Dlium

NEWS - A human rights-based approach to coral reef protection can ensure governments are held accountable for protecting marine ecosystems, empowering local and indigenous communities to demand sustainable solutions and climate justice. An estimated one billion people globally depend on healthy coral reefs for food security, coastal protection, tourism revenues and other services. If coral reefs and ecosystems are lost, the impacts on human health and economic well-being would be catastrophic. Unfortunately, the window of opportunity to conserve coral reefs is closing, and despite a range of protective measures, coral reefs around the world continue to degrade. Researchers report on the results of a multidisciplinary collaboration between the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and The State University of New York and the University of Konstanz. “2024 marks the fourth global coral bleaching event impacting more than 50% of the world’s coral reefs and other stressors such as pollutio...

NEWS - During a benthic biodiversity expedition in the subtidal zone of the Nanji Islands in the East China Sea, researchers identified two specimens of Pseudopterogorgia as new species based on morphology and molecular features. Nanji sea plume ( Pseudopterogorgia nanjiensis ) most closely resembles P. fredericki in its irregular branching shape and unclear scaphoid. Molecular phylogenetic analysis, based on mtMutS-COI gene sequences, delineated a monophyletic clade that includes all species of Pseudopterogorgia. Within this clade, P. nanjiensis shows close phylogenetic affinity to P. fredericki Williams & Vennam 2001 and P. australiensis Ridley 1884. Members of the genus Pseudopterogorgia Kükenthal 1919 are widely distributed in shallow waters of the Indo-West Pacific. The location of P. nanjiensis is in the intertidal zone of the Nanji Islands with a water depth of 14 meters. This species is named based on the type location of the Nanji Islands and the colonies attached to r...

NEWS - Albert Allen false firefly beetle ( Namibdrilus albertalleni ) from Namibia brings the Drilini to 16 genera as this unique taxon provides new insights into the diversity and evolution of this enigmatic and intriguing lineage of paedomorphic beetles. Drilini are soft-bodied predatory beetles with females undergoing incomplete metamorphosis. About 150 described species are distributed across the Afrotropical, Palearctic and Oriental regions with the highest diversity known from sub-Saharan Africa. The type species in this study is the only representative of Drilini with unidentified mandibles and no hooks on the dorsal part of the median aedeagal lobe, two of the few characters used for identification. Morphology belongs to the Drilus clade which previously contained only taxa from the Palearctic Region. The Namibian specimen and the generic name Namibdrilus are derived from the Republic of Namibia, plus Drilus, the genus name within the Elateridae. The name albertalleni is from A...

NEWS - Laelius Ashmead, 1893 (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) is a cosmopolitan bethylid genus with 68 valid species distributed worldwide and now a taxonomic study from Korea adds four new species: Seoul flat wasp ( Laelius afores ), Jeju-do flat wasp ( Laelius atratus ), Gangwon-do flat wasp ( Laelius sulcatus ) and Jeollanan-do flat wasp ( Laelius tricuspis ). The presence and relative ratio or length of 2r-rs&Rs veins on the forewings stand out as the most useful characteristics in Laelius taxonomy. However, in the case of the four new species in this study, they generally show relatively equal lengths of 2r-rs and Rs veins. L. afores is similar to L. jilinensis Lim & Lee, 2010. However, L. afores differs based on WF 1.9× LE (vs. WF 1.4× LE in L. jilinensis ), LE 1.0× OOL (vs. LE 1.2× LE), dorsal pronotal 0.5× longer and wider (vs. 0.8× longer), mesoscutum without notaulus (vs. notaulus absent), propodeal slope without median longitudinal carina (vs. median longitudinal carina ...

