Zootaxa

The Palaearctic types of Chrysididae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) deposited in the Linsenmaier collection. Part 6. Parnopini: genus Parnopes Latreille; Chrysidini: genus Euchroeus Latreille and Stilbum Spinola

2026-01-21T10:05:51+13:00

An illustrated catalogue of the Palaearctic types of Parnopes Latreille, 1797, Euchroeus Latreille, 1809 and Stilbum Spinola, 1806 described by Walter Linsenmaier is presented. In total, Linsenmaier described one species and one subspecies of Parnopes, 24 species and 13 subspecies of Euchroeus and eight subspecies of Stilbum. Of these, two Parnopes taxa, 20 Euchroeus and four Stilbum are from the Palaearctic region. Primary types of these taxa are deposited in the collection of the Natur-Museum in Luzern, Switzerland, with the sole exceptions of the holotype of Euchroeus (Euchroeus) eous ssp. arabicus Linsenmaier, 1994a and of Parnopes indicus Linsenmaier, 1968 which are deposited in the collection of the Natural History Museum in London (UK). This catalogue includes the list of the described species, photographs of 24 primary types and a synthesis of the recent changes in the taxonomy of Euchroeus.

**New taxa, natural history and morphology of Paragara Goding and comparisons with Eunusa Fonseca (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Membracini)**

2026-01-21T10:07:05+13:00

We describe a new species of the Neotropical treehopper genus Paragara Goding based on recently collected material and field observations from the Colombian Amazon. In addition to the new species, we present biological observations for both Paragara chagrana Flórez-V sp. nov. and Paragara nigra Funkhouser, including their mutualistic associations with ants and aspects of maternal behavior. We also provide the first description of a nymph for the genus and discuss several diagnostic morphological characters of its constituent species. Due to the external similarity between Paragara and Eunusa Fonseca, we include a comparative analysis that highlights key morphological and ecological differences between the two genera.

The genus Chalcoderus Erichson, 1847: synonymy of Parascatonomus (Morettoeus) Ochi & Kon, 2023, and transfer of group 15 (d’Orbigny 1913, 1915) Afrotropical Onthophagus Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae)

2026-01-21T10:07:56+13:00

The validity of generic or subgeneric names is discussed for a group of 10 related species variously assigned to Onthophagus Latreille, 1802; Chalcoderus Erichson, 1847; Parascatonomus Paulian, 1932; or Morettoeus Ochi & Kon, 2023. Here, we stabilise the muddled taxonomy of this group by transferring all 10 members, or, former members of dʼOrbignyʼs Onthophagus group 15 to Chalcoderus Erichson, 1847. In addition, Parascatonomus (Morettoeus) Ochi & Kon, 2023, is made a junior objective synonym of Chalcoderus Erichson, 1847, new synonymy according to Articles 61.3.3. and 67.11. of the Code. The type species of Chalcoderus is clearly specified as Ateuchus maculatus Fabricius, 1801, original combination. Onthophagus chloroderus d’Orbigny, 1905, is recognised as a junior synonym of Ateuchus maculatus Fabricius, 1801, new synonymy. Onthophagus signatipennis de Castelnau, 1840, is removed from synonymy with Ateuchus maculatus Fabricius, 1801, its valid species status is restored and a neotype is designated. The 10 known Chalcoderus species comprise: C. foliiceps (Quedenfeldt, 1884) new combination, C. graphicus (Wallengren, 1881) new combination, C. imbellis (d’Orbigny, 1905) new combination, C. inermiceps (d’Orbigny, 1905) new combination, C. longiceps (d’Orbigny, 1904) new combination, C. maculatus (Fabricius, 1801) new combination, C. planaticeps (d’Orbigny, 1913) new combination, C. semicroceus (d’Orbigny, 1915) new combination, C. signatipennis (de Castelnau, 1840) status restored and C. simpliciceps (d’Orbigny, 1905) new combination. Lectotypes are designated for Ateuchus maculatus Fabricius, 1801, Onthophagus longiceps d’Orbigny, 1904, and Onthophagus imbellis d’Orbigny, 1905. Photos of types are provided for all species. Observations of some Chalcoderus species suggest specialized attraction to millipede carcasses. The current known distribution of Chalcoderus is entirely Afrotropical unlike the Oriental and East Palaearctic distribution of Parascatonomus and two closely related Onthophagus species. Differential characters are given for these two species, Chalcoderus and all subgenera of Parascatonomus.

