Pub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-08-22DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.004
André Vital Ferreira , James P. Pitts , Cecilia Waichert
Pompilidae are a group of wasps popularly known as spider hunters due to their behavior of capturing spiders for the development of their larvae. Many of the Neotropical genera lack extensive studies and taxonomic keys, for instance Priocnemella Banks. This genus has recently undergone changes in taxonomic composition following a revision of Eragenia Banks, a morphologically and phylogenetically related genus. Eragenia has received some species transferred from Priocnemella, while Phanochilus Banks was synonymized with Priocnemella. Despite the proposed changes, the group has never been revised taxonomically. Species identification is hampered by the lack of updated keys and illustrations. This study aims to review the genus Priocnemella, examining external morphology of both sexes and male genitalia morphology. Priocnemella aurata (Fox, 1897) has its status revalidated; Priocnemella hexagona omissa Banks, 1946 and Priocnemella eurytheme (Banks, 1944) are synonymized with P. hexagona (Fox, 1897) new syn.; and Priocnemella dimidiaticornis (Spinola, 1851) is discussed, with its male described and illustrated for the first time. Ten species of Priocnemella are recognized: Priocnemis fairchildi (Banks, 1925), Priocnemella fuscomarginata (Fox, 1897), Priocnemella hexagona (Banks, 1925), Priocnemella gloriosa (Smith, 1873), Priocnemella aurata (Fox, 1897) status rev., Priocnemella aurodecorata (Cameron, 1912), Priocnemella nobilitata (Smith, 1866), Priocnemella ornata (Banks, 1946); Priocnemella insignis (Banks, 1946), and Priocnemella dimidiaticornis (Spinola, 1851). Our results underscore the critical need for further taxonomic studies to enhance our understanding of biodiversity.
{"title":"Revisiting the genus Priocnemella (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae): a long-overdue taxonomic update","authors":"André Vital Ferreira , James P. Pitts , Cecilia Waichert","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pompilidae are a group of wasps popularly known as spider hunters due to their behavior of capturing spiders for the development of their larvae. Many of the Neotropical genera lack extensive studies and taxonomic keys, for instance <em>Priocnemella</em> Banks. This genus has recently undergone changes in taxonomic composition following a revision of <em>Eragenia</em> Banks, a morphologically and phylogenetically related genus. <em>Eragenia</em> has received some species transferred from <em>Priocnemella,</em> while <em>Phanochilus</em> Banks was synonymized with <em>Priocnemella</em>. Despite the proposed changes, the group has never been revised taxonomically. Species identification is hampered by the lack of updated keys and illustrations. This study aims to review the genus <em>Priocnemella</em>, examining external morphology of both sexes and male genitalia morphology. <em>Priocnemella aurata</em> (Fox, 1897) has its status revalidated; <em>Priocnemella hexagona omissa</em> Banks, 1946 and <em>Priocnemella eurytheme</em> (Banks, 1944) are synonymized with <em>P. hexagona</em> (Fox, 1897) <strong>new syn.</strong>; and <em>Priocnemella dimidiaticornis</em> (Spinola, 1851) is discussed, with its male described and illustrated for the first time. Ten species of <em>Priocnemella</em> are recognized: <em>Priocnemis fairchildi</em> (Banks, 1925), <em>Priocnemella fuscomarginata</em> (Fox, 1897), <em>Priocnemella hexagona</em> (Banks, 1925), <em>Priocnemella gloriosa</em> (Smith, 1873), <em>Priocnemella aurata</em> (Fox, 1897) <strong>status rev.</strong>, <em>Priocnemella aurodecorata</em> (Cameron, 1912)<em>, Priocnemella nobilitata</em> (Smith, 1866), <em>Priocnemella ornata</em> (Banks, 1946); <em>Priocnemella insignis</em> (Banks, 1946)<em>,</em> and <em>Priocnemella dimidiaticornis</em> (Spinola, 1851). Our results underscore the critical need for further taxonomic studies to enhance our understanding of biodiversity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 90-102"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The species status of Hyla arborea and H. orientalis is well supported by genetic data, however, there is still a lack of studies that could differentiate between these taxa based on other characteristics. During the mating season in the period 2021–2024, we measured a total of 196 tree frogs (144 male and 52 female) from six sites – three within the range of H. arborea and three within the range of H. orienatalis in Bulgaria. All frogs were anesthetised, measured, photographed and released at the site of capture after they were fully recovered. We assessed eight morphometric traits and corresponding indices, and used statistical comparisons to examine species- and population-level variation. While some indices showed significant differences, results did not support clear-cut morphological separation between species. Notably, one population (Zaychino), genetically identified as H. orientalis, grouped morphometrically with H. arborea. Our results suggest that interspecific morphological differences are subtle and may be more influenced by local environmental adaptation or historical introgression. Although not sufficient for a direct species identification in the field, the results contribute towards a better understanding of the morphological differences between these two congeneric species.
