Zootaxa

The Coleoptera of Panama. I. A first benchmark for the superfamily Dryopoidea

BRIAN J. ARMITAGE — 2026-05-04

The dryopoid beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera), which include aquatic, semiaquatic, and terrestrial species, are among a number of invertebrate taxa which have received scant recent attention in Panama. This paper brings together information from the published literature and current research to produce a first benchmark of knowledge about this coleopteran superfamily in Panama. To date, we have recorded 127 species in 54 genera distributed among 10 coleopteran families, including 50 species originally described from Panama. Of the total species and genera presented in this paper, 20 species and 6 genera are new country records for Panama. Our goals for this superfamily include expanded surficial and elevational collecting, training and development of young Panamanians in dryopoid systematics and ecology, and support for the scientific community via information dissemination. Further identifications and new descriptions are proceeding toward subsequent publications.

**A new species of Gehyra (Gekkonidae) from the Solomon Islands formerly confounded with the regionally sympatric Gehyra oceanica Lesson, 1830**

PAUL M. OLIVER — 2026-05-04

The Solomon Islands Archipelago comprises a complex array of islands that have never been connected by land with any other region, nonetheless they have a diverse and endemic biota. Here we describe a new species of gecko in the genus Gehyra that appears to be endemic to eastern portions of the paleo-island of Greater Bukida – the contemporary islands of Choiseul, Santa Isabel and Nggela Sule. Gehyra mccoyi sp. nov. was formerly confused with Gehyra oceanica, a species complex that occurs widely across the tropical Pacific including the Solomon Islands but can be distinguished by several aspects of scalation and by having a more depressed habitus. Gehyra mccoyi sp. nov. is the first species of Gehyra recognised that is endemic to the Solomon Islands, partially filling a gap between island systems to the east (Vanautu and Fiji) and west (Admiralty Islands) that are known to support endemic species in this genus.

Updated checklist of the Canary Islands wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) with insights into their biogeographic patterns and citizen science

DAVID LUGO — 2026-05-04

The wild bee fauna (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) of the Canary Islands has received considerable attention from researchers and naturalists over the years. However, since the last comprehensive report published in the 1990´s, critical knowledge gaps regarding taxonomy, distribution and origins remain. Here, we present an updated checklist of the bee species of the Canary Islands, incorporating recent taxonomic revisions, newly described species, and relevant distribution data by combining information from both literature and citizen science contributions. More than 8000 records from citizen science platforms, along with additional collections records, have been examined to update the spatial distribution coverage and address several biological knowledge gaps. Our results suggest a composition ruled by a high proportion of endemic and threatened species compared to adjacent continent areas. The present checklist encompasses 146 species and 46 subspecies for the archipelago, 60 of which are endemic species and 42 endemic subspecies. In total 63 new local records are provided and three species Lasioglossum medinai (Vachal, 1895), Seladonia gemmea (Dours, 1872) and Sphecodes rubripes Spinola, 1838 are reported for the first time. Our biogeographical approach reveals differences in faunistic composition among islands, identifying three clusters corresponding to species predominantly associated with eastern, central, and western islands. Overall, Canarian endemic and Palaearctic elements are consistently represented across the archipelago, with endemics notably dominant in the western islands and introduced global species more frequent in the central islands. In contrast, Saharo-Arabian and Mediterranean elements are more prominent in the eastern islands, likely reflecting their geographical proximity to North Africa.

