Zootaxa

Annotated catalogue and checklist of Gerromorpha, Nepomorpha, and Leptopodomorpha (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Lebanon, with new records

FABIO CIANFERONI — 2025-12-01

An annotated catalogue and a checklist for three infraorders of aquatic, semi-acquatic and water-dependent true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha, Nepomorpha, and Leptopodomorpha) of Lebanon are provided. Data originate from an extensive ecological survey of the Lebanese river systems, the revision of the historical collection by Enrico Festa of 1893 (records published by E. Giglio-Tos but overlooked by most subsequent authors), and the examination of additional material from further entomological collections. This study led to 12 country records: Rhagovelia infernalis africana Lundblad, 1936; Gerris maculatus Tamanini, 1946; Micronecta pusilla (Horváth, 1895); M. scutellaris (Stål, 1858); M. wui alkani Hoberlandt, 1952; Corixa punctata (Illiger, 1807); Sigara mayri (Fieber, 1860); Anisops debilis perplexus Poisson, 1929; Anisops varius Fieber, 1851; Notonecta meridionalis Poisson, 1926; Plea cryptica Raupach, Charzinksi & Hendrich, 2024; and Saldula pallipes (Fabricius, 1794). A second species of Hebrus is reported for the country, but without specific attribution, being a female. Futhermore, four species, based on doubtful or single records for Lebanon, were confirmed: Mesovelia vittigera Horváth, 1895; Aquarius p. paludum (Fabricius, 1794); Sigara n. nigrolineata (Fieber, 1848); Anisops s. sardeus Herrich-Schäffer, 1849. A further record of an undescribed species of Saldula, already reported for Lebanon, Israel, and Turkey, is also provided, however, it was not possible to proceed with the description becauses it is a single female. The analytical review of the literature and historical material enabled us to pre-emptively or definitively exclude nine taxa from the Lebanese fauna: Mesovelia furcata Mulsant & Rey, 1852 (also excluded for Syria and Israel); Hebrus pusillus (Fallén, 1807); Rhagovelia nigricans (Burmeister, 1835); Velia rivulorum (Fabricius, 1775); Gerris gibbifer (Schummel, 1832); Micronecta minutissima (Linnaeus, 1758); Arctocorisa carinata (C.R. Sahlberg, 1819); Notonecta glauca Linnaeus, 1758; and Saldula saltatoria (Linnaeus, 1758). The first country records for Plea cryptica are provided also for Armenia and Italy. Moreover, a new synonymy, i.e. Micronecta (Basileonecta) scutellaris pubescens Hutchinson, 1940 syn. nov. of Sigara scutellaris Stål, 1858, is proposed.

**New or little-known jewel beetles on mistletoe, Taxillus Tiegh. (Loranthaceae), in Japan: Unusual morphology and biology in Habroloma Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)**

YUTAKA TAMADERA — 2025-12-01

Habroloma (Parahabroloma) tsutsumiuchii sp. nov., a new jewel beetle species associated with mistletoe, Taxillus yadoriki (Siebold ex Maxim.) Danser (Loranthaceae), is described from Honshu and Kyushu in Japan. Additionally, information on the morphology of H. (P.) taxillusi Kato & Kawakita, 2023, associated with T. yadoriki, is revised based on more than 50 specimens; a first description of the genitalia, new distributional records within Japan, and notes on mistakes in the labeling of the type specimens and in the clypeus description are given. Information on the biology of the two mistletoe-associated buprestid species, especially in the leaf-mining habit, is also reported in detail. This study reveals that the two species have peculiar morphological and biological characters that are unique or rare within Habroloma: 1) modified antennal scape with distinct sexual dimorphism; 2) prominently narrowed clypeus; 3) elytral round hole puncture; 4) pronotal and elytral setal tufts; 5) hypomeral apical excavation; 6) apical comb of female abdomen; 7) delta-like portion of leaf-mine; 8) frass pupal chamber; and 9) large clutch size. Moreover, distributional differences between the two species are discussed, and the association of jewel beetles with mistletoe is reviewed using a tentative species checklist.

