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Monday, September 1st, 2025
| Time | Event | ||||||
| 3:34a | [Ichthyology • 2023] Ponticola alasanicus • A New freshwater Goby (Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) from the Alazani River Basin, Georgia
Abstract Background: The South Caucasus Region and Georgia, in particular, is a biodiversity hotspot and characterised by high diversity of landscapes and ecosystems, as well as high levels of endemism. At the same time, diversity of freshwater organisms in the region remains poorly studied, including fishes. The freshwater fish fauna of the South Caucasus Region consists of 119 fish species, of which 13 species belong to the order Gobiiformes. It should be noted that gobies are amongst the poorly studied taxa in Georgia and probably unknown/undescribed species still living in the Georgian freshwater ecosystems which requires further research. New information: Ponticola alasanicus, a new species is described from the Alazani River, western Caspian Sea Basin, Georgia. It is distinguished from its congeners in the Caspian and Black Sea Basins by having the following features: dorsal fin with VI-VII spines and 15½-16½ branched rays, anal fin with 10½-12½ branched rays; lateral line with 48-55 scales; laterally compressed body with dark brown and black blotches - scales ctenoid; first and second dorsal fins almost touching with dorsal fins bases; head large, depressed, wider than deep, its length approaches almost 3.4th of standard length; nape scaled completely; cycloid scales cover upper part of opercle, cheeks noticeably swollen; snout longer than eye, eye diameter 4.5 times its head length; lower jaw slightly protruding; upper lip is uniform; pelvic disc short, elongated and flat, not reaching the anus; the pectoral fins extends vertically through first branched dorsal fin; caudal fin rounded. Ponticola alasanicus sp. n. belongs to P. syrman group and it is separated by a minimum Kimura 2-parameter distance of 3.5, 3.6 and 4.8% from P. syrman, P. iranicus and P. patimari, respectively. Keywords: Ponticola alasanicus sp. n., freshwater gobies, DNA barcoding, taxonomy, Western Caspian Sea Basin
Ponticola alasanicus sp. nov. Diagnosis: D1 – VI, D2 I / 15½-16½, A I / 10½ – 12½; nape scaled completely, scales cycloid and ctenoid, cycloid scales covering upper part of opercle; lateral line system with sub-orbital row d continuous; predorsal area is linearly concave in middle; first dorsal fin with oblique black stripe between first two or three rays, the tip of the first 3-4 rays is transparent white; species has one large dark spot at the base of the pectoral fin; ventral disc has oval/elongated shape, short, not reaching anus. Giorgi Epitashvili, Bella Japoshvili and Levan Mumladze. 2023. Ponticola alasanicus sp. n. (Gobiiformes, Gobiidae) from the Alazani River Basin, Georgia. Biodiversity Data Journal. 11: e101095. DOI: 10.3897/BDJ.11.e101095 | ||||||
| 3:44a | [Ichthyology • 2018] Altigena malihkaia • A New Species of Labeonini (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from the Irrawaddy River Basin in Myanmar
Abstract Altigena malihkaia, new species, is described from the Mali Hka River, a tributary of the Irrawaddy River in northern Myanmar. It is distinguished from all other species of the genus Altigena by having a combination of 45–49 lateral-line scales, 12–14 circumpeduncular scales, 17–20 pre-dorsal midline scales, wide head (96.8–138.5% HL), long postorbital length (64.6–81.0 % HL), and short dorsal-fin (length 21.9–26.2% SL). Pisces, Taxonomy, Cypriniformes, Mali Hka River Lan-Ping ZHENG, Tao QIN and Xiao-Yong CHEN. 2018. Altigena malihkaia, A New Species of Labeonini (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from the Irrawaddy River basin in Myanmar. Zootaxa. 4476(1); 87–93. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4476.1.8 [2018-09-13] | ||||||
| 3:58a | [Ichthyology • 2020] Macrognathus kris • A New, uniquely patterned Spiny Eel (Synbranchiformes: Mastacembelidae) from southern Borneo, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia
