Zootaxa

**Description of two new Kanchuria Julka, 1988 (Clitellata: Megascolecidae) species of earthworms from Tripura State, North-eastern India**

S. PRASANTH NARAYANAN — 2025-06-13

Eastern Himalaya-Northeastern Hills are the second most earthworm species-rich region in India. Kanchuria Julka, 1988, is a small genus endemic to the north-eastern region of India, with eight known species. Two new species of the genus, namely Kanchuria tripuraensis Narayanan, Paliwal & Julka, sp. nov., and K. priyasankari Narayanan, Paliwal & Julka, sp. nov., are described from materials collected from the Tripura State in North-eastern India. K. tripuraensis sp. nov. is a unique species of the genus, distinguishable from all other known species by having single ventromedian spermathecae in segments 7 and 8. K. priyasankari sp. nov. belongs to the turaensis-species group characterized by three pairs of spermathecal pores. This group has a total of 5 species, including the new species described herein. Among the congeners of the group, K. priyasankari sp. nov. shows close similarity with K. turaensis Julka, 1988. K. priyasankari sp. nov. can be easily differentiated from the K. turaensis by the small body dimensions and characteristics of the spermathecae. The present work provides detailed descriptions of the new species along with photographs and illustrations of the key characters. A key to species of the genus Kanchuria is also provided. With the discovery of two new taxa, the total number of Kanchuria species has gone up to 10, and megadrile worm diversity reported from the Tripura State has increased to 38.

**A new species of Riopa Gray, 1839 (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) from the Eastern Ghats, India**

BHARATH BHUPATHI — 2025-06-13

We describe a new species of Riopa from the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states, India. The new species is diagnosed by the following suite of characters: lower eyelid with a semi-transparent disk, 108–109 paravertebral scale rows, 8 or 9 lamellae on the 4^th toe, dorsum with 16 distinct longitudinal lines, five fingers and five toes, preanal scales not enlarged, and ear opening covered by scales. Our mitochondrial molecular data supports the placement of the species in the genus Riopa and the new species is 4.1–9.2 % divergent from genetically sampled congeners. This study adds in understanding the cryptic diversity of lizard fauna in the Eastern Ghats in peninsular India. Based on our findings we provide a dichotomous key to the genus Riopa.

**Two new ant-attended species of the soft scale insect genus Coccus L. (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) from India, with a key to Indian Coccus species**

ANIRBAN DAS — 2025-06-13

Two new species of the soft scale genus Coccus Linnaeus (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) from West Bengal, India, are described and illustrated based on mature adult females: Coccus mondouriensis Das, Pramanik & Das, sp. nov. on Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae) and C. oecophyllae Das, Pramanik & Das, sp. nov. on Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) (Rutaceae). Coccus mondouriensis is morphologically very similar to C. ophiorrhizae (Green), while the species most similar to C. oecophyllae are C. ficola Choi & Lee and C. discrepans (Green). The weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was found tending an exposed colony of C. mondouriensis, whereas C. oecophyllae was only found inside the leaf nest of the ant on Citrus aurantifolia. An updated identification key to the Indian species of Coccus is provided.

A new species of genus Townesia Ozols (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) parasitizing Dioryctria rubella

TAO LI — 2025-06-13

A new species of the genus Townesia Ozols, T. dioryctirae Sheng, Li & Lü, sp. nov. parasitizing larvae of the pine shoot moth, Dioryctria rubella Hampson, 1901, boring in a shoot of Pinus koraiensis Siebold et Zuccarini in Kuandian Manzu Autonomous County, Liaoning, in the Palaearctic part of China, is described and illustrated. A key to the species of Townesia known from China is provided.

**The new genus Sayanozercon (Acari: Mesostigmata: Zerconidae) with description of five new species from South Siberia mountains (Russia)**

IRINA I. MARCHENKO — 2025-06-13

This paper describes a new genus and five new species of mites in the family Zerconidae collected from soil-litter in the South Siberia Mountains, Russia. Sayanozercon gen. nov. is described and illustrated to accommodate five new species S. mariannae sp. nov., S. adelaidae sp. nov., S. ergaki sp. nov., S. mikhaili sp. nov. and S. shoricus sp. nov. on the basis of morphological characters of adults and also nymphs for S. mariannae sp.n. The new genus is characterised by a unique set of characters such as an additional latero-ventral shield; variable location of podonotal and opisthonotal glands; variable internal malae structure; all idiosomal setae smooth and pointed; podonotal setae z1 and z2 lost; epistome with a medial row of small spines on a large middle process; sexual dimorphism of cheliceral denticulation, setae Zv1, st5 and glands gv2; unique morphology and sexual dimorphism of inguinal region.

**Designation of a Neotype for Lycodon subcinctus F. Boie, 1827 (Squamata: Serpentes: Colubridae)**

TAN VAN NGUYEN — 2025-06-13