NEWS - Researchers have established the taxa Guizhou slug moth ( Fignya qiana ), triangle slug moth ( Fignya trigonum ) and Samkos slug moth ( Fignya samkosa ) from China and Cambodia as new species in the genus Fignya Solovyev & Witt, 2009. Fignya is a small genus established in the family Limacodidae with two species F. melkaya Solovyev & Witt, 2009 and F. ravalba Wu, Solovyev & Han, 2022. The type species, F. melkaya , was first discovered in northern Vietnam on Mount Fan-si-pan and then F. ravalba in China. Jun Wu and Huilin Han from Northeast Forestry University in Harbin proposed a slight extension of the definition of the genus with a focus primarily on the male genitalia. During examination of moths from southwest China and Cambodia several specimens were identified that morphologically resembled the two known relatives, but dissection revealed differences in the structure of the male genitalia. F. qiana is not much different from F. melkaya , F. ravalba and F....

NEWS - Geophilid centipede, Prince Albert II centipede ( Endogeophilus alberti ), was described based on a single specimen collected from Provence, southern France, which is similar to E. ichnusae Bonato, Zapparoli, Drago & Minelli, 2016, and is known by only three specimens from southwestern Sardinia as the only species in the genus Endogeophilus. Both species have a very narrow body, very short setae, numerous outer legs and are relatively stout. All these traits are rare among geophilids and suggest an endogeic lifestyle. The two species differ in the shape of the pretarsi of the second maxilla and the shape of the forcipules, although specimens are very few and it is difficult to distinguish between species from intraspecific variation. Provence is one of the most surveyed areas in Europe for centipedes, but some sectors are still poorly studied. The new species was discovered in southern Provence, about 2 km from the coast, while the known range of E. ichnusae is limited to s...

NEWS - A new species, Shun river diatom ( Ulnaria shun-biseriata ), was discovered in Hunan Province, southern China, described based on light and scanning electron microscopy observations with the characteristics of lanceolate valve lines, apical valve crests, slightly wavy valve margins, mostly biseriate striae, variable central areas, and closed valvocopules. The specific epithet shun-biseriata is a combination of the Shun River and the adjective biseriate to reflect the type locality and the character of the mostly biseriate striae. The new species is only known from the type locality with a relative abundance of about 1%. Samples were scraped from rock surfaces collected in the Shun River. This benthic epilithic species is related to Gyrosigma kuetzingii (Grunow) Cleve, Encyonema appalachianum Potapova, Pinnularia subgibba Krammer, P. borealis Ehrenberg, Gomphonema berggrenii Cleve, Epithemia spp., Nitzschia spp., Iconella spp., and others. Environmental parameters with condu...

NEWS - Sloths may not survive the significant temperature increases predicted to occur by 2100. The notoriously slow-moving creatures native to Central and South America may face an existential threat from climate change, researchers say. Research examining the metabolic response of sloths to rising temperatures suggests that the animals’ energy constraints could make survival untenable by the end of the century, particularly for high-altitude populations. Rebecca Cliffe of the Sloth Conservation Foundation in Derbyshire, United Kingdom, and colleagues investigated how Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths ( Choloepus hoffmanni ), which live in highland and lowland areas, respond to varying ambient temperatures. Using indirect calorimetry, the researchers measured the sloths’ oxygen consumption and core body temperature under conditions that mimic projected climate change. The findings suggest a troubling future for sloths, particularly those living in high-altitude areas. "Sloths are limite...

NEWS - Micropholcus Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987, is one of only two genera of Pholcidae known in both the Old and New Worlds. However, there are large morphological and ecological differences among geographically separated species groups and molecular data to unite all these species into a single genus. The researchers reviewed and redescribed the Old World Micropholcus from four previously known species and twelve new species from Saudi Arabia ( M. dhahran , M. harajah , M. alfara , M. abha , M. tanomah , M. bashayer , M. maysaan ), Oman ( M. darbat , M. shaat ), Morocco ( M. ghar , M. khenifra ), and the Philippines ( M. bukidnon ). Bernhard Huber and Guanliang Meng from the Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn, conducted analyses based on CO1 barcodes, extensive SEM data, and first records of Acroceridae (Diptera) larvae in Pholcidae, extracted from book lungs. The interspecific distance had an average value of 19.8% (3.4–25.7%). Only seven of the 371 distan...

