Zootaxa

**Two new species of the genus Odontoscion (Teleostei: Sciaenidae) from the Western Atlantic Ocean**

2026-02-03T07:57:29+13:00

Three species of reef croakers (Teleostei: Sciaenidae: Odontoscion) are recognized to date, two from the Pacific and one from the Atlantic. Odontoscion dentex (Cuvier) was previously the only species in the Atlantic, known from Florida, Cuba, and the Caribbean to Southeastern Brazil. Here, we describe two new species of Odontoscion from the Western Atlantic based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene and morphological characters. One species, O. pepojuba sp. nov., inhabits Brazilian coastal waters from the states of Pará to Santa Catarina; the other one, O. pitassyae sp. nov., is known from Trinidad & Tobago and Dominica. A fourth putative species from Florida, labeled here as O. dentex lineage B is also proposed, but yet to be described. The diagnostic characters of the genus are also revised.

Gekko (Gekko) dam, a new dark-colored tokay gecko from the Thai-Malay border (Squamata, Gekkonidae)

2026-02-03T07:58:25+13:00

We describe Gekko dam sp. nov. based on type specimens from a limestone hill in Palian District, Trang Province, southern peninsular Thailand. The new species is also found in Satun Province, southern peninsular Thailand, and in Perlis State, northwestern Peninsular Malaysia. A member of the subgenus Gekko, it differs from all currently recognized Gekko species by the following combination of morphological characters and pattern: maximal known snout-vent length of 149.1 mm, lack of contact between nostrils and rostral, 21–24 interorbital scales between supraciliaries, 72–83 scale rows around midbody, 12–14 dorsal tubercle rows at midbody, 26–28 ventral scale rows at midbody, 22 precloacal pores in males, two postcloacal tubercles on each side of the base of the tail, 14–17 subdigital lamellae on 1st toe and 19–21 on 4th toe, a Y-shaped mark on head, white spots on head, dark grey to black dorsal background with four regular bands of contrasting white spots on dorsum between limb insertions, throat and venter white with orange patches, and a copper iris.

**A new species of Neomintho Brauer & Bergenstamm and provisional reclassification of the tribe Euthelairini (Tachinidae, Exoristinae)**

2026-02-03T07:59:30+13:00

The Euthelairini are a tribe of New World Tachinidae (Diptera) with fewer than 30 described species and dozens of undescribed species. Most species are Neotropical and range from Mexico to Brazil, with only two described species in the Nearctic Region. One new species, Neomintho beckersi sp. nov., is described from Florida (United States) and Cayman Islands (Caribbean Sea). Several of the paratypes were reared from the katydid Neoconocephalus triops (L.) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) by the researcher for whom the species is named, and this is the first host record for the Euthelairini. The tribal concept is well established but the number of genera has varied from one (Neomintho B. & B.) to 12 in recent decades. The tribe is reexamined on the basis of morphology and DNA barcoding to provide a basis for the generic assignments of the three Nearctic species. Results indicate that these species are each more closely related to other species in the Neotropical Region than to each other, and only the new species N. beckersi belongs to Neomintho sensu stricto. The classification of the Euthelairini is reviewed and provisionally revised, with seven genera and 27 described species recognized. The following taxonomic changes are proposed to the existing classification: Eupelecotheca Townsend, 1919 (including synonym Pantagathus Reinhard, 1935) is removed from synonymy with Neomintho Brauer & Bergenstamm, 1891 and recognized as a valid genus, status revived; synonymized with Neomintho are genus-group names Euthelaira Townsend, 1912, syn. nov., Iteuthelaira Townsend, 1927, syn. nov. and Neominthoidea Thompson, 1968, syn. nov.; new or revived combinations are proposed as Eupelecotheca celer Townsend, 1919, comb. revived, Neomintho chaetosa (Townsend, 1929), comb. nov., Neomintho esuriens (Fabricius, 1805), comb. nov., Neomintho inambarica (Townsend, 1912), comb. nov., Neomintho rufilabris (Wulp, 1890), comb. nov., Neomintho trinidadensis (Thompson, 1968), comb. nov. and Pelecotheca curulis (Reinhard, 1943), comb. revived. As First Reviser, the species name “flavipes” is selected as the correct original spelling in the combination Pelecotheca flavipes Thompson, 1968 and “flavipalpis” becomes an incorrect original spelling. The distribution of Neomintho macilenta (Wiedemann, 1830) is revised to Brazil only (previously misidentified from Trinidad). The monotypic genus Hypohoughia Townsend, 1927 is removed from the Euthelairini and placed in the Voriini (Dexiinae) based on study of the holotype of type species H. reclinata Townsend, 1927 by Rodrigo de Vilhena Perez Dios. A revised checklist of the genera and species of Euthelairini is provided.

