Invertebrate Systematics最新文献

Conservation management in ancient landscapes has shifted in recent years from the protection of single species to the broader management of areas of high biodiversity. One of the landscapes that has most benefited from this shift is the south-west of Western Australia, an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot and one of the oldest and most stable landscapes on Earth. Significant progress has been made in recent years to identify refugia in the south-west and prioritise them for invertebrate protection but more studies are still needed to assist practical conservation management. Here, we describe a new genus of pseudoscorpions from south-western Australia (Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudotyrannochthoniidae: Karrichthonius gen. nov. ) that has speciated extensively within mesic refugia. Karrichthonius is endemic to the High Rainfall Province of the biodiversity hotspot and features often-localised populations in spatially isolated mesic habitats. Through a combination of DNA barcoding, morphological features and spatial mapping, we infer 12 species: Karrichthonius giganteus (Beier, 1971) comb. nov. , K. booraraensis , sp. nov. , K. buzattoi , sp. nov. , K. dalei , sp. nov. , K. farquhari , sp. nov. , K. heatherae , sp. nov. , K. leniae , sp. nov. , K. porongurupensis , sp. nov. , K. pyungurupensis , sp. nov ., K. rixi , sp. nov. , K. talyuberlupensis , sp. nov. and K. toolbrunupensis , sp. nov . All species are short-range endemics and occur in landforms that are either known refugia for invertebrate conservation or inferred here as potential refugia to be recognised and analysed further. By mapping species distributions and providing species diagnoses, we contribute to an understanding of invertebrate biodiversity in the south-west, and strengthen the concepts that are underlying conservation management practices in biodiversity hotspots. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EC51BFC7-0C8E-49D6-A704-DA59648B2325.

Phylogenetic analysis of the family Chlorogomphidae was carried out using two nuclear markers, the ITS and histone H3-H4 regions, and a barcoding fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene, using sequences obtained in this study and adopted from GenBank. Their joint analysis was performed using StarBEAST software. In total, 36 (64%) of 56 species of all three genera currently recognised in this family were analysed. Our analysis showed Chlorogomphidae as a monotypic family containing the single speciose genus Chlorogomphus Selys, 1854. Chlorogomphus montanus Chao, 1999, syn. nov., is synonymised to Chlorogomphus nasutus Needham, 1930, Chlorogomphus urolobatus Chen, 1950, syn. nov., is synonymised to Chlorogomphus infuscatus Needham, 1930. The synonymy of Chlorogomphus suzukii Oguma, 1926 and Chlorogomphus tunti Needham, 1930 is confirmed. Some other potential synonyms are discussed. The phylogenetic trees reconstructed here showed that the species name C. nasutus Needham, 1930 actually refers to two (not three) different taxa. Thus, we suggest considering these two taxa as separate species, C. nasutus and C. satoi Asahina, 1995. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5188C826-AD51-4605-8B06-3C63DE80F1F0.

Pseudoscorpions are an ancient arachnid group with a fossil record that extends to the Devonian, with all modern families having likely evolved during the Mesozoic. One of the rarest pseudoscorpion families, Menthidae, is sporadically distributed around the world, and ever since its description has been included in the superfamily Garypoidea. Based on new Sanger sequencing and phylotranscriptomic data, Menthidae are inferred to be a member of the superfamily Neobisioidea, and the sister-group to a clade that includes Gymnobisiidae, Neobisiidae and some Syarinidae.

The millipede order Spirostreptida (Arthropoda: Diplopoda) displays extremely high species diversity. However, the current classification of Spirostreptida is controversial, and the systematic status and phylogenetic relationships of some of its included superfamilies or families and genera remain uncertain due to the paucity and inaccessibility of suitable material or genetic data for key taxa. In the present study, a new pericambalid species, Pericambala foveiformis , sp. nov. (Cambalidea), is described using integrated methods. Moreover, the complete mitochondrial genomes of this new species and Agaricogonopus acrotrifoliolatus Zhang & Zhang, 1997, are sequenced and annotated. The mitogenome of P. foveiformis , sp. nov. is the first for the suborder Cambalidea, whereas that of A. acrotrifoliolatus is the first for the family Harpagophoridae. The mitogenome of P . foveiformis , sp. nov. with 17,467bp in length, is the largest diplopod mitogenome currently known. Phylogenetic results based on the 16S rRNA (16S ) + cox1 data and the concatenated amino acid sequences of 13 mitogenome protein-coding genes, both support the division of the order Spirostreptida into two suborders, Cambalidea and Spirostreptidea, but do not support the division of the suborder Spirostreptidea into two superfamilies Odontopygoidea and Spirostreptoidea, because of the two odontopygoid genera Chaleponcus and Prionopetalum nested within Spirostreptoidea. The phylogenetic analyses of 16S + cox1 data also show that Harpagophoridae and Pericambalidae are each monophyletic. However, the phylogenetic relationships among the three families Harpagophoridae, Odontopygidae and Spirostreptidae within Spirostreptidea remain unresolved. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A5A9F1D8-7958-4F72-9DD3-919B9304A03A.

