Zootaxa

Khoisan, a new genus of Cyclominae from South Africa, with nine new species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

MASSIMO MEREGALLI, ROMAN BOROVEC — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

A new genus, Khoisan Meregalli & Borovec, is described, comprising nine new species from the western part of the Republic of South Africa: Khoisan triarthrus Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa, Namaqua National Park, south of Soebatsfontein); Khoisan albogibbosus Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa, Northern Cape, nr. Danielskuil); Khoisan mendeli Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa, Western Cape, W of Robertson); Khoisan harani Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa,, Western cape, 50 km NE Ceres); Khoisan umbrosus Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa, Western Cape, Stellenbosch, Marais Park); Khoisan karooicus Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa, Western Cape, Karoo National Park); Khoisan maddocki Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa, Eastern Cape, Blinkwater, near Fort Beaufort); Khoisan javalae Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa, Western Cape, S of Ladismith); Khoisan oneili Meregalli & Borovec sp. nov. (type locality: South Africa, Eastern Cape, Uitenhage). The taxonomic position and the hypothetical relationships of the genus are discussed, a key to the species is given and all species distributions are mapped.

An updated ichthyofaunal checklist for the Nigerian Lagos Lagoon with notes on nomenclatural changes and the conservation status of species

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

An updated checklist of fishes occurring in the Nigerian Lagos Lagoon (NLL) is presented, with notes on species’ additions, nomenclatural revisions, and conservation status. Information was compiled from various sources, including published primary literature and field surveys. Our study takes a cautious approach by omitting previous inventory records without clear species-level identification and records outside the species’ true geographic range. Of the species previously reported in primary literature, seventeen were geographically misattributed while 11 underwent recent taxonomic revisions. Our field surveys included 39 species, out of which 15 that had not yet been previously reported from NLL which represent new species additions to the inventory. Following the removal of erroneous species records, our study indicated a total of 113 species from 85 genera, 52 families, and 20 orders from NLL. Conservation assessment based on the IUCN Red List indicates that 11 species are assessed as “Data Deficient”, 91 as “Least Concern”, five as “Near Threatened”, five as “Vulnerable”, and one as “Endangered”. Our study highlights the rich ichthyofaunal diversity of NLL and underscores the importance of accurate species identification and distribution data for conservation planning. Furthermore, we recommend further studies on various aspects of the fish biology and threats to advance scientific research and develop conservation plans for the fish species of NLL.

**Ecology, morphology and distribution of Anisota finlaysoni Riotte (Lepidoptera, Saturniidae)**

B. CHRISTIAN SCHMIDT, MARY GARTSHORE — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Identifying the conservation needs of the short-horned oakworm, Anisota finlaysoni Riotte, has been hampered by incomplete resolution of species boundaries and geographic ranges of the Anisota senatoria species-group. Here, the life history, morphology, occurrence, and DNA barcode variation of A. finlaysoni and A. senatoria are compared across a transect of three key geographic regions in Ontario, Canada. Contrary to recent range depictions, our results show that A. finlaysoni is currently confirmed to occur only in the region of eastern Lake Ontario’s north shore. Previous information on morphological characters used to distinguish A. finlaysoni is incomplete or erroneous. Lake Erie populations most recently assigned to A. finlaysoni exhibit some finlaysoni-like larval traits, but adult phenotype of all examined material is indistinguishable from A. senatoria of the Lake Huron region, and unlike topotypical A. finlaysoni. Although the cryptic occurrence of A. finlaysoni in the Lake Erie region cannot be ruled out, current data indicate that this species has a much smaller global range than previously believed, and is separated by a geographic gap of about 200 km from the nearest A. senatoria populations. Re-assignment of the Lake Erie populations from A. finlaysoni to A. senatoria, and the recognition of some peripheral occurrence records as historical errors, results in a significantly smaller global range for A. finlaysoni. DNA barcode data for the genus Anisota are at odds with current taxonomy, limiting the utility of barcodes in discriminating species of the senatoria-group. Because A. finlaysoni is distinct morphologically as adults and larvae from geographically nearby populations of A. senatoria, it should continue to be treated as a distinct species pending convincing evidence to the contrary.

