Zootaxa

**A taxonomic revision of the profusella species group of the genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg (Lepidoptera, Adelidae) from Sulawesi, Papua and adjacent islands**

MIKHAIL V. KOZLOV — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +1300

This study provides a comprehensive account of 20 species of the genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg, 1798, described or recorded from Indonesia (15 species) and Papua New Guinea (8 species). These species presumably constitute a monophyletic group defined by the presence of two longitudinal silver stripes in light (yellow, ochreous, or golden) basal part of forewing. A key to the species is provided; 12 new species are described: N. baliella Kozlov, sp. nov., N. cheesmanae Kozlov, sp. nov., N. cupriantennella Kozlov, sp. nov., N. fuscofasciella Kozlov, sp. nov., N. illustrella Kozlov, sp. nov., N. meeki Kozlov, sp. nov., N. neuguineae Kozlov, sp. nov., N. ochrodorsella Kozlov, sp. nov., N. sulawesiensis Kozlov, sp. nov., N. sulphurea Kozlov, sp. nov., N. vasilyi Kozlov, sp. nov., and N. wallacei Kozlov, sp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for two species, Nemotois profusella Walker, 1866 and Nemotois photodoxa Meyrick, 1930.

**On the actual identity of the genus Castianeira Keyserling, 1879 (Araneae: Corinnidae: Castianeirinae): the type species and its relatives**

CLÁUDIO J. SILVA-JUNIOR, ALEXANDRE B. BONALDO — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +1300

The identity of the type species of Castianeira Keyserling, 1879 is clarified, enabling a diagnosis of Castianeira sensu stricto, which comprises four species from northern South America and Panama. The type species, C. rubicunda Keyserling, 1879, is recorded from Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama, with the specimens from Barro Colorado Island (Panama) having previously been misidentified as C. memnonia (C. L. Koch, 1841). Based on photographs of the holotype of the later species, it is transferred to Mazax O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 and recognized as the senior synonym of M. mokana Silva-Junior, Martínez, Villarreal & Bonaldo, 2024 syn. nov.. Since M. memnonia comb. nov. is the type species of Thargalia Karsch, 1880, Thargalia is removed from the synonymy of Castianeira and treated as a synonym of Mazax, as a nomen oblitum, while Mazax is declared a nomen protectum under the provisions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Three new species are described: Castianeira leda sp. nov. (♂) and C. pollux sp. nov. (♂♀), both from Colombia, Peru, and Brazil, and C. castor sp. nov. (♂♀) from Venezuela and Brazil.

A taxonomic study of Asian soldier beetles of the tribe Malthinini (Coleoptera, Cantharidae, Malthininae), with description of a new genus and a new species of Malthinellus, and notes on the genera Malthinus and Mimomalthinus

RYO NAKAMURA — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +1300

The malthinine fauna of Asia is highly diverse, but comprehensive studies are lacking, and many species have not been re-examined since their original descriptions. This study mainly focuses on the genus Malthinellus Kiesenwetter, 1874, which comprises ten Asian species. A new species, Malthinellus mushanus sp. nov. is described from Taiwan (Nantou County) and compared with two known Taiwanese species from the same genus, M. crenulatus (Wittmer, 1979) and M. crenulatomimus (Wittmer, 1984). Aedeagus of Malthinellus chinensis Wittmer, 1956 (China) is illustrated and described for the first time. Malthinellus hoabinensis (Wittmer, 1995) comb. nov. (Vietnam) and Malthinellus multispinosus (Wittmer, 1995) comb. nov. (China) are transferred from the genus Malthinus. Malthinellus malickyi Wittmer, 1997 (Thailand) is transferred to a new genus Phaneromalthinus gen. nov. (type species: P. malickyi (Wittmer, 1997) comb. nov.). Additionally, illustrations and notes are provided for several species of the genera Malthinus and Mimomalthinus that resemble Malthinellus. The lectotypes of Malthinus tonkineus Pic, 1923 and Mimomalthinus niger Pic, 1931 are designated and illustrated. The generic definition of Malthinellus is revised, and the differences from Malthinus and Mimomalthinus are discussed.

