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) Fri, 29 May 2026 11:00:38 +1200 OJS 3.3.0.6 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 <strong>A review of <em>Idiommata</em> Ausserer, 1871 (Mygalomorphae: Barychelidae), with the description of a related new genus and new species of giant Australian brush-footed spiders</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.1 <p>The barychelid genus <em>Idiommata </em>Ausserer, 1871 is reviewed: the type species<em> Idiommata blackwalli </em>O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1870 is diagnosed and variability of characters in males discussed. <em>Idiommata</em> is rediagnosed to include only<em> I. blackwalli </em>and<em> I. scintillans</em> (Rainbow &amp; Pulleine, 1918), which lack intercheliceral peg setae. The female paralectotype of <em>Idiommata scintillans </em>is placed in <em>Synothele </em>Simon, 1908 and described as a new species,<em> Synothele xintillans </em><strong>sp. nov.</strong>, from South Australia. A new genus,<em> Zidiommata </em><strong>gen. nov.</strong>, is described for <em>I. fusca </em>L. Koch, 1874 (for which males are described), <em>I. iridescens</em> (Rainbow &amp; Pulleine, 1918) and two new species,<em> Z. simonmaraisi </em><strong>sp. nov. </strong>and<em> Z. steveirwini </em><strong>sp. nov.</strong>, all of which have intercheliceral pegs and are found in eastern Australia.</p> ROBERT J. RAVEN Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.1 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong>Genus <em>Archithosia</em> Birket-Smith, 1965: identification of two species groups in Sub-Saharan Africa by means of morphological analysis, with descriptions of four new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini)</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.2 <p>The genus <em>Archithosia</em> Birket-Smith, 1965 is herein revised, and two species groups are identified, along with the description of 4 species as new to science (<em>Archithosia ghanensis</em> Durante &amp; Potenza <strong>sp. nov.</strong>; <em>Archithosia gabonensis</em> Durante &amp; Potenza <strong>sp. nov.</strong>; <em>Archithosia tchibozo</em> Durante &amp; Pellegrino <strong>sp. nov.</strong>; <em>Archithosia ugandensis</em> Durante &amp; Pellegrino <strong>sp. nov.</strong>), while a fifth, close to <em>Archithosia costimacula</em> (Mabille, 1878), remains unnamed due to the scarcity of material. <em>Archithosia decipiens</em> (Holland, 1893) is reinstated as a bona species, and the lectotype is designated. The genus <em>Asbolopsyche</em> Krüger, 2015 is argued to not belong to the <em>Archithosia</em> group of genera.</p> ANTONIO DURANTE, LUIGI POTENZA, GABRIELE PELLEGRINO Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.2 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong>Discovery of two new species of Diplura from India: <em>Lepidocampa devprayagensis</em> sp. nov. (Campodeidae) and <em>Parajapyx sendrai</em> sp. nov. (Parajapygidae)</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.3 <p>The recent discovery of two new species of Indian <em>Lepidocampa</em> continues the systematic survey of Diplura across various habitats of India. Two surveys were undertaken in two different states of India, viz., West Bengal and Uttarakhand (Garhwal Himalaya; Western Himalaya). Two different families of Diplura were encountered with two new species, <em>Lepidocampa devprayagensis</em> <strong>sp. nov. </strong>and <em>Parajapyx sendrai</em> <strong>sp. nov. </strong>The discovery of a new <em>Parajapyx</em> species represents only the second known member of the genus in India, after 113 years. The study also generated molecular barcodes for <em>L. devprayagensis</em> <strong>sp. nov. </strong>and compared its genetic distances and phylogenetic placement with those of other available molecular barcodes of the members of that genus.</p> SURAJIT KAR, GURU PADA MANDAL, SOUVIK MAZUMDAR, PRITHA MANDAL, KUSUMENDRA KUMAR SUMAN, KAUSHIK KUMAR BHATTACHARYA Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.3 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong><em>Paragomphus matroka</em> sp. nov.—a new Hooktail species from the rainforests of eastern Madagascar (Odonata: Gomphidae)</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.4 <p><em>Paragomphus matroka </em><strong>sp. nov.</strong> (holotype ♂: Madagascar, Taolagnaro District, Iaboakoho, Réserve de Ressources Naturelles de la Forêt Naturelle de Tsitongambarika, Ampasy; Lat. -24.57840°, Lon. 47.14493°; 4.xii.2024; to be deposited in RMNH, Leiden), is described as new to science. The new endemic species is known only from the holotype, the paratype deposited in the MNHN, Paris, and an additional specimen deposited in NHRS, Stockholm. It has been recorded from three localities in the eastern part of the island, scattered over a distance of 1,033 km, within the Madagascar Humid Forests ecoregion. Despite the pronounced variation in the colour pattern, the three known specimens are interpreted as conspecific based on concordant diagnostic morphological characters, particularly the nearly identical structure of the secondary genitalia and cerci. The new species is related to <em>P. fritillarius </em>(Selys, 1892) and <em>P. sofiae</em> Bernard &amp; Daraż, 2026. From these two more brightly coloured, spotted Hooktail species, <em>P. matroka</em> <strong>sp. nov.</strong> differs in its considerably darker colouration, a reduced pattern of smaller light markings on the synthorax, and clearly different secondary genitalia. The discovery of a new species underlines the need for additional intensive odonatological studies in Madagascar. Improving knowledge of species distributions, taxonomy, phenology and ecological requirements is crucial, especially in the context of threat assessments and conservation of endemic odonate fauna.