Zootaxa

Corrections and additions to the catalogue of the digger wasps (Hymenoptera: Ampulicidae, Sphecidae, Crabronidae) of Russia

2025-12-09T11:35:48+13:00

The present study is an update to the first catalogue of Russian digger wasps published in 2017. Six species are new: Lindenius marsianus, Miscophus globiceps, M. lyubae, M. mesocontinentalis, M. schmideggeri, and M. volgensis. Miscophus rasilis Kazenas, 1993 is newly synonymized with M. eximius Gussakovskij, 1934. New records are provided for eleven species previously unknown from Russia. Five recently described species are reported, as well as thirteen species newly recorded since the 2017 Catalogue, five species and three published synonymies overlooked in that Catalogue. Additionally, four species are excluded from the Catalogue and numerous taxonomic changes and clarifications are included. The present work updates the total number of digger wasps genera for Russia to 88 and the total number of species to 729 (Ampulicidae 2/4, Sphecidae 11/72, Crabronidae 75/653).

A diversity panorama of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) from Northeastern Brazil

2025-12-09T11:36:40+13:00

Northeastern Brazil (NE Brazil) is home to four of the country’s six biomes, namely the Amazônia (tropical rainforest), Caatinga (tropical dry forest), Cerrado (tropical savanna), and Mata Atlântica (seasonal tropical forest). These biomes and their adjacent ecotones exhibit distinctive characteristics. Despite the documentation of seventy species of the family Coccinellidae until mid-2021, comprehensive studies of the Coccinellidae fauna as a whole are still lacking. Therefore, this work aims to provide an overview of the Coccinellidae from NE Brazil, through the evaluation of records from published literature and the material deposited in reference entomological collections. The analysis of the material yielded seven new records of genera for this Brazilian region: Adira Gordon & Almeida, 1986; Harmonia Mulsant, 1846; Novius Mulsant, 1850; Paraneda Timberlake, 1943; Pharoscymnus Bedel, 1906, Pseudoryssomus Gordon, 1974; and Rhyzobius Stephens, 1829. Additionally, Pseudoryssomus and Rhyzobius represent new records for Brazil. The tribes Noviini and Sticholotidini are newly documented in the Northeast. A total of 29 new records of species belonging to the Coccinellidae family have been documented in NE Brazil: Adira obscuracincta (Klug, 1829); Calloeneis roxanne Gordon & Hanley, 2020; Chnoodes nigra Weise, 1895; Chnoodes tarsalis Weise, 1904; Coeliaria castanea Churata-Salcedo & Almeida, 2017; Cryptognatha auriculata Mulsant, 1850; Cyrea maxine Canepari & Gordon, 2016; Delphastus davidsoni Gordon, 1994; Dilatitibialis laterinotata (Brèthes, 1925); Epilachna marginella (Fabricius, 1787); Epilachna spreta Mulsant, 1850; Exoplectra batesii (Crotch, 1874); Exoplectra columba Costa, Almeida & Corrêa, 2008; Gordonoryssomus everardoi Almeida & Santos, 2014; Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773); Hyperaspis conclusa Weise, 1904; Hyperaspis festiva Mulsant, 1850; Hyperaspis scutifera (Mulsant, 1850); Novius cardinalis (Mulsant, 1850); Paraneda pallidula (Mulsant, 1850); Pharoscymnus flexibilis (Mulsant, 1853); Pseudoryssomus brulei Almeida & Santos, 2014; Psyllobora bicongregata Boheman, 1859; Psyllobora consitoides Mader, 1958; Psyllobora lenta Mulsant, 1850; Rhyzobius lophanthae (Blaisdell, 1892); Serratitibia shirley Gordon & Canepari, 2013; Zenoria linteolata Mulsant, 1850; Zenoria revestita Mulsant, 1850. Four of them are new records for Brazil: Cryptognatha auriculata, Pseudoryssomus brulei, Hyperaspis scutifera and Rhyzobius lophanthae. This work enhances the diversity of the Coccinellidae known from NE Brazil by approximately 90% (63 additional species). Consequently, NE Brazil has transitioned from the lowest diversity ranking to the third most diverse region in the country. Ultimately, here is provided a baseline for the study of Coccinellidae from Northeastern Brazil.

**On the Antillean spiders of the genus Scytodes Latreille, 1804 (Araneae, Scytodidae)**

2025-12-09T11:37:29+13:00

In this paper, we revise specimens of the genus Scytodes Latreille collected during the Caribbean Biogeography Project (CarBio) on several Antillean islands. Of a total of 480 vials, 199 contained only juveniles that could not be identified to species level. The remaining 281 included specimens of 13 species: the previously known S. blanda Bryant, 1940, S. cubensis Alayón, 1977, S. fusca Walckenaer, 1837, S. longipes Lucas, 1844, and nine species herein described: S. coltrainei sp. nov. (♀) and S. joniae sp. nov. (♂♀) from the Dominican Republic; S. harissoni sp. nov. (♀) from Saint Martin; S. jimmorrisoni sp. nov. (♀), S. mingusi sp. nov. (♂♀), and S. reinhardti sp. nov. (♂♀) from Puerto Rico; S. nicksae sp. nov. (♀) from Jamaica; S. ritae sp. nov. (♀) from Martinique; and S. sabbath sp. nov. (♀) from Cuba. The male originally described as S. cubensis is regarded as a misidentification, and a new male is described based on our material. The species is newly recorded from Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. Scytodes blanda is newly recorded from Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and both S. blanda and S. cubensis are redescribed. Scytodes fusca is recorded from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Scytodes longipes is recorded from Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Saint Martin, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Scytodes darlingtoni Alayón, 1977 is redescribed from the holotype. Updated distribution maps are provided for all species, and additionally, we describe a new type of female genitalia observed only in island-inhabiting species.