NEWS - Canastra glory bush ( Pleroma canastrense ) and viscous glory bush ( Pleroma viscosa ) from Serra da Canastra National Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were established as new species that have stamens with short pediconnectives and inconspicuous ventral appendages. P. canastrense has brown leaf blades, broadly ovate to rounded ovate, entire and depressed margins, with 11-17 basal acrodromous veins, stamens with short pediconnectives and inconspicuous ventral appendages along with white petals as distinguishing features from other Pleroma. P. canastrense resembles P. wurdackianum (R.Romero & A.B.Martins) P.J.F.Guim. & Michelang and both have shrubby or shrubby habitats. However, P. wurdackianum has pink petals (vs. white in P. canastrense ), hypanthium, and leaf blades with rounded glands (vs. glabrous). P. canastrense is also similar to P. integerrimum (R.Romero & A.B.Martins) P.J.F.Guim. & Michelang. However, P. integerrimum differs in having brownish-green an...

NEWS - Researchers have established four new species from Guangxi Zhuang, China: the long antenna springtail ( Homidia longiantenna ), the Guangxi springtail ( Homidia guangxiensis ), the Huaping springtail ( Homidia huapingensis ) and the oligoseta springtail ( Homidia oligoseta ), into a genus that previously had 77 species described worldwide. Key characters of the genus include coloration pattern, body chaetotaxia, chaetae of the labial base, claw structure and tooth spines. Post-labial chaetae are rarely mentioned in species descriptions as they are usually indistinguishable from the normal ciliate chaetae present in most species, except for a few that are widened. Before this study, smooth post-labial chaetae had not been reported. The researchers describe four new species, of which one species has slightly widened post-labial chaetae, two species have smooth post-labial chaetae and one species has neither widened nor smooth post-labial chaetae. H. longiantenna is named for its ...

NEWS - Food fermentation using microorganisms is the oldest food processing practice in human history. Milk fermentation can be traced back to 6000–4000 BC in India and Mediterranean peoples produced and consumed cheese as early as 7000 BC. However, little is known about the history of microbial use and the associated history of cultural transmission. In particular, the evolutionary trajectories, particularly the functional adaptations of these fermenting microorganisms through long-term interactions with humans, remain unclear. Recently, Chinese researchers conducted the world’s first metagenomic study of Bronze Age kefir cheese excavated from the Xiaohe cemetery, the oldest dairy remains known to date. Molecular evidence from ancient fermented milk residues serves as a powerful tool for understanding fermentation-microbe interactions. The researchers have now extracted high-quality genomes of Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens ( Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens ) from three ancient cheese s...

NEWS - New species from the northern Espinhaço Mountains, Caetité municipality, Bahia state, Brazil. Amethyst worm lizard ( Amphisbaena amethysta ) is the 71st species of the genus with 4 precloacal pores and the 22nd species of Caatinga morphoclimatic domain. Identification of the new species shows the reptiles of the Mountains are far from complete and may contain greater diversity of endemic taxa. A. amethysta can be distinguished by its anteriorly convex snout, slightly compressed and unkeeled, pectoral scales arranged in regular annuli, four precloacal pores, distinct head shield, 185-199 dorsal and half annuli, 13-16 caudal annuli, a conspicuous autotomy spot between the 4th-6th caudal annuli, 16-21 dorsal and ventral segments in the middle of the body, 3/3 supralabials, 3/3 infralabials and a smooth and rounded tail tip. A. amethysta occurs in areas with an average elevation of 1000 meters in patches of deciduous and semi-deciduous forests associated with valleys, slopes, fore...

