European Journal of Taxonomy

A new genus and species of Ichneumonini Latreille (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Ichneumoninae) from Oriental Region

Mao-Ling Sheng — 2023-12-01

Serratichneumon Riedel & Sheng gen. nov. and Serratichneumon maculatus Sheng & Riedel gen. et sp. nov. belonging to the tribe Ichneumonini of subfamily Ichneumoninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), collected in the Oriental Region (China, Vietnam, and Indonesia), are described and illustrated. The new genus is placed in Tereshkin’s key to the Palaearctic genera of the subtribe Amblytelina, and compared with similar genera, Hepiopelmus Wesmael, 1845, and Tricholabus Thomson, 1894.

A review of the genus Stratiomys Geoffroy (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from India with description of a new species

Suhaib Firdous Yatoo — 2023-11-30

A review of the genus Stratiomys from India is presented. The new species Stratiomys brunettii sp. nov. is described based on male and female specimens collected from the Kashmir Himalayas. The only other congener previously recorded in India, Stratiomys approximata, is redescribed. A key to the species is presented.

Andean giants: Priscula spiders from Ecuador, with notes on species groups and egg-sac troglomorphism (Araneae: Pholcidae)

Huber Bernhard A. — 2023-11-28

The Andean genus Priscula Simon, 1893 includes the largest Neotropical pholcid spiders, but due to their mostly cryptic lifestyle they remain poorly collected and poorly studied. Many species available in collections remain undescribed and nothing has been published about the phylogeny and the biology of the genus. Here, we deal with a recent collection of Priscula spiders from Ecuador, the country of origin of the type species, P. gularis Simon, 1893. We describe eight new species, collected at 17 localities at altitudes from 640–3160 m, all based on males and females: P. azuay sp. nov., P. llaviucu sp. nov., P. espejoi sp. nov., P. esmeraldas sp. nov., P. chapintza sp. nov., P. pastaza sp. nov., P. bonita sp. nov., and P. lumbaqui sp. nov. We use a sample of approximately 26 species-level taxa, mostly from Ecuador and Venezuela, to propose a first hypothesis about relationships within the genus. Our data (mainly CO1) suggest the existence of five species groups, three of which are represented in Ecuador. The cave-dwelling P. pastaza sp. nov. is only slightly troglomorphic (paler than usual; anterior median eyes strongly reduced or lost) but differs dramatically from forest-dwelling congeners in its biology: it hangs fully exposed in its web during the day; it produces egg sacs with only 6–7 eggs (average in 15 other species: 42 eggs); and it produces the largest eggs relative to body size of all studied species.

Viuria Grishin, 2019 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae): taxonomy, description of two new species, and remarks on the morphology of secondary sexual organs of males

Ricardo Russo Siewert — 2023-11-27

The taxonomy of the Neotropical Carcharodini genus Viuria Grishin, 2019 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Pyrginae) is presented. Two new species are described: Viuria inanna sp. nov. from south-southeastern habitats Brazil and Paraguay, and Viuria acadia sp. nov. from Brazil and Ecuador. Illustrations of adults, including morphology of secondary sexual organs in males, male and female genitalia, diagnoses, remarks, and updated geographical distributions are also provided for all species.

Two new species of Scolopocryptops centipedes from southern Japan (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Scolopocryptopidae)

Taro Jonishi — 2023-11-24

The blind centipede genus Scolopocryptops Newport, 1844 comprises two lineages: the “Asian/North American” group and the “Neotropical/Afrotropical” group. The former can be further split into two groups, a clade comprising Scolopocryptops elegans (Takakuwa, 1937) and Scolopocryptops curtus (Takakuwa, 1939), and a clade comprising all other “Asian/North American” species. Here, Scolopocryptops miyosii sp. nov. from Kyushu and Amami Island and Scolopocryptops brevisulcatus sp. nov. from Izena Island and Okinawa Island in southern Japan are described. The two new species have external features similar to S. elegans and S. curtus. They can be distinguished from most other “Asian/North American” Scolopocryptops by the absence of complete sulcus/sulci along the lateral margin of the cephalic plate and the presence of sternal longitudinal sulci. They can be distinguished from each other by several external features, such as the density of antennal setae and the shape of the anterior margin of the coxosternite. Phylogenetic analyses using nuclear and mitochondrial markers also support the monophyly of the four species, which form a clade sister to all other “Asian/North American” Scolopocryptops.

