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In this catalogue, 54 Annelida OTUs collected by the IN2021_V04 and IN2022_V08 expeditions to the Australian Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territories are diagnosed and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this catalogue, the 40 species of barnacles collected by the IN2021_V04 and IN2022_V08 expeditions to the Australian Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territories are diagnosed and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this catalogue, 17 species belonging to 11 genera and 6 families of black corals (Anthozoa: Antipatharia) collected by the IN2021_V04 and IN2022_V08 expeditions to the Australian Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territories are described and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this catalogue, 80 species of ophiuroids collected by the IN2021_V04 and IN2022_V08 expeditions to the Australian Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territories are described and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this catalogue, the 17 species of echinoids collected by the IN2021_V04 and IN2022_V08 expeditions to the Australian Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territories are described and illustrated. Ashley Miskelly. 2024. Catalogue of the Echinoidea (sea urchins, phylum Echinodermata) collected by the IN2021_V04 and IN2022_V08 expeditions to the Australian Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this catalogue, 30 species from 25 genera and 11 families, of Asteroidea collected by the IN2021_;V04 and IN2022_;V08 expeditions to the Australian Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territories are described and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report contains a list of benthic sampling operations collected by the IN2021_V04 and IN2022_V08 expeditions to the Australian Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands Territories [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulopinae is a distinctive subfamily of leafhoppers that is widely distributed across the Afrotropical, Palearctic, Indomalayan and Australasian regions. The ulopine fauna of Australia is entirely endemic and includes two tribes of striking appearance, the Ulopini and Cephalelini. Knowledge of these groups is fragmentary and in many instances, no information is available beyond original descriptions. We assess the monophyly, phylogenetic placement and species-level diversity of the Ulopini genus Austrolopa. Phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data from target nuclear loci (18S , 28S , H2A and H3) and mitochondrial genomes (15 genes) for 23 membracoid taxa yielded congruent topologies. Our results provide strong evidence for the monophyly of Ulopinae and a clade consisting of Ulopini + Cephalelini. However, a non-monophyletic Cephalelini arises from within a polyphyletic Ulopini. Austrolopa was strongly recovered as monophyletic in all analyses, a result also supported by morphological features. The genus currently includes six species, three of which are described based on morphological and molecular data: Austrolopa botanica , sp. nov. , Austrolopa rotunda , sp. nov. and Austrolopa sublima , sp. nov. A lectotype designation is provided for Austrolopa kingensis Evans, 1937, sp. reval. Our findings illustrate that the Australian Ulopinae is far more diverse than currently circumscribed and several species of Austrolopa are yet to be recognised. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1480285B-8F61-4659-A929-2B1EF3168868 Ulopinae is a distinctive leafhopper subfamily widely distributed across the Afrotropical, Palearctic, Indomalayan and Australasian regions. The Australian fauna is entirely endemic, and many species lack hindwings. Here, we investigate the phylogeny of ulopine leafhoppers, focusing on the genus Austrolopa. Populations previously ascribed to A. brunensis represent new species, suggesting that these insects have narrow ranges and may be further restricted to specific elevations or host plants. Our study demonstrates that non-monophyletic ulopine tribes and genera need reappraisal with integrative methods. (Photographs by O. Evangelista.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganyopis notabilis sp. nov. is described and figured. It represents the fourth described species of Ganyopis and the second known from Malacca (Malaysia). Some morphological notes on the genus are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

iNaturalist defines itself as an "online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature" and it is likely one of the largest citizen science web portals in the world, as every year millions of observations across thousands of species are gathered and collectively compiled by an engaged community of nearly 3 million users (November 2023). The strengths and potentialities that explain the success of the platform are reviewed and include, among others, its usability and low technical requirements, immediacy, open-access, the possibility of interacting with other users, artificial-intelligence-aided identification, versatility and automatic incorporation of the validated records to GBIF. iNaturalist has, however, features that scientists need to carefully consider when using it for their research, making sure that the quality of observations does not limit or hinder its usefulness in plant research. While these are identified (e.g., the lack of representative photographs for many observations or the relatively frequent identification errors), we provide some suggestions to overcome them and, by doing so, improve the use and add value to iNaturalist for plant research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the challenges