</p> MATJAŽ BEDJANIČ, RAFAŁ BERNARD, BOGUSŁAW DARAŻ, KUANG-PING YU Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.4 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong>Synopsis of <em>Braunilla</em> Wasbauer et Kimsey, 2019 (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae): description of a new species and updated keys</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.5 <p><em>Braunilla</em> Wasbauer et Kimsey is a small Neotropical genus comprised of 12 species distributed from Argentina to Mexico. The genus has received few taxonomic studies since its first description in 1927, other than nomenclatural preposition: <em>Braunilla </em>(<em>=Balboana</em>) was proposed by Wasbauer &amp; Kimsey to replace the homonym <em>Balboana. </em>Herein, we catalog all the species classified as <em>Braunilla</em>, describe a new species, <em>Braunilla dasilvae </em>Simões et Waichert, <strong>sp. nov.</strong> (Brazil: Bahia), provide diagnoses, and an identification key to the species of the genus. We discuss the status of <em>Braunilla chacoensis </em>and<em> Braunilla fraterna</em>, which were missing in the most recent studies regarding the taxon. New synonymy is proposed for <em>Braunilla auripennis </em>(Fabricius, 1804) (=<em>Pompilus chacoensis</em> Shulz, 1906, <strong>syn. nov.</strong>); and <em>Braunilla nigrina </em>(Banks, 1946) (=<em>Balboana nayaritama </em>Evans, 1966, <strong>syn. nov.</strong>). <em>Braunilla</em> is now known for 11 species. This study represents an update to the taxonomy of an understudied genus, providing basis for future studies within the family, and an advance in the study of the Neotropical fauna.</p> ANTÔNIO MORAES SIMÕES, CECILIA WAICHERT Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.5 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong>Descriptions of two new species of the Megaspilidae (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronoidea) from China</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.6 <p>Two new species of Megaspilinae (Hymenoptera: Megaspilidae) are described and illustrated from China: <em>Conostigmus concavulus </em>Zhao &amp; Wang, <strong>sp. nov.</strong>, and <em>Dendrocerus haizhuensi</em>s Zhao &amp; Wang, <strong>sp. nov.</strong>. Additionally, a key to the Chinese Megaspilinae species is also provided.</p> WEN-JING ZHAO, YU-FAN LIU, WEN JIANG, CHAO-DONG ZHU, HUA-YAN CHEN, XU WANG Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.6 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong>A new species of <em>Strotarchus</em> Simon, 1888 from Mexico and description of the male of the type species <em>S. nebulosus</em> Simon, 1888 (Araneae: Cheiracanthiidae)</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.7 <p>A new sac spider of the genus <em>Strotarchus</em> Simon, 1888, <em>S.</em> <em>adrianae</em> <strong>spec. nov.</strong>, is described based on specimens of both sexes collected from Jalisco, Mexico. In addition, the previously unknown male of <em>Strotarchus nebulosus</em> Simon, 1888 is described for the first time.</p> MIGUEL OROZCO-GIL, MARÍA-LUISA JIMÉNEZ, DAVID CHAMÉ-VÁZQUEZ Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.7 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong>A golden shadow in the mountains: A new <em>Stygioides</em> Bruand, 1853 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) from Turkey</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.8 <p>A new species of the genus <em>Stygioides</em> Bruand, 1853 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) is described from central Turkey. <em>Stygioides hecate</em> Japaridze &amp; Junnilainen <strong>sp. nov.</strong> is based on material collected in the Sultan Daðlarý Mountains (Konya Province). The new species is characterised by its distinct wing coloration in females. Adults are diurnal, as in other members of the genus, and were collected by daytime netting. DNA barcode data (COI) are provided and compared with available sequences in the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD Systems), supporting the distinctiveness of the new taxon. The discovery of this species increases the number of <em>Stygioides</em> species to 10 and those from Turkey to three, thus contributing to a better understanding of the diversity and distribution of the genus in the Palaearctic realm.</p> LASHA-GIORGI JAPARIDZE, JARI JUNNILAINEN, PASI SIHVONEN Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.8 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong>A new species of <em>Oligoneura</em> Bigot from Korea, with an identification key to the species of the <em>Oligoneura murina</em> species-group (Diptera, Acroceridae)</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.9 <p>A new species of <em>Oligoneura</em> Bigot, 1878, <em>Oligoneura koreana</em> <strong>sp. nov.</strong>, is described from South Korea. The species belongs to the <em>murina</em> species group and can be distinguished from other members of this genus by a combination of characters, including the coloration of the hind tibiae and wing membrane, the shape of the parameral sheath, and a sharply protruding scutum. The species is described in detail, with photographs and illustrations, and observations on mating behavior are included. A key to the species of the <em>murina</em> species group is also provided.</p> HYEONHO BAE, SANG JAE SUH Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.9 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 <strong>Taxonomic notes on the ray spider family Theridiosomatidae Simon, 1881 (Arachnida: Araneae) from India</strong> https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.10 <p>The genus <em>Simonia </em>Yu &amp; Lin, 2023 (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) is recorded for the first time from India, with the description of a new species, <em>Simonia lawbah</em> <strong>sp. nov.</strong> based on female specimens collected from Meghalaya. We also transfer <em>Wendilgarda assamensis</em> Fage, 1924 and <em>W. housaiyuae</em> Lin &amp; Li, 2022 to the genus <em>Chthonopes</em> Wunderlich, 2011. Furthermore, we synonymize <em>Chthonopes bifidum</em> Yu &amp; Lin, 2022 with <em>C. housaiyuae</em> (Lin &amp; Li, 2022) <strong>comb. nov. </strong>Additionally, the current distribution map of all theridiosomatid species in India is provided.</p> SUPRADIPTA DUTTA, RAJIB GOSWAMI, PUTHOOR PATTAMMAL SUDHIN, SOUVIK SEN, DHRITI BANERJEE Copyright (c) 2026 https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5821.2.10 Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200