The genus Oreolalax of the family Megophryidae currently comprises 22 recorded species, the majority of which are endemic to China. During field work in Liziping National Natural Reserve, Shimian County, Sichuan Province, China, we discovered several Oreolalax toads with morphological characteristics different from other Oreolalax species. Based on the analyses of morphological, bioacoustic and molecular data, this newly identified population forms an independent clade nested with Oreolalax lichuanensis , Oreolalax schmidti and Oreolalax pingii , which we describe as a new species. The new species, Oreolalax lizipingensis sp. nov ., can be distinguished from other congeneric species by the combination of the following characters: (1) relatively small body size in Oreolalax , SVL of males 37.6–43.3 mm and females 44.2–52.7 mm; (2) toes with rudimentary webbing; (3) interorbital region with dark triangular spot; (4) the female’s belly, flanks and lower surface of limbs evenly dotted with white spots, absent or inconspicuous in males; (5) dorsum with dark brown and nearly round warts; (6) male with spiny warts along edge of jaw, ventral thighs and abdomen near vent; and (7) breeding season occurring from July to August. Oreolalax lizipingensis sp. nov . is currently known only from high-elevation streams at 2400–3100 m a.s.l. within the Menghuo Castle where it occurs in sympatry with Oreolalax liangbeiensis .
Recent surveys in south Vietnam found two new genera and two new species of Potamidae: Angiangmon nuicoto gen. et sp. nov . and Lamdongmon tanhlinhensis gen. et sp. nov . Angiangmon gen. nov . is characterised by, its relatively flat, almost smooth dorsal carapace surface; a serrated anterolateral margin; the third maxilliped ischium is short; the flagellum of exopod of third maxilliped exopod is very short and flap-like, or highly reduced to vestigial the ambulatory legs are relatively long and slender; the male first gonopod terminal article is short with the distal part of the terminal article curved inwards, and the male second gonopod is longer than the first gonopod. Lamdongmon gen. nov . is unique in the male first gonopod being prominently sinuous, as well as a suite of characteristics such as subquadrate carapace of the epibranchial tooth is indistinct; the merus of the third maxilliped is subquadrate; the flagellum of the exopod of the third maxilliped is well developed; and the ambulatory legs are covered with dense setae.
Previous studies have indicated the polyphyly of Scincella modesta and reported a new record of Scincella vandenburghi in Qingdao, Shandong Province. Furthermore, the research highlighted significant morphological similarities between the Qingdao population of S. vandenburghi and a branch of S. modesta from Hubei, leaving the taxonomic boundaries between these two species unclear. To better understand the relationship between S. modesta and S. vandenburghi , we conducted extensive sampling in the Dabie Mountains, which geographically lie between Qingdao, Ningbo and Yichang. Based on phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons, we identify an undescribed species of the genus Scincella from the Dabie Mountains, China and also discover the presence of a population of S. vandenburghi in the same region. Morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new species is similar to S. vandenburghi , but clearly distinct from it and other congeners. The new species has the following characteristics: (1) slender body, small size, snout-vent length 24.47–40.60 mm; (2) supraciliaries 6 or 7; (3) midbody scale row counts 28–31; (4) dorsal scales smooth and slightly enlarged, paravertebral scale row counts 55–68, ventral scale row counts 55–64; (5) upper edge of lateral longitudinal stripes relatively wavy, lower edge irregular, covering 2–2.5 scale rows on the trunk; (6) black dorsolateral stripes from posterior corner of eye to lateral side of tail, six rows of dorsal scales in middle; (7) supralabials 7, infralabials 6 or 7; (8) tympanum diameters significantly smaller than palpebral disc diameters; (9) 9–12 enlarged lamellae beneath finger IV and 14–17 beneath toe IV; (10) 3–4 pairs of nuchal scales; (11) when the limbs are pressed down, toes and fingers touch or overlap. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the population from the Dabie Mountains in Anhui Province, China, represents a new species, with a 3% uncorrected genetic distance in 16S rRNA from its closest relative ( S. vandenburghi ). This discovery brings the total number of Scincella species in China to 19, identifying the known distribution of the genus. We have made preliminary progress in clarifying the relationship between S. vandenburghi and S. modesta ; however, the polyphyletic issues surrounding S. modesta warrant further investigation in future research. Additionally, the distribution patterns and divergence times of the two Scincella species in the Dabie Mountains require further study to gain a more comprehensive understanding.