and importance of insect systematics, focusing on the need for taxonomic research and understanding the vast diversity of insects. It emphasizes the constant discovery of new species and the role of fieldwork and publishing taxonomic accounts. The article also discusses the use of advanced technologies in visualizing morphological data and the significance of biological research collections in museums. It highlights the relevance of insect systematics in addressing climate change, habitat destruction, and biodiversity preservation. The article calls for deeper exploration of individual characters and character systems, the development of comprehensive criteria for understanding insect evolution, and contributions that improve concepts in evolutionary biology. It emphasizes the importance of studying embryology and genome biology to understand developmental stages and the factors influencing phenotypes. The concept of heterology, which refers to independent phenotypes produced by the same genetic architecture in unrelated clades, is also discussed. The article suggests that there is still much to be discovered in terms of heterologs and calls for a more comprehensive comparative genomic treatment across insects. The role of phylogenetics in systematics is explored, with a suggestion to integrate it with other fields of inquiry to reinvigorate insect phylogenetics. The article encourages researchers to explore the fascinating world of insects and offers the Insect Systematics section of Frontiers in Insect Science as a valuable resource for further exploration. [Extracted from the article]

The coining of scientific names for newly described species is one of the most creative acts in science. We briefly review the history of species naming, with an emphasis on constraints and freedoms in the choice of new names and how they came to be. We then consider patterns in etymologies and linguistic origins of scientific names across clades and through time. Use of 'non-classical' languages (those other than Latin and Greek) in naming species has increased, as has the use of eponymous names (despite recent controversy around the practice). Finally, we consider ways in which creativity in naming has consequences for the conduct and outcome of scientific work. For example, sale of naming rights has funded research and conservation, while naming species after celebrities has increased media attention to the science of species discovery. Other consequences of naming are more surprising, including a strong effect of species-name etymology on the kinds of scientific studies conducted for plant-feeding arthropods. Scientific naming is a clear example of how science and scientists are socially situated, and how culturally influenced decisions such as what to name a new species can affect both public perception of science and the conduct of science itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A series of specimens of an unidentified species of the genus Lygodactylus from Fernando de Noronha Island were found in the herpetological collections of the Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). No species of this genus were known to occur in the archipelago. A review of the historical reports regarding the herpetofauna of the island failed to provide evidence regarding the presence of the species in the last centuries. Morphological comparisons with the two other species of the genus occurring in South America, L. klugei and L. wetzeli, allowed us to confidently confirm that the Fernando de Noronha population belonged to a putatively new species. Here we describe this population as a new species and discuss its possible extinction causes in the archipelago. We also debate the importance of historical natural history collections to the study of biodiversity.

Ocean Census is a new Large-Scale Strategic Science Mission aimed at accelerating the discovery and description of marine species. This mission addresses the knowledge gap of the diversity and distribution of marine life whereby of an estimated 1 million to 2 million species of marine life between 75% to 90% remain undescribed to date. Without improved knowledge of marine biodiversity, tackling the decline and eventual extinction of many marine species will not be possible. The marine biota has evolved over 4 billion years and includes many branches of the tree of life that do not exist on land or in freshwater. Understanding what is in the ocean and where it lives is fundamental science, which is required to understand how the ocean works, the direct and indirect benefits it provides to society and how human impacts can be reduced and managed to ensure marine ecosystems remain healthy. We describe a strategy to accelerate the rate of ocean species discovery by: 1) employing consistent standards for digitisation of species data to broaden access to biodiversity knowledge and enabling cybertaxonomy; 2) establishing new working practices and adopting advanced technologies to accelerate taxonomy; 3) building the capacity of stakeholders to undertake taxonomic and biodiversity research and capacity development, especially targeted at low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) so they can better assess and manage life in their waters and contribute to global biodiversity knowledge; and 4) increasing observational coverage on dedicated expeditions. Ocean Census, is conceived as a global open network of scientists anchored by Biodiversity Centres in developed countries and LMICs. Through a collaborative approach, including co-production of science with LMICs, and by working with funding partners, Ocean Census will focus and grow current efforts to discover ocean life globally, and permanently transform our ability to document, describe and safeguard marine species.

