[Crustacea • 2025] Galathea tukitukimea • A New Species of Galathea (Decapoda: Galatheidae) from the seamounts of the Easter Island Area (Southeast Pacific Ocean Ridge) associated with a sea urchin

 

Galathea tukitukimea

Ángeles Gallardo Salamanca, Asorey & Macpherson, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1248.159542

Abstract

Galathea tukitukimea sp. nov. is described from the seamounts near Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and represents the first record of the genus for this region of the Pacific Ocean and for Chilean territory. The new species belongs to the group of species having the carapace with median protogastric and cardiac spines. G. tukitukimea has always been observed associated with the sea urchin Stereocidaris nascaensis. This potential mimicry-based association is uncommon in squat lobsters, which warrants further study.

Key words: Barcoding, Crustacea, Galatheoidea, symbiosis, taxonomy

Galathea tukitukimea sp. nov. , holotype, male (MNHNC DEC-15582) and paratype, female (SCBUCN6722). Color in life, dorsal view.

Galathea tukitukimea sp. nov. on Stereocidaris nascaensis in habitat.
A. Pukao seamount, depth 348 m; B. Motu Motiro Hiva Island, depth 407 m; C. G. tukitukimea on the spine of S. nascaensis. Image credit ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute, FKt240224 expedition.

Superfamily Galatheoidea Samouelle, 1819

Family Galatheidae Samouelle, 1819

Genus Galathea Fabricius, 1793

 Galathea tukitukimea sp. nov. 

Etymology: The specific epithet tukitukimea derives from the Rapa Nui words tuki tuki mea, meaning “red dots”, in reference to the vivid reddish spots on the carapace and pereiopods. The name was proposed by Serafina Moulton Tepano, a Rapa Nui artist who accompanied the FKt240224 expedition. It is treated as a noun in apposition.

 María de los Ángeles Gallardo Salamanca, Cynthia Asorey, Enrique Macpherson. 2025. A New Species of Galathea (Decapoda, Galatheidae) from the seamounts of the Easter Island area (Southeast Pacific Ocean Ridge) associated with a sea urchin. ZooKeys. 1248: 111-123. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1248.159542

[PaleoEntomology • 2025] Rutrizoma donoghuei & R. pisanii • Specialized Bark-gnawing Beetles (Coleoptera: Trogossitidae) reveal Phragmotic Defence and Subcortical Ecology in the Cretaceous

Rutrizoma donoghuei, Poinarinius aristovi and polyaspidoid mites
Rutrizoma Li & Cai gen. nov.
 

in Li, Leschen, Kolibáč, Engel, Zhang, Yu, Huang et Cai, 2025.

 DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.1004 

Artwork by Ding-Hua Yang

Abstract

Ecological interactions are fundamental to understanding species’ trophic relationships and the evolution of ecosystem functions. However, the fossil record seldom captures these intricate dynamics, as most fossils preserve individual organisms rather than the interactions that shaped ancient ecosystems. Here, we describe a new genus of bark-gnawing beetles (Trogossitidae), Rutrizoma gen. nov., from mid-Cretaceous amber in northern Myanmar. This fossil genus reveals a rare combination of predatory and antipredatory adaptations, shedding light on the ecological complexity of Mesozoic forest ecosystems. Rutrizoma has specialized morphological features, such as shortened elytra and unidentate mandibles, suggesting an active predatory lifestyle in narrow wood galleries. Interestingly, some morphological traits of Rutrizoma mirror those of its potential prey, particularly bostrichid beetles, from the same amber deposit. One such trait is its specialized abdominal declivity, which probably functioned as a protective shield against predators and competitors, representing marked convergence with the elytral declivity of other subcortical beetles, such as bark and ambrosia beetles (Scolytinae and Platypodinae) and Bostrichidae. The presence of phoretic mites associated with Rutrizoma, along with co-preserved bostrichid prey, underscores the complex community dynamics beneath Cretaceous tree bark. This finding reveals a subcortical ecosystem that parallels modern ecological interactions.

Keywords: Cretaceous, beetle, phragmosis, defence, ecological interaction

Order Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758

Family Trogossitidae Latreille, 1802

Subfamily Trogossitinae Latreille, 1802

Genus Rutrizoma Li & Cai gen. nov.

Type species. Rutrizoma donoghuei sp. nov., here designated.

Etymology. The generic name is formed based on the Latin rutrum, shovel, referring to the bordered declivity at the abdominal apex, and part of the name Nemozoma Latreille, a closely related trogossitid genus. When Latreille [1804] established the genus name Nemozoma, he likely intended it to reference the elongate body (νῆμα [nema]: thread + σῶμα [soma]: body). Although Latreille improperly latinized the second component, since ζῶμα (zoma) is still a Greek neuter noun, according to ICZN Article 30.1.2, Nemozoma should be treated as neuter (S. Laplante & P. Bouchard 2025, personal communication; contrary to [Kippenhan, 2023]). The new name Rutrizoma should thus also be neuter.