Recent phylogenomic studies have established a robust backbone relationship for the seven subfamilies of jumping spiders (Salticidae), and identified an enigmatic clade within the subtribe Spartaeina, a major lineage of the subfamily Spartaeinae. However, the classification of this enigmatic clade remained unresolved due to the availability of only one male specimen at that time. In this study, we extensively examined additional materials and obtained ultraconserved element (UCE) data for more putative species of this lineage. The UCE phylogenetic results provided a comprehensive and strongly supported framework for the subtribe Spartaeina, and confirmed that the enigmatic clade is a distinct lineage, separate from genera with similar morphological traits. Coupled with morphological evidence, we describe a new genus, Protaeus gen. nov., and three new species: Protaeus nyarlathotep sp. nov., P. dracosquamus sp. nov., and P. gulliwingus sp. nov. We also revise the classification of three previously misplaced species into this new genus: P. jianfeng (Song & Zhu, 1998) comb. nov. (transferred from Portia ), P. forcipiformis (Yang, Liu, Liu & Peng, 2017) comb. nov. (transferred from Spartaeus ) and P. shiwandashan (Wang, Mi, Li & Xu, 2024) comb. nov. (transferred from Mintonia ). Additionally, we redescribe the male of P. jianfeng and provide a description of the female for the first time. This study enhances our understanding of evolutionary relationships within Spartaeina and underscores the importance of further exploration within this diverse group. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:159DFF44-63DF-4F2D-B7E4-F6485141A6EA.

Genomic data have revealed that traditional coral taxonomy based on skeletal morphology does not accurately reflect the true diversity of, or systematic relationships within, the order Scleractinia. Here, we apply an integrated taxonomic approach combining molecular analysis and morphological comparison of type material with specimens collected from across the Indo-Pacific to revise the taxonomy of a clade within the species-rich and ecologically dominant reef coral genus Acropora , which includes the species Acropora hyacinthus (Dana, 1846) and related species (termed the 'hyacinthus species complex'). Using a collection of specimens comprising preserved tissues, field images and skeletal vouchers collected from 22 regions spanning the Indian and Pacific Oceans, we generated a phylogenomic reconstruction using targeted capture of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and exons, combined with examination of morphological characters, to generate primary species hypotheses (PSHs) for the clade. We then tested PSHs by calling Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) from the genomic dataset to provide additional lines of evidence to support the delineation of species within the clade and revise the taxonomy of the group. Our integrated approach recovered 16 lineages sufficiently delineated to be designated as distinct species. Based on comparison of our specimens to type material and geographical distributions, we remove nine species from synonymy: A. turbinata (Verrrill, 1864), A. surculosa (Dana, 1846), A. patella (Studer, 1878), A. flabelliformis (Milne-Edwards, 1860), A. conferta (Quelch, 1886), A pectinata (Brook, 1892), A. recumbens (Brook, 1892), A. sinensis (Brook, 1893) and A. bifurcata Nemenzo, 1971. We also describe five new species: A. harriottae sp. nov. from south-eastern Australia, A. tersa sp. nov. from eastern Australia and the Western Pacific, A. nyinggulu sp. nov. from the eastern Indian Ocean, Indo-Australian Archipelago and southern Japan, A. uogi sp. nov. from the western Pacific and A. kalindae sp. nov. from north-eastern Australia. Our data reveal that the species richness within this clade of Acropora is far greater than currently assumed due to both overlooked provincialism across the Indo-Pacific as well as lumping of distinct sympatric species based on superficial morphological similarity. Given the key ecological role tabular Acropora play on Indo-Pacific reefs our findings have significant implications for reef conservation and management, for example, A. harriottae sp. nov. is restricted to a small geographical region of south-eastern Australia and is therefore at comparatively high risk of extinction. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6C42546C-9253-4639-9FF4-D8D80808D78C.

Inhabiting soft substrates presents complex challenges for some groups of sessile filter feeders. Among these, ascidians have independently evolved traits and strategies to live in such habitats. Paedomorphosis, the retention of juvenile features of the ancestor into the adult stage, has been associated with taxa living freely within the sediment, including species of the pyurid genus Heterostigma Ärnbäck-Christie-Linde, 1924 (Ascidiacea: Stolidobranchia: Pyuridae). These poorly known solitary ascidians display peculiar morphological adaptations deemed for an interstitial lifestyle, although complete knowledge of their biology is still lacking. We hereby describe Heterostigma monniotae sp. nov., a new pyurid species from the littoral soft bottoms of Napoli (central Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean Sea). An updated taxonomic table, built on the literature and the screening of types and unpublished material, clarified differences within the known species of the genus. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses based on single genes and the complete mitochondrial genome of the new species provided the first molecular information on this group and resolved its position as sister to the other Stolidobranchia. Finally, morphological and behavioural acquired adaptations were observed in live specimens of H. monniotae , revealing the shift from a sessile to a paedomorphic motile phenotype in mature specimens. This adaptive strategy was never documented before in sessile ascidians, appearing as an extreme strategy to survive in unstable habitats, although its inducing factors are still unclear. The motility of adults was filmed here for the first time. These findings challenge previous assumptions of these species' lifestyle and behaviour, contributing to the understanding of the development and ecology of this group of sand-living ascidians. Finally, the comparison with closely related species highlighted how ontogenetic processes may have contributed to the radiation of sand-living tunicates. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FBC89E26-9213-4E40-81D1-36E686B118FC.

