Zootaxa

**Fourteen new species and notes on the genera Amauropelma Raven, Stumkat & Gray, 2001 and Bowie Jäger, 2022 (Arachnida: Araneae: Ctenidae) from Southeast Asia**

2026-06-29T13:31:55+12:00

Material of the spider family Ctenidae from Southeast Asia is investigated. Ten new species of the genus Amauropelma Raven, Stumkat & Gray, 2001 are described: A. grasshoffi sp. nov. (first record from the Philippines; male), A. kihit sp. nov. (Laos; female), A. kochang sp. nov. (Thailand; female), A. lombok sp. nov. (Indonesia; male, female), A. maimoun sp. nov. (Laos; female), A. phamom sp. nov. (Laos; female), A. penang sp. nov. (Malaysia; male), A. prangphe sp. nov. (Thailand; male, female), A. saiyok sp. nov. (Thailand; female) and A. thammim sp. nov. (Laos; male, female); the male of A. khanense Jäger & Nophaseud, 2024 is described for the first time. New records are listed for A. jagelkii Jäger, 2012 (Laos) and A. mariae Omelko & Fomichev, 2024a (Indonesia). Four new species of the genus Bowie Jäger, 2022 are described: B. kosulici sp. nov. (Thailand; male, female), B. soundandvision sp. nov. (Thailand; male, female) and B. weepingwall sp. nov. (Thailand; female) from the bemywife-group, and B. lehtineni sp. nov. (Sabah; female) from the chinagirl-group. Intraspecific variation is shown for the male of B. subterraneans Jäger, 2022, the female is described for the first time using topotypic material. The alleged record of B. neukoeln Jäger, 2022 from Sabah by Omelko and Fomichev (2024b) is considered a misidentification.

Integrative Species Delimitation of Carrier Snails (Caenogastropoda: Stromboidea: Xenophoridae) with a New Genus and Five New Species

2026-06-29T13:33:12+12:00

Cryptic speciation is widely documented in marine gastropods, particularly in groups lacking distinct morphological characters. Carrier snails of the family Xenophoridae have long been celebrated by naturalists for their behavior of collecting and affixing foreign objects to their shells. We present the first molecular species delimitation of carrier snails (family: Xenophoridae), using cox1 sequences from 562 specimens encompassing 81% of valid species and all genera in this family. Integrating alpha-taxonomic data, we formalize five new species in descriptions—Xenophora simulans sp. nov., Xenophora brevis sp. nov., Onustus procellosus sp. nov., Collector altissimus gen. nov. et sp. nov., Collector alienus gen. nov. et sp. nov.—and recommend further investigations into other promising clades with potentially undiscovered species, pending corroboration from nuclear loci. This case study highlights the potential of species discovery using single-locus delimitation methods. We established a baseline framework for morphological species delimitation in Xenophoridae, showing that specimens distinguished only by subtle morphological characters often interpreted as intraspecific variation can exhibit species-level genetic divergence.

**Redescription of Mystus oculatus (Valenciennes, 1840), a senior synonym of Mystus armatus (Day, 1865) (Teleostei: Bagridae)**

2026-06-29T13:35:40+12:00

Mystus oculatus (Valenciennes, 1840) is redescribed based on putative topotypes. It differs from congeners known from the Indian subcontinent in possessing the following combination of characters: live colouration consisting of prominent black blotch at the base of dorsal-fin spine, pale longitudinal stripes above and below lateral line, diffuse humeral blotch and a sub-triangular midpeduncular blotch; cranial fontanel almost reaching base of supraoccipital process; short adipose-fin base not reaching base of last dorsal-fin ray anteriorly; adipose-fin base 15.2–16.8 % SL; caudal peduncle depth 8.5–10.4 % SL; eye diameter 22.2–32.1 % HL and dorsal to adipose distance 17.3–23.4 % SL. The taxonomic status of Mystus armatus, here considered a junior synonym of Mystus oculatus, is clarified. Five species groups are proposed and defined for South Asian Mystus.

**Unearthing hidden predators with micro-CT: A new Zasphinctus (Formicidae, Dorylinae) ant from Papua New Guinea**

2026-06-29T13:36:54+12:00

Zasphinctus Wheeler, 1918 is a rarely collected genus of predatory ants within the subfamily Dorylinae. This genus is distributed across the Old World, with its highest diversity in the Australasian region. A new species is described from Papua New Guinea, bringing the total number of known species in the genus to 30. Diagnostic characters distinguishing Zasphinctus papua sp. nov. from other Australasian species, along with a key for the species present in the island of New Guinea are provided. The new species description is enhanced through an in-depth morphological illustration of the holotype, derived from virtual examination of its 3D model created using x-ray microtomography (micro-CT). In addition, a cybertype dataset is provided based on micro-CT.

**Three new species of Onomastus Simon, 1900 (Araneae: Salticidae) from India and Sri Lanka: highlighting the value of collaborative cross-border taxonomic research**

2026-06-29T13:38:18+12:00

The genus Onomastus represents an ancient, basal lineage of jumping spiders confined to the Oriental region. In this study, three new species, O. brahmagiri Jose & Benjamin, sp. nov. (male, female) and O. silentvalley Jose & Benjamin, sp. nov. (male, female) from India, and O. wijesinghei Benjamin & Jose, sp. nov. (male, female) from Sri Lanka are described. O. patellaris Simon, 1900 is redescribed based on new material. Detailed morphological descriptions, diagnostic illustrations and scanning electron micrographs are provided. Newly described species, along with recently reported species are incorporated into a revised cladistic framework based on 36 morphological characters across 25 taxa. The analysis supports the monophyly of the genus and separates it into South East Asian and South Asian clades. Within the South Asian clade, the Indian species forms a separate monophyletic group and in the South East Asian clade, O. chenae, O. subchenae, O. zhuwu, O. kanoi, and O. complexipalpis form a cluster. This further substantiates the phylogeographic structuring and micro-endemism within South Asian Onomastus. The study highlights the restricted distribution of the genus within the sky islands of the Western Ghats, rendering them particularly vulnerable to rising global temperatures and habitat loss.