Diagnosis. Body slender. Frons with weak longitudinal median groove, without paired horn-like processes. Antennae with 11 antennomeres; club weakly asymmetrical; antennomeres 9 and 10 without exposed sensorial field; antennomere 11 with exposed sensorial field. Mandibles with one prominent apical tooth. Galea with ciliate setae. Pronotal disc elongate, with longitudinal median groove. Procoxal cavities narrowly separated, closed externally. Elytra strongly shortened, apically truncate, leaving abdominal segments IV–VII fully exposed, each with five distinct longitudinal grooves. Mesocoxal cavities narrowly separated, open laterally. Metacoxae contiguous, medially projecting, laterally not reaching lateral margin of metathorax. Protibia with robust spine on mesal edge. Abdominal tergite VII specialized, forming bordered declivity; margins with dense ciliate setae. Abdominal ventrites strongly convex.

Rutrizoma donoghuei sp. nov., under brightfield (A–C) or confocal (D–F) microscopy.
(A) NIGP205681, dorsal view. (B) NIGP166142, lateral view. (C) NIGP166143, ventral view. (D) NIGP205682-1, head, dorsal view, with arrow indicating median groove on frons. (E) NIGP166142, head, ventrolateral view, with arrow indicating ciliate setae of galea. (F) NIGP166142, abdominal declivity, dorsal view, with arrow indicating projected lobes. Abbreviations: an, antenna; md, mandible. Scale bars: 1 mm in (A–C); 200 μm in (D–F).

Rutrizoma donoghuei Li & Cai sp. nov. 

 

Etymology. The species is named after the evolutionary biologist Dr Philip C. J. Donoghue.

Differential diagnosis. Rutrizoma donoghuei differs from R. pisanii in the smaller body size (about 4.1 mm long in the holotype and similar in all the paratypes) and the edge of abdominal declivity with projected lobes at the base.

 Rutrizoma pisanii sp. nov., NIGP205685-1, under brightfield (A,B) or confocal (C,D) microscopy.
(A) Dorsolateral view. (B) Ventrolateral view. (C) Head, ventrolateral view. (D) Abdominal declivity, dorsolateral view. Abbreviations: an, antenna; md, mandible; t6−7, abdominal tergites VI–VII. Scale bars: 1 mm in (A,B); 300 μm in (C,D).

 

Rutrizoma pisanii Li & Cai sp. nov.  

Etymology. The species is named after the evolutionary biologist Dr Davide Pisani.

Differential diagnosis. Rutrizoma pisanii differs from R. donoghuei in the larger body size (about 5.4 mm long in the holotype) and the simple edge of abdominal declivity.

Woodboring beetles and mites associated with Rutrizoma, under brightfield (A–D) or confocal microscopy (E).
(A) NIGP205682, syninclusion of Rutrizoma donoghuei, Poinarinius aristovi and polyaspidoid mites. (B,C) NIGP205686, syninclusion of Rutrizoma sp., Poinarinius sp., and mites. (D) NIGP205687-3, Poinarinius aladelicatus preserved along with two individuals of Rutrizoma. (E) Detail of NIGP205682, showing polyaspidoid mites associated with Rutrizoma. Scale bars: 2 mm in (A–C); 500 μm in (D); 200 μm in (E).

 Artistic reconstruction of Cretaceous Rutrizoma pursuing Poinarinius beneath bark.

Artwork by Ding-Hua YANG

Yan-Da Li, Richard A. B. Leschen, Jiří Kolibáč, Michael S. Engel, Zhi-Qiang Zhang, Yali Yu, Diying Huang and Chenyang Cai. 2025. Specialized Bark-gnawing Beetles reveal Phragmotic Defence and Subcortical Ecology in the Cretaceous. Proc. R. Soc. B. 292: 20251004. DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.1004 [11 June 2025]

 

[Paleontology • 2025] Ciurcalimulus discobolus • The first Silurian horseshoe crab reveals details of the xiphosuran ground plan

 

