A monogenean was discovered parasitizing the bladder of Hylarana maosonensis, an amphibian species that was not previously recorded in Yunnan Province, China. Through numerical taxonomy and comparative analysis, the monogenean was identified as a previously undescribed species of the genus Diplorchis within the family Polystomatidae and was named as Diplorchis yunnanensis Fan & Meng, sp. nov. Detail descriptions and illustrations are provided. The typical materials are deposited in the School of Life Sciences at Yunnan Normal University.

Trophic interactions, the fundamental links in food webs, are an important modulator of biodiversity structuring and ecosystem functioning. However, interactions between scorpions and insects remain poorly understood despite their high biomass and diversity in natural ecosystems and more than 410 million years of evolutionary history. Here we summarize three trophic interaction types from 95 scorpion-insect species pairs in which both scorpions and insects were identified at least to the genus level. Predator-prey relationships were the most documented trophic interactions between scorpions and insects, involving 45 scorpion species from 9 families and 79 insect species from 11 orders. Prey-predator interactions were recorded between 11 species pairs of insects from four orders and scorpions from five families. Parasitiodism was documented between four dipterans (3 families) and five scorpions (3 families). The mega-diversity of insects and the high biomass of scorpion species in natural ecosystems imply that their complex trophic interactions await to be characterized.

Global warming has emerged as the predominant trend in global climate change, with forecasts suggesting a rise in the occurrence and severity of extreme weather phenomena. As a result, ectothermic animals have become ideal model organisms for investigating the potential impacts of climate change on global biodiversity. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is a widely used technique for gene expression analysis. However, stable reference genes suitable for accurate normalization of transcriptional data across lizard samples have not yet been established. In this study, three skink species—Scincella modesta, S. reevesii, and Ateuchosaurus chinensis—were selected as model organisms to evaluate the expression stability of eight candidate housekeeping genes (18S rRNA, EF1α, ACTB, GAPDH, HPRT1, YWHAZ, RPS15, and RPS18) under nine distinct temperature conditions (6°C, 10°C, 14°C, 18°C, 22°C, 25°C, 28°C, 32°C, and 36°C). The Delta Ct method, BestKeeper, NormFinder, GeNorm, and RefFinder were utilized to assess expression consistency and to identify the most suitable reference genes, as well as the ideal number needed for reliable normalization. The results indicated that under varying temperature conditions, the best-performing internal controls were RPS18 and RPS15 for S. modesta; RPS18 and EF1α for S. reevesii; and RPS15 and YWHAZ for A. chinensis. Furthermore, RPS18, RPS15, and EF1α were identified as a stable and commonly applicable set of internal controls for RT-qPCR normalization across all three skink species and are recommended as reliable reference genes for use in related lizards exposed to thermal stress.

In China, only one genus within the subfamily Masarinae was recorded. In this paper, the nominate genus of the subfamily, Masaris Fabricius, 1793, is newly recorded and described in detail from China, with the illustrations of the species Masaris longicornis (Kuznetzov, 1923). Meanwhile, some field observation records of M. longicornis are provided for the first time.

Liopterids (Hymenoptera: Liopteridae) are key parasitoids of wood-boring forest pests, such as jewel beetles (Buprestidae), longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) and horntails (Siricidae). In this paper, four species of Paramblynotus Cameron, 1908 are reported from China for the first time, namely P. atratus Liu & Kovalev, 2007, P. marginatus Liu & Kovalev, 2007, P. pausatus Liu & Kovalev, 2007 and P. scaber Belizin, 1951. Distributional data and an updated key to the Chinese members of the P. scaber species-group are provided, which increase the known of Chinese liopterids fauna and supply a foundation for future biocontrol studies.

A new tintinnid ciliate, Salpingella subarctica Zhang, Li & Li, sp. nov. was discovered in waters from the subarctic north Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean during six research cruises conducted between July and September over the past decade. Distinct lorica characteristics justify the establishment of this new species, distinguishing it from previously known species: an average lorica opening diameter (12.6 μm), an average posterior lorica opening diameter (3.6 μm), a smaller lorica length (41.8–69.5 μm), a prominent posterior opening, and 8–10 longitudinal fins extending parallelly from the opening to the posterior end. It occurred in water with temperature of -1.6–20.5°C and salinity of 25.3–34.4, and preferred to salinity of 32, temperature of 11°C in open ocean in Pacific Ocean, and 0°C in Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea.

