Zootaxa

Molluscs from a shallow bay of King George Island (Antarctica, South Shetland Islands): An annotated checklist with new distributional records

MICHAEL L. ZETTLER — 2025-05-05

During the 31^st Soviet Antarctic expedition in 1986/87, the mollusc fauna was studied at several stations in Ardley Cove, a bay of Maxwell Bay on King George Island, and in Fildes Strait (between King George Island and Nelson Island). The depths sampled were between the intertidal and 100 metres. While the two intertidal stations were visited several times, the deeper stations were usually sampled once. A total of 59 mollusc taxa were identified, of which 27 belonged to Bivalvia, 29 to Gastropoda and 3 to Polyplacophora. Some of these species were discovered for the first time in the area of King George Island. While some species were found exclusively in the intertidal zone, others were restricted to the greater depths. Only very few species were detected from eulittoral down to depths of 100 metres. Particularly worth mentioning are the taxonomic analyses of the species within the genera Altenaeum Spaink, 1972 and Cuspidaria Nardo, 1840 as well as the species Onoba filostria (Melvill & Standen, 1912) and Kidderia subquadrata (Pelseneer, 1903). The importance of a thorough taxonomic analysis for the composition of the mollusc fauna, especially with regard to climate-induced changes in the Antarctic, is discussed.

**On the taxonomy of genus Simplicia Guenée, with a new species from India (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Herminiinae)**

ANGSHUMAN RAHA — 2025-05-05

Herein, we describe one new species, Simplicia longivalva Raha & N. Singh, sp. nov. from Neora Valley National Park, Kalimpong District, West Bengal and report S. simplicissima Wileman & West, 1930, for the first time from India. Simplicia concisalis (Walker, [1866]) and S. moorei Swinhoe, 1919, having doubtful distribution in India, are reported here with confirmed distribution within the country. The genus Simplicia Guenée is known by 13 species from India (including the new species and new record of this paper), of which, taxonomy of nine species is dealt herewith. The study also presents a first ever global checklist of Simplicia comprising 70 species (including the newly described species) along with their synonyms and distributional records. Detailed description of new species, diagnoses of all the studied species with close congeners along with their habitus and genitalia images and the distributional notes are provided.

Taxonomic assessment of the shrimp Macrobrachium denticulatum Ostrovski, da Fonseca & da Silva-Ferreira, 1996 (Decapoda: Palaemonidae) using molecular and morphological data: a comparison with M. olfersii (Wiegmann, 1836)

ROBERT WAGNER DOS SANTOS CARDIM — 2025-05-05

The freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium denticulatum Ostrovski, da Fonseca & da Silva-Ferreira, 1996 is endemic to São Francisco River, Northeastern Brazil, and exhibits high morphological similarity to the widespread Macrobrachium olfersii (Wiegmann, 1836). The morphological differences observed between these species consist of variations in the second pair of pereiopods, which have been regarded as intraspecific variation in M. olfersii. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the variability and validity of the diagnostic morphological characteristics of M. denticulatum in conjunction with molecular data obtained from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. In total, 144 individuals were examined, of which 21 were identified as M. denticulatum (all of them from São Francisco Basin) and 123 as M. olfersii. The number of teeth on the cutting edge of the fixed finger ranged from two to five small teeth followed by a larger distal tooth in both species, indicating an overlap in the primary diagnostic characteristics used to differentiate these species. None of the diagnostic characters described to date for differentiating these two species are consistent. A total of 43 sequences were analyzed, including five new sequences, among them a paratype of M. denticulatum. The phylogenetic tree generated by maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses demonstrated clear genetic differentiation between the two species, validating M. denticulatum from a molecular standpoint. As none of the diagnostic morphological characters proposed in the literature or analyzed in this study were found to be effective for the morphological differentiation of these species, M. denticulatum is herein considered to be a cryptic species.

Recent brachiopods from north-western Australia

MARIA ALEKSANDRA BITNER — 2025-05-05

Nine brachiopod species belonging to eight genera have been identified in the material from north-western Australia, including Christmas Island. Three species, i.e. Lingula anatina Lamarck, Thecidellina blochmanni Dall, and Frenulina sanguinolenta (Gmelin) have been previously reported from this region. The dominant species in the studied material is the endemic Australian species Jaffaia jaffaensis (Blochmann), which is well known from southern Australia but recorded here for the first time from northern Australia. The remaining species, Dysedrosia borneoensis (Dall), Dallithyris murrayi Muir-Wood, Terebratulina callinome Dall, T. photina Dall, and Jolonica hedleyi Dall are the first records of these species from off Australia. The assemblage from north-western Australia differs markedly in species composition from the brachiopod fauna of southern and eastern Australia and shows affinities to the Indo-NW Pacific brachiopods.

**Two mole crab species of Emerita Scopoli, 1777 (Decapoda: Anomura: Hippidae) from Java Island, Indonesia, with description of a new species**

ACHMAD FARAJALLAH — 2025-05-05

Previously, only one species of the genus Emerita Scopoli, 1777, E. emeritus (Linnaeus, 1767), was documented in Indonesia. It was reported along the western coast of Sumatra Island and the southern and northern coasts of Java Island. Here, we describe a new species, Emerita pangandaran sp. nov., that distinguishes itself from E. emeritus by having crenulate, as opposed to smooth, anterior margins of the carapace. The new species was found only in Pangandaran Beach and Cilacap in southern Java. Genetic distances and phylogenetic analysis based on partial sequences of the COI gene further distinguish the new species from E. emeritus.

