Zootaxa

**Two new species of Protosticta Selys, 1885 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India**

AYIKKARA VIVEK CHANDRAN — 2025-08-15

We erect two new species of damselflies from the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, Protosticta sanguinithorax sp. nov. from Kerala and P. shambhaveei sp. nov. from Maharashtra, India. Morphologically, these species show close affinity with P. sanguinostigma Fraser, 1922, an endemic species of the Western Ghats; however, they are distinguished by their ground colouration, unique features in their prothoraxes, caudal appendages, and accessory genitalia. We also establish a significant genetic distance, based on the COI gene, between these newly erected Protosticta species and P. sanguinostigma. We present an updated taxonomic key to the males of Protosticta species in the Western Ghats, incorporating newly available diagnostic information.

***Atlantapseudes tridens* sp. nov. (Tanaidacea: Apseudidae) from the Okinawa Trough, Japan, with a note on the taxonomic status of *Atlantapseudes curvatus***

YOSHINOBU MATSUSHIMA — 2025-08-15

The deep-sea apseudid genus Atlantapseudes Băcescu, 1978 currently contains six described species. The distinction between the type species (A. nigrichela Băcescu, 1978) and A. curvatus Esquete & Cunha, 2017 is problematic, because it is unclear whether the holotype for A. nigrichela has a tridentate or monodentate rostrum. We observed and redescribed the type material of A. nigrichela and concluded that A. nigrichela and A. curvatus are conspecific, i.e., the latter is a junior synonym of the former. Additionally, we amended the diagnosis of A. nigrichela and treated the form of A. nigrichela with a monodentate rostrum in Băcescu (1978) as an unidentified species. We also found that Atlantapseudes sp. sensu Kakui et al. (2011), the first record of this genus from the North Pacific, was undescribed; here we describe it as Atlantapseudes tridens sp. nov. The new species resembles A. nigrichela in having a tridentate rostrum but differs in having (1) pereonites 1–3 without posterolateral spines; (2) a tiny anterolateral spine on pereonite-6; (3) two distal bifurcate spiniform setae on the labial palp; and (4) one outer distal seta on maxillipedal palp article-2. We present a partial nucleotide sequence for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene from A. tridens sp. nov. for future DNA barcoding.

**Four new species of the spider genus Oecobius Lucas, 1846 (Araneae: Oecobiidae) from northwestern Mexico**

JOEL JAIR ALCÁNTAR-VALENZUELA — 2025-08-15

Four new species of the genus Oecobius Lucas, 1846 (Araneae, Oecobiidae) from northwestern Mexico are described, all of them based on both sexes: O. culichi spec. nov. and O. yoreme spec. nov. from Sinaloa, O. yaqui spec. nov. from Sonora, and O. sudcaliforniana spec. nov. from Baja California Sur. In addition, we provide taxonomic remarks of two native species: O. hoffmannae Jiménez & Llinas, 2005 and O. isolatoides Shear, 1970.

A new genus and five new species of arboreal tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from Brazil

LEANDRO MALTA BORGES — 2025-08-15

We describe the new genus Arboriticus gen. nov. and five new species of tarantulas from southeastern and northeastern Brazil: Arboriticus celsoi gen. nov. sp. nov. (type species) with male and female, A. petropolis gen. nov. sp. nov. with male, A. minor gen. nov. sp. nov., with male, A. giganteus gen. nov. sp. nov. with male and female, and A. maculatus gen. nov. sp. nov. with both male and female. Eupalaestrus spinosissimus Mello-Leitão, 1923 is transferred to Arboriticus gen. nov., making the new combination A. spinosissimus (Mello-Leitão, 1923). Eupalaestrus tarsicrassus Bücherl, 1947 is removed from the synonymy with Eupalaestrus spinosissimus and transferred to Arboriticus gen. nov. making the new combination A. tarsicrassus (Bücherl, 1947). The male of A. tarsicrassus is described for the first time. Pamphobeteus holophaeus Mello-Leitão, 1923 is removed from the synonymy with Eupalaestrus spinosissimus, transferred to Vitalius Lucas, Silva Junior & Bertani, 1993, and considered a junior synonym of Vitalius dubius (Mello-Leitão, 1923). The new genus is supported by phylogenetic evidence based on morphological and behavioral characters. The basal position of the genus in the available cladogram, along with its diverse morphology, indicates that Arboriticus gen. nov. species diverged early during the evolution of an important clade of theraphosines in Brazil and may represent relict populations. The most striking feature of these species is their arboreal habit, which is unusual among theraphosines. Due to the endemism of these species in heavily impacted and deforested regions formerly covered by the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, their arboreal nature, and the rarity of specimens, the species of Arboriticus gen. nov. can be considered threatened, and conservation efforts for their protection are strongly recommended.

