Dlium

NEWS - Two marine scaleworms (Sthenolepis, Sigalionidae) from depths of 2350–3221 meters off the coast of Northern California collected as part of a long-term monitoring survey at the San Francisco Deep-Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site and a baseline study by the US Navy off the coast of Northern California are new species. Ruff sea scaleworm ( Sthenolepis ruffi ) has long palps and tentacular cirri, an upper group of neurochaetae with long blades, and a lower group of neurochaetae with non-canaliculate blades. Solitary sea scaleworm ( Neoleanira solitaria ) stands out among members of the genus by having simple fusiform supracicular neurochaetae in the posterior segments. S. fimbriarum (Hartman, 1939) and S. spargens (Fauchald, 1972) are found in the Gulf of California, but the two can be easily distinguished by the size of the median antennae and auricles, the type of neurochaetae, and the elytra. S. ruffi is eyeless, has smaller auricles, long median antennae, smooth elytra w

NEWS - A new species of Ailaoshan loosestrife ( Lysimachia ailaoshanensis ) related to subgen. Palladia sect. Chenopodiopsis and most similar to L. chenopodioides and L. remotiflora , but distinguished by narrower lanceolate leaf blades, longer petioles, narrower stamens and longer pistils. L. ailaoshanensis was collected by Hai-Fei Yan of the South China Botanical Garden and colleagues at Mount Ailao, Yunnan, in August 2020. Subsequent field visits were conducted to confirm its presence and examination to describe and compare with all other Lysimachia species. Based on the classification of Lysimachia by Handel-Mazzetti (1928), the new species is characterized by alternate leaves, racemes with sparse or solitary flowers in the upper leaf axils, free filaments, attached in the middle of the corolla, and pedicels usually shorter than the corolla. About 8 species are known in southwest China and adjacent areas including Bhutan, India, Kashmir, northern Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and some

NEWS - Penguins and albatrosses have highly sensitive areas on their beaks to help them find food. An international team of researchers studied more than 350 modern bird species and found that seabirds have a high density of sensory receptors and nerves at the tip of their beaks that have previously been identified in specialist tactile feeders such as ducks. This touch-sensitive area may have originated in a common ancestor and further research is needed to determine whether it has a specific function in modern birds. Further research into beaks and foraging behaviour could help conserve some birds, many of which are threatened with extinction. Humans and other primates use their hands, but birds use their beaks to interact with the world around them. Some birds have special touch-sensitive areas at the tip of their beaks to help them find food, but this ability has not been widely studied and it is not known how the phenomenon evolved or how widespread it is. “Many scientists assume

NEWS - A new species enigmatic thread-legged bug ( Ploiaria enigmatica , Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae: Leistarchini) from the Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India, has a series of interesting characters not found in any Indomalayan member of Ploiaria (Scopoli, 1786) and appears morphologically similar to some Afrotropical relatives. The Ploiaria species is about 4 mm long and is the only known apterous morph for both sexes. The new species is easily recognized among the Indomalayan species of the genus by its forelegs which have a single long and strong spine-like seta located on a tall basal process on the ventral surface of the trochanter. Five long and strong processes, some of which are longer than the maximum width of the femur and four long spines with short bases on the tibia. Furthermore, abdominal tergites IV-VII are each provided with a median tubercle located on the posterior edge of the segment. The pygophore is equipped with a broad, truncated and shallowly ma

NEWS - Cave-dwelling shrimp ( Hemimysis margalefi ) find their way home in the vast ocean using the special scent of their cave. Tiny mysid shrimps use scent to track their way home thanks to local differences in the ‘chemical seascape’ Animals have the ability to navigate to their home locations, breeding grounds and feeding areas. Salmon, pigeons, bees, frogs, mice, sea turtles rely on landmarks such as the Earth’s magnetic field, patterns of polarised light in the sky and so on to find their way back. Cave-dwelling mysid shrimps, also known as possum shrimps because the females have a pouch to carry their larvae, also use chemical cues to navigate underwater caves in the same way that coral larvae and reef-dwelling fish distinguish between healthy and disturbed coral reefs. “For the first time we show that mysids can distinguish between waterborne scents that characterize their caves, in addition to the scents of nearby caves. This distinctive seascape helps them find their caves ag

NEWS - Researchers report a new species of Ichthyurus longulus that is widely distributed in Shanxi, Gansu, Hubei, Chongqing, Guizhou and Guangxi in China. This species has some variation in pronotum coloration but can be easily distinguished from all other species. I. longulus is easily distinguished from all species from China by its uniform black elytra, in contrast to the mixed black and yellow bicolor elytra in other species. Each mesotibia is present with an apical spur in males, while it is absent in other species. In addition, the terminal abdominal tergite is characterized by a long lateral projection, about 3/5 of the tergite length. Furthermore, the aedeagus has a long setifore extension that is almost as long as the parameres. The legs are slender and the terminal abdominal tergite has a simple lateral projection in males. The specific name is derived from the Latin word longus meaning long, referring to the long setifore extension. The body length for both sexes is 13.5-

