Zootaxa

**On South American spiders previously misplaced in Psilochorus Simon (Araneae: Pholcidae), with the description of a new genus with a remarkable disjunct distribution**

BERNHARD A. HUBER — 2026-06-08

The genus Psilochorus Simon has long been suspected to be an exclusively North American genus, with only one exception: the synanthropic and widely distributed Psilochorus simoni (Berland, 1911). All Old World species and most South American species originally assigned to Psilochorus have been transferred to other genera in the last 25 years. Here we deal with the remaining South American species of “Psilochorus”. Three species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest are moved to the new genus Lyleka Huber gen. nov.: L. itaguyrussu (Huber, Rheims & Brescovit, 2005) comb. nov. (of which the female is newly described); L. ybytyriguara (Huber, Rheims & Brescovit, 2005) comb. nov.; and L. bromelicola (Huber, 2019) comb. nov.. Two new species from the Colombian Andes are also assigned to this new genus: L. combeima Huber sp. nov., and L. copachi Huber sp. nov. This implies an extremely disjunct distribution of the genus. Based on similar distributions in other taxa, we hypothesize a relatively recent (Miocene) origin of this split, with the Andean uplift as the main driving force. We also document and discuss the unusual conservative evolution of male genitalia in Lyleka: while females have species-specific genitalia, male genitalia tend to be near identical among close relatives. Studies on the sexual biology of Lyleka will be necessary to explain this unusual pattern. Other South American “Psilochorus” are moved to Mesabolivar González-Sponga [M. bruneocyaneus (Mello-Leitão, 1941) comb. nov.; M. sectus (Mello-Leitão, 1939) comb. nov.], to Carapoia González-Sponga [Ca. taperae (Mello-Leitão, 1929) comb. nov.], and to Chibchea Huber [Ch. minima (Schmidt, 1956) comb. nov.]. The latter species was previously known from a single female specimen collected in Hamburg from a shipment of bananas from Ecuador; we redescribe this species based on males and females newly collected in Ecuador. Finally, we present the first records of the synanthropic Psilochorus simoni from South America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

**Three new species and a newly discovered male of the genus Caryanda (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Yunnan, China**

HONG SONG — 2026-06-08

By careful examination, three new species, i.e. Caryanda bicornuta Mao et Yin sp. nov., Caryanda yuanyangensis Mao et Yin sp. nov. and Caryanda shizongensis Mao et Song sp. nov., and a newly discovered male of Caryanda gulinensis Zheng, Shi & Chen, 1994 from Yunnan, China were detailedly described and illustrated in color. Type specimens are deposited in the Biological Sciences Museum, Dali University (BMDU), Yunnan Province, China.

**Molecular and morphological evidence for considering Odorrana gigatympana (Orlov, Ananjeva & Ho, 2006) a junior synonym of Odorrana absita (Stuart & Chan-ard, 2005) (Anura: Ranidae)**

TAN VAN NGUYEN — 2026-06-08

The frog family Ranidae includes many cryptic taxa due to their high morphological similarity and broad distributions. The majority of original descriptions and distributional records have been based primarily on morphological identification alone, often lacking genetic support. This has led to instability and controversy in their taxonomy. The taxonomic status of Odorrana gigatympana (Orlov, Ananjeva & Ho, 2006), which was described and distributed in central Vietnam, has remained problematic since its original description. This study reassesses this species using both morphological comparisons and newly generated mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequence data (newly generated in this study) from the paratype of O. absita (Stuart & Chan-ard, 2005), the topotypic material of O. gigatympana, and additional specimens collected extensively across the Kon Tum–Gia Lai Plateau of central Vietnam. Our results demonstrate that the diagnostic traits previously used to distinguish the two taxa, particularly the relatively large tympanum, fall within the range of intraspecific variation of O. absita, and largely reflect sexual dimorphism. Mitochondrial sequence data reveal no genetic differentiation between O. gigatympana and O. absita. We therefore treat O. gigatympana as a junior synonym of O. absita, which occurs on the Kon Tum–Gia Lai Plateau of central Vietnam and in adjacent areas of southern Laos. This study highlights the importance of combining morphological and molecular evidence, as well as broad geographic sampling, to clarify species boundaries and assess the conservation status of Asian ranid frogs.

