Zootaxa

A review of Indian Plotinini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) including description of a new species

J. POORANI, JAROSLAV VĚTROVEC, KAROL SZAWARYN — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

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, Buprestodera reclusa sp. nov., is described from the Western Ghats. The genus Plotina Lewis is newly recorded from India, with the addition of two species—Plotina muelleri Mader and Plotina octomaculata Wang & 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.

A catalogue of Indian Stathmopodidae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea)

KISHORE CHANDRA SAHOO — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

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 Stathmopoda 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.

**Ecomorphological variation in Sceloporus vandenburgianus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae) across the sky-islands Southern California and Northern Baja California**

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

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. Sceloporus vandenburgianus 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 S. vandenburgianus 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.

**A new species of Maera Leach, 1814 and new records of Ceradocus Costa, 1853 and Dulichiella Stout, 1912 (Amphipoda: Hadzioidea) from Laje de Santos, São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil**

BEATRIZ QUEIROZ, ANDRÉ R. SENNA, ALEXANDRE R. DA SILVA — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

A new species of the genus Maera 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 Maera is also provided. We also present the first record of two other hadzioid species, Ceradocus (Denticeradocus) sp. and Dulichiella anisochir (Krøyer, 1845), for the Marine State Park of Laje de Santos.

**Conservation, systematics and ultrastructure of the poorly known amblypygid species Charinus santanensis (Charontidae, Amblypygi) from Caatinga caves in Brazil**

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Charinus 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 Charinus 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 Charinus santanensis and characterize the species hydrophobic coating and its crystals, a likely important protection for hot and humid environments, presenting comparison with its congeners.

**Two genera newly recorded from Australia: Mahasena Moore and Manatha Moore (Lepidoptera: Psychidae: Oiketicinae), each with a new species**

ETHAN P. BEAVER, ANDREAS ZWICK — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

The predominately Asian bagworm moth genera Mahasena Moore and Manatha Moore are reported from Australia for the first time. In this country each genus is represented by a new and endemic species; Mahasena inornata Beaver sp. nov., and Manatha prolixa Beaver sp. nov., 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 Claniades Bethune-Baker syn. nov., along with the sequencing of conspecifics from New Guinea, indicates that this genus is a junior subjective synonym of Mahasena, and its single species C. ekeikei Bethune-Baker is here treated as Mahasena ekeikei comb. nov. accordingly. Various literature records of M. corbetti Tams from New Guinea and the Bismark Archipelago are considered misattributions of M. ekeikei. In addition, we treat Psyche assamica Watt as nomen dubium, and reinstate Manatha scotopepla stat. reinst. as a valid species.

**We have two of them: A review of the genus Mastigusa (Araneae: Cybaeidae) in Bulgaria**

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

In the present study, we review the status of the genus Mastigusa Menge, 1854 in Bulgaria. We identified two species from the country, namely M. arietina (Thorell, 1871) and M. macrophthalma (Kulczyński, 1897). This is the first record of M. arietina from Bulgaria. Furthermore, we report a male palpal polymorphism in M. arietina 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.

**One new species of the genus Cyrtopsis (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from Yunnan, China**

HAO XU, WENQING LV, FUMING SHI — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

This paper reports one new species of the genus Cyrtopsis Bey-Bienko, 1962 from China, morphological photographs of the new species and Cyrtopsis robusta Liu & Zhang, 2007 collected from the type locality are provided.

**On the generic affiliation of “Echemella” occulta (Benoit, 1965) (Araneae: Gnaphosidae)**

DANNIELLA SHERWOOD, RUDY JOCQUÉ — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

Erratum: SUSAN M. DIPPENAAR & MAKWENA M. SEBONE (2025) Caligus (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) species off southern Africa with the description of C. pillaii sp. nov. Zootaxa, 5686 (2): 151–197.

SUSAN M. DIPPENAAR, MAKWENA M. SEBONE — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300

**Erratum: VINICIUS GOMES SAMPAIO & LUIZ ALEXANDRE CAMPOS (2025) Review of Placocoris Mayr, 1864 (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Discocephalinae: Ochlerini). Zootaxa, 5701 (5): 531–546.**

VINICIUS GOMES SAMPAIO, LUIZ ALEXANDRE CAMPOS — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +1300