NEWS - Yunnan earthstar ( Geastrum yunnanense ) from Yunnan Province in Southwest China is a new member of the genus based on morphological and molecular evidence characterized by round or oval endoperidia, shallow exoperidia and round basidiospores (diameter 2.0-2.5 × 1.9-2.5 μm). In ecology and biogeography, the family Geastraceae is an extensively studied group of Basidiomycota and an important group in forest ecosystems. However, its diversity in China is still poorly understood. Researchers from Southwest Forestry University in Kunming established the new species based on phylogenetic analysis and morphological characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis of internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and large subunit (nrLSU) sequence data sets of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) markers showed G. yunnanense is close to G. velutinum and G. javanicum . However, morphologically G. velutinum differs from G. yunnanense because it has a mycelial layer that is easily detached and larger basidiosp...

NEWS - French and Australian researchers have identified a new species of predatory planarian, false obama flatworm ( Amaga pseudobama Geoplanidae), from North Carolina and Florida that was initially mistaken for Obama nungara from South America. However, molecular and histological analysis suggests that the specimen is not only a different species, but not even in the same genus. “There are many types of flatworms, but most of them live in water. Most of the flatworms you find on land are in tropical ecosystems, so it’s a bit surprising to find a terrestrial flatworm species in North Carolina that science didn’t know about,” said Matthew Bertone of North Carolina State University. “Free-living flatworms, not parasites, are predators that feed on other soft-bodied organisms, like earthworms and snails. People often worry that unidentified flatworms might be toxic, might carry parasites, or might be invasive and threaten native ecosystems,” Bertone said. A. pseudobama is black-brown ...

NEWS - Four species of the genus druid flies (Hendelia Czerny, 1903) collected from China, were described as new to science: wide gena druid fly ( Hendelia latustigenis ), long antenna druid fly ( Hendelia macrocera ), triangular druid fly ( Hendelia deltoides ) and pale yellow druid fly ( Hendelia flavida ). Clusiidae (Diptera, Acalyptratae) consists of 14 genera and at least 640 species. Hendelia Czerny, 1903, has about 59 species distributed worldwide, 29 species in the Palearctic and Eastern regions, 4 species are known in Japan, 3 species are known in Russia and 3 species are known in China. H. deltoides males are 4.4-4.6 mm long and have wings 4.2-4.4 mm. The head is mostly yellow, the palps are white, the face is dark brown and the back half is yellow. Thorax mostly yellow with 3 light brown lines extending to scutellum. Surstylus nearly triangular, 1/5 length of genitalia and apex without spines. Hypandrium with 4 setae. Specimen collected from Shaanxi, Chongqing, China. Speci...

NEWS - Based on morphological and molecular evidence, the researchers report a new toad in Oreolalax Myers & Leviton, 1962, which is so far only known from Shuhe Township, Yanyuan County, southern Sichuan Province, China. Yanyuan toothed toad ( Oreolalax yanyuanensis ) improves our understanding of species diversity in the genus Oreolalax. The new species is assigned to the genus Oreolalax based on the characteristics of prominent maxillary teeth, rough back, large spots, covered with oval black spots, vertical pupils, a rather wide and posteriorly grooved tongue, prominent femoral glands, and pectoral and axillary glands present in males. At least 19 species of Oreolalax have been documented in southwest China and northern Vietnam. O. yanyuanensis occurs at elevations of 3000-3200 meters and can be distinguished from several other Oreolalax species below 3000 meters. The new species is genetically closest to O. rugosus , O. liangbeiensis and O. major . The morphology is also cle...

NEWS - A new member of the intertidal species Melita Leach, 1814 (Melitidae, Amphipoda), panda shrimp ( Melita panda ), was collected from Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. The researchers used nuclear 28S rRNA and mitochondrial COI gene analyses to support that the new species is closely related to M. koreana and M. nagatai . Melita is found in marine, brackish and freshwater environments and includes 63 species worldwide, of which 16 have been recorded in Japan. In the 1990s, Shigeyuki Yamato discovered an unidentified specimen of the distinctive black-and-white coloration in the intertidal zone of Wakayama Prefecture. Recently, a large number of specimens have been collected by Ko Tomikawa of Hiroshima University and Hiroyuki Ariyama of the Osaka Museum of Natural History. Detailed morphological analysis revealed that these specimens have not been described before. Molecular phylogenetic analysis has been used to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships among Melita species. M. panda di...

