialists. Our results confirms that Eurydema species of agronomic importance and their related invasive congeners can be reliably identified through DNA barcoding except for several species within the large genus Eurydema, for which discrepancies between morphological and molecular identifications were highlighted. A curated set of validated sequences has been deposited in the BOLD Systems (https://id.boldsystems.org/), GenBank, NCBI (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and ARTHEMIS databases (https://arthemisdb.supagro.inrae.fr/) to support accurate molecular identification. The taxonomic issues highlighted in the large genus Eurydema are discussed. They will require further investigation and may lead to necessary taxonomic revisions, hence, some of these (e.g. involving the widespread pest species E. ornata) could have agronomic implications.

**The genus Trichorhina Budde-Lund, 1908 (Crustacea, Isopoda, Platyarthridae) in the Ibero-Balearic region, with descriptions of three new species**

2025-12-02T12:19:19+13:00

The genus Trichorhina, belonging to the family Platyarthridae, has mostly a tropical distribution. Nonetheless, the Ibero-Balearic region currently hosts seven species, including four previously known species (T. anophthalma, T. buchnerorum, T. hispana and T. silvestrii) and three species described in this study (T. cascaisensis sp. nov., T. ornata sp. nov. and T. solorzanoi sp. nov.).

Trichorhina cascaisensis sp. nov. is characterized by a dorsal integument with granulations arranged in several longitudinal lines and with large scale-setae, noduli laterales successively closer to the lateral and posterior edges of the pereonites, cephalon not inserted in the pereon, pereonites posterior corners convex, pleon not retracted in relation to pereon, and a triangular telson with an obtuse tip. Trichorhina ornata sp. nov. is characterized by a smooth dorsal integument with large scale-setae arranged in longitudinal lines, high values of the noduli laterales d/c coordinates, pereonites posterior corner weakly sinuous, pleon not retracted in relation to pereon, and a sub-triangular telson with a widely rounded posterior edge. Trichorhina solorzanoi sp. nov. is characterized by a smooth dorsal integument, pleon not retracted in relation to pereon, large and falciform neopleura, a triangular telson with a rounded tip, pleopod exopod I subtrapezoidal in males, and has a large distal part in females.

To facilitate identification, new descriptions of T. anophthalma and T. silvestrii are provided, accompanied by new figures of these species, as well as a dichotomous key for the Trichorhina species in the Ibero-Balearic region.

A revision of the family Protorchestiidae (Amphipoda: Talitroidea) with the description of two new subfamilies, three new genera and one new species

2025-12-02T12:20:12+13:00

Amphipods have successfully adapted to a wide range of environments, including marshes. The family Protorchestiidae comprises a diverse group of marshhoppers; however, its classification has been challenging due to subtle morphological differences among genera. In this study, the family Protorchestiidae is revised, and two new subfamilies are erected. Microrchestiinae subfam. nov. is tropical to subtropical in distribution, Protorchestiinae subfam. nov. inhabits cold to cool-temperate regions. The two new subfamilies are diagnosed and their distributions are reviewed. Three new genera, Lowryorchestia gen. nov., Richardsonorchestia gen. nov. and Serejorchestia gen. nov., are described from New Zealand and Australia. These new genera are most similar to Protorchestia that is endemic to South America and probably also to the poorly known Eorchestia that is endemic to South Africa. One new species, Lowryorchestia riparicola gen. nov., sp. nov. is described from New Zealand. Neorchestia plicibrancha Friend, 1987 is regarded as incertae sedis.

**Two new species of the springtail genus Ceratophysella Börner, 1932 from the Caucasus (Collembola: Hypogastruridae)**

2025-12-02T12:21:01+13:00

Two new species of the genus Ceratophysella Börner, 1932 are described from the Caucasus and Transcaucasia: C. dobrolyubovae sp. nov. and C. anacopica sp. nov. Both these species belong to the denticulata-group and are characterised by the fine and almost uniform cuticular granulation and relatively short dorsal setae. The former species from the mountainous Caucasian regions shows a complete set of papillae on the labium and only six dental setae, while the latter, inhabiting coastal communities, lacks labial papillae C, but has a complete set of seven dental setae. Additionally, molecular data for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) were obtained for C. dobrolyubovae sp. nov. from four localities across the Caucasus. The first barcode sequences for C. caucasica Martynova, 1971 are also provided.

