Zootaxa

**The genus Limnogonus Stål (Hemiptera: Gerridae) in North America, with the description of a new species**

MATTHEW R. PINTAR — 2026-05-21

Water striders of the genus Limnogonus Stål, 1868 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Gerridae) occur in lentic and calmer lotic habitats across much of the tropics and into the subtropics. In the Americas, there is a long history of confusion over the identity and ranges of the species. Here, I present a review of the genus in North America including the Caribbean based on collection of new specimens from the United States and review of museum specimens. Limnogonus macroconfusus sp. nov. is distinguished based on external and internal morphological characteristics from L. franciscanus (Stål, 1859), which is redescribed, and the distribution of L. recens Drake and Harris, 1934 is updated. This paper includes images of adults and nymphs, measurements, a key to the species occurring in the region, and a discussion on the similarity among species and history of records of the genus in the northern Neotropics.

**Neglected for almost a century: rediscovering and redescribing the enigmatic endemic species Messor fodorii Röszler, 1942 stat. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Chios Island (Greece)**

JAKOVOS DEMETRIOU — 2026-05-21

The genus Messor Forel, 1890 currently comprises 171 valid species and subspecies, with highest diversity in the Mediterranean and Central Asia. Greece hosts at least 16 species, although the taxonomic status of some needs to be further investigated. Amongst these, six species are island endemics, either restricted to a single Aegean island or distributed across several islands in the archipelago. Despite recent studies on the harvester ants of Greece, the case of Messor antennatus fodorii Röszler, 1942, remained unresolved amongst Greek representatives. This enigmatic harvester ant was first collected almost a century ago, in 1935, from Chios Island, situated in the northeastern part of the Aegean Sea. The lack of both a type and additional material has led to its exclusion from checklists and identification keys, leaving its status as uncertain. From April 24th to May 5th 2025, we conducted field surveys in Chios, Oinousses and Psara islands to investigate the presence and taxonomic status of M. antennatus fodorii. Upon investigation, the harvester ant is raised to the species level Messor fodorii Röszler, 1942 stat. nov., designating a neotype, providing a re-description, a morphometric comparison of species in the M. hellenius complex, ecological notes and an updated identification key to Greek representatives of the Messor hellenius species complex.

**Updates on the taxonomy of the Neoserica calva group from continental Southeast Asia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericinae)**

DIRK AHRENS — 2026-05-21

Here we provide an update on the taxonomy of the Neoserica calva group. We describe 16 new species from China and Indochina: Neoserica basiappendicis Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. capta Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. chunlinlii Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. danashan Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. duoyishu Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. mauson Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. musemanang Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. ngoclinh Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. phuloc Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. processoventralis Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. saola Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. seideli Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. serratifemoralis Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. tramlap Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., N. trichodorsalis Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov., and N. zixi Ahrens & Pham, sp. nov. Our work also resulted in one new combination: Neoserica dragon (Miyake & Yamaya, 2001) comb. nov. We provide images of habitus and male genitalia for the new species, update the identification key, and provide further new records.

**Taxonomic review of Lassaba Moore, 1888 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae) from India, with description of a new species**

MANPREET SINGH — 2026-05-21

In the present paper, we review the taxonomy of the Indian species of Lassaba Moore, 1888 based on material housed in the National Zoological Collections of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata (NZCZSI). The study includes the description of one new species, Lassaba eowilsoni M. Singh & N. Singh, sp. nov., and the downgrading of Lassaba cervina (Warren, 1893), syn. nov. as a junior synonym of Lassaba contaminata contaminata Moore, 1888. Diagnostic accounts of six species, including one subspecies are provided along with illustrations of habitus and genitalia. Additionally, an identification key to the Indian species and an updated global checklist of 14 species and four subspecies, including their distributions and synonyms, are provided.

**Morphological and molecular evidence reveal three new species of Imparfinis (Heptapteridae: Heptapterini) from the Amazon River basin**

GABRIEL S. C. SILVA — 2026-05-21

The integration of morphological and molecular data for Imparfinis species from Amazonian drainages of the Brazilian Shield revealed the presence of three previously undescribed species, which are formally described herein. These species are readily distinguished from their congeners by characters related to coloration: I. melanopterus, from the middle Araguaia River, has a distinctly darker lower caudal-fin lobe; I. nigropunctatus, from the upper Araguaia River, possesses conspicuous black spots on the body; and I. tessellatus, from the upper Tapajós River, is characterized by dark blocks of chromatophores on the body, forming a variegated color pattern. Additionally, our species-delimitation analysis recovered these three morphotypes as independent genetic lineages, exhibiting high levels of genetic divergence. A discussion of distributional patterns of Imparfinis within the Amazon River basin is provided.

DNA barcodes and species delimitation reveal overlooked diversity in Indian cockroaches (Blattodea)

A. SHABNAM — 2026-05-21

India harbors unique and largely endemic Blattodea (cockroaches) species richness, with 61% endemism. However, existing research primarily focuses on classical taxonomic methods, resulting in significant gap in context to the systematics and geographic distribution of Indian cockroaches. To address this, comprehensive field sampling was conducted and DNA barcoding was employed as part of Integrative Taxonomic Approach (ITA). From 150 specimens, 50 putative taxa were morphologically identified, and 122 DNA barcodes were generated. Species delimitation analyses revealed the possibilities of 86 to 99 genetic lineages, indicating high morphological cryptic diversity and numerous potential undescribed lineages. From these, 43 lineages could be assigned to known species, while 44 remained unnamed, that may include both already documented and potential new species signifying a complex taxonomy. A preliminary time-calibrated phylogenetic analysis suggests that the diversification of Indian cockroaches began ~162 million years ago, coinciding with the geological separation of the Indo-Madagascar plate with Africa. This study establishes foundational DNA barcode library for Indian cockroaches, enabling multifaceted applications and underscores the need for integrative taxonomy to accelerate documenting of overlooked taxa within cockroaches.

**A new species in the southern African dung beetle genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar, 1938 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Coptorhinini)**

CHRISTIAN M. DESCHODT — 2026-05-21

We describe Frankenbergerius geoffreyi Deschodt & Jessnitz, sp. nov. from the mainly mushroom feeding dung beetle genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar, 1938. Furthermore, we propose a new, updated key as well as providing distribution maps and a list for all the known species, which are divided into two distinct groups. These groups are characterised by an obviously sinuate anterior margin in the middle of the pronotum. The addition of this new species raises the total number of species in the genus to eight, one of which is divided into two subspecies. Finally, we present a predictive distribution map for the genus.