Three new species of the earthworm genus Amynthas Kinberg, 1867 (Clitellata: Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) are described from southern China using an integrative taxonomic approach, which combines morphological traits and molecular phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial COI gene, namely Amynthas ganzhouensis Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. (Jiangxi), A. redactus Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. (Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan), and A. yixingensis Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. (Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Anhui). A. ganzhouensis Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. is assigned to the A. morrisi-group based on two pairs of spermathecal pores (sp) located at intersegments 5/6–6/7. A. redactus Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. is placed in the A. corticis-group, exhibiting four pairs of spermathecal pores at intersegments 5/6–8/9. A. yixingensis Sun & Jiang, sp. nov. exhibits intraspecific variation in the number and position of spermathecal pores: some populations conform to the A. sieboldi-group (three pairs of pores at 6/7–8/9), while others align with the A. corticis-group (four pairs at 5/6–8/9). Molecular analyses of the mitochondrial COI gene further confirm the distinct species status of these three taxa. These discoveries expand the known diversity of Amynthas in southern China.

Three new genera, Kongaraneus gen. nov., Qianaraneus gen. nov. and Zangaraneus gen. nov., and twenty-one new species of the family Araneidae from Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, Xizang, south-west China are described: Araneus cheni sp. nov. (♂♀), A. guoi sp. nov. (♂♀), A. jinhuai sp. nov. (♂♀), A. lidiae sp. nov. (♂♀), A. luoi sp. nov. (♂♀), A. subluoi sp. nov. (♂♀), A. wangi sp. nov. (♀), Kongaraneus lii sp. nov. (♂♀), K. fani sp. nov. (♂♀), K. mengfeiae sp. nov. (♂♀), K. shenghangi sp. nov. (♂♀), K. shilini sp. nov. (♂♀), K. yongxiangi sp. nov. (♀), K. zhangae sp. nov. (♀), Pronoides liqii sp. nov. (♂♀), P. xiaoi sp. nov. (♂♀), Qianaraneus kejii sp. nov. (♂♀), Zangaraneus liui sp. nov. (♂♀), Z. pani sp. nov. (♂♀), Z. shikaii sp. nov. (♂), and Z. zhui sp. nov. (♂). Moreover, three species, Kongaraneus bicavus (Zhu & Wang, 1994) comb. nov., K. papilioformis (Qin, Mi & Liu, 2024) comb. nov. and Qianaraneus cucullatus (Mi & Li, 2022) comb. nov. are transferred from Araneus Clerck, 1757.

Hyleoglomeris xini sp. nov. is described from Hubei, China, as new to science. It is different from other species of the genus by its ommatidia, more elongated Tömösváry’s organ and different posterior telopod. A checklist of the genus Hyleoglomeris in China of total 37 species is provided, including their locations and microhabitats.

A new species of free-living marine nematodes that belongs to the family Richtersiidae Kreis, 1929 was found in the Yellow Sea and is described herein as Richtersia sinica sp. nov. The new species is characterized by a body length of 402–430 μm; a multispiral amphidial fovea with 4–4.5 turns in males and 1 turn in females; longitudinal rows of spines beginning at the mid-pharyngeal level in both sexes; paired spicules that differ in both shape and length; the right spicule being slender and elongated, 3.9–4.9 times cloacal body diameter in length, with a bifid proximal end; the left spicule being thick and short, 1.7–2.3 times cloacal body diameter with an enlarged cephalate proximal end; the gubernaculum being plate-shaped, gradually narrowed at both ends, lacking apophyses; and the tail short and conical. An updated key for the identification of valid species of Richtersia is provided.

A new species, Anthrenus (Anthrenodes) xizangensis Zhou, Háva & Da, sp. nov., is described based on a series of specimens recently collected in Lhasa, Xizang, China. The new species is illustrated and compared with its morphological similar species: A. himalayensis Háva, Wachkoo & Maqbool, 2019, A. katrinkrauseae Háva, 2018, and A. occultus Háva, 2006. It differs in the scale coloration and pattern, as well as in the antennae and male genitalia. A comparative diagnosis and a distribution map of known similar Anthrenus species are provided.

The Mediterranean invasive species Calanipeda aquaedulcis Kritschagin, 1873 was discovered for the first time in Svyatoe Lake in the Nizhny Novgorod Region (Russia). This species had not previously been found north of the Kama River estuary near Kazan city (Middle Volga). For comparison, the population from the Tsimlyansk Reservoir (Don River, southern Russia) was also analyzed. Both populations were studied using morphology and genetics (12SrRNA, CO1, nITS and 18SrRNA genes), which showed no differences between them. A morphological description of a male and female invader from Svyatoe Lake with illustrations is provided. Comparison of the invader population by the CO1 gene with material from the Bilbao estuary, Spain (GenBank) showed a difference between these populations of 8.2% nucleotide substitutions, which excludes the Spanish population as a donor for introduction into Russia. Possible sources of invasion and prospects for the dispersal of the invader are discussed.

