[Arachnida • 2026] Scytodes tanjiashui • A New spider Species of Scytodes Latreille, 1804 (Araneae: Scytodidae) from Jiangxi Province, southern China

Scytodes tanjiashui Liu, 

in Shi, P. Liu, Yao et K. Liu, 2026. 

 DOI: doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.14.e181164

Abstract

Background: 

Despite the increasing discovery of new spider species in Jiangxi Province, most are entelegynes or mygalomorphs, with haplogyne spiders being seldom reported. However, during a decade-long survey of spiders in Jinggangshan National Nature Reserve, two species of Scytodes were identified, including one known species, S. liui Wang, 1994 and one new species.

New information: 

A new species, Scytodes tanjiashui Liu, sp. nov., is described from Jinggangshan National Nature Reserve, Jiangxi Province, China. Morphological illustrations, SEM pictures, ink drawing, DNA barcode, photos of live specimens and a distribution map are given. The total number of the known species of Scytodes from China is raised to 11.

Keywords: haplogyne spiders, Jiangxi Province, Jinggangshan National Nature Reserve, taxonomy, survey

Scytodes tanjiashui Liu, sp. nov., male holotype.
A Habitus, dorsal view; B Same, ventral view; C Palp, prolateral view; D Same, retrolateral view.

Abbreviations: Em – embolus, PR – positioning ridge, SPr – sclerotised process. 

Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B), 0.1 mm (C, D).

Scytodes tanjiashui Liu, sp. nov., female paratype.
 A Habitus, dorsal view; B Same, ventral view; C Same, detail of retromarginal teeth, ventral view; D, E Vulva, dorsal view; F Same, detail of spermathecae and positioning ridge, ventral view.

Scale bars: 40 μm (A, B, D), C 10 μm (C), 0.1 mm (E–G).

Scytodes tanjiashui Liu, sp. nov.
 A, B Female.

Photographed by Jiongxing Zhang.

 Yingying Shi, Penghui Liu, Yanbin Yao and Keke Liu. 2026. A New spider Species of Scytodes Latreille, 1804 from Jiangxi Province, southern China (Araneae, Scytodidae). Biodiversity Data Journal. 14: e181164. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.14.e181164 [11 Feb 2026]

 

[Entomology • 2023] Sympetrum thailandensis • The Genus Sympetrum Newman, 1833 (Odonata: Libellulidae) in Thailand, with Description of A New Species from northern Thailand

 

Sympetrum thailandensis 

Makbun, 2023

 

แมลงปอบ้านดอยถิ่นไทย  ||  DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5296.4.6 

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Abstract

The records of genus Sympetrum Newman, 1833 from Thailand were analysed. The unidentified Sympetrum sp. reported from Chiang Mai and Loei provinces in the past is confirmed as S. hypomelas (Selys, 1884) and additional provincial records of this species are also provided. Sympetrum thailandensis sp. nov. is described and figured based on the adult specimens of both sexes from Hin Tung, Muang, Nakhon Nayok province, Central Thailand. The new species belongs to infuscatum-group and is most similar to S. darwinianum (Selys, 1883). However, it is different from the congener by a combination of morphological and colouration characters. The key to species of Sympetrum known from Thailand is also presented.

Keywords: Odonata, dragonfly, Anisoptera, Sympetrum hypomelas, new record, new species

Sympetrum thailandensis sp. nov. 

NOPPADON MAKBUN. 2023. The Genus Sympetrum Newman, 1833 in Thailand, with Description of S. thailandensis sp. nov. (Odonata: Libellulidae). Zootaxa. 5296(4); 569-581. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5296.4.6  

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[Ichthyology • 2026] Hongshuia wangi & H. boulobos • Two New Species of the Cyprinid Genus Hongshuia (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from the Pearl River Basin, Southwest China, with a Re-evaluation of the Taxonomic Status of H. paoli

 

 (A) Hongshuia wangi; (B) H. boulobos 

Zeng & Zhang, 

 

in Zeng, Tan, B.-L. Zhang et E. Zhang, 2026. 

 https://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/issue.php?id=2047

Two new species of the labeonin cyprinid genus Hongshuia, H. boulobos and H. wangi, are here described from tributaries of the Pearl River Basin, Southwest China. Both share with H. brevibarba the presence of a lower lip with a sector-shaped median lobe (the maximum width positioned at anterior potion of median lobe), distinguishing them from H. microstomata and H. megalophthalmus, which have a roughly rounded median lobe. Hongshuia wangi is distinct from H. brevibarba and H. boulobos in having wider median lobe of lower lip (width 47.8–57.6% of head width vs. 40.5–43.4% in H. brevibarba and 38.5–44.0% in H. boulobos). Hongshuia boulobos further differs from all other congeners in having a lower lip with larger lateral lobes (width more vs. less than one-third of the median lobe width). The study also considers H. paoli as a junior synonym of H. megalophthalmus based on morphological and molecular evidence.