**Taxonomic reappraisal of the enigmatic genus Propalachia Bouček (Hymenoptera: Torymidae)―the first confirmed association with mantid oothecae and a new species from southern India**

2025-12-02T12:21:47+13:00

A new species of the enigmatic Old World genus Propalachia Bouček (Hymenoptera: Torymidae: Toryminae), Propalachia odontomantiphaga Binoy & Sureshan, sp. nov., is herein described from South India. Recovered from the oothecae of Odontomantis pulchra (Fabricius, 1787) (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae), P. odontomantiphaga represents the first valid host-association report for the genus and is the fourth species recorded worldwide. Detailed morphological analyses, including measurements of key diagnostic characters and comparison with type specimens of the three previously described species, reveal a unique combination of features that warrant its designation as a new species. The exceptionally low parasitisation rate (<6%) observed in random collections is discussed in relation to the rarity of the genus. Additionally, P. infumata Bouček, previously known only from Zimbabwe and South Africa, is newly recorded from Kenya, extending the known distribution of the genus in Africa. A review of the world species of Propalachia is provided, together with remarks on the ecological implications of the newly discovered host association.

**A new monotypic, gift-giving spider genus from the Neotropical Pacific region: Dobarakuku gen. nov. (Araneae, Pisauridae)**

2025-12-02T12:22:43+13:00

The nursery web spider Tinus ursus Carico, 1976 was originally described based on female specimens from Costa Rica. In this study, we describe for the first time the male of the species, providing the first records from Colombia, and documenting its sexual behavior, including courtship and nuptial gift production. The previously unknown male palp revealed a unique combination of characters that prompted us to reassess the phylogenetic placement of T. ursus using morphological, behavioral and molecular evidence. Our analyses demonstrate that T. ursus does not belong to Tinus F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1901, but instead forms a distinct lineage sister to the clade comprising Tinus and Thaumasia Perty, 1833. In light of these results, we transfer the species to a new monotypic genus, Dobarakuku gen. nov., designating Dobarakuku ursus (Carico, 1976) comb. nov. as the type species. In addition, we recognize Thaumasiinae Petrunkevitch, 1928 as comprising four genera: Architis Simon, 1898a, Dobarakuku gen. nov., Thaumasia, and Tinus. The proximal tegular projection may constitute a potential morphological synapomorphy of Thaumasiinae, secondarily lost in Architis. Dobarakuku gen. nov. differs from all other Neotropical Pisauridae genera by a unique combination of characters, including a narrow distal tegular projection, vestigial median apophysis, laminar hyaline conductor, stout embolus, and a pair of oval atria in the epigynum. The courtship behavior of D. ursus comb. nov. resembles that of other Pisauridae species, and the production of nuptial gifts makes it the sixth species in the family known to exhibit this behavior.

**First report of the invasive Australian tortoise beetle Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn, 1897) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Algeria**

2025-12-02T12:23:38+13:00

Trachymela sloanei (Blackburn, 1897) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae), a leaf beetle native to Australia and recognized as a defoliator of Eucalyptus spp. (Myrtaceae), is reported for the first time from Algeria and the African continent. In May 2025, 20 adults were collected from Eucalyptus camaldulensis in the urban area of Sidi Amar (Annaba, northeastern Algeria), where characteristic foliar damage and feeding traces were observed. Identification was confirmed using diagnostic morphological characters. Field evidence indicates a reproducing population actively feeding on ornamental Eucalyptus trees. Considering its invasive history elsewhere, this detection highlights the risk of further spread and potential impacts on Eucalyptus plantations and urban greenery in North Africa. The present record expands the known distribution of T. sloanei and underscores the need for continued surveillance of Eucalyptus-associated pests in the Mediterranean region.

**A new species and a new synonym of the genus Nemoura Latrielle, 1796 (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from China**

2025-12-02T12:24:39+13:00

A new species of the nemourid genus Nemoura Latrielle, 1796, N. kuankuoshui sp. nov., is described from Guizhou Province of southwestern China. The new species is assigned in N. ovocercia Shimizu, 1997 group and the morphological similarities between the new species and similar species in the group are discussed. Additionally, N. lixiana Chen, 2020 is placed as a subjective junior synonym of N. geei Wu, 1929.