 Ciurcalimulus discobolus

Lamsdell, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.0874

Abstract

Horseshoe crabs are an ancient lineage with an evolutionary history stretching back 450 million years and are generally considered to be examples of ‘living fossils’ exhibiting slow rates of evolution. Despite this reputation, relatively little is known of the early evolution of the group, with only two species described from the Ordovician and a subsequent 80-million-year gap in their fossil record until xiphosurids appear in the Late Devonian. Furthermore, all described Ordovician species are assigned to a single genus, with their close phylogenetic relatedness rendering it unclear whether their morphology is representative of the horseshoe crab ground pattern or an independently derived condition. Here, a new species of horseshoe crab is described from the Silurian of Indiana, USA. The new species bridges the temporal gap in the xiphosuran fossil record and has an overall morphology similar to that of the Ordovician taxa. These new data provide critical information on the ancestral morphology of horseshoe crabs, showing that xiphosurids evolved from forms with a fused thoracetron exhibiting axial segment boundaries, and demonstrate the persistence of basal Xiphosura into the Silurian. Laser-stimulated fluorescence is also shown to be an effective method for studying and imaging arthropod fossils exhibiting challenging preservation.

Keywords: Ciurcalimulus, ground plan, horseshoe crab, laser stimulated fluorescence, Silurian, Xiphosura, Xiphosurida

 

 Ciurcalimulus discobolus gen. et sp. nov., holotype (YPM IP 548961).
(a) Imaged dry under polarized light, showing specimen relief. (b) Imaged immersed in ethanol under polarized light, providing greater contrast of the carbonized cuticle. (c) Interpretive drawing of specimen. Carbonized cuticle is shown in brown, damaged or incomplete margins by dashed lines.
 (d) Imaged under ultraviolet light, exhibiting fluorescence of both the carbonized cuticle and to a lesser extent the exfoliated regions of the fossil, affording the clearest view of the segment boundaries in the thoracetron axis. (e) Imaged under 447 nm blue laser, with carbonized cuticle and exfoliated regions again both fluorescing. The outline of the fossil is most readily apparent here as is the morphology of the cardiac lobe. (f) Imaged under 532 nm green laser, clearly showing the location of carbonized cuticle via strong fluorescence. Scale bars = 5 mm.

Arthropoda Gravenhorst, 1843 

Chelicerata Heymons, 1901 

Xiphosura Latreille, 1802 

Ciurcalimulus discobolus gen. et sp. nov.

 

Etymology. The genus is named for the late Sam Ciurca, a prolific collector and avocational palaeontologist who discovered the specimen in 1975. The species name refers to the ancient Greek sculpture by Myron in reference to the extremely rounded, discus-like form of the prosoma and thoracetron.

Holotype. YPM IP 548961 (Yale Peabody Museum, Invertebrate Paleontology), complete specimen in dorsal view preserving the prosomal carapace, thoracetron, postabdomen and telson (figures 1 and 2).

Diagnosis. Xiphosuran with semicircular prosomal carapace bearing curved genal spines that reach almost to thoracetron posterior; prosomal carapace bearing crescentic lateral eyes located centrimesially; prosomal cardiac lobe quadrate with rounded anterior, well expressed with margins defined by furrows; anterior two opisthosomal segments short and freely articulating; thoracetron semicircular, approximately equal in length to the prosomal carapace, comprising up to six fused body segments with segmental boundaries expressed axially; postabdomen comprising up to five free articulating segments including an elongated pretelson; telson equal in length to entire body, lanceolate in shape with bifurcate termination.

James C. Lamsdell. 2025. The first Silurian horseshoe crab reveals details of the xiphosuran ground plan. Proc. R. Soc. B. 292: 20250874. DOI: doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.0874  [18 June 2025]

[Botany • 2025] Zeuxine yonzoneana (Orchidaceae: Spiranthoideae: Cranichideae: Goodyerinae) • A New Species from India

 

Zeuxine yonzoneana  Rajendra Yonzone,

in Yonzone, 2025.  

DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.712.2.8  

  facebook.com: Rajendra YONZONE 

 

Abstract

Zeuxine yonzoneana, a new species of orchid from India, is described and illustrated. The new species is allied to Zeuxine clandestina Blume. But differs in having leaves during anthesis, ovate-oblong to awl-shaped lateral sepals; lip deeply and broadly bilobed, and serrated epichile margins of the later. The new species also shows variation in flowering period, i.e. September–October for the new species, whereas February–April for Zeuxine clandestina. Colour photographs and line drawing are provided for the taxonomical recognition of the new species.

New Discovery, Terrestrial Orchid Taxon, Eastern Himalaya, India, Monocots

Zeuxine yonzoneana Rajendra Yonzone sp. nov.