The marine neogastropod family Costellariidae constitutes a large radiation encompassing 647 living species, widely distributed in tropical seas, with their highest diversity in the Central Indo-Pacific. The systematics of the family has undergone profound changes in the mid-2010s, when relationships within Costellariidae were critically revised based on molecular (multilocus) data from 80 species. Whereas four new genera were described, and two more transferred to Costellariidae from Ptychatractidae, relationships of some key lineages could not be resolved due to the incomplete taxonomic and geographic coverage. In the present study we combine an analysis of an extensive DNA-barcoding dataset with phylogenomics to propose a robust new phylogenetic hypothesis and revise the genus-level systematics of the family. Species delimitation was performed for a Cox1 dataset of 1475 specimens, which revealed 221 secondary species hypotheses (SSHs). The phylogeny was reconstructed from a 1003 loci dataset for 70 species representing all but two of the revealed major costellariid lineages. Maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) arrived at nearly identical topologies with full support for all backbone nodes but one, providing a robust framework for a new classification. We treat Turricostellaria as a synonym of Tosapusia. Further, based on a re-evaluation of the identity of the type species of Pusia , we conclude that the name should be applied to a Caribbean lineage, previously treated as a part of Vexillum . Consequently, the Indo-Pacific species of Pusia (Pusia ) are here reassigned to a new genus Eupusia , and two other subgenera, Ebenomitra and Vexillena , are raised to full genera. Eight further new genera are described based on phylogenomics: Bathythala , Canaripusia and Caribbonus from the Caribbean in deep water, Pilgrivexillum , Pacifilux , Ponderiola and Cernohorskyola from the Central and southern Indo-Pacific, and Kilburniola from the south-western Indian Ocean. From a total of 25 SSHs corresponding to undescribed species, 23 are described herein in the genera Austromitra (1), Bathythala (1), Canaripusia (1), Caribbonus (3), Costapex (4), Eupusia (1), Kilburniola (1), Pilgrivexillum (1), Pusia (2), Thala (1), Tosapusia (1) and Vexillum (6). ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0791EF1F-7F77-4F02-A447-40798388C7FE.

We revised the orb-weaving spider genus Carepalxis L. Koch, 1872 and tested its monophyly using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference phylogenetic analyses, comparing our results to a previously published family-level dataset on world-wide Araneidae. We studied the placement of the genus and the classification of the informally termed clade 'backobourkiines' using phylogenetic analyses based on two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI ) and 16S rRNA (16S ), and two nuclear genes, 28S rRNA (28S ) and 18S rRNA (18S ). Approximately 12,000 araneid records (vials) from major Australian and overseas collections were examined during our taxonomic revision. All phylogenetic analyses supported a monophyletic 'backobourkiines' clade, but found a polyphyletic Carepalxis , with its Australasian representatives being part of the 'backobourkiines' and the Neotropical species being related to the Neotropical Ocrepeira Marx, 1883. Consequently, the genus was revised to include seven endemic Australian species, Carepalxis montifera L. Koch, 1872 (type species), C. bilobata Keyserling, 1886, C. ferreirasousai sp. nov. , C. kolla sp. nov. , C. megalostylus sp. nov. , C. tholos sp. nov. and C. tuberculata Keyserling, 1886 (=C. furcifera (Keyserling, 1886) syn. nov. ), in addition to C. beelzebub (van Hasselt, 1873) (=C. suberosa Thorell, 1881 syn. nov. = C. tuberculifera (Thorell, 1881) comb. nov. , syn. nov. = C. tricuspidata Chrysanthus, 1961 syn. nov. ), which is present in Australia, Indonesia (West Papua) and Papua New Guinea. The following new combinations for Neotropical species previously placed in Carepalxis were proposed: Ocrepeira camelus (Simon, 1895) comb. nov. , Ocrepeira gibbosa (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889) comb. nov. , Ocrepeira perpera (Petrunkevitch, 1911) comb. nov. , Ocrepeira quasimodo (Ferreira-Sousa & Motta, 2022) comb. nov. , and Ocrepeira topazio (Ferreira-Sousa & Motta, 2022) comb. nov. Within the backobourkiines, Carepalxis can be recognised by the presence of two cephalic humps in females and two enlarged megaspines apically on tibia II of males (both here considered synapomorphies of the genus), an anteriorly elevated abdomen usually with numerous tubercles, humps or sigilla in addition to the humeral humps, an elongated male pedipalp median apophysis bearing a small projection, and a female epigyne with broad lateral lobes, and, whenever present, conspicuous transverse slits instead of baso-lateral flaps. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4F888132-4EE9-417F-9A82-7F9C470C9FB3.