A new species of Gracixalus is described from central Guangxi, China. Gracixalus damingshanensis sp. nov. resembles G. jinxiuensis, G. huaping, and G. liusanjieae, but differs from all known congeners by a combination of morphological, molecular, and acoustic characters. Diagnostic characters include SVL 27.3–32.3 mm in males (n = 4) and 32.4–40.1 mm in females (n = 3); rough dorsal skin with scattered tubercles; grayish ventral surfaces with light brown spotting; fingers without webbing; white tubercles along the margins of the upper and lower jaws and on the limbs; absence of vomerine teeth; tibiotarsal articulation reaching the middle of the eye; granular skin on the throat, chest, and belly; heels not meeting when the thighs are held at right angles to the body; a distinct nuptial pad on Finger I; a single internal subgular vocal sac with paired oval openings bordered by gray rims; a golden-brown iris; and advertisement calls containing 2–5 notes. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequences recovered the new species as a distinct lineage sister to the clade comprising G. jinxiuensis and G. huaping. The species is currently known only from evergreen and bamboo forests above 900 m a.s.l. in Damingshan National Nature Reserve.
Karst landscapes, which are characterized by their complex terrain, foster exceptionally high species diversity. During recent field surveys in Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China, a new karst-adapted gecko species was discovered. Using an integrative approach combining molecular and morphological analyses, it is described here as Gekko qiannanensis sp. nov. Phylogenetically, it clusters within a well-supported clade of the subgenus Japonigekko that includes the karst-adapted G. fengshanensis, G. liboensis, G. kwangsiensis, G. paucituberculatus, and the dry-hot valley species G. tesselatus. Morphologically, it can be distinguished from all known species in Japonigekko by a combination of the following traits: moderate body size, with snout–vent length 65.4–82.9 mm in adult males and 77.7–91.7 mm in adult females; two enlarged postmentals; nares in contact with the rostral, internasal absent; subdigital lamellae: fourth fingers 14–16, first toes 9–11, and fourth toes 14–17; moderately developed toe webbing, originating proximal to subdigital lamellae; interorbitals 28–38; midbody scale rows 134–155; ventral scale rows 42–49; precloacal pores 10–11 in males; a single postcloacal tubercle on each side; dorsum earth gray, with six dirty-white bands between the nape and sacrum. Notably, the new species can be distinguished from its karst-adapted congeners by its moderately developed toe webbing. The discovery of G. qiannanensis brings the number of recognized species in Japonigekko to 42 globally, of which 28 are now recorded from China. This finding highlights the role of karst habitat fragmentation in driving allopatric speciation and underscores the rich but still incompletely documented herpetofaunal diversity of South China’s karst regions.
While Western and Eastern Palearctic regions are well studied regarding the diversity and distribution of bat species, little is known about their occurrence and morphological traits in Central Asia. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted fieldwork in Turkmenistan, covering desert areas east of the Caspian Sea. For the first time, we recorded Nathusius’ pipistrelle, Pipistrellus nathusii, in Central Asia. We captured the male bat on 3 October 2025, at the shore of Lake Uzynshor in the Karakum Desert. The morphological features of the bat allowed for unequivocal identification. The date of capture falls during the species’ autumn migration period. The specimen might either be a vagrant or could be the first indication of an unknown and possibly new migration route east of the Caspian Sea.
An extensive sampling effort was conducted in the southeast Pacific, across the Nazca, Salas and Gómez, and Juan Fernández ridges during 2024, encompassing both the Chilean Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and adjacent high seas. During these expeditions, numerous specimens of squat lobsters belonging to the family Munidopsidae were collected. The present collection comprises one species of Galacantha, one new species of the genus Leiogalathea, and six species of Munidopsis, three of them considered here as new species. The use of morphological and molecular data confirms the validity of the new species, as well as the occurrence in the southeastern Pacific of species cited in the eastern Indo-West Pacific, e.g., M. comarge, southwestern Pacific, e.g., L. rosula sp. nov., and northeastern Pacific, e.g., M. tiburon.
In this paper, four hydryphantid water mites from southern China, i.e., Panisopsis (s. str.) lixunae Zhan & Guo, sp. nov., Deuterothyas crescentis Zhan & Guo, sp. nov., Deuterothyas fulu Zhan & Guo, sp. nov. and Deuterothyas fujianensis Zhan & Guo, sp. nov., are described as new to science. The latter three species represent a newly recorded genus in the subfamily Euthyadinae Viets, 1931 for the Chinese fauna. Additionally, detailed documentation of their habitats, which consist of moss or green algae at the water margin, is provided. Furthermore, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and compound microscopy, secondary sclerotizations were discovered under the integument during adult maturation in the genus Deuterothyas Lundblad, 1941.