DNA barcoding has revolutionized how we discover, identify, and detect species. A substantial foundation has been established with millions of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I sequences freely available for eukaryotes. However, issues with COI ranging from uniparental inheritance and small genetic population sizes to nuclear and asymmetric introgression can impede its use. We propose using CAD as the "nuclear barcode" to complement the COI barcode and ameliorate these concerns. We focused on beetles from taxonomically diverse species-level studies that used COI and CAD. An ambiguous barcode gap was present between intra- and interspecific genetic distances in CAD and COI; this led to difficulty with automated gap detection methods. We found pseudogenes, problematic population structure, introgression, and incomplete lineage sorting represented in the COI data. A CAD gene tree illuminated these cryptic problems. Placement tests of species and outgroups using distance-based tree building were largely successful for CAD, demonstrating its phylogenetic signal at the species and genus levels. Species placement issues were typically unique to one locus, allowing for recognition of misdiagnosis. We conclude that a CAD barcode is a valuable tool for beetle diagnostics, metabarcoding, and faunistic surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New mammal species have always been a source of major zoological intrigue, and whilst discoveries of large mammals are becoming less frequent, species like the saola and dingiso continue to enter the zoological literature. Modern communities are often assumed to be complete and are used for constructing community-level models. One example is ecometric modelling. Here, we estimate the number of large herbivorous mammals not yet described based on description curves. We also investigate the effect of species description on the stability and accuracy of previously established relationships between traits and climate. The contemporary description record of large herbivorous mammals is incomplete, with at least 83 species undescribed. Primates, artiodactyls and marsupials are estimated to contain the greatest undescribed diversity, with particular gaps in the Neotropic, Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms. We find that beyond ~40% completeness, there is a limited impact on trait–environment relationships of increased species description, but that there is a high mismatch between true and predicted climatic values for published models. Consequently, mammalian species that have not yet been discovered are unlikely to have a large impact on the accuracy of trait-environment models, but we suggest possible alterations to previous approaches that might improve the accuracy of future models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

iNaturalist defines itself as an “online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature” and it is likely one of the largest citizen science web portals in the world, as every year millions of observations across thousands of species are gathered and collectively compiled by an engaged community of nearly 3 million users (November 2023). The strengths and potentialities that explain the success of the platform are reviewed and include, among others, its usability and low technical requirements, immediacy, open-access, the possibility of interacting with other users, artificial-intelligence-aided identification, versatility and automatic incorporation of the validated records to GBIF. iNaturalist has, however, features that scientists need to carefully consider when using it for their research, making sure that the quality of observations does not limit or hinder its usefulness in plant research. While these are identified (e.g., the lack of representative photographs for many observations or the relatively frequent identification errors), we provide some suggestions to overcome them and, by doing so, improve the use and add value to iNaturalist for plant research.

A new species of Microphotina Beier, 1935 (Mantodea: Photinaidae: Microphotinini), Microphotina cristalino sp. nov., is described from Mato Grosso, Brazil based on two male specimens. The new species extended the distribution of Microphotina to the southern limits of the Amazon rainforest, in the Cerrado-Amazônia ecotone. A synthesis of the taxonomy, systematics, natural history, and geographic distribution of Microphotina spp. is provided, along with an updated dichotomous key to species. The hypothesis that Microphotina represents a canopy-dwelling lineage is formulated. The role of praying mantises as flagship species for insect and Amazon conservation is briefly discussed.

