European Journal of Taxonomy

New species and records of Late Miocene mollusks from southeastern Iran

2026-07-07T22:07:20+02:00

We describe three new species of mollusks and report 11 species identifications, from Upper Miocene strata of the Dar Pahn Unit at the Makran margin of southeastern Iran. The new species are the gastropods Bufonaria chabaharensis sp. nov., Cancilla makranensis sp. nov. and the bivalve Corbula darpahnensis sp. nov. The new identifications include the gastropods Protoma harrisoni (Cox, 1936), Protoma kayalensis (Dey, 1961), Neverita didyma (Röding, 1798), Natica vitellus (Linnaeus, 1758), and the bivalves Anadara blanfordi (Newton, 1905), Fascipecten shanganiensis (Eames & Cox, 1958), Pecten kilindoniensis Eames & Cox, 1956, Dosinia peralta Vredenburg, 1928, Clementia papyracea (Gmelin, 1791), Paratapes protolirata (Noetling, 1901) and Arcopaginula inflata (Gmelin, 1791). The pectinid subgenus Fascipecten is raised to genus level. During the Late Miocene, seven of the species were found mainly in the northwestern part of the Indian Ocean, six had a broad Indo-West Pacific distribution. This indicates the existence of a ‘Western Indian Province’ within the Indo-West Pacific Ocean, as reported for the Early Miocene, although less distinct as during the Early Miocene.

New species of Elaphropoda Lieftinck, 1966 and Habropoda Smith, 1854 (Hymenoptera, Apidae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India

2026-07-06T22:07:19+02:00

Elaphropoda Lieftinck, 1966 and Habropoda Smith, 1854 are two rarely collected genera belonging to the family Apidae. Elaphropoda is found to be restricted to the Oriental region with 13 extant species. Habropoda is a rather extensively distributed genus with a total of 55 species worldwide. We describe two new species (Elaphropoda triangulata sp. nov. and Habropoda adi sp. nov.) belonging to these genera, based on two male specimens collected from Arunachal Pradesh, India. The importance of male holotypes in rarely collected Hymenoptera is highlighted. Also, the rarity of anthophorine bees in collections and the distribution pattern of Elaphropoda and Habropoda are discussed. Identification keys and distribution maps to the Indian species of Elaphropoda and Habropoda are provided.

Two new species of the genus Trichorhina Budde-Lund, 1908 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Platyarthridae) from the Ibero-Balearic region

2026-06-30T22:06:55+02:00

Two new species of Trichorhina Budde-Lund, 1908, the most diverse genus of the family Platyarthridae, are described from the Ibero-Balearic region: T. guadianensis sp. nov. (Portugal) and T. malacitana sp. nov. (Spain). The two species are distinguished by differences in dorsal integument texture, scale-setae arrangement, shape of the telson, posterior pereonites margins, and male pleopod 1. Trichorhina guadianensis sp. nov. is characterised by a smooth dorsal integument with longitudinal lines of fan-shaped scale-setae of different sizes, rounded posterior margins of pereonites 1–4, triangular telson, and a heart-shaped male pleopod 1 exopod. Trichorhina malacitana sp. nov. is characterised by the absence of pigmentation and eyes, transverse lines of fan-shaped scale-setae, triangular telson, and an oval male pleopod 1 exopod. The position of the noduli laterales on the pereonites provides additional diagnostic characters for the identification of all species of the genus. A revised dichotomous key for all species of Trichorhina in the Ibero-Balearic region is provided.

Systematic revision of the Savignia genus group (Araneae: Linyphiidae: Erigoninae) with notes on their cephalic lobe evolution