Keywords: Biogeography, Cyprinidae, Morphology, Speciation, Taxonomy

Freshly collected specimen of (A) Hongshuia wangi, IHB 202402146680 and (B) H. boulobos, IHB 202405026699.

Distribution of species of Hongshuia.

Habitat of (A) Hongshuia wangi: the Zhangbu River (the surface section) and

 (B) H. boulobos: the Dongsai Subterranean River (the outlet).

 Hongshuia wangi Zeng & Zhang, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Hongshuia wangi, new species, shares with H. brevibarba and H. boulobos, new species, the presence of a lower lip with a sector-shaped median lobe (the maximum width positioned at anterior potion of median lobe), by which they are separated from H. microstomata and H. megalophthalmus, which have a roughly rounded median lobe of lower lip. It is distinct from H. brevibarba and H. boulobos through a wider median lobe of lower lip (width 47.8–57.6% of corresponding head width vs. ...

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the family name of the collector (Guo-Fu Wang), in honor of his contribution in protecting the Zhangbu River and discovering the new species.

 

Hongshuia boulobos Zeng & Zhang, sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Hongshuia boulobos, new species, is distinct from all congeneric species in having a lower lip with larger lateral lobes (width more than vs. less than one-third of the median lobe width). It is similar to H. wangi and H. brevibarba in having a sector-shaped median lobe of lower lip, a character used to separate them from H. microstomata and H. megalophthalmus where the median lobe of lower lip is roughly rounded. ...

Etymology: The epithet, used as a noun, is derived from the Greek words ‘bou-’ (large) and ‘lobos’(lobe), in allusion to the two large lateral lobes of the lower lip. The common Chinese name proposed for the new species is ‘大叶红水鲮’. 

 

Zhi-Xuan Zeng, Cheng-Jiang Tan, Ben-Lin Zhang and E Zhang. 2026. Descriptions of Two New Species of the Cyprinid Genus Hongshuia (Pisces: Cypriniformes) from the Pearl River Basin, Southwest China, with a Re-evaluation of the Taxonomic Status of H. paoli. Zoological Studies 65:05. DOI: 10.6620/ZS.2026.65-05

 https://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/issue.php?id=2047

[Paleontology • 2026] Galahadosuchus jonesi • A Second Species of non-crocodyliform Crocodylomorph from the Late Triassic fissure deposits of southwestern UK: Implications for locomotory ecological diversity in Saltoposuchidae

 