At best, conservation decisions can only be made using the data available at the time. For plants and especially in the tropics, natural history collections remain the best available baseline information upon which to base conservation assessments, in spite of well‐documented limitations in their taxonomic, geographic, and temporal coverage. We explore the extent to which changes to the plant biological record over 20 years have changed our conception of the conservation importance of 931 plant taxa, and 114 vegetation samples, recorded in forest reserves of the southwest Ghana biodiversity hotspot. 36% of species‐level assessments changed as a result of new distribution data. 12% of species accepted in 2016 had no assessment in 1996: of those, 20% are new species publications, 60% are new records for SW Ghana, and 20% are taxonomic resolutions. Apparent species ranges have increased over time as new records are made, but new species publications are overwhelmingly of globally rare species, keeping the balance of perceived rarity in the flora constant over 20 years. Thus, in spite of considerable flux at the species record level, range size rarity scores calculated for 114 vegetation samples of the reserves in 1996 and 2016 are highly correlated with each other: r(112) = 0.84, p <.0005, and showed no difference in mean score over 20 years: paired t(113) = −0.482, p =.631. This consistency in results at the area level allows for worthwhile conservation priority setting over time, and we argue is the better course of action than taking no action at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ballus Koch, 1850 is a beetle-like jumping spider genus encountered in montane evergreen rainforests of the Central and Uva Provinces of Sri Lanka. The taxonomic literature documents three species of the genus for the island. However, neither the taxonomic validity nor the systematics of any of the three species have been previously examined. We used nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences (28S rRNA, H3, COI) as well as morphological characters to investigate the genetic and taxonomic diversity of Ballus populations in Sri Lanka, including specimens from type localities. No Ballus specimens were found outside of the central highlands. Results of molecular species delimitation and morphological analysis suggest the presence of only a single species of Ballus in Sri Lanka. We therefore propose B. sellatusSimon, 1900 to be a junior synonym of B. segmentatusSimon, 1900, while B. clathratus Simon, 1901 remains a nomen nudum. Further, we discuss the implications of our results for conservation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rarely collected North American endemic genus Proctorus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Ellescini) has hitherto contained two described species, P. armatus LeConte, 1876 and P. decipiens (LeConte, 1876). Here, Proctorus is revised and two new species, namely P. emarginatus sp. nov. and P. truncatus sp. nov., are described. Lectotypes for P. armatus and P. decipiens are designated from known syntypes. All four species in the genus are associated with Salicaceae, but, in addition to differences in external and genital morphology, there is also evidence of differing host plant usage between the species. A photographic key to the four species is provided to facilitate identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bryum is recognized as a cosmopolitan genus of mosses in the family Bryaceae that contains the largest diversity of mosses. Although there are around 100 species of moss species reported from Antarctica to date, the actual species diversity remains elusive, as the continent remains one of the least explored habitats globally. Here, we describe a new species of Bryum from the Larsemann Hills, Eastern Antarctica, with several synapomorphic characters, including unbranched plant body, ovate-lanceolate leaves, reflexed leaf margins with slightly serrulate apex, and percurrent coasta. In nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 1 phylogram, our isolate did not cluster with any known species of this genus. The closest BLASTn hit was found to be Bryum pseudotriquetrum, but our isolate had several distinct synapomorphic traits. Based on morphological and molecular data, a new moss species, Bryum bharatiense sp. nov. is formally proposed herein. Besides, two new taxonomic records are also presented in this study, viz. Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum from Larsemann Hills and Coscinodon lawianus from Schirmacher Oasis.

Abstract Background The world’s fast disappearing mangrove forests have low plant diversity and are often assumed to also have a species-poor insect fauna. We here compare the tropical arthropod fauna across a freshwater swamp and six different forest types (rain-, swamp, dry-coastal, urban, freshwater swamp, mangroves) based on 140,000 barcoded specimens belonging to ca. 8500 species. Results We find that the globally imperiled habitat “mangroves” is an overlooked hotspot for insect diversity. Our study reveals a species-rich mangrove insect fauna (>3000 species in Singapore alone) that is distinct (>50% of species are mangrove-specific) and has high species turnover across Southeast and East Asia. For most habitats, plant diversity is a good predictor of insect diversity, but mangroves are an exception and compensate for a comparatively low number of phytophagous and fungivorous insect species by supporting an unusually rich community of predators whose larvae feed in the productive mudflats. For the remaining tropical habitats, the insect communities have diversity patterns that are largely congruent across guilds. Conclusions The discovery of such a sizeable and distinct insect fauna in a globally threatened habitat underlines how little is known about global insect biodiversity. We here show how such knowledge gaps can be closed quickly with new cost-effective NGS barcoding techniques.