**Two new species of Callyntrura Börner (Collembola: Entomobryidae), with redescription of CallyntruraHandschinphysaescheri Handschin, and a new record of Collembola from India**

PRITHA MANDAL — 2026-06-08

Two new species of Callyntrura Börner, 1906 are described and illustrated from the Indian Eastern Himalayan region (West Bengal, India). Callyntrura (Handschinphysa) tricolor sp. nov. closely resembles Callyntrura (Callyntrura) carli (Handschin, 1929) in general appearance but differs in the number of inner teeth on unguis, shape of basal chaeta of maxillary outer lobe, and chaetotaxy. Another new species, Callyntrura (Japonphysa) mitrai sp. nov. can be readily distinguished from other members of the subgenus by its distinct body coloration and chaetal formula of labial region. Additionally, Sinella plebeia Chen & Christiansen, 1993 reported from India for the first time. A complementary chaetotaxic description of the endemic species Callyntrura (Handschinphysa) escheri (Handschin, 1929) is also provided.

**Beneath the surface: A new northern species of Trogloraptor (Araneae: Trogloraptoridae), genetic diversity and natural history**

MADELINE M. JONES — 2026-06-08

We present a morphological description of a recently discovered species of spider in the family Trogloraptoridae from the Columbia River Gorge in northwestern Oregon. The family was previously monotypic (Trogloraptor marchingtoni) and only known from populations near the southwestern Oregon—northern California border. Trogloraptor tulishpun sp. nov. retains the key family synapomorphy, distinctive subsegmented raptorial tarsi, and an oblique membranous division of the basal segment of the anterior lateral spinnerets. Trogloraptor tulishpun is distinguished from T. marchingtoni by its color pattern, clypeal height, vulvar and palp structure. We have found T. tulishpun in four localities in the Columbia River Gorge, which show little mitochondrial sequence divergence from one another, but are highly genetically distinct from T. marchingtoni. Trogloraptor tulishpun is found in basalt features, including lava tubes and shallow talus caves, and has been observed to eat arachnids and moths, making them top predators in these environments.

New cirripedes (Crustacea, Thoracica) from the Campanian (Upper Cretaceous) of the Hannover area, Germany

ANDY S. GALE — 2026-06-08

Two new species of pedunculate cirripede are described from lower Campanian basinal limestones of Höver and Misburg (Hannover area), northern Germany. These are the myolepadid Bosquetlepas schneideri sp. nov. and the large cretiscalpellid Jagtscalpellum kaeckei sp. nov. The occurrence of Bosquetlepas in basinal limestones is remarkable, as the genus was largely confined to shallow-marine and coastal habitats.

**A new species of the genus Pristiceros Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Europe and Japan**

NAMIKI KIKUCHI — 2026-06-08

Pristiceros kusigematii Kikuchi & Bendixen, sp. nov., a new platylabine species (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae) is described from United Kingdom and Japan, with additional photographic records from Germany. Detailed illustrations of female specimens, and a DNA barcode are provided. The species is known from very few specimens and field records, suggesting that it may be rare or undercollected.

**Note on the Indian barracudina Magnisudis indica (Ege, 1953) from Dongsha Atoll, South China Sea, with comments on adult tooth loss (Family Paralepididae)**

HSUAN-CHING HO — 2026-06-08

Recent investigations of bottom-trawl bycatch around Dongsha Atoll, Taiwan, South China Sea have yielded numerous new records and undescribed fish species. Among the specimens collected, an unexpectedly large number of the Indian barracudina, Magnisudis indica (Ege, 1953), were obtained. Among its congeners in the family, M. indica is readily distinguishable by possessing the lowest number of total vertebrae (60–62). The adults of this species were extremely rare and by using these new adult materials we document intraspecific morphological variation in this species. Moreover, all examined specimens exhibit a strongly reduced or absent dentition on the jaws, gill rakers, and pharyngeal arches. This reduction of dentition reported here for M. indica may represent an ontogenetic condition in adults.

**A new species and two new records of the genus Calliteara (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Lymantriinae) from China**

CHUHANG QIAO — 2026-06-08

A new species of the genus Calliteara Butler, C. hollowayi Qiao & Wang sp. nov., is described from Fujian and Guangdong provinces, China. C. rytovi Trofimova, Shovkoon et Witt, 2016 and C. brunnescens (Moore, 1879) are newly recorded in China. Illustrations of adults, wing venation and genitalia of these species are provided.

**On the identity of the Indian species of Desis Walckenaer, 1837 (Araneae: Desidae: Desinae)**

PUTHOOR PATTAMMAL SUDHIN — 2026-06-08