The first discovery of brachypterous stag beetle in Eurasia: A remarkable new genus and species of the tribe Figulini Burmeister, 1847 (Coleoptera: Lucanidae: Lucaninae) from southwestern China

2025-12-09T11:38:22+13:00

Despite centuries of active research on Eurasian Lucanidae, the absence of species with vestigial hindwings has remained a significant knowledge gap. This study addresses this gap by establishing the new genus Geonigidius Xin, Gong, Zhong & Qi, gen. nov., with Geonigidius sinensis Xin, Gong, Zhong & Qi, sp. nov. from the southern Xizang Autonomous Region, China, as its type species. The species exhibits the key feature of vestigial hindwings, which has not been reported unreported in any Eurasian congeners. A checklist of tribe Figulini Burmeister, 1847 species from China and an identification key for Chinese genera of Figulini are provided.

Melogona sintica sp. nov.—a surprising seventh member of Melogona Cook, 1895, with a key to species of the genus (Diplopoda: Chordeumatida: Chordeumatidae)

2025-12-09T11:39:26+13:00

A new species of the European millipede genus Melogona Cook, 1895, Melogona sintica sp. nov., is described from southwest Bulgaria. The new species is compared in detail with two of its congeners with whom it shares particular similar morphology and, possibly, an overlapping distribution range. A key to all seven currently known species of the genus is compiled. The grouping within Melogona and some distribution patterns shown by its members are briefly discussed.

**A new species of Chthonerpeton (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Typhlonectidae) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil**

2025-12-09T11:40:11+13:00

Caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona) are characterized by their snake-like bodies and secretive habits. Although most of them are predominantly terrestrial and fossorial as adults, the family Typhlonectidae includes species well-adapted to aquatic and semi-aquatic lifestyles. Among typhlonectids, Chthonerpeton is the most speciose genus and occurs mainly along the east coast of South America. Here we describe a new species of Chthonerpeton from Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The new taxon is similar to C. perissodus and C. braestrupi but can be readily diagnosed from them and all other congeners by a unique combination of features traditionally used for diagnosing species of the genus (e.g., position of the tentacles, dentition, body shape and proportions, color pattern, number of annuli and vertebrae). We also provide a taxonomic key to the ten currently recognized species of Chthonerpeton and discuss the implications of the newly described species for the systematics of this genus of Neotropical caecilians.

**A new species and records of Paraphloeostiba Steel, 1860 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae)**

2025-12-09T11:40:58+13:00

Taxonomic and faunistic data for 12 species of the genus Paraphloeostiba Steel, 1860 is presented. A new species is described and illustrated: P. subopacoides sp. nov. (China: Yunnan). Images of the habitus of P. formosana Shavrin & Smetana, 2016 and P. similis Steel, 1960 are presented. First records are provided for the following seven species: P. alutacea (Cameron, 1941) from Vietnam and Negros Island (Philippines), P. brevicula Shavrin, 2024 and P. rhopalocera (Cameron, 1928) from Solomon Islands, P. formosana Shavrin & Smetana, 2016 from Kerala (India) and Vietnam, P. gayndahensis (McLeay, 1873) from Russia (Maritime Province), Taiwan and Solomon Islands, and P. similis Steel, 1960 from Malaysia.

Three new species of Labeninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Costa Rica

2025-12-09T11:41:37+13:00

As a result of continuing research on the ichneumonids of Costa Rica three new species of Labeninae are described: Apechoneura fuentesi Zuñiga & Hanson, Grotea acunae Zuñiga & Hanson, and Labena murilloi Zuñiga & Hanson. To aid in the identification of these new species illustrations and modifications to existing keys are provided. With the description of these new species, there are now 47 species known from the country. Updated summaries are provided of the biology of each genus.

**A new species of Punctaltica from Guangdong, China (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)**

2025-12-09T11:42:20+13:00

Punctaltica Ruan, Damaška, Konstantinov & Yang, 2025 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae) is a distinctive genus named for the presence of numerous setiferous coarse punctures on sternum and frons of the head. It previously comprised only two species endemic to Guangdong Province, China. This study describes Punctaltica maculata Sun & Ruan, sp. nov., a new species characterized by large black spots on elytra, discovered from the Nanling National Nature Reserve in Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province. Images of external morphology and genitalia are provided. A key to all known species of Punctaltica is presented. Comparative diagnosis of the new species is discussed.

**The advertisement call of Phasmahyla exilis (Anura: Hylidae)**

2025-12-09T11:43:16+13:00