2026-06-25T22:06:16+02:00

The Savignia genus group includes nine morphologically complex yet similar genera where species were assigned based mainly on the cephalic lobes. Among these genera, males of Diplocephalus Bertkau, 1883, Savignia Blackwall, 1833 and Araeoncus Simon, 1884 show some of the most extraordinary cephalic lobes among dwarf spiders (Linyphiidae, Erigoninae). In this study we undertake the first phylogenetic analysis of the Savignia genus group. We use 269 morphological characters (175 newly defined) and 70 taxa (59 ingroup taxa) to reconstruct the relationships and evolutionary trends of cephalic lobes in this lineage. Our findings show that cephalic lobes with varying shapes and sizes appear in several Savignia genus group lineages, highlighting that it is not a good diagnostic character. The high support in several clades allows the redefinition of the genera Savignia, Diplocephalus, Araeoncus, Erigonella Dahl, 1901, Dicymbium Menge, 1868 and Glyphesis Simon, 1926 based on synapomorphies and leads to new species assignments. Our results also show that while genera are well supported, their interrelationships are not, suggesting that genera closely related with the Savignia genus group may need further revision. Simplified, the generic relationships of the Savignia genus group are Glyphesis (Dicymbium ((Erigonella (Hemistajus resurrected rank, Savignia)) (Diastanillus (Diplocephalus, Araeoncus))).

Dayhiracia gen. nov., a new planthopper genus of the tribe Parahiraciini from Thailand (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Issidae)

2026-06-24T22:06:15+02:00

A new genus of Issidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) belonging to the tribe Parahiraciini Cheng & Yang, 1991, Dayhiracia gen. nov., is erected to accommodate a new species Dayhiracia circularis gen. et sp. nov. from Nakhon Si Thamarat Province in Thailand. Illustrations of habitus and terminalia of the new species are given as well as a distribution map and a photograph of a live specimen. The Thai fauna of the family Issidae now counts ten species in five genera.

A new genus and two new species in the planthopper tribe Sarimini from Borneo (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Issidae)

2026-06-22T22:05:43+02:00

A new genus of Issidae in the tribe Sarimini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha), Pseudomiklukha gen. nov. is described to accommodate two species from Borneo. The type species is new to science and described as Pseudomiklukha auriculata gen. et sp. nov. The second species is Nikomiklukha maclayi Gnezdilov, 2010, which is transferred to the new genus, and the new combination Pseudomiklukha maclayi (Gnezdilov, 2010) gen. et comb. nov. is proposed. Another new species is described in the genus Nikomiklukha Gnezdilov, 2010, Nikomiklukha floreni sp. nov., also from Borneo. Distribution maps and illustrations of specimens and terminalia are provided.

Taxonomic revision of the jumping goblin spider genus Orchestina Simon, 1882 (Araneae: Oonopidae) in Japan with descriptions of two new species

2026-07-07T11:39:48+02:00

The goblin spider genus Orchestina Simon, 1882 (Araneae: Oonopidae) in Japan has been revised, recognizing nine species including two new species and four species newly recorded from Japan: O. okitsui Oi, 1958 (♂♀), O. flava Ono, 2005 (♂♀), O. sanguinea Oi, 1955 (♀), O. saaristoi Henrard & Jocqué, 2012 (♂♀, new record), O. saltitans Banks, 1894 (♂♀, new record), O. colubrina Liu, Henrard & Xu, 2019 (♂, new record), O. pavesii (Simon, 1873) (♂♀, new record), O. nojimai sp. nov. (♀) and O. insulana sp. nov. (♀). A literature survey revealed errors in the correspondences between figures and captions in a pictorial book, which likely led to the misidentification of the synanthropically introduced species O. saltitans as the forest-dwelling native species O. okitsui. The misrepresentation also gave rise to the erroneous assumption that the male of O. sanguinea had been described, although no male specimen has actually been reported. In addition, Orchestina flagella Saaristo & van Harten, 2006, is here synonymized with O. saltitans (O. flagella syn. nov.). This study provides photographs and illustrations of nine Orchestina species, including the type specimens of O. okitsui, O. flava and O. sanguinea, notes on their habitats, distribution maps, supplemental molecular data, and a graphical character matrix of Orchestina species in Japan.

Contribution to the knowledge of the spider fauna of Morocco (Arachnida: Araneae) – Third note. On sixteen new species, and noteworthy records.

