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Carybdea xaymacana Conant, 1897 is a box jellyfish belonging to the family Carybdeidae and is currently recorded from the Mexican Caribbean (State of Quintana Roo), Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Panama, and Venezuela. Here, we report for the first time the presence of this species in Colombia, based on collections made in three departments of the Colombian Caribbean. Documenting the extension in the distribution range of this species is of great importance due to its ecological role in regional ecosys-tems.

Three species of spiders (Araneae), Altella aussereri Thaler, 1990, Mimetus laevigatus (Keyserling, 1863), and Trichoncyboides simoni (Lessert, 1904), are reported from Slovakia for the first time. These new records originate from southern Slovakia. The record of A. aussereri provides new data on the distribution and natural history of this range-restricted species of very high conservation value. The records of M. laevigatus and T. simoni in Slovakia extend their known distribution in Central Europe. Characteristic features, pictures of the habitus, copulatory organs, and habitats are presented.

Diospyros barteri was recorded for the first time from Dodja, a sacred forest in the Commune of Abomey-Calavi, Benin. We provide a detailed description, illustration, habitat, ecology, flowering period, and population size of this species. These occurrences fill a gap in the distribution of the species in the Dahomey-Gap territory. Our new records show the importance of botanical surveys in sacred forests which are hotspots of biodiversity in the country. However, sacred forests are unfortunately poorly maintained and managed and are difficult to access because they serve as central sites for ceremonies of local divinities in vodun celebrations.

Mirostrellus joffrei Thomas, 1915 is the sole species within the genus Mirostrellus and its occurrence is notably rare in China. Despite the recent discovery of four previously unreported specimens from western Yunnan, China (Zaoteng River, 25.31°N, 98.80°E, altitude 1451 m) at the National Museum of Prague in the Czech Republic, comprehensive descriptions or detailed accounts of this species within China have yet to be published.During a field expedition within the Guanyinshan Provincial Nature Reserve, Yuanyang, Yunnan, China, a bat was captured using a mist net. The specimen was of moderate size, with its ventral surface presenting a golden-brown hue and its dorsal surface ranging from dark brown to obsidian. The forearm measured 37.31 mm, while the fifth digit was conspicuously diminished in comparison to the others. The snout was robust, featuring prominent buccal glands. It was characterised by a well-developed upper frame and a barely visible low sagittal crest. The upper canines possessed well-developed posterior cusps. The dentition comprised two upper and two lower premolars, with the first upper premolar being notably small and the lower molars being distinctly myotodont. These attributes correspond with the known traits of Mirostrellus joffrei. Phylogenetically, the sequence of this specimen clustered with that of M. joffrei, forming an independent clade. Through an examination of its morphological characteristics and a phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b), cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and recombination activating gene 2 (RAG2) sequences, we identified the specimen as M. joffrei, thus confirming the presence of Joffre’s pipistrelle in China.

The Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus, a sciaenid fish native to the North Atlantic American coast, holds importance in recreational and commercial fisheries. Moreover, its potential as an invasive species should be noted, given its expansion and establishment in Atlantic European waters. This study reports its southernmost occurrence in Europe, in the Gulf of Cadiz. Morphological and molecular analysis confirmed its identity, revealing genetic similarities to US sequences. A comprehensive review of historical non-native distribution records underscored the species' expansion throughout European waters, suggesting human-mediated introduction. The escalating frequency of such arrivals emphasises the critical need for effective monitoring and management efforts in order to control non-native species in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is a host for several mite and insect pests, but the species of plant-parasitic psyllid Spanioneura fonscolombii has been observed in Romania for the first time in 2017. Subsequent research has shown that the species is much more spread, our data confirming its presence in western, eastern, and southern Romania. This is also the most south-eastern record of the species in Europe.

