Zootaxa

**A new mountain species of the genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950 (Squamata: Scincidae) from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam**

Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

A new species of ground skinks belonging to the genus Scincella is described from Tay Con Linh Range, Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam, based on morphological and molecular evidence. Scincella alia sp. nov. is characterized by a combination of the following characters: (1) slender, medium-sized body, snout-vent length 38.2–48.2 mm; (2) prefrontals separated from each other; (3) infralabials seven; (4) supraciliaries six; (5) two preoculars, three presuboculars, two postoculars, three postsuboculars; (6) supralabials separated from the eye by a row of small scales; (7) tympanum deeply recessed without lobules; (8) midbody scale rows 26 (rarely 28); (9) dorsal scales smooth, slightly enlarged, with paravertebral scale rows 56–63, ventral scale rows, including gulars, 66–76; (10) upper edge of lateral longitudinal stripes relatively straight, with four rows of medial dorsal scales; (11) enlarged, undivided lamellae beneath finger IV 7–10; (12) enlarged, undivided lamellae beneath toe IV 11–13; (13) ventral surface of head and belly lacking black spots, ventral surface of tail ornamented with dark sports; (14) dorsal surface of body grayish brown with small dark and pale sports; (15) ventral surface of throat, belly and base of tail from cream yellow in females to lemon yellow in males. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species forms an independent lineage clearly distinct from all other congeners included in the study and divergent in the COI (p > 18.7%) and the 16S rRNA (p > 2.6%) mtDNA gene sequences. This discovery increases the number of known Scincella species to 43. Further studies reassessing the populations of the Scincella monticola complex in northern Vietnam are required.

**An integrative reassessment of Leptobrachium bompu (Anura: Megophryidae) with new insights on phylogenetic position, male calls and larval morphology**

Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Since its description from the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh of India, Leptobrachium bompu Sondhi & Ohler, 2011 has been considered a rarely sighted species with presumed low population density. The species continues to be known from a handful of specimens and little has been studied about it thereafter. Notably, the molecular identity of L. bompu from the type locality itself remains unassessed. Through our recent field surveys in the state, we have been able to study and dispel the misconceptions around the rarity of this species by reporting several new individuals here, alongside new locality records. In addition, we assess and establish the molecular identity of the typical and other reported populations of L. bompu from India for the first time, and clarify their phylogenetic relationships, both with closely related populations from nearby regions and all other 38 currently recognised members of the genus. Our various analyses confirm that the reported Chinese populations from Medog county, Tibet, previously referred to as L. ‘bompu’(herein L. cf. bompu), are divergent from L. bompu sensu stricto of India by genetic distances of 3.6–4.2% for the analysed fragment of mitochondrial DNA, suggesting that they could represent another potential cryptic species requiring further taxonomic scrutiny. Furthermore, our study employed an integrative approach to better understand the systematic affinities and biology of the poorly-known L. bompu. Based on our newly gathered data from the Indian populations, we provide a redescription of adult morphology, tadpole morphology, and vocal repertoire of male advertisement calls of the species, including comparative insights with respect to other previously documented species of the genus. Our work, therefore, not only improves the current knowledge on L. bompu, but also has resultant implications on the identity of related Chinese populations, alongside some genus-wide insights on Leptobrachium frogs at large.

Granulogorgia amoebosquama, a new genus and species (Octocorallia, Malacalcyonacea, Acanthogorgiidae) from a seamount in the tropical western Pacific

Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Two specimens of the family Acanthogorgiidae Gray, 1859 collected from a seamount on the Caroline Ridge in the western Pacific Ocean are identified and described as a new genus and species using an integrated taxonomic approach. Granulogorgia amoebosquama gen. et sp. nov. is characterized by volcano-shaped calyces and sclerites in the calyx wall consisting of irregular, elongate plates or scales with lobed edges and ornamented with small granules and large warts. The two examined specimens have the same morphological characters and are genetically indistinguishable. Phylogenetic analyses of the mtMutS gene showed a close relationship of Granulogorgia gen. nov. with Pseudoparacis Matsumoto & van Ofwegen, 2023 in the family Acanthogorgiidae. However, Pseudoparacis possesses large thornscales in the calyx wall and large, thick, polygonal plates in the coenenchyme. Granulogorgia amoebosquama gen. et sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to Astromuricea fusca (Thomson, 1911). Unfortunately, no sequence data for Astromuricea Germanos, 1895 are available for phylogenetic analysis. A brief review of that genus is included and it is suggested that the nominal species Astromuricea fusca is likely neither a member of Astromuricea nor Muriceides Wright & Studer, 1889.