 Galahadosuchus jonesi 

Bodenham, Spiekman, Maidment, Upchurch & Mannion, 2026

DOI: doi.org/10.1002/ar.70162

Artwork by M. Dempsey. facebook.com/MEDPalaeo

Abstract

The Late Triassic–Early Jurassic fissures of the Bristol Channel area (southwest England and south Wales) are renowned for their diverse vertebrate faunas. These assemblages have yielded an array of predominantly small-bodied forms that are crucial to our understanding of the early evolution of several major tetrapod clades. Although their dating remains contentious, these deposits provide a valuable insight into biodiversity at a key time in Earth history, given that they span the end-Triassic mass extinction. One of these fissure-fill taxa, Terrestrisuchus gracilis, represents one of the most completely preserved early-branching crocodylomorphs. This species currently occurs exclusively in Late Triassic deposits within the Pant-y-Ffynnon Quarry, whereas only generically indeterminate crocodylomorph remains have been recorded from other fissures in the Bristol Channel area to date. Here we present a detailed anatomical description of a specimen previously assigned to Terrestrisuchus sp. (NHMUK PV R 10002), which comprises the semi-articulated partial postcranial skeleton of a crocodylomorph from the Late Triassic fissure deposits of Cromhall Quarry in the Bristol Channel area. We incorporated NHMUK PV R 10002 into a pre-existing data matrix comprising 39 other operational taxonomic units scored for 138 morphological characters. Phylogenetic analysis under Maximum Parsimony recovers NHMUK PV R 10002 as the sister taxon to Terrestrisuchus, clustering in all cases with the contemporaneous German species Saltoposuchus connectens to form the non-crocodyliform crocodylomorph clade Saltoposuchidae. Under equal and extended implied weights, the Early Jurassic South African species Litargosuchus leptorhynchus and the Late Triassic US species Hesperosuchus agilis, respectively, are additional saltoposuchids. Although NHMUK PV R 10002 exhibits a high degree of morphological similarity to Terrestrisuchus, key differences are evident in the morphology of the dorsal vertebrae, fore- and hindlimb long bones, proximal carpals, metacarpals, and calcaneum. We therefore designate NHMUK PV R 10002 as the holotype of Galahadosuchus jonesi n. gen. n. sp. Several anatomical features indicate that Galahadosuchus was a highly gracile, cursorial terrestrial quadruped with an erect stance, including: elongate proximal carpals; long, slender, and tightly bunched metacarpals; development of a distinct, medially directed femoral head; and a classical crurotarsal ankle joint configuration. A similar stance is also reconstructed for Terrestrisuchus; however, some of the anatomical differences between these two taxa, including the relative proportions and morphology of limb and carpal bones, might correspond to differences in locomotory function, potentially reflecting varying specializations within early-branching crocodylomorphs.

Block A of NHMUK PV R 10002, the holotype of  Galahadosuchus jonesi n. gen. n. sp. 
(a) Photograph of block A in plan view. (b) Line drawing of the elements visible on block A in plan view. Elements visible on the right-hand side of the block (colored hues) are assigned to Galahadosuchus jonesi; elements on the left-hand side of the block (shades of gray) are identified as indeterminate remains of a rhynchocephalian.

as, astragalus; ca, calcaneum; cd, caudal vertebra; ch, chevron; dc, distal carpal; dors, dorsal vertebra; fe, femur; ga, gastralia; ibf, indeterminate bone fragment; is, ischium; mc, metacarpal; mph, manual phalanx; mt, metatarsal; os, osteoderm; pph, pedal phalanx; pu, pubis; ra, radiale; rd, radius; ti, tibia; ul, ulna; ulr, ulnare. Scale bar represents 100 mm.

Archosauria Cope, 1869–1870 (sensu Gauthier & Padian, 2020).

Crocodylomorpha (Hay, 1930, sensu Nesbitt, 2011).

Saltoposuchidae (Crush, 1984, sensu Spiekman, 2023).

Galahadosuchus gen. nov.

Etymology. “Galahad” from Arthurian legend, a knight renowned for his moral uprightness; combined with “suchus” from the Greek for crocodile. The genus name alludes to the upright posture of the taxon, playing on the dual sense of “upright” as both moral and physical.

 

Galahadosuchus jonesi, sp. nov.

Etymology. The species epithet honors David Rhys Jones, a teacher at Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, in recognition of his work inspiring students at the school (including EHB) to pursue their passion for science.

Life reconstruction of Galahadosuchus jonesi n. gen. n. sp.
 The morphology of regions of the body that are not currently known for Galahadosuchus jonesi (i.e., not preserved in NHMUK PV R 10002) is inferred from comparison with Terrestrisuchus gracilis (Spiekman et al., 2023, 2024) due to the high degree of morphological similarity between these two taxa. Scale bar represents 100 mm.

Artwork by M. Dempsey. facebook.com/MEDPalaeo

Ewan H. Bodenham, Stephan N. F. Spiekman, Susannah C. R. Maidment, Paul Upchurch, Philip D. Mannion. 2026. A Second Species of non-crocodyliform Crocodylomorph from the Late Triassic fissure deposits of southwestern UK: Implications for locomotory ecological diversity in Saltoposuchidae. The Anatomical Record. DOI: doi.org/10.1002/ar.70162 [12 February 2026]

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[Paleontology • 2026] Paleocanna tentaculum • Thecate stem medusozoan polyp (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) from the Upper Ordovician of Québec, Canada

  

Paleocanna tentaculum  

 Ramirez-Guerrero, Alghaled, Bateman, Cournoyer & Cameron, 2026

 

 DOI: doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2025.10211

 