This paper reviews the status of Geodiapria and its nominotypical and only included species G. longiceps. Geodiapria was previously understood to be very similar to, and doubtfully separated from the genus Basalys. We use integrative taxonomy (morphology, DNA-barcoding, phylogenetic tree building) to show that the valid name for what was G. longiceps Kieffer, 1911 is now Basalys rufocinctus (Kiefer, 1911) and that Geodiapria is consequently a junior synonym of Basalys syn. nov. The following taxa are new synonyms of B. rufocinctus: Loxotropa longiceps Wasmann, 1909, syn. nov., G. longiceps Kieffer, 1911, syn. nov., L. rufosignata Kieffer, 1911, syn. nov. Basalys rufocinctus is newly reported from Corsica, Germany, Norway and Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isophya posthumoidalis is a rare species native to Central Europe that is only found in a very small area of Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. Since Bazyluk’s description in 1971, it has been regarded as endemic to the Eastern Bieszczady mountains. In 1976, we discovered this species in Zakarpattia Province (Transcarpathia, Ukraine), but the records were not published, because there were no males available. Due to the analysis of a male’s acoustical signals in 2022, further confirmation was obtained.

Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is a host for several mite and insect pests, but the species of plant-parasitic psyllid Spanioneura fonscolombii has been observed in Romania for the first time in 2017. Subsequent research has shown that the species is much more spread, our data confirming its presence in western, eastern, and southern Romania. This is also the most south-eastern record of the species in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions represent one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss with adverse impacts on human societies, economies and public health. More than 500 ant species have been transported outside their native range with the help of humans, while the majority of them have managed to establish viable populations in the wild. Nevertheless, data from the Mediterranean region suggest that most alien ants occupy anthropogenic habitats with little spread in semi-natural and natural habitats. Research on biological invasions of ants in Greece had previously identified a total of 15 alien ant species. In this article, an extensive literature investigation and material examination provide a revised checklist of the alien myrmecofauna of Greece. Although the number of alien ant species remains the same, the checklist's composition is largely altered to provide an up-to-date overview of the country's alien myrmecofauna in order to enhance management decisions and future research. The presence and distribution of alien ants within Greek administrative divisions, NATURA 2000 sites and Corine Land Cover types are analysed and presented. In particular, the species richness of alien ants seems to be highest in the Aegean Archipelago (Crete and Southern Aegean Islands) probably due to uneven collecting efforts and increased climatic suitability. Alien ant species are mostly associated with anthropogenic habitats including urban and agricultural areas, although a significant percentage has managed to spread into forest and semi-natural areas, including protected NATURA 2000 sites. Future research directions enhancing the monitoring of alien ants and their impacts are indicated to safeguard native ant biodiversity and conservation efforts of rare and endemic taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White-eared Kob, Kobus kob leucotis, Lichtenstein & Peters, 1853, is known to occur in the Gambela-Boma landscape in western Ethiopia and South Sudan. They live in herds and are generally found near water, in such places as plains, woodlands, swamps, and flood plains. We deployed 36 camera traps in Omo National Park and one of them took two images of a White-eared Kob. This is the first documentation from Omo National Park and showing that its range extends further to Omo than previously known and, therefore, the entire area (Gambella to Omo) can be considered as a range extension.

The serious and growing threat posed by biological invasions to biodiversity and livelihoods means that public engagement in dealing with problems of invasive alien species is ever more urgent and necessary hence a citizen science experiment was carried out in north-eastern Italy. The study aimed i) to raise awareness of invasive alien species threatening trees and forests, and ii) to perform monitoring activities of a group of wood borers as an example, involving teachers and students (aged 11 to 18) of high schools. Students and teachers were given background knowledge and trained about the protocol for collecting data in schoolyards/grounds. Native (Anisandrus dispar (Fabricius, 1792), Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg, 1837)) and exotic ambrosia beetles (Anisandrus maiche Kurentsov, Cnestus mutilatus (Blandford), Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky, 1866), Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford, 1894)) were used as the target species, as they could be easily detected through accessible and low-cost traps requiring limited effort. The traps were exposed for 24 hours weekly between March and June 2021. The experiment also aimed to strengthen public involvement, connecting environmental education and experiential outdoor learning. The mutual collaboration resulted in a wider knowledge of the potential impact of exotic species. It also led to new geographical citizen-science records of two alien ambrosia beetles considered to be quarantine pests by the European Union: C. mutilatus, new for the European part of the EPPO (European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization) region, and A. maiche, which was previously found only in Eastern European EPPO member countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A group of black-legged mosquito species within the subgenus Ochlerotatus Lynch Arribalzaga, 1891 of the genus Aedes Meigen, 1818 is difficult to identify based on their morphology. This group includes Aedes pionips Dyar, 1919, whose first record in the Erzgebirge (Germany) is reported in this study. The objective was to compile and add species specific characters for the morphological discrimination of Ae. pionips from similar mosquitoes in order to facilitate species identification. Generated cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene DNA sequences of Ae. pionips from Germany were compared to sequences from related species, using a phylogenetic tree.