Mustura arenaria sp. nov. , a new species of the genus Mustura , is described from the Chindwin–Irrawaddy basin in central Myanmar. It can be distinguished from other congeners by the following combination of characters: 7–15 vertical lateral blotches alternating with 9–17 saddles, distinctly narrower than the interspaces; lateral blotches more rounded in males; 8+8 branched caudal-fin rays; 8½ branched dorsal-fin rays; and a complete lateral line. Phylogenetic analysis based on combined data of Cyt b and RAG1 revealed that the new species represents an independent lineage and that Mustura is paraphyletic. Additionally, both morphological and molecular data support the transfer of Mustura shanensis to the genus Schistura . Notably, a comprehensive taxonomic revision of this genus and related taxa involving more species is required because the genetic positions of several Mustura species conflict with morphological characters.
The genus Acrossocheilus (Cyprinidae), which occurs in Southeast Asia and southern China, is of significant ecological and economic importance. A new species, Acrossocheilus zhangjiajiensis sp. nov., is described from the upper Lishui River Basin, a tributary of the Yangtze River, in Sangzhi County, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, China. The description is based on an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological examination, DNA barcoding, and mitogenomic analyses. This new species is distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: a maxillary barbel extending to the midline of the eye; a slightly hardened last unbranched dorsal-fin ray with a smooth posterior margin; dorsal-fin membranes with black stripes; the second primary vertical bar (PVB2) positioned anterior to the origin of the dorsal fin; juveniles and adults possessing six distinct vertical black bars on the flank; and fewer than 40 lateral line scales. Notably, it further differs from its sister species, A. jishouensis, in several morphometric traits, as well as the texture of the last unbranched dorsal-fin ray and the persistence of vertical flank bars throughout all life stages. The complete mitogenome of A. zhangjiajiensis sp. nov. is 16,592 bp in length. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial COI gene and the 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) support a sister-species relationship between A. zhangjiajiensis sp. nov. and A. jishouensis, with genetic distances of 3.1% (COI) and 3.3% (13 PCGs). A COI-based haplotype network and species delimitation analyses further support the distinctiveness of the new species. This discovery increases the total number of valid Acrossocheilus species to 25 and provides critical data for the systematics, evolution, and conservation of this genus.
A new species of bumblebee goby, Brachygobius jennie sp. nov . (Teleostei, Oxudercidae), is described based on 31 specimens collected from the Hengqin Island, Guangdong Province, China. This new species is distinguished from all other valid species of Brachygobius by its extreme small size (SL < 9 mm) and distinctive number, position, size and shape of its black bars. It possesses four complete (forming ring) or nearly complete post-cephalic, relatively narrow bars, two of which are located posterior to the base of the anal fin. The first bar behind the head extends pigmentation to the first dorsal fin but does not reach the midventral line. The second bar, chevron-shaped and located below the second dorsal fin, extends pigmentation onto that fin and ventrally reaches the midventral line and the anal fin. Cytochrome oxidase subunit I-based analyses, including six out of the eight valid species of Brachygobius , show Brachygobius jennie sp. nov . to be more than 10% genetically divergent from other species, supporting the morphological diagnosis and confirming its distinct taxonomic status. With a maximum size of less than 9 mm SL (based on observations of 106 specimens), the new species is not only the smallest species of Brachygobius , but also one of the smallest known gobioid fishes.
A new species of Prodistomum (Digenea, Lepocreadiidae), Prodistomum chumphonense sp. nov., is described from the intestine of Rastrelliger kanagurta and Rastrelliger brachysoma (Scombridae) collected in the Gulf of Thailand. The new species is characterized by vitelline follicles confined to the hindbody but extending anteriorly to the level of the anterior to posterior margin of the ventral sucker; a ventral sucker consistently larger than the oral sucker; an esophageal region approximately equal in length to the prepharynx; an entire, oval ovary; and a tubular excretory vesicle terminating below the level of the intestinal bifurcation. The new species differs from most congeners, mainly those with vitelline follicles extending into the forebody, by the restriction of the vitellarium to the hindbody. Although morphometrically similar to some specimens in the literature previously identified as P. orientale, previous molecular phylogenetic analyses based on 18S, ITS2, and 28S rDNA sequences demonstrate that P. chumphonense sp. nov. represents a distinct taxon. The present study underscores the importance of integrating detailed morphometric with molecular data for accurate species delimitation in trematodes of the genus Prodistomum.