{"title":"Morphological variation between Hyla arborea and Hyla orientalis from Bulgaria","authors":"Simeon Lukanov , Irena Atanasova , Emiliya Vacheva , Angel Dyugmedzhiev , Simeon Borissov , Borislav Naumov","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The species status of <em>Hyla arborea</em> and <em>H. orientalis</em> is well supported by genetic data, however, there is still a lack of studies that could differentiate between these taxa based on other characteristics. During the mating season in the period 2021–2024, we measured a total of 196 tree frogs (144 male and 52 female) from six sites – three within the range of <em>H. arborea</em> and three within the range of <em>H. orienatalis</em> in Bulgaria. All frogs were anesthetised, measured, photographed and released at the site of capture after they were fully recovered. We assessed eight morphometric traits and corresponding indices, and used statistical comparisons to examine species- and population-level variation. While some indices showed significant differences, results did not support clear-cut morphological separation between species. Notably, one population (Zaychino), genetically identified as <em>H. orientalis</em>, grouped morphometrically with <em>H. arborea</em>. Our results suggest that interspecific morphological differences are subtle and may be more influenced by local environmental adaptation or historical introgression. Although not sufficient for a direct species identification in the field, the results contribute towards a better understanding of the morphological differences between these two congeneric species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 161-172"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145158663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-08-26DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.010
Nur Liyana Binti Khairul Yusri , Jamsari Amirul Firdaus Jamaluddin , Abdullah Halim Muhammad-Rasul , Mohd Lokman Ilham-Norhakim , Sahat Ratmuangkhwang , Sébastien Lavoué
Tropical Asia is home to the brackish/freshwater fish genus Brachygobius (Teleostei: Oxudercidae: Gobionellinae), commonly known as bumblebee gobies due to the alternating black and yellow/whitish bands on their bodies. The taxonomy of these miniature fishes is insufficiently studied, making their identification difficult. Here, we examined the species diversity of bumblebee gobies in Peninsular Malaysia by applying two molecular markers: the “barcode” fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and a fragment of the nuclear rhodopsin (rho) gene. Twenty-four COI sequences and 20 rho sequences of Brachygobius were newly determined, combined and analysed with available data from both within and outside Peninsular Malaysia. A species delimitation approach conservatively revealed nine species of Brachygobius in our dataset. Conflicts with the current morphology-based classification were identified. Brachygobius sabanus and Brachygobius doriae are not reciprocally monophyletic, while Brachygobius nunus and Brachygobius kabiliensis each represent a species complex. Four species occur in Peninsular Malaysia, which we identified as Brachygobius xanthomelas, Brachygobiussabanus, Brachygobiusnunus, and Brachygobius cf. aggregatus. A photograph of a specimen from each species in Peninsular Malaysia, along with habitat and distribution information, is provided.