**Revision of Chillcottomyia Saigusa from northern Vietnam (Diptera: Empidoidea: Hybotidae)**

2026-06-29T13:39:47+12:00

The species of Chillcottomyia Saigusa, 1986 from northern Vietnam are revised, with the description of seven new species: C. bifurcata Sinclair sp. nov., C. comata Sinclair sp. nov., C. curvata Sinclair sp. nov., C. digitata Sinclair sp. nov., C. pilosa Sinclair sp. nov., C. spinosa Sinclair sp. nov. and C. subpilosa Sinclair sp. nov. This study represents the first records of Chillcottomyia from Vietnam. All species are illustrated and an identification key to species is provided.

**Characteristics of Helicotylenchus crassatus Anderson, 1973 from Central Europe in the context of similarities to H. digonicus Perry in Perry, Darling & Thorne, 1959 (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae)**

2026-06-29T13:41:03+12:00

Originally, Helicotylenchus crassatus was described by Anderson in 1973 as most similar to Helicotylenchus digonicus. Reports generated over the years question the validity of the two species, as their morphometry and most of the morphological features overlap. Additionally, the molecular data revealed the representatives of H. crassatus cluster with one of the two main lineages of the polyphyletic H. digonicus. So far, H. crassatus has neither been reported from Poland nor from other parts of Europe, while H. digonicus has been recognized as a commonly occurring species in Poland and associated with many plants. The studies of three Helicotylenchus populations from Poland, initially identified as H. cf. digonicus revealed their high molecular and morphological resemblance to the recently characterized populations of H. crassatus from Canada. Therefore, this work extends the characteristics of H. crassatus, expands its occurrence to the European continent and discusses it in the context of the similarities with H. digonicus, with which it is often confused.

**A new species of the genus Dysommina (Teleostei: Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae) from the eastern South Atlantic Ocean off Angola**

2026-06-29T13:43:09+12:00

Dysommina castanea sp. nov., a species of ilyophine eel from the eastern South Atlantic Ocean off Angola is described and illustrated. The species is distinguished from the other four species in the genus, D. rugosa, D. orientalis, D. brevis and D. pygmaea, by a combination of morphometric and meristic characters, dentition and coloration.

**Description of the larva of the Banded Jewel, Africocypha centripunctata (Gambles, 1975) (Odonata, Chlorocyphidae) from Obudu Plateau, Nigeria with some ecological notes**

2026-06-29T13:44:18+12:00

The larva of the Banded Jewel, Africocypha centripunctata (Gambles, 1975) is described from its type locality, the Obudu montane region of Nigeria. Specimens of this Nigerian-Cameroonian highland range-restricted species are compared with specimens of the more widespread Chlorocypha spp. from western Nigeria. The broad and blunt-tipped cerci of A. centripunctata is adjudged to be a reliable larval diagnostic character of the species from Chlorocypha spp., in addition to a greater body size (F-0 ≥ 16 mm). The montane habitat requirements of larvae of A. centripunctata include lotic systems with good riparian cover, coarse particulate organic matter, high dissolved oxygen saturation and low water temperature. Given the conservation importance of this endangered species, knowledge of its larval identity and ecology could aid more-informed conservation interventions. As odonate larval collections are a major part of the results of hydrobiological assessments for conservation decision makers, an in-depth study of their species-level descriptions is recommended in West Africa.

**New synonyms in the genus Leptopyrgota Hendel (Diptera, Pyrgotidae)**

2026-06-29T13:45:34+12:00

Leptopyrgota Hendel, 1914 is the most species-rich genus of Pyrgotidae in the Americas. Currently, the genus comprises 31 valid species names with a Neotropical distribution, ranging from Mexico to Uruguay. Based on the study of holotypes, eight new synonyms are proposed: L. flavipes Bernardi, 1991 new synonym = L. gracilenta Bernardi, 1991; L. minensis Bernardi, 1991 new synonym = L. marci Bernardi, 1991; L. accolens Bernardi, 1991 new synonym, L. andrei Bernardi, 1991 new synonym, L. apposita Bernardi, 1991 new synonym, L. celeriuscula Bernardi, 1991 new synonym, L. cocta Bernardi, 1991 new synonym, L. quaerens Bernardi, 1991 new synonym = L. sahlbergiana Frey, 1918. Photographs of the holotypes and distribution maps for the species are presented for the first time.

**Nomenclature of vermetid anchoring bioerosion structures: making the names Santichnus and Santichnus mayorali available (Ichnofamily Renichnidae, trace fossils, bioerosion structures)**

2026-06-29T13:46:43+12:00

Erratum: DAVID LUGO, DANIEL SUÁREZ, GUSTAVO PEÑA, FRANCISCO LA ROCHE, PILAR DE LA RÚA & CARLOS RUIZ (2026) Updated checklist of the Canary Islands wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) with insights into their biogeographic patterns and citizen science. Zootaxa, 5802 (2): 261–302.

2026-06-29T13:48:17+12:00