Mollusca, one of the most diverse animal phyla, plays essential ecological roles across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Despite their importance, molluscs have received limited attention in DNA-based systematic studies, with only about 10% of the estimated species represented in public DNA barcode databases. This gap hampers accurate identification. Catalonia, located in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula, features a rich malacological history. However, a comprehensive molluscan DNA barcode reference library remains unavailable, hindering conservation and research efforts. To address this gap, we generated DNA barcodes for morphologically well-identified continental molluscs from the region. Our study includes 368 cytochrome c oxidase I sequences, corresponding to 47 families, 91 genera, and 168 nominal species and subspecies from Catalonia. We analysed genetic variation within and between taxa to assess molluscan diversity. Barcode gap analyses revealed that 88.8% of the 107 analysed species exhibit a barcode gap, supporting the efficacy of DNA barcoding for species discrimination. Additionally, we combined our sequences from the genera Abida and Chondrina with additional ones from BOLD and applied four species delimitation methods. These analyses yielded differing numbers of Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) and highlighted incongruences between morphological and molecular data, underscoring the need for integrative approaches incorporating multilocus or genomic data, morphology, and ecological evidence. By expanding DNA barcode libraries, our findings provide a critical genetic resource for molluscan biodiversity assessment and lay the groundwork for future molluscan research supporting biodiversity conservation planning and monitoring.
We present an annotated catalogue of Antipatharia (black corals) type material, housed at Naturalis Biodiversity Center, unifying the historically separate holdings of the former Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie and the Zoological Museum of Amsterdam. Following a recent re-inventory, all relevant specimens were located and examined to verify catalogue numbers, type status, preservation condition and associated documentation. The collection comprises more than 750 specimens representing 118 species, with name-bearing type material for 59 taxa, including both species and historical infraspecific names. The oldest material dates to the early nineteenth century and the collection is particularly rich in Indo-Pacific specimens, especially from major expeditions to Indonesia, as well as material from the Caribbean and eastern Atlantic. The catalogue documents changes in catalogue numbering, clarifies the status of type fragments and highlights gaps and uncertainties resulting from historical collecting and curation practices. By providing verified and accessible type data, this work supports taxonomic revision, nomenclatural stability and future comparative research, based on the Naturalis collections.
During a myxosporean biodiversity survey in Hunan province, a novel Myxobolus species was found in the intestinal wall of Squaliobarbus curriculus. Infection was evident as numerous whitish plasmodia distributed throughout the intestinal wall, with a prevalence of 32.35% (11/34). Mature myxospores were round in the valvular view, and lenticular in the sutural view, measuring 8.8 f 0.2 (7.8-9.4) & micro;m long, 8.3 f 0.3 (7.5-9.3) & micro;m wide, and 3.8 f 0.3 (3.5-4.2) & micro;m thick. Two pyriform polar capsules of equal size located at the anterior end, and measured 3.8 f 0.2 (3.5-4.3) & micro;m long and 2.4 f 0.3 (2.2-3.0) & micro;m wide. The polar tubules were coiled with four to five turns. A mucous envelope and intercapsular appendix were absent, but three to four distinct posterior folds were present. Histopathological examination indicated that plasmodia developed within the circular muscle layer of the host intestine, surrounded by a thin connective tissue capsule, and elicited no observable inflammatory response. BLASTn analysis revealed that the SSU rDNA sequence was unique, showing the highest similarity (93.02%) to Myxobolus algonquinensis Xiao & Desser, 1997 (AF378335), a parasite of the ovary of Notropis cornutus. Phylogenetic construction yielded two primary clades (A and B). Within Clade A, the novel species formed a distinct sister lineage with M. dabryi, M. abitus, and M. tauricus in the subclade III, rather than clustering with other Myxobolus species known to infect intestine.
This study presents the results of the first faunistic survey of millipedes (Diplopoda) conducted in the Chishui Alsophila National Nature Reserve, Guizhou Province, China. A total of eight species belonging to five families and four orders were identified. Two species are described as new to science: Hyleoglomeris erecta sp. nov. (Glomeridae) and Sellanucheza tumida sp. nov. (Paradoxosomatidae). Hyleoglomeris erecta sp. nov., characterized by its unique erect and not basally curved telopods, and Sellanucheza tumida sp. nov., distinguished by its conspicuously swollen gonopodal femorite. Additionally, one order (Julida), one family (Julidae), four genera (Niponia, Sellanucheza, Tylopus and Nepalmatoiulus) and four species (Niponia nodulosa, Kronopolites biagrilectus, Tylopus nigromarginatus, and Nepalmatoiulus sichuanensis) are recorded from Guizhou Province for the first time. This research provides essential baseline data for understanding the millipede biodiversity of the region.