Rajendra YONZONE. 2025. Zeuxine yonzoneana sp. nov. (Orchidaceae: Spiranthoideae: Cranichideae: Goodyerinae): A New Species from India.  Phytotaxa. 712(2); 186-192. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.712.2.8 [2025-07-30]

 facebook.com/DrRajendraYONZONEphd/posts/23951522067838663

[Herpetology • 2025] Brachytarsophrys guilinensis • Integrative Taxonomic Evidence for A New Species of the Short-legged Toads Brachytarsophrys (Anura: Megophryidae) from Guangxi, China

 

 Brachytarsophrys guilinensis

Wu, Pan, Xiao, Chen, Yu & Wei, 2025

  

Guilin Short-legged Toad | 桂林短腿蟾  ||  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.101.157834

Abstract

Currently, the genus Brachytarsophrys contains nine species. In this study, we describe a new species of Brachytarsophrys, named Brachytarsophrys guilinensis sp. nov., from northeastern Guangxi, China, based on morphological, molecular, and acoustic evidence. This new species can be distinguished from other known congeners by the combination of the following morphological characters: (1) smaller body size (SVL 70.0‒81.9 mm in eight adult males); (2) head wider than long, with head width nearly 1.5 times the length and about half of the SVL; (3) tongue broad and round, feebly notched; (4) male with nuptial pad on the dorsal surface of the first and second fingers; (5) hind limbs relatively short and robust, heels not meeting when legs are positioned at a right angle to the body; (6) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the angle of the mouth when hind limbs are extended forward alongside the body; (7) absence of outer metatarsal tubercle, with the inner metatarsal tubercle oval and approximately equal to the first toe; (8) fingers without webbing; toes with incomplete webbing, webbing formula: I1 - 2II1 - 2III1½ - 3-IV3- - 1½V; (9) lateral fringes on toes wide; (10) several warts on the outer side of the upper eyelid, with one being relatively larger. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA, COI, and Cytb genes revealed that this new species is more closely related to B. popei and B. orientalis than to other known species, with strong Bayesian posterior probability and moderate bootstrap support. More studies are necessary to clarify the taxonomy and species diversity of the genus Brachytarsophrys in Guangxi, China.

Key Words: Acoustic, phylogenetic analysis, species diversity, taxonomy

Dorsolateral view of the holotype of Brachytarsophrys guilinensis sp. nov. (GXNU YU000904) in life (A) and dorsal (B) and ventral (C) views of the holotype of the species in preservative.

 Brachytarsophrys guilinensis sp. nov.

Etymology. The species name guilinensis is derived from the type locality of this species, Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. We suggest the English common name “Guilin Short-legged Toad” and the Chinese common name “Guì Lín Duǎn Tuǐ Chán (桂林短腿蟾)”.

Diagnosis. Brachytarsophrys guilinensis sp. nov. could be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following morphological characters: (1) smaller body size (SVL 70.0‒81.9 mm in eight adult males); (2) head wider than long, head width nearly 1.5 times the length, and about half of the SVL; (3) tongue broad and round, feebly notched; (4) male with nuptial pad present on the dorsal surface of the first and second fingers; (5) hind limbs relatively short and robust, heels do not meet when legs positioned at right angle to body; (6) tibiotarsal articulation reaches the angle of mouth when the hind limbs are extended forward alongside the body; (7) absence of outer metatarsal tubercle, inner metatarsal tubercle oval and approximately equal to first toe; (8) fingers without webbing, toes have webbing but incomplete, webbing formula: I1 - 2II1 - 2III1½ - 3-IV3- - 1½V; (9) lateral fringes on toes wide; (10) several warts on the outer side of the upper eyelid, with one being relatively larger.

 Xiangjian Wu, Yuanqiang Pan, Wei Xiao, Ju Chen, Guohua Yu and Xinkui Wei. 2025. Integrative Taxonomic Evidence for A New Species of the Short-legged Toads Brachytarsophrys (Anura, Megophryidae) from Guangxi, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 101(4): 1369-1382. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.101.157834

[Paleontology • 2025] Crocodylus sudani • A new late Pleistocene fossil crocodile from Sudan reveals Hidden Diversity of Crocodylus in Africa

 

Crocodylus sudani

Salih, Müller, Eisawi & Bibi, 2025

   

DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08980-6

Abstract

While Crocodylus fossils are common in late Cenozoic deposits of Africa, there is a lack of knowledge about species diversity within the genus, especially after the Early Pleistocene. Here we report on a complete skull of a new fossil Crocodylus from the Late Pleistocene of the Middle Atbara River, eastern Sudan. Cranial morphology resembles Plio-Pleistocene species of Crocodylus from Africa in having upturned squamosals, though not as prominently developed as in these species, whereas the skull differs from fossil and extant Crocodylus in having a vaulted sagittal boss on the dorsal surface of the rostrum, and in the absence of a supraoccipital exposure on the dorsal skull table. Phylogenetic analyses indicate the Atbara Crocodylus represents a separate species and is more closely related to the fossil African crocodiles than the extant forms. The new species represents the first fossil Crocodylus to be described from the Late Pleistocene of Africa, providing new information on the occurrences and diversification of the genus Crocodylus during the Late Pleistocene.