{"title":"Molecular taxonomy of bumblebee gobies (Oxudercidae: Gobionellinae: Brachygobius) in Peninsular Malaysia","authors":"Nur Liyana Binti Khairul Yusri , Jamsari Amirul Firdaus Jamaluddin , Abdullah Halim Muhammad-Rasul , Mohd Lokman Ilham-Norhakim , Sahat Ratmuangkhwang , Sébastien Lavoué","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tropical Asia is home to the brackish/freshwater fish genus <em>Brachygobius</em> (Teleostei: Oxudercidae: Gobionellinae), commonly known as bumblebee gobies due to the alternating black and yellow/whitish bands on their bodies. The taxonomy of these miniature fishes is insufficiently studied, making their identification difficult. Here, we examined the species diversity of bumblebee gobies in Peninsular Malaysia by applying two molecular markers: the “barcode” fragment of the <em>cytochrome c oxidase subunit I</em> (<em>COI</em>) gene and a fragment of the nuclear <em>rhodopsin</em> (<em>rho</em>) gene. Twenty-four <em>COI</em> sequences and 20 <em>rho</em> sequences of <em>Brachygobius</em> were newly determined, combined and analysed with available data from both within and outside Peninsular Malaysia. A species delimitation approach conservatively revealed nine species of <em>Brachygobius</em> in our dataset. Conflicts with the current morphology-based classification were identified. <em>Brachygobius sabanus</em> and <em>Brachygobius doriae</em> are not reciprocally monophyletic, while <em>Brachygobius nunus</em> and <em>Brachygobius kabiliensis</em> each represent a species complex. Four species occur in Peninsular Malaysia, which we identified as <em>Brachygobius xanthomelas</em>, <em>B</em><em>rachygobius</em> <em>sabanus</em>, <em>B</em><em>rachygobius</em> <em>nunus</em>, and <em>B</em><em>rachygobius</em> cf. <em>aggregatus</em>. A photograph of a specimen from each species in Peninsular Malaysia, along with habitat and distribution information, is provided.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 20-30"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144922574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-10-13DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2025.10.001
Adriano B. Kury , Dinh Sac Pham
A recent expedition to northern Vietnam revealed an unusual eupnoan harvestman, here described as Nodogyas granatus gen. et sp. nov., which combines features of both Gyinae and Platybuninae. Its morphology includes short legs, knotted femora, heavily armed pedipalps, an unarmed ocularium, and marginal denticles on the coxae. A cladistic analysis is performed using both parsimony (with implied weighting) and Bayesian inference, based on 34 morphological characters across 23 terminals, including Nodogyas and representatives of Phalangiidae and Sclerosomatidae from both Europe and Asia. Platybuninae is tested and recovered as a clade. Both MP and BI place Gyinae within Phalangiidae, confirming that their traditional inclusion in Sclerosomatidae renders that family polyphyletic. Nodogyas is recovered within Gyinae under parsimony (albeit with very low support), but Gyinae is not monophyletic under Bayesian inference. Elongate, anteriorly directed maxillary lobes of coxa II are identified as a synapomorphy of the expanded Phalangiidae including Gyinae. Nodogyas is tentatively placed within Gyinae. This represents the first record of Phalangiidae in Vietnam and highlights a distinct montane lineage of Eupnoi in Southeast Asia.
最近对越南北部的一次考察发现了一种不寻常的欧洲收割机，这里描述为Nodogyas granatus gen. et sp. nov.，它结合了Gyinae和Platybuninae的特征。它的形态包括短腿，股节，全副武装的须肢，无武装的目镜和髋部的边缘小齿。基于23个终末的34个形态学特征，包括来自欧洲和亚洲的斑节科、指骨科和硬壳虫科的代表，采用简约法（含隐含权重）和贝叶斯推理进行了分支分析。白桦科作为一个分支进行了测试和恢复。MP和BI都将Gyinae归入指骨科，证实了它们传统上被包含在硬体虫科中，使得该科具有多系性。Nodogyas在简约的情况下在Gyinae中恢复（尽管支持度很低），但Gyinae在贝叶斯推断下不是单系的。长，前指向的上颌骨裂片的髋II被确定为一个突触形的扩大指节科，包括Gyinae。Nodogyas暂定在Gyinae内。这是在越南首次记录到的蝴蝶兰科植物，并突出了东南亚地区独特的山地系。
{"title":"A mosaic of Gyinae and Platybuninae traits in a new genus of Phalangiidae from Vietnam (Opiliones: Eupnoi)","authors":"Adriano B. Kury , Dinh Sac Pham","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.10.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.10.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A recent expedition to northern Vietnam revealed an unusual eupnoan harvestman, here described as <em>Nodogyas granatus</em> gen. et sp. nov., which combines features of both Gyinae and Platybuninae. Its morphology includes short legs, knotted femora, heavily armed pedipalps, an unarmed ocularium, and marginal denticles on the coxae. A cladistic analysis is performed using both parsimony (with implied weighting) and Bayesian inference, based on 34 morphological characters across 23 terminals, including <em>Nodogyas</em> and representatives of Phalangiidae and Sclerosomatidae from both Europe and Asia. Platybuninae is tested and recovered as a clade. Both MP and BI place Gyinae within