Abstract

The fossil record of medusozoan cnidarians is relatively sparse and, in some cases, contentious. Here, we describe a new genus and species of a well-preserved, soft-bodied, tubicolous polyp, Paleocanna tentaculum n. gen. n. sp., from the Upper Ordovician (Katian) Neuville Formation in Québec. These fossils, preserved as carbonaceous compressions, were found in association with typical shelly assemblages. Fifteen slabs of shaly limestone containing ~ 135 specimens of Paleocanna tentaculum n. gen. n. sp. were examined. Individual polyps occupied upright tubes, which occur either solitarily or in clusters. Some tubes exhibit a striated periderm near their base. The polyp is elongated, with a rounded aboral end and a consistent ring of tentacles protruding distally from the tube. A phylogenetic analysis of 69 taxa and 236 discrete morphological characters indicated that the species is more closely related to the extant crown group than it is to the other stem-group medusozoans, e.g., conulariids and carinachitids. The uniform orientation of specimens on single slabs suggests rapid burial. Paleocanna tentaculum n. gen. n. sp. represents an exceptionally preserved member of an Ordovician deposit exhibiting Burgess Shale-type soft-tissue preservation.

Paleocanna tentaculum n. gen. n. sp., holotype, MPEP713.4.
 (1) General view of the organism taken under cross-polarized light; accompanying line drawing illustrates the outline of the tube and tentacles. (2) Detail of the left set of tentacles. (3) Detail of the basal part of the tube. (4) Detail of the tube. Scale bars = 1 cm (1, 3), 0.5 cm (2, 4).

Systematic paleontology

Phylum Cnidaria Verrill, Reference Verrill1865

Subphylum Anthozoa Ehrenberg, Reference Ehrenberg1834

Genus Paleocanna new genus

Etymology: Paleocanna: palaios, meaning old or ancient, plus canna, meaning flute or pipe.

 Paleocanna tentaculum new species

Diagnosis: Cylindrical tubicolous periderm with fine, parallel, transverse annulations; polyp with anterior tentacle crown extending from aperture.

Occurrence: Upper Neuville Formation of the Saint Lawrence Lowlands of Québec, Canada (Clark, Reference Clark1959).

 Interpretive drawings of Paleocanna tentaculum n. gen. n. sp. as living organisms.
(1) Oral view showing a circle of tentacles. (2) Lateral perspective of the tube, highlighting the tube aperture and annular striations. (3) Depiction of individuals living in single tubes, as well as clusters of two or three tubes attached together.

Greta Ramirez-Guerrero, Huda Alghaled, Louis-Philippe Bateman, Mario Cournoyer and Christopher B. Cameron. 2026. Thecate stem medusozoan polyp from the Upper Ordovician of Québec. Journal of Paleontology. First View. DOI: doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2025.10211 [13 February 2026]

[Herpetology • 2026] Varanus iridis, V. umbra & V. phosphoros • Three New Species reveal an unrecognized Clade of Rock Monitors (Varanidae: Varanus) from the eastern Australian Savannas

Varanus iridis, Varanus umbra & Varanus phosphoros 

Zozaya, Read, Macor, Pavón-Vázquez, Gale, Wright & Broady, 2026 

DOI: doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf192

Abstract

Monitor lizards (Varanus) are among the most iconic reptiles in the world and reach peak diversity in Australia, yet species diversity on the continent remains incompletely documented. We describe three new species of small-bodied, rock-adapted Varanus from north-eastern Australia (Varanus phosphoros sp. nov., Varanus iridis sp. nov., and Varanus umbra sp. nov.) that form a previously unrecognized and deeply divergent (∼7 Mya) clade within the subgenus Odatria. Despite their distinctive coloration, occurrence near major towns, and informal recognition of one species, these lineages have remained undescribed until now. Through targeted fieldwork, we collected voucher specimens to generate genomic and morphological data clarifying evolutionary relationships. We applied a reference-based framework for species delimitation, using sympatric species with evidence of reproductive isolation to calibrate thresholds of genetic divergence and inform taxonomic decisions. All three taxa are strongly supported as evolutionarily independent lineages based on genetic divergence, sympatry with congeners, and morphological differentiation. These are the first scansorial, rock-adapted Varanus described from east of the Carpentarian Gap (a major biogeographical barrier) and add to a growing list of endemic reptiles from the eastern savannas of Australia. Our findings underscore the value of rocky habitats in generating endemic diversity and highlight the utility of calibrated genetic benchmarks in species delimitation.