New details of the enigmatic 100 million years old antlion-like larvae of Ankyloleon (Myrmeleontiformia, Neuroptera)

Joachim T. Haug — 2023-11-23

Lacewing larvae in the Cretaceous were more diverse in appearance than they are today, best documented by numerous fossils preserved in amber. One morphotype of an unusual larva from about 100 Ma old Kachin amber (Myanmar) was formally recognised as a distinct group called Ankyloleon. The original description erected a single formal species, Ankyloleon caudatus. Yet, it was indicated that among the five original specimens, more species were represented. We here report five new specimens. Among these is the so far largest as well as the so far smallest specimen. Based on this expanded material we can estimate certain aspects of the ontogenetic sequence and are able to recognise a second discrete species, Ankyloleon caroluspetrus sp. nov. We discuss aspects of the biology of Ankyloleon based on newly observed details such as serrations on the mandibles. Long and slender mouthparts, legs and body together with a weakly expressed outer trunk segmentation provide indications for a lifestyle hunting for prey in more confined spaces. Still many aspects of the biology of these larvae must remain unclear due to a lack of a well comparable modern counterpart, emphasising how different the fauna of the Cretaceous was.

Six new species in the genus Innobindus Jacobi 1928 (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae: Brixiini)

Birgit Löcker — 2023-11-21

Six new species are described in the Australian planthopper genus Innobindus Jacobi, 1928. A new species group, the artus group, is created for Innobindus artus sp. nov., I. kaanti sp. nov. and I. loriensis sp. nov.; Innobindus gimani sp. nov. is added to the licinus group and I. geminatus sp. nov. to the multimaculatus group. Another new species, Innobindus oppositus sp. nov., could not be assigned to a species group as it shows unique features within Innobindus regarding forewing venation and chaetotaxy. A checklist and identification key to males of all 13 species of Innobindus is provided. Innobindus is endemic to the eastern parts of New South Wales and Queensland, distribution maps for each species are presented

Overview of the ant genus Vollenhovia (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in India and Sri Lanka, with an illustrated key and the description of a new species

Shahid Ali Akbar — 2023-11-20

The ant genus Vollenhovia Mayr, 1865 (Myrmicinae, Crematogastrini) mostly occurs in the Australasian and Oriental regions. We revised its diversity in India and Sri Lanka based on qualitative and quantitative morphology, recognizing eleven taxa, including a new species which is described herewith: V. escherichi Forel, 1911, V. gastropunctata Bharti & Kumar, 2013, V. karimalaensis Dhadwal et al., 2023, V. keralensis Kripakaran & Sadasivan, 2022, V. mawrapensis Dhadwal et al., 2023, V. oblonga laevithorax Emery, 1889, V. penetrans (Smith, 1857), V. pfeifferi Bharti et al., 2023, V. taylori Rilta et al., 2023, V. terayamai Rilta et al., 2023, and V. yasmeenae sp. nov. The subspecies status of V. oblonga laevithorax and its relationship with V. penetrans, whose type series does not contain workers, still requires to be assessed in the context of a broader revision including the whole Oriental region. The known distribution of the genus in the Indian subcontinent appears to be fragmentary, still requiring extensive sampling efforts. Four species are from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in the southern Indian state of Kerala, one is endemic to the biogeographically related Sri Lanka, three are known from Eastern India near the border with Bangladesh, two are reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and one is restricted to the Himachal Pradesh in northern India. A comprehensive key of the known Vollenhovia species from India and Sri Lanka is provided.

Review of the genus Acanthophorella Antić & Makarov, 2016 (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Anthroleucosomatidae), with descriptions of three new species from the Caucasus

Dragan Antić — 2023-11-17

The present paper is devoted to the description of three new species of the genus Acanthophorella Antić & Makarov, 2016 from Georgia, western Caucasus: A. devi Antić sp. nov. and A. valerii Antić sp. nov., both presumed troglobionts and each from a single cave, and the epigean A. aurita Antić sp. nov. The troglobiotic Acanthophorella barjadzei Antić & Makarov, 2016 is reported from two additional caves, with further descriptive notes given. Notes on the ecology and localities, and a distribution map for all six species of the genus are presented. A key is given to all members of the Flagellophorella complex. The relationships within the complex and the distribution and troglomorphism in the genus Acanthophorella are briefly discussed.

A new genus and species of Leptoconopinae (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from Lower Cretaceous Baskinta amber outcrop in Lebanon

Agata Pielowska-Ceranowska — 2023-11-16

A new fossil ceratopogonid genus and species from Lower Cretaceous Lebanese amber, Baskintoconops maaloufi Pielowska-Ceranowska gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The studied material originates from a newly discovered amber site in the Lebanese village Baskinta at a locality dubbed Qanat Bakish. The described genus is typified by its wing venation pattern combining characters of genera Fossileptoconops and Jordanoconops belonging to the subfamily Leptoconopinae.