DNA barcoding has revolutionized how we discover, identify, and detect species. A substantial foundation has been established with millions of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I sequences freely available for eukaryotes. However, issues with COI ranging from uniparental inheritance and small genetic population sizes to nuclear and asymmetric introgression can impede its use. We propose using CAD as the “nuclear barcode” to complement the COI barcode and ameliorate these concerns. We focused on beetles from taxonomically diverse species-level studies that used COI and CAD. An ambiguous barcode gap was present between intra- and interspecific genetic distances in CAD and COI; this led to difficulty with automated gap detection methods. We found pseudogenes, problematic population structure, introgression, and incomplete lineage sorting represented in the COI data. A CAD gene tree illuminated these cryptic problems. Placement tests of species and outgroups using distance-based tree building were largely successful for CAD, demonstrating its phylogenetic signal at the species and genus levels. Species placement issues were typically unique to one locus, allowing for recognition of misdiagnosis. We conclude that a CAD barcode is a valuable tool for beetle diagnostics, metabarcoding, and faunistic surveys.

Historically, and even today, discovery of new species has remained one of the primary research activities driving the discipline of taxonomy. Discovering scientifically still unknown biodiversity is critical in addressing the taxonomic impediment which is hampering our progress to meet the challenges of global biodiversity crisis. However, in the rush to accelerate the rate of new species’ discoveries, it is crucial to follow objective, stable and reproducible taxonomic criteria. Otherwise, new species’ discoveries based solely on subjective, unstable and non-reproducible characters can be cause of artificial taxonomic inflation in biodiversity data with wider implications in conservation policy and practice. In this study, by integrating empirical evidences from multiple sources, we critically evaluate the validity of two recently described new species of Ephedra in India (E. sumlingensis and E. khurikensis) to underscore the fact that all ‘new’ species are not always new. Use of morphologically plastic characters in diagnosis, discrepancies in the protologues and inconsistencies with the freshly collected live specimens from the type localities clearly revealed that both these species unambiguously fall within the circumscription of already known E. intermedia. With further support from robust analyses of morphometric and molecular data, we recognise both the species as new synonyms of E. intermedia. Based on the lessons learnt from this study, we suggest recommendations to be practised by the taxonomists to avoid such pitfalls in biodiversity data due to arbitrary new species’ discoveries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the unknown biodiversity of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) in Reunion Island, located in the Southwestern Indian Ocean. MCEs are still largely unexplored whereas they are assumed to shelter a rich and unique biodiversity. As they might likely serve as a source for recolonization after disturbances in shallower reefs, their study is urgently needed. This work focused on an understudied large group of structural and functional ecological importance in reef benthic communities, the hydroids. Performing only 8 deep dives with closed-circuit rebreathers, we recorded 74 species between 65 and 93 m among which 11 species and 3 genera are likely new to science. Furthermore, the explorations made in contrasted geographical zones around the island suggest particular eco-physiological traits for some species: specialized vs. widely tolerant. This preliminary report only shows the tip of the iceberg and opens an avenue for exploration and understanding of such extraordinary biodiversity at such depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neotropical assassin bug genus Montina Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Reduviidae: Harpactorinae) is revised for Colombia. Montina has not been adequately explored taxonomically, with its last described species published in 1867. It has ten valid species distributed in tropical areas of Central and South America, but none of them have been formally recorded from Colombia. We describe three new species, M. calarca Mejía-Soto & Forero sp. nov., M. gladiator Mejía-Soto & Forero sp. nov., M. tikuna Mejía-Soto & Forero sp. nov., and report seven species as new records for the country: M. confusa (Stål, 1859), M. distincta (Stål, 1859), M. fumosa (Stål, 1867), M. lobata Stål, 1859, M. rufi cornis (Fabricius, 1803), M. scutellaris Stål, 1859, and M. testacea (Stål, 1859). Montina calarca sp. nov. is distinguished by the reddish coloration with black head and legs; densely setose pronotum; connexival margin rounded on segments 4, 5, and 6 without protuberances, connexivum black with a narrow red band on margin; and translucent yellow membrane with hyaline cells and darkened veins. Montina gladiator sp. nov. is distinguished by the red coloration, with black legs, scutellum, and abdomen; connexival