Phalangiidae, confirming that their traditional inclusion in Sclerosomatidae renders that family polyphyletic. <em>Nodogyas</em> is recovered within Gyinae under parsimony (albeit with very low support), but Gyinae is not monophyletic under Bayesian inference. Elongate, anteriorly directed maxillary lobes of coxa II are identified as a synapomorphy of the expanded Phalangiidae including Gyinae. <em>Nodogyas</em> is tentatively placed within Gyinae. This represents the first record of Phalangiidae in Vietnam and highlights a distinct montane lineage of Eupnoi in Southeast Asia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 282-299"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145320474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-11-04DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2025.11.001
Sivaperuman Chandrakasan, Swarnakala Thamada
The Andaman Islands harbor a unique biodiversity that is distinct from Asian mainland India and Southeast Asia due to geographical isolation, high endemism, and varied ecological conditions. Among the diverse fauna, species of the genus Junonia are widely distributed across various habitats; however, their genetic diversity has not been explored using molecular approaches in this region. The present study aimed to generate mitochondrial COI gene DNA barcodes for Junonia species from the Andaman Islands on a broader scale. A total of 74 specimens, morphologically identified as four different species were analyzed. The intraspecific divergence ranged from 0.003 to 0.017, while interspecific nucleotide divergence among the four species ranged from 0.044 to 0.095. The maximum divergence (0.095) was observed between Junonia lemonias and Junonia atlites, and the lowest (0.044) between J. lemonias and Junonia hierta. The Phylogenetic tree was constructed using both Neighbor-Joining (NJ) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods which displayed nearly identical topologies, with COI sequences clustering cohesively by species. This study represents the first molecular documentation of Junonia genetic diversity in the Andaman Islands, establishing a critical baseline for future taxonomic and evolutionary investigations.
{"title":"Molecular phylogenetics and genetic diversity of Junonia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Andaman group of Islands","authors":"Sivaperuman Chandrakasan, Swarnakala Thamada","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Andaman Islands harbor a unique biodiversity that is distinct from Asian mainland India and Southeast Asia due to geographical isolation, high endemism, and varied ecological conditions. Among the diverse fauna, species of the genus <em>Junonia</em> are widely distributed across various habitats; however, their genetic diversity has not been explored using molecular approaches in this region. The present study aimed to generate mitochondrial COI gene DNA barcodes for <em>Junonia</em> species from the Andaman Islands on a broader scale. A total of 74 specimens, morphologically identified as four different species were analyzed. The intraspecific divergence ranged from 0.003 to 0.017, while interspecific nucleotide divergence among the four species ranged from 0.044 to 0.095. The maximum divergence (0.095) was observed between <em>Junonia lemonias</em> and <em>Junonia atlites</em>, and the lowest (0.044) between <em>J. lemonias</em> and <em>Junonia hierta</em>. The Phylogenetic tree was constructed using both Neighbor-Joining (NJ) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods which displayed nearly identical topologies, with COI sequences clustering cohesively by species. This study represents the first molecular documentation of <em>Junonia</em> genetic diversity in the Andaman Islands, establishing a critical baseline for future taxonomic and evolutionary investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 378-385"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145473957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-09-17DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.009
Xuhongyi Zheng , Pengxu Mu , Chuan Liu
Halictophagidae is a strepsipteran family that parasitizes Orthoptera, Diptera, Blattodea and Hemiptera. To date, only 2 genera and 12 species have been recorded in China. In this study, we describe Coriophagus tigrilepus sp. nov., based on a male specimen collected from Hainan Province. This discovery represents the first record of both the genus Coriophagus and the subfamily Coriophaginae in China. The new species characterized by unique maxillary palpi, the absence of apical expansion on the forefemur, a slender R2 in the hindwing and a slender aedeagus with a short apical hook. Additionally, we provide an updated checklist of Halictophagidae species documented in China and present a revised key to all Coriophagus species worldwide.
