Zootaxa https://www.mapress.com/zt <p><strong>Zootaxa</strong> is a mega-journal for zoological taxonomists in the world</p> en-US zed@mapress.com (Dr Zhi-Qiang Zhang) zed@mapress.com (Magnolia Press Journal Support Team) Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:55:29 +1300 OJS 3.3.0.6 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 <strong>A review of Indian Plotinini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) including description of a new species</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.1 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ladybird beetles of the tribe Plotinini (Coccinellidae: Coccinellinae) are exclusively distributed in Asia, with their highest diversity in the Oriental realm. Although the tribe is one of the smallest within Coccinellidae in terms of species richness, it is recognized as strongly monophyletic in recent phylogenetic classifications. In India, only six species in three genera were known so far. In this study, illustrated diagnostic accounts of the Indian species are provided, along with notes on distribution and host associations, when available. One new species, <em>Buprestodera reclusa</em> sp. nov., is described from the Western Ghats. The genus <em>Plotina</em> Lewis is newly recorded from India, with the addition of two species—<em>Plotina muelleri</em> Mader and <em>Plotina octomaculata</em> Wang &amp; Ren—from the northeastern region (Meghalaya). This study documents the presence of nine species and four genera of Plotinini from India. An updated checklist of Indian Plotinini is also provided.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> J. POORANI, JAROSLAV VĚTROVEC, KAROL SZAWARYN Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.1 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>A catalogue of Indian Stathmopodidae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea)</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.2 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This study presents a comprehensive catalogue of the family Stathmopodidae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) known from India. A total of 53 species belonging to 10 genera are documented, along with information on their type localities, type depositories, distribution, host plants, and references to illustrations, where available. The subfamily Stathmopodinae is the most diverse, comprising 5 genera and 43 species known from India. The genus <em>Stathmopoda</em> is the most speciose with 31 Indian species. Meghalaya state has the highest diversity with 6 genera and 19 species recorded. Host information is known for 19 Indian species, with most feeding on various plant species, and others feeding on soft bodied insects or dried products. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> KISHORE CHANDRA SAHOO Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.2 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>Ecomorphological variation in <em>Sceloporus vandenburgianus</em> (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) across the sky-islands Southern California and Northern Baja California</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.3 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The mountain ranges of Southern California and Northern Baja California are unique upland ecosystems composed of a series of isolated sky-islands. The habitat composition among these montane isolates varies from more woodland with a closed canopy to more rocky habitats with large granite boulders with an open canopy. <em>Sceloporus vandenburgianus</em> is a montane habitat generalist that ranges across all the sky-islands of Southern California and Northern Baja California and has different refugia preferences at varying localities. In this study, we developed a morphometric dataset to test the hypothesis that there are ecomorphological differences among the sky-island populations of <em>S. vandenburgianus</em> that correspond to refugia preferences across these sky-islands. Our data support the hypothesis of local adaptation to different habitat and demonstrate that there are statistically significant differences in head shape between populations that live in rocky habitats versus mountain tops with more forested woodland canopies.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> JEREN J. GREGORY, MATTHEW MURDOCH, ELIZABETH CHAU, L. LEE GRISMER, JESSE L. GRISMER Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.3 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>A new species of <em>Maera</em> Leach, 1814 and new records of <em>Ceradocus</em> Costa, 1853 and <em>Dulichiella</em> Stout, 1912 (Amphipoda: Hadzioidea) from Laje de Santos, São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.4 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A new species of the genus <em>Maera </em>Leach, 1814 is described from the southeastern Brazilian coast. The new species differs from its congeners by presenting (1) gnathopod 1 with serrated palm and dactylus nail present; (2) gnathopod 2, palm with two triangular processes near the dactylus articulation, the latter with 14 setae on the outer margin; (3) pereopod 5, dactylus nail with one subapical spine; (4) and pereopods 6–7, dactylus nail with two subapical spines. An identification key to world species of the genus <em>Maera</em> is also provided. We also present the first record of two other hadzioid species, <em>Ceradocus </em>(<em>Denticeradocus</em>) sp. and <em>Dulichiella anisochir</em> (Krøyer, 1845), for the Marine State Park of Laje de Santos.