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The ecological and biogeographic limits of arid-adapted reptiles in the Eastern Mediterranean remain poorly understood. Here, we document the first confirmed occurrence and genetic affiliation of the desert racer, Psammophis schokari (Forskål, 1775), in Lebanon, representing the northern limit of its confirmed distribution in the western Levant, where its presence has long remained uncertain. Seventeen records from 11 localities (17-1,148 m a.s.l.) reveal that the species occupies a wide ecological gradient encompassing lowland agricultural areas, semi-arid foothills, and even seasonally snow-covered sites. Mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences place the Lebanese populations within the widespread "Middle Eastern lineage", yet their haplotypes show a closer affinity to those from North Africa than to currently sampled populations from the southern Levant. This pattern is consistent with historical Afro-Levantine connectivity and suggests that Lebanon may have been reached during one or more Pleistocene dispersal/colonization episodes from northern Africa. The frequent occurrence of individuals in non-desert habitats and even during winter months demonstrates a high degree of ecological flexibility and tolerance to cooler Mediterranean conditions. Our results thus highlight the ability of P. schokari to persist and expand beyond typical desert environments and thereby shedding light on the northern biogeographic limits of arid-adapted snakes in the Middle East. This study fills a significant distributional gap for the genus Psammophis in the Levant and underscores the need for broader sampling to clarify the species' past colonization routes and evolutionary history across the region.

Although the subtribe Cristariina in China has been recently revised, taxonomic problems remain. This paper addresses these by describing a new species, Cristaria liboi Chen, Xiang, He & Guo, sp. nov., from Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, based on integrated morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Furthermore, we propose that Cristaria beirensis Y.-Y. Liu & W.-Z. Zhang, 1982 should be regarded as a junior synonym of Cristaria plicata (Leach, 1814), and that Anemina arcaeformis (Heude, 1877) is a junior synonym of Anemina harlandi (Baird & H. Adams, 1867), comb. nov.

The silk-loving bug Monteithophila hainanensis sp. nov. (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Plokiophilidae) is described from Hainan, southern China, where it was found on the webs of Spinathele sp. (Araneae, Macrothelidae). This new species represents the first record of the genus Monteithophila Schuh, Štys & Cassis, 2015 outside Oceania. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by its smaller body size, head uniformly colored yellowish brown to reddish brown, fore major claws slightly longer than mid ones with no significant difference, and distinct morphology of corial glands on the hemelytra. A key to the species of Monteithophila is presented. In addition, the ecological characteristics of the new species and the morphology of the genitalia are briefly discussed.

Malagazzia michelin sp. nov. is described as the ninth species in this genus. Medusae were collected in shallow waters of western Japan and observed in several aquaria, and cultures were maintained at the Tsuruoka City Kamo Aquarium and Saikai National Park Kuju-kushima Aquarium. Adult medusae were identified as belonging to the genus Malagazzia owing to the presence of excretory papillae on the tentacular bulbs and rudimentary bulbs, four gonads surrounding radial canals, and manubrium with four lips. The obtained polyps also exhibited the typical characters of this genus. However, these medusae can be distinguished from those of other species of Malagazzia by noticeable brown spot-like structures on the gonads and manubrium; combinations of several characters also suggest that the medusae represent an undescribed species. Malagazzia michelin sp. nov. is also demonstrated to be a Malagazzia species by a phylogenetic analysis using DNA sequences. Thus, we determine these individuals as the second and a new species from Japanese waters. We also discuss the challenge of common names used for medusae in aquaria in Japan.

A new valviferan isopod-Edotia dotiae sp. nov.- is described from the shallow coastal waters of Argentine Patagonia. The specimens were collected during three different expeditions in the Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces and in the Beagle Channel. The new species is distinguished from other Edotia species by the presence of two dorsal lobes on the head, a distally protruding pleotelson and uropods with elongated endopods reaching the tip of the pleotelson. In addition, it displays discrete patches of fluted tubercles on its dorsal and lateral body surface. These structures are described in detail based on SEM images. An identification key for Edotia species from South America is presented.

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa is globally recognized for its exceptional biodiversity and endemism, but despite extensive floral studies, its phytophagous insect fauna remains poorly studied. Here, we employ an integrative taxonomic approach including macro- and micro-photography, micro-CT scanning, scanning electron microscopy, and multigene molecular phylogenetics to describe a recently discovered, morphologically and genetically distinct lineage of geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) from the CFR, comprising a new genus, Fynbosia Englund, Staude & Sihvonen, gen. nov. and two new species, F. horingaria Englund, Staude & Sihvonen, sp. nov. and F. unicaria Englund, Staude & Sihvonen, sp. nov. Morphological and molecular evidence support the placement of Fynbosia gen. nov. within the subfamily Larentiinae but suggest no close affiliation to any described tribe. The new genus appears to be endemic to the CFR's montane fynbos and renosterveld vegetation types, which may act as ecological islands that foster speciation. The discovery underscores the overlooked insect diversity of the region and the urgent need for more comprehensive surveys. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of geometrid diversity and highlight the value of integrative taxonomy and non-destructive imaging in documenting rare and cryptic lineages.