Abstract A new species of Macrognathus of the M. aculeatus species group is described from the Kahayan River drainage in southern Borneo, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia. Macrognathus kris, new species, is distinguished from all Asian congeners in having the following unique combination of characters: rim of anterior nostril with two fimbriae and two fimbrules; 43–45 rostral tooth plates; 24–25 dorsal spines; 46–55 dorsal-fin rays; 51–59 anal-fin rays; 20–23 principal caudal-fin rays; 76–78 total vertebrae; body depth at anus 11.8–15.9% SL; color pattern consisting of light brown stripe on dorsum and 11–14 irregular pentagonal dark brown blotches on sides of body. Synbranchiformes, Macrognathus, biodiversity, Pisces
Macrognathus kris Distribution. This species is currently known only from the Rungan River sub-drainage of the Kahayan River drainage in Central Kalimantan, Borneo ( Fig. 2). We hypothesize that it may occur also in neighboring sub-drainages within the Kahayan River drainage, or even in adjacent river drainages (e.g. the Mentaya River drainage). Further surveys are needed to confirm this. Habitat. Macrognathus kris inhabits blackwater habitats associated with peat swamp forests. Sungai Panta (where some of the paratypes have been collected) is a blackwater feeder stream flowing into Rungan River, with alluvial forest and flooded forest habitats. Syntopic fish species include: Brevibora cheeya Liao & Tan, Crossocheilus pseudobagarius Duncker, Desmopuntius foerschi (Kottelat), D. johorensis (Duncker), D. rhomboocellatus (Koumans), Eirmotus cf. insignis Tan & Kottelat, Malayochela maassii (Weber & de Beaufort), Osteochilus pentalineatus Kottelat, O. spilurus (Bleeker), Striuntius lineatus (Duncker) ( Cyprinidae), Kottelatia brittani (Axelrod), ...., Betta anabatoides Bleeker, B. edithae Vierke, Luciocephalus aura Tan & Ng, Parosphromenus filamentosus Vierke, Sphaerichthys acrostoma Vierke, S. selatanensis Vierke, Trichopodus leerii (Bleeker) ( Osphronemidae), Achiroides sp. ( Soleidae), and Pao palembangensis (Bleeker) ( Tetraodontidae). The inhabitants are a mix of riverine—with mainly swamp forest and peat swamp—taxa. Etymology. The kris is a wavy-bladed dagger carried and used by local nobility and warriors. The name is used as a noun in apposition, in allusion to the wavy or zigzag pattern on the body of the spiny eel and the general resting posture of the fish when viewed from above. Heok Hee Ng and Heok Hui Tan. 2020. A New, uniquely patterned Spiny Eel (Teleostei: Mastacembelidae) from southern Borneo, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia. Zootaxa. 4819(1); 170-178. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4819.1.9  | ||||||
| 6:03a | [Entomology • 2021] Dilar cangyuanensis, D. forcipatus, D. phraenus, D. striatus, ... • Mining the Species Diversity of Lacewings: New Species of the Pleasing Lacewing Genus Dilar Rambur, 1838 (Neuroptera: Dilaridae) from the Oriental Region
Simple Summary The pleasing lacewing (Dilaridae) is a little known family of the holometabolous order Neuroptera, and our understanding of their species diversity has long remained poor. Here, we present descriptions of 12 new species of the pleasing lacewing genus Dilar Rambur, which is widely distributed in the Palaearctic and Oriental regions. We found disparate wing marking patterns as well as several unique characters of the male genitalia of the new species, which highlight the diverse morphologies of Dilar. Based on a faunal analysis, eight areas of endemism of Dilar were distinguished, and the state of their species diversity and endemism were summarized. The Oriental part of China was revealed as the region with the highest species diversity of this genus, and Yunnan within this region stood out as the most species-rich subregion. Abstract The species diversity of insects is extraordinarily rich, but still has been insufficiently explored or underestimated particularly for uncommon groups. The pleasing lacewings (Dilaridae) are a little known family of Neuroptera with distinct sexually dimorphic antennae. The species diversity of pleasing lacewings was recently found to be severely underestimated and requires a comprehensive investigation, as well as systematic reviews. Here, we report on 12 new species of the pleasing lacewing genus Dilar Rambur, 1838, from the Oriental region, namely D. forcipatus sp. nov. and D. laoticus sp. nov. from Laos (new country record of Dilar); D. malickyi sp. nov., D. phraenus sp. nov. and D. rauschorum sp. nov. from northern Thailand; D. striatus sp. nov. from