Zootaxa

**Revision of the genus Oenopia Mulsant, 1850 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from China**

2026-06-22T14:07:44+12:00

The genus Oenopia Mulsant, 1850 from China is reviewed, including 33 species. Five new species are described, namely Oenopia latitegmina Wang & Wang sp. nov., Oenopia sanxiaensis Wang & Wang sp. nov., Oenopia stylifera Wang & Wang sp. nov., Oenopia tianquanensis Wang, Jin & Wang sp. nov. and Oenopia transversifasciata Wang & Wang sp. nov.. Oenopia adelgivora Poorani, 2002, Oenopia excellens (Crotch, 1874) and Oenopia smetanai Canepari, 1997 are recorded from China for the first time. Based on examined specimens and literature records O. medogensis (Jing, 1987) is returned to Xanthadalia Crotch. The taxonomic status of Oenopia yadongensis is discussed and remains questionable. Detailed images of external and genital characters or revised species, and descriptions of new species are presented. A key to species of the genus Oenopia from China is also given.

A new species of Doryctes Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) reared from Xylotrechus stebbingi Gahan, 1906 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in India, with discussion on the status of the subgenus Plyctes Fischer, 1981

2026-06-22T14:09:29+12:00

The subgeneric name Plyctes Fischer, 1981 is herein synonymized with Udamolcus Enderlein, 1920 (syn. nov.). The type species of Udamolcus, Doryctes (Udamolcus) herero (Enderlein, 1918), is redescribed and illustrated. A new species, Doryctes (Udamolcus) xylotrechi sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Jammu and Kashmir, India, reared from the larvae of Xylotrechus stebbingi Gahan, 1906 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Furthermore, a checklist of all known species of the subgenus Doryctes (Udamolcus) worldwide is provided, along with a key to the subgenera of the genus Doryctes Haliday, 1836 and to the species of Doryctes (Udamolcus) occurring in India and Sri Lanka.

Revision of the subfamily Oxypilinae (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) from India

2026-06-22T14:11:03+12:00

The subfamily Oxypilinae (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) of India is revised by including two tribes, six genera, two subgenera, fourteen species and a subspecies. The genus Pseudohestiasula Schwarz & Shcherbakov, 2017 is a new record for India. Two new subgenera, Bharatestiasula subgen. nov. and Paxestiasula subgen. nov. are introduced by describing four new species and a new subspecies from the Southern Western Ghats, viz. Pseudohestiasula (Bharatestiasula) occidentalis sp. nov., P. (B.) greeni sp. nov., P. (Paxestiasula) unipunctata sp. nov., P. (P.) unipunctata obscura subsp. nov., and P. (incertae sedis) ovata sp. nov.. Pseudohestiasula (Bharatestiasula) subgen. nov. also includes P. (B.) castetsi (Bolivar, 1897) comb. nov., P. (B.) kaestneri (Beier, 1942) comb. nov. and P. (B.) masoni (Giglio-Tos, 1915) comb. nov.. The genus Catestiasula Giglio-Tos, 1915 is represented in India by a new species, Catestiasula keralensis sp. nov.. The only Indian Oxypilini species Ceratomantis ghatei Roy & Svenson, 2007 is now accommodated in a new subgenus Indoceratomantis subgen. nov. as C. (I.) ghatei. In addition, Ephestiasula obscura Lombardo, 1995 and Ephestiasula woodmasoni Mukherjee, Stiewe & Ghorai, 2010 are synonymized with Hestiasula nigrofemorata Werner, 1930 syn. nov., which is transferred to the genus Ephestiasula as E. nigrofemorata (Werner, 1930) comb. nov.. Hestiasula ceylonica Beier, 1956, Hestiasula brachyptera Villani, 2016 and Ephestiasula maculata Chatterjee, Ghorai, Srinivasan & Mukherjee, 2019 are new synonyms of Hestiasula woodi Giglio-Tos, 1915 (syn. nov.). A dichotomous key and an updated checklist to the Indian Oxypilinae are also provided.

**A new species of Onthophagus Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Onthophagini) in the subgenus Gibbonthophagus Balthasar, 1935 from the mountains of north-west Yunnan, China**

2026-06-22T14:12:55+12:00

Onthophagus (Gibbonthophagus) draconisaurei Urban, sp. nov., from the Yunnan Province in China is described. Relevant diagnostic characters of the new species and of the types of O. (G.) balthasari Všetečka, 1939 as well as O. (G.) taurinus White, 1844 are photographically documented and compared in a character matrix. New taxonomic characters for the subgenus Gibbonthophagus Balthasar, 1935 are provided.

Two new species of pilargid polychaetes (Annelida: Pilargidae) from the southern Gulf of California, Mexico

2026-06-22T14:14:29+12:00

Pilargids are annelid worms inhabiting soft-bottom sediments and are currently represented by 11 genera and approximately 100 described species worldwide. To date, 15 pilargid species have been originally described from Mexican waters. In the present study, two new species, Cabira mexicana sp. nov., and Litocorsa ambigua sp. nov., are described from shallow soft-bottoms of Laguna de La Paz, southern Gulf of California, Mexico, at depths ranging from 1.5 to 6.4 m. Comparative remarks with morphologically similar species are provided. Cabira mexicana sp. nov., is characterized by the presence of a unique set of features related to the first ventral cirri from chaetiger 3, first notopodial hooks from chaetiger 7, neurochaetae capillaries, non-limbate with entire tips, two small, rounded eyespots and pharynx with denticles. Litocorsa ambigua sp. nov., differs from all species mainly by the presence of furcate chaetae. Cabira mexicana sp. nov., and Litocorsa ambigua sp. nov., exhibit a patchy distribution within the lagoon, varying seasonally. Cabira mexicana sp. nov., was associated primarily with muddy to clay-rich sediments, whereas Litocorsa ambigua sp. nov., occurred in mud, clay, and silty sand substrates. Both species were recorded under marine salinities, well-oxygenated waters, and temperatures reflecting the seasonal variability of the lagoon. This study increases the known richness of Pilargidae in Mexican waters and highlights the importance of shallow coastal lagoons of the Gulf of California as reservoirs of little known annelid diversity.