{"title":"Coriophagus tigrilepus sp. nov. (Strepsiptera: Halictophagidae: Coriophaginae): A new species and a new record subfamily from China","authors":"Xuhongyi Zheng , Pengxu Mu , Chuan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Halictophagidae is a strepsipteran family that parasitizes Orthoptera, Diptera, Blattodea and Hemiptera. To date, only 2 genera and 12 species have been recorded in China. In this study, we describe <em>Coriophagus tigrilepus</em> sp. nov., based on a male specimen collected from Hainan Province. This discovery represents the first record of both the genus <em>Coriophagus</em> and the subfamily Coriophaginae in China. The new species characterized by unique maxillary palpi, the absence of apical expansion on the forefemur, a slender R2 in the hindwing and a slender aedeagus with a short apical hook. Additionally, we provide an updated checklist of Halictophagidae species documented in China and present a revised key to all <em>Coriophagus</em> species worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 127-133"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145106062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.012
Irina Kaygorodova, Ekaterina Matveenko
Species is the cornerstone of biology because it serves as the basis for all other branches of this science, being the “elementary particle” of biota and the fundamental unit of biological classification. The accuracy of species attribution, as an indicator of the source data quality, directly affects the validity of experimental and analytical studies. Errors in taxonomic identification not only distort the biodiversity signification, but can also impede a clear understanding of evolutionary, ecological and physiological signals and traits. To improve the reliability of species identification and more accurately define species boundaries in the Baikal-endemic genus Codonobdella, we integrated DNA barcoding data into a bioinformatic pipeline and then applied reflexive search for subtleties in distinguishing phylogenetic species detected by molecular delimitation. As a result, the type species of the genus split up into three phylogenetic species, corresponding to the then-current diagnosis of Codonobdella truncata. However, species specific genetic, morphological, parasitological and distribution features allowed us to discover new species, Codonobdella rufulus sp. nov. and Codonobdella tenebris sp. nov.; to refine the description of C. truncata; and to derive traditional classification keys supplemented by DNA barcodes. Overall, our study reinforces the idea on “cryptic species” as a temporary status for understudied species.
{"title":"Whoever seeks will always find: a revision of the endemic deep-sea Codonobdella cryptic group (Hirudinea, Piscicolidae) from Lake Baikal, with description of two new species","authors":"Irina Kaygorodova, Ekaterina Matveenko","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Species is the cornerstone of biology because it serves as the basis for all other branches of this science, being the “elementary particle” of biota and the fundamental unit of biological classification. The accuracy of species attribution, as an indicator of the source data quality, directly affects the validity of experimental and analytical studies. Errors in taxonomic identification not only distort the biodiversity signification, but can also impede a clear understanding of evolutionary, ecological and physiological signals and traits. To improve the reliability of species identification and more accurately define species boundaries in the Baikal-endemic genus <em>Codonobdella</em>, we integrated DNA barcoding data into a bioinformatic pipeline and then applied reflexive search for subtleties in distinguishing phylogenetic species detected by molecular delimitation. As a result, the type species of the genus split up into three phylogenetic species, corresponding to the then-current diagnosis of <em>Codonobdella truncata</em>. However, species specific genetic, morphological, parasitological and distribution features allowed us to discover new species, <em>Codonobdella rufulu</em>s sp. nov. and <em>Codonobdella tenebris</em> sp. nov.; to refine the description of <em>C. truncata</em>; and to derive traditional classification keys supplemented by DNA barcodes. Overall, our study reinforces the idea on “cryptic species” as a temporary status for understudied species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 210-225"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145267080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Leptopis is a South-American genus with two subgenera and seven valid species: Leptopsis (Leptopsis) Desutter-Grandcolas, 1996, including Leptopsis (Leptopsis) nauta Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, Leptopsis (Leptopsis) zumun Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, Leptopsis (Leptopsis) saussurei Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, Leptopsis (Leptopsis) ecuadori Gorochov, 2006, and Leptopsis (Leptopsis) ucayali Gorochov, 2011; and Leptopsis (Aberracla) Gorochov, 2011, including Leptopsis (Aberracla) chopardi Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, and Leptopsis (Aberracla) morona Gorochov, 2011. In this work, we describe two new species, Leptopsis (Leptopsis) vadersp. nov. and Leptopsis (Leptopsis) silenssp. nov, recorded in the state of Pará, Brazil, the first record of the genus in the country, and predict and discuss the distribution of the genus through Species Distribution Models (SDMs). These two new species are easily distinguished from the others by the shape of the phallic complex sclerites, specifically the pseudepiphallic sclerite A. Additionally, the females exhibit differences in copulatory