**Three new species of the ghost moth Magnificus Yan from China and India (Lepidoptera, Hepialidae)**

JOHN R. GREHAN — 2025-08-15

Three new species of Magnificus Yan, 2000 are described: M. florianii sp. nov. from western Yunnan and M. shaosiming sp. nov. from southern Shaanxi, both in China, and M. ignatevi sp. nov. from West Bengal, India. Six female specimens that could not be positively attributed to any of the species described in this paper were investigated; five specimens (morphotype 1) are considered most similar to Magnificus bouvieri (Oberthür, 1913), and one (morphotype 2) to Magnificus dirschi (Bang-Haas, 1939). These two determinations are described here in detail for future evaluation of the genus. The current southern distributional boundary seems to correspond to two tectonic boundaries—the subduction zone between India and Asia, and the Red River Fault, marking a major tectonic boundary resulting from the accretion of the Indian continent. These tectonic boundaries are consistent with the Laurasian ancestral range, but the new Himalaya record is an indication that Magnificus may be more widely distributed in eastern Asia.

**Taxonomy of the genus Chalybion Dahlbom, 1843 (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) from Vietnam, with description of a new species**

PHONG HUY PHAM — 2025-08-15

Based on the specimens deposited in the Institute of Biology, Hanoi, Vietnam and the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Berlin, Germany, the nest-renting wasp genus Chalybion Dahlbom from Vietnam is studied. Eight species of the genus are recorded from the country. Of these, Chalybion iridescens Pham & Ohl, sp. nov. is described and illustrated. Keys to both sexes of the Vietnamese Chalybion species, new distributional records for some species, and a key to the species of the Chalybion madecassum group are provided. The status of Chalybion clarebaltazarae Abenis & Lit, 2019 and Chalybion stephenreyesi Abenis & Lit, 2019 from the Philippines is critically discussed. Both species are probably invalid, but require further investigations.

**Notes on the type series of the Javan Spitting Cobra, Naja sputatrix Boie, 1827, and designation of a lectotype for Naja tripudians sondaica Schlegel, 1844**

WOLFGANG DENZER — 2025-08-15

We discuss how specimens of the Javan Spitting Cobra (Naja sputatrix) were collected by Caspar Reinwardt in 1819 or 1820 and first described by Heinrich Boie in an unpublished manuscript entitled Erpétologie de Java. The species finally attained nomenclatural validity in a publication by Heinrich’s brother Friedrich Boie in 1827. Based on the information presented by F. Boie, we located and examined all specimens in the Naturalis collection (Leiden) that could be part of the N. sputatrix type series and found that none conformed to the description of F. Boie’s types. We also checked collection data of other European museums (Paris, London, Berlin), but could not identify any specimen from the original type series. We conclude that there is currently no name-bearing type to underpin the binomen N. sputatrix and that a neotype would need to be proposed should the taxonomic necessity arise. We also determined that, by his mention of the binomen Coluber castaneus in his discussion of these snakes, F. Boie coined a nomen nudum. During our specimen and literature work, we were also able to ascertain that Elaps fuscus Merrem, 1820 is a senior synonym of Naja sputatrix Boie, 1827, but a nomen oblitum. Lastly, in order to stabilize the nomenclature of Asian spitting cobras, we designate a specimen collected by Reinwardt on Java (RMNH.RENA.1330) as the lectotype for Naja tripudians sondaica Schlegel, 1844.

**Erratum: ANDREAS BICK & RALF BASTROP (2025) Revision of the genus Manayunkia leidy, 1859, and establishment of two subfamilies within Fabriciidae (Annelida, Sabellida). Zootaxa, 5661 (1): 1–58.**

ANDREAS BICK — 2025-08-15

Zootaxa

Two new species of Protosticta Selys, 1885 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from the Western Ghats, India

Atlantapseudes tridens sp. nov. (Tanaidacea: Apseudidae) from the Okinawa Trough, Japan, with a note on the taxonomic status of Atlantapseudes curvatus

Four new species of the spider genus Oecobius Lucas, 1846 (Araneae: Oecobiidae) from northwestern Mexico

A new genus and five new species of arboreal tarantulas (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from Brazil

Three new species of the ghost moth Magnificus Yan from China and India (Lepidoptera, Hepialidae)

Taxonomy of the genus Chalybion Dahlbom, 1843 (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) from Vietnam, with description of a new species

Notes on the type series of the Javan Spitting Cobra, Naja sputatrix Boie, 1827, and designation of a lectotype for Naja tripudians sondaica Schlegel, 1844