Odatria, Queensland, species delimitation, Varanus iridis, Varanus umbra, Varanus phosphoros

Photographs in life of Varanus iridis (A, B), Varanus umbra (C, D), Varanus phosphoros (E, F), and Varanus orientalis (G, H). 
 A, paratype QM J99219 from Talaroo Station; B, unvouchered individual from Talaroo Station (tissue sample JNW4);
C, paratype QM J99224 from Gilberton Station; D, unvouchered individual from Gilberton Station;
E, paratype QM J99227 from Isabella Falls; F, unvouchered individual from Mount Molloy;
G, unvouchered individual from Gilberton Station (tissue sample JNW6); and H, unvouchered individual from Magnetic Island.

Photographs: A–B, D, W. Read; C, E, S. Zozaya; F, J. Meney; G, J. Wright; and H, B. Schembri.

 

Varanus phosphoros sp. nov. 

Varanus iridis sp. nov. 

Varanus umbra sp. nov.

Stephen M Zozaya, Wesley J Read, Scott A Macor, Carlos J Pavón-Vázquez, Nicholas P Gale, Justin M Wright and Elizabeth S Broady. 2026. Three New Species reveal an unrecognized Clade of Rock Monitors (Varanidae: Varanus) from the eastern Australian savannas. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 206(2); zlaf192. DOI: doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf192 [12 February 2026]

[Ichthyology • 2026] Rineloricaria harenae • A New sand-dwelling Species of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Eastern Brazilian Basin

 

Rineloricaria harenae

Rodrigues da Cruz, Lima Pereira, Oliveira & da Costa Silva, 2026 

 DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1269.155896

Abstract

We describe Rineloricaria harenae sp. nov., a sand-dwelling armoured catfish from the Itapocú River, Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The new species is diagnosed by a distinctive combination of characters: (1) four lateral plate series, with the mid-dorsal series absent; (2) abdomen only partially covered by central plates that do not reach the pectoral-fin insertion; (3) plates of the central abdominal complex arranged in an approximately triangular pattern; (4) cleithral (scapular) region entirely naked or bearing a few small, isolated plates; and (5) presence of five dark transverse bars on the dorsal surface of the body. Mitochondrial COI data corroborate species distinctiveness, and phylogenetic inference under the GTR model recovers R. harenae as a well-supported lineage. The species is currently known only from the type locality, a shallow (< 1 m), sandy reach showing early siltation, suggesting potential vulnerability. Although it exhibits canonical traits of sand-dwelling groups (four lateral plate series, broad naked snout, filamentous upper caudal ray), it differs from sand-dwelling congeners by displaying an abdominal plating pattern typical of rock-dwelling groups. This raises hypotheses about the origin and functional role of ventral plates in Rineloricaria and highlights conservation needs for low-order sandy habitats.

Key words: Armoured catfishes, Brazilian Crystalline Shield, freshwater fishes, integrative taxonomy, new taxon

Rineloricaria harenae, male, LBP 35336, holotype, 92.1 mm SL, a specimen from Itapocú, municipitaly of Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
A. Lateral view; B. Dorsal view; C. Ventral view.

Rineloricaria harenae sp. nov.

Etymology. From harenae, the Latin word for sand, in reference to the sandy substrate characteristic of the habitat where the new species was discovered. Treated as a noun in apposition.

 Beatriz Rodrigues da Cruz, Jonatas Santos Lima Pereira, Claudio Oliveira and Guilherme José da Costa Silva. 2026. A New sand-dwelling Species of Rineloricaria (Siluriformes, Loricariidae) from the Eastern Brazilian Basin. ZooKeys. 1269: 211-224. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1269.155896

[Ichthyology • 2026] Magnischistura khaokrajom • A New Genus and Species of Loach (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from the Pachi River drainage in Western Thailand

Magnischistura khaokrajom  Page, Pawangkhanant & Cagle,

in Page, Pawangkhant, Tangjitjaroen, Cagle, Williams et Randall, 2026. 