We present a record of Hippocampus hippocampus (the short-snouted seahorse) from a museum collection specimen, arguing that it most likely represents the first known occurrence of this species from the Romanian Black Sea waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isophya posthumoidalis is a rare species native to Central Europe that is only found in a very small area of Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. Since Bazyluk's description in 1971, it has been regarded as endemic to the Eastern Bieszczady mountains. In 1976, we discovered this species in Zakarpattia Province (Transcarpathia, Ukraine), but the records were not published, because there were no males available. Due to the analysis of a male's acoustical signals in 2022, further confirmation was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying alien species is important to ensure the early detection of biological invasions and survey shifts in species distributions in the context of global change. Here, we report on three alien bark and ambrosia beetles newly detected in Switzerland: Cyclorhipidion distinguendum (Eggers, 1930), C. pelliculosum (Eichhoff, 1878), and Hypothenemus eruditus (Westwood, 1834). These species were recorded for the first time during a comprehensive survey of saproxylic beetles accross major forest types and along an altitudinal gradient during the entire growing season in the southern Alps, in the canton of Ticino. Their local abundance and number of occurrences accross different lowland forest habitats, including alluvial forests of national importance, indicates that all three species are already naturalized. Given their polyphagy, it is likely that all three species will become more extensively distributed across Switzerland, with a yet unknown environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jellyfish have wide distributions throughout the world’s oceans, with new species records emerging from increasingly broad areas as novel identification approaches are implemented, including citizen science. Here, the first accounts of Thysanostoma loriferum (Ehrenberg, 1837) and Netrostoma setouchianum (Kishinouye, 1902) in Hong Kong waters are reported based on photographs and videos collected by the Hong Kong Jellyfish Project. Together, these sightings obtained through a citizen science project provide evidence for a greater diversity of jellyfish in Hong Kong oceanic waters than has previously been recognized.

Spiny lobsters of the family Palinuridae Latreille, 1802 are known to be industrial crustaceans in the global fishing market amongst other crustacean marine species. Panulirus femoristriga has been reported in the Maldives, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia (Ambon, Irian Jaya, Celebes Island, Seram Island), the Polynesian Islands, Solomon Islands, New Hebrides, Wallis and Futuna and off the coast of northern Australia, but there is uncertainty about their distributions due to the morphological similarity with Panulirus femoristriga, Panulirus longipes bispinosus and Panulirus brunneiflagellum. However, the identification on P. femoristiga can only be confirmed if the morphological descriptions are mentioned in literature.A specimen of the spiny lobster Panulirus femoristriga Von Martens, 1872 was discovered in Semporna, located on the west coast of Sabah State, Malaysia Borneo. While the status of P. femoristriga has been classified as "least concern" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, studies on the species' population size, habitat and distribution are still inadequate. This study adopted both morphological and molecular approaches for species delimitation.The phylogenetic position of the Sabah P. femoristriga was revealed by the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase gene (COI) marker. This represents the first record of the species in the coastal waters of Sabah, despite its wide geographical distribution in the Indo-West Pacific. A revision on the species global distribution was also conducted by harvesting all literature with species named Panulirus longipes femoristriga and Panulirus femoristriga which were available online including those prior to year 2001 before the presence of P. femoristriga is confirmed. Due to the uncertainties on the morphological distribution in previous literature, further studies are required to fill in the missing data for confirmation.