**Two new species of Willowsia Shoebotham, 1917 (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India**

2026-06-22T14:16:29+12:00

This study describes two new species, Willowsia coxichroma sp. nov. and Willowsia mitrai sp. nov., from the eastern part of the Indian Himalayas, specifically from one of the north-eastern states, namely Arunachal Pradesh. These two new species differ from the other members of Willowsia based on pigment pattern, scale type, and chaetotaxy. Molecular identification and genetic distance of Willowsia coxichroma sp. nov. with its congeners supported the novel species identity; however, the generation of barcodes was unsuccessful for Willowsia mitrai sp. nov. An updated key to Indian species of Willowsia and a comparison table of related species are also provided.

**A new species of Litarcturus Brandt, 1990 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Valvifera: Antarcturidae) from central Japan**

2026-06-22T14:18:21+12:00

Litarcturus kumanoensis sp. nov. is described from the Kumano Basin, Japan. Litarcturus kumanoensis sp. nov. is distinguished from other members of the genus by these characters: head with 2 supraocular and 2 blunt posterior supraocular spines; pereonite 1 with 2 submedial and sublateral spines; pereonites 2 to 7 each with 2 short submedial spines; pleonites 1 and 2 each with 2 submedial spines; pleonite 3 with 2 submedial and lateral spines; pleotelson pentagonal, with 4 submedial, 1 sublateral spines and 2 caudolateral spines. This is the second species of the genus to be described and found in Japan. An amended generic diagnosis is provided.

**Confirmation of the valid status of Metoecus morawitzi (Semenov, 1890) (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae) based on integrated data, with zoogeographical comments**

2026-06-22T14:19:54+12:00

Metoecus morawitzi (Semenov, 1890) is the least studied species in the genus Metoecus Dejean, 1834. The taxonomic status of this species was proven by morphological comparison, molecular species determination, and zoogeographical notes. The results demonstrated the species is valid and not conspecific with M. paradoxus (Linnaeus, 1760). Based on literature and specimen data, M. morawitzi is distributed at high and medium elevations throughout Central Asia, including Afghanistan, China (Xinjiang), Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. This distribution is so extensive that it encompasses entire mountain systems within the territory of the Central Asian states, rather than separate ridges, valleys, or specific countries.

**A new species of Oecobius and the first record of Uroctea thaleri from Saudi Arabia (Araneae: Oecobiidae)**

2026-06-22T14:22:51+12:00

A spider survey in the understudied and endemic-rich Asir region of southern Saudi Arabia recorded two species of Oecobiidae. Oecobius asirensis sp. nov. is described from the mountainous highlands. The new species exhibits marked differences in the morphology of the copulatory organs compared to the generotype, suggesting it may represent a distinct genus. The copulatory organs of Oecobius marathatus are also illustrated, to which the new species is compared. Additionally, Uroctea thaleri Rheims, Santos & van Harten, 2007 is reported for the first time from Saudi Arabia.

**Two new species of the genus Paraphloeostiba Steel, 1960 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Omaliini) from Sulawesi, and new records from the Oriental and Palaearctic regions**

2026-06-22T14:24:49+12:00

Taxonomic and faunistic data for nine species of the genus Paraphloeostiba Steel, 1960 of the Oriental and Palaearctic regions are presented. Two new species from the one locality in Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park (Sulawesi, Indonesia) are described and illustrated: P. bicolora sp. nov. and P. carnaria sp. nov. First records are provided for the following five species: P. gayndahensis (MacLeay, 1873) from Turkey, Sri Lanka, Laos, Vietnam and Sulawesi (Indonesia), P. impressa (Cameron, 1928) and P. rhopalocera (Cameron, 1928) from Sulawesi (Indonesia), and P. latissima Shavrin, 2024 and P. zingiberiphila Shavrin, 2024 from Indonesia.

**Notes on some species of Naarda Walker, 1866 from Australia and Wallacea (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Hypeninae)**

2026-06-22T14:26:51+12:00

The genitalia of Naarda xanthonephra Turner, 1908 and N. calliceros Turner, 1932 are illustrated and described for the first time. Lectotypes are designated for N. coelopis Turner, 1936 and N. calliceros Turner, 1932. The synonymy of N. xanthonephra and N. coelopis Turner, 1936 is confirmed. Two new species, N. inopina sp. nov. from the Banda Islands and N. turneri sp. nov. from Australia, are described, increasing the number of known species of the genus Naarda recorded from the Australian continent to three. The paper is accompanied by 15 figures illustrating the examined taxa and diagnostic characters.

**Erratum: JANNE RAUNIO, YNGVE BRODIN & JUKKA SALMELA (2026) Two new species of Eukiefferiella Thienemann (Diptera, Chironomidae) from northern Finland. Zootaxa, 5821 (4): 469–485.**

2026-06-22T14:28:48+12:00