Krajom Mountain Stream Loach | ปลาค้อปิศาจ ||  DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5757.6.7 

 facebook.com:  R I M 

 

Abstract

Magnischistura khaokrajom, new genus and species, is described from a small tributary of the Pachi River in the Suan Phueng region of the Tenasserim Hills in western Thailand. Magnischistura shares with several recently described genera of nemacheilids a globulous suborbital flap with tubercles at its extremity and a highly modified pectoral fin on mature males, but molecular data failed to support a close relationship to any of them. Morphologically, the new genus is distinguished by the presence of a suborbital flap in the female. The highly modified pectoral fin of males is hypothesized to facilitate juxtaposition with a female during spawning.

Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Southeast Asia

(A-C) Magnischistura khaokrajom.
(A) UF 248549, paratype, 74.1 mm SL, female, live, (B) UF 248549, paratype, 68.4 mm SL male, live, (C) THNHM-F023975, holotype, 74.0 mm SL male, preserved,
(D) Mustura maepaiensis, UF 188267, 42.3 mm SL, live.

Magnischistura, Page, Pawangkhanant & Cagle, new genus 

Diagnosis. Magnischistura is distinguished from all other genera of Nemacheilidae by the combination of: (a) in adult males, a pectoral fin that is rigid, curved upward, and has a thick tuberculated pad on the dorsal surface and epidermal flanges on the narrow membranes (Figure 4B); a large, vertically oriented, globulous suborbital flap with tubercles on its underside and distal edge (Figure 4A); (b) in adult females, a pectoral fin with a thick pad on the dorsal surface and epidermal flanges on the membranes (Figure 4D), and a small suborbital flap (Figure 4C); and (c) large size—to at least 98 mm SL.

Etymology. Magni- refers to the large size of the type species relative to most species of nemacheilids in Indochina, and Schistura McClelland 1838 is a widespread genus of nemacheilids. Gender feminine.

Magnischistura khaokrajom, Page, Pawangkhanant, and Cagle, new species

Krajom Mountain Stream Loach

ปลาค้อปิศาจ [Pla Kor Pi Saad]

Etymology. Khaokrajom, meaning Krajom Mountain in Thai, where this species lives.

 

Lawrence M. PAGE, Parinya PAWANGKHANT, Weerapongse TANGJITJAROEN, David K. CAGLE, Basil R. WILLIAMS and Zachary S. RANDALL. 2026. Magnischistura khaokrajom, A New Genus and Species of Loach (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae) from the Pachi River drainage in Western Thailand. Zootaxa. 5757(6); 583-599. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5757.6.7 [2026-02-11]

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[Entomology • 2026] Covellana niomalan, Sosxetra mamanina & S. thutakanay • Revision of the Comose Flame Moths of the Genus Sosxetra Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Dyopsinae), with Descriptions of A New Genus and Three New Species

 [16, 17, 27] Covellana niomalan Martinez, Homziak, Plotkin & Castillo-Argaez gen. et sp. nov.; 

[5, 6, 26] Sosxetra grata Walker, 1862; 

[9, 10] Sosxetra mamanina Martinez, Homziak, & Castillo-Argaez, sp. nov. 

[11, 12] S. thutakanay Martinez, Homziak, & Castillo-Argaez, sp. nov.

in Martinez, Homziak, Pierson, Campo, Plotkin et Castillo-Argaez, 2026. 

DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1268.138260

Abstract

As part of our Neotropical Dyopsinae Project, a revision of the Neotropical genus Sosxetra Walker is proposed. Morphological and molecular evidence challenge its previous monotypic classification. The genus is redescribed and a neotype is designated for Sosxetra grata Walker, previously considered the only species in the genus. Two new species are described: Sosxetra mamanina Martinez, Homziak, & Castillo-Argaez, sp. nov. and Sosxetra thutakanay Martinez, Homziak, & Castillo-Argaez, sp. nov. Finally, Covellana Martinez, Homziak, Plotkin & Castillo-Argaez, gen. nov., is established based on Covellana niomalan Martinez, Homziak, Plotkin & Castillo-Argaez, sp. nov., previously misidentified as Sosxetra grata.

Key words: Barcoding, cryptic species, Lepidoptera, morphology, neotropics, systematics, taxonomy

Adult head structure. 2. Sosxetra grata, ♂, Yucatan, Mexico, MGCL; 3. S. grata, ♀, Alajuela, Costa Rica, MGCL;
4. Covellana niomalan, Paratype, ♂, Madre de Dios, Peru, MGCL.