White-eared Kob, Kobus kob leucotis, Lichtenstein & Peters, 1853, is known to occur in the Gambela-Boma landscape in western Ethiopia and South Sudan. They live in herds and are generally found near water, in such places as plains, woodlands, swamps, and flood plains. We deployed 36 camera traps in Omo National Park and one of them took two images of a White-eared Kob. This is the first documentation from Omo National Park and showing that its range extends further to Omo than previously known and, therefore, the entire area (Gambella to Omo) can be considered as a range extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melogale personata I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831, Large-toothed Ferret Badger (Mustelidae), is distributed from Nepal to Vietnam with very few records. It historically is known by only one recent sighting record from an unspeci-fied area of Nepal. The IUCN species distribution map shows this species in the Okhaldhunga District. We confirm the presence of M. personata in Nepal based on a sighting of a juvenile individual. This is the first record of this species from Syangja District, Nepal. The geographical range of this species is extended farther west in Nepal.

A group of black-legged mosquito species within the subgenus Ochlerotatus Lynch Arribalzaga, 1891 of the genus Aedes Meigen, 1818 is difficult to identify based on their morphology. This group includes Aedes pionips Dyar, 1919, whose first record in the Erzgebirge (Germany) is reported in this study. The objective was to compile and add species specific characters for the morphological discrimination of Ae. pionips from similar mosquitoes in order to facilitate species identification. Generated cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene DNA sequences of Ae. pionips from Germany were compared to sequences from related species, using a phylogenetic tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first record of the ant cricket Myrmecophilus (Myrmecophilus) quadrispinus Perkins, 1899 for Peru and South America is presented. This species was discovered in the city of Lima in the nests of the ant species Brachymyrmex cordemoyi Forel, 1895, and Pheidole sp. Westwood, 1939 under a square brick and a stone in two urban gardens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Cyrtogrammomma Pocock, 1895 was proposed based on specimen samples from Monte Roraima, Guyana, and allocated in the family Barychelidae. However, the most recent cladistic analysis transferred Cyrtogrammomma to Theraphosidae. Herein, we amended the diagnosis and description of C. monticola, providing a redescription of the male, and new illustrations, including the description of a new cuticular structure consisting of thick and stiff setae on dorsal metatarsi I and II of females. Moreover, we diagnose, describe and illustrate a new species of Cyrtogrammomma from northeastern Brazil: C. frevo sp. nov. In addition, we provide an identification key, new distribution records of the genus in the states of Alagoas, Bahia, Pará, and Pernambuco, in Brazil, and the first record for the genus in caves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work reports the first record of Eratyrus mucronatus Stål, 1859 and Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus (Champion, 1899) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) in a riverside community of Rio Negro in the Brazilian Amazon. Health promotion activities were carried out with the population and agent to combat endemic diseases. The entomological findings reinforce the importance of community participation in the surveillance and control of triatomines. The use of knowledge dissemination actions on Chagas disease and vectors strengthened the entomological surveillance in the middle Rio Negro, Amazonas state.