The genus Neoennearthron Miyatake, 1954 is newly recorded from China, with a new species, N. baoshanense sp. nov., described and illustrated. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners mainly by the morphology of the male genitalia: tegmen with a broadly rounded apex, the middle part of the apex not directly connected, only joined by tissues with low sclerotization, and concave at the middle; apicolateral corners deeply emarginate and elliptically convex with a notch in dorsal view. An updated key to all known species of the genus Neoennearthron is also provided.

Corydasialidae is one of the extinct families of Neuroptera, currently comprising six genera and ten species from several Cretaceous and Eocene deposits. Here we describe a new genus and a new species of Corydasialidae from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, namely Punctocorydasialis zhiqiae gen. & sp. nov. The new genus can be distinguished from the other genera of Corydasialidae by the forewing with pigmented marking pattern, and the RP with all branches simple, and the A1 distally pectinated.

Chinese bees of the subgenus Anthophora (Anthomegilla) Marikovskaya, 1976 are reviewed. Eleven species are confirmed to occur in China, two of which are described and illustrated as new species: A. (Anthomegilla) nailungensis Niu, sp. nov. and A. (A.) gyiruensis Niu, sp. nov. The female of A. (A.) beijingensis (Wu, 1986) and the male of A. (A.) flavonigra (Wu, 1988) are described for the first time. Diagnoses, updated synonymies, materials examined, global distributional data and floral associations of each species are provided along with illustrations and a key to known species in China.

Three new species of the genus Microhoria Chevrolat, 1877 from Mêdog, Xizang, China are described: M. asperispina sp. nov., M. medogensis sp. nov., and M. zhugensis sp. nov. Images of the habitus and major diagnostic characters of all new species are provided as well as habitat photographs of M. asperispina sp. nov.

A new species of free-living marine nematode, collected from subtidal sediments in the Yellow Sea, China, is described herein as M. sinica sp. nov. The species is characterized by a slender body of 2450–3670 µm long; three small teeth nearly equal in size; short spicules almost straight, cephalated proximally and conical distally; a small gubernaculum without apophysis; the absence of precloacal supplements and setae; and the presence of three small precloacal pores. Morphological characteristics of males of all Meyeria species are provided.

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The study describes a new species, Syndiamesa fanduangularis Fu, sp. nov., representing the first record of the genus Syndiamesa from the Oriental Region. A detailed description of the new species is provided, including morphological data and illustrations. Molecular data (COI gene) were obtained and deposited in NCBI GenBank, providing a DNA barcode for species identification. The study also provides an updated key to adult males of the genus Syndiamesa globally.

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The species of the family Plectopylidae from Zhejiang, China is revised. Five plectopylid species were reported—excluding the doubtfully distributed species Sicradiscus cutisculptus (Möllendorff, 1882)—namely Sicradiscus panpanae sp. nov., Sicradiscus cf. ishizakii (Kuroda, 1941), Sicradiscus diptychia (Möllendorff, 1885), Sinicola emoriens (Gredler, 1881) and Sinicola fimbriosa (E. v. Martens, 1875). The new species can be distinguished from its congeners based on the lamella-like ribs, the very wide umbilicus, and the extremely wide anterior lamella on the parietal wall. Sicradiscus cf. ishizakii is reported from four, Sinicola emoriens from two sites, while the new species is reported only from its type locality.

The pseudoscorpion family Garypidae Simon, 1879, with the genus Anchigarypus Harvey, 2020, is reported from the Chinese mainland for the first time. A new species, Anchigarypus zhoudanyangi Gao & Zhang, sp. nov., found from the coast, is described along with detailed description and illustrations. Anchigarypus japonicus (Beier, 1952), is recorded from China for the first time, extending its distribution from Japan and South Korea.

The genus Euhybus has 12 known species in China. It is newly recorded from Chongqing. Two new species are described as new to science: Euhybus brevidentatus Wu, Li & Yang, sp. nov. and E. longidentatus Wu, Li & Yang, sp. nov. An updated key to all Chinese species of Euhybus is provided.