A new genus and species of the subfamily Laphyragoginae (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Crabronidae) with analysis of the relationship of Eremiaspheciinae and Laphyragoginae, stat. resurr.

MIKHAIL V. MOKROUSOV — 2025-05-05

Based on remarkable morphological differences between the two species groups of Laphyragogus Kohl, 1889, the genus is split into Laphyragogus and a new genus, Asphaleia Mokrousov, gen. nov. (type species A. gussakovskii Mokrousov, sp. nov.). Three species are transferred from Laphyragogus to the new genus: Asphaleia ajjer (de Beaumont, 1958), comb. nov., A. gessae (Schmid-Egger, 2022), comb. nov. and A. orientalis (de Beaumont, 1970), comb. nov. Based on morphological analysis, it is shown that Eremiaspheciini and Laphyragogini are not closely related and the status of Laphyragoginae as its own subfamily is resurrected.

Additions to the millipede family Caseyidae Verhoeff, 1909. IV. Two new genera and three new species (Chordeumatida, Striarioidea, Caseyidae)

WILLIAM A. SHEAR — 2025-05-05

Paropiona Shear & Marek, gen. nov. is described from northwestern and central Washington State, USA. It includes two new species, Paropiona gardneri Shear & Marek, sp. nov. from Pacific and Cowlitz Counties, and Paropiona aenigma Shear & Marek, sp. nov. from Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Thurston and Wahakiakum Counties. Opionoides Shear & Marek, gen. nov. is monotypic with only Opionoides cataracta Shear & Marek, sp. nov. from Coos Co. Oregon. The new genera are related to, but distinct from the genus Opiona Chamberlin, 1951.

**Combining molecular and morphological data to test the monophyly of Hypotelus Erichson and description of new species from Ecuador (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Piestinae)**

EDILSON CARON — 2025-05-05

Hypotelus Erichson is a genus of minute rove beetles widely distributed in Central and South America. The species were recently revised and the monophyly of the genus was confirmed based on morphological data. We describe a new species from Ecuador, provide scanning electron microscope images to demonstrate the diagnostic characteristics of the genus and include the new species in a dichotomous key. We also reassess the monophyly of the genus, now including the new species, using morphological and molecular data combined. Hypotelus chusqueaticus sp. nov. is similar to H. testaceus, but differs by having elytra unicolored, male sternite 8 with posterior margin somewhat pointed and female sternite 8 with posterior margin projected in middle-third. Including the new species, Hypotelus is confirmed as a monophyletic group with three internal clades. The new species is closely related to H. marginatus.

Two new species of Euplectini from Ryukyu Islands, Japan (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae)

PAWEŁ JAŁOSZYŃSKI — 2025-05-05

Two new species of Euplectini are described, based on males collected in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan: Euplectus eemanchu sp. nov. (Ishigaki Is.), and Leptoplectus uttu sp. nov. (Okinawa Is.). Euplectus eemanchu has a pair of postmesocoxal metaventral foveae, in contrast to at least some other species of the genus that lack such foveae. The problem of an unclear diagnosis of this genus, already noted by other authors, is briefly discussed.

**Weevils of the genus Neomecopus Hustache, 1921 (Curculionidae: Conoderinae: Mecopini), with description of a new species from the Ryukyus, Japan**

YUSUKE FUJISAWA — 2025-05-05

The previously monotypic weevil genus Neomecopus Hustache, 1921 (Curculionidae: Conoderinae: Mecopini), and the type species N. subarmatus Hustache, 1921 are redescribed; furthermore Neomecopus tamaderai Fujisawa, Yoshitake & Kojima, sp. nov. from Okinawa-jima Is., the Ryukyus, southwestern Japan is described and illustrated. A key to Neomecopus and its related genera is also provided.

**A new species of genus Tiwaripotamon Bott, 1970 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Potamidae) from northern Vietnam, with notes on a similar species identified as “Tiwaripotamon araneum”**

KHAI DANG — 2025-05-05

A new species of semiterrestrial freshwater crab is described from limestone hills in northern Vietnam. Tiwaripotamon caeruleum sp. nov. external morphology is most similar to T. edostilus Ng & Yeo, 2001, and T. pluviosum Do, Shih & Huang, 2016. The new species also resembles T. pingguoense Dai & Naiyanetr, 1994, in gonopod structure. However, it can be distinguished from the other species by its live coloration, serrated anterolateral margin with distinct cleft that separate external orbital tooth from epibranchial tooth and the rest of anterolateral margin, distinct median lobe of posterior margin of epistome, third maxilliped flagellum that reaches half of the merus width and male first gonopod structure. In addition, a similar species, identified as “Tiwaripotamon araneum”, in an unpublished the master's thesis by Nguyen (2017) is also discussed.

Mykescola gen. nov., a new genus for two coral-dwelling gall crab species (Decapoda: Cryptochiridae) inhabiting Fungiidae Dana, 1846 corals

SANCIA E.T. VAN DER MEIJ — 2025-05-05

The cryptochirid genus Fungicola Serène, 1968 contains three valid species that inhabit mushroom corals of the family Fungiidae Dana, 1846. Phylogenetic reconstructions of the Cryptochiridae revealed the polyphyletic nature of this genus, which is here resolved with the description of a new genus: Mykescola gen. nov. The gall crab species Fungicola fagei (Fize & Serène, 1956) and F. syzygia van der Meij, 2015 are transferred to the new genus, rendering Fungicola monotypic with F. utinomi (Fize & Serène, 1956) as the sole representative. A diagnosis for the new genus, an overview of the morphological characters and list of fixed nucleotide positions distinguishing Fungicola from Mykescola gen. nov. are provided.