northern Vietnam; D. cangyuanensis sp. nov., D. daweishanensis sp. nov., D. nujianganus sp. nov., D. weibaoshanensis sp. nov., D. yucheni sp. nov., and D. zhangweiae sp. nov. from Yunnan and Tibet, both in southwestern China. The new species of Dilar display several types of wing marking patterns, and the morphology of the male genitalia is highly diverse. A comprehensive examination of the species diversity and distribution of Dilar concluded that Yunnan (southwestern China) represents a biogeographic region with high endemism and the richest species diversity. The potential correlation between vertical distribution and geographical latitude in Dilar was also analyzed. Keywords: Dilaridae; Dilar; new species; species diversity; distribution; Oriental region
Di Li, Horst Aspöck, Ulrike Aspöck and Xingyue Liu. 2021. Mining the Species Diversity of Lacewings: New Species of the Pleasing Lacewing Genus Dilar Rambur, 1838 (Neuroptera, Dilaridae) from the Oriental Region. Insects. 12(5), 451. DOI: doi.org/10.3390/insects12050451 [14 May 2021]  | ||||||
| 8:24a | [Entomology • 2023] Pseudoligota nozakii sp. nov. & P. antennata comb. nov. • Taxonomic Notes on the Genus Pseudoligota Cameron (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) from Japan
Abstract The genus Pseudoligota Cameron, 1920 is discovered in Japan for the first time, resulting in two taxonomic changes: a new combination P. antennata (Bernhauer, 1907), comb. nov., and a new species P. nozakii Hashizume, Yamamoto & Maruyama, sp. nov. from Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan. The former species has long been placed in the genus Oligota Mannerheim, 1830. This is the fourth genus in the subtribe Gyrophaenina known from Japan. The species P. affinis Cameron, 1939 from India and Peninsular Malaysia is placed as a junior synonym of P. antennata. Coleoptera, East Asia, Homalotini, Hypocyphtini, Gyrophaenina, rove beetle, taxonomy
Takuto HASHIZUME, Shuhei YAMAMOTO, Munetoshi MARUYAMA. 2023. Taxonomic Notes on the Genus Pseudoligota Cameron (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) from Japan. Zootaxa. 5227(1); 100-108. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5227.1.4 [2023-01-04] | ||||||
| 4:07p | [Paleontology • 2025] Craspedochelys renzi • The First Occurrence of “Plesiochelyidae” Marine Turtles in the early Cretaceous of South America
Abstract Thalassochelydians represent one of the earliest radiations of coastal to marine-adapted turtles, spanning from the Jurassic to Cretaceous periods. This study describes Craspedochelys renzi sp. nov., a new thalassochelydian, “plesiochelyid” turtle from the Hauterivian stage of the Early Cretaceous in Colombia. It is the youngest and the only known record of “Plesiochelyidae’ outside Europe. The holotype, housed at the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, was rediscovered after over 60 years and includes a partial shell, hindlimb bones, and caudal vertebrae. C. renzi shares key traits with “Plesiochelyidae”, including a V-shaped posterior plastral lobe lacking an anal notch; an indentation at the hypoplastra-xiphiplastra contact; an “intermediate” bone between neural 8 and suprapygal 1; a fully ossified carapace and bridge; and absence of carapacial fontanelles. Within “Plesiochelyidae”, it is assigned to Craspedochelys by its broader carapace, with an estimated length/width ratio of 4.12 for left costal 4, similar to other species in the genus; a relatively shorter plastron; and wider hyoplastra. Geological evidence links the specimen to the Moina Formation, a shallow marine deposit from the Hauterivian. This discovery expands the genus’ spatial and temporal range, underscoring its evolutionary and paleobiogeographic significance. It highlights the importance of museum collections in re-evaluating long-overlooked specimens, enriching our understanding of past biodiversity and turtle dispersal patterns.
 Craspedochelys renzi sp. nov.
Edwin-Alberto Cadena, Jorge D. Carrillo-Briceño, Dylan Bastiaans, Tandra Fairbanks-Freund, Loïc Costeur and Torsten M. Scheyer. 2025. The First Occurrence of “Plesiochelyidae” Marine Turtles in the early Cretaceous of South America. Swiss Journal of Palaeontology. 144; 52. DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00394-1 [25 August 2025]  |
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