NEWS - The true poison dart frogs (Phyllobates, Dendrobatidae) consist of five species whose systematics seem clear at first glance, but new research has established two new species, the Cristian Samper dart frog ( Phyllobates samperi ) and Jeff Bezos dart frog ( Phyllobates bezosi ). P. samperi is a small to medium-sized dendrobatid with an adult SVL of 21–27 mm (24.5 ± 1.6 mm, mean ± SD, n = 17). It is mostly jet black with a narrow golden yellow or orange dorsolateral stripe that extends from the snout, along the outer edge of the upper eyelid to the back near the base of the thigh. This diurnal species inhabits the understory of humid tropical forests in southwestern Colombia and thrives in moderately disturbed forests. Adults are found primarily in leaf litter, fallen tree trunks, roots, large leaves and other objects that provide shelter and possibly food. The male carries the tadpoles on its back and deposits them in phytotelmata on the ground, such as fallen palm fronds or lea...

NEWS - Researchers have identified a new species of hammerhead shark as the shovelbill shark or Requin-marteau pelle or Tiburón Cabeza de Pala ( Sphyrna alleni ) collected at Robinson Point and Riversdale Village, Belize, and provided by local fishermen in 2016 and 2019. S. alleni is named after Paul G. Allen (1953-2018), a philanthropist who supported shark research and conservation. Shovelbill shark is max 150 cm long when mature with a flat, shovel-shaped head that lacks a notch on the anterior margin, a pointed (triangular) cephalofoil in both sexes and a distinct protrusion in males. The posterior margin is lobulated. The posterior teeth are enlarged, molar-like, the first dorsal tip is anterior to the pelvic origin and the posterior margin of the anus is shallowly concave. It differs from S. tiburo in that the anterior margin of the head is more rounded and the posterior margin lacks lobules. The number of precaudal vertebrae for S. alleni is between 80-83 (~10 more vertebrae ...

NEWS - Gonioctena Chevrolat, 1836, is currently known from the Palaearctic, Nearctic and Oriental regions. In China it now has 53 species of which about 60% are endemic with the addition of the Klapperich beetle ( Gonioctena klapperichi ) and Oberthür beetle ( Gonioctena oberthueri ). G. klapperichi is similar to G. scutellaris Baly, 1862, and G. melanota Kippenberg, 2010, but can be distinguished by the long oval aedeagus (vs. the apical 1/3 of the aedeagus is very slender in G. scutellaris and the apical 1/3 is tapering to blunt in G. melanota ). G. oberthueri can be easily distinguished from the other species by its unique coloration, slightly elongated antennae VII-XI and the shape of the male genitalia. Hee-Wook Cho of the Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources in Sangju, named Klapperichi after the German entomologist Johann Friedrich Klapperich, who collected specimens in Fujian. Oberthueri is named after the French entomologist René Oberthür who obtained th...

NEWS - Repens scale ( Pulvinaria rhododendri Kahrer & Hodgson, Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Coccidae) was discovered in Rhododendron spp. (Ericaceae) in Denmark and Norway which appears taxonomically close to P. camelicola Signoret and P. floccifera Westwood with an uncertain geographic origin, but is likely to have been introduced to northern Europe via imported live plants. P. rhododendri is distinguished from P. floccifera , P. camelicola and all other Pulvinaria species by a combination of characters-a medial band of large conical spinous setae extending from the anal plate anterior to the head and simple pores with strongly sclerotic margins present in a narrow medial band between the large conical spinous setae. The new species also differs from P. floccifera by the presence of a type III tubular canal submarginally between the lateral stigmatic clefts (vs. absent). The species is named after the genus of the host plant from which it is most commonly collected, Rhododendron ...