**A revision of the genus Monoblemma Gertsch, 1941 (Araneae: Tetrablemmidae) in Central America and the Caribbean**

LEONEL MARTÍNEZ — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

The armored spider genus Monoblemma Gertsch, 1941 is revised. The examination of the type specimens of Caraimatta cambridgei (Bryant, 1940) from Soledad, Cuba indicates that the species is misplaced in the genus Caraimatta. It is here transferred to Monoblemma based on morphological evidence and is designated as the senior synonym of Monoblemma muchmorei Shear, 1978. A new species, Monoblemma cubaensis sp. nov., is described from Santiago de Cuba based on both sexes. The transfer of Monoblemma browni Shear, 1978 to Shearella Lehtinen is reinstated, the species is redescribed, and the female is described for the first time. Images of the type species Monoblemma unicum Gertsch, 1941 are provided, along with an updated distribution map and an identification key for the species of the genus.

**Brazilian tropical dry forest in the spotlight: two new species of Ophrynopus Konow, 1897 (Hymenoptera, Orussidae)**

ELTON JOHN OLIVEIRA GALDINO, LARS VILHELMSEN, DANIELE REGINA PARIZOTTO — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Ophrynopus aridus sp. nov. and Ophrynopus caatinguensis sp. nov. are described and illustrated based on females collected in a dry forest in northeastern Brazil using blue UV traps. The new species are the first recorded Orussidae from the Caatinga biome. We present a key and a map of all known records of Ophrynopus and comment on the distributional history of the genus. We also discuss the unusual collecting method that could increase the presence of Orussidae in collections.

**A new species of Euborlasia Vaillant, 1890 (Nemertea: Pilidiophora) from Southwestern Atlantic Ocean**

JOSÉ E. F ALFAYA, ALEXEI V. CHERNYSHEV, LORENA P. ARRIBAS, GREGORIO BIGATTI — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

The genus Euborlasia comprises relatively large ribbon worms, typically recognized by their distinctive mottled, dark body coloration, often ornamented with thin rings encircling the body, and a pale cephalic tip. In this study, we describe Euborlasia lidiae sp. nov., a new species from Patagonia, Argentina, representing the first record of this genus in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The newly described species is primarily distinguished from its congeners by its unique body coloration. It exhibits an anterior-posterior gradient in background coloration, ranging from whitish to creamy pink, mottled with olive-brown dots that become less dense towards the anterior end, with the tip of the head remaining whitish. Ventrally, the density of the dots gradually decreases towards the posterior end, where only the creamy pink background remains. Additionally, it possesses a proboscis with a single layer of longitudinal musculature, and its cutis is separated from the outer longitudinal muscle layer of the body wall by connective tissue. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences indicate that E. lidiae sp. nov. forms a clade with three other Euborlasia species and Corsoua takakurai. Furthermore, we provide a revised diagnosis of the genus Euborlasia. We propose that the diagonal musculature located between the outer longitudinal and circular muscle layers of the body wall, along with the nerve plexus situated between the layers of this musculature, represent synapomorphies of the heteronemertean Lineage O.

**Description of Pheronous jairajpurii sp. nov. (Enoplida: Ironidae) a free-living marine nematode from Tamil Nadu Coast (India) with emended diagnosis of Pheronous Inglis, 1966**

RITIKA DATTA, ANJUM NASREEN RIZVI — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

A new species of free-living marine nematode, Pheronous jairajpurii sp. nov. belonging to the family Ironidae collected from an intertidal sandy beach of Tamil Nadu, India, is described and illustrated. The genus Pheronous until now had two species, Pheronous ogdeni Inglis, 1966 and P. donghaiensis Chen & Guo, 2015. The new species resembles P. ogdeni in the number and shape of precloacal papillae and differs in the shape of spicules and gubernaculum, number and arrangement of postcloacal papillae, while it resembles P. donghaiensis in the shape and size of spicules and gubernaculum, however differs in the cuticle ornamentation, number and arrangement of pre and postcloacal papillae. An emended diagnosis of the genus Pheronous along with identification key is provided.