**Revisiting Colobura (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae): Using integrative taxonomy to identify a new species, C. cryptica sp. nov., and revise geographic boundaries**

ANISHA SAPKOTA — 2026-05-04

The Neotropical butterfly genus Colobura Billberg, 1820 (Nymphalidae) includes widespread, common and conspicuous species whose taxonomy one might expect to be well understood. Using integrative taxonomy—combining morphology (genitalia, larval traits, adult wing patterns, and UV reflectance), genome sequencing (mitochondrial barcodes, complete mitogenomes, and nuclear genomes), and life history data—we describe Colobura cryptica Sapkota, Orellana & Willmott sp. nov., a new species previously conflated with Colobura annulata. Key diagnostic morphological traits include: (1) a shorter third submarginal line on the ventral forewing that does not reach the pale cream transverse band, and (2) velvet-black larvae that lack yellow rings between segments or yellow spots at anterior edge of segments. Phylogenomic analyses resolved four distinct clades, with C. cryptica forming a genetically divergent lineage that is broadly sympatric with its sister species C. annulata. We further demonstrate a biogeographical split in C. dirce populations across the Andes and redefine the ranges of C. dirce wolcotti and C. dirce dirce. Genome sequencing showed that C. d. wolcotti, previously thought to be restricted to the Caribbean Islands, is also present in Central America and coastal Ecuador/northern Colombia west of the Andes, whereas C. d. dirce occurs only east of the Andes. This division corresponds with differences in ventral UV reflectance, which is strongly expressed in C. d. wolcotti but reduced in C. d. dirce. We conducted a preliminary investigation of UV-reflectance on the ventral wings and found evidence for differences across the four taxa, and we discuss the possibility of UV-mediated reproductive isolation that might have contributed to speciation in Colobura.

**Description of a new species of the genus Protacallodes Morimoto (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae) from Japan, with notes on other Japanese species and a key to all known species**

NAOMICHI TSUJI — 2026-05-04

A new species of the genus Protacallodes Morimoto, 2011 (Molytinae), Protacallodes gracilirostris Tsuji & Yoshitake sp. nov., is described from Japan (Honshu, Kyushu, and the Nansei Islands), based on morphological characteristics including male and female terminalia. Renewed diagnoses for two Japanese species (Protacallodes masumotoi Morimoto, 2011 and Protacallodes ryukyuensis Morimoto, 2011) and a key to all species of the genus are also provided. Additionally, Protacallodes ryukyuensis is newly recorded from Kyushu (Fukuoka, Oita, and Kagoshima prefectures) and the Nansei Islands (Tokunoshima Island and Okinawajima Island), Japan.

An updated checklist of Clupeiformes (Teleostei) from Indian waters, with distribution and conservation status

HONEY UNNIKRISHNA PILLAI — 2026-05-04

The present study provides an updated checklist and distributional analysis of clupeiform fishes from Indian waters based on published literature, online databases, and fish landing records. Clupeiform fishes are predominantly pelagic, schooling, and filter-feeding forms widely distributed in marine, estuarine, and freshwater ecosystems, and constitute an important component of global pelagic fishery resources. In India, this group contributes substantially to marine fish landings and supports major coastal fisheries, with several species subjected to intensive exploitation due to their high commercial and nutritional value. The present compilation includes a total of 97 valid species of the order Clupeiformes belonging to 26 genera and seven families recorded from Indian waters, representing approximately 21.1% of the global species diversity and 31.3% of the known genera of the order, which currently comprises ten families worldwide. Among the recorded families, Engraulidae and Dorosomatidae are the most species-rich, whereas Chirocentridae and Spratelloididae contain fewest species. The Bay of Bengal exhibits the highest species richness, followed by the Arabian Sea, while the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands are comparatively less diverse. Assessment based on the IUCN Red List indicates that 56 species are listed as Least Concern, 32 as Data Deficient, eight as Not Evaluated, and one species falls under vulnerable category. This compiled checklist serves as a foundational reference for future investigations into the taxonomy, biodiversity, and conservation of Indian clupeiform fishes.