margin 4-5 lobed, 6 straight, segments 2-4 with acute posterior process on each segment, connexivum dark brown to black with a narrow red band on its margin. Montina tikuna sp. nov. is distinguished by the reddish-brown coloration, with black scutellum and abdomen; connexival margin nearly straight, segments 2-4 with small posterior acute process, 5-6 with obtuse process, connexivum black; ventral laterotergites only with black scattered erect setae. New characters help delimit Montina and differentiate it from Ploeogaster Amyot & Serville, 1843, its most similar genus. For all species we provide a diagnosis, images, documentation of genitalia, and distribution maps. A key to all the species of Montina is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patelloceto Lyle & Haddad, 2010 is a small genus of dark sac spiders from the Afrotropical region, diagnosed by very distinct morphology of the genitalia, males with femoral, patellar, and tibial apophyses, females with a broad membranous median septum separating the small lateral spermathecae, and long, oblique, lateral epigynal hoods flanking copulatory openings. Here, two new species of Patelloceto are described from Kenya, from material collected by John and Frances Murphy almost half a century ago. Both new species are diagnosed and illustrated, an updated map of the distribution of the genus is provided, as well as an updated key to species of the genus. The number of Patelloceto species is increased from three to five, and the number of trachelid spiders recorded from Kenya is increased from four to six. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tritoniella belli is the only valid species of a nudibranch genus endemic to the Southern Ocean. Recent exhaustive sampling and molecular analyses led to the discovery of several new lineages. A total of 69 specimens were collected from 25 sites across the Weddell and Scotia Seas, from 5 to 751 m depth. In this study, we provide morphological and anatomical characters to describe five new Tritoniella species, namely T. gnocchi n. sp., T. prinzess n. sp., T. gnathodentata n. sp., T. schoriesi n. sp., T. heideae n. sp. Detailed descriptions of colouration, external morphology, digestive and reproductive organs, distribution, and ecology are presented in a systematic context. These are compared to the type material from the Ross Sea of T. belli and its synonym T. sinuata, whose status requires additional sampling to be solved. Discrete differences in external characters, including the shape of dorsal notum ridge and mantle edges, support the species hypotheses delimited by Moles, Berning et al. (2021). Moreover, detailed scanning electron microscopy images of the masticatory border of the jaws, radula teeth, and penial papilla were provided and their differences discussed. The gut content of all species revealed sclerites of Primnoidae gorgonians as their preferred prey. Pseudo-cryptic radiations along the Scotia Arc, explained by the combination of distribution reduction due to glacial cycles and the existence of refugia, and enhanced by their direct development, could explain the allopatric speciation events in Tritoniella species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new genus and species of edaphic Entiminae Caldarinus gwarrie gen. n., sp. n., is described from South Africa: Western Cape province. Its tribal placement in the subfamily is discussed and the most important taxonomic characters are illustrated. The genus Rhysoderes Marshall, 1955 (Entiminae: oosomini) is proposed as a new junior synonym of Cladeyterus Schoenherr, 1842 and Rhysoderes atrobruneus Marshall, 1958 is proposed as a new junior synonym of Cladeyterus lepidopterus Boheman, 1842. The remaining nine Rhysoderes species are transferred to the genus Cladeyterus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anormogomphus heteropterus is redescribed based upon a single male specimen. Discrepancies and inaccuracies in previous illustrations of this species that could cause confusion are pointed out. Platygomphus benritarum sp. nov. is described on the basis of a single male specimen collected at Tezpur, Sonitpur District, Assam, India. Platygomphus benritarum differs from its congeners and other, similar species such as Asahinagomphus insolitus (Asahina, 1986) by its thoracic markings and shape of the abdomen and cerci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new jumping spider species, Langelurillus tertius sp. nov. (♂♀), is described from the Ajanta and Sathmala hill ranges of the Deccan plateau in Maharashtra (India). Detailed description, illustrations, and a map showing the distribution of all known Indian congeners are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the diversity and ecology of deep-reef fishes is challenging. Due to intensive and widely dispersed sampling, the Greater Caribbean (GC) fauna of species found on shallow reefs is much better characterized than the fauna of deep-reef species restricted to mesophotic (40–130 m) and rariphotic (130–300 m) depths. Our knowledge about deep-reef fishes is based on ship-board sampling and the recent use of rebreather diving, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), baited remote underwater videos, and crewed submersibles. Submersible research