Taxonomic Contributions to the Lithosiini (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) from India: Description of Two New Species and Seven New Species Records

SANTOSH SINGH, SRISHTI BHATTACHARYA, NAVNEET SINGH, JAGBIR SINGH KIRTI — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Two new species of lichen moths (Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini) are described from India: Caulocera hollowayi sp. nov. from Sikkim and Asura buxa sp. nov. from West Bengal. In addition, seven species records are newly reported and re-described: Fangeilema amoena Volynkin & Saldaitis, 2023 from West Bengal, Collita serva (Walker, 1854) from Arunachal Pradesh, Manulea complana (Linnaeus, 1758) from Jammu & Kashmir, Tarika spitzeri Volynkin & Černý, 2025 and Tarika kachina Volynkin & Černý, 2025 from Arunachal Pradesh, Tarika pinratnai Volynkin & Černý, 2025 from Mizoram, and Macrobrochis albovenosa Černý, 2009 from West Bengal.

Types of new world Oedionychini Chapuis, 1875 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Alticitae) deposited in the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm

MARTIJN VAN ROIE, MARÍA ALEJANDRA ÁLVAREZ COVELLI — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Type specimens of new world Oedionychini Chapuis, 1875 deposited in the collections of the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet in Stockholm Sweden (NHRS) are examined and illustrated. Types from Carl Henrik Boheman, Julius Weise and Jan Bechyné were present. Lectotypes are designated for the following species: Asphaera purana Weise, 1921, Chloëphaga sparsata Bechyné, 1957, Homophoita superba Weise, 1921, Oedionychis decolorata Weise, 1921, Oedionychis delineata Weise, 1921, Oedionychis insignita Boheman, 1859, Oedionychis laetifica Boheman, 1859, Oedionychis lepida Boheman, 1859, Oedionychis nigrovittata Boheman, 1859, Oedionychis sternalis Weise, 1921, Omophoita gabriela Bechyné, 1957, Walterianella curvipes Bechyné, 1957, Walterianella malaisei Bechyné, 1957, Walterianella subordinata Bechyné, 1957. The holotype of Homophoita gloriosa Weise, 1921 is illustrated. The following new combinations are proposed: Walterianella decolorata (Weise, 1921) comb. nov., Walterianella delineata (Weise, 1921) comb. nov. and Callangaltica sternalis (Weise, 1921) comb. nov. The synonymy of Homophoita gloriosa Weise, 1921 with Omophoita angustolineata (Jacoby, 1905) is confirmed. We propose the new synonym of Walterianella subordinata Bechyné, 1957 with Walterianella delineata (Weise, 1921).

Classification of several demosponge (Demospongiae, Porifera) taxa re-evaluated with DNA barcodes of type (and other) specimens

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +1300

Demosponge classification is notoriously challenged by the paucity of informative morphological characters with sufficient complexity to discriminate between apomorphies and convergences. Molecular data, preferably from type material, helps shed light on phylogenetic relationships. In the following, we review, based on the results of DNA barcoding of type (and other) material, the classification of several demosponge species and genera with either eminent or previously uncertain classification. We report that the aster-bearing genus Leptosastra Topsent, 1904, is a poecilosclerid, unlike Clathria faviformis Lehnert & van Soest, 1996, which should be classified as Raspailiidae. The genus transfers of Eurypon laughlini Díaz, Alvarez & van Soest, 1987 to Prosuberites Topsent, and Leucophloeus lewisi Van Soest & Stentoft, 1988, to Axinyssa Lendenfeld are supported, unlike the transfer of Halichondria almae (Carballo, Uriz & García-Gómez, 1996) from Ciocalapata de Laubenfels. The new sequences are the first to be published in the new version of the Sponge Barcoding Database (SBDv2) of the Sponge Barcoding Project (www.spongebarcoding.org). Our findings underline the benefits of sequencing historic reference material, even if it is centuries old, and emphasises that type material should always be considered in answering systematic questions, particularly with challenging taxa such as sponges.