Zootaxa

Phylogenetic relationships within western African Torrent Toads (Anura: Bufonidae: Werneria) with focus on the taxonomic status of Werneria preussi and Atelopus africanus

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Bufo preussi Matschie, 1893 from Mt. Cameroon was the first African Torrent toad to be described, soon followed by Atelopus africanus Werner, 1898 from Bismarkburg in Togo. Shortly after, both species were considered conspecific and, currently, both fall under the name Werneria preussi following taxonomic revisions. The type locality of A. africanus was consequently believed to be an error, especially due to the absence of reports of Werneria individuals in Togo in subsequent years. However, it remained uncertain if this synonymy is justified or if A. africanus may indeed represent a valid but potentially extinct species. To answer this question, we generated the first mitochondrial data (12S, 16S and COI) for name-bearing types of W. preussi and A. africanus using a museomic approach. This was further complemented by mitochondrial and nuclear data of contemporary relatives. Our multi-gene phylogeny inferred from mitochondrial data showed that W. preussi and A. africanus constitute a well-supported monophyletic group, which further includes W. submontana. Together with distance values falling below the commonly used species threshold of 3% for 16S and 6% for COI, this result provides strong evidence for A. africanus being a junior synonym of W. preussi, and the absence of this genus in Togo. It further indicates that W. submontana does not represent a species distinct from W. preussi, but rather a geographic variety differing morphologically from topotypic W. preussi. Due to this morphological differentiation, we propose to consider the W. submontana populations as a distinct subspecies and herein introduce the new name Werneria preussi submontana comb. nov. We further designate a lectotype for W. preussi, in order to increase nomenclatural stability and facilitate future research focusing on African Torrent Toads.

**Two new species of genus Hemipsocus (Psocodea: ‘Psocoptera’: Hemipsocidae) from India**

GURUSAMY RAMESH, RAJAPPA BABU, KUMARAPURAM A. SUBRAMANIAN — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Two new species of Hemipsocus Selys-Longchamps, 1872 are described here based on specimens collected from the forests of Jharkhand, Kerala and Tamil Nadu states, India. The species, H. mockfordi sp. nov. and H. menoni sp. nov., are differentiated from other members of this genus by the following characteristics; the female subgenital plate with two apical lobes, the straight and strongly chitinized male paraproctal horn in H. mockfordi sp. nov. The male epiproct exhibits well-developed scales that extend from the anterior section towards the median region in H. menoni sp. nov.

Two new species of fanged frog from Southeastern Borneo, Indonesia (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae)

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Two new species of dicroglossid frog of the Limnonectes kuhlii complex are described from southeastern Borneo, Indonesia. These new species were previously confused with L. kuhlii, whose type locality is Java, but recognized to represent genetically distinct lineages. Here, we describe them based on molecular and morphological characteristics. The two new species, Limnonectes maanyanorum sp. nov. and Limnonectes nusantara sp. nov., can be distinguished from named species of the Limnonectes kuhlii complex from Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and Peninsular Malaysia by significant genetic distances in partial sequences of the 16S rRNA gene and combinations of morphological characters. These descriptions are an initiation step in taxonomic work to encourage studies of the L. kuhlii complex in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

New additions and further records of non-native Coleoptera in Romania

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

This report details the discovery of five new non-native Coleoptera species for the Romanian fauna: Cis chinensis Lawrence, 1991 (Ciidae), Latheticus oryzae C.O. Waterhouse, 1880, Palorus subdepressus (Wollaston, 1864), Tribolium destructor Uyttenboogaart, 1933 (Tenebrionidae), and Litargus balteatus LeConte, 1856 (Mycetophagidae). Furthermore, additional occurrences for 19 species whose data were deficient were provided. The identification of unrecorded alien species in a natural setting indicates that they are well established and warrant further monitoring to determine their current distribution at the national level and potential impact on the environment and human activities. This indicates the current extent of our understanding of the diversity of non-native coleopterans in Romania and emphasizes the necessity of further investigation into this group, with a particular focus on those species with the potential to become invasive.