Crocodylus sudani holotype cranium, Atbara 22–172, in dorsal (a) and ventral (b) views.

Scale bar: 10 cm. 

Crocodylus sudani holotype cranium, Atbara 22–172, in occipital (c) and left lateral (d) views.

Scale bar: 10 cm.  

Eusuchia Huxley 1875 

Crocodylia Gmelin 1789, sensu Benton and Clark 1988 

Crocodylidae Gray 1825 

Crocodylus Laurenti, 176921.

Crocodylus sudani, sp. nov.  

 

Khalafallah Salih, Johannes Müller, Ali Eisawi and Faysal Bibi. 2025. A new late Pleistocene fossil crocodile from Sudan reveals Hidden Diversity of Crocodylus in Africa. Scientific Reports. 15, 27433. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08980-6 [01 August 2025]

[Ichthyology • 2025] Ictalurus nazas • A New Species of North American Catfish (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) from Mexico

 

Ictalurus nazas

Avila-Treviño, Cardoza-Martínez, Alonzo-Rojo & Pérez-Rodríguez, 2025

 . 

DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1248.151641

Abstract

Catfishes of the genus Ictalurus (Ictaluridae) range geographically from southern Canada to northern Guatemala and Belize. The systematics of this genus remain unresolved, with recent studies suggesting the presence of cryptic diversity. This is the case for a potentially undescribed catfish species distributed in the Nazas River basin, which has been recorded to date as a population of Ictalurus pricei. Recent phylogenetic studies suggest that it represents an independently evolving lineage that is distinct from I. pricei. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic characters that differentiate the Nazas River basin lineage and to describe this lineage as a new taxon. Morphological comparisons were made using meristic and morphometric characters. The study identified useful meristic and morphometric characters for diagnosing Ictalurus nazas sp. nov., which differentiate it from I. pricei.

Key words: Ictalurus pricei, identification key, morphological comparison, Nazas basin, punctatus group, Siluriformes, taxonomy

Ictalurus nazas sp. nov. holotype, UMSNH-2654, adult, SL 302 mm, Ramos River, 1.12 km north of El Olote, Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango, Mexico, endorheic drainage Ramos River.

View of the pectoral spine of Ictalurus species: 

A. Ictalurus nazas sp. nov., 33 mm. and B. I. pricei, 28 mm. 

I. nazas sp. nov. exhibits fewer posterior dentations, which are underdeveloped and can only be distinguished from the middle of the spine towards the apex.

Type locality of I. nazas sp. nov. Ramos River, 1.12 km north of El Olote, Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango, Mexico, endorheic drainage, Ramos River; ....

Ictalurus nazas sp. nov. holotype, UMSNH-2654, adult, SL 302 mm, Ramos River, 1.12 km north of El Olote, Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango, Mexico, endorheic drainage Ramos River.

 Edith Avila-Treviño, Gabriel Fernando Cardoza-Martínez, Fernando Alonzo-Rojo and Rodolfo Pérez-Rodríguez. 2025. Ictalurus nazas sp. nov., A New Species of North American Catfish (Siluriformes, Ictaluridae) from Mexico. ZooKeys. 1248: 33-51. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1248.151641

[Mollusca • 2025] Grimpoteuthis feitiana • Flying in the Deep: the Description of A New Species of Grimpoteuthis (Octopoda: Cirrata: Grimpoteuthidae) from the Caroline Seamount, with ecological adaptation of dumbo octopuses

 

 Grimpoteuthis feitiana

Tang, Zheng & Zhang, 2025

  

DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s13127-025-00678-x

Abstract

The dumbo octopus is a deep-sea benthic macrofauna belonging to the Cirrata. It is considered a primitive taxon, displaying adaptive characteristics for deep-sea environments. In the course of a 2017 survey, a single specimen of Grimpoteuthis was captured at a depth of 1240.0 m on the Caroline Seamount in the Western Pacific Ocean. Through integrative taxonomy, this species was identified as new to science and named Grimpoteuthis feitiana sp. nov. In this study, the mitogenomes of the new species, together with another unidentified Grimpoteuthis sp. sampled from the Zhenbei Seamount, were fully sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses strongly supported the monophyly of the Grimpoteuthis and its close relationship with Luteuthis. Grimpoteuthidae was grouped with Opisthoteuthidae, Cirroctopodidae, and Cirroteuthidae in succession. Our analyses revealed that certain residues in the mitochondrial genes of deep-sea octopods have undergone positive selection, potentially contributing to their adaptations to energetic requirements. Our study emphasizes the importance of increasing sample size to offer further morphological and phylogenetic evidence and insights into octopus adaptations to the deep-sea environment in future studies.