NEWS - Researchers from Chungbuk National University in Cheongju and the National Institute of Biological Resources in Incheon report Impatiens jangjeonense (Balsaminaceae) as a new species from the mountainous region of Gangwon-do Province in South Korea. The new species inhabits mountainous habitats at elevations of 400–1200 meters and is often found in shaded valleys near streams. I. jangjeonense coexists with I. hambaeksanensis on Mount Hambaeksan, Gangwon-do. However, populations of both species are completely isolated from each other, making gene flow between the two species unlikely. The genus Impatiens exhibits great variation in morphology. Flower color and morphology vary greatly, along with diverse capsule and seed shapes. In particular, a variety of organ colors, shapes, and sizes are observed within the same species or the same population. Partly because of this variability, the taxonomy of Impatiens has proven challenging. I. jangjeonense is morphologically similar to

NEWS - A new species of Cyanea is described from samples collected in the Gulf of Guinea during 2017-2019. The species is a member of the nozakii group that has discontinuous radial septa and is characterized by, among other things, deeper rhopalial than velar marginal clefts, uniform papillose exumbrella, up to 200 tentacles per cluster and a dense network of anastomosing canals in a broad quadrate fold. West African mane jelly ( Cyanea altafissura ) can be genetically distinguished from relatives in the ITS1 and COI regions as confirmed by several phylogenies and other analyses. This is the first record of a member of the nozakii group in the Atlantic Ocean and the first description of a genus Cyanea from the west coast of Africa and the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Cyanea Péron & Lesueur (1810) currently includes 17 species and is the second largest number of valid and recognized species in the Semaeostomeae of Agassiz (1862), after Aurelia Lamarck (1816). Both genera are rarely re

NEWS - Reforestation to combat climate change often encroaches on natural forests, wetlands and grasslands, destroying biodiversity, disrupting the natural environment and disrupting carbon and water cycles. Forest cover is increasing globally, but it is difficult to know whether this is natural forest regeneration and growth or whether it is new tree planting. Accurately mapping forests with remote sensing technology could help. Researchers from Tongji University in Shanghai and South Dakota State University in Brookings present an innovative approach that automatically maps natural forests and new plantations accurately at a spatial resolution of 30 meters. “Accurately mapping the global distribution of natural forests and plantations at such a fine spatial resolution is challenging, but it is critical to understanding and mitigating environmental issues such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity loss,” said Yuelong Xiao of Tongji University in Shanghai. “Traditional methods oft

NEWS - Xantolis weimingii (Sapotaceae, Chrysophylloideae) is described from Yunnan, southwest China and can be easily distinguished from its relatives by the combination of densely covered plants with ferruginous arachnoid-lanate, oblong or obovate leaves and pendulous staminodes at the base. Xantolis Raf. 1838 (Sapotaceae, Chrysophylloideae) is a small genus of trees and shrubs containing about 14 species with a distribution from the eastern Himalayas to the Philippines in tropical Asia. The genus is morphologically characterized by distinct spines, a sharp anther appendage, lanceolate lobes on the calyx and corolla, and aristate staminodes. Molecular data suggest that the genus is sister to the entire subfamily Chrysophylloideae and is a very isolated and poorly understood genus. Specimens was first collected in the Luzhijiang Valley in August 2015, but only sterile or fruiting specimens were collected. In April 2022, a specimen with flowers was finally collected in Wadie, Yuanjiang

NEWS - There is growing interest in alternative protein sources including tasty insect dishes. The large conehead grasshopper ( Ruspolia nitidula ) shows promise as a sustainable source of nutrition as global population growth and traditional livestock production increasingly strain environmental resources. Cameroon’s abundant grasshoppers provide nutrients such as protein, amino acids and minerals that are essential for health and growth. The ecological benefits and health benefits make insects a solution for food security and improving future diets Ngnaniyyi Abdoul from the University of Dschang in Cameroon and team studied the effects of replacing Clupea harengus fishmeal with R. nitidula meal in the diet of mice. Over 12 weeks, the researchers evaluated how this dietary change affected libido, sleep, hair growth and overall health. Replacing fishmeal with R. nitidula meal resulted in significant health improvements in mice. Libido was increased with increased intromission and ej