Neoacla (Hattersleya) chicaquensis sp. nov. (Orthoptera: Phalangopsidae), a new spider cricket from Andean cloud forests

ALEXANDER GARCÍA GARCÍA — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Neoacla (Hattersleya) chicaquensis sp. nov., a new phalangopsid cricket species from the cloud forest of Chicaque Natural Park, is described. This species represents the first record of the genus Neoacla Desutter, 1988, in Colombia, the Andes, and the highland regions. Previously, all known species of this genus had only been recorded in forests ranging from Costa Rica to Ecuador and in the Amazon regions of Peru and Ecuador. Finally, the taxonomy, morphology, and distribution of the new species are discussed.

**Molecular phylogeny of Hipparchia Fabricius, 1807 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) with description of an overlooked species from the Zagros mountains, Iran**

ALIREZA NADERI, WOLFGANG TEN HAGEN, VAZRICK NAZARI — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

Using sequence data from four nuclear genes alongside DNA barcodes, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of genus Hipparchia Fabricius, 1807. Our phylogeny supported the previously proposed subgeneric classification for the genus and revealed an overlooked taxon close to H. fatua (Freyer, 1845) from the Zagros mountain range in Western Iran, here described as a new species, Hipparchia lunulata sp. nov. We also confirm that the range of H. fatua sichaea (Lederer, 1857), originally described from Beirut, extends to the westernmost part of the Zagros mountains in Iran.

**The exact morphology of Oligoneuriella pallida (Hagen, 1855) from China (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae)**

JIA-YI CHEN, XIAO-NUO BIAN, CHANG-FA ZHOU — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

The brushlegged mayfly Oligoneuriella pallida (Hagen, 1855) has been reported from a series of countries by quite several different researchers, which also caused some confusions and inconsistence of morphological descriptions, and led to mis-identification of Chinese Oligoneuriella species historically. Here the Chinese oligoneuriid specimens are compared to European Oligoneuriella species morphologically and molecularly. The results show China harbors one species O. pallida. It can be diagnosed by nymphal long oval lamellae of gills I, fimbriate part of gill I longer than lamellae, subequal tarsi and tibiae of mid- and hindlegs, and all femora without hair-like setae on outer margins. In adults, the femora and abdomen of this species have grey to purple pigmented markings, well-developed titillators and subgenital plate. Remarkably, the Chinese O. pallida also shows some differences to European populations, like longer filamental part of gills I and spine-like setae on abdominal sterna of nymphs, and with pigments on femora and nearly straight posterior margin of subgenital plate in male adults. It has 6.15% K2P distance of COI gene to European sequence. The detailed description in the present study not only show the exact features of the species O. pallida but also provide good photos for further classification on Asian brushlegged mayflies, which is still lack of study and clarification.

A new combination and a new record of Capniidae (Plecoptera) from northeast China

ZHISHAN CAO, DÁVID MURÁNYI, DING YANG, WEIHAI LI — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

A new combination of the genus Capniella Klapálek, 1920, C. khingana (Teslenko, 2019), comb. nov., is proposed from Heilongjiang Province. Isocapnia guentheri (Joost, 1970) from Heilongjiang Province of northeast China is recorded. Both species are recorded for the first time from China.

**The rediscovery of Petalomera indica Alcock, 1900 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Dromiidae) from India**

HERIS PATEL, SANTANU MITRA, JIGNESHKUMAR TRIVEDI — Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 +1200

The identity of the poorly known sponge crab Petalomera indica Alcock, 1900 (Dromiidae De Hann, 1833), originally described from Port Blair, South Andaman Island, India, is clarified and the species redescribed from a new specimen collected from Digha Mohana Port in the West Bengal State of India. The type material is lost and the species was previously only known from its original description and figures. The morphological affinities of P. indica with allied congeners are also discussed in detail. To stabilize the taxonomy of P. indica, the specimen from West Bengal is designated as the neotype of P. indica Alcock, 1900.