on GC deep-reef fishes began in the 1960s and has flourished over the last decade through research by the Smithsonian Institution’s Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP). Here we quantify the contribution of submersible research, particularly the surge by DROP, to our understanding of the diversity of the deep-reef fish fauna of the GC. We compared shallow- and deep-reef fish faunas of three GC sites subjected to DROP research to faunas of three sites without such research. DROP increased the size of the deep faunas at three islands ∼9-fold, and they have deep-reef faunas ∼2–4 times the size of those of the other three sites. Those deep-reef faunas have high proportions of small cryptobenthic fishes, which also represent a major component of shallow faunas. That research increased the rate of discovery (collection) of new species of deep-reef fishes ∼6-fold and accounts for 31% of the deep-reef species first discovered within the GC. Substantial numbers of new species at each of the three DROP islands were not found at the other two. This indicates that other parts of the GC likely harbor many undetected deep-reef fishes, and that the size of the deep-reef fauna of the GC is significantly underestimated. These results show that small research submersibles are versatile, highly productive tools for deep-reef studies. They allow long-duration dives at any depth, while offering unparalleled views of their surroundings to study the ecology of deep-reef fishes (e.g., DROP’s definition of the rariphotic assemblage from fish depth distributions). Submersibles can efficiently collect reef fishes of a broad range of taxa, ecotypes and sizes, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the regional GC deep-reef fish fauna.

DNA barcoding based on a fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene from the mitochondrial genome is widely applied in species identification, species discovery and biodiversity studies. The aim of this study was to establish a barcoding reference database of sponges collected from South Africa, and evaluate the applicability of the COI gene for aiding in the identification of sponges in combination with tentative morphological identifications. A total of 317 mitochondrial COI barcode sequences, with an additional 21 extended COI fragments and 24 nuclear ITS sequences, were obtained from 11 orders, 38 families, 58 genera and 124 species of spiculated sponges. A Neighbour Joining (NJ) trees that were reconstructed using these sequences in most cases clustered species in accordance with their current taxonomic identification, and we conclude that COI sequencing can be used to aid in the identification of sponge species. We further demonstrate that DNA barcoding analysis has potential to uncover cryptic sponge species, and to reveal dubious morphological identifications. We recommend that future taxonomic studies of South African sponges incorporate multiple sources of information for species identification or discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The world’s fast disappearing mangrove forests have low plant diversity and are often assumed to also have a species-poor insect fauna. We here compare the tropical arthropod fauna across a freshwater swamp and six different forest types (rain-, swamp, dry-coastal, urban, freshwater swamp, mangroves) based on 140,000 barcoded specimens belonging to ca. 8500 species. Results: We find that the globally imperiled habitat “mangroves” is an overlooked hotspot for insect diversity. Our study reveals a species-rich mangrove insect fauna (>3000 species in Singapore alone) that is distinct (>50% of species are mangrove-specific) and has high species turnover across Southeast and East Asia. For most habitats, plant diversity is a good predictor of insect diversity, but mangroves are an exception and compensate for a comparatively low number of phytophagous and fungivorous insect species by supporting an unusually rich community of predators whose larvae feed in the productive mudflats. For the remaining tropical habitats, the insect communities have diversity patterns that are largely congruent across guilds. Conclusions: The discovery of such a sizeable and distinct insect fauna in a globally threatened habitat underlines how little is known about global insect biodiversity. We here show how such knowledge gaps can be closed quickly with new cost-effective NGS barcoding techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eudyasmus Pascoe, 1885 (Curculionidae: Molytinae: Eudyasmini), an endemic weevil genus from New Guinea, is reviewed. The genus is redescribed, all previously described species are diagnosed, and lectotypes are designated for three species. Prior to this study, Eudyasmus was only known from Papua New Guinea but is reported here for the first time from the Indonesian part of New Guinea based on the description of Eudyasmus basalis Pancini & Bramanti sp. nov. from Waigeo Island, West Papua Province. A new genus, Protrachyasmus Setliff gen. nov., is described to accommodate Eudyasmus planidorsis Heller, which is non-congeneric with the four remaining Eudyasmus species. A species level identification key, distribution map, and illustrations are provided for all species of these two closely related genera.