Two new species of Dugesia from the Taihang and Funiu Mountains, including one sibling species, are described by applying an integrative approach, including morphological, karyological, histological, and molecular information. Dugesia cylindrica Chen & Dong, sp. nov . is characterized by the following features, among others: sac-shaped copulatory bursa located immediately posterior to the pharyngeal pocket; stubby, cylindrical penis papilla with a blunt tip; large and pointed diaphragm; a long connecting duct between the seminal vesicle and diaphragm; slightly ventrally displaced ejaculatory duct with a terminal opening; chromosome complement diploid, with 16 metacentric chromosomes. Dugesia elongata Chen & Dong, sp. nov . is characterized by the following features, among others: barrel-shaped penis papilla; elongated, dumb-bell shaped seminal vesicle; long connecting duct between the seminal vesicle and low-conical diaphragm; ventrally displaced ejaculatory duct opening at the tip of the penis papilla, albeit at its ventral portion; asymmetrical openings of the oviducts; mixoploid karyotype, with diploid metacentric chromosome complements of 2 n = 16 and triploid metacentric complements of 3 n = 24. In the molecular phylogenetic tree, the two new species belong to two different subclades of the group comprising Eastern Palearctic/Oriental/Australasian species, with the two clades forming sister taxa. The distinct specific status of these two new species is also supported by their genetic distances. The distribution records of the two new species underscore the rich diversity of freshwater planarians in this region, and the discovery of the sibling species highlights the efficacy of integrative taxonomy in delimiting cryptic species.
A new species Oreonectes weii sp. nov., is described that was collected from Shanggao County, Jiangxi Province, China, located at the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Delta. This naming honors the globally distinguished conservation biologist Fu-Wen Wei for his exceptional and pioneering contributions to biodiversity conservation and research. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of meristic and morphological characters, including fin-ray counts, body coloration, eye normal, number of lateral-line pores, and gill-raker counts. Genetically, it forms a distinct lineage in the mitochondrial Cyt b-based phylogeny and exhibits a genetic distance of 6.3% from its sister species, O. polystigmus. We further estimated divergence time within the genus Oreonectes, which indicates an origin in the Late Oligocene (~27.06 Ma) and a most recent common ancestor at ~13.91 Ma. Our biogeographic analyses suggest that the Guijiang-Hejiang River Basin likely served as a source area for the genus’ dispersal into adjacent basins, and that the new species probably originated from a dispersal event of its ancestral population from the Pearl River Basin to the Yangtze River Basin during the Late Miocene (~6.78 Ma). Lineage-divergence dynamics indicate that cladogenesis began around 28 Ma, accelerated markedly at ~18 Ma, peaked at ~6 Ma, and subsequently showed a gradual decline. The current diversity pattern of Oreonectes may have been shaped primarily by dispersal mediated by enhanced precipitation under the East Asian monsoon climate, with subsequent erosion-induced geographical isolation likely promoting speciation and diversification within the genus.
Eight species of the genus Ovia are recorded from China, including five new species: O. chayu sp. nov. (male female, Xizang, China), O. dawai sp. nov. (male female, Xizang, China), O. dulong sp. nov. (male female, Yunnan, China), O. medog sp. nov. (male female, Xizang, China) and O. separata sp. nov. (male female, Guangdong and Yunnan, China). Additionally, the definition and distribution range of O. alboannulata (Yin, Peng, Xie, Bao & Wang, 1997) and O. procurva (Yu & Song, 1988) are provided. Detailed species descriptions, morphological photos, illustrations of copulatory organs, and a distribution map of the genus are presented.
During a field survey of small mammals on Fanjing Mountain in Guizhou Province, China, we collected five specimens of Typhlomys. To assess their taxonomic status, we performed phylogenetic analyses using three mitochondrial genes (Cytb, COI, and ND2) and two nuclear genes (GHR and IRBP). We also compared the cranial and dental morphology of these specimens with those of other known Typhlomys species. Our results indicate that the specimens represent a new species, described herein as Typhlomys zhengkuni sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the new species forms a distinct clade sister to T. taxuansis. The Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) genetic distances based on Cytb between the new taxon and other species of Typhlomys ranged from 8.2% to 17.9%, supporting its status as a distinct lineage. Morphologically, Typhlomys zhengkuni sp. nov. is most similar to T. daloushanensis but can be distinguished by its lower molars. However, given the low nodal support for its sister relationship with T. taxuansis, the precise phylogenetic position of this new species requires further investigation using additional molecular markers and specimens.