**Three new species of the congrid eel genus Gnathophis (Anguilliformes: Congridae) from the Arabian Sea**

PARAMASIVAM KODEESWARAN — 2025-12-01

Three new species of the congrid eel genus Gnathophis viz., Gnathophis ajithi, Gnathophis anilmohapatrai, and Gnathophis arabicus are described herein. Gnathophis ajithi is collected from 264–450 m depth along the Arabian Sea and differs from its congeners in having 2^nd, and 7^th–8^th through 13^th–15^th pores elevated; small eye, 15.7–17.7% HL; lateral-line pores before anus 27–33, stomach grey to black. Gnathophis anilmohapatrai is collected from 264 m depth and differs from its congeners in that the lateral-line pores above pectoral fin are not elevated, lateral-line pores before anus 36–40, stomach pale. Gnathophis arabicus is collected from 450–600 m depth and differs from its congeners in that the lateral-line pores above pectoral fin are not elevated, lateral-line pores before anus 36–41; SO pores 5, SO₅ absent, SO₆present, stomach pale and black posteriorly. Further, CO1 mtDNA sequences are generated and discussed with the sequences available at public domain.

A checklist of peritrich ciliate epibionts (Ciliophora, Peritrichea) on aquatic oligochaetes (Annelida, Oligochaeta)

TAPAS CHATTERJEE — 2025-12-01

A review of the peritrich ciliate epibionts (Ciliophora, Peritrichea) associated with aquatic Oligochaeta (Annelida) is presented, based on published records. Twenty-two peritrich species, along with four organisms classified to the genus level and two unidentified peritrichs, have been documented as epibionts on oligochaetes. Oligochaetes in the family Naidae presented the highest occurrence and diversity of associated ciliates. Most cases ciliates were predominantly attached on the posterior end of oligochaetes. Ciliate hyperepibiosis on oligochaetes was also observed.

Jeanclaudella, a replacement name for the Jurassic gastropod genus Aaleniella Conti & Fischer, 1981 and a review of its type material

STEFANO MONARI — 2025-12-01

The name Aaleniella was proposed by Conti & Fischer (1981) for a fossil vetigastropod genus coming from Middle Jurassic deposits of Umbria (central Apennine, Italy). However, this name is junior homonym of an Upper Aalenian eucytherid ostracod genus instituted by Plumhoff (1963). Jeanclaudella nom. nov. is here proposed as replacement name for the gastropod genus. The restudy of the original material facilitated a revision of the suprageneric position of Jeanclaudella and an emendation of its diagnosis. The names of the three species originally included are recombined as Jeanclaudella umbriensis (Conti & Fischer, 1981) new comb., Jeanclaudella variata (Conti & Fischer, 1981) new comb. and Jeanclaudella zigrinata (Conti & Fischer, 1984) new comb. and their distinctive characters are here better defined.

**Clarifying species boundaries: Taxonomic revision of Aulacocheilus subrotundus (Macleay, 1825) (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) and its life cycle**

GAURANG TAWDE — 2025-12-01

In the present paper we solve the taxonomic confusion between Aulacocheilus subrotundus (Macleay, 1825) and A. quadripustulatus (Fabricius, 1801), and reinstate A. subrotundus as a distinct and valid species. Also, we describe the larvae of A. subrotundus, 2nd, 3rd and 4th stage, for the first time.

Vemathambema falciclava sp. nov. from south-eastern Australia, first Indo-Pacific record of the genus, with a review of diagnoses in the family (Isopoda, Asellota, Echinothambematidae)

JEAN JUST — 2025-12-01

Vemathambema falciclava sp. nov. is described from the mid-bathyal zone of southeastern Australia. It is the first record of the genus outside the Atlantic Ocean. The species differs from its 2 congeners, V. elongata and V. argentinensis, primarily by a strong upward pointing falciform projection on the first antennular article. The various diagnoses presented in the literature of the family and the two known genera Echinothambema Menzies (1956) and Vemathambema Menzies (1962) differ somewhat from those of Menzies (l.c.). A review finds that Menzies’ diagnoses (1962, emended from Menzies, 1956 to cover the new genus Vemathambema) is correct. It is shown further that the uniramous long uropods in the family are bi-articulate with a tiny terminal setiferous article. A key to species in the family is presented.

**A new species of Eudesis Reitter from Spain (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae)**

PAWEŁ JAŁOSZYŃSKI — 2025-12-01

Eudesis hispanica sp. nov. is described. This is the second Eudesis Reitter known to occur in Spain, and the third continental European species of this blind, wingless and miniaturized endogean genus. The type material was collected by the soil washing technique in Córdoba, from the mineral soil layer on an open area with marls and limestones. For the first time the collecting sites of Eudesis are documented by a photographic material, to facilitate future efforts to find this rare and poorly known genus.