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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.

The ascalaphid genus Deleproctophylla Lefèbvre is a characteristic element of insects from dry, warm grasslands across the Palaearctic, currently comprising five described species distributed in northern Africa, southern Europe, and western Asia. As with other colorful owlfly genera, species of Deleproctophylla have traditionally been differentiated based on wing pattern, a trait prone to high variability and misidentification. The genus currently includes five species: D. australis (Fabricius), D. variegata (Klug), D. dusmeti (Navás), D. gelini Navás, and D. bleusei Kimmins; however, the taxonomic identity of some populations, particularly from Anatolia, has remained uncertain. Even western European species have been affected by taxonomic confusion, as exemplified by D. bleusei, whose presence in southern Spain was only recently detected. A comprehensive revision of all species in the genus demonstrated that the shape of the male ectoproct is the most reliable diagnostic character for species identification. This study also led to the discovery of two new species, D. dandizenor Badano, Zheng, U. Aspöck & Dobosz, sp. nov. from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and D. tengri Zheng, Badano, H. Aspöck & Liu, sp. nov. from Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China, significantly expanding the known range of the genus. Morphological findings were further supported by species delimitation analyses of COI sequences, which helped identify specimens with atypical pigmentation patterns and confirmed the validity of both European species and the newly described D. tengri sp. nov.

In this study, two new species, Armascirus kuandianensis Chen & Jin, sp. nov. and A. stellatus Chen & Jin, sp. nov. are described and illustrated based on females. Additionally, a key to adult females of Armascirus species of China is provided.

The Echinorhynchidae has a long research history, but its mitochondrial genome evolution remains poorly understood, hindering phylogenetic resolution. In this study, we report the first complete mitochondrial genome of the genus Echinorhynchus, obtained from its type species, Echinorhynchus gadi. The circular mitogenome was 17,696 bp in length and contained 39 genes: 12 protein-coding genes (lacking atp8), two ribosomal RNA genes, and 25 transfer RNA genes, including two extra copies of trnW and one extra copy of trnV. Five non-coding regions were identified; the major non-coding region contained tandem repeats and pseudogene fragments, consistent with a tandem duplication and random loss mechanism. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated amino acid sequences of the 12 protein-coding genes placed E. gadi and E. truttae in a well-supported monophyletic clade representing the genus Echinorhynchus. This clade was sister to Aspersentis megarhynchus, supporting a close relationship between Echinorhynchidae and Heteracanthocephalidae. Because the published E. truttae mitogenome is incomplete, this study fills a critical genomic gap and provides a valuable molecular resource for future taxonomic, systematic, and evolutionary studies of Acanthocephala.

Boreus (Mecoptera, Boreidae) species are reviewed. Two new Alaskan species are described (Boreus tananaensis Kane, sp. nov., Boreus timaryi Kane, sp. nov.), a previously synonymized species is resurrected (Boreus gracilis Carpenter, 1935, stat. res.), and morphological descriptions are provided for all five Alaskan species. A key to male and female Alaskan Boreus species is provided. An estimate of the mitochondrial gene tree, based on COI DNA barcodes, is used to infer relationships, and morphological species are tested using five molecular species delimitation methods. What is known about the subgeneric classification of Boreus, and how Alaskan species are classified, is discussed. A checklist of all 33 currently valid species of the family Boreidae is provided.