Balitora tiandengensis (Teleostei, Balitoridae), a new species collected from a karst cave at Dukang Town, Tiandeng County, Guangxi, China is described and illustrated on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence. Phylogenetic trees reconstructed based on 70 sequences of two mitochondrial (COI and Cyt b) and three nuclear genes (RAG1, IRBP, and EGR2B) show that the new species represents an independent evolutionary lineage. Morphologically, Balitora tiandengensis Nong & Wei, sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species currently assigned to the genus Balitora by its dorsal fin iii-9, anal fin i-6, pectoral fin v-12, and caudal-fin 19 branched rays. The lips exhibit no complex folding or thickening, maintaining a relatively thin and simple structure. Upper and lower lips connected at corner of mouth, upper lip with a row of inconspicuous papillae, and lower lip thin. Dorsal fin long, 16.7-19.4% of standard length (SL), anal fin short, 15.0-16.7% of SL, distal margin truncated, origin close to the anus and far from the caudal-fin base, pectoral fin 18.4-20.5% of SL, pelvic fin moderately developed, distal margin rounded, 15.1-16.7% of SL. Anus 72.5%-73.3% distance from posterior end of the pelvic fin base to the anal fin origin. The new species will help to define the new distribution of the genus Balitora in Guangxi, China.

The Neotropical genus of myrmecophilous beetles, Ecitonides Wasmann, 1894 (Staphylinidae: Paederinae: Lathrobiini), currently includes nine valid species distributed in French Guiana, Suriname, Brazil, Peru, Paraguay, and Argentina. Members of this genus are notable for the tuberculate ornamentation on the head, thorax, and abdomen. Although little is known about the biology of these beetles, there are records of association with different species of army ants (Labidus Jurine, 1807 and Nomamyrmex Borgmeier, 1936). In this study, a detailed comparative morphological study of all available species for study was conducted, descriptions of two new species, Ecitonides colossus sp. nov. and Ecitonides splendidus sp. nov., are provided, and lectotypes for Ecitonides brevicornis Wasmann, 1900 and Ecitonides spectabilis Borgmeier, 1932 are designated. Diagnoses, illustrations, and photographs are given; an identification key is provided for all 11 species as well as new geographic distribution data. The aim of this study is to provide morphological data that will serve as a tool for a future investigation of the phylogenetic position of the genus and facilitate species recognition through diagnostic morphological characters and an identification key.

Recently, a new monotypic geometrid moth genus and species, Mirlatia arcuata Hausmann, László, Mayr & Huemer, 2023, were described from Croatia. The description was based on a single male collected in 1983, and a single female collected in 1982. The discovery of an isolated lineage in Europe was unexpected because the Geometridae fauna of the continent is likely the best explored in the world. Upon description, the systematic position of Mirlatia arcuata remained unresolved due to its peculiar morphology and lack of suitable molecular data to study its phylogenetic position. Based on a new specimen collected in 2024, we studied its phylogeny, including it in a maximum likelihood multi-gene global phylogenetic dataset of 1206 taxa, and comparative morphological analysis. Based on the results of our integrative approach, we propose to classify this enigmatic species in a monotypic tribe Mirlatiini Sihvonen & Hausmann, tribe nov. within the basal Larentiinae as the sister to Brabirodini. Other proposed taxonomic changes include reclassification of Brabira Moore, 1888 in Brabirodini and Tyloptera Christoph, 1881 in Larentiinae: incertae sedis. We illustrate closely related genera in Mirlatiini, Brabirodini and Dyspteridini, for taxonomic clarity.

The genus Nesaulax Roman, 1914 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) is reported from China for the first time, and a new species (Nesaulax protuberator Li & van Achterberg, sp. nov.) is described and illustrated. Our pairwise genetic results indicated that four Nesaulax specimens from Thailand, Malaysia, and India in the BOLD system are conspecific with our newly described species. In addition, we report a new synonym: Nesaulax gracilis (Enderlein, 1920) syn. nov. of N. pravivena (Enderlein, 1920). A key to the species of the genus Nesaulax is provided for the first time.