NEWS - Two new species have been reported from Xizang, China, Karschia shannan and Karschia trisetalis which were added to the genus Karschia Walter (1889) which so far contains 32 species distributed in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia with 12 of them described from western China. Solifugae commonly known as camel spiders, sun spiders and wind scorpions are an order of mostly nocturnal, fast-moving and predatory arachnids characterized by their powerful two-segmented chelicerae and voracious appetite. Shannan camel-spider ( K. shannan ) is named after Shannan City where the specimen was collected and K. trisetalis is a combination of the Latin word "tri" meaning three, "seta" as a spiniform structure and the suffix "ālis" meaning āle which together mean "pertaining to three setae" referring to the flagella complex of the male chelicerae with three fcs. K. shannan differs in males from all Karschia species by the ventral coxae of

NEWS - An ancient Devonian coelacanth has been remarkably well preserved in a remote location in Western Australia linked to increased tectonic activity. An international team of researchers analysed fossils of the primitive fish from the Gogo Formation of Ngamugawi wirngarri , which straddles a key transition period in the history of coelacanths, between the most primitive and more modern forms. The new fish species adds to the evidence for Earth’s evolutionary journey. Climate change, asteroid strikes and plate tectonics are all key subjects in the origins and extinctions of animals that played a major role in evolution. Is the world’s oldest ‘living fossil’ the coelacanth still evolving? “We found that plate tectonic activity had a major influence on the rate of coelacanth evolution. New species are more likely to have evolved during periods of increased tectonic activity when new habitats were divided and created,” says Alice Clement of Flinders University in Adelaide. The Late Dev

NEWS - Incredible footage shows a marine species, Bathyopsurus nybelini , feeding on something that sinks from the ocean’s surface. Researchers using the submersible Alvin found the isopod swimming 3.7 miles down using its paddle-like legs to catch an unexpected food source: Sargassum. Researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the University of Montana, SUNY Geneseo, Willamette University and the University of Rhode Island found the algae sinking, while the isopod waited and adapted specifically to find and feed on the sinking nutrient source. The Sargassum lives on the surface for photosynthesis. The discovery of a deep-sea animal that relies on food that sinks from the waters miles above underscores the close relationship between the surface and the deep. “It’s fascinating to see this beautiful animal actively interacting with sargassum, so deep in the ocean. This isopod is extremely rare; only a handful of specimens were collected during the groundbreaking Swedis

NEWS - Researchers report Homo neanderthalensis , found in a cave system in France’s Rhône Valley, represents a previously undescribed ancient lineage that diverged from other known Neanderthals about 100,000 years ago and remained genetically isolated for more than 50,000 years. Genomic analysis suggests the bones of the Neanderthal dubbed “Thorin” lived in a small, isolated community. The new discovery could shed light on the still-mysterious reasons for the species’ extinction and suggests that late Neanderthals had a broader population structure than previously thought. “There was only one genetically homogeneous Neanderthal population going extinct, but now we know that there were at least two populations at the time,” said Tharsika Vimala of the University of Copenhagen. The Thorin population spent 50,000 years without exchanging genes with other Neanderthal populations. Over 50 millennia, two populations of Neanderthals, living about a ten-day walk from each other, lived side by

NEWS - Researchers report new analysis results that support the establishment of a new genus, Lithoptilum, to accommodate rock pens as a taxon close to Anthoptilum within the Anthoptilidae (Pennatuloidea) and require the deletion of the species Calibelemnon francei and the genus Calibelemnon within the Scleroptilidae. Upasana Ganguly and Scott France of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette used a phylogenetic tree based on multilocus data and a single mitochondrial marker that showed all rock pens form a monophyletic clade within a larger clade representing the Anthoptilidae, deleting Calibelemnon (Scleroptilidae) and erecting the genus Lithoptilum. Sea pens (Pennatuloidea) are a specialized group of octocorals that evolved to live anchored to the seafloor on soft sediments using their stalks as anchors, whereas rock-dwelling sea pens or rock pens use sucker-like stalks to attach to hard substrate surfaces, an adaptation previously unknown to sea pens. Four species have now been i

NEWS - The Citarum River, one of Indonesia’s most polluted waterways, is undergoing a transformation towards revitalisation through an innovative “Living Lab” approach. Research led by Monash University explores how the Citarum Living Lab contributes to planetary health in response to global river pollution and economic development imperatives. The Citarum River in West Java, Indonesia, is a critical source of water, food, energy and livelihood for over 25 million people. The Citarum Living Lab is an effort to collaboratively restore and empower rivers. A pioneering program that combines community-led, cross-disciplinary research and practical interventions to address pollution, urbanisation and climate change impacts. The project brings together local communities, government, NGOs, businesses and researchers to collaboratively develop and test sustainable solutions to restore river ecosystems. An initiative that explores local knowledge and encourages community participation to creat

