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Cobitis beijingensis, a new spined loach from northern China (Cypriniformes, Cobitidae)
No full textA new spined loach, Cobitis beijingensis, is described from Beijing, China. The new species can be distinguished from other congeners by a combination of characters: 1) Lamina circularis on pectoral fin of male elongated, posterior margin slightly serrated; 2) possessing 14–18 (mode 15) pre-pelvic myotomes; 3) pelvic fin inserted below 3rd–5th branched dorsal-fin ray; 4) total vertebrae 4+ 36–38 (mode 37); 5) L2 of the Gambetta’s pattern does not exist or is fused with L1. The molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial Cyt b also support C. beijingensis to be a new species
A new species of the genus Falcileptoneta Komatsu, 1970 (Araneae, Leptonetidae) from Jilin, China
No full textFalcileptoneta Komatsu, 1970 comprises 68 species, distributed in Japan (28), Korea (31) and southeast of China (9). This genus has not been recorded in the north-eastern part of China.A new species: Falcileptoneta taoqii sp. nov. (♂♀) are reported from Jilin Province, China. This is also the first record of Leptonetidae Simon, 1890 in north-eastern China. Photos and morphological descriptions of the new species are presented; the type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZCAS), Beijing
Sufetula culshawi sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Lathrotelinae): a previously unrecognised species affecting cultivated palms
No full textA new species of the pantropical genus Sufetula Walker, 1859 (Crambidae: Lathrotelinae) is described. A male specimen was found by Martin Culshaw as an accidental import in Stirlingshire, Scotland, whilst a female specimen was later found in the Natural History Museum collections, which had been reared in southernmost Kyushu, at Ibusuki, Japan. These specimens do not match externally the 31 currently accepted described species in the genus. We obtained a full 658 bp DNA barcode from both specimens (together with all of COI from the Japanese exemplar) that confirmed their conspecificity but showing at least 7.49% p-distance from any presently existing cluster. Phylogenetic analysis, including 14 other exemplars with DNA barcodes from BOLD/GenBank, failed to place the new taxon with any existing lathroteline species group. The Japanese specimen was reared from the roots of an Areca Palm Chrysalidocarpus lutescens Wendland in 1987, whilst the specimen imported to Scotland may have emerged from the same species. This information suggests that the new species is a previously unrecognised coloniser of horticulturally imported palms. Currently we cannot rule out the hypothesis that the species is native to habitats containing palms in the southern Japanese islands, and further specimens should be searched for in collections and in the wild. However, INaturalist images externally diagnostic for the species suggest it is widespread in South East Asia
Bryophytes of the Cerrado: a floristic study in an urban area and in two conservation units in eastern Maranhão, Brazil
No full textBryophyte studies in the Cerrado Maranhense over the last five years have revealed 42 newly recorded species of bryophytes. Although the highest concentration of studies have been undertaken in east‑ ern Maranhão, there are still areas there that have not been inventoried, such as the conservation units in the municipality of Chapadinha. Herein, we inventory the bryophytes in this municipality. Data were obtained from bryophyte specimens deposited in the herbarium Centro de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Federal do Maranhão and additional material collected by us. We identified 303 specimens representing 54 species, which included two hornworts, 25 liverworts, and 27 mosses. Two species are newly reported from the state: Plagiochila subplana Lindenb. and Fissidens subulatus Mitt.; the distribution of the latter species is extended into the Brazilian Cerrado. Our study shows the importance of increasing sampling efforts for bryophytes in Maranhão and highlights the diversity of these Cerrado formations
On the taxonomic status of two giant cockroaches of Bionoblatta (Blattodea, Blaberidae) collected by José Pinto da Fonseca, a founder of the Brazilian Society of Entomology
No full textThe blaberids Parahormetica hylaeceps Miranda-Ribeiro, 1936 and Bion mastrucatus Rehn, 1937 were described in the 1930s from single males collected by José Pinto da Fonseca (JPF) in the 1910s. Both specimens came from the region of Mariana municipality, Minas Gerais State, an ecotonal formation between the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado domains in southeastern Brazil. Recently, P. hylaeceps was transferred to Bionoblatta Rehn, 1940, and its strong morphological similarity with Bion mastrucatus (already in Bionoblatta) was highlighted, indicating the need to investigate the validity of these names. Here, we addressed this question by analyzing photos of the type material, comparing original descriptions, and examining data on both the collecting site and the collector’s history. We conclude that Parahormetica hylaeceps should be considered a senior synonym of Bion mastrucatus syn. nov.; hence, the valid name should be Bionoblatta hylaeceps (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1936). We also provide a new diagnosis, synonymy, and review of the distribution of this species, finding Bionoblatta hylaeceps to be endemic to the Itacolomi Peak region. We also present a short account of the work of JPF, including his relevance to Brazilian entomology and itinerary for collecting these specimens. Bionoblatta have five poorly known species of blaberids that, despite recent advances in the genus taxonomy, are still pending review
Mountainous millipedes in Vietnam. III. Two new dragon millipedes from limestone mountains in northern Vietnam (Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae, Hylomus), with an identification key to Vietnamese Hylomus species