Phymonotus glyphopyrenos sp. nov. (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Nedubinae): a new California high elevation mountain endemic katydid with a built-in amplifier

JEFFREY A. COLE — 2026-05-04

Using morphology, bioacoustics, cytogenetics, and molecular phylogenetics, we tested whether a disjunct Phymonotus population from the highest peak in San Diego County, California, is distinct from the only known species, the San Jacinto Mountains endemic P. jacintotopos Lightfoot, Weissman, and Ueshima, 2011. The results prompt the description of P. glyphopyrenos sp. nov., a new extremophilic species with adult activity at high elevations during cold winter conditions. Morphologically, male genitalia and color pattern are generally diagnostic. Acoustically, P. glyphopyrenos have song energy spread out over a wider bandwidth than do P. jacintotopos (dominant frequency range 3.48±1.19 vs. 1.07±0.58 kHz; time entropy 0.88±0.11 vs. 0.70±0.09). The 2n♂=22 (20t+Xt+Yt) karyotype is distinct from 2n♂=24 (22t+Xt+Yt) described from P. jacintotopos. Bayesian consensus trees of the ITS2 barcode gene, both alone and concatenated with six other genes, clustered the two species into separate monophyletic lineages. We resurrect the subfamily Nedubinae for the monophyletic basal katydid lineage that includes Aglaothorax, Neduba, and Phymonotus. We contrast the habitats of both Phymonotus species, update the distribution of Phymonotus using community science observations, and hypothesize about the evolution of the peculiar dome-shaped male pronotum.

**Taxonomic reevaluation of Hoplunnis pacifica Lane & Stewart, 1968 and Hoplunnis sicarius Garman, 1889 (Anguilliformes: Nettastomatidae) through morphological and molecular analysis**

BEDER RAMÍREZ SEGURA — 2026-05-04

Since their original descriptions, the eels Hoplunnis sicarius and Hoplunnis pacifica have been reported in the eastern Pacific only at larval and adult stages, respectively. This discrepancy has led to ongoing debate regarding their potential synonymy. To reassess the taxonomic classification of these two species, we conducted morphological and genetic analyses of six adult Hoplunnis specimens collected from the tropical waters off northern Peru. Morphological analyses aligned with the taxonomic descriptions of H. pacifica, while mitochondrial COI gene sequences showed less than 0.32% genetic divergence from sequences attributed to H. sicarius. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses grouped all specimens within a clade containing H. sicarius, distinct from other species in the genus Hoplunnis and family Nettastomatidae. These findings support the hypothesis that the two names refer to ontogenetic stages of the same species. Therefore, we propose that H. pacifica should be considered a junior synonym of H. sicarius.

**A new species and three new synonyms of Helochares Mulsant, 1844 from China (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Acidocerinae)**

ZU-QI MAI — 2026-05-04

A new species of the water scavenger beetle genus Helochares Mulsant, 1844, Helochares baopingi sp. nov. is described from Yunnan Province of China. Three new synonyms are proposed: Helochares tengchongensis Dong & Bian, 2021 and H. guoi Yang & Jia, 2021 are synonymized with H. densus Sharp, 1890. H. wuzhifengensis Dong & Bian, 2021 is synonymized with H. sauteri d’Orchymont, 1943.

**Description of the pupal case of Anthrax midas Fabricius (Diptera: Bombyliidae: Anthracinae: Anthraciini), with the first host record for the species**

CARLOS JOSÉ EINICKER LAMAS — 2026-05-04

The pupal case of Anthrax midas Fabricius, 1805 is described and illustrated for the first time. The examined material was reared from nests of Montezumia cortesia de Saussure, 1852 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae: Odynerini), collected on a rural property in the municipality of Iranduba, within the Manaus Metropolitan Region, in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. This study also provides the first host record for A. midas.

**The Asian genus Praepodothrips newly recorded in Australia with one new species and comments on the Haplothripini (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae)**

LAURENCE A. MOUND — 2026-05-04

Variation in the presence of metathoracic sternopleural sutures in genera of Haplothripini is considered. Praepodothrips dianellae sp. nov. from leaves of Dianella caerulea [Asphodeliaceae] in Southeastern Australia is described as the ninth species of genus.

**On the lectotype designation of Hylarana subcoerulea Cope, 1868 (Anura: Ranidae)**

TAN VAN NGUYEN — 2026-05-04