Persis (Anapersis) Fennah, 1952 (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Derbidae) from Brazil and identification key to the New World species

INEZITA CANTANHEDE, EDUARDA FERNANDA GOMES VIEGAS, ROSALY ALE-ROCHA — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

We report, for the first time, the occurrence of the subgenus Persis (Anapersis) in Brazil, based on the description of P. (Anapersis) takiyae sp. nov.. A key to the subgenera of Persis, as well as to six species of Persis (Anapersis) is provided.

A new species of Sibon (Serpentes, Dipsadini) from French Guiana and amended diagnosis of Sibon nebulatus

ANTOINE FOUQUET, ALEJANDRO ARTEAGA, ÁTILAS R. DE SOUSA, ROBSON W. AVILA — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Specimens of snakes from Mexico to northeastern Brazil have been assigned to the taxon Sibon nebulatus. Recent molecular data confirmed the previous suspicions that these specimens in fact belong to distinct species. After examination of the holotype and recently collected specimens, we provide an amended diagnosis and restrict the range of S. nebulatus to northern South America, implying that Central American populations belong to one or several undescribed species. We also describe Sibon nigralbus sp. nov., a new species from the Guiana region. Further investigation is needed to clarify the status of populations in Pará state, Brazil, and in the Magdalena valley in Colombia, where additional species possibly occur.

**A new species of the genus Allomicythus, with a first record and the description of the male of Echemus viveki Gajbe, 1989 (Araneae, Gnaphosidae) from China**

ZIMIN JIANG, XIAOQI NING, YANBIN YAO, ZHONGJING WANG, KEKE LIU — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Two species of the spider family Gnaphosidae are reported from China. A new species of the genus Allomicythus Ono, 2009 is described from Fujian province, Allomicythus youzi sp. nov. (♂). The genus Echemus Simon, 1878 is recorded for the first time from China. The male of Echemus viveki Gajbe, 1989 is described for the first time and the female is redescribed. Detailed morphological descriptions, photographs, SEMs of the body and genitalia, and a distribution map of these two species are provided.

**An unexpected discovery: the first species of Paraneseuthia Franz from the Mascarene Islands (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)**

PAWEŁ JAŁOSZYŃSKI — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Paraneseuthia disjuncta sp. nov. is described, based on a male collected in Île aux Aigrettes, a small island off the south-east coast of Mauritius. Females of unknown species are also recorded from Réunion. This is the first record of this genus outside Eurasia and Australia-Oceania, greatly extending the known range of Paraneseuthia. World checklist of Paraneseuthia is given, and a distribution map of nominal species is presented.

**Another brushstroke on the cynipoid painting: a new species of Andricus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) from Türkiye**

MUSA TATAROĞLU — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

A study on midge galls found on oaks has led to the description of a new species, Andricus katilmisi sp. nov. from Türkiye. When considered in terms of its morphological characteristics and biological associations, the new species exhibits an unusual combination of gall inducers and inquilines. The diagnostic characters, morphological description, biological relationships, life cycle, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the new species are provided. Owing to its distinctive life strategy, the new species is discussed within the broader context of cynipoid evolution.

**On the rare species of Dicordylus Lacordaire and Homalocerus Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Belidae) with notes on male terminalia of D. vanini Mermudes**

JOSÉ RICARDO M. MERMUDES — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +1200

New distribution data are presented for the rare belid species Homalocerus antennalis Hustache, 1940, H. lyciformis (Germar, 1833) and Dicordylus serranus Vanin, 1976. A description of the male terminalia is presented for the first time for D. vanini Mermudes, 2006 and a neotype is designated for this species as the holotype (and only known specimen) was destroyed in the fire at the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro on September 2, 2018.