No full textTwo new species of the dragon millipede genus Hylomus Cook & Loomis, 1924 are described from mountainous areas in northern Vietnam, namely Hylomus piccolo sp. nov. and Hylomus borealis sp. nov. The COI barcodes are provided for these species, and an identification key is presented to all Vietnamese Hylomus species
First specimen-based Indonesian record of the Wongat Dragonet Callionymus zythros Fricke, 2000 (Actinopterygii, Perciformes, Callionymidae) from Saparua Island, the Moluccas
No full textA single male dragonet (32.3 mm standard length) (Callionymidae), collected from Saparua Island, the Moluccas Islands, Indonesia, is identified as Callionymus zythros Fricke, 2000. This specimen is the westernmost record of the species, which was previously known only from two localities, Wongat Island, Madang, Papua New Guinea and Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua, Indonesia
Ecological insights on the feeding behaviour of waterbirds in an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area of South West Johor Coast, Malaysia
No full textMangroves and mudflats are essential intertidal habitats that support benthic communities, providing critical feeding grounds for waterbirds. However, the degradation of these habitats due to coastal reclamation poses significant threats to prey availability and waterbird populations along the South est Johor Coast. While most avian research in Johor focuses on forest birds, studies on coastal waterbirds, particularly their feeding ecology, remain scarce. Understanding the feeding ecology of waterbirds is crucial for strengthening conservation efforts in vulnerable intertidal habitats. This study investigated the feeding behaviour and diet composition of waterbirds along the South West Johor Coast, Malaysia. Fieldwork was conducted in three coastal mudflats from November 2020 to May 2021, employing the direct observation technique. A total of 576 hours of observation were recorded, averaging 2 hours and 19 minutes per focal observation. Of 17 waterbird species recorded, only 11 species were included in the analysis based on sufficient data. The results revealed that waterbirds primarily consumed fish, molluscs, worms, crabs and unidentified prey, with fish comprising 25% of their overall diet. Feeding behaviour varied significantly by morphology traits, with larger waterbirds demonstrating higher feeding efficiency. Despite lower feeding rates and shorter feeding durations, larger species had a greater percentage of successful feeding attempts, indicating their superior ability to meet energy requirements. These findings provide crucial baseline data for understanding waterbird feeding ecology and highlight the importance of conserving the intertidal habitats. This research contributes to the development of targeted conservation strategies for waterbirds in the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) of the South West Johor Coast, Malaysia, an area increasingly at risk from habitat degradation
Description of a new leaf litter toad of Leptobrachella (Anura, Megophryidae) from Hunan, China
No full textA new leaf litter toad, Leptobrachella yongshunensis sp. nov., is described on the basis of morphological, acoustic, and molecular data in this study. The new species was distributed in Xiaoxi National Nature Reserve, Yongshun County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province, China. Phylogenetical analysis revealed that the new species is sister species of L. wulingensis (p-distance 0.019 in 16s rRNA gene, p-distance 0.073 in COI gene). The duration of advertisement call was 194.2 ± 6.7 ms, the mean dominant frequency of the first note was 3.885 ± 0.066 kHz, and the mean dominant frequency of the second note was 3.914 ± 0.052 kHz. The new species can be distinguished from its congers by the following morphological characters: snout-vent length (SVL) 27.2–28.9 in males, SVL 26.2–31.6 in females; black spots on flanks; toes webbing rudimentarily; narrow fringes on toes; creamy white ventral body with indistinct black speckling at margins; dorsal body with sparse large warts, dense little wart grains, and longitudinal ridges; head width greater than head length; tibiotarsal articulation reaching to anterior edge of the eye; brick-red color in the dorsal surface; upper parts of iris bright coppery in life. We still supplemented the molecular data of the COI gene of L. wulingensis for further research. The discovery of the new species not only enhances the species diversity of the Wuling Mountains, but also suggests the hidden species diversity in the area
Phylogenetic studies on the genus Candolleomyces (Psathyrellaceae, Basidiomycota) occurring in the bed of the Indus River, Punjab, Pakistan, reveal three new species
No full textDuring macrofungal surveys in 2019–2024, several specimens belonging to the family Psathyrellaceae were collected from the bed of the Indus River, Punjab, Pakistan. Phylogenetic analyses, based on ITS, LSU, and tef-1α sequences and morpho-anatomical study, confirmed the novelty and placement of three taxa in the genus Candolleomyces. They are described as Candolleomyces crenatus, C. undulatus, and C. virgatus. For distinguishing characters, C. crenatus has crenate cap margins, small basidiospores, and a marginate base of stipe. Candolleomyces undulatus has parabolic to campanulate, wavy margins, light purplish gray with a light brownish gray center of pileus, and an appendiculate, pendant annulus. Candolleomyces virgatus has a parabolic to plane, distinct umbo, a virgate surface of pileus, 1–7 tiers, forking lamellae, and longitudinal striation on the surface of the stipe. Currently, Candolleomyces comprises 60 formally recognized species worldwide. However, with the inclusion of these three species, the total number rises to 63. Detailed descriptions, a phylogenetic estimate, morphological comparisons, and illustrations are provided