Zootaxa

Description of seven new species of Theraphosidae (Araneae, Theraphosinae; Ischnocolinae) from Ecuador, along with the identification of a new variation of type I urticating setae

2025-11-20T11:40:10+13:00

Seven Theraphosidae species are newly described from Ecuador: from the genus Pamphobeteus Pocock, 1901: Pamphobeteus contramina sp. nov. (male, female) and Pamphobeteus guacamayos sp. nov. (female); from the genus Thrixopelma Schmidt, 1994, Thrixopelma supay sp. nov. (female) and Thrixopelma michaeli sp. nov. (male); from the genus Hapalopus Ausserer, 1875, Hapalopus planetearth sp. nov. (female); and from the genus Holothele Karsch, 1879, Holothele incurva sp. nov. (male) and, Holothele tsala sp. nov. (female). Images of a male syntype of Pamphobeteus augusti (Simon, 1889) are included, along with a distribution map of all Pamphobeteus species found in Ecuador. The presence and distribution of urticating abdominal setae type I, III and IV are discussed, and a new variation of type I urticating setae is described.

New species of Cretaceous Locustopsidae (Orthoptera: Caelifera) from the Crato Formation of Brazil and a taxonomic revision of the family

2025-11-20T11:41:13+13:00

A new genus and four new species of Locustopsidae Handlirsch, 1906 are described from the Crato Formation of northeastern Brazil. Aestuacrida stereofemoris gen. et sp. nov. differs from previous genera of the family by having four branches of CuA + CuPaα. A new species of Araripelocusta Martins-Neto, 1995, Araripelocusta imperatrix sp. nov., is much larger than previous congeners with a wingspan of ca. 39 mm and features two little leaf-like appendages on the dorsal front part of the head. Parapleurites brasiliensis sp. nov. is the first Cretaceous member of this genus following two Jurassic predecessors. Parapleurites morrisonensis Smith, Gorman, Pardo & Small, 2011 has a wing venation that more closely resembles Mesolocustopsis Hong and Wang, 1990 and is moved to this genus as M. morrisonensis comb. nov. Cratolocustopsis aquila sp. nov. joins C. cretacea (Martins-Neto, 1990) and C. contumax Martins-Neto, 2003 as the third member of this genus, helping to solidify its separate position from other genera of Locustopsidae. A comprehensive taxonomic revision of all known species of Locustopsidae is given to improve our understanding of the diversity of these short-horned Mesozoic grasshoppers. The genus Cratozeunerella Martins-Neto, 1998 is considered a junior synonym of Zeunerella Sharov, 1968. Cratozeunerella godoii Martins-Neto, 2003, C. nervosa Martins-Neto, 2003, C. soaresi Martins-Neto, 2003 and C. titanella Martins-Neto, 2003 are suggested to be included in Locustopsis Handlirsch, 1906. Plesioschwinzia Zessin, 1988 is considered a junior synonym of Locustopsis. Further changes on the species level concern former Zeunerella reticulata (Handlirsch, 1939) which is moved to Cratolocustopsis Martins-Neto, 2003. Mesolocustopsis petruleviciusi (Martins-Neto, 2003) is considered a junior synonym of M. caririensis (Martins-Neto, 1990). In Locustopsis two synonyms are proposed: Locustopsis elongata Handlirsch, 1906 syn. nov. of L. elegans Handlirsch, 1906, and Locustopsis lacera (Zessin, 1983) (former Plesioschwinzia lacera) syn. nov. of L. gyra Zessin, 1983. Additionally, Locustopsis anatolica Sharov, 1968 is moved to Schwinzia Zessin, 1983. The recently described species of the Chinese Sinolocustopsis Huang & Nel, 2024 are moved to the genus Locustopsis: Locustopsis elongatus comb. nov. (Huang & Nel, 2024) and the genus Mesolocustopsis: Mesolocustopsis brevis comb. nov. (Huang & Nel, 2024). Liadolocusta auscultans Handlirsch, 1906 is considered a nomen nudum. Locustopsites gigantea Théobald, 1937 is probably a member of Tettigoniidae Krauss, 1902 and should be excluded from Locustopsidae.

The green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from the Tuha Basin, Xinjiang, northwestern China, with two new species and new record to China

2025-11-20T11:42:15+13:00

New green lacewing species Plesiochrysa bonbona sp. nov., Suarius fangwengi sp. nov., new Chinese record of Chrysopa viridana Schneider, 1845 (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae: Chrysopinae) from the Tuha Basin, Xinjiang, northwest China, are described based on the morphological characters of adults. In addition, three further green lacewing species (Chrysopa phyllochroma Wesmael, 1841, Chrysoperla nipponensis (Okamoto, 1914) and Suarius trilineatus Yang, 1991) are newly recorded from the Tuha Basin, increasing its known fauna from one to seven species across four genera. Keys to the Plesiochrysa and Suarius species in China and records of green lacewing species in the Tuha Basin are also provided. The standard DNA barcoding region of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of these species was sequenced for the verification of the new species.