Keywords: New species, Cirrata, Deep-sea, Mitochondrial genome, Phylogenetics, Adaptive evolution

Overall form of Grimpoteuthis feitiana sp. nov. (MBM229046).
a-b frame grabs from the video. c-f photographed fresh collection on 21 August 2017. c left side, lateral view. d right side, lateral view. e ventral view. f dorsal view. g-h photographed ethanol-preserved specimen. g dorsal view. h ventral view.

Class Cephalopoda Cuvier, 1797

Order Octopoda Leach, 1818.

Suborder Cirrata Grimpe, 1916.

Family Grimpoteuthidae O’Shea, 1999

Genus Grimpoteuthis Robson, 1932

Grimpoteuthis feitiana sp. nov. 

Etymology. The species epithet ‘feitiana’ is derived from ‘feitian’, a goddess known in Chinese Mogao Cave Culture for her graceful dancing in the air, resembling this dumbo octopus flying underwater.

 

Yan Tang, Xiaodong Zheng and Junlong Zhang. 2025. Flying in the Deep: the Description of A New Species of Grimpoteuthis (Octopoda: Cirrata: Grimpoteuthidae) from the Caroline Seamount, with ecological adaptation of dumbo octopuses. Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 25; 269–285. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s13127-025-00678-x [21 April 2025]

Researchgate.net/publication/390979774_a_new_species_of_Grimpoteuthis_from_the_Caroline_Seamount

[Ichthyology • 2025] Hainania minzhengi • A New Species of Hainania Koller (Cypriniformes: Xenocyprididae) from Guangdong Province, Southern China

 

 Hainania minzhengi H.-T. Lei, Z.-Y. Gong & X.-K. Li,

in Lei, Gong et Li, 2025. 

DOI: doi.org/10.3390/d17080549 

Abstract

Hainania Koller (Teleostei, Cypriniformes, Xenocyprididae) is known as a monotypic genus of sharpbelly fish that is endemic to Hainan Island, China. We describe Ha. minzhengi sp. nov., the second species of Hainania collected from Guangdong, based on morphology and molecular evidence. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene, by maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods and different partitioning schemes. Our result supports the sister group relationship between Ha. serrata and Ha. minzhengi sp. nov., but the monophyly of Pseudohemiculter or Hemiculterella was not recovered. A diagnostic key to Chinese species of Hainania and Pseudohemiculter is provided.

Keywords: Xenocyprididae; Hainania; phylogeny; morphology

Family Xenocyprididae Günther, 1868

Hainania Koller, 1927

 Hainania minzhengi sp. nov. in life, holotype IHBMM202407001tp.

photo by Haoyang Xie.

Hainania minzhengi H.-T. Lei, Z.-Y. Gong and X.-K. Li, new species 

 

Diagnosis. Hainania minzhengi can be distinguished from Ha. serrata in larger eyes, eye diameter larger than 30% HL vs. smaller than 30% HL in Ha. serrata; snout length shorter than eye diameter vs. equals or larger in Ha. serrata; pectoral fin extending slightly beyond halfway to pelvic fin origin vs. nearly reaching pelvic fin origin in Ha. serrata; fewer branched anal-fin rays, 13−14 vs. 15 in Ha. serrata; and fewer lateral line scales, 54−52 vs. 56−55 in Ha. serrata (Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 5).

 Haotian Lei, Ziyu Gong and Xuankun Li. 2025. Description of A New Species of Hainania Koller (Teleostei, Cypriniformes, Xenocyprididae) from Guangdong Province, Southern China. Diversity. 17(8), 549. DOI: doi.org/10.3390/d17080549 [1 August 2025]

[Paleontology • 2025] Plesionectes longicollum • An unusual early-diverging plesiosauroid from the Lower Jurassic Posidonia Shale of Holzmaden, Germany

Plesionectes longicollum 

Sachs​ & Madzia, 2025 

DOI: doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19665 

life reconstruction by Peter Nickolaus.

