Zootaxa

An annotated checklist of the Syrphidae (Diptera) of Algeria

SIHEME DJELLAB — 2026-05-01

Algeria, situated in the southern Mediterranean Basin, is the largest country in Africa and spans a wide gradient of climates and habitats, ranging from Mediterranean coastal plains and mountain ranges to high steppe plateaux, sandy formations, and Saharan plateaux. This marked environmental heterogeneity provides suitable conditions for hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across a wide spectrum of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Despite this diversity, the hoverfly fauna of Algeria remains poorly known. Here, we update the current knowledge of Algerian Syrphidae by compiling all published records and adding new data obtained from recent fieldwork in northeastern Algeria. A preliminary checklist of 128 species in 43 genera is presented. Among these, Mesembrius peregrinus (Loew) is recorded for the first time from Algeria. The updated checklist includes taxa with diverse larval ecologies, including saproxylic species associated with forested habitats such as Brachypalpus valgus (Panzer) and Spilomyia maroccana Kuznetzov, phytophagous species such as Merodon calcaratus (Fabricius) and Eumerus etnensis van der Goot, predatory species such as Eupeodes nuba (Wiedemann) and Paragus vandergooti Marcos García, and saprophagous aquatic species such as Eristalinus taeniops (Wiedemann) and Eristalis arbustorum (Linnaeus). Given the size of Algeria and the breadth of habitats available to Syrphidae, the number of recorded species is expected to increase with further targeted surveys, particularly in poorly explored regions of the country.

Checklist and distribution of Euphorinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Türkiye

AHMET BEYARSLAN — 2026-05-01

The Euphorinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) species recorded from Türkiye are listed, the present total number being 85. Changes with respect to the Turkish fauna are briefly annotated and the distributions for all species in each of the 75 provinces (except for Hakkari, İstanbul, Kocaeli, Şırnak and Uşak provinces ) are presented. Of these, 46 species are distributed only in Asian Türkiye and 4 species are distributed only in European Türkiye, while 35 species occur in both. The checklist includes synonyms, zoogeographical region(s), hosts, host plants of host species, and parasitoid data for the species. The number of species within each tribe found in Türkiye is represented by: Centistini Capek=7, Dinocampini Shaw=2, Euphorini Foerster=9, Helorimorphini Schmiedeknecht=4, Meteorini Cresson=33, Neoneurini Bengtsson=4, Perilitini Foerster=16, Pygostolini Belokobylskij=3, Syntretini Shaw=3, and Townesilitini Shaw=4.

**A new species of Casinaria (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) parasitizing on Aporia hippia (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) from China, and its complete mitochondrial genome**

TAO LI — 2026-05-01

A new species, Casinaria qinghaia Li, sp. nov., is described and illustrated. It was reared from the larvae of Aporia hippia (Bremer, 1861) (Pieridae) in Qinghai Province, P.R. China. Through Illumina sequencing technology, we have sequenced and annotated the mitochondrial genome of C. qinghaia, serving as the molecular marker for the species. The mitochondrial gene characteristics, including base composition and codon usage bias, were investigated. Morphological evidence, augmented by mitochondrial genome, provides a robust framework for establishing the species identity of C. qinghaia.

**Unusual juvenile morphology in Galumnidae (Acari, Oribatida): culturing and development of Trichogalumna ohkuboi from Russia**

SERGEY G. ERMILOV — 2026-05-01

The oribatid mite species Trichogalumna ohkuboi Hagino, Bayartogtokh & Shimano, 2017 (Oribatida, Galumnidae) is recorded for the first time in Russia. Duration of development from larva to adult is 17–24 days at ≈25ºC while feeding on fungi (Alternaria sp.) and algae (Pleurococcus sp.), in laboratory conditions. The active juvenile instars are characterized by the unusual (among known juvenile Galumnidae) morphology, e.g., foveolate ornamentation of the dorsal side and posteroventral part (except LA) of the gastronotum, and the morphology of the lamellar, interlamellar, and some gastronotic setae (well developed, dilated distally). The provided data on the morphology of the juvenile instars of T. ohkuboi are the first comprehensive ones for any member of this genus.

**A new species of Polyophthalmus from NW Africa and re-establishment of P. papillatus Treadwell, 1943 (Annelida: Opheliidae) based upon type material**

JULIO PARAPAR — 2026-05-01

During a biodiversity survey in the Banc d’Arguin National Park in Mauritania, a new species of Polyophthalmus has been collected. The taxon is described based on morphological observations but a 16S sequence is also provided. The closest species, P. papillatus Treadwell, 1943, traditionally considered a junior synonym of the type species of the genus P. pictus (Dujardin, 1839), is redescribed from the examination of type material and re-established as a valid species. The diversity of genus Polyophthalmus in the Atlantic Ocean is reviewed.