The Nearctic Sceliphron caementarium (Drury, 1773) is widely distributed in the Western Palearctic and is spreading to new territories. Despite the large quantities of data on citizen-science platforms, these records have been mostly overlooked. In this publication, the first records of S. caementarium from six Eastern European and Balkan countries (Albania, Greece, Montenegro, Poland, Serbia, and Slovakia) are presented. Data derived from online citizen-science observations and museum specimens supplement our knowledge of this species' range. The distribution of this species in Europe and possible ecological implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Swedish fauna of thrips (Thysanoptera) in the family Phlaeothripidae consists of 49 species. A key to the species of Phlaeothripidae found in Sweden is provided. One species is recorded as new for the country, and 10 new regional records are presented. A checklist of all Swedish tubuliferan species with regional distributions is also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although the Japanese species of Urostylididae are of interest to not only heteropteran taxonomists, but also to the public, an illustrated key for all species of the family from the country is lacking. To date, the urostylidid species Urostylis hubeiensis Ren, 1997, has been known to occur in China and Korea, but not in Japan. New information Urostylis hubeiensis is recorded from Japan for the first time and represents the easternmost occurrence of this species. In Japan, it inhabits the broad-leaved forest of Tsushima Island and was found on Quercus acutissima Carruth. (Fagaceae). An illustrated key to the species of Urostylididae occurring in Japan is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jellyfish have wide distributions throughout the world’s oceans, with new species records emerging from increasingly broad areas as novel identification approaches are implemented, including citizen science. Here, the first accounts of Thysanostoma loriferum (Ehrenberg, 1837) and Netrostoma setouchianum (Kishinouye, 1902) in Hong Kong waters are reported based on photographs and videos collected by the Hong Kong Jellyfish Project. Together, these sightings obtained through a citizen science project provide evidence for a greater diversity of jellyfish in Hong Kong oceanic waters than has previously been recognized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, new data concerning the occurrence and distribution of Xylomoia graminea (Graeser, 1889) in Romania are given. Pictures of specimen and male genitalia are provided.

A new species for the Romanian entomofauna is mentioned: Protaetia (Netocia) subpilosa (Desbrochers des Loges, 1869). The only found individual is illustrated, and its habitat is discussed.

The spiders Walckenaeria stylifrons (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875) and Spiracme mongolica (Schenkel, 1963) are reported from Slovakia for the first time. These new records are based on adult males found in Western Slovakia in xerothermic habitats. The occurrence of W. stylifrons in Slovakia fills the gap in its distribution in Pannonian Basin and between Austria and Ukraine. Spiracme mongolica has been known only from the Balkans and south-eastern part of Europe to central Asia, this is the first record for Central Europe. We suggest Spiracme mongolica (Schenkel, 1963) new combination for Xysticus mongolicus Schenkel, 1963. Characteristic features, photographs of habitus and copulatory organs, and habitats of the new records are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melogale personata I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831, Large-toothed Ferret Badger (Mustelidae), is distributed from Nepal to Vietnam with very few records. It historically is known by only one recent sighting record from an unspecified area of Nepal. The IUCN species distribution map shows this species in the Okhaldhunga District. We confirm the presence of M. personata in Nepal based on a sighting of a juvenile individual. This is the first record of this species from Syangja District, Nepal. The geographical range of this species is extended farther west in Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monotaxis heterodon (Bleeker, 1854) is widespread in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, however, it was reported that Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775) was the single species of Monotaxis in this area. We collected four M. heterodon specimens from the lagoon waters of Mischief Reef in South China Sea. A morphometric study was taken to confirm the occurrence of M. heterodon in the seawaters of the South China Sea and thoroughly separate them from M. grandoculis. In addition, DNA barcoding was taken for the classification of specimens. The mean genetic distance within M. heterodon group was 0.24 percentage points, group mean distance between M. heterodon and M. grandoculis was 8.71 percentage points. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of M. heterodon in the lagoon waters of the South China Sea. This study will contribute to species identification within this genus distributed in the South China Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lattice soldierfish, Myripristis violacea Bleeker, 1851, is recorded for the first time from Reunion Island. An aggregation of 12 individuals was observed and photographed on 12 January 2019 and later on the L’Hermitage reef, located on the west coast of the island. Examination of high-resolution photographs of the largest of these individuals shows that its external morphological characteristics agree well with those reported in the description of the species provided by the last revision of the genus. Studies on regional connectivity make it likely that the Reunion Island population of M. violacea originates from the northern Seychelles Island or Chagos Archipelago via stepping-stone populations. Our observations extend the known distribution of the species to the southernmost island of the Mascarene Archipelago, and extend its known depth range.