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Abstract 

The lower Toarcian Posidonia Shale at Holzmaden, Southwest Germany, has yielded some of the most remarkable Lower Jurassic marine tetrapod specimens, including five plesiosaur taxa identified from nearly complete skeletons. This study provides a comprehensive description of an osteologically immature plesiosauroid skeleton found in a Holzmaden quarry in 1978. Despite that the specimen has been researched in the past, previous studies have been either brief or targeted some specific aspects of the specimen, such as its soft tissue preservation. The anatomy and taxonomy of the specimen have never been explored in detail. We reinterpret several of its osteological features and evaluate their taxonomic and phylogenetic significance. Our findings reveal that the specimen possesses an unusual combination of character states, which are not markedly affected by ontogenetic development, warranting the designation of a new taxon, Plesionectes longicollum gen. et sp. nov., thereby increasing the known plesiosaur diversity of both the Toarcian age and the Posidonia Shale.

Skeleton of Plesionectes longicollum gen. et sp. nov. (SMNS 51945).

Scale bar equals 30 cm.

Plesiosauria De Blainville, 1835

Plesiosauroidea Gray, 1825

Plesionectes gen. nov.

 

Etymology. The name Plesionectes derives from plēsíon (Greek), meaning “close”, “near”, referring to its plesiosaur affinities, and nēktēs (Greek), “swimmer”, common suffix in plesiosaur taxon names.

Plesionectes longicollum sp. nov.

Type locality and horizon. Holzmaden, Esslingen District, Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany; lower Toarcian (Lias ɛII1, ‘Koblenzer’, Dactylioceras tenuicostatum Zone, D. semicelatum Subzone; Hauff, 1921; Riegraf, Werner & Lörcher, 1984; Maisch, 2021), Lower Jurassic.

Diagnosis. Plesiosauroid plesiosaur bearing following unique combination of characters states: paraoccipital process being considerably longer as the height of the exoccipital body; neck comprising ≥43 cervical vertebrae; V-shaped neurocentral suture in the cervical and pectoral vertebrae (potential local autapomorphy sensu Beeston et al., 2024); conjoined parapophysis and diapophysis in the anterior, middle, and the majority of the posterior cervicals, one rib facet formed in the posteriormost cervical vertebrae; cervical rib processes strap-shaped and pronounced in anterior and mid-neck region; posterior cervical and pectoral neural spines not considerably taller than long (mostly < 1:2), lacking constriction at base; dorsal vertebral series comprising 20–21 vertebrae.

Etymology. The name longicollum derives from longus (Latin), meaning “long”, and collum (Latin), “neck”, in reference to its long neck, comprising at least 43 vertebrae.

Plesionectes longicollum 

life reconstruction by Peter Nickolaus.

Sven Sachs​ and Daniel Madzia. 2025. An unusual early-diverging plesiosauroid from the Lower Jurassic Posidonia Shale of Holzmaden, Germany. PeerJ. 13:e19665. DOI: doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19665 

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[Ichthyology • 2025] Profundulus hectori • A New Species of Profundulus (Cyprinodontiformes: Profundulidae) from southeastern Mexico

[A-B] Profundulus hectori
  [C-D] P. punctatus 

Domínguez-Cisneros, Velázquez-Velázquez, Domínguez-Domínguez & Beltrán-López, 2025

 DOI: doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2024-0096  

Abstract

A new species of Profundulus is described from several localities in the Grijalva river basin and rivers of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in southern Mexico, using a combination of morphological and molecular data. Genetically, it is separated from other Profundulus species analyzed by a minimum of 3.86% uncorrected p-distance for the nd2 mitochondrial gene. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of a set of large black spots on the scales on the sides of the body, a set of black spots whose size is equal to or greater than 50% of the diameter of the pupil in the new species, a larger number of scales on the lateral line and a larger number of predorsal scales. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of molecular sequence data, the new species is recovered close related to P. chimalapensis, supported by posterior probability of 0.96, and this clade was recovered close related to P. oaxacae, with a posterior probability of 1.0 and bootstrap support of 100. This is the twelfth member of the genus Profundulus.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Freshwater fish; Phylogeny; Profundulids; Taxonomy

 

General morphology and live coloration patterns in
Profundulus hectori, A. Male, B. Female, Sabinal River, tributary of Grijalva River, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas. Collected in December 16, 2022 by E. Velázquez-Velázquez and M. Anzueto-Calvo.
 Profudulus punctatus, C. Male, D. Female, Arroyo tributario del Río Zanatenco, Tonalá Chiapas. Collected on March 21, 2023 by Ernesto Velázquez and Manuel Anzueto.

Profundulus hectori, new species

Etymology. In recognition of his many contributions to the study and conservation of freshwater fishes in Mexico, this species is named after our friend and colleague, the Mexican ichthyologist Hector Espinosa Perez, recently deceased. A noun in a genitive case.