NEWS - Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS+nLSU rDNA sequences confirmed that the new finding belongs to the genus Hymenochaete. A new wood-dwelling fungus Hymenochaete sinensis belonging to the family Hymenochaetaceae is described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and molecular data. H. sinensis is characterized by annual, resupinate basidiomata with aurantium to coconut brown and brownish black hymenal surfaces, a monomitic hyphal system with simple septa with thick-walled generative hyphae and ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 4-5 × 2.5-3.5 μm. Recently, significant research progress has been made in the study of species diversity and divergence of fungi. To date, about 155,000 species of fungi have been described which constitutes 6.20% of the estimated 2.5 million species as a diverse group of microorganisms that play an important role in the ecosystem. To date there are 20 phylum: Aphelidiomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Basidiomy

NEWS - Elegant bamboo ( Temochloa elegans ) and elegant bare bamboo ( Temochloa elegans var. glabra ) are new members and strengthen the genus that previously only had liliana bamboo ( Temochloa liliana S. Dransf, 2000). The new taxa were found in limestone habitats in southwest Guangxi, China, and northeast Vietnam. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guangzhou, Guiyang Vocational and Technical College in Guiyang and Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in Hanoi described new species and varieties that strengthen the genus Temochloa into two species with two varieties. Neomicrocalamus Keng f. and Temochloa S. Dransf. are two genera of climbing bamboos (Poaceae, Bambusoideae, Bambuseae) that are only distributed in limestone areas that are phylogenetically sister groups. The morphology has several similar characters, such as short-necked pachymorph rhizomes, climbing stems and ambiguous inflorescence structures. Neomicrocalamus has semelauctant ‘inflorescences’,

NEWS - Prey species have survival tactics to avoid being eaten by potential predators, but young Japanese eels ( Anguilla japonica ) have gone above and beyond in escaping after being swallowed by the dark sleeper fish ( Odontobutis obscura ). Researchers from Nagasaki University and the Bunkyo Fisheries Resources Institute in Yokohama used X-ray videography and watched the eels escape backwards, first pushing their tail end through their esophagus and gills before pulling their heads out completely. “They escape from the predator’s stomach by moving backward through the digestive tract towards the gills after being caught by the predator fish. Previously, we did not understand their escape route and behavioural patterns because it takes place inside the predator’s body,” said Yuuki Kawabata from Nagasaki University. This study is the first to observe the behavioural patterns and escape process of prey inside the predator’s digestive tract. In previous studies, Kawabata and his t

NEWS - The current rate of human-caused extinction is up to 700 times higher than it was in the past. Extinctions are no different for plants, animals and fungi, although the extinctions of botanicals and invertebrates have been far worse than those of vertebrates. The mass extinctions increased from 1890 to 1940, but a decline in extinctions was only recorded after the 1980s, likely due to taxonomic bottlenecks and the pre-1800 extinction rates being affected by a lack of data. The number of species varies from 2-8 million to 1 trillion, and estimates suggest that most species, especially microbes and fungi that may be key to healthy ecosystems, are still undiscovered. The biodiversity crisis is therefore extremely difficult to measure. “If we don’t know what we have, it’s impossible to measure how much we’re losing. This taxonomic gap urgently needs to be addressed,” say Maarten Christenhusz and Rafaël Govaerts of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Yet taxonomy is in decline. Misunderst

NEWS - Salvia penghuana , a new species from Guizhou Province in southwest China, is morphologically similar to S. filicifolia and S. cavaleriei , but can be distinguished by its bracts, corolla and lower arms. Based on its fibril roots, calyces, small corolla and reduced posterior thecae, the researchers suggested that S. penghuana should be placed in section Sobiso of the subgenus Glutinaria. Salvia L. (1753) which has 58 synonyms, is traditionally defined and classified into 11 subgenera with about 1000 species, is the largest genus in Lamiaceae. This taxon has a subcosmopolitan distribution, but mainly spreads in Mesoamerica, Southwest Asia, the Mediterranean and East Asia. Recently a large number of new species or hybrids of this genus have been reported worldwide. About 100 species have been recorded in East Asia, most of which are in China, with 89 native species and 3 naturalized species from the New World. Based on staminal morphology, Salvia in East Asia is placed in the

NEWS - Two new species of Eupolyphaga ( E. bicolor and E. nigra ) and six new species of Pseudoeupolyphaga ( P. flava , P. deficiens , P. magna , P. longiseta , P. latizona , and P. baimaensis ) from China were described using morphological and COI sequences analyses. The researchers also reported the female external genitalia and spermathecae of both genera and the role of morphological characters. Eupolyphaga was once the most diverse Corydioidea in China with 22 species and 4 subspecies. However, Eupolyphaga has been revised based on a combination of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic reconstruction by moving most of the species to Pseudoeupolyphaga. Only 7 species are in Eupolyphaga, while 15 species and 4 subspecies are in Pseudoeupolyphaga. The species identification of both genera is mainly based on some external morphology of males and the shape of the ootheca serrations. More samples are needed to evaluate the taxonomic reliability, and morphological characteriz