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> BEATRIZ QUEIROZ, ANDRÉ R. SENNA, ALEXANDRE R. DA SILVA Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.4 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>Conservation, systematics and ultrastructure of the poorly known amblypygid species <em>Charinus santanensis</em> (Charontidae, Amblypygi) from Caatinga caves in Brazil</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.5 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Charinus </em>is the most speciose genus of the Charontidae, with the highest number of species in Brazil (43 spp). Almost half of these species are known to inhabit caves, a fragile ecosystem that is little known and is highly threatened by human activities. Eleven of the Brazilian species of <em>Charinus</em> occur only inside caves (troglobionts) being, therefore, an important component of cave ecosystems acting as one of the major cave predators. Here, we discuss conservation priorities and concerns for caves in northeastern Brazil, describe for the first time the female of <em>Charinus santanensis </em>and characterize the species hydrophobic coating and its crystals, a likely important protection for hot and humid environments, presenting comparison with its congeners.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> WILLIAMS PAREDES MUNGUIA, RENATO AUGUSTO TEIXEIRA, RAFAEL SOARES COSTA, RODRIGO LOPES FERREIRA, GUSTAVO SILVA DE MIRANDA Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.5 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>Two genera newly recorded from Australia: <em>Mahasena</em> Moore and <em>Manatha</em> Moore (Lepidoptera: Psychidae: Oiketicinae), each with a new species</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.6 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The predominately Asian bagworm moth genera <em>Mahasena </em>Moore and <em>Manatha </em>Moore are reported from Australia for the first time. In this country each genus is represented by a new and endemic species; <em>Mahasena inornata </em>Beaver <strong>sp. nov.</strong>, and <em>Manatha prolixa</em> Beaver <strong>sp. nov.</strong>, both from far northern Queensland. The taxonomic determinations made herein are based upon morphological examination and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Examination of the primary type specimen of the type species of the genus <em>Claniades </em>Bethune-Baker <strong>syn. nov.</strong>, along with the sequencing of conspecifics from New Guinea, indicates that this genus is a junior subjective synonym of <em>Mahasena, </em>and its single species <em>C. ekeikei </em>Bethune-Baker is here treated as <em>Mahasena ekeikei </em><strong>comb. nov. </strong>accordingly<em>. </em>Various literature records of <em>M. corbetti </em>Tams from New Guinea and the Bismark Archipelago are considered misattributions of <em>M. ekeikei</em>. In addition, we treat <em>Psyche assamica </em>Watt as <em>nomen dubium, </em>and reinstate <em>Manatha scotopepla </em><strong>stat. reinst. </strong>as a valid species. </span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ETHAN P. BEAVER, ANDREAS ZWICK Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.6 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>We have two of them: A review of the genus <em>Mastigusa</em> (Araneae: Cybaeidae) in Bulgaria</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.7 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the present study, we review the status of the genus <em>Mastigusa</em> Menge, 1854 in Bulgaria. We identified two species from the country, namely <em>M. arietina</em> (Thorell, 1871) and <em>M. macrophthalma </em>(Kulczyński, 1897). This is the first record of <em>M. arietina</em> from Bulgaria. Furthermore, we report a male palpal polymorphism in <em>M. arietina</em> in the populations around the Black Sea. We also provide molecular support for our conclusions, combining newly generated DNA sequences with information available in GenBank.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> SIMEON INDZHOV, VIHRA HAYNADZHIEVA, VIKTOR STŘEŠTÍK, DRAGOMIR DIMITROV, DIMITAR DIMITROV Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.7 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>One new species of the genus <em>Cyrtopsis</em> (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from Yunnan, China</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.8 <p lang="en-GB" align="left"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This paper reports one new species of the genus <em>Cyrtopsis </em>Bey-Bienko, 1962 from China, morphological photographs of the new species and <em>Cyrtopsis robusta</em> Liu &amp; Zhang, 2007 collected from the type locality are provided.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> HAO XU, WENQING LV, FUMING SHI Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.8 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>On the generic affiliation of “<em>Echemella</em>” <em>occulta</em> (Benoit, 1965) (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.9 DANNIELLA SHERWOOD, RUDY JOCQUÉ Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.9 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>Erratum: SUSAN M. DIPPENAAR & MAKWENA M. SEBONE (2025) <em>Caligus</em> (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of <em>C. pillaii</em> sp. nov. <em>Zootaxa</em>, 5686 (2): 151–197.</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.10 SUSAN M. DIPPENAAR, MAKWENA M. SEBONE Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.10 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300 <strong>Erratum: VINICIUS GOMES SAMPAIO & LUIZ ALEXANDRE CAMPOS (2025) Review of <em>Placocoris</em> Mayr, 1864 (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Discocephalinae: Ochlerini). <em>Zootaxa</em>, 5701 (5): 531–546.</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.11 VINICIUS GOMES SAMPAIO, LUIZ ALEXANDRE CAMPOS Copyright (c) 2025 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5711.4.11 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300