Eriogaster catax is a highly threatened species listed on the Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive and on the Annex II of the Bern Convention. In Romania, up till now, it was reported only from Banat, Crișana, Satu Mare county, Transylvania and southern Dobruja. A male attracted by a light trap installed near Olteni, Dâmbovița county, in mid-October 2018, has scored the first record of this species in Muntenia. Afterwards, larvae have been found in the same place, confirming the first, adult-based finding.

This short note describes the first record of the Norwegian skate, Dipturus nidarosiensis (Storm, 1881), in the Strait of Sicily. A male specimen of 95.6 cm total length and 3466 g weight was caught on December 2017 during a bottom trawl survey at a mean depth of 551 m. Information on biometric, sexual maturity, stomach content, and age estimation were provided. This finding confirms the occurrence of the species in the Strait of Sicily, previously suggested by the record of an empty egg case in 2015, thus contributing to the knowledge on the distribution of the species in the Mediterranean Sea.

In June 2018 two specimens of recently described fish Spelegobius llorisi Kovačić, Ordines et Schliewen, 2016, were collected at Hvar Island in the central Adriatic Sea at 52 m depth during a SCUBA diving fieldwork, aimed to quantitatively study fishes of rhodolith beds. The findings represent the third known record of this species and the first for the Adriatic Sea. The complete and intact material enabled a study of colouration and morphological details not recorded in the damaged type material from a beam trawl.

Ophelia roscoffensis Augener, 1910 is an opheliid worm identifiable by the number of anterior abranchiate chaetigers and the number of the gill pairs. Although it was already reported in the Mediterranean Sea, it has never been found in the Italian waters. This study represents the first record of Ophelia roscoffensis in the Italian waters. A total of 18 specimens were collected along the coast of Civitavecchia (Tyrrhenian Sea) in a Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile bed at a depth of 7 m.

The paedomorphic gobioids of the family Schindleriidae, collectively known as infantfishes, live in shallow waters of the Indo-West Pacific. The extremely paedomorphic genus Schindleria is a taxon representing fishes of very small dimensions. Eight specimens of male and female Schindleria praematura (Schindler, 1930) were collected by a light trap in September 2015, from a reef lagoon in Magawish Island in Hurghada on the Egyptian coast of the northern Red Sea. This is the first record of the species in the Red Sea and adds to the high number of species of the family Schindleriidae in the area.

The large caerulean damselfish, Pomacentrus caeruleopunctatus Allen, 2002, is recorded for the first time from Reunion Island. Two individuals were observed and photographed between January and March 2012 on L’Hermitage reef, located on the west coast of the island. A review of high-resolution profile photographs of these two individuals shows that their external morphological characteristics agree well with those reported in the original description of the species. These observations suggest an extension of the known distribution of the species, previously restricted to the Seychelles Islands, Madagascar, and Tanzania, to the Mascarene Archipelago, and moreover the known depth range of this species.

We report the first records of Eratyrus mucronatus Stål, 1859 and Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus (Champion, 1899) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae) in a riverside community of the Rio Negro in the Brazilian Amazon. Health promotion activities were carried out with the human population and agents to combat endemic diseases. The entomological findings reinforce the importance of community participation in the surveillance and control of triatomines. Actions to disseminate knowledge on Chagas disease and vectors strengthened the entomological surveillance in the middle Rio Negro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One individual of the brassy chub, Kyphosus vaigiensis (Quoy et Gaimard, 1825) (41.5 cm TL, 1.27 kg TW), was caught off Annaba, on the eastern coasts of Algeria in December 2013. This circumtropical fish is found for the first time on the south-western Mediterranean coasts. The chronology of its records in the Mediterranean supports the hypothesis of its Atlantic origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Atlantic croaker Micropogoniasundulatus , a sciaenid fish native to the North Atlantic American coast, holds importance in recreational and commercial fisheries. Moreover, its potential as an invasive species should be noted, given its expansion and establishment in Atlantic European waters. This study reports its southernmost occurrence in Europe, in the Gulf of Cadiz. Morphological and molecular analysis confirmed its identity, revealing genetic similarities to US sequences. A comprehensive review of historical non-native distribution records underscored the species' expansion throughout European waters, suggesting human-mediated introduction. The escalating frequency of such arrivals emphasises the critical need for effective monitoring and management efforts in order to control non-native species in this region., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest to declare Disclaimer: This article is (co-)authored by any of the Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors or their deputies in this journal., (Gustavo Freire de Carvalho-Souza, Cristóbal Lobato Gómez, Enrique González-Ortegón.)