2026-06-16T14:08:45+02:00

Abstract. We present the latest results of our studies on spiders in Morocco, based on material sampled between 2021 and 2025. A total of eight caves were surveyed in the Tazekka NP and the Beni Snassen massif. Several other habitats were also surveyed (e.g., coastal habitats, mixed forests, arid stony grasslands, shrubby slopes, lapiaz, etc.). In total, 40 species belonging to 10 families were recorded. Sixteen species are described as new to science: Agelescape atlas Lecigne sp. nov.; Berlandina campestris Lecigne & Moutaouakil sp. nov.; Dysdera asaahil Lecigne sp. nov.; D. sidimaafa Lecigne sp. nov.; Gorbiscape dayetchiker Lecigne sp. nov.; G. hichamelguerrouji Lecigne sp. nov.; G. littoralis Lecigne sp. nov.; Nomisia tazekka Lecigne sp. nov.; Oecobius diafa Lecigne & Lips sp. nov.; O. tiznit Lecigne sp. nov.; Scotophaeus amicitiae Lecigne, Moutaouakil & Lips sp. nov.; Zelotes pax Lecigne & Moutaouakil sp. nov.; Z. rex Lecigne sp. nov.; Z. subcallidus Lecigne sp. nov.; two of which may be considered troglophile, i.e., Lycosoides jlida Lecigne sp. nov. or troglobitic, i.e., Lepthyphantes s. lat. ntafaghi Lecigne sp. nov. The males of Diplocephalus bosmansi Lecigne, 2025 and Lepthyphantes noeli Barrientos & Brañas, 2024 are described for the first time. The findings of several other species are noteworthy (either endemic or recently described species, but also species with a poorly known taxonomy, ecology or distribution) and hence represent important records for specific knowledge, both at national and local scales, e.g., Gorbiscape amazighus, Zamani & Marusik 2025; Liocranum atlasicum Zamani & Marusik, 2025; Mogrus sahariensis Berland & Millot, 1941; Pecado impudicus (Denis, 1945) or Zodarion maghrebense Bosmans & Benhalima, 2020. It was found that Tetragnatha nitens (Audouin, 1826) (Lecigne et al. 2025: 146, fig. 90c–e) was misidentified and this record refers to Tetragnatha bogotensis Keyserling, 1865. The species is new to Morocco. Zodarion camillae Lecigne, 2025 was transferred to Acanthinozodium Denis, 1966 and a new combination was established: A. camillae (Lecigne, 2025) comb. nov. Zelotes scrutatus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) syn. nov. is synonymised with Zelotes erythrocephalus (Lucas, 1846).

The Finnish species of Pipizella Rondani, 1856 (Diptera, Syrphidae), with descriptions of the female sex of Pipizella certa Violovitsh, 1981 and Pipizella obscura van Steenis & Lucas, 2011

2026-06-05T22:04:25+02:00

The hoverfly genus Pipizella Rondani, 1856 (Diptera: Syrphidae: Pipizinae) is represented by three species in Finland, the widespread Palaearctic species Pipizella viduata (Linnaeus, 1758), and two rare Palaearctic species, Pipizella certa Violovitsh, 1981 and Pipizella obscura van Steenis & Lucas, 2011. Hitherto, species identification of Finnish Pipizella spp. was feasible only for the male sex using morphological characteristics of the male genitalia. This study focussed on identifying candidate female specimens of P. certa and P. obscura using morphological hypotheses. We generated mtDNA COI barcodes for males and females of selected Pipizella specimens. The barcoding results corroborated the employed morphological hypotheses by linking the unknown female sex with the correct male species identity. The hitherto unknown females of P. certa and P. obscura are here morphologically described for the first time. We provide and clarify diagnostic characters to separate both sexes of the three Pipizella species occurring in Finland. We provide the first DNA barcode sequences for both sexes of P. obscura.

A nomenclator of the Palaeozoic taxa of the family Parallelodontidae (Bivalvia, Arcida)

2026-06-04T22:04:25+02:00

The Parallelodontidae are a long-living family in the bivalve superfamily Arcoidea, ranging from the Devonian to the Recent. Their fossil taxonomic diversity, however, is poorly known – especially so for the Palaeozoic. Here, we intend to fill this gap and provide a list of all Palaeozoic genus- and species-group names of the family published in the literature. This nomenclator compiles details on type species (genus-group names), type locality, type horizon and type material (species-group names), along with information on the original source, as well as remarks on taxonomic status, nomenclature and systematic placement. The catalogue encompasses 16 genus-group names (eleven of which are currently considered as valid) and 247 species-group names (213 valid) proposed within or currently attributed to the Parallelodontidae. Our contribution uncovers numerous widely unknown taxa and reveals an unexpected diversity of the family during the Palaeozoic, thus serving as a basis for future revision and completion of taxonomic databases.