A molecular-assisted taxonomic assessment of elasmobranch fishes (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii) from south-eastern Arabia revisited

AARON C. HENDERSON, ALAN J. REEVE, RIMA W. JABADO, GAVIN J. P. NAYLOR — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

The first molecular-assisted assessment of shark and batoid taxonomy in the waters of south-eastern Arabia was undertaken almost a decade ago, at a time when many species lineages lacked clear resolution. Consequently, only tentative identifications could be offered in some cases. There has been a considerable amount of focus on elasmobranch taxonomy since then, and this has resulted in numerous revisions to species identities and distributions. Therefore, in light of these more recent findings, mitochondrial NADH2 sequences from the original south-eastern Arabia study were re-assessed and taxonomically updated. This resulted in the recovery of 28 distinct shark lineages, of which all but one could be attributed to currently-recognised species. The remaining lineage most likely represents an undescribed Echinorhinus sp., which has been flagged in previous studies. Twenty-eight batoid lineages were also recovered, 13 of which have undergone taxonomic revision since the original study. Although most of these could be attributed to currently-recognised species, certain lineages remain problematic. Consequently, further work is required to provide a comprehensive assessment of elasmobranch taxonomy in the region.

**On two new deep-sea species of the genus Campylaspis G. O. Sars, 1865 (Cumacea: Nannastacidae) from Brazil**

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Currently, 15 species of the genus Campylaspis, collected between 40 and 4,680 m depth, are known from Brazil. In the present study, two additional species collected from Campos Basin, Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo States, between 393 and 733 m depth, are described. An updated list of all the Campylaspis species reported from Brazil along with an identification key for the deep-sea species are presented.

**New species and host plants of Hexachaeta Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Colombia**

PEDRO ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ CLAVIJO — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Hexachaeta cundiboyacensis Rodriguez, a new species of the colombiana species group is described and illustrated. In addition, the first biological information on host plants and natural enemies for the colombiana species group is provided. Host plants include: Aegiphila alba Moldenke (Lamiaceae) for H. colombiana Lima and Aegiphila integrifolia (Jacq.) B.D. Jacks. (Lamiaceae) for the new species described here. The wasp Opius (Bellopius) hexachaeta Kula and Aguirre (Braconidae) was found parasitizing the new species. A modification of the species key of Hernández-Ortiz (1999) to incorporate this new species is also presented.

**A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae)**

MARCO ULIANA, FARHAD A. KHUDHUR — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

An undescribed species of Rhizotrogini recently collected in Iraqi Kurdistan evidenced the unclear diagnosis of the genus-level taxa to which it could be attributed, prompting their revision. As a result, the currently monotypic subgenus Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 is removed from subgeneric rank under the genus Xanthotrogus Reitter, 1902, treated as a valid genus and re-diagnosed. Cyprotrogus Nikolajev, 2004, also monotypic, is recognized as its junior subjective synonym. The new species, the third known of the genus, is then described as Xestotrogus sagrmaticus Uliana & Khudhur, new species. External morphology, aedeagus and endophallus of each species are illustrated.

**On some Curculionidae incertae sedis (Coleoptera) named by Carl Peter Thunberg (1743–1828)**

JENS PRENA — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Type specimens of three European and ten South African weevil species named by Thunberg were examined, photographed and classified. Four of them, all from South Africa, have valid or potentially valid names. Acallopistus vitellus (Thunberg, 1813) is the valid name for A. guttatus (Boheman, 1835), new synonym and Gymnetron fimbriatum (Thunberg, 1813), new combination is the valid name for G. hirsutum (Rosenschöld, 1838), new synonym. Eleven other names are referred to Bronchus Germar, Hypera Germar, Isorhynchus Schönherr, Otiorhynchus Germar, Phlyctinus Schönherr and Tanymecus Germar and to the tribes Anoplini, Cyphicerini, Oosomini and Tanyrhynchini.

**A new species of Sinonichnus Jałoszyński in China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)**

PAWEŁ JAŁOSZYŃSKI — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Sinonichnus Jałoszyński is an endemic Chinese genus currently including only two species: S. yunnanensis (Jałoszyński, 2019) and S. leiodicornutus Jałoszyński, 2021. Both species occur in Yunnan. Sinonichnus montanus sp. nov. is described, based on a male specimen collected close to the type localities of the previously known species.