Sara Elizabeth Domínguez-Cisneros, Ernesto Velázquez-Velázquez, Omar Domínguez-Domínguez and Rosa Gabriela Beltrán-López. 2025. A New Species of Profundulus (Cyprinodontiformes: Profundulidae) from southeastern Mexico. Neotrop Ichthyol. 23(2):e240096. DOI: doi.org/10.1590/1982-0224-2024-0096  

[Paleontology • 2025] Tongnanlong zhimingi • A new mamenchisaurid from the Upper Jurassic Suining Formation of the Sichuan Basin in China and its implication on sauropod gigantism

 

Tongnanlong zhimingi

X. Wei, Tan, Jiang, Ding, L. Li, Wang, Y.-y. Liu, G. Wei, D. Li, Y. Liu, Peng, Zhang & Lao, 2025

DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09796-0 

Abstract

The Sichuan Basin has yielded abundant sauropod dinosaurs from the Middle-Late Jurassic, and Mamenchisauridae had predominated the dinosaur faunae during the Late Jurassic in the Sichuan Basin. Here, we describe a new sauropod dinosaur, Tongnanlong zhimingi gen. et sp. nov. from the Upper Jurassic Suining Formation in the Sichuan Basin, southwestern China. The holotype includes three dorsal and six caudal vertebrae, scapula, coracoid, and some hindlimb bones. It is diagnosed by the complex structures of the dorsal and anterior caudal vertebrae compared to other mamenchisaurids. Phylogenetic analysis shows that it is more closely related to Mamenchisaurus than to Omeisaurus. The huge-sized scapula and coracoid also indicate that the specimen belongs to an extremely gigantic individual with a body length approaching about 25 ~ 26 m. The new specimen enriches the diversity of Mamenchisauridae and provides additional information for understanding the evolution and diversity of eusauropod dinosaurs.

Keywords: Sauropoda, Mamenchisauridae, Upper Jurassic, Suining Formation, Phylogeny

Fossil remains of Tongnanlong zhimingi (TNM 0254).
 (A) Skeletal outlines showing recovered elements in blue color. The skeletal reconstruction is the proportional scaling of Mamenchisaurus youngi with copyright Scott Hartman (2022) (www.skeletaldrawing.com);
(B1-B3) Dorsal vertebrae in lateral view; (B4) dorsal neural spine in posterior view; (C1-C5) Caudal vertebrae in lateral view; (C6) caudal neural spine in lateral view; (C7) chevron in lateral-posterior view; (D) Scapula and coracoid in lateral view; (E) Fibula in anterior view; (F1-F3) Metatarsals in dorsal view; (G1, G2) Claws in lateral view.

Systematic paleontology

Saurischia 

Sauropodomorpha 

Sauropoda 

Eusauropoda 

Mamenchisauridae 

Tongnanlong zhimingi gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology. The generic name Tongnan, Chinese Pinyin, refers to the Tongnan District, where the holotype was found; the word ‘long’ in Chinese Pinyin for dragon. The specific name is in honor of the world-famous dinosaur scientist Mr. Dong Zhiming for his great contributions to the dinosaur research in the Sichuan Basin.

Holotype. An incomplete individual that includes three dorsal and six caudal vertebrae, left shoulder girdle (scapula and coracoid) and hindlimb elements (partial tibia, fibula, three metatarsals, and two unguals). The specimen is housed in Tongnan Museum, with the specimen number of TNM 0254.

Type locality and horizon. The building site of Dafo Street (with GPS N30°10’44”, E105°48’17”), Tongnan District; Upper Jurassic, Suining Formation.

Diagnosis. A huge-bodied mamenchisaurid dinosaur with the following unique combination of characters: dorsal centra opisthocoelous, camerate pneumatic structures of dorsal centra, well-deveolped spinopostzygapophysial lamina of dorsal vertebrae, anterior caudal centra procoelous, neural spine of anterior caudal vertebrae oriented posterodorsally, small lamina within the pleurocoels on dorsal centra, neural spine of the dorsal vertebrae and postozygapophyses forming laminae and fossae, fossa developed between the postzygapopaphysis and hyposphene on anterior caudal vertebra, S-shaped suture of scapula and coracoid, obtuse angle of the scapular and coracoid articular surfaces of glenoid, coracoid fossa much close to the scapular margin than to the glenoid margin, scapular acromion weakly developed and bearing no hook-like process.

 

 

Xuefang Wei, Yuanjun Tan, Shan Jiang, Jun Ding, Lei Li, Xiaobing Wang, Yiyang Liu, Guangbiao Wei, Deliang Li, Yu Liu, Guangzhao Peng, Shizhen Zhang and Changling Lao. 2025. A new mamenchisaurid from the Upper Jurassic Suining Formation of the Sichuan Basin in China and its implication on sauropod gigantism. Scientific Reports. 15, 24808. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09796-0 [10 July 2025]