New species of Archimonocelididae Meixner, 1938 (Platyhelminthes, Proseriata) from the Pacific Ocean, with the proposal of three new genera

2025-11-20T11:43:08+13:00

The genera Karlingocelis gen. nov., Martensocelis gen. nov., and Australocelis gen. nov. are introduced for species of Archimonocelididae (Proseriata) characterized by unique features of their sclerotised structures. Species of Karlingocelis gen. nov. possess a short stylet surrounded distally by paired hooks, sitting on strong muscles. Three species from the Pacific are ascribed to the new genus, two of which are new: they may be distinguished by the morphology of their copulatory structures. K. karlingi sp. nov. (type species of the new genus) from Australia (Heron Island) has a stylet 110–120 µm long, with one pair of hooks about 60 µm long. The stylet of K. helfrichi (Karling, Mack-Fira and Dorjes, 1972) comb. nov. from the Hawai’i Islands is 54–60 µm long, and is surrounded by two pairs of hooks, about 12 µm long; K. cannoni sp. nov. from Australia (Heron Island) has a stylet about 70 µm long, and four pairs of hooks about 25 µm long. The three species have very similar karyotypes, with n=5, and evenly sized chromosomes. Species of Martensocelis gen. nov. have a C-shaped prostate vesicle and a recurve, narrowly tubular stylet with a wide proximal funnel-like opening and surrounded distally by short needles. The type species M. martensi sp. nov., from New South Wales, has multiple pharynges and a stylet 150–175 µm long, distally surrounded by a girdle of 30–40 needles, ranging in length 50–80 µm. All other species have a single pharynx. M. justinei sp. nov., from New Caledonia, has a stylet 215–230 µm long, and four straight needles 50–55 µm long. M. coffsia sp. nov., from New South Wales, has a stylet 85 µm long, and 10 needles 20–25 µm long, while M. aquilae sp. nov., from Tasmania, has a stylet 95 µm long, less recurve than the other species, and about 10 spines, most of which have very poorly sclerified stalks. M. piscatoris sp. nov., from New South Wales, has a stylet curved to over 180° and 185 µm long, with nine accompanying needles, 75–80 µm long, very slender and with sharp distal tips, and is further provided with two additional needles, about 90 µm long, running from the base of the stylet almost to its distal tip. Species of Australocelis gen. nov. have a straight stylet, and the accompanying needles are symmetrically arranged at either side of the stylet, in groups of different morphology. The type species, A. newmanae sp. nov., from South Australia, has a stylet 70 µm long, and eight needles arranged into two groups; A. rhizophoralis (Martens & Curini-Galletti, 1989) comb. nov., from northern Australia (Darwin, Northern Territory) has a stylet 65 µm long, and 12 needles, arranged into three groups.

**Six new cryptic species of Ourapteryx Leach (Geometridae: Ennominae) from Asia**

2025-11-20T11:43:56+13:00

The genus Ourapteryx Leach, 1814, which is primarily distributed in the Palearctic and Oriental regions, reaches its highest species diversity in China. In the present study, six previously unrecognized species from Asia are described and illustrated, i.e., O. mediofurca sp. nov., O. angusta sp. nov., O. parainouei sp. nov., O. tachengensis sp. nov., O. qinlingensis sp. nov. and O. zhui sp. nov. These taxa were confirmed as distinct species through combined molecular and morphological analyses (Cheng et al., 2025b). Diagnostic characters in comparison with allied congeners are provided together with illustrations of external morphology and genitalia.

A new genus and species of ilyophine eel (Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae: Ilyophinae) from the Arabian Sea, western Indian Ocean

2025-11-20T11:44:47+13:00

A new genus and species of ilyophine eel, Branchenchelys megacephala, is described based on five specimens collected in the Arabian Sea, western Indian Ocean. The new genus is distinguished from all other ilyophine genera by its relatively large head with large gill openings and a very large branchial chamber with an increased number of branchiostegal rays and hypertrophied gill filaments.

**Rediscovery of the genus Atyopsis Chace, 1983 (Decapoda: Atyidae) in mainland India following a 72-year gap**

2025-11-20T11:45:38+13:00

This study resolves a longstanding uncertainty surrounding the presence of the genus Atyopsis from mainland India, based on recent collections from the Mulki (Karnataka) and Bhubaneswar (Odisha) regions of western and eastern India. Originally reported 72 years ago as Atya moluccensis by Tiwari (1951), the report lacks morphological validation. This combined with absence in subsequent records has led to scepticism regarding the genuine occurrence of the genus in India’s mainland freshwater ecosystems. In the present study, we report on the rediscovery of Atyopsis, and identified the species as Atyopsis spinipes, thereby reaffirming and validating the presence of the genus after seven decades. Atyopsis spinipes can be easily distinguished from its congener A. moluccensis, based on the shape and armature of the rostrum and the proportions of the endopod of first pleopod in males. This finding underscores the need for continued systematic surveys to shed light on the understudied shrimp fauna of India’s freshwater ecosystems.

**Two new species of Edwardsiana Zachvatkin (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) and an additional newly recorded species from the Korean Peninsula**

2025-11-20T11:46:32+13:00

Two new species of the genus Edwardsiana Zachvatkin, E. curvata sp. nov. E. directa sp. nov., and one newly recorded species, E. ishidai (Matsumura, 1932) are described from the Korean Peninsula, and we provide a key to the Korean species.

**Confirmation of the mantis shrimp Lysiosquilla maculata (Fabricius, 1793) (Crustacea, Stomatopoda, Lysiosquillidae) from Taiwan**

2025-11-20T11:48:30+13:00

The presence of the mantis shrimp Lysiosquilla maculata (Fabricius, 1793) in Taiwanese water is verified with the collection of a large adult male of this species from the northern-most coast of Taiwan. This constitutes the first formal record of L. maculata from Taiwan. Three species of Lysiosquilla are now known in Taiwan and a key to these three species is provided.

Lissonota anatolica sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Banchinae) a parasitoid and potential pest control of Carpatolechia decorella (Haworth, 1828) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on Pistacia vera L.

2025-11-20T11:50:51+13:00