Zootaxa

Updated checklist, morphological descriptions, hosts and vector potential of ticks (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae) in Pakistan

ABID ALI — 2025-12-02

Ticks are serious threats to humans, companion and domestic animals, and wildlife throughout the world. Situated in a subtropical region, Pakistan has favorable climatic conditions for various tick species. In Pakistan, ticks cause large but unknown economic losses to both the livestock sector and dairy industry in the form of animal mortality and reduction in dairy products. There is a scarcity of critical knowledge concerning the morphological descriptions, hosts, and vector potential of ticks in Pakistan. To fill this knowledge gap, our study provides current information on the hosts and vector potential of Pakistani ticks, together with a list of tick species occurring in the country. This checklist comprises 49 tick species, 11 belonging to the family Argasidae, and 38 belonging to the family Ixodidae. Of these, 5 argasids and 23 ixodids are redescribed and illustrated here, based on recent collections. Two species—Argas hermanni and Dermacentor montanus—are reported and redescribed for the first time in Pakistan. The spatial distribution, hosts and tick-borne pathogens known for each species are briefly discussed.

**Three New Species of the Genus Scutiger (Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from the Gaoligong Mountain Range in China, with An Updated Key to the Chinese Congeners**

KAI WANG — 2025-12-02

Lazy Toads of the genus Scutiger are a diverse group of alpine specialists in Asia. Despite continuous research on the taxonomy of the genus, the diversity is still underestimated. Integrating both molecular and morphometric analyses, we describe three new species of the genus Scutiger from the Gaoligong Mountain Range in Yunnan Province, China. Morphologically, these three species resemble S. gongshanensis, S. mammatus, and S. boulengeri, respetively, but they can be diagnosed from these recognized species and all other congeners by a suit of morphological characters, including the toe webbing status, numbers of pectoral glands and axillary glands with nuptial spines in breeding males, and the number of fingers covered with nuptial spines in breeding males. Additionally, they show considerable genetic divergences with respect to their morphologically similar species. We discussed the still underestimated diversity in Southwest China, the existing taxonomic problems of the genus, particularly regarding the validity and the whereabouts of type specimens of S. bangdaensis, S. biluoensis, and S. meiliensis, and we provide an updated key to all recognized species of China.

**A new endemic species of Psalidodon Eigenmann (Characiformes: Acestrorhamphidae) from the upper rio Doce basin, Brazil**

VICTOR DE QUEIROZ — 2025-12-02

A new species of Psalidodon Eigenmann is described from an ichthyofaunistic poorly known portion of the upper rio Doce basin, in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The new species is diagnosed and described using an integrative taxonomy approach. Psalidodon canaaensis new species is distinguished from its congeners by an unique combination of character states, which includes: presence of an adipose fin; a complete lateral line with 35–36 perforated scales; six horizontal scale rows between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line, five scales row between lateral line and pelvic-fin origin; 13–14 scales rows around caudal peduncle; presence of a vertically elongated humeral blotch; 18–24 branched anal-fin rays; one or two maxillary teeth bearing 3–5 cusps; males with elongated bony hooks on anal and pelvic fins, one per lepidotrichia segment; and a distinctive coloration pattern of the anal- and caudal- fins, with the anterior portion of the anal-fin olive green, and the caudal-fin greenish from the base to mid-length, followed by light red chromatophores on the distal portion of the fin-rays. A haplotype network, and Maximum Likelihood analysis based on fragments of the Cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene for the new species and some of its congeners highly support it as constituting a separate lineage within Psalidodon. Psalidodon canaaensis has a restricted distribution, inhabiting a high-gradient stream with rapid water flow, subject to anthropogenic pressures. Presently, it is the only species of the genus endemic to the rio Doce basin, emphasizing the importance of surveys in understudied areas.

**Hidden diversity in Mexico: Akorhexoza tariacurii sp. nov. (Diptera: Scatopsidae) and new records of minute black scavenger flies**

HERON HUERTA — 2025-12-02

We describe and illustrate a new species of the genus Akorhexoza Cook, Akorhexoza tariacurii sp. nov., closely related to two previously known species from Mexico: A. cactivora Cook and A. dampfi (Duda). A key to the species is provided, along with the first records of Coboldia fuscipes (Meigen) and Holoplagia guamensis (Johannsen) in Mexico, and new distribution records for Akorhexoza cactivora Cook, Akorhexoza dampfi (Duda), Aztecatopse diabolica (Duda) and Swammerdamella marginata Cook. Additionally, a comprehensive list of all known species of the family Scatopsidae in Mexico and their state-level distributions is included.

**Molecular evidence supports the recognition of two distinct species within Anthidium minimum Pasteels, 1969, from the Afro-Arabian zoogeographic region (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)**

MAX KASPAREK — 2025-12-02

The Afro-Arabian zoogeographic region, dominated by extensive drylands, harbours a comparatively poor fauna of wild bees, but with many taxa still undescribed or of uncertain taxonomic status. Anthidium minimum Pasteels, 1969, the priority name for the species most frequently referred to in the literature as Anthidium amabile Alfken, 1932 nec Cockerell, 1904, has been reported as widely distributed in the region. Mitochondrial DNA barcoding (COI gene) revealed that specimens assigned to A. minimum actually represent two clearly distinct species: Anthidium minimum, occurring from Oman through Egypt to Algeria, and Anthidium amandum Kasparek sp. nov., occurring from Oman through Yemen and Saudi Arabia to Sudan. The ranges of the two species overlap at the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. While certain colour traits reliably separate them, the presence of colour morphs in both species creates a complex pattern that likely explains why their distinctiveness has so far remained unrecognised.

**A new species of Tinamus (Aves: Tinamiformes) from the western Amazon, Brazil**

LUIS A. MORAIS — 2025-12-02

We describe Tinamus resonans sp. nov., a new species of tinamou from the montane forests of the Serra do Divisor, western Amazonia, Brazil. The species is distinguished by a unique combination of plumage pattern, vocal repertoire, and ecological characteristics, including a conspicuous dark slate facial mask, vivid rufous-cinnamon underparts, and a uniform brownish-gray back. Its vocalizations are remarkable, consisting of long and powerful songs that echo strikingly across the steep montane slopes, producing a characteristic resonant effect. The species was documented exclusively at higher elevations within a transitional zone between submontane and stunted forests, where the understory is densely structured by root mats. A preliminary population estimate, based on field detections and spatial extrapolation, suggests approximately 2,106 individuals restricted to the Serra do Divisor massif. Although no immediate anthropogenic pressures were observed within its range, the species may be highly vulnerable to climate change and to proposed infrastructure projects that threaten the integrity of this federally protected region. The discovery of T. resonans highlights the biological uniqueness of the Serra do Divisor, reinforces its status as a center of montane endemism, and underscores the critical importance of maintaining its long-term conservation.

**Description of a new species of Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 (Staphylinidae: Paederinae) from Vietnam based on integrative taxonomy**

ALEXANDRA TOKAREVA — 2025-12-02

The second species of the genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 (Staphylinidae: Paederinae) from Vietnam, Lathrobium sapaensis Tokareva & Bekchiev sp. nov., is described. The COI fragments for five Lathrobium species from China and Vietnam are published for the first time. The distances between COI sequences of the new species, seven known Lathrobium species, and one species from a close genus are estimated. The new species is clearly distinct from all congeners examined, both morphologically and genetically. The COI sequence of L. sapaensis Tokareva & Bekchiev sp. nov. differs by 16–22% from those of related species, indicating a high level of genetic divergence. This finding extends the known distribution of Lathrobium in Southeast Asia and provides a valuable molecular reference for future studies of the genus.