**Two new species of the cicada genus Auritibicen (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from China**

JIALI WANG — 2026-05-01

Two new species of the genus Auritibicen, A. nani Wang & Wei sp. nov. and A. bofani Wang & Wei sp. nov., are described, which were discovered from Mount Emei and the Shennongjia Mountains, China, respectively. The relationships of the two new species to related taxa are discussed based on morphological characters and a molecular phylogeny of Auritibicen reconstructed using sequences of the barcoding gene (COI).

**Genetic diversity and geographic distribution of Bubo bubo subspecies in Iran**

ARYA SHAFAEIPOUR — 2026-05-01

The Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) exhibits complex taxonomic structure with multiple subspecies across its broad geographic range. While much is known about the species in Europe and parts of Asia, the taxonomic status and distribution of B. bubo subspecies in Iran remain poorly understood. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial Cytb sequences of 36 samples across Iran revealed two rather weakly diverged clades: a western Iranian clade clustering with European (mostly German) samples, and an eastern/southern Iranian clade clustering with Chinese samples. Genetic diversity indices for the Iranian population were relatively low, with three identified haplotypes and low nucleotide and haplotype diversity. The findings are consistent with the presence of two subspecies, B. bubo nikolskii and B. bubo interpositus, in Iran, aligning with recent taxonomic assessments, but further investigation with additional genetic markers is needed to clarify the deeper evolutionary relationships among these populations. This study has implications for conservation and future taxonomic revisions of Bubo bubo.

Morphological study and new geographic records of opheliids and travisiid (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Argentine Patagonian coast

MARÍA EMILIA DIEZ — 2026-05-01

Three species of polychaete were identified off the Patagonian coast, Argentina. These represent the first records in the studied locations. Two species of opheliids were identified, Armandia aff. loboi in Riacho San José (42° S) in the San José Gulf and Thoracophelia furcifera in Punta Marqués (45° S) in the San Jorge Gulf. One travisiid species, Travisia cf. olens, was found in Puerto Madryn, Nuevo Gulf (42° S). The present study provides detailed information of these species regarding the external morphology and some features of internal morphology. Further studies are necessary to clarify the identity of Armandia aff. loboi as it may represent a new species.

**Systematic revision of the genus Thapaia Dmitriev & Dietrich (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae: Erythroneurini) with descriptions of three new species**

XIAOJUAN YUAN — 2026-05-01

Three new species of the genus Thapaia Dmitriev & Dietrich, 2006 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) are described and illustrated: T. cavitrigona, T. elongata, and T. jinghongensis spp. nov. Specimens were collected from Thailand and China. Detailed morphological descriptions, illustrations of male genitalia, and habitus photographs are provided for each new species. A revised key to males of all known species worldwide is compiled to facilitate identification. The main differences between the new species and other congeneric species lie in the unique characteristics of the male genitalia, including the morphology of the aedeagal shaft, dorsal atrium, and dorsal pygofer appendages. Type specimens from China are deposited in the School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, China (GZNU). Holotypes of species described from Thailand are deposited in the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, Chiang Mai, Thailand (QSBG).

**Identity and redescription of Congromuraena musteliceps Alcock, 1894 (Anguilliformes: Congridae)**

PARAMASIVAM KODEESWARAN — 2026-05-01

The taxonomic identity of Congromuraena musteliceps Alcock, 1894 has remained unresolved for more than a century, with the species having been placed in four different genera. For much of this time it was accommodated under Gnathophis Kaup, 1859, although Smith et al. (2017) noted similarities with Japonoconger Asano, 1958 and suggested that its generic placement required further study. During recent deep-sea trawl surveys along the west coast of India, a large number of specimens referable to G. musteliceps were collected. Detailed morphological examination, combined with molecular analyses of mitochondrial CO1 sequences, demonstrated that G. musteliceps is more closely related to Japonoconger than to Gnathophis or other genera of Congridae. Herein, we redescribe the species based on type material and newly collected specimens and comparisons are made with the closest genera of the subfamily Congrinae and confirming its generic affinity with Japonoconger.

**A new record and redescription of Baetis (Rhodobaetis) oreophilus Kluge, 1982 (Baetidae: Ephemeroptera) from the north-western Himalaya**

M. VASANTH — 2026-05-01

A new record of the species Baetis (Rhodobaetis) oreophilus Kluge, 1982 is based on larvae collected from Lam stream, Pulwama district, Jammu & Kashmir. The species is reported for the first time from India, and re-described after four decades based on larval material. It is placed within the subgenus Rhodobaetis s.l. Jacob, 2003. A comparison table between closely related species of the subgenus and distribution map is also provided.

**A new species of the genus Bryodema Fieber, 1853 from Inner Mongolia, China (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Oedipodidae)**

JIAWEI WANG — 2026-05-01