Adult habitus of Sosxetra and Covellana.
5. Sosxetra grata, ♂, neotype, Espirito Santo, Brazil, MPM; 6. S. grata, syntype of S. agatha, ♂, Suriname, MfN; 7. S. grata, ♂, Napo, Ecuador, MGCL; 8. S. grata, ♂, Yucatan, Mexico, MGCL;
9. S. mamanina, ♂, holotype, Madre de Dios, Peru, MGCL; 10. S. mamanina, ♂, paratype, Madre de Dios, Peru, MGCL; 11. S. thutakanay, ♂, holotype, Napo, Ecuador, MGCL; 12. S. thutakanay, ♂, paratype, French Guiana, MGCL;
13. S. grata, syntype of S. agatha, ♀, Suriname, MfN; 14. S. grata, ♀, Pichincha, Ecuador, MGCL; 15. S. grata, ♀, paratype, Alajuela, Costa Rica, MGCL;
16. Covellana niomalan, ♂, holotype, Canal Zone, Panama, MGCL; 17. C. niomalan, ♂, paratype, Madre de Dios, Peru, MGCL.

Resting position of Sosxetra and Covellana.
 26. S. grata, ♂, Cayo District, Belize photo by Thomas Shahan;
27. Covellana niomalan Barro Colorado Island, Panama photo by Maxim Larrivée.

Sosxetra mamanina Martinez, Homziak, & Castillo-Argaez, sp. nov. 

Sosxetra thutakanay Martinez, Homziak, & Castillo-Argaez, sp. nov. 

 Covellana Martinez, Homziak, Plotkin & Castillo-Argaez, gen. nov., 

Covellana niomalan Martinez, Homziak, Plotkin & Castillo-Argaez, sp. nov.

 Jose I. Martinez, Nicholas T. Homziak, Taylor L. Pierson, Rhys J. L. Campo, David M. Plotkin and Raiza J. Castillo-Argaez. 2026. Revision of the Comose Flame Moths of the Genus Sosxetra Walker (Noctuidae, Dyopsinae), with Descriptions of A New Genus and Three New Species. ZooKeys. 1268: 227-248.  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1268.138260 [06 Feb 2026]

[Botany • 2024] Dipcadi mukaianum (Asparagaceae: Scilloideae) • Molecular Phylogenetic Reconstruction improves the Taxonomic Understanding of Indian Dipcadi and reveals A New Species from the bank of Hiranyakeshi River, Maharashtra, India

 

 

Dipcadi mukaianum Shelke, S.R.Yadav & Lekhak, 

in Shelke, Tamboli, Surveswaran, Yadav, Choo, Pak et Lekhak, 2024.

   DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s10265-024-01558-9

  Researchgate.net/publication/378990016 

  x.com/JPR_news

Abstract

Dipcadi (Scilloideae: Asparagaceae) is a genus of bulbous monocots with approximately 40 species, of which 13 occur in India. Species delimitation within the genus has been troublesome hindering a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. The most recent phylogeny of the subfamily Ornithogaloideae included six species of Dipcadi only from Africa. Here, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Ornithogaloideae including 23 accessions comprising 13 recognized taxa (11 species and two varieties) of Indian Dipcadi. The phylogenetic analyses were based on nucleotide sequences of three plastid regions (rbcL, matK and trnL-F spacer) and one nuclear region (ITS). Pseudogaltonia clavata exhibited sister relationship to Dipcadi. Our combined nuclear + plastid dataset analyses revealed a monophyletic Dipcadi with five clades, Clade I-V. Clade I, II and III included mainly Indian species whereas Clade V included mostly African species. Clade IV comprised D. serotinum. Clade I included nine taxa including our newly described species, D. mukaianum. The new species was phylogenetically placed with D. erythraeum, D. saxorum and D. ursulae. Morphologically, the species resembled D. montanum and D. ursulae but differed in characters such as tepal cohesion, number of ovules per locule and foul-smelling flowers. Clade II and III included 11 and six taxa, respectively. D. erythraeum which has a native range from Egypt to western India was found in Clades I and V. The widespread Dipcadi species, viz. D. erythraeum and D. serotinum showed polyphyly however, the monophyly of Dipcadi is established. Our studies suggest that additional molecular markers (plastid as well as nuclear) should be tested for their taxonomy utility. Further work on the historical biogeography of Dipcadi on the subfamily Ornithogaloideae with more genetic data will yield insights how aridification of the landscape would have shaped the evolution of the geographical clades.