Background: Mirostrellusjoffrei Thomas, 1915 is the sole species within the genus Mirostrellus and its occurrence is notably rare in China. Despite the recent discovery of four previously unreported specimens from western Yunnan, China (Zaoteng River, 25.31°N, 98.80°E, altitude 1451 m) at the National Museum of Prague in the Czech Republic, comprehensive descriptions or detailed accounts of this species within China have yet to be published., New Information: During a field expedition within the Guanyinshan Provincial Nature Reserve, Yuanyang, Yunnan, China, a bat was captured using a mist net. The specimen was of moderate size, with its ventral surface presenting a golden-brown hue and its dorsal surface ranging from dark brown to obsidian. The forearm measured 37.31 mm, while the fifth digit was conspicuously diminished in comparison to the others. The snout was robust, featuring prominent buccal glands. It was characterised by a well-developed upper frame and a barely visible low sagittal crest. The upper canines possessed well-developed posterior cusps. The dentition comprised two upper and two lower premolars, with the first upper premolar being notably small and the lower molars being distinctly myotodont. These attributes correspond with the known traits of Mirostrellusjoffrei . Phylogenetically, the sequence of this specimen clustered with that of M.joffrei , forming an independent clade. Through an examination of its morphological characteristics and a phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b), cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and recombination activating gene 2 (RAG2) sequences, we identified the specimen as M.joffrei , thus confirming the presence of Joffre's pipistrelle in China., (Xin Mou, Mei Li, Biao Li, Xiong Luo, Song Li.)

Naso vlamingii (Valenciennes, 1835) is reported from Korea for the first time and a morphological description is provided. A single specimen of N. vlamingii was collected from the southeastern coast of Jeju Island, Korea in September 2017. This species is characterized by the presence of 2 bony plates on the middle of the caudal peduncle, 6 dorsal and 2 anal fin spines, and a rounded, convex, swollen snout. This species is the fifth species of the genus Naso Lacepède, 1801 in the Korean fish fauna, and the newly proposed Korean name for the species is “Keun-ko-pyo-mun-jwi-chi”.

A checklist of the Syrphidae species of the Republic of Georgia is presented. New hover fly (Diptera: Syrphidae) records from Georgia are provided as a result of field work conducted in 2018. At the same time, published syrphid records for the country are here reviewed and updated. A total of 357 species of hoverflies are now documented from Georgia, 40 of which are reported for the first time. Moreover, DNA barcodes were sequenced for 238 specimens, representing 74 species from this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Apocheiridium Chamberlin, 1924 is reported from Hungary for the first time. Adults of Apocheiridium ferum (Simon, 1879) were collected under the bark of a Platanus Linné, 1753 tree in Pápa, Veszprém County. Simultaneously, the second known European cheiridiid species, Cheiridium museorum (Leach, 1817), was found under the same bark. The differences between these two species are discussed. With the new record of A. ferum, 54 species and 21 genera are now known for the Hungarian fauna of Pseudoscorpiones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The only species of Cephalopholis currently known from the Mediterranean is Cephalopholis taeniops (Valenciennes, 1828), which was recorded from Libya, Malta, and Lampedusa after having autochthonously extended its original Atlantic range. All records of Cephalopholis substantiated by specimens or images from Malta were evaluated, showing that an individual filmed in August 2009 was misidentified and instead represents the first record of Cephalopholis hemistiktos (Rüppell, 1830) from the Mediterranean. Based on these records, C. taeniops is considered to be established in Maltese waters while C. hemistiktos is regarded as a ‘casual’ species, most likely transported by shipping or introduced as an aquarium escapee.