Zootaxa

**Studies on Mexican grasshoppers: Stegotettix cristata a new genus and species, and three new species of the genus Oaxaca Fontana et al. 2011 (Acrididae; Melanoplinae)**

2026-02-23T11:44:04+13:00

In this study, we describe five taxa of Melanoplinae from southwestern Mexico: Stegotettix cristata gen. nov. sp. nov., and three species of the genus Oaxaca Fontana, Buzzetti & Mariño-Pérez, 2011, O. pyromaculata sp. nov., O. tecuani sp. nov. and O. turquesa sp. nov. The taxonomic descriptions were based on morphological analyses of a minimum of 64 specimens collected over the last five years from at least eight localities per species. Taxonomic keys in tabular form are provided, along with information on the probable host plants, habitat, phenology, and occurrence records from iNaturalist. We discuss morphological similarities between the described taxa, as well as the morphological singularity of grasshoppers of genus Stegotettix cristata gen. nov. sp. nov. among other melanoplines. This work increases the known diversity of Melanoplinae in southwestern Mexico and highlights the region as an important center of endemism for the subfamily.

**Taxonomic problems in Agathocles (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) with description of a new species**

2026-02-23T11:45:01+13:00

Agathocles par sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Caystrini) is described from Yunnan, China. The new species is highly similar to A. limbatus Stål, 1876 externally. Problems with the identification of A. limbatus are highlighted, and the identity of this species is fixed by designating a neotype.

**A new species of Phlogiellus Pocock, 1897 from China (Araneae: Theraphosidae)**

2026-02-23T11:45:51+13:00

A new species of theraphosid spider, Phlogiellus hakka Yao, Gong, Yu & Liu, sp. nov., is described from Fujian Province, southern China, based on both male and female specimens. This represents the first record of the genus Phlogiellus Pocock, 1897 from Fujian Province. Detailed morphological descriptions, supported by digital images (including SEM), and information on its natural habitat are provided. The discovery of P. hakka sp. nov. fills a significant distributional gap along the southeastern coast of China and is discussed in relation to the known biogeography of the genus in the region.

**Larval morphology and DNA barcoding of the marine Tanytarsini genus Yaetanytarsus Sasa, 1990 (Diptera: Chironomidae)**

2026-02-23T11:46:49+13:00

The marine Tanytarsini genus Yaetanytarsus Sasa, 1990 has been distinguished from Pontomyia Edwards, 1926 by the number of posterior parapod claws and the tapered form of abdominal segment VIII in the larval morphology. To evaluate these diagnostic characteristics, we identified the larvae of the three Yaetanytarsus species using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA barcoding and subsequently examined their morphology. In total, 13 larvae and eight adults were analyzed. Larval sequences clustered unambiguously with conspecific adults, showing intraspecific K2P distances of 0.0–1.7% and interspecific distances exceeding 10%. The larvae of the three species (Y. boodleae (Tokunaga, 1933), Y. iriomeneus (Sasa & Suzuki, 2000), and Y. lamnicaudus (Tokunaga, 1964)) were examined and exhibited similar morphologies. Morphological comparison revealed that Y. lamnicaudus (Tokunaga, 1964) has 39–61 posterior parapod claws, which overlaps with the range in Pontomyia and indicates this characteristic is not uniformly reliable for separating these genera. Here, we provide the first detailed larval descriptions of these three species of Yaetanytarsus and demonstrate that COI barcoding is a robust tool for species identification in maritime Tanytarsini.

**Taxonomy of the leafhopper genus Limentinus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Coelidiinae) with description of three new species from Madagascar**

2026-02-23T11:47:37+13:00

The leafhopper genus Limentinus is reviewed and three new species, Limentinus anja, L. isomerus and L. sextaspina spp. nov. from Madagascar are described and illustrated. Species checklist, key to males and aedeagus illustrations to all known species of Limentinus are given. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences from the latter two species are provided.

**A new four-eyed species of Pseudosinella Schäffer (Collembola, Entomobryidae, Lepidocyrtinae) from Iran**

2026-02-23T11:48:30+13:00

Herein, a new species with four-eyed of Pseudosinella Schäffer (Collembola, Entomobryidae, Lepidocyrtinae) from Iran is described and compared with seven other species also from the Old World. Pseudosinella iraniana sp. nov. differs from its congeners in its color pattern, length ratio of the second and third antennal segments, elements of chaetotaxy of the head, thorax, abdomen and colophore, as well as the morphology of the empodial complex, lateral process of papilla E and mucro. With the description of this first Pseudosinella species for Iran, the country now has eight nominal species of the genus.

**A record of Cerapeplus Löbl & Burckhardt, 1988 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Micropeplinae) in the Eastern Himalaya**

2026-02-23T11:49:18+13:00

The genus Cerapeplus Löbl & Burckhardt, 1988 is reported to occur in the Eastern Himalaya. A new species, Cerapeplus luowaensis Yin, Du & Li sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Za’ri Valley of Lhünzê County, Xizang, China. The discovery brings the species number of this enigmatic lineage of Micropeplinae to three, and considerably expands the distributional range of the genus to the west.