papillae among species for which these structures are known. We also propose synonymizing Mellomima Desutter-Grandcolas, 2020 under Leptopsis (Aberracla), lowering the rank from genus to subgenus, and moving Mellomima guyanensis Desutter-Grandcolas, 2020 to the subgenus Leptopsis (Aberracla), under the combination Leptopsis (Aberracla) guyanensiscomb. nov. The SDMs for the genus Leptopsis showed a reasonable fit despite the genus's current limited distribution. The model indicated a wide distribution across central and northern Amazonia, with the greatest coverage in the eastern region. High-suitability areas were also identified in countries where the genus has not yet been recorded, such as Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname. Furthermore, the model predicted high-suitability regions outside Amazonian domains, particularly in northern Colombia and Venezuela. The bioclimatic variables that contributed most to the models and probably influence the genus distribution were the precipitation of the wettest quarter and isothermality.
{"title":"Two new species of Leptopsis Desutter-Grandcolas, 1996 (Orthoptera: Phalangopsidae: Phalangopsinae) from the Brazilian Amazon rainforest with insights from potential distribution models for the genus","authors":"Lianderson Farias Franco , Beatriz Harumi Kondo Oya , Rodrigo Antônio Castro-Souza , Gustavo Costa Tavares","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.09.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Leptopis</em> is a South-American genus with two subgenera and seven valid species: <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Leptopsis</em>) Desutter-Grandcolas, 1996, including <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Leptopsis</em>) <em>nauta</em> Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Leptopsis</em>) <em>zumun</em> Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Leptopsis</em>) <em>saussurei</em> Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Leptopsis</em>) <em>ecuadori</em> Gorochov, 2006, and <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Leptopsis</em>) <em>ucayali</em> Gorochov, 2011; and <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Aberracla</em>) Gorochov, 2011, including <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Aberracla</em>) <em>chopardi</em> Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, and <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Aberracla</em>) <em>morona</em> Gorochov, 2011. In this work, we describe two new species, <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Leptopsis</em>) <em>vader</em> <strong>sp. nov</strong>. and <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Leptopsis</em>) <em>silens</em> <strong>sp. nov</strong>, recorded in the state of Pará, Brazil, the first record of the genus in the country, and predict and discuss the distribution of the genus through Species Distribution Models (SDMs). These two new species are easily distinguished from the others by the shape of the phallic complex sclerites, specifically the pseudepiphallic sclerite A. Additionally, the females exhibit differences in copulatory papillae among species for which these structures are known. We also propose synonymizing <em>Mellomima</em> Desutter-Grandcolas, 2020 under <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Aberracla</em>), lowering the rank from genus to subgenus, and moving <em>Mellomima guyanensis</em> Desutter-Grandcolas, 2020 to the subgenus <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Aberracla</em>), under the combination <em>Leptopsis</em> (<em>Aberracla</em>) <em>guyanensis</em> <strong>comb. nov.</strong> The SDMs for the genus <em>Leptopsis</em> showed a reasonable fit despite the genus's current limited distribution. The model indicated a wide distribution across central and northern Amazonia, with the greatest coverage in the eastern region. High-suitability areas were also identified in countries where the genus has not yet been recorded, such as Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname. Furthermore, the model predicted high-suitability regions outside Amazonian domains, particularly in northern Colombia and Venezuela. The bioclimatic variables that contributed most to the models and probably influence the genus distribution were the precipitation of the wettest quarter and isothermality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 134-152"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145109217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Dugesiidae is a family of freshwater planarians (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida), which includes 15 genera, with about 250 valid species. In particular, the genus Girardia encompasses 59 species, mainly distributed in the Neotropics. In this paper, we describe two new species of the genus Girardia, viz. Girardia limayana Negrete & Brusa sp. nov. and Girardia ventriphalla Negrete & Brusa sp. nov., found in different water bodies from Argentine Patagonia. We also studied specimens of Girardia tomasi, which allowed expanding its geographic distribution. The description of the new taxa focuses on their internal anatomy, mainly related to the copulatory apparatus, which was studied by serial histological sections. Partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (Cox-1) were also obtained to describe the freshwater planarians within a taxonomic integrative approach, including species delimitation approaches (ASAP and mPTP). The mPTP method recovered the three species herein studied, but ASAP, in its best score, failed to delimit G. ventriphalla sp. nov. from G. tomasi. Considering these approaches, along with the anatomical analyses, we decided to keep these latter species as different entities.