Keywords:  cpDNA, Dipcadi, ITS, Monocots, Scilloideae, Taxonomy

Dipcadi mukaianum.
 a Inflorescence; b Side view of the flower showing reflexed tepals; c Bract; d Inner tepal; e Outer tepal; f Flower split open and gynoecium removed; g Stamen (adaxial surface); h Stamen (abaxial surface); i Pistil; j Infructescence; k T.S. of ovary; l Seed m Bulb; n Leaf

Dipcadi mukaianum
a Habitat; b Habit; c Inflorescence; d Infructescence; e Front view of the flower showing trilobed stigma and reflexed tepals; f L.S. of the flower showing pistil with small stipe

Dipcadi mukaianum Shelke, S.R.Yadav & Lekhak sp. nov.  

 

Ecology: Dipcadi mukaianum grows near the Hiranyakeshi River, preferring sandy and gravelly soil and grasslands with Hypoxis aurea Lour., Iphigenia indica (L.) A.Gray ex Kunth, I. pallida Baker, Ledebouria revoluta (L.f.) Jessop and Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.

Etymology: The species is named after Prof. Yasuhiko Mukai, Osaka Kyoiku University, Osaka, Japan for his contributions in the field of plant molecular cytogenetics in general and wheat cytogenetics in particular.

 

P. E. Shelke, A. S. Tamboli, S. Surveswaran, S. R. Yadav, Y.-S. Choo, J. H. Pak and M. M. Lekhak. 2024. Molecular Phylogenetic Reconstruction improves the Taxonomic Understanding of Indian Dipcadi (Asparagaceae) and reveals A New Species from the bank of Hiranyakeshi River, Maharashtra, India. Journal of Plant Research. 137; 829–845.   DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s10265-024-01558-9

  x.com/JPR_news/status/1815250640571896161

  Researchgate.net/publication/378990016_Molecular_phylogeny_taxonomy_of_Indian_Dipcadi

[Botany • 2026] Mentha deleoi (Lamiaceae) • A New Species from Sicily

Mentha deleoi Raimondo,   

in Raimondo, 2026.

DOI: doi.org/10.3390/plants15040563 

Abstract

Mentha deleoi is described from Isola Grande, an islet in the Stagnone of Marsala (Trapani, NW Sicily), included within the homonymous Regional Oriented Nature Reserve. It is a perennial herb with an ephemeral annual cycle; in several morphological characters, it shows affinity with M. pulegium, a Eurimediterranean hemicryptophyte widely distributed in Sicily from coastal areas to high mountain habitats. Diagnostic and differential characters are provided, together with analyses of the biology, ecology, and chemistry of this new Sicilian endemic species. Owing to its extremely restricted distribution, small population size, and the potential impacts affecting the islet and its fragile habitat, resulting from centuries saliculture, a conservation plan is proposed, aimed at both in situ and ex situ protection. 

Keywords: Mediterranean flora; taxonomy; endemism; Sicily; biodiversity conservation; economic valorization 

Mentha deleoi in flowering: 

(a–c) in the spring; (d,e) in the summer; (e,f) plants with white flowers.

Mentha deleoi Raimondo sp. nov. 

Diagnosis: Species herbacea perennis, ciclo effimero, omnibus organis aeriis dense villosa. Differt a Mentha pulegium L. foliis ovatis ad oblongis, plerumque convolutis; scapis floriferis erectis vel decumbentibus-ascendentibus, in plantis maiore magnitudine longioribus; verticillasteribus numerosis, densis, contiguis et globosis; floribus plerumque lilacinis, rarius albis.

Etymology: The name of the new species commemorates Prof. Antonino De Leo (1905–1971), chemist and phytologist, and Professor of Systematic Botany at the University of Palermo. On 3 July 1971—just days after graduating in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Palermo—Prof. De Leo appointed the author as Curator of the Botanical Garden, introducing him to environmental and applied botany, which he pursued continuously for over fifty years. He was among the first researchers in Italy to initiate applied studies on the biology and chemistry of tropical and subtropical plants introduced and cultivated at the Botanical Garden, fields that he directed from 1968 until his untimely death in November 1971.

 Francesco Maria Raimondo. 2026. Mentha deleoi (Lamiaceae): A New Species from Sicily. Plants. 15(4); 563. DOI: doi.org/10.3390/plants15040563 [11 February 2026]