To resolve stick insect phylogeny and mitochondrial rearrangement, mitochondrial genomes were sequenced. A total of ten mitochondrial genomes, 15,808–16,608 bp in length, were successfully sequenced in this study. Gene rearrangements were observed in three samples of two species: Paragongylopus plaumanni (sample number: WSZJC6 and YNZJC5), and Cnipsomorpha erinacea. The tandem duplication–random loss (TDRL) model provides a reasonable explanation for the detected gene rearrangements. Specifically, C. erinacea exhibits a gene rearrangement pattern of 12SrRNA-CR1-trnI-CR2-trnQ-trnM. P. plaumanni (WSZJC6) displays a CR-trnM-NCR-trnI-trnQ-ND2 gene arrangement, whereas P. plaumanni (YNZJC5) displays a more complex gene arrangement: a CR-trnM-NCR1-trnI-trnQ-NCR2-ND2. In addition to identifying novel gene structures, we analyzed codon usage and base composition across the 10 mitochondrial genomes. Bayesian inference (BI) and Maximum likelihood (ML) methods were employed to infer phylogenetic trees, utilizing the PCGs_123 and PCGs_12 datasets. When the unstable taxon Stheneboea repudiosa was excluded from the analysis, the subfamilies Lonchodinae and Necrosciinae were recovered as monophyletic. However, these two groups were not supported as sister lineages. Moreover, species Achrioptera manga was found to cluster with members of the family Bacillidae, resulting in the non-monophyly of both Phasmatidae and Bacillidae. The phylogenetic analysis of the three subfamilies within Pseudophasmatidae recovered the topology ((Pseudophasmatinae) + (Obriminae + Dataminae)), consistent with previous studies. Additionally, Heteropterygidae and Pseudophasmatidae formed a sister clade, while Necrosciinae and Phasmatidae formed another. Bacillidae was positioned between these two major clades, resulting in the overall topology: (Heteropterygidae + Pseudophasmatidae) + ((Bacillidae + (Necrosciinae + Phasmatidae)).

The species Aristina dolichoptera Ozerov, 2012 has not been revisited since the genus was established, and its male was hitherto unknown. Based on specimens collected from Gansu and Qinghai, China, we identified both male and female individuals and confirmed their conspecificity using COI barcodes. The male of the genus Aristina is described for the first time at both generic and specific levels. Voucher specimens are deposited at the Natural History Museum of Shenyang University (NMSU), Shenyang, China.

The diversity of Assimineidae in China is poorly known. Populations historically identified as Assiminea violacea Heude, 1882 are reevaluated based on extensive material from the Changjiang Estuary and Zhoushan. Morphological examination of shells, radulae, and reproductive anatomy confirms that A. violacea is a junior synonym of Assiminea grayana Fleming, 1828. Molecular analyses of a 557 bp COI fragment support this revision, with phylogenetic reconstructions revealing a well-supported monophyletic clade comprising both Chinese and European specimens. This study provides the first confirmed record of A. grayana in China and discusses its potential introduction via maritime transport. These findings resolve a long-standing taxonomic confusion and clarify the biogeographic history of the genus in the Northwest Pacific.

Research progress on rotifer mitochondrial genomes has been slow, with studies primarily focusing on the genus Brachionus and bdelloid rotifers—primarily due to the considerable challenges associated with rotifer clonal cultivation. Rotifers of the genus Asplanchna are predominantly carnivorous, and sequencing and analyzing of their mitochondrial genomes can offers valuable insights into their taxonomic position while laying a solid foundation for related phylogenetic investigations. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Asplanchna sp. was determined and analyzed using high-throughput sequencing. The mitochondrial genome of this Asplanchna representative consists of two circular chromosomes: mtDNA-I (16,916 bp) contains 4 protein-coding genes (PCGs: cob, atp6, nad2, nad1), 2 rRNA-coding genes (16S rRNA and 12S rRNA), and 18 tRNA-coding genes; mtDNA-II (17,982 bp) includes 8 PCGs (cox1, nad6, nad4l, nad4, nad5, cox2, cox3, nad3) and 9 tRNA-coding genes. Both mtDNA-I and mtDNA-II harbor a ~9.4 kb non-coding region (NCR) downstream of the tRNA-Lys gene, with an identical AT content of 66.85% and complete sequence identity between the two NCRs. Codon usage bias analysis revealed a distinct preference in the mitochondrial genome, with serine codon UCU being the most frequently used. Ka/Ks analysis indicated that mitochondrial PCGs are under purifying selection (negative selection) and highly conserved during evolution, consistent with their role as essential energy metabolic units. A maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using 10 shared core PCGs from 26 closer related species. The results showed that Asplanchna is closely related to Brachionus but distantly related to bdelloid rotifers and acanthocephalans, which aligns with its morphological taxonomic status.