{"title":"When anatomy speaks louder than genes: two new freshwater planarian species (Platyhelminthes: Dugesiidae) from Argentine Patagonia","authors":"Lisandro Negrete , Agustina Zivano , Gonzalo Vargas , Francisco Brusa","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.10.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.10.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Dugesiidae is a family of freshwater planarians (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida), which includes 15 genera, with about 250 valid species. In particular, the genus <em>Girardia</em> encompasses 59 species, mainly distributed in the Neotropics. In this paper, we describe two new species of the genus <em>Girardia</em>, viz. <em>Girardia limayana</em> Negrete & Brusa sp. nov. and <em>Girardia ventriphalla</em> Negrete & Brusa sp. nov., found in different water bodies from Argentine Patagonia. We also studied specimens of <em>Girardia tomasi</em>, which allowed expanding its geographic distribution. The description of the new taxa focuses on their internal anatomy, mainly related to the copulatory apparatus, which was studied by serial histological sections. Partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (Cox-1) were also obtained to describe the freshwater planarians within a taxonomic integrative approach, including species delimitation approaches (ASAP and mPTP). The mPTP method recovered the three species herein studied, but ASAP, in its best score, failed to delimit <em>G. ventriphalla</em> sp. nov. from <em>G. tomasi</em>. Considering these approaches, along with the anatomical analyses, we decided to keep these latter species as different entities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 267-281"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145332263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-08-25DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.008
Haotian Lei , Xuankun Li
Species of the mythicomyiid genus Platypygus are mainly known from Eurasia, but are also found in Africa and North America, with only one species recorded from China. In this study, we describe two new species from China, Platypygus cangyuanensissp. nov. and Platypygus wenkaiisp. nov. The DNA barcode sequences of both new species were generated. Species validity was supported by morphological characters, phylogenetic analyses, and genetic distance of COI barcodes. A key to all Chinese species of Platypygus is provided.
鸭嘴兽属（mythicomyiid genus Platypygus）的种类主要来自欧亚大陆，但在非洲和北美也有发现，只有一种来自中国。本文描述了两种来自中国的新种——沧源鸭嘴兽（Platypygus沧源鸭嘴兽）和文凯鸭嘴兽（Platypygus wenkaii sp.十一月），并生成了这两个新种的DNA条形码序列。COI条形码的形态特征、系统发育分析和遗传距离支持物种有效性。提供了所有中国鸭嘴兽种的钥匙。
{"title":"Descriptions of two new species of Platypygus Loew (Diptera: Bombyliidae: Mythicomyiinae) from China","authors":"Haotian Lei , Xuankun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcz.2025.08.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Species of the mythicomyiid genus <em>Platypygus</em> are mainly known from Eurasia, but are also found in Africa and North America, with only one species recorded from China. In this study, we describe two new species from China, <em>Platypygus cangyuanensis</em> <strong>sp. nov.</strong> and <em>Platypygus wenkaii</em> <strong>sp. nov.</strong> The DNA barcode sequences of both new species were generated. Species validity was supported by morphological characters, phylogenetic analyses, and genetic distance of <em>CO</em>I barcodes. A key to all Chinese species of <em>Platypygus</em> is provided.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49332,"journal":{"name":"Zoologischer Anzeiger","volume":"319 ","pages":"Pages 41-49"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144926129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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