**The mixed bag of Mimiocurus bark beetles (Coleoptera, Curculionidae): 18 species redistributed on 10 genera in 7 tribes!**

2026-02-03T08:00:13+13:00

The genus Mimiocurus Schedl, 1957 has a complicated taxonomic history and is revised. Previous classifications were critically flawed due to the superficial examination of few morphological characters. Dissections of internal morphological characters, including proventriculus, mouthparts, male genitalia, and flight wings, provided highly informative characters that resulted in the transfer of 11 species to other genera in six different tribes. This is an extraordinarily high number of taxonomic changes involving many completely unrelated lineages and therefore illustrates the importance of using a broad array of morphological characters in the classification of bark beetle species. New taxonomic changes include Mimiocurus to Ipini, Dendrotomicus Jordal, gen. nov. to accommodate Dendrotomicus kikusuae Schedl, 1957 comb. nov. and Dendrotomicus rugicollis Schedl, 1957 comb. nov. (=Mimiophthorus kikusuae spp. occidentalis syn. nov.), and Pityophthorus oleanderi (Schedl, 1961) comb. nov. all remaining in Corthylini, Cyrtogenius orientalis (Schedl, 1972) comb. nov., and Cyrtogenius rosseli (Schedl, 1973) comb. nov. to Dryocoetini, Acanthotomicus superciliosus, Jordal nom. nov. (for A. congonus Schedl, 1952 comb. nov., preoccupied) and Acanthotomicus umbratus (Schedl, 1972) comb. nov. to Ipini, Afromicracis ruwenzoriensis (Schedl, 1963) comb. nov., and Micracidendron montanum (Schedl, 1957) comb. res. to Micracidini, Polygraphus militaris (Eggers, 1919) (=Mimiophthorus uniseriatus Schedl, 1979 syn. nov., to Polygraphini), and Macrocryphalus beesoni (Wood, 1989) comb. nov., to Trypophloeini. Two new species are described, Mimiocurus mucronatus Jordal sp. nov. and Micracidendron atrum Jordal sp. nov. A revised key to the four species in Mimiocurus is provided together with a modified key to place Micracidendron in Micracidini.

**The loneliest number: small sample sizes result in taxonomic changes in Okanagana (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadidae: Tibicininae)**

2026-02-03T08:00:57+13:00

The genus Okanagana has several outstanding taxonomic issues which stem largely from the poor descriptions and small type series commonly used in the early 20^th century. Here we address two known issues; relegating a former species to a junior subjective synonym and resurrecting a previously synonymized species. Okanagana napa Davis, 1919 was described from a single specimen but using morphology and other lines of evidence we identify it as conspecific with O. arboraria Wymore, 1934 n. syn. making the latter a junior subjective synonym. Okanagana albibasalis stat. rev. was improperly synonymized with O. canescens Van Duzee, 1915 and is revised to full species status based on their differing morphologies. We also provide corrections to the phylogenetic hypothesis in Cole et al. (2023) that result from these taxonomic acts.

**Confirmed occurrence and DNA barcoding of the Indo-Pacific Slender Gecko, Hemiphyllodactylus typus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) in Vietnam**

2026-02-03T08:01:48+13:00

Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker is a complex taxon characterized by species with small body sizes, low population densities, inconspicuous morphologies, cryptic coloration, and overall difficulty of detection within their native ecosystems. The genus is one of the most diverse and fastest growing gekkonid genera — as of 2025, a total of 69 species have been described. Most species within this genus are endemic to restricted regions, whereas Hemiphyllodactylus typus Bleeker, 1860 has a remarkably broad distribution, ranging from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Previously, H. typus had been recorded in Vietnam by René Bourret under the name H. typus chapaensis from Sapa, Lao Cai. However, a subsequent study by George R. Zug identified this specimen as H. yunnanensis (Boulenger, 1903). Another instance of H. typus in Vietnam has been recorded, inferred solely from molecular analysis. Nevertheless, we re-examined the sequence of this specimen and confirmed that it does not belong to species H. typus. Our surveys in Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, Ho Chi Minh City and My Phuoc's Melaleuca Forest, Can Tho City, Vietnam recovered specimens that, following both morphological and molecular analyses using the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene (ND2), are conclusively identified as H. typus. Thus, this study confirms the occurrence of H. typus in Vietnam for the first time. Additionally, we established DNA barcoding based on the cytochrome c subunit 1 gene (COI) to support identification and conservation management of biodiversity and discuss the potential for range expansion of this species within Vietnam, as well as hypotheses regarding its possible unisexual reproduction.