Family Ampullariidae consists of 11 genera of freshwater snails distributed pan-tropically in the Old and the New World. One of the ampullarid genera, Pila, is distributed in Africa and Asia and consists of 28 species. Here we describe the sixth member of the genus Pila from India. Pila mizoramensis n. sp. was collected from the Northeast Indian state of Mizoram. We adopted an integrative taxonomic approach to describe this species. First, a multilocus phylogeny of the genus was built to determine its placement in the tree. Then we used pairwise distance in the cytochrome oxidase I gene to compare its divergence from its congeners. Finally morphometric data was used to show that this hill stream species of Pila does not overlap with other hill stream species in morphometric space. The morphology of the species is also discussed in detail. With the advent of molecular tools in taxonomy a plethora of new species have been described from India in the last few decades. We add this newest member of genus Pila to the growing list.ZooBank registration: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eudyasmus Pascoe, 1885 (Curculionidae: Molytinae, Eudyasmini), an endemic weevil genus from New Guinea, is reviewed. The genus is redescribed, all previously described species are diagnosed, and lectotypes are designated for three species. Prior to this study, Eudyasmus was only known from Papua New Guinea but is reported here for the first time from the Indonesian part of New Guinea based on the description of Eudyasmus basalis Pancini & Bramanti sp. nov. from Waigeo Island, West Papua Province. A new genus, Protrachyasmus Setliff gen. nov., is described to accommodate Eudyasmus planidorsis Heller, 1908, which is non-congeneric with the four remaining Eudyasmus species. A species level identification key, distribution map, and illustrations are provided for all species of these two closely related genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe and illustrate a new eyeless weevil, Yagder serratus gen. & sp. nov., based on a single adult female collected by sifting forest leaf litter in Mexico. A phylogenetic analysis of 39 terminals and 2679 aligned positions from three DNA fragments places the new species into the subfamily Brachycerinae (as incertae sedis) and outside the highly diversified clade of 'higher' true weevils. Neither Brachycerinae, nor its tribe Raymondionymini traditionally uniting most eyeless weevils, are monophyletic unless the latter is limited to a Mediterranean core group. Both these taxa are taxonomic dumping-grounds likely containing species-poor sisters of species-rich clades. When resolved, the subfamily Brachycerinae will be likely split into two or more species-poor deeply-divergent subfamilies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A very large, new, and distinctive species of Conotrachelus Dejean is described from Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Conotrachelus terryerwini sp. nov. (type locality Volcan Orosi, Estación Biológica Maritza, Guanacaste, Costa Rica) is described and named in honor of Terry L. Erwin (1940-2020), famed carabidologist and biodiversity champion. This majestic species is easily distinguished by its large body size (15-20 mm) and extremely long rostrum (especially in females). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material collected just behind the Cenderawasih University campus in Jayapura, Papua Province, Indonesia, revealed a new species of the Labiobaetis claudiae group, which is here described and illustrated based on larvae, subimago, male and female imagos. The total number of Labiobaetis species on the island New Guinea increased to 33, the total number for Indonesia increased to 26, and the total number of Labiobaetis species worldwide is augmented to 147. A key to the larvae of the L. claudiae group is provided. The interspecific K2P distances between species of the L. claudiae group are between 20% and 23%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]