**Description of a New Species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Nepal**

2026-01-21T10:08:44+13:00

Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827, represents the most diverse reptile genus in the Himalayan region. Despite ongoing research, Cyrtodactylus diversity remains incompletely documented in Nepal. We describe a new species from Sunsari District in eastern Nepal using integrated morphological and genetic evidence. Belonging to the C. khasiensis group, Cyrtodactylus khambui sp. nov. is distinguished from regional congeners by: (1) smaller body size (SVL < 60 mm), (2) proportional head dimensions, (3) interorbital-head width proportion (IO/HW%), (4) dorsal patterning of 7–9 irregular transverse crossbars, (5) absence of a mid-dorsal line, (6) presence of eight small precloacal pores, and (7) >12% mitochondrial ND2 sequence divergence from its closest relative (C. martinstolli). Phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference) and species delimitation unanimously support its distinct evolutionary status. Cyrtodactylus khambui sp. nov. exhibits color variation among individuals, lacks femoral pores and grooves, and inhabits diverse ecosystems including anthropogenic structures (abandoned walls) and natural forests (Sal-dominated and mixed deciduous).

**Rediscovery and revalidation of Calamaria annamensis Bourret, 1937 (Squamata: Calamariidae), a rare reed snake restricted to the Truong Son Range of central Vietnam**

2026-01-21T10:09:50+13:00

The reed snakes of the genus Calamaria H. Boie in F. Boie are among the least-studied Southeast Asian snakes, with several taxa known only from their original description. Calamaria pavimentata annamensis Bourret, 1937, described from “Dong Tam Ve (province de Quang-tri), Annam”, now Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, based solely on a single specimen. This taxon was subsequently treated as a junior synonym of C. pavimentata Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, for example by Smith (1943) and Inger & Marx (1965), without any comprehensive reassessment to date. Here, we report the rediscovery of this taxon based on three newly collected specimens from the type locality and revalidate it as Calamaria annamensis stat. nov., based on integrative morphological and mitochondrial DNA analyses. We established detailed morphological comparisons to specimens of C. pavimentata alleged to originate from Java Island, Indonesia (type locality), and from Guangxi Province, China (as defined by Yeung et al. 2022), and other congeners from mainland Southeast Asia. Mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b) analysis supports the distinctiveness of Calamaria annamensis stat. nov., revealing an uncorrected p-distance of 19.4% from C. pavimentata and ranging from 16.7% (C. nebulosa Lee) to 21.5% (C. lumbricoidea Boie) when compared with other congeners. This revalidation increases the number of Calamaria species to 71, of which twelve are currently recorded from Vietnam. Our findings also underscore the urgent need for comprehensive taxonomic and molecular studies on the widely distributed Calamaria pavimentata and C. septentrionalis Boulenger species complexes in Vietnam to resolve their true diversity and distribution.

**Four species of the sakaiella group of Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) from China**

2026-01-21T10:11:08+13:00

Three new species of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 are described: P. bifolia Wang sp. nov., P. maoxianensis Wang sp. nov., and P. serpentina Wang sp. nov. The female of P. spiniflagellata Wang, 2019 is reported for the first time. Diagnostic characters to distinguish the new species from their allies are provided. Images of adults and illustrations of genitalia are included.

**First record of Culex (Melanoconion) adamesi (Diptera: Culicidae) from Guyana**

2026-01-21T10:11:57+13:00

Lissonota ardentis sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Banchinae: Atrophini), a new species of Darwin wasp from the Mediterranean basin

2026-01-21T10:12:59+13:00

